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Miscellaneous.

LONDON MISSION.-London is again, clusion of the service their regret that

while we write, the scene of religious anything should have occurred to introservices of an exciting and intensely duce a spirit of discord on a day when emotional kind. The effort takes place every word had been spoken with an under the sanction of the Bishops of evident desire to avoid points of differ London, Winchester, and Rochester, ence, and to unite all hearts and minds whose dioceses embrace portions of the in support of the one great end in view.” metropolis. The preliminary arrange. To preserve, therefore, even the appearments were completed, and the work ance of unity it is necessary for the initiated by a solemn service, or rather preachers of the several schools, which series of services, at St. Paul's Cathe- are so oddly combined in the work, to dral. At this service addresses were exercise great restraint, and to hold back delivered by a number of the clergy who much they would wish to say. It is have been selected to take part in the manifest, however, that the clergy who "Mission." In the divided condition approach towards Rome are in the ascenof religious thought which prevails dant, and exercise the greatest liberty among the clergy, it must be a difficult and boldness. The open recommendation matter to induce the several schools to and earnest use of the confessional has act in harmony. At this preliminary led to a memorial to the bishops on the meeting the preachers were selected subject, but they are powerless in the from the different schools-an arrange- matter. The "Mission" is in progress, ment which in one part of the proceed- and they can only leave it to the disings led to an unpleasant scene. Mr. cretion and prudence of the clergy. But Haslam, who spoke on the subject of apart from these doctrinal diversities Faith, after a brief exposition, is re- grave doubts are expressed by leading ported in the Guardian to have " 'pro- churchmen who take part in these serceeded, with questionable taste, to touch vices of the danger from excess of merely on controversial points which had been emotional excitement. Canon How, in carefully avoided in all the previous the first discourse delivered at this addresses. After insisting that the meeting, discoursing on the words, sinner needs no Mediator between Christ "the spirit of power, and of love, and and himself, Mr. Haslam reminded his of a sound mind," is reported to have hearers of the testimony borne by the said, "Is there no danger, my brethren, doctors of the Reformation to the doc- lest at such a time there be encouraged trine of justification by faith; and an amount of excitement which is manilastly, he said, there was one more festly excessive and unwholesome, which testimony which he must bear, and deranges the balance of sound reason, which the martyrs bore when they laid and entails a perilous reaction?" He down their lives to show their belief cites the words of Keble, "Next to a that Christ is not present on our altars. sound rule of faith there is nothing of This, said Mr. Haslam, is the one dis- so much consequence as a sober standard tinguishing mark which separates our of feeling in matters of practical reliChurch from the Church of Rome-that gion;" and he goes on to say, "My it denies that Christ is on our altars, experience of 'mission' work is far less and declares that He is only present in than that of some, but such as it is, it our hearts. At this point a considerable has brought to me the conviction that number of the clergy, who had been a tone of intense yet calm solemnity is listening with patience and attention, more helpful and fruitful of good than rose and left their seats, to which they the tone of somewhat unguarded and did not return until the speaker had unchastened excitement which has not concluded by declaring that he 'felt been unknown in mission work." bound in common faithfulness to testify thus much.' This episode in the day's services caused no slight sensation, and even those who did not openly show their disapprobation of Mr. Haslam's remarks were not slow to express at the con

The

Canon goes on to express his fear of the "keen and watchful critics" who may regard a "zeal which outstrips discretion" as "self-willed, fanciful, and un-English, and so our good be evil spoken of, and the cause of Christ

suffer loss." Services of this soberer kind, "on some of the more permanent and practical aspects of religion," are announced for Westminster Abbey; and, among other objections, a protest appears, says the Guardian, "in a quarter where we should have expected there could have been no doubt of its need." The Rev. Harry Jones, Rector of St. George's-in-the-East, has sent a long letter to the newspapers, addressed to the worshippers in his church. In the course of his letter Mr. Jones says, "But there is a 'hot-house' air about the projected modes of this 'mission,' which, as I believe, is likely to force the emotions of those who breathe it into a state unfavourable to the wholesome apprehension of truth. The contagious strain of reiterated addresses, night after night, in the same church, the stress of fervid hymns, accompanied by the persuasion that they form part of an impassioned chorus, praying for supernatural influences, seems to me ill-calculated to kindle or to promote the growth of healthy godliness."

CÆSARISM AND ULTRAMONTANISM.The Roman Catholic Archbishop of Westminster has read a paper bearing this title before the members of an Association, of which he is president, called "Academia of the Catholic Religion." This paper occupied four columns of the Times, and it has been extensively published in other papers. A single sentence will give an idea of its character and pretensions. "In order that spiritual things may be distinct from earthly things, the authority of His (Christ's) kingdom is committed not to earthly kings, but to priests, and especially to the chief of priests-the successor of Peter, the vicar of Christ, the Roman Pontiff, to whom all kings of Christendom ought to be subject, as to our Lord Jesus Christ Himself."

It is surprising that a man of Dr. Manning's sagacity does not see that the office which he claims for the Church is this very Cæsarism which he condemns. It is the claim to exercise authority, and in its worst form, over the souls and bodies of men. Before this authority every other exercise of power is dwarfed into insignificance. Kings and emperors, the governors and the governed, are to be ruled by the priesthood. Under the title of the Church, they set the bounds of all

earthly authority, and determine the character of all earthly government. And they admit no question to be raised respecting their power. The authority of the Pontiff is supreme, his will absolute. Before his fiat reason and judgment fall prostrate. He is infallible; his decisions are the absolute truth; and the only duty of all baptized persons is unquestioning obedience. Nothing short of this will satisfy his imperious demands, and against those who refuse this obedience he launches the thunderbolts of his anathemas.

And this insane assumption is said to be in the cause of liberty. It is the liberty to bow the knee to the idol of priestly assumption, intolerance, and crime. It is a liberty which in its exercise first extinguishes the reason and conscience, and then subjects its victims to the slavery of unresisting submission to her usurped dominion. How strangely do these insane pretensions contrast with the teaching of our Blessed Lord-"Ye know that the princes of the Gentiles exercise dominion over them, and they that are great exercise authority upon them. But it shall not be so among you; but whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister; and whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant" (Matt. xx. 25-27).

AGRICULTURAL LABOURERS UNION.One of the signs of the times is the agitation in the rural districts on the subject of the wages and social position of the agricultural labourers. Unions have been formed, fresh fields of labour sought in other countries, and various means adopted to promote this object. Connected with this movement the clergy have been exposed to severe reflections. Socially connected with the upper and middle classes, they have failed to see the strength of the movement and rightly to read the signs of the times. Some unwise sayings have added to the difficulties of their position. The subject has been brought before the "Church Congress" and also the "Lincoln Diocesan Conference." was introduced at this latter meeting by the Earl of Carnarvon, who spoke with the caution of a Conservative statesman; while the speakers who followed, with one exception, looked on the subject from a purely political point of view.

It

General Marriott expressed the con

GRATUITOUS CIRCULATION OF THE "TRUE CHRISTIAN RELIGION" AND THE "HEAVEN AND HELL." The Messenger has for some time announced that these works are offered gratuitously through the publishing house of Messrs. J. B. Lippincott & Co. to the Protestant clergy of America, on their application and payment of postage. Numerous applications for these works have been made, and interesting letters received from the recipients. "The following," says Mr. Keyes in a recent letter to the Messenger, from a coloured minister, will be read with special interest :

viction that "all means for bettering discouraging thought hinder individual the condition of the poorer labouring effort. I believe myself that by this class resolve themselves into means of time to-morrow scarcely a word which I education and co-operation. In the have said will remain consciously in the term education,' I include everything memory of any here." which will enable men not only to acquire wealth and leisure, but to use them so as to embellish and dignify their life. By co-operation I mean a principle of conduct and administration founded on the conviction that any action which proceeds on the assumption of the interests of labour and capital, of employed and employers, being antagonistic, is alike false in economic as in Christian principle. The present physical condition of a large part of the labouring class in England is such as offers great hindrance to their moral and spiritual improvement; and the purpose of the unions is so to raise the material condition of the labourer as to make life as possibly enjoyable and lovely to him as to the rest of us. Repressive measures proceed, on the whole, from a preference that the labourer remain unbettered, rather than that we be troubled by the ferment and other temporary inconveniences which attend the aspirations and efforts of the labouring class. We owe, moreover, patience with, and toleration of, the errors into which these unions are led. The errors are many and grave; speculative errors about an unpracticable communism; notions about rights disconnected from duties, and practical errors of oppression and intolerance of their own classerrors which are begotten by ignorance and selfishness, but are we guilty of none such toward them? False notions it. So please, dear brother, pray with on matters of such passionate interest can be effectively combated only by positive guidance in the right path, which is certainly not to be found in mere contentment with the existing state of things."

"Mr. J. B. Lippincott-Dear Sir and Friend,-It is with much pleasure that I write this day to let you know that I have received the True Christian Religion,' by Swedenborg, and I have read a good part of it, and was glad, very glad indeed, that God had blessed me, though a poor slave all the days of my life in Georgia, and have lived to be even thirtysix years of age, and never had the chance of spending a day or a night in school all my life. But I hope to see the time that I can go to some school. But dear sir, I can read some parts of the "True Christian Religion,' and will continue trying, with the hope that the true God will increase my knowledge, and help me to read this noble book, and live the great truths that are written in

me that God will still continue His blessing with me, that I may read and understand the Gospel, and preach it in its purity. I have been preaching for nearly eight years, and I expect from what I have learned from this great work, that I, by the help of God, will be able to explain the Gospel plainer than I did before. My chances are and have been few, but it is all for the best, and God knows what is best for His people. So I am glad things are just as they are. Dear friend, I am more than a thousand times obliged to you for this present. May God bless the work wherever it goes, and may it be the means of saving many souls for Christ and God's sake, Amen. I am your afflicted and obedient servant, a Baptist minister, ELDER ALLEN

The principles thus enunciated are such as should guide the action and direct the teaching of the Church, and such as, in the judgment of the speaker, would "modify the selfish, unloving spirit which these questions of the distribution of wealth beget, and impart to the Church an energy of Christian life and a fruitful vitality of which the spiritual consequences are incalculable. But," continues the General, "it will not be; it cannot be; the sense of Christian brotherhood is still so weak, and selfishness so strong. Only let not this NICKERSON.

pronounced Calvinistic communities in America; and the headway that the New Church has made there, is a most decided indication that the labours of New Churchmen and the preaching of Pastor Benade were efforts earnest and well directed."

SCANDINAVIAN MISSION.-The following earnest letter from Mrs. Brynjulfson of Copenhagen, which appeared in the New Jerusalem Messenger of the 12th November last, was in type in our last number, but was pressed out by the communication from Mr. Boyesen:

DEDICATION OF A NEW CHURCH TEMPLE IN PITTSBURG, WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA." Without any ado about it," writes a correspondent of the Messenger, "in a most quiet way, our Pittsburg brethren have gone along in their work, until now their handsome and commodious temple is completed and dedicated. And even this accomplished fact had transpired so unobtrusively that it was in a fair way to escape the notice of our New Church journalists." The dedication, which took place on the 19th day of October last, is not reported in the Messenger until January 28th. From this report we give the "Two years ago, we here in Copenfollowing extract:-"The temple is hagen were favoured by the Lord with a Gothic structure of wood, and is having an external worship established substantial and massive. Over the among us, and Mr. A. Boyesen, the vestibule is a gallery for the organ and translator of Swedenborg's works into the choir. The audience-room is ex- Norwegian (Danish), was induced to ceedingly pleasant in appearance, and quit his residence in Norway, in order will seat about two hundred people. At to direct the little community here. the eastern end of the temple is an It was the Scandinavian New Church open tabernacle, so arranged that it Society, who, happy in the possession of forms the usual chancel recess, with the the heavenly doctrines, wished generously minister's room on one side of it, and a to share with their brethren in the small library-room on the other side. remote North those riches with which In the centre of the chancel recess and God had so mercifully blessed them. against the wall on the east, is the Re- We in Denmark, of course, were pository of the Word, which is a massive delighted in our good fortune, and did structure of sold mahogany, in the form our best, poor as we are (most of the of an ark, and this rests on another community are mechanics), to provide structure larger than the ark, also made for the necessary expenses as to place of of mahogany, square and massive, in worship, seats, organ, printing of tracts, the form of an altar, and which is made and the like. Lastly, we had even a to contain the sacred vessels and the little bazaar, for which we had worked archives of the Church. Near the centre very diligently, and that also brought of the platform, which is elevated about in a sum large enough to pay our debts one foot above the floor of the audience- for the printing of a little book of rcom, stands the Communion table; and Psalms. there is a reading-desk on one side near the front of the platform, and on the other side is the pulpit. The dedication service was conducted according to the forms of the liturgy in use in the Church, the Rev. W. H. Benade, pastor of the Society, leading the service, and making the dedicatory declaration and prayer. The Rev. J. R. Hibbard preached the sermon on the occasion, which was a masterly analysis of the nature of the Lord's Second Advent, and of the Church as it exists in the New Dispensation. The Pittsburg Society of the New Church is the only one in Western Pennsylvania, and, as I learned, it has struggled for many years against fearful odds in propagation of the new doctrines. Pittsburg is one of the most decidedly

We dreamt of going on; but, alas, we now learn, to our deep sorrow and bitter disappointment, that probably it will be necessary for our dear and beloved minister to go and seek his bread elsewhere, the contributions from America having almost entirely ceased, so that his present position is not only endangered, but totally impossible to maintain. This year the mission has principally been supported by Messrs. Scammon and Niles, of which the first, for his own part, has liberally sent £50. Though this is really a great sum for one man to give, everybody can see that it will not keep up the mission; it is not the fourth part of what a man with a family must have, even to lead the most economical life, especially in this period of dearth; and the mission now lives by

making debts, in hope of better times enabling us to pay them off again. I therefore beseech my American New Church brethren to help us to keep up the good work begun. What to them, if they unite, is comparatively little, will be of unaccountable value to us. We see truth in the way of being overcome and cast out, ourselves desolate, and we can but pray to the Lord that He will touch the hearts of His New Church people, that they may not give up their friends in need. Think of a community, be it ever so small, that feels the earth gliding away under their feet; they have given up the Old Church, and the New Church gives them up! No, it cannot, must not be!"

fore I was called from here. In states of deep contrition, I have prayed to the Lord that He would condescend to instruct me of the best means by which I might be able to serve the Church and my land; and I have been strongly convinced, that the impulse to a better order of things with us must go out from our University, or rather from its young students, in whom a new spirit of independent inquiry is awakened, that bears great promises for the future."

In connection with this pressing subject, Dr. Bayley has issued the following circular:—

"25 Elgin Road, Kensington Park Road, London, W.

"My Beloved Friend,-You will probably have seen from the Intellectual of the present month the pressing necessities of our dear brother the Rev.

defatigable New Church Missionary in
Copenhagen. Will you kindly favour
me with a subscription for his help,
which will be dispensed under the direc-
tion of the Foreign Missions Committee
appointed by the Conference. There is
almost equal need for assistance to
Signor Scoccia, in his labours in Italy.
Please to assist this also: your prompt
help will be greatly esteemed. This
charitable aid for the Church abroad
would be another golden link for the
whole Church.
J. BAYLEY."
Accompanying this circular is a sub-
scription list amounting to £38; and a
note stating that, "The remains of the
sum contributed for the Lancashire
distress-£11, 8s. 10d., held by the Trea-
surer, Mr. Watson, and also £4 held by
Dr. Tafel from the Chicago contribution

The difficulty of the work in which our brother is engaged, and the devotion with which he applies himself to it, may be concluded from the following extracts A. Boyesen, the very earnest and infrom a letter written by him a short time since. "As to the known number of receivers of the heavenly doctrines, but few are added to our little flock, but I have reasons to believe, that there are a good deal more than we know of, especially amongst the more enlightened classes, as I sometimes quite unexpectedly meet with some; but in this class there is a strong aversion to all kind of religious meetings and ritualism. As to the public spirit, the general influence of the New Church is perceived in a more independent search for truth, and especially in the growing generation in a greater consideration for the welfare of the neighbour and in a greater tolerance." In this letter Mr. Boyesen says, that in order to reach the hearts of the people and thence obtain a favourable opportunity of gaining their ears, he has practised homoeopathy among them. Respecting these efforts he says:"When by the sickbed I speak of the NATIONAL MISSIONARY INSTITU beauties in heaven, of the laws ruling TION-Doncaster.-A course of three there, and of that life which makes lectures has been given, and four Sunus fit for heavenly blessedness, the day services held, in the large room of whole family gathers around me and the Guildhall, Doncaster. This course with eagerness listens to my words. To was well advertised, and a good deal of the practical bearing of the New Church they have no objection at all; so long as I confine myself to that, I have their full confidence and heartfelt gratitude. But where the corner-stones, the doctrines, are wanting, the house cannot stand long. This conviction has made me dissatisfied and deeply sorry. I had hoped to be able to lay down a foundation be

have been sent to Copenhagen, and the acknowledgment has just arrived."

interest aroused - Mr. Marshall, our resident friend, having been indefatigable in the circulation of the bills and tracts. The average atttendance at the Sunday services was about 100; the attendance on the second Sunday being larger than on the first. Mr. Cameron, the Yorkshire Colporteur, was present at two of the week evening lectures, and

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