"I would not live always away from that world," Influence of Dissipation on the Intellect, E. P. Ignorance about Unitarianism; S. O. Indian's Bride; by Edward C. Pinckney, Icolmkill, Staffa, &c.; by John Keats, Manners and Habits of the Western Pioneers; M Butler, 785-837 Musing on Nature, &c.; S. O. 795 Notes on Proof Texts, No. 1, 47-215 Wordsworth's Poetry, 460 War and Glory, 582 Way for a Child to be saved; by the Author of Record of a School, 629 Winander Lake, &c.; by J. Keats, 772 West's Picture of the Infant Samuel, 794 Wisdom of Toleration. 823 GENERAL PREFACE TO VOL. I. AND PROSPECTUS OF VOL. II. To express in a few words the purposes of our work-to convey an idea of the objects toward which it tends, and the principles by which it is swayed-to give a kind of philosophical table of contents to the whole volume is our present object. This periodical is devoted to the spread of a rational and liberal religion. We will explain what we mean by this. We believe no other form of religion can prevail in the West. We will give our reasons for so believing. We believe that religious systems must keep pace with the progress of thought and freedom. Among a people who are independent thinkers and practical in their characters, a ceremonial or unintelligible religion can never be influential. Even if such a religion should be established by the force of external circumstances, so as to be called the popular religion; it would not be practically believed, and its influence would be nullified by skepticism. By a rational religion, we do not mean a lifeless skeleton, which ought to be called skepticism. We believe in the Spiritual-in Eternity-in Immortality-in Retribution-in Christ's Divine Mission of Divine Love-in God, the all-wise and ever present. We believe in morality-the morality of the heart and of the hands-the morality which is sternly opposed to all wrongdoing, under whatever name it is disguised-whether it be popular or unpopular-in business; in conversation; in habits of life; in word or in thought. We believe that to be truly moral, men must be religious. |