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that, through the Lord's blessing, it may be of great utility to the New Church.

We are now happy to inform our readers that the work is advancing through the press, and that we have received through the post from Germany the printed sheets up to page 250, to the term altare, an altar. We are thus in a position to give some idea of the work, both as to its nature and its probable size.

As to its nature it will be a complete Dictionary of Correspondences, significatives, and representatives, of subjects and things, and especially of the proper names mentioned in the Word. The parts supplemented by the Editor will be included in brackets [thus], and may consequently be well distinguished from the original of Swedenborg. As to its size, judging from the term altare, which is about the middle of the letter A, this first letter will occupy about 450 pages, of the same form as the new edition of the Latin works well known to most of our readers. On examining a Latin Dictionary it will be found that the letter A is one of the most comprehensive in the alphabet; hence, with the exception probably of C and S, it will comprise more terms than any other letter. Judging, then, from the data we possess, we cannot arrive at any other conclusion than that this Biblical Index will, when completed, consist of not less than ten volumes of 500 pages each. We hope and trust that through the divine mercy of the Lord, the health and strength of the learned Editor may be preserved to him in full enjoyment till its completion, which must require at least seven or eight years from the present period. As a specimen of the work we will for the present take the term Abel :

ABEL, born Gen. iv. 2., concerning whom we read in the following verses, where he stands for the celestial man, thus in the supreme sense for the Messiah. * * * Abel, therefore, stands for the people of the ancient [that is, of the most ancient church], who were slain by the posterity of Jacob, but replaced by Seth, &c. [By Habel (Abel) is. signified charity. A. C. 342, 350, 351. By Abel is signified celestial love, or what is the same, Good conjoined with Truth. A. E. 817, p. 250.] To slay Abel is to slay the internal man, which was done by Cain, that is, by the external man.-Ibid.

The blood of righteous Abel, even to the blood of Zechariah, (Matt. xxiii. 35.) [by which is signified that the truths of the Word were violated by the Jews from the first time even to the present, to such a degree that they were not willing to acknowledge anything of internal or of celestial Truth, wherefore they did not acknowledge the Lord. A. C. 9127. Abel, who is called the just (or righteous), represented the good of charity. A. C. 9263.] (Luke xi. 51.) [The blood of Abel stands for the extinction of charity. A. C. 8902. In the spiritual sense by Abel are understood those who are in the good of charity, and

abstractedly from Person, that good itself; and by Zechariah are understood those who are in truths of doctrine, and abstractedly from Person, the truth of doctrine itself; hence by the blood of both is signified the extinction of all Good and Truth. A. E. 329, p. 425. From the blood of Abel even to the blood of Zechariah slain between the altar and the temple, signifies the adulteration of all good, and hence the extinction of the worship of the Lord. A. E. 391, p. 571.

MISCELLANEOUS INFORMATION.

RETROSPECT OF THE YEAR

1858.

Among the beneficent adaptations of this material universe to the requirements of man as a progressive being, the greater and less cycles which mark the lapse of time are not the least important. The periodical return of seasons and years furnishes the means of comparing our advancement in wisdom, goodness, and virtue, with the progress of our probationary course, and measuring our short-comings in the Christian race.

The same laws which mark the experience of individuals equally characterize that of aggregate bodies. The history of nations is but individual experience in the concrete, and that of the church presents the aggregate embodiment of the phases of individual religious states. Of the twofold points of view of which the subject admits, that which bears on man's interior individual state, and the considerations arising thereout, has been the subject of another paper; in this it is proposed to cast a passing glance at some of the more salient features whereby the operations of the religious world have been eharacterized.

The chief feature by which, in the present juncture of conflicting principles, whatever is connected with religious subjects is distinguished, appears to indicate their gradual and somewhat rapid approach to a state of chaos. To those whose associations and sympathies are with the Old, this betokens destruction; to those whose sympathies stand related to the New, it is simply the disintegration of effete forms preparatory to the reconstruction of a new and more living-more spiritual form of religious thought and practice.

Not only are the principles of light

When some

arrayed on the one side and those of darkness on the other, but as is the case when the latter approach their consummation, these are at issue among themselves. As in the camp of the Midianites and Amalekites, when Gideon, with his three hundred men, approached; and like the Philistines, when Jonathan and his armour-bearer discovered themselves" every man's sword was against his fellow;" so it is now. common danger arises a temporary union indeed results; but the danger removed, the discordant elements re-commence the intestine struggle. It is recorded of Jerusalem on the eve of its destruction, that, rent by contending factions, its inhabitants only acted in concert under the pressure and in the immediate presence of the Roman arms; when a lull occurred in the attacks of the besiegers, they waged a war of extermination among themselves, and thus hastened the impending catastrophe which dispersed them as a nation. Similar is the spectacle presented at the present juncture. The religious world is not only divided into the two great sections of Catholics and Protestants, and these again subdivided, the one into orders, and the other into sects more or less at issue with each other; but within each sect a similar antagonism exists. The forces of the church, for instance, range themselves respectively under the banners of the High, Low, and Broad Church-Puseyite, Evangelical, and Orthodox, each supporting their public organs. Among the Nonconformists, the German element wages war with the more orthodox form of dissent; whilst opposed to all, and sedulously watching every opportunity to undermine the interests of religion, and the hold it has on the mind, stands Infidelity under its Protean forms, from

the gross sensuality it takes in its cheaper organs, to the more subtile aspect it assumes in the Westminster, and the recent History of Civilization in England of Buckle.

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In the Church of England the struggle mainly turns on certain antiquated forms and ceremonies which it is attempted to revive. This conflict, which has raged under varied forms, is designated The Battle of the Rubric." At one stage it turned on the questions of stone altars versus wooden sacramental tables, and the use of candles on them, not for light, but for some unexplained religious object,* together with crucifixes. The form it has more prominently taken during the last year is the subject of oral confession to a priest.

It would be foreign to the object of this article to enter into the merits of these questions, neither can we dwell on the subjects themselves; suffice it to remark, that coincident with much that is puerile, some valuable points have, in the course of the controversy, been mooted, among others the doctrine of Faith Alone-the repudiation of which by the Puseyites forms a redeeming feature, when contrasted with some of their puerilities. The Atonement is another of the important questions that have been raised, shewing that the more liberal in thought are yearning for something more satisfactory than the dominion of their creeds. Indeed the result of these agitations is to unsettle the mind on all religious subjects, a fact beginning to excite painful attention, as may be seen by the following extract from the Press of July 31st, 1858:"Any one who has mixed much among the rising race of our theologians, or read their writings, and observed their tone, will have remarked that there is a careful avoidance of everything that is definite in terms, or dogmatic in doctrine, in their words and works. All is vague, general, hazy and indistinct. You cannot tell for certain to what school of theology the man belongs. Even the most sacred doctrines of our religion-such as the atonement, the infinite nature of Christ's sacrifice, the method of a sinner's justification, the extent of future reward or punish

*Some time since an ecclesiastical authority, to whom an appeal was made, decided that candles might be placed on the communion, but not lighted, at least in the day time.

ment-are enunciated (if enunciated at all) in the most general terms. There are no dogmatic statements. No definite creed is propounded. It is only Christian truth,' without our being told what that truth is; and 'Christian charity,' without our being instructed in what that charity consists. It is true this arises from the system being an importation, in a great degree, from Germany, partaking, as a consequence, of the misty, hazy character of the German school of theology; but it has a deeper origin even than this. It arises out of a latent shame of what has been received as truth-a tendency to give up, in compliance with the spirit of the age, that which has stamped many of our forefathers with an opprobrious name. Its new name is descriptive enough of it. It is the Broad Church,' by which is meant something highly liberal in religion, and which is, in fact, a principle that would merge all distinc.. tion of Roman Catholic or Protestant, orthodox or evangelical, churchman or dissenter, in one colourless mass, to pass under the general name of 'Christian,' without any one knowing distinctly what it means.

Among the chaotic mass are nevertheless discoverable the initiaments of new agencies, and the germs of a new organization. Much indeed of the latitudinarianism depicted and deplored in the preceding extract is attributable to the upheaving of new principles, and agencies aiming at more comprehensive uses, and struggling to break through the superincumbent mass, and to break through the barriers which creeds have imposed. Among the signs which indicate this we may place the efforts to reform the criminal classes, the conferences of social science at which the noblest and greatest in the land have been present, the increasing efforts in educating the people, and even the efforts making in the direction of sanitary reform, and increasing the material comforts of the people.

In the Established Church, even with all the hankering of some of her ministers to resuscitate the past, the spirit of change has set in. Two services, formerly regarded almost in the light of bulwarks to Angelican Protestantism, have, at the instance of churchmen themselves, been abolished; the impost laid upon members of other creeds for

maintaining their edifices in repair, is all but virtually relinquished; and a prayer to the legislature to reform the very articles and liturgy, expounding her doctrines and expressing her worship, has been presented. What will be the issue whenever the Parliament shall concede this request it is impossible to divine; yet come it most certainly will, and that ere long.

With respect to the Continental nations, they seem to be just recovering from the collapse which succeeded the last spasmodic struggle for freedom in 1848. With politics, as such, we have no concern in our pages. As signs, however, of a deeper action, the present yearning after greater freedom of expression and action in Prussia, and still more, the abolition of the last vestiges of European slavery in the serfdom of Russia, cannot be otherwise than deeply interesting and hopeful to the intelligent New Churchman, since all true progress tends to the development of freedom of action, of expression, and consequently, of thought. Of Russia it is stated that the Sunday School system of our country has been imported there under the highest auspices.

These new activities, however, not only point to the heaving up of the deep religious elements out of which they arise, but, side by side with them, the efforts for religious liberty are taking more definite shape. Germany, and especially Sweden, Belgium, Sardinia, and even Italy, are arousing themselves to throw off the incubus of priestly domination; and though France is as yet dormant, when once the tide has fairly set in towards the attainment of these objects, she will not be an apathetic nor inactive spectator. The progress may indeed be slow, and the cup when seemingly approaching the lips may again and again be dashed to the ground; but those who have eyes to discern the character of the agencies at work, can no more doubt of their onward march to their final issue, than they can believe that the tide of the ocean can be stemmed, or the sun turned back in his course. These are the coruscations of the dawn which will usher in a new day. The progress may seem tardy, and at times it may be doubted whether we are advancing or receding; but it is to be remembered that everything truly valuable is of slow

growth; even the oak requires centuries ere it attains maturity; the clouds which brought rain to the land of Israel, after three years and a half of famine, in their arising, were not larger than a man's hand; the stone cut out without hands, which became a great mountain, and filled the earth, in its beginnings was small and the "kingdom of heaven" in its initiaments, is likened to the smallest of all seeds - the grain of mustard seed, which nevertheless becomes a tree in the branches of which the birds of the air can find a shelter and abode. Let no one then despise, nor despair of the " day of small things." The glimmerings which now faintly irradiate the east, are the sure earnest that the sun approaches the horizon. No earthly power can stay its progress till these first gleams of light attain to a meridian brightness. To change the allusion, as the waters of the sanctuary, which in their onward course rose to the ankles, the knees, and the loins, and ultimately became waters to swim in, so will "the knowledge of the Lord cover the earth as the waters cover the sea, when there shall be one Jehovah, and His Name one, and He shall reign over all the earth."

[Our intended remarks on the retrospect of the New Church must be deferred till next month.]

GENERAL INTELLIGENCE

BRITISH.

The Metropolis.-A series of twelve lectures has just been concluded in the Cross-street and Argyle Churches in London. The subjects-"Antediluvian History," "Science of Correspondences," "The Name of the Lord Jesus

Mighty God," "Reconciliation of Man to God," "Biblical History-Abraham to Moses," "The New Jerusalem," "The Name of the Lord Jesus-Everlasting Father," "Salvation the Result of Regeneration," "The Mosaic Dispensation," "Swedenborg the Man of the Age," The Name of Jesus-Prince of Peace," and "The Life after Death.” The lecturers are the Revs. Mr. Bruce and Dr. Bayley, with Messrs. Madeley and John Hyde, jun. We have not heard any particulars connected with the delivery.

Devonshire Street, Islington. - Our friends have, we perceive, arranged for a winter course of literary and scientific

lectures, in which Messrs. C. Koch, T. A. Reed, C. J. Light, J. W. Barnes, J.B. Keene, H. Bateman, and W. Biden will take part. Among the subjects are-Education, the Five Senses, Abolition of Slavery, Physiology of the Eye, Matter, &c. &c.

Deptford.-A course of Lectures proving the doctrines of Swedenborg to be those of the sacred Scriptures, is also being delivered on the following subjects: the Descent of the New Jerusalem; Sole, Supreme, and exclusive Divinity of the Lord Jesus Christ; the Atonement; the Plan of Salvation; the Second Coming of the Lord; the Spiritual sense of the Word. Salford. The Rev. J. B. Kennerley has, we understand, been lecturing at the Temple, Salford, for several Sunday evenings past to very crowded and interested audiences. We have not heard any further particulars.

Chatteris.-Nov. 18th.-At the earnest request of the New Church friends of this interesting agricultural town of Cambridgeshire, I send you an account of my recent lectures there, and the progress of the little society. I arrived at Chatteris from Cambridge in the middle of the day of Tuesday, Nov. 15th, and was welcomed by our worthy friend Mr. Payten, who assured me that every arrangement for the lectures had been properly made, and he was satisfied there would be an excellent audience. The subject for the evening was the parable of the Wise and Foolish Virgins; and for the second lecture, on the following evening, the Mediation and Intercession of the Lord Jesus Christ. At the time for the commencement of the service, seven o'clock in the evening, the public room, which is the property of our excellent friend Mr. Lyon, was tolerably filled, and, during the evening, became thronged. We had a hymn, a short prayer, and then I entered at once upon the subject. The spiritual sense of the parable was evidently seen, and interesting to the people. They listened intelligently and devoutly, and when the awful mistake of the foolish virgins of lighting their lamps with truth, but not accompanying the light by the reception of the oil of love into the vessels of the will, and the forlorn disappointment they met with when running to get oil from others at the last, were depicted, it was plain from the deeply-riveted atten

tion of the people, they felt the living lessons the parable was intended to teach. After the lecture, it was announced that questions might be asked, or difficulties propounded, upon the subject of the lecture. A young gentleman arose after a little pause, and said he wished to ask some questions, but not on the subject of the lecture. He was answered that such questions could be asked to-morrow if they bore upon the subject of the following lecture, but we could not deviate from our rule. The questions must be on the subjects we advanced, and the minds of the people must not be distracted by things foreign to the subjects. He pertinaciously persisted to ask that he might put his questions, for he thought no one could object to what they had heard that evening, but he regarded what they had heard as only a bait for rats, to cover the poison which was behind. He was unconscious, apparently, of the insult implied to his fellow-townsmen, in comparing them to rats, as well as to those who offered what they as sincerely believed to be truth, as he believed his views to be true when he regarded them as persons purposely offering gilded poison. He was told he could not put questions of a general character during the meeting, but if he would call upon the lecturer after'the meeting, he might put whatever he would. But he insisted that what he wanted to put was important to the public to know, and he wanted to put them there. He was then told that if he thought he had something wonderfully strong against the New Church, but not on these subjects, if he wished, he might have a public discussion, and state what he pleased. From this, however, he backed out, and with much disapprobation from the thoughtful portion of the meeting at his unreasonable procedure, he withdrew. He did not accept the invitation to come for private conversation; but the next day I happened to meet him, and accosted him in the street, and found that he had really nothing of any importance to say, and had formed his ideas from very defective information.

The next evening the place was densely crowded. The subject of the Lord's Mediation and Intercession formed the theme, and was listened to with close attention. The text was"There is one God, and one Mediator

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