PREFACE. Or a subject of such absorbing interest to the religious community, as that of the grand and glorious mission for the moral conquest of the globe, little need be premised, since it engages the sympathies and earnest aspirations of all who desire the advancement, temporal and eternal, of the human family. At no period of the world's history has the missionary emprise received so important a share of popular consideration, or have the sure tokens of its ultimate and triumphant success been so vividly displayed, as at the present moment. The highways of idolatrous superstition are fast becoming the great avenues of celestial truth, while heathen darkness is rapidly receding before the cheering dawn of Gospel light and blessedness. Already many of the obscure corners of the earth, once the habitations of cruelty, have become the peaceful abodes of those made "wise unto salvation." The records of this mighty crusade for the recovery of fallen humanity-the thrilling incidents of its eventful history-its manifold vicissitudes and onward career-cannot fail of proving a theme of intense and paramount importance. In the memorable words of one long devoted to its interests, it may be affirmed, that "in the whole compass of human benevolence, there is nothing so grand, so Christian, so truly God-like, as the work of evangelizing the heathen.” A desire to invoke the attention of the religious public in a more prominent degree to the momentous subject of missions, as well as to incite those already engaged in its self-sacrificing labors to renewed energy and devo tion of spirit, is a leading feature of the present work. To relieve what might otherwise be considered a monotonous feature in the volume, it has been deemed expedient to introduce a few occasional articles of collateral interest or of lighter character; the literary merit of which, it is believed, will commend them to the favor of the reader. The plan of the work being new, and distinct from that of any previous production,-differing from the series of Annuals, its contents being of a more substantial and permanent character,it is confidently hoped it will meet with that share of attention from the entire Christian community, which the claims of an experiment so costly in its preparation deserve, and that it will prove admirably suited as a religious gift-book for the season. The illuminated frontispiece, presenting a beautiful specimen of Baxter's new process of printing in oil-colors,—a feature of novelty and consummate skill in art,--now for the first time introduced to the notice of the American public, is derived, by permission of the author, from Mr. Hoole's admired work, "Missions in Madras." The vignette illustration on the title-page represents a small building devoted to the accommodation of travellers in India. lent Hindoos, from charitable motives; they have generally near them the valuable addition of a tank of water, sufficiently deep to secure a necessary supply throughout the dry season: hence their occasional adaptation to missionary purposes. These edifices are erected by opu NEW YORK, October, 1845. |