THE UNITED PRESBYTERIAN MAGAZINE. NEW SERIES.-VOL. XVI. EDINBURGH: WILLIAM OLIPHANT AND CO. LONDON: HOULSTON AND WRIGHT. GLASGOW: DAVID ROBERTSON. MDCCCLXXII. PREFACE. WITH this Number another Volume of the Magazine is con cluded; and we have again to thank our valued Contributors for their help throughout the year, both those who have favoured us with original Articles, and those who have so carefully transmitted the News of the Churches. It continues to be our aim to combine in these pages subjects of general and denominational interest, though it is found to be sometimes difficult to give to each department its proper place and proportion. From the position which the United Presbyterian Church has taken, of late years specially, at home, and from the wide extension of our Missions abroad, the need of some such periodical as ours, to be a medium of communication and a means of usefulness, is increasingly apparent. We cannot hope to come up to the lofty height of Magazine perfection, which friendly critics occasionally suggest to us: we can only engage to make the attempt, and do our best. One or two improvements are contemplated during the coming year, and the plan of a connected Series of Articles, which has given. satisfaction, will be continued. We are glad to be able to announce that the Rev. JOHN ROBSON, connected from the first with our Indian Mission, has engaged to give a series of papers on 'The History of Rajpootana,' and that at intervals there will appear, from the pens of various writers, 'Sketches, chiefly biographical, from Early Church History.' The interest shown in the 'Home Circle' encourages us to continue our efforts for the young, and it is hoped that thereby a larger number of readers may be secured. May we earnestly appeal to the |