43,57 HARVARD COLLEGE LIBRARY 67. Near. P277,23 PREFACE. Ar the commencement of this volume we expressed our determination to lend our most cordial and efficient cooperation to measures designed to facilitate the acquisition of religious knowledge in Bible classes. At its close, while we review the year and find much cause of regret that no more has been done or even attempted for reclaiming a revolted and wretched race; we can and must rejoice that such powerful and extended impulse has been imparted to Bible class measures. While thousands of youth have been this year collected around their Pastors, and inestimable advantages have been flowing from such auxiliary means to the public services of the sanctuary, a broad foundation has also been laid for future years. The measures taken by the Pastoral Association and the General Association of Massachusetts; by the General Synod of the Dutch Reformed Church, and by the General Association of New Hampshire, are pledges that the friends of zion will not rest, till all the young people of our land shall have the opportunity of attending at the Bible class lecture. If our pages, or our efforts have in any humble measure contributed to these results, we shall esteem it our highest honour and our most exalted privilege. Nor dare we wholly to desist from labours in this particular part of the vineyard, till more able and energetic instruments shall be raised up for these specifick duties. We would again return thanks to correspondents and to patrons, believing that the former have been rising in the merit of their contributions, and the latter in the interest they have felt in the perusal of our numbers. Believing that important advantages would result from an union of the Monitor and Guardian, the Editors and Publishers of the two works have made arrangements for their union after the present volume. The particular excellencies of each plan will be retained and original articles from both the Editors will continue to be inserted. The terms will be the same as before, and subscribers to either will be considered as patrons of the united work, which will be issued monthly from Boston and New Haven, the Arst of the month. Boston, Dec. 1824. VOL. II. THE MONITOR. JANUARY, 1824. NO. 1. NEW YEAR'S ADDRESS. Ar the commencement of the year we have often thought of the young man's exclamation when he had lost what was not his own! "ALAS, MASTER, FOR IT WAS BORROWED!" In theory we readily admit that ALL we possess is only LENT us; but has this solemn truth habitually influenced our practice the past year? Has it governed our past lives? Fellow immortals,-fellow subjects of the moral government of God; suffer us to commence our paper this year with a series of plain interrogations, in which editors and readers, young and old, are personally concerned. What use have we made of the TALENTS the KNOWLEDGE, the PROPERTY, the INFLUENCE and the TIME which God has LENT Us? In our present inquiries respecting our stewardship we shall only glance at the first four of these topics, and enlarge under the last. In the intellectual world we discover an inequality in the bestowment of Heaven's gifts; but the responsibility is proportionate to the intellect bestowed and the means of cultivating it enjoyed. Has God lent any of us vigorous intellectual powers, how have they been used? Have not some of us perverted them? Have not all of us failed of employing them as actively for God as we might have done? Alas, they were borrowed! Nor may we plead the want of genius as the excuse for perverting or hiding ordinary mental powers. We are accountable, not only for the capacity of mind we actually possess, but for that expansion which we had the means of giving it, and for all which such a mind might have accomplished. [Jan. Ce means and opportunities for acquiring and comWRITING KNOWLEDGE, which we have enjoyed, what marivement have we made? Do not abused school privileges, inproditable reading, unedifying conversa10 e ris, and inattentive sabbaths rise before most if is mi astry that much more knowledge, worth Jossessing, mert have been acquired? As public teachers, is editors, as heads of families, or as individuals, we al mare enjoyed some opportunities of communiring weru, and especially religious knowledge to zers Save we bine what we could, for benefiting aders i zme and the eternity by our instructions? Some we men have instructed we shall see no more asra. Theyre gone to the bar of God to leave per excmony of whit we have done, and what we The ent is murssty: bow have we used it? Save you some if is to squandered it? Have not KEIS A 18 MORIZnser hearded it? Respecting what 20weza i mr guns re our expenditures, have we aversaly murst it our Master in Heaven how we ES HER M. n seirg, in possessing, and in 28 PVS Prisei y por stewardship. SKI AIS ŠALNs at a greater or less degree 8.53 IN the sed? If it has not em* 27 I res, his à not too often rendered mish ↑ ter immortal interests? Rank, would am beurt, each be a governing influ14 Osverse x and the possessor of vlar & komade, na my se sa which his influAYMAN but ve sin which it might have N LANG The thought of having impelPa von mì tiness and heaven, is dis we ha las de est moral sensibility. * IN NA Mrg jove with the subject of influence. ASHOK V Possess infuence at the throne dave we red 1 holy importunity in behalf Tare we ziead with God that hopeBÌNH THỜI TRAI CỦA M Ford ra vces with the same Anywayne whet kontant used for guilty Sodom. faxe na may meczvus en apportmiies of effectual |