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between God and Man, the Man Christ Jesus." The office of the Lord's Humanity as a Mediator was unfolded, and the intercession of the Lord's Holy Spirit in our souls, suggesting our prayers and all our good desires, as mentioned by the apostle, Rom. viii., 15, 26, 27, was dwelt upon, and the crowded auditory were evidently in terested in no common degree. After this lecture a gentleman said he had been highly pleased, but there were two or three things he wished to ask. He said that he read in John that no man had seen God at any time, while we also proved that Jesus Christ was God the Father Himself. Now he would be glad if I could reconcile these. I replied, that the whole passage in John would reconcile the subjects itself. It stated, "No man HATH seen God at any time BUT the Only-begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father. He hath brought Him to view." Before the Lord was incarnated God had not been seen, but when He assumed Humanity, then God was manifest in the flesh. He thanked me, and then asked in reference to an assertion and illustration in the lecture, in which I had said that the Lord willed to make man happy in this life, and to give the farmer a good harvest, but man must cooperate with Him and His laws, or he could not be successful. The gentleman said, after the best exertions, sometimes blight and failure would come; how is this? The answer was-that the Lord sees whether external prosperity would be really beneficial to a man, or prejudicial, and where he sees that adversity would be best for man's eternal interest, a temporal evil is permitted for an eternal good. He again thanked me, and said he had one further remark to make. Here were these New Church people come to Chatteris, and laid themselves open to question and attack. They invited all ministers to attend, and here we have six ministers in this town, and they are always telling us that these New Church principles are pernicious, and we must be valiant for the truth, but where are they now? Where is the valour for the truth? The vicar of the parish was present, and had been present during part of the evening before.

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spoke up upon this, and said he did not wish to say anything uncourteous to the lecturer, whom he felt sure was a sincere

and worthy man, but really he could not see any use for this New Church. He was the appointed guardian of this parish,belonging to the old Catholic church. Now he wished to ask the lecturer one question, and it could be answered by Yes! or No! and he should very likely only add another. Can people be saved who profess the doctrines of the old church? I answered “Yes! and not only good Christians, but good Jews, Mahometans, and Pagans." "Then," said the vicar, triumphantly, "what is the use of Swedenborgianism?" I answered by saying I would ask him a question, and hoped he would answer it Yes! or No! Could good Catholics be saved before the Reformation? He did not seem to like the question, and fenced, but upon being pressed answered Yes!" Then," I said, "with your reasoning where was the use of Protestantism?" The vicar was evidently taken aback by this, and he said "Now, Dr. Bayley, you know that Papal errors had crept in and covered the truths of the Gospel, and at the Reformation we protested against these errors and threw them off, and went back to the real old Christian doctrines. But, after all, I think pounds, shillings, and pence had much to do with it. However, no doubt we were right in going up the stream, for the nearer to the fountain the purer is the water. Now, we want nothing new, for it is a remark that was once made, whatever is new cannot be true, and whatever is true cannot be new.'

After complimenting the vicar on his calm good temper, I replied that the vicar had been taking for granted that the doctrines of the New Church were a substitute for what our Lord and His Apostles taught. This was an error. Our doctrines were exactly those of the Lord and His Apostles. Whatever they taught, we implicitly believe. Our charge against the Old Church was, that, like the Jews in our Lord's time, they had made the commandments of God of none effect, by their traditions. Now, the Reformers protested against some of these superstitions and traditions, but they left the roots in the doctrine of three divine Persons, and the other parts of the tripersonal scheme. Now we renounce these. And if the Reformers had a right to go back several hundred years, why might not we go back the rest, right to the fountain?

If the nearer the fountain the purer the stream, then at the fountain itself the water must be purest of all. This is where we go. We will not have the Athanasian Creed; this was made hundreds of years after the Lord's time, and when the Church had become very corrupt. We will not have the three divine Persons, nor two; for there is nothing of this in the Word of God, the divine fountain-not a word. Our doctrines are new, not in themselves, for they are eternal truths, but in the same sense that the Lord spoke of this commandment:-A new commandment I give unto you, that ye love one another. In the New Church every truth is like the treasure of the householder mentioned by our Lord, who brought out of his treasures things new and old. There was to come a time when all things should become new. (Rev. xix. 5.) If the Church is a thing, it was to be made new. The vicar, after that, said he must still remark that there was no nse for this Swedenborgian Church. For you know, Dr., he said, the old doctrines are clear and plain, and we want nothing else. I remarked that I was glad to hear that he acknowledged that doctrines should be clear and plain; for we con sidered it was one of the great objections against the old doctrines that they were great mysteries; no one could understand them. Our doctrines were clear as crystal-our very children could understand them. In describing the old doctrines as speaking of the Father and Son to be two Persons when the Scriptures declare them to be one, the vicar interrupted me and said, he did not say the Father and Son were two separate persons. I said hoped he would not say so next Sunday. Oh, but, he said, he should lecture against these new doctrines next Sunday evening, and many more, but he should do it in all charity. These doctrines were not new; they were only Sahellianism revived. I remarked that one thing I would observe to the vicar, that when he understood our views he would know that they were not Sabellian, as was shewn by the Rev. Mr. Clissold, once a minister of the vicar's church, but now a New Churchman. I trusted he would read his late pamphlet, A Voice from the New Church Porch. He said he had read it. I then closed the meeting with a few kind remarks, and a short

hymn was sung, and the meeting dismissed with a blessing. The friends at Chatteris were greatly delighted with the proceedings, and with the progress which the Church is making in their town. They now have a separate meeting of their own on the Sunday, and the New Church views are evidently gaining in public estimation. J. BAYLEY.

From the subjoined communication, received since, it appears that the vicar has endeavoured to indemnify himself by a somewhat scurrilous lecture against us from his own pulpit, and that Dr. Bayley has in consequence paid a second visit:

A great deal of excitement existed in this place after the lectures delivered by Rev. Dr. Bayley, on November 16th and 17th. The Rev. M. A. Gathercole, vicar of the parish, placarded the town announcing that on the following Sunday evening he would lecture in his church

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"Swedenborg and his Followers," and in doing so to a very large audience he spared no pains to disparage and vilify the name and character of our illustrious seer, quoting some detached and unconnected passages from his writings to make them appear objectionable and ridiculous, pronouncing Swedenborg to be mad, and his followers not a whit better, and in his attack seemed to lay to himself the flattering unction of having well nigh crushed the cause against which he was so much exasperated. Several of our friends went to hear, and took notes of his discourse. Application was immediately made to Dr. Bayley, who kindly consented to give two lectures in reply to the Rev. vicar, which he did on the evenings of November 30th and December 1st. In the first lecture he with great amplitule, noticed the vicar's objections, and in the estimation of many persons present, hushed them into everlasting silence. The subject of the second evening's lecture was "Jerusalem a city compact together." This lecture, which occupied about two hours and a half, was so simple that all could understand, and so transcendently beautiful and grand as to furnish a treat rarely to be enjoyed. The chinky doctrines of the old church were exposed to view in all their deformity, and contrasted with the heavenly teachings of the new. A favourable impression was evidently produced in the minds of many. The lecture-room was

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crowded on both occasions to excess, and many were unable to gain admission. Every means was tried to bring the vicar to public discussion, but without success; he was determined (to use his own words) not to be "clap-trapped." The cause is going on well. A Baptist minister said "It is no use to oppose the New Church, it has been tried over and over again, but has always failed to put them down. Let them alone."

St. Ives.-Lectures by Dr. Bayley.Two Lectures were delivered in the Public Institution, in this town, by the Rev. Dr. Bayley, on the evenings of Thursday and Friday, November 18th and 19th, 1858. The subject of the first lecture was the "Rod of Moses, a serpent out of his hand and a support when in it." The lecturer very lucidly traced the many absurdities and atrocities which have existed, and do still exist, among professing Christians, to the fact of their abiding in the "letter which killeth," and their rejection of that which is spirit and life, shewing that the words thus become a serpent; but when in the hand, when received in all its ful'ness, the Divine Word becomes a rod to support the Christian in every phase of the regenerate life. The subject of the second lecture was the "New Jerusalem, a golden and crystal city," in which was shewn, with earnest eloquence, that the religion of the new dispensation was a religion of light and love, and that it is our privilege to be clear-headed and loving-hearted. Such labours cannot fail to be useful. We feel greatly obliged to the London Missionary and Tract Society, and to the Rev. Doctor, for the assistance thus kindly afforded us, and although the insidious opposition of the old church appears to be more virulent than ever, the little society in this town is determined to use every possible means in their power to promote the cause of truth.

Liverpool, Limekiln Lane.-From a handbill forwarded to us we perceive that a course of Lectures are now being delivered in the above church, on Sunday evenings. The subjects embrace most of the leading doctrines of the church, with a lecture in which infidelity is opposed and refuted on new grounds. The lecturers are Messrs. R. G. Sheldon, G. Leyritz, and J. Brierley.

The Keighley Visitor.-We have received the November number of this

periodical, in which is a sermon of Mr. Storry's, recently preached in the Keighley New Church. The subject is, "What is Truth ?" What makes the circumstance the more interesting is, that it was inserted at the request of the Editor, who though evidently not unfriendly, yet does not rank himself amongst us. A brief statement of our views on some of the leading points is also given.

Middleton. The excitement at Middleton seems not to have altogether subsided yet, as will appear from the subjoined extract from a letter of Mr. Robinson:-" We lectured last night in the Temperance Hall, Middleton, on the question, 'Do the writings of Emanuel Swedenborg encourage adultery?' I do not like to say much about my own performances; but I may say that the hall was full of people, and that they sat quite still while I delivered a lecture of an hour and three-quarters; some of which was of a most trying nature to those belonging to the Old Church. But you will probably hear more about it from Middleton."

From the same communication we learn also that the controversy in the "Middleton Albion" is likely to be resumed.

Lectures.-A course of lectures has been delivered at the Public Hall, Stretford, a village about four miles from Manchester, on the following subjects:-"The one God of Revelation fully revealed in the person of Jesus Christ," by the Rev. E. D. Rendell. on the 23rd November. "What is Salvation-how is it attained ?"-by the Rev. J. H. Smithson, on the 30th November. "The Bible-why is it the Word of God, and how may its Divinity be fully demonstrated?"-on the 7th December; and, Shall we know each other after Death?"-on the 16th Dec. by the Rev. W. Woodman.

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The audiences, if not large, were very attentive; and several of those present, who have lately had their minds directed to the doctrines of the New Church, have probably had many doubts dispelled which the mistaken zeal of some of the spiritual teachers of the locality had raised in their minds, by publicly denouncing the writings of Swedenborg as being dangerous in their tendency. The Rev. E. D. Rendell's very useful works-" The Peculiarities of the Bible;" "The Ante.

diluvian History;" and "The Postdiluvian History," have been admitted into the public library, and have been eagerly read. Although the beginning is small, the seed is sown, and the Lord will provide the rain and the sunshine. An unpleasant circumstance occurred at the last lecture, when there was a larger audience than at the preceding ones. As the Rev. Mr. Woodman was leaving the room, he felt himself much obstructed in his efforts to pass through the crowd around the door, and suddenly missed his gold watch. The police shortly afterwards apprehended six persons in the neighbourhood, who were recognised as known members of the Manchester gang, but the parties having possession of the watch had decamped. The event is the more to be regretted, the watch being a memento presented to Mr. Woodman by his Society.

CONSECRATION OF CHURCHES. To the Editor.

Sir,-As some readers of the New Church writings seem to entertain loose notions respecting the externals of worship, and consequently think little of consecrating places of worship, will you allow me to inform them what Emanuel Swedenborg says on the subject?

"A temple must be built with the hands of men, and afterwards consecrated, and lastly sanctified by prayer that God would make it the abode of his presence, and unite himself with his church assembled there." [U. T. No. 126.] Let no one after this object to orderly because useful ceremonials.

AN OLD MEMBER.

SUBSCRIPTIONS TO THE NEW BUILDING
OF THE LIMEKILN LANE SOCIETY.
To the Editor.

My dear Sir,-The Building Committee of the Limekiln Lane Society of the New Church (Liverpool), beg to express their warmest thanks to those friends who have so liberally assisted them in their present undertaking.

The numerous expressions of goodfeeling, and the promised future assist ance from many New Church friends, have given great encouragement to the Committee, and they have every reason to believe that by the aid of Divine Providence their efforts to erect a building, dedicated to the worship of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the instruction of the

young in the glorious truths of the New Dispensation, will shortly be crowned with success.

The exact site of the intended building has not yet been determined upon, but the Committee have several localities under consideration, and intend to settle this point as soon as possible.

At a general meeting of the Church Members, held a few days ago, the Trustees were appointed, and other measures adopted to facilitate the good work in which we are at present engaged.

The amount subscribed by 72 friends is £152. 15s. 04d. Further donations will be thankfully received. E. M. SHELDON,

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MISSIONARY AND TRACT SOCIETY OF THE NEW CHURCH.

As there is reason to believe that the nature and extent of the operations of this society are not so generally known as they should be, in order to be duly appreciated, we will briefly state, for the information of the Church at large, and especially of those friends who do not get the Annual Report, some of its recent proceedings, and also what it has undertaken in the confident expectation of receiving such an amount of support as will enable it to carry out its intentions.

It will be recollected that a High Church periodical, "The Old Church Porch," during eight consecutive months had an article on "The Swedenborgians, or Church of the New Jerusalem." The Committee, impressed with the necessity of this being efficiently answered, applied to, and obtained the services of a zealous friend fully competent to the task. The result was the publication of 5000 copies of a pamphlet, entitled, "Swedenborg's Writings and Catholic Teaching; or, A Voice from the New Church Porch, in answer to a series of articles on the Swedenborgians by the Vicar of Froome-Selwood, in the Old Church Porch." Of these, a large number were sent through the post to the parties it was most desirable should see them-the clergy of the High Church party. They were also extensively advertised in clerical papers. But few copies are left; and there cannot be a doubt that a vast amount of permanent good will result from this effort. The liberal friend who wrote it, contributed largely

towards the expense; besides which, the cost to the society was £102. The returns have been, from sales £40. 15s. 6d., and subscriptions £21. 18s. 6d.; thus leaving £40. on that account yet to be made up. It is to be presumed that many societies and individuals may still wish to contribute to this valuable effort; and it should be borne in mind, that it could not have been accomplished except by means of this society, it not being within the province of any other institution.

The famous and long-to-be-remembered Leamington controversy, which has done so much towards making the New Church and her doctrines known, will doubtless, ere long, lead to the formation of a respectable society there. Including the cost of a letter, by the Rev. W. Woodman, to Mr. Muddeman, on the part he had taken in the ejection of Swedenborg's works from the Free (?) Library-including this, the expense to the society was upwards of £20. Leamington has since been visited by the Rev. W. Woodman, and will require further attention.

In the Repository for March, there was a highly interesting communication from the Mauritius, for which island Mons. de Chazal was very desirous of engaging a minister competent to proclaim the doctrines of the New Church in French as well as in English. He subsequently forwarded to Mons. Le Boys des Guays some copies, in French, of the two Answers he had sent to the Catholic and Protestant bishops there. As the government would not allow them to be printed in France, Mons. Le Boys requested this society to print them, as they might then be imported into France. The Committee-bearing in mind the liberal donations we have received from an Anonymous Friend at Paris, and as some recognition of his liberality-felt it a duty to comply with this request. They propose to add to it the French Tract which Mons. Le Boys prepared for the great Celebration in 1851; and further to add a translation of the Rev. Mr. Mc. Pherson's Address, giving an account of his reception of the doctrines of the New Church, and of his consequent withdrawal from the ministry of the establishment. This will give much more force to the Answers to the two bishops; and the whole will form an extremely useful pamphlet for

circulation in France. Mr. Mc. Pherson's Narrative is also to be printed as one of the Society's tracts.

It is satisfactory to know that the small society at Deptford, whose rent has hitherto been chiefly paid by this society, has now acquired sufficient strength to bear its own expenses.

As evidence of the continued activity of the society, and of what has been effected under its auspices, it may suffice to refer to the recent numbers of the Repository. September contains an account of the Rev. R. Storry's two lectures on the Word at Sheffield; and October, of the Rev. W. Woodman's visit to Dunstable, and its interesting results; also of the Rev. J. B. Kennerley's important mission to the society at Jersey.

Dr. Bayley has been in Cambridgeshire, visiting the societies at Chatteris and St. Ives, and the Rev. W. Bruce has been to Chatham. It is arranged to have some lectures at Kennington, where, it may be recollected, the late Rev. S. Noble gave a course some thirty years ago.

During the last year the society printed 25,000, and issued 22,500 Tracts. These were distributed not only to various parts of the United Kingdom, but also to the remotest colonies and foreign parts. They often require to be reprinted, and new ones are under consideration.

Enough, perhaps, has been stated to prove that this Society has the strongest claims to the support of every member, as well as of every society of the church, without which, indeed, it will be impossible efficiently to carry out what it contemplates, and what all its friends must desire. Subscriptions towards the funds are therefore earnestly solicited, and may be paid, by Post-office order or otherwise, either to the Treasurer, Mr. E. C. Sandy, 22, Holloway Place, Holloway, London, N., or to me, Minerva H. BUTTER, Secretary. Barnsbury Park, London, N., 17th November, 1858. INTERESTING INSTANCE OF THE RECOGNITION OF THE DOCTRINES OF THE CHURCH.

Place.

We have recently had the satisfaction of recording the conversion of a missionary in Batavia to the New Church views, and his success among the Ma lays and Chinese. A striking instance

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