The practice of such indiscriminate reading, bas become confessedly too prevalent among some classes of our young people; but is not the cause to be partly sought in the want of more ample and unexceptionable materials, on which to employ the activity, and concentrate the attention of the youthful mind; and which might be calculated to meet its legitimate desire after progressive knowledge, on subjects that come properly within its cognizance, by what may, in a subordinate sense, be termed, "food convenient for it." preparatory food is hereby intended as may be likely to excite and not to suppress or to supply that true hunger and thirst after spiritual sustenance, which can only be fully satisfied by the bread and the water of Life.

Such

It is accordingly part of the plan of this Work, to point out authors who may be properly consulted for information on scriptural subjects, recourse to some of whom has been already recommended on valuable authority; particularly on that of the venerated Lindley Murray. Many such helps, as well as those derived from a knowledge of the ancient languages, and from unprejudiced views of Ecclesiastical History, might be advantageously employed by the serious student. Yet if he be one, whose primary object is, to be made "wise unto salvation," let him consider

all these human aids as subordinate and secondary; not as sufficient conductors in the attainment of that knowledge, which is "Life Eternal."

Some of the writings extant in our own Society, may be justly regarded as instrumental to this higher end, inasmuch as they are the fruits of progressive experience in the Christian School. For want of a more frequent recurrence to the sound principles exhibited in these, it is not unusual to find some of our young persons, arranging themselves under those different distinctions of doctrinal profession, which are to be found in most other religious communities, not being sufficiently impressed with those specific views, to which our predecessors were conducted by humble dependence on the teachings of that Spirit, which alone can rightly open the understanding into the mysteries of godliness. A measure of this Spirit is promised, and still graciously imparted, to the children of the new covenant dispensation; not only to enable them to receive, but in some instances to qualify them to communicate to others, what they have known of the good "Word of Life."

It has been already observed, that the most rightly authorised declarations of the Truth, will not infallibly

a very important degree conduce to that end, if only by guarding the avenues of the mind against the ready admittance of those erroneous suggestions, which are so industriously disseminated by some of the many teachers that are in the world.

It is also acknowledged that what relates to our distinguishing tenets, as well as to many of the principles and doctrines which we hold in common with other Christians, are instructively set forth by many of our early and later writers, in a manner which entitles them to the serious attention of our youth.

The present attempt to renew and encrease their interest in such subjects, is not therefore intended as a substitute for what has been already written; but to encourage an acquaintance with former writers, whilst the Author believes that many of those subjects, though not new, will be found presented in a somewhat different point of view, or treated on in a more detailed and comprehensive manner, than that in which they are frequently exhibited.

This work is designed for those who are arrived at some maturity of natural understanding, and who, it may be presumed, are not only susceptible of desires after the knowledge of the Truth, but are impressed

with the importance of being more perfectly "instructed in the way of the Lord."

The writer is sensible that she possesses no qualification to become an effectual instructor of such, except so far as her communications may be accompanied by a measure of that Influence, which proceeds from the Giver of "every good and perfect gift." But believing her sincere though humble endeavours toward the promotion of this object, to be a debt of love due from her to the younger part of the present generation, she desires reverently to commit the result of them to Him, whose blessing only can render them productive of salutary fruit.

It only remains to add that these "Introductory Remarks," were committed to paper before the publication of J. J. Gurney's "Essays on the Evidences and Doctrines of Christianity," or the work on the "Doctrines of Friends," by Elisha Bates; and that nearly all the Lectures, with the whole of the doctrines contained in them, had assumed their present form previously to the Author's acquaintance with either of those publications.

The similarity of views delineated in the following pages, with those so ably advocated by J. J. Gurney ;

and so judiciously collected and maintained by E. Bates, might perhaps be alleged as superseding all occasion for the present essay. But as the effect of harmonious testimony in whatever proportion contributed, may be corroborative of right impression on the youthful mind, the writer of this volume does not feel excused from casting her mite into a treasury, which however variously supplied, is equally dedicated to the service of Truth.