PREFACE. Ar the commencement of this undertaking we announced to our readers, that in conducting The NEW MAGAZINE, We intended to range over the wide field of truth, taking the Scriptures as our lamp to guide us in understanding the Theology and Religion of Nature, Providence, and Redemption. We proposed in some humble degree to follow Whitfield and the venerable Countess, both of whom repudiated sectarianism, and desired above all things that Christ should be all in all-the only head of the Church and of the world. Their grand object was to throw the Gospel leaven into every thing, and thus sanctify the earth and bring the Millennium. We are aware that the effort has been a feeble one, and has not been acceptable to all, because it is far from being fashionable in modern days to imbibe the spirit, or practise the principles of the leader, whose name we proudly wear, whether he be Paul, Apollos, Cephas, or Christ. A worldly and an accommodating denominationalism is the order of our time; and "the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth" far from being palatable. Our Index will show that for so small a work we have taken rather a large survey. Many of the topics referred to have only been glanced at, because we were informed that our age is a butterfly one, and prefers flitting from flower to flower, instead of entering deeply into any subject. However, we have abundant evidence that the publication has not been in vain, either in the Connexion or beyond its pale; and we thank God and take courage. |