THE CHRISTIAN'S PENNY MAGAZINE, AND Friend of the People: ISSUED BY THE CONGREGATIONAL UNION OF ENGLAND AND WALES. To break through this-to shed the light around, Till every man shall feel himself a man, And share the common joy, As one sun shines for all! This be our task!-As thousands toil for one, So one must toil for thousands! THIS PUBLICATION IS DESIGNED TO BE THE FORERUNNER of the PROFITS DEVOTED TO AGED MINISTERS. VOLUME I. LONDON: JOHN SNOW, PATERNOSTER ROW. 1846. ΤΟ THE PEOPLE OF ENGLAND. THE CONGREGATIONAL UNION OF ENGLAND AND WALES, at its Autumnal Session, held last year, in Manchester, resolved on the establishment of the CHRISTIAN'S PENNY MAGAZINE, AND FRIEND OF THE PEOPLE; and you have justified the deed by demanding, within the short space of twelve months, about ONE MILLION TWO HUNDRED AND EIGHTEEN THOUSAND FOUR HUNDRED COPIES, which gives an average monthly circulation of about ONE HUNDRED AND ONE THOUSAND FIVE HUNDRED. These are facts to which, in the history of Religious Periodical Literature, there is no parallel,-facts, whose intellectual and moral value reflecting men will not fail to appreciate. This result is here recorded with profound gratitude to Him-whose glory it was sought to promote by the measure-for the favour he has been pleased to give it in the sight of his people, while fervent acknowledgments are also tendered to all, of every rank and class, who have, in any way, contributed to the success of the enterprise. This Volume, then, the first of a series, which may probably extend through many generations, we dedicate to you! For you it was created-your welfare is the star by which its march has hitherto been guided-your countenance shed the light by which that march has hitherto been cheered—your approving breath has raised it to its present position, and the continuance of your favour is indispensable to the maintenance of its commanding elevation. As a pledge it is given-as a pledge receive it,—a pledge of fidelity to those great principles of which it is the organ and the advocate. Of those principles, the foundation of all hope, present and future, for the human race, be ye the conservators! Those principles are |