who had been instructed by their teaching; then of showing how the Churches thus formed met trial and persecution, and, as far as possible, sketching the vicissitudes of their history to the present time. This has, of course, been very imperfectly done. Materials are scanty; some of them are uncertain, and without real knowledge of the classical languages can only be used at all at second-hand; and in spite of referring to the best modern authorities, such ignorance must tell in a work of this kind, which has perhaps been presumptuously undertaken.

Great pains, however, have been taken with it, in the earnest hope that it may at least draw attention to the remarkable position and influence of the great Apostle and Evangelist; and also that, to the unlearned reader who has not access to large libraries, it may help to bridge over that first space of Church history that lies close beyond the conclusion of the Acts of the Apostles. And the example of St. John and his pupils is one that none can look at, as we hope, without being strongly moved towards the burning faith, love, zeal, and constancy that they possessed. May it be so with the readers of this feeble attempt; and if they are not so already, may they be thus impelled themselves to become direct and personal pupils of St. John, the simplest, the sweetest, yet the deepest and most sublime of writers, full of the

soaring might, yet the tender brooding love shadowed forth by the Eagle he saw beside the Throne. What better can be wished for us all than that we should show ourselves indeed the disciples of St. John!

Yet, not exclusively. Some of the classes here mentioned professed to be pupils of St. John, to the exclusion of his fellow-labourers. Such gained a onesided view of the truth, and soon became perverted. For as in ancient times narrow Judaism, so in modern days wild fancies of apocalyptic interpretation, have shown the evil of only studying in one line, without the balance. Therefore it is to the Master, not to the servant, that the discipleship can safely and truly belong.

May this little book prove, if not a help, at least no hindrance in that direction.

It has been put together, according to the general design of the "SUNDAY LIBRARY," to afford reading which may accord with what should be the character of the Sunday. The habits of the time are somewhat tending to secularize the Sunday, rendering it, in the desire that it should not be weary, less set apart for a holyday than it has been. But if religious books are not read on a Sunday, they are generally not read at all; and surely it is well that all on that day should bear a sort of Easter consecration, and should be bright without frivolity, enjoyable with as little as possible of the earthiness of every-day life.

Therefore it has been hoped that some of the highest and purest examples of past lives, and some of the most striking words of holy men of old, put forth in an attractive and easily accessible form, may fill up a want that has been felt in some families, of reading at once interesting and not too much alien to the thoughts suited to the "Easter-day of every week."

As may be seen by the list of authors, no one class of opinions has been exclusively represented; and since no one can write well or heartily who does not completely express his own conviction, the authors cannot be responsible for each other's expressions of belief.

January 23, 1863.

C. M. YONGE.