Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1836, by WILLIAM COGSWELL, Secretary of the American Education Society, in behalf of said Society, in the Clerk's Office of the District Court of Massachusetts.

PREFACE TO VOLUME VIII.

THE eighth volume and ninth year of this work now close. It was commenced in July, 1827, under the title of the "Quarterly Journal of the American Education Society." The first number consisted of 16 pages only, and two years were embraced in the first volume. Since 1829, a volume a year has been published. The first two volumes were printed at Andover by Flagg & Gould, and the last six at Boston, by Perkins & Marvin. The following are the principal matters which are included in the work.

1. Several complete statistical views of all the religious denominations in the United States, embracing the number of clergymen, of members, annual increase, place and time of annual meeting, etc., and in the case of all the larger denominations, the names and post-office address of the clergymen. Condensed statements of the religious denominations in Europe have also been inserted.

2. Historical accounts of all the principal benevolent societies throughout the world, their rise, growth, results, etc.; including repeated and extended views of all the missionary stations in unevangelized countries, with many facts relating to the history and present condition of those countries.

3. Views of education, common schools, lyceums, high schools, acad emies, colleges, and professional institutions in all parts of the world, but more especially in the United States. These views are founded on an extensive correspondence with the officers of those various institutions, and with other responsible persons; and the results have been frequently embodied in tables and elaborate summaries. In this connection we have given a list of all the principal literary men, classed in their respective departments, of all times and countries.

4. Condensed histories, civil and religious, of various portions of the earth. Among these may be mentioned Poland, Great Britain, South Africa, and the Valley of the Mississippi. The last named was accompanied with a drawing.

5. Histories of various colleges and other literary institutions, some of them going into much detail. These have been written by responsible individuals, whose names generally accompany the communication. Much yet remains to be done in this department, for which ample preparations are making.

6. Biographical sketches of various distinguished men, especially of such as have been particularly prominent in promoting ministerial edu

cation, and who have been possessed of eminent piety. The memoirs of Jeremiah Evarts, Esq., Rev. E. Cornelius, Rev. Dr. Hyde, Rev. President Stiles, Rev. President Brown, and Rev. President Edwards, of Union College, have been accompanied with portraits. The last four are in the 8th volume. This arrangement will be pursued according as our opportunities, and the patronage afforded to the work, will allow.

7. Essays, particularly on subjects relating to the Christian ministry, and the conversion of the world. The editor has been aided in this department by some of the most distinguished writers in the country. Among them are Rev. Drs. Rice, Alexander, Miller, Day, Wylie, Porter, Bates, Emerson, Humphrey, Jenks, Skinner, Rev. Professor Stuart, etc.

8. There have been given complete lists of all the Presbyterian and Congregational ministers who have ever been settled in the States of Connecticut and New Hampshire; in the Western Reserve, Ohio; in New York city; and in the counties of Suffolk, Essex, Berkshire, Norfolk, and Plymouth, Mass. Preparations are making to complete the whole of New England in this particular, the State of New Jersey, etc. The lists of names are accompanied by a large amount of notes and illustrations.

9. Miscellaneous subjects, of which we have now space to mention only a number of essays on the Roman Catholic population, and sketches of the lives of the early graduates of Dartmouth and Harvard colleges.

10. Journal of the proceedings of the American Education Society, and of its branches and auxiliaries, and of all kindred institutions.

We will now only add that it is our intention to pursue and complete, with the blessing of God, the same general plan, which we have hitherto adopted. A vast untrodden field lies before us, especially in regard to foreign lands. The literary, religious, and ecclesiastical history of the principal countries of Europe will furnish matter for many interesting pages. Facilities by correspondents in Europe, and by means of translations from the French, German, and Latin languages, will be more and more abundant. At the same time, there remain many subjects of much interest in the United States, which are as yet scarcely touched, but which we cannot now specify. We intend to make this publication a GREAT Store-house oF FACTS, of an authentic character, carefully and methodically prepared; and of essays of permanent value, relating, more particularly, to the Christian ministry, the promotion of eminent learning and piety in the ministry, and to the general cause of the diffusion of Christianity.

We respectfully and earnestly solicit the aid of all friendly to our object, especially as it regards the obtaining of a more extended pecuniary patronage to the work, without which its usefulness will be much more restricted than is desirable.

BOSTON, MAY 1, 1836.