ITS POSSIBLE FUTURE AND ITS PRESENT CRISIS. BY REV. JOSIAH STRONG, D.D., GENERAL SECRETARY OF THE EVANGELICAL ALLIANCE FOR THE WITH AN INTRODUCTION BY PROF. AUSTIN PHELPS, D.D. REVISED EDITION, BASED ON THE CENSUS OF 1890. One Hundred and Forty-Third Thousand. PUBLISHED BY THE BAKER & TAYLOR CO. 740 & 742 BROADWAY, NEW YORK. FOR THE AMERICAN HOME MISSIONARY SOCIETY. PREFACE TO THE REVISED EDITION. LIVING issues have changing aspects. The first edition of "Our Country," which was prepared for the American Home Missionary Society when the author was its representative in Ohio, appeared early in 1886, and most of the book was written a year earlier. Although I endeavored to apply to the subjects discussed fundamental principles, which remain equally applicable to-day, the statistical treatment of these living issues renders revision, after six years, quite essential to the further usefulness of the book. Moreover the census of 1890 marks the present as a favorable time for such revision. Although important results of the census will not be available for many months and even for years to come, the Superintendent, Hon. Robert P. Porter, has kindly furnished me with much valuable information. The favorable reception accorded to the book would seem to be sufficient reason for its revision. Perhaps it may be of interest to state that in addition to the 130,000 copies which have passed into circulation, a large part, if not the whole of the book, has been reprinted by the daily press, prominent papers in the East, West, South and in Canada, each having printed from one to three chapters entire. Four chapters were re-published in London and one in Glasgow. The book has been translated into one foreign language, and numerous propositions have been received relative to translating it into others. I am devoutly thankful to God that he has used the book to accomplish in some measure what was intended by it. No one, I am sure, can have been more sensible of its defects than myself. This revised edition has the benefit of criticisms made on earlier editions. It surely is not strange that among some thousands of statements of fact a number of errors should have been found, due in most instances to having accepted statements or estimates from men eminent enough, but not authorities on the point quoted; e. g., Mr. Gladstone's estimate (p. 98.) that "manufacturing power, by the aid of machinery, doubles for the world once in seven years,” which, it appears, is altogether extravagant. I may add that none of the errors referred to was essential to the argument, and therefore did not invalidate its conclusions. Our Roman Catholic friends have objected, and quite justly, that the Pope's utterances were not quoted literally. That no injustice might be done, it was my intention in the first edition to take all statements of Roman Catholic teaching or policy from Roman Catholics themselves, but as I then had no access to original sources of information, I was obliged to take quotations second-hand from Protestant writers. Six years ago there was very little agitation of the Roman Catholic question and reliable information was then much more difficult to obtain. The utterances of the Pope quoted were taken from "Fate of Republics," in which the propositions of the "Syllabus of Errors," issued by Pius IX., December 8, 1864, were put in positive instead of negative form, which does to some extent change their force and perhaps their meaning. Although I had then no reason to doubt the literalness of the quotations, I made repeated but unsuccessful efforts to obtain the Latin original by which to verify them. แ No Roman Catholic, however, will have occasion to criticise the revision on any such ground. It having been decided that the book would bear some enlargement, explanatory notes have been added more freely than was practicable in the narrower limits of the earlier editions. Some short passages have been omitted to make room for new and more important matter, which has been added to every chapter but one. A chapter on Peril to the Public Schools has been added, the greater part of which was read before the seventh triennial session of the National Council of Congregational Churches at Worcester, Mass., October 14, 1889. The chapter on Romanism is almost entirely new and much enlarged. The map and most of the diagrams which appear in this revision are from "Leaves from Our Country,' illustrated by Rev. C. C. Otis, of Springfield, Ill., published by the American Home Missionary Society in 1888, to which society I am indebted for their use. I desire also to express my thanks to the many gentlemen, too numerous to name, who have kindly aided me with courteous answers to my inquiries for information. The outlook is distinctly brighter than it was a half dozen years ago, not because there are fewer perils to face, nor, with one or two exceptions, because they are any less threatening, but because the public mind is being aroused to some appreciation of them, and the Christian Church is beginning to awake to the magnitude of her opportunity and obligation. The awakening however, is only a beginning, and leaves very much to be desired. The difference in the situation to-day and five years ago is not such as to warrant the slightest relaxation of effort, but should rather stimulate endeavor with new courage. This work is an attempt to present some of the perils which threaten our future, and to point out the magnitude of the issues which hang on the present. I have in preparation a work which is more constructive in character, and which will endeavor to show what action is demanded by existing conditions. This book is for the most part, a diagnosis; the forthcoming one will venture to suggest some remedies. JOSIAH STRONG. |