TO OUR CONTRIBUTORS, AGENTS, AND READERS. It would be ungracious to close a year which has been productive of great pleasure to the Editor of "The Soul's Welfare," without a word of grateful acknowledgment to its valuable contributors for their past favours. To one and all, therefore, who have so ably assisted in rendering the Magazine a welcome visitor from month to month, the Editor presents his warmest thanks. And as a word for the past will not unfrequently suggest two for the future, he earnestly requests the continuance of their best efforts, alike in music, poetry, and prose; respectfully assuring them that the world has now no time to bestow upon any other. The Magazine, like everything else demanded by the taste of the times in which we live, must go on improving; at all events, it must not go back. We are conscious, that while we do our best to merit a wide circulation, it is only by the efforts of our Agents that we can obtain one. Our circulation during the present, has been a very encouraging increase upon that of the past year; and, therefore, our thanks are as warmly presented to our Agents, as to our Contributors. And as the present time is the season for recruiting and enlarging their lists of subscribers, we sincerely hope our Agents will resume, and if possible, redouble their efforts to enrol old and new names, that we may enter on the New Year with an increased and increasing circulation. We shall be happy to hear from our Agents as early as possible. iv TO OUR CONTRIBUTORS, AGENTS, AND READERS. It has been highly cheering to us to receive intelligence from time to time, of the pleasure and profit our readers derive from our labours; and we beg to inform them that nothing shall be wanted on our part, to make the Magazine both instructive and useful. The music will be continued as formerly. We shall also give a series of brief sketches of the life and characteristics of some of the leading Devotional Poets of our day. Our readers too, may expect a more liberal infusion of poetry. For instead of the present times being unpoetical, as it is frequently asserted, we cannot help thinking that the busy occupations of our day, create an extra demand for poetry and music,-in short, for all that is beautiful and harmonious, as a refreshment absolutely necessary for the health of the mind, and as eminently conducive to the welfare of the soul. With these statements, reposing in the sympathy and renewed exertions of our able Contributors and Agents, we enter upon 1852 with the smiling hope of spending the year in sweet intercourse with many dear friends of the past year, and anticipate many additional readers for our monthly serial, whose aim, under the divine blessing of Heaven, by the attractiveness of its style and the variety of its contents, is to inculcate the religion of the Cross, that religion which alone can cure the disorders of the soul-correct its tastes-mitigate its sorrows-soften its weightiest cares; and inspire peace, comfort, and hope amidst the loss of friends-the malignity of enemies, the pains of a sick chamber, the struggles of a dying bed, and the prospects of a coming judgment. |