"We are dissenters from the corruptions the church has accumulated in the wilderness. Its unscriptural creeds and doctrines--its cruel and oppressive government--its unholy and proscriptive spirit--its fanatical and superstitious ceremonies--its worldly show and empty parade--its unwarrantable pretensions and unnecessary divisions, we shall endeavor to expose in a prudent manner, and show our readers 'a more excellent way!' We shall endeavor to take the medium between a blind fanaticism and a cold formality, and in all cases the Holy Scriptures shall be the man of our counsel; and we shall use every exertion in our power to persuade our readers to be enlightened, rational, liberal, charitable, kind, experimental and practical Christians. "Christian liberty will be a leading topic in the Palladium, as genuine religion can breathe freely only in the atmosphere of freedom. There cannot be imagined a greater treason against heaven and earth, than for men, under the pretence of a superior sanctity, to plot, contrive, and provide for the control of human thoughts, actions and hopes, by infusing into the minds of their brethren and equals the delirium of superstitious fears of God, and the poison of cringing subserviency to man. The churches which have attempted this, have displayed the worst effects of ambition, selfishness and sensuality; and the states which have submitted to it, all the debasement of servility, ignorance, and even of crime. Men should dread nothing but sin, and submit to no authority not delegated by themselves, except that of their parents and their God. The Palladium is not designed to espouse any party in politics; yet it may have occasion at times to speak on the subject of Civil Government, so far as that species of government has a direct bearing on Christian liberty." In this bold, independent, out-spoken manner, the Editor of the Palladium unfurled his banner both to the friendly and the adverse breezes of the church and the world; and though he well knew how and when to be politic, his paper had no disguise of sentiments. Up to the mark of his own enlightenment it had a bold, free, and therefore an effective utterance on the errors it attempted to correct, and the truths it aimed to set forth. As one object of Mr. Badger's monthly was to develop the talent of young writers in the cause he represented, in his first number he commends to their observance a method of improvement, containing seven distinct rules, which are worthy of repetition in this volume, as many of the same class may still be profited by taking them into consideration. He says to them:--