THE UNITED PRESBYTERIAN MAGAZINE. NEW SERIES.-VOL. XIII. BODI EDINBURGH: WILLIAM OLIPHANT AND CO. LONDON: HOULSTON AND WRIGHT. GLASGOW: DAVID ROBERTSON. MDCCCLXIX. PREFACE. We have now the pleasure of laying before the Church another completed volume of the United Presbyterian Magazine. We trust that its contents have not, in point of merit, fallen below the average of former years. We are sure it has afforded a certain measure of assistance towards the right decision of some important public questions; and we have reason to believe it has materially served its main end as a denominational Magazine. For the encouraging assurances we have received from many quarters of the success of our labours, we are very grateful; and it is our desire and resolution that, during the time over which these labours may still be extended, we may merit the approbation of our body in a yet higher degree. One of the difficulties with which we have to contend is the limited space at our disposal, along with the variety of tastes and demands on the part of our readers which must be met. How is it possible, within the few pages of one monthly number, to furnish devotional papers, discussions of ecclesiastical questions, contributions on theology and criticism, biographies of deceased ministers and members of our Church, reviews of books, presbyterial reports, notices of congregational and religious meetings, intelligence of foreign churches, or of movements in the Roman Catholic world, and among the various parties and schools of religious thought that are now agitating so actively the mind of this country? Could we generally embrace in each issue something on all these and other topics, we should be nearer the idea of a journal perfectly suited to the meridian of our body, than we ever hope to be under present arrangements. While resigning ourselves to the necessities of our position, there are yet several improvements in the conduct of the Magazine which have suggested themselves, and which it shall be our endeavour to carry out. Towards some of these the co-operation of our contributors is absolutely needed. In particular, we earnestly beg them, in all their communications, to study brevity. Were their papers shorter, and more terse, they would generally be more gratifying to the readers; and occupying less space, would afford room for a greater number and variety of separate |