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ORIGINAL.

ADDRESS TO OUR READERS.

WITH this issue we commence the publication of The Reformed Presbyterian and Covenanter as a thirty-six instead of, as before, a thirty-two page monthly. We hope with this addition of four pages, and by limiting the amount of space to be occupied by obituary notices, to obviate the necessity of being obliged at any time to defer from month to month, as has frequently in the past been the case, the publication of original articles, missionary letters, meetings of Presbyteries, &c., &c. We hope also, unless the minutes of Synod are very lengthy, to be able to publish them in our July issue, and not combine as heretofore the July and August numbers.

In regard to the manner in which the magazine will in the future be conducted we have but little to say. No change in that respect will be made. We shall, however, endeavor to make it still more deserving of the support of the entire church. The interests of no one part will be promoted to the exclusion or oversight of those of nother. Nothing of a partisan character will, knowingly, be admitted. While the fullest liberty will be given to the presentation of different views on subjects about which there is a diversity of opinion, nothing at variance with the principles or inconsistent with the practice of the Reformed Presbyterian Church will be published. Everything like controversy will be discouraged, as too frequently it degenerates into personalities and produces bad feeling. Besides, in our opinion, the best way to combat what we believe to be an error is to present elearly and forcibly what we believe to be the truth. Particular prominence will be given in every department to our own church; still subjects of general interest will not be overlooked.

On account of the great importance of the Sabbath school, we intend to give special prominence to it. We believe the true idea of the Sabbath school is not, as some affirm, an institution independent of the church, and only remotely connected with it. Nor, as others, an institution outside of though closely connected and co-operating with it, but the church itself operating in a particular way with refer

erence to a particular class. The importance of the Sabbath school, Synod in 1870 recognized. In the future we intend to give to it the place it deserves.

We ask the co-operation and asssistance of our brethren. Contributions from those who wield the "pea of a ready writer" will be gladly received. Items of news from the different congregations will make the magazine more interesting, as well as stimulate other congregations to greater activity. Subscribers can render very substantial help by paying promptly the amount due when due, and securing for us additional subscribers. We shall send specimen numbers to some who have not been taking the magazine, with the hope that they will see it to be to their advantage to add their names to our list. We have made the present changes in the confident expectation that increased interest will be taken in the magazine throughout the entire church by both ministers and people. Shall we be disappointed?

MIXED MARRIAGES.

BY JOHN BROWN, A. M.

For

THE history of the church in all ages proves that mixed marriages necessarily lead to corruption. The unnatural union between "the sons of God" and "the daughters of men" was the first step towards the general apostasy which prepared the way for the flood; and the tendency of such unhallowed unions in every age has been the same. For this reason the children of Israel were strictly forbidden to join in affinity with the heathen: "Take heed to thyself, lest thou make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land whither thou goest, lest it be for a snare in the midst of thee, * * and thou take of their daughters unto thy sons, and their daughters go a whoring after their gods, and make thy sons go a whoring after their gods.' "Neither shalt thou make marriages with them; thy daughter thou shalt not give unto his son, nor his daughter shalt thou take unto thy son. they will turn thy son from me, that they may serve their gods.' "Did not Solomon, King of Israel, sin by these things? Yet among many nations there was no king like him, who was beloved of his God, and God made him king over all Israel; nevertheless, even him did outlandish women cause to sin." Ex. 34:16; Deut. 7: 3, 4; Neh. 13:26, 27. In these passages marriage is prohibited between the children of Israel and the heathen, and not only so, but the reason of the prohibition is given, viz., its tendency to withdraw the people of God from his service. And if this was a good reason then it is equally a good reason now. For every day's experience proves that the same danger attends mixed marriages still; it is still true that "evil communications corrupt good manners," and the Lord therefore guards his people from the effect by disallowing the cause.

In 2 Cor. 6: 14, Paul delivers a very solemn injunction to Christians to separate themselves from all worldly connections: "Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers, for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what union hath light with