alternation by the members of the family, have been somewhat extended, while the Prayers are generally shorter.

The Selections have been made, not exclusively from the Scriptures, but there have been interwoven some of the wise, devout, and elevating thoughts of a few of the purest and most holy men whose existence has blessed the world.

The aim has been to make these Selections of a practical character; not simply pious ejaculations, or passages expressive of admitted truths, but those calculated to awaken attention, to produce conviction, to stimulate, to console, to strengthen.

They have been carefully chosen, and so arranged as to follow one another naturally, and be in some sense responsive to each other.

The verse of Sacred Poetry which introduces each service, and is designed to be read by the head of the family, or sung by the members of the family when practicable, has been selected as embodying the spirit of the Selections following; to strike the key-note, as it were, of the entire service.

The Prayers have been written by a number of clergymen, generally well known in this community, whose names, alphabetically arranged, are given on another page, and to whom the Editor desires to acknowledge his

great indebtedness for the essential service rendered him in his laborious and delicate task.

The Prayers having been contributed with special reference to the respective services of which they form part, it is believed that a unity of spirit throughout each entire service has been thereby secured, which could not have been attained in any other way.

Another alteration will be noticed in the present series. Instead of dividing the Selections into morning and evening services, it has been thought best to append a morning and evening Prayer to each Selection.

Few families, if any, it is believed, use the book for both morning and evening worship, hence, in the former series, one half the Selections were unavailable. By the present arrangement, every Selection, except the few designated as "Special," may be used by every family, whether they observe domestic worship statedly at the commencement or at the close of the day. And still further, as, in most instances, the omission of a word or two, or some equally slight change, will make it possible to use the morning and evening Prayers interchangeably, the scope of the volume is thereby materially enlarged.

As the First Series of the "ALTAR AT HOME" Contains ample selections for the use of the closet, together with the ancient Collects of the Church and a number of Litanies, it has been thought best to exclude those fea

b

tures from the present work, in order to afford more space for the regular Morning and Evening and Special Services; the practical usefulness of the volume depending, it is believed, upon the extent and variety of these Exercises.

With this brief Introduction, the Editor submits the volume to the acceptance of those for whom it has been prepared, with an earnest hope that it may prove helpful to many households.

JAMAICA PLAIN, May, 1862.

J. P. W.