Thus saith the Lord, stand ye in the ways and see and ask for the old paths, JER. VI. 16. ALBANY : PRINTED AND PUBLISHED BY WEBSTER AND WOOD, NO. 71 STATE-STREET. 1829-30. っ THENIA THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY PREFACE TO VOLUME SIX. THE utility and powerful influence of periodical publications is so generally conceded, that it seems an almost useless task to undertake to exhibit their importance: yet we feel called upon, in entering on the publication of another volume of the RELIGIOUS MONITOR, to urge, especially upon the ministers and members of the Associate church, to the extent of our feeble capacity, some reasons why they should exert themselves still more than has yet been done, to extend its circulation. In the course of the present volume we expect to be able to lay before our readers, as one of its leading articles, reflections on the Signs of the Times, from one of the best writers that have contributed to our pages.We have incurred the expense of procuring a much greater variety of the best religious works, published both in Britain and the United States, from which we shall select what can be found in them that is valuable, and in accordance with the analogy of faith. These, together with such original articles as we hope to receive from our correspondents, will we trust, make our work valuable to the christian professor, whatever may be his attainments :though it is acknowledged with regret, that we can draw but sparingly from our cotemporaries, because they are written so much in the style of romance, or what is termed a polite and fashionable literature, and deal so much in general principles, that they are almost destitute of the precious and sanctifying savour of gospel truth. Among the greater proportion of our cotemporaries, the sublime mysteries of redemption, into which angels desire to look, have become to be discussed and spoken of much in the same manner as a problem in Euclid, or a question of state policy, and their truth or falsity tested by much the same criterion. The glorious person and character, the nature of the sufferings and death of our exalted Mediator, are all brought in subserviency to human reason, and the very chiefest of God's works is tested by the canon of an infidel philosophy. Our modern theologians are not satisfied with a "Thus saith the Lord," unless their carnal reason, and |