against here, but there is no distant probability, from recent events in France, and the state of the continental kingdoms generally, that England will have to watch and act against a not unlikely confederacy of Romish allies to destroy the liberties, civil and religious, of all Protestant States. The CHRISTIAN GUARDIAN must, therefore, more than ever, be on the alert to expose, with holy faithfulness, the absurdities and errors of Rome, in its doctrine and ritual, and to watch with vigilance the movements of its partisans at home and abroad, in their working out the ever-shifting political phases of their falsely termed religious system. The later numbers of our Magazine have been occupied, perhaps too largely to suit many readers, with specimens of revised Services; in the future discussion of the subject of revision, it has been determined no longer to give these proposed alterations at length, but to state briefly, and in parallel columns, the very few things which it appears desirable either to omit or alter. For our own part, while we feel no reluctance in admitting articles and correspondence upon a subject which we think must sooner or later be forced upon the consideration of the whole Church, yet we quite agree with a recent valued correspondent, that the present position of clerical parties justifies the Archbishop from now entertaining the question, and that we must first "endeavour to change the circumstances of the case; the clergy at large must examine, not how much they would wish to be altered in our Liturgy, but how much it is absolutely necessary to reform, and to try to come to some agreement as to the number of points upon which it is indispensable to make a change, and the nature of the changes to be made. Surely, if there be such a thing as the faith once for all delivered to the saints,' it ought not to be difficult for those who hold that faith, if they lay aside their own wishes and put on seriousness and moderation, to come to an agreement as to what it is essential to reform, and to be content with that only. Should such a degree of concord be found, and should it embrace a large portion of the clergy and laity, I cannot but think that the united voices of such a company of the faithful would make themselves to be heard and prevail. Such is the end, for the attainment of which I could wish to see a general effort in operation." In now looking forward to the labours of the coming year, the conductors of this Magazine determine, in dependence upon the aid of the God of all power and wisdom, to make their pages the vehicle of imparting and maintaining Christian Truth, and of exposing and combating the various forms of error and superstition which are ever doing their works of mischief. Although sincerely attached to the principles of the Church of England, the Editors are not careful that their "churchmanship" should occasionally be "impugned," if only they are found faithful to the far deeper truths of the whole Church of Christ, as set forth in the Bible; to which only standard of truth it is the aim of the conductors of this periodical to bring their own beloved Church into more perfect agreement and consistency. It is trusted that not only are their past labours regarded with approbation, but that their future exertions will receive an increasing measure of support. December, 1851. |