"THE whole subject of popular literature requires the deepest consideration. The press is pouring out every day a tide of books, which distract the attention, weaken the judgment, corrupt the taste, and defy the criticism of the public, by their very multitude. Every one, young or old, man or woman, fool or wise, thinks himself able to say something which may catch the pupil's eye, to raise himself either money or notoriety. The whole world has become a great school, where all the public have turned themselves into teachers; and the ravenous appetite of an idle people, always craving for some new excitement or amusement, and ready to swallow the most unwholesome food, is daily stimulating the market. What should we say, if a man had the power of so volatilizing a grain of arsenic, that its effluvium should spread over a whole country, entering into every house, and penetrating to the most vital part of the body? And yet until it is shown that the human mind is good itself, and the source of good—that it is not what we know it to be, save only when purified by religion, corrupt itself, and a corrupter of others-this power, which every man possesses, and which so many exercise, of diffusing their thoughts over the world, and insinuating them into the heart of a nation, is, in reality, the power of spreading a pestilential miasma.” Such is the solemn testimony of a body who have long borne the intellectual sovereignty of Europe, the Edinburgh Reviewers, on this momentous question. The state of things which this language depicts, superficially viewed, is ominous and awful; but more closely scrutinized, it will be found to contain the seeds of hope for the cause of human happiness, and to betoken the dawn of that celestial day when the universal mind shall shine with the glories of right reason, and the universal heart shall burn with the fervours of Christian charity. What changes have come over the earth within the short space of a single generation! We are old enough to remember the time when the whole of Europe was one vast barrack, and when each of its kingdoms was a battle-field. But wars have ceased. Philosophers now tell us "the whole world has become a great school, where all the public have turned themselves into teachers." This we consider an event which ought to excite the joy of all mankind. It is the first step in a world's emancipation. Who does not prefer quills to swords, " arsenic" to gunpowder, a generation of scribblers, whether "young or old, men or women, fool or wise," to a murderous marine and a sanguinary soldiery? Is it nothing that the intellect of a dormant world is at last awakened? Is it nothing that the one half of mankind aspire to teach, and that the other half are disposed to learn? Since time began, when could this have been affirmed of the human race? Proofs apart, is not such an order of things at least very like the commencement of those all-pervading preparations whereby, at length, the whole earth is to "be filled with the knowledge of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea?" Viewed in this larger light, the character of the writers, and their theme, the taste of the nations, and the nature of the intellectual food which commands their preference, are but minor considerations. In both respects, whatever is wrong will in time be corrected; whatever is evil will at length be extinguished. It is enough that, at the outset, there is a general resurrection of the buried intellect of the human race; that one portion of the species have the disposition and the capability to write anything, and the rest to read what is written. Here we have something to work upon-life and hunger; time, toil, and the blessing of God on the efforts of his people, will accomplish the rest. Error, in all its forms, is, from its very nature, both mutable and perishable. The Printing Press, allied to truth and religion, is omnipotent, and its empire immortal; but the handmaid of error and impiety, it is a reed, a withe, a straw. The curse of the Press, from the very nature of things, is local and temporary; its blessing universal and permanent. As one of God's own chief instruments for enlightening, subduing, purifying, civilizing, and elevating mankind, its right applications have ever been, and they will ever be, the rule; its perversions the exception. Every stroke of the Printing Press, in multiplying the elements of truth, the materials of intellectual and spiritual nourishment, like the heart in the animal economy, gives a new impulse to the progress of thought and of reason, of which thought and reason it is both the conservator and distributor. It gives to knowledge a power of surviving the storms of time, the shipwreck of spoken language, and of the strongest empire. "The literature of a land," as a great foreign writer has well and truly said, "embraces the whole literary intercourse of its people, whether that intercourse be oral or written. It is the exponent of the national intellect, and the utterance of the popular passions. The term thus viewed, comprises all the intellectual products of a nation, from the encyclopædia to the newspaper; from the body of divinity to the primer or the nursery rhyme-the epic poem and the Sunday-school hymn-the sermon and the epigram-the essay and the sonnet-the oration and the street ballad— the jest or the by-word-all that represents, awakens, and colours the popular mind—all that interprets, by the use of words, the nation to themselves, or to other nations of the earth." From this profound allegation, it clearly appears that the comparative importance of the divers departments of literature is to be determined by the numbers whom they severally affect. This, which ought to be a truism, is nevertheless an idea which has but a feeble hold on the minds even of thinking men, while on the majority even of the intelligent portion of the public, it has no practical hold at all. They are ever and anon confounding the splendid with the useful, overlooking the good of mankind in their preposterous idolatry of individual genius. These facts and truths are the foundations on which we rest the paramount claims, generally, of cheap religious periodical literature, which ought to be considered the greatest moral power on earth. Let it be assumed that each copy of the monthly issue of the CHRISTIAN WITNESS, for example, influences, more or less, directly or indirectly, at least seven individuals, which, we have reason to believe, is within the fact, and it follows that writers in our pages have been coming into intellectual and spiritual contact with upwards of a QUARTER OF A MILLION OF THE HUMAN RACE! Compared with this, how narrow the range, and how impotent the influence of even successful authorship! But of works published, what multitudes are never sold! Of books extensively purchased, how vast the portion never perused! There is no species of publication of which the bulk is so generally read, and read again, as the cheap periodical. Can a stronger inducement than such facts supply be presented to the minds of gifted men, who aspire to serve their generation, to put forth their strength in this direction? In what other way can their Christian benevolence find an outlet with such a prospect of usefulness in the highest walk of Christian benevolence? To all who have thus aided us, during the year that has closed, we now tender our most cordial thanks, while we most respectfully solicit the continuance and increase of their assistance. To all likewise, of every rank and class, who have used their best endeavours to promote our circulation, we cheerfully tender our grateful acknowledgments, in the hope that they will largely increase our obligations throughout the coming year. Finally, we would, with the profoundest reverence and the liveliest gratitude, recognise the Divine goodness which has graciously vouchsafed the necessary strength to complete another volume. To the churches we respectfully present this fresh fruit of our imperfect efforts to serve them; and to their Almighty King we ascribe the praise of whatever good may result from our labours. J. C. THE CHRISTIAN WITNESS, AND CHURCH MEMBER'S MAGAZINE. JANUARY, 1845. Theology and Biblical Illustration. RESOLUTIONS FOR THE NEW YEAR. "I will go in the strength of the Lord God." Am I a Christian- —a citizen of heaven-an expectant of eternal blessedness? Do I love God, have I espoused his cause, and identified myself with his people? Am I living under a constant impression that this world is not my rest? Are the noble and heavenly sentiments inspired by Christianity, and so scrupulously and imperatively inculcated by its Divine Founder, exerting their holy and legitimate influence over my spirit? Do they form the spring of my actions, the foundation of my hopes, and the source of my happiness? As years keep revolving, and moments continue to ebb away, am I progressing in the path of holiness and obedience? If so, every new era of time is bringing me nearer and nearer to my Father's house above. To the Christian every new year is big with the most momentous consequences. It involves new duties-new trials-new obligations—and the most solemn responsibilities. Still, amidst the opening prospect, whether bright or gloomy, pleasing or painful, inspiring or depressing,-amidst strange alternations, anticipated dangers, or arduous duties, he can unhesitatingly adopt the language of the psalmist, and say, "I will go in the strength of the Lord God." I.-I will go to the throne of grace in his strength. Here comfort, pardon, mercy, guidance, and every spiritual blessing, may be sought and obtained in answer to fervent, believing prayer. Here the star of Hope beams brighter and brighter. Here the visions of glory appear to the eye of faith. Here the sunshine of Divine favour irradiates the pilgrim's path. Here God relieves the burdened conscience, cheers the spirit, warms the heart, illumes the understanding, revives hope, banishes fear, and causes the soul to exult, and exclaim, "The Lord is my light and my salvation, whom shall I fear? the Lord is the strength of my life, of whom shall I be afraid?" To realize these special spiritual manifestations we must dwell beneath the shadow of the cross, and prostrate ourselves under the wing of the cherubim which is stretched over the mercy-seat, ever recollecting that, Devotion, when lukewarm, is undevout; But when it glows, its heat is struck to heaven; II.-I will go to the house of God in his strength. The house of God is the Christian's birthplace, and he loves it. In reference to it, he says, "If I forget thee, O Jerusalem, let my right hand forget her cunning; if I do not remember thee, let my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth." Here God communes with the penitent, prayerful, and humble spirit. Here the disciples of Christ are refreshed, replenished, invigorated, consoled, and edified, through the means of holy ordinances, and appointed institutions. The strains of redeeming mercy, sustaining, supplying, and sanctifying grace, distil upon the soul with a reviving and vivifying influence. The Divine perfections, with all their beauty, are set forth; the majesty and mercy of God-the benevolence and condescension of Christ-the blessings of the gospel in all their richness and variety-the promises, with all their attractive appropriateness and adaptation-the warnings, with all their remonstrative solemnity, and the prospects of a blissful state beyond the grave, which are brought before the Christian's view, attract his attention, absorb his thoughts, and are deeply impressed on his conscience and his heart. O what pleasures are enjoyed, what feelings are excited, what resolves are made, what offerings are presented, what blessings are experienced, what purposes are fostered, and what sublime enterprises are called into existence in the house of God! Are there moments more calm and bright than others? Are there mercies more sweet, more solacing than others? Are there reminiscences more dear and precious? These are enjoyed by the Christian under the preaching of the gospel, and in the house of the Lord. Yes, he utters with thrilling joy and holy emotion, "I was glad when they said unto me, Let us go into the house of the Lord." Here he draws down celestial blessings, and gazes with devout ecstasy upon spiritual scenes and invisible objects, inspiring as that whereon Jacob saw Angels ascending and descending, bands Of guardians bright, when he from Esau fled Dreaming by night under the open sky, And waking cry'd, This is the gate of heav'n. III.-I will go to the table of the Lord in his strength. "I will take the cup of salvation, and call upon the name of the Lord." I will go renouncing my own righteousness, relinquishing all self-dependence, confessing every delinquency and transgression, pouring forth the penitential tear, heaving the contrite sigh, uttering the devout prayer, and direct the eye of my faith to Him who was suspended on the cross as my Saviour and my substitute. The table of the Lord shall witness my holy gratitude, my spiritual longings, my personal consecration, my willing obedience, my calm. resignation, my cheerful acquiescence, my childlike affection, my unwavering |