THE

GENERAL BAPTIST

MAGAZINE

FOR

1869.

LONDON:

E. MARLBOROUGH & Co., AVE MARIA LANE.

LEICESTER: WINKS & SON.

PREFACE.

WITH the completion of this, the seventy-first volume, our temporary editorship of the Magazine terminates. For three years and a half it has been a tax upon our time, and we now gladly relinquish what we reluctantly undertook at the request of the Body to which the publication belongs.

We thank all the contributors and correspondents who have helped us in our unlucrative labours. And if any have reason to complain of the treatment which their communications have received from us, we ask them to forgive our unintentional offences.

The circulation which we anticipated three years ago, as the effect of lowering the price from fourpence to twopence, has not been quite realized; but we are confirmed in the belief that the blame rests mainly with the ministers who have not cared about it. Those who have condescended to recommend it to their congregations have done so with encouraging success. The sale has been more than doubled in many cases; whilst twenty, thirty, or more copies have been taken in some places where it was scarcely ever seen.

We ask for the new Editor a larger measure of sympathy and support. As our zeal on behalf of the Magazine did not begin with our official connection with it, so it will not end with the dissolution of such connection. And as our motives in adverting to its future condition cannot be suspected of being selfish, we make free to call on every minister, every deacon, every Sunday school teacher, all leading brethren, and all influential sisters also, to unite in employing whatever means may be available for promoting its increased prosperity.

W. UNDERWOOD, D.D.

Chilwell College.

BODE

VNY