History of the most important and interesting religious events...

Front matter

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Preface

T e course of Religious Events embraces a more interesting history than all the secular achievements of man, since the Christian era commenced ; and it is believed the cases are rare, where even those who are professedly interested in Religious History are sufficiently acquainted with its various and highly interesting details." The reason for this has been, in many instances, that works on Religious History have generally been voluminous and expensive. To remedy this defect, in some measure, has been one object of this work. It is, it will be perceived, arranged upon a new plan ; the account of each event, or fact, is in some respects insulated ; not being necessarily connected with any other. The object of the compiler was to give the reader a comprehensive view of each subject introduced. He has generally confined himself to the bare relation of facts as he found them, leaving his readers to draw their own inferences and conclusions. A short biographical sketch is given of persons distinguished in Religious History ; and a chronological table of Religious Events is added : these, with the other part of the work, it is believed, will be found valuable as a book of reference, for facts which have been recorded in Church History.

" No apology is necessary for the free use which has been made of the labours of others, for the plan of this book is so essentially different from that of any which has preceded it, that the author has not encroached upon the objects which others have had Hi

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in view. He has had no hesitation in using their very language whenever it suited him."

A small work on the plan of the present publication was first issued about twenty years since. Since that time a number of editions have been published in an enlarged form. The present edition, it is presumed, will be acknowledged to be superior to the others which have preceded it, and from the manner in which former editions have been received by the Christian public, it is believed this will find equal favor. The numerous engravings interspersed through the book, it is judged, will be of utility in making the work interesting, and assist in preserving in the mind the events which they represent. J. W. B.

New Haven, Conn., 1848.