PREFACE. THE history of these Addresses is very simple. They were prepared and intended only for an association of young men. The author, for nearly half a century, had spent his Sabbath evenings chiefly in giving the usual instruction to Sabbath-school children. At length, in the hope of attaching them to a religious life after they reached the age at which the more advanced scholars usually leave the Sabbath-school, he succeeded in 1855 in forming an association of young men, whose ages varied from fifteen to five-and-twenty years and upwards, to whom it was necessary to provide suitable addresses. That association lasted till a comparatively recent period. Though engaged in a profession which left him little leisure, he endeavoured to gather from any source within his power, whatever information might be useful to his interesting charge, and occasionally embodied it in a written form. Some of these Addresses are now published. They contain nothing that is either original or novel. Display was not aimed at. The object was to convince those in early life of the truth of Christianity, and to explain its import. Being afterwards laid aside by indisposition, he placed some of the Addresses at the disposal of the Editor of the Christian Treasury, which will account for their having appeared in that exceedingly valuable periodical throughout the year 1874. Observing the tendency of modern thought to ignore old and substitute new ideas, it also occurred. to the author to submit, in the present somewhat enlarged form, the grounds of his conviction that the old theological truths ought to be imperatively and uncompromisingly maintained. The words 'assurance,' or 'confident belief,' feebly express the strength of his convictions on that subject. As a layman, he had not the advantages of any special theological training; and he was subjected in early life to the evil influences of unfledged and ill-instructed, but very confident, sceptics, who are occasionally found in professional chambers. This led him, as far as he was able, to examine the Christian evidences and other kindred topics for himself, and the result was, that he became satisfied, and knew that the Bible is a revelation from God; from which it follows, that man's simple duty is to accept its statements in their obvious meaning with reverence and without equivocation or reservation. Accordingly, in his Addresses, he gave his reasons for resting on the divine inspiration of the Bible; and that point being determined, when he came to consider what 'saith the Scripture,' he generally stated it without argument,contenting himself with quoting or referring to the portion of holy writ on which the statements rested. Whether he has been in any degree successful, and whether the publication may suggest to others how young men past the ordinary age of Sunday scholars should be treated, he cannot know; but he is convinced that persons better qualified, should provide more than milk for those who have ceased to be babes. M. L. June 1876. |