453 



W. T. STEAD. 



THE world has lost one of her great men. Journalism has lost a leader and an example. All great 

 causes have lost a force for progress. All oppressed nations and peoples have lost their most valiant 

 and whole-hearted advocate. Every friendless man, woman and child has lost a friend and counsellor. 

 This magazine has lost its founder, inspirer and editor. We have lost what ail have lost, .'ind more. The world, 

 alas ! has but too few men who are forces, who sway mankind, men who have belief, not in their greatness, hut 

 in the greatness of their beliefs and of their work. But while sorrowing in the loss, while regretting the removal 

 from active work of my Father, we are convinced that he continues as a force, and that his example 

 cannot but remain as a permanent gain to humanity. The good that men do lives after them ; and as 

 the Japanese believe so do we, that a man only begins to live when he ceases to live, since then his 

 exami)le inspires and strengthens the generations to come, without any of the limitations of human flesh. 

 This we believe, and it is in this belief that we will continue his work as far as in us lies, believing 

 that the world cannot but have become kinder, better, and further removed from littleness because of 

 the life and death, the living work and the undying example of a kind, good, and great man. Inspired by 

 his example, encouraged by his unlimited courage, we will pursue his ideals, and carry on his work in this 

 magazine, without deviating from the ideas on which it was founded some twenty-two years ago. We feel 

 that we cannot do better than reproduce the original programme of the founder, exactly as it appeared 

 in the first number : — 



To all English-Speaking Folk 



There cxi.sts at this moment no institution which 

 even aspires to be to the English-speaking world what 

 the Catholic Church in its prime was to the intelligence 

 of Christendom. To call attention to the need for such 

 an institution, adjusted, of course, to the altered 

 circumstances of the New Era, to enlist the co-opera- 

 tion of all those who will work towards the creation of 

 some such < nmmon centre for the inter-communication 

 of ideas, and the universal diffusion of the ascertained 

 results of human experience in a form accessible to all 

 men, are the ultimate objects for which this Review 

 has been established. 



A daily newspaper is practically unreadable beyond 

 twenty-four hours' distance by rail of its printing- 

 office. Even a weekly, although capable of wider distri- 

 bution, is of little use as a circulating medium of 

 thought in all the continents. If anything published 

 in London is to be read throughout the English- 

 speaking world, it must he a monthly. It must also be 

 published at a price within the means of all, and it 

 must condense into a manageable compass the best and 

 ripest thoughts of the foremost thinkers of our time. 

 Hence the present venture. It will be a combination 

 iif two elements — the eclectic and the personal. In one 

 1 rt there will be the expression of individual con- 

 VI. lion upon men and things ; the other part, that 

 whiili gives the distini live charactfr and ilcsignaliim 

 to the Kkvikw or Keviews, will endeavour, a.s failh- 

 fiillv :i. If ui- li 111 Ml. . rcid or political opinion, to mirror 



the best thought of our time. This is done distinctly on 

 a religious principle. The revelation of the Divine Will 

 did not cease when St. John wrote the last page of the 

 Apocalypse, or when Malachi finished his prophecy. 

 " God is not dumb, that He should speak no more," 

 and we have to seek for the gradual unfolding of His 

 message to His creatures in the highest and ripest 

 thought of our time. Reason may be a faulty instru- 

 ment, but it is the medium through which the Divine 

 thought enters the mind of man. Hence the man who 

 can interpret the best thought of his day in such a 

 manner a.s to render it accessible to the general intelli- 

 gence of his age is the true prophet of his time. 



While this Review will not be a colourless reflection 

 of the public opinion for the time being, it will certainly 

 not be a Party organ. Neither Party has at this moment 

 any distinctive body of doctrine, any well-conceived 

 system of faith which would justify me in labelling 

 this new monthly with a Parly badge. Creeds are at 

 this moment in a state of flux. Party allegiance is 

 governed more -Isy personal enthusiasm or personal 

 repulsion than by any serious difference of political 

 principle. Neither Party has any creed bc\ond the 

 fundamental dogma, which both hold implicitly, that 

 it is wrong to do anything which would risk the loss of 

 the next Ciencral Election. Beyond that no Party lifts 

 its e\cs. Party, although useful as an instrument, must 

 be a servant, not a master. We shall be indeiiendent of 

 party, because, having ii vit\ i Ii.ir and iutclliiililr f:iith, 



