THE GOSPEL ADVOCATE, CONDUCTED BY A SOCIETY OF GENTLEMEN. VOLUME II. FOR THE YEAR 1822. "Knowing that I am set for the defence of the Gospel." Phil. i. 17. BOSTON: PRINTED AND PUBLISHED BY JOSEPH W. INGRAHAM 1822, PREFACE At the close of another year, we would again look back, and take a slight view of the events which have interested the friends of that gospel whose cause we advocate. Of our own labours we need not speak. They are before our readers, from whose judgment it were vain to claim an appeal. As the hope of being useful in a cause, of all others the most important, has been the only motive which has stimulated us to our labours, and the only reward which we have promised ourselves for them, we would not willingly abandon that hope, nor easily believe that these labours have been altogether in vain. We did indeed expect, from the friends of our church, a patronage sufficient to meet the expenses of the publisher; and to this we still feel ourselves entitled. Many of the events of the past year have been such as should fill the hearts of Christians with joy and gratitude. Wars, and rumours of wars, have greatly diminished in the earth; and in their place we have frequent intelligence that the "glad tidings of great joy which shall be to all people" are more and more heard and regarded in almost all parts of the world. There is, indeed, one contest still left to rage, which should fill the hearts of Christians with mourning. A Christian people (Christian at least in name) is struggling for their very DUP.EXCH. 27 MAR. 1901 DREW THEOL. SEM. existence, with the bitterest and most cruel enemies of the cross, and the whole Christian world looks on, without an effort to aid them. Neither the sufferings of a persecuted and degraded people, nor the desolation of their cities, excite to any exertions to relieve them. Are there none to weep over the ruins of Scio? None to redress the wrongs of tortured Greece? From almost all other parts of the old world, we have more cheering intelligence. It is a peculiar and delightful feature of the history of this year, that the exertions to extend the knowledge and influence of Christianity have been attended with an unusual degree of success. Missionaries, who were almost ready to despair of success, begin to see some fruit of their labours. Even Juggernaut trembles before the influence of Christianity, and seeks in vain for his bloody sa crifices. But what part have we in this exultation and rejoicing? Where are our missions, and where the trophies which our missionaries should lay at the feet of Him who died for the redemption of all mankind? Alas, with us, although the harvest truly is plenteous, the labourers are indeed few. Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest that he would send forth labourers into his harvest. |