PRINTED FOR AND PUBLISHED BY The Directors of the London Missionary Society, AND SOLD BY J. SNOW, PATERNOSTER ROW. 1853. PREFACE. WHAT is a preface? It is intended to tell the reader something about the book to which it belongs,-about its author, or object, or contents-something which he did not know before, and which may prepare him the better to understand what is to follow. But our readers will not want such information about this book, because they already know what is in it, and why it has been written; and the Editor has always remembered, that the "JUVENILE MISSIONARY MAGAZINE" was not intended, like many other Magazines, to contain a few pleasant pages, which might amuse for the time, and never be read or thought about afterwards. On the contrary, he has wished and he has tried to fill every Number with pieces which will be always instructive and interesting, and thus to make a volume which will be as much valued and read hereafter as any book in our Juvenile Libraries. He has endeavoured to do this all through the year which is now nearly closed. And he does not think his labour has been in vain. Let the reader turn to the Index and judge for himself. That Index will show him, almost at a glance, that the facts which fill the pages of this volume are amongst the most important and the most instructive which could have been described. What are the chief things which you will find there? First of all, you may learn much about different heathen tribes and nations. Look, for instance, at the papers on the nations of India, on the Hindoostanees, on the Bengalees, on the Mahrattas, on the Sheikhs, and their countries. Here, in a few pages, you may get knowledge which you ought to have, but which you would not soon obtain else where. Then in the letters from India, and in other pieces, yor may learn something about the work and trials of the good men who labour among the heathen. Much of this volume is also filled with proofs of the wonderful effects of the Gospel. How striking, for example, are the changes produced at Aneiteum, Lifu, Mare, and other islands of the South Seas! What facts are those which Mr. Ellis and others have furnished about the persecuted Christians of Madagascar! And how many beautiful cases are given of the holy lives and happy deaths of converted heathen, and little children who loved Jesus! In one paper you have an account of the most wonderful thing which has happened since you were born, the Revolution of China. In others, you may follow your own ship in her Missionary voyages, and while you tremble at her danger, you will rejoice in her safety and success. And with regard to yourselves, and the spirit in which you ought to give your money and your help to this good work, there are papers called "THE GOLDEN MISSIONARY PENNY," which are as useful as they are entertaining. These were published ɛeparately in a pretty little book, and would have cost you, if you had bought it, just half the price of this volume. The kind author, however, wishing to do good to dear children, and to the Missionary cause, has let the Editor put it into this Magazine. But these are only a few, out of very many subjects, which fill these pages. And now we ask you, in return for all the time and the labour (far greater than most of you think) which have been given to this volume during the past year, to read it again, to pray that God would give you more of love to the Saviour and to the heathen, to try to add many Subscribers to your Magazine for the next year, and to do more than you have yet done to spread the Gospel throughout the world. |