THE CHRISTIAN ADVOCATE. Being a continuation of the Presbyterian Magazines CONDUCTED BY ASHBEL GREEN, D.D. VOL. I. FOR THE YEAR 1823. By manifestation of the truth, commending ourselves to every man's PHILADELPHIA: PUBLISHED BY E. LITTELL, No. 88, CHESTNUT STREET. 1823. Two years have elapsed, since the commencement of the Presbyterian Magazine. Its patronage has not been very extensive; and yet it has, perhaps, been greater than it was reason able to expect, for a miscellany whose contents were to be furnished almost wholly by the voluntary and gratuitous contributions of busy men, burdened already with professional and laborious occupations. The patronage, in a word, has been such, as to inspire a pretty confident hope, that if a competent editor could be engaged to devote to its improvement and sup. port the greater part of his time and efforts, it might become widely useful as a vehicle of religious instruction and intelligence, and might not only afford a pecuniary indemnification for the labour and expense of its publication, but add eventually a handsome sum to the charities of the church in which its circulation must principally be expected. Under the influence of this hope its conductors, after some delay and discouragement, have succeeded in engaging an Editor, to whom they can yield their entire confidence; and to whom they have committed the whole concern of providing and deciding on the various articles of which the publication shall consist. It has been thought advisable to change the name of this miscellany-Not because it is intended materially to change its character; but principally to prevent an injurious misapprehension, which, to a certain extent, there is reason to believe has actually taken place. We usually form some judgment of a publication from its title; and indeed it is for this very purpose that a title is given. Now, on hearing of a Presbyterian magazine, some, it appears, have set it down at once as a sectarian work; of which the main and ultimate design would be to diffuse and defend the doctrines and opinions which are peculiar to Presbyterians; and on this account they have resolved to give it no encouragement. That such an estimate and resolution have proceeded from an utter misconception, for which nothing in the magazine, except its title, has ever furnished any ground, is known VOL. I.-Ch, Adv. 77950 A |