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to the fundamental principles of the New Jerusalem. Freedom and rationality are the faculties in which the essential human principles reside, and they ought to be possessed by all the human race. Our sympathies, therefore, have been and are with those in the United States who are striving to extend the cause of human freedom, to mitigate, and as soon as it judiciously may be done, abolish the condition of slavery. And these sympathies are not only those of New Churchmen in general, but we believe they are those of the great majority of the British people. They would certainly have been much more strongly expressed in this country, had the government of the United States felt itself in a position to make the discouragement and abolition of slavery more prominently the object for which it struggles. The freedom of man is a thing which concerns all men, and in that the British people see always an object of sympathy and admiration. A forced Union of States may be a matter of great importance to the political position of the United States of America, but is not, per se, an object of universal concern.

With these views, we have been surprised and sorry, to see a sermon in the Messenger of January 18th, by the Rev. F. Wilks, of so remarkable a character, that we are astonished that the judicious editor of the Messenger should have suffered its insertion. The sermon has evidently been composed under the excitement of political disturbance, and not in the calm atmosphere of brotherly intelligence, or spiritual wisdom. England is represented not as she really is, genial, liberal, and progressive, the sympathizer with freedom, peace, and progress everywhere, but as violent newspaper writers regard her, who belong to a class which in all countries foments ill-will, by magnifying the defects, and overlooking the virtues of foreign nations. Mr. Wilks quotes a bitter newspaper article in his sermon, and equals it in its misconceptions of the conduct of this country. We will not further dwell upon this unfortunate discourse, but trust that our brethren in the United States will accept the assurance of our affection for them, and for their nation; our conviction that we are only two portions of the same great people— the Anglo-Saxon, to which has been committed the work of leading the world to high states of civilization, of intelligence, of order, and of peace, and that the vocation of the New Church, in both countries, is to foster good-will and brotherly kindness, to soften all political asperities, and as far as possible to remove them; thus aiding in the accomplishment of the divine object, of making of all nations one grand family, having the Lord Jesus Christ as the universal Father. J. B.

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MISCELLANEOUS.

THE MONTH.

The "Aids to Faith," which is the second of the semi-official answers to the "Essays and Reviews," on the part of the Church of England, has recently made its appearance. As the interpretation of the first chapter of Genesis has been, throughout the controversy, one principal point at issue, it is, of course, interesting to know what is the view which has been taken of this subject, which is treated of in the Fifth Essay; the whole volume being distributed into nine Essays. Of this Fifth Essay, Dr. M'Caul is the author, and he proceeds upon the principle that the first chapter of Genesis is strict historical narrative; thus directly opposing the interpretation of Mr. Rorison, in the Seven "Replies." This collision is undoubtedly a very serious matter; indeed the whole subject is of the utmost importance, not only to the Protestant, but to the Greek and Roman Catholic Churches. It will, indeed, be most instructive to observe the progress of this remarkable discussion. Meanwhile another action has been commenced against another Essayist, viz., Mr. Bristow Wilson, which will involve subjects of fundamental importance to the Catholic Church. The effect which the present state of theology is beginning to produce upon the minds of the clergy, may be seen in the circumstance that the Rev. Mr. Mac Naught has retired from his ministry; the Rev. Hugh Weightman, late curate of St. George's, Hanover-square, has returned to the Bar, which he had originally left for the Church; and the Rev. Richard Pering Cornish, perpetual curate of Ivy Bridge, has made considerable sacrifices in withdrawing from the Church, in consequence of the arguments urged in the "Essays and Reviews." We are further told, that the Rev. Mr. Clough, formerly, we believe, Fellow of Oriel College, left the Church of England some years ago for the Church of Rome, in consequence of the alternative which was presented to his mind, of Romanism or Atheism. For a time he chose the former, and then seems to have fallen back, like Blanco White, into a state of distressing doubt and uncertainty, from which he appears never to have emerged. He has just departed this life. Incidents of this kind shew the ordeals through

which the mind of many are now passing. None of these parties appear ever to have heard of the New Church.

It was in reference to the subject of Doubt, that the Bishop of Oxford preached at St. Mary's last year a sermon apparently addressed to the Undergraduates, in which he warned them to fling away doubt at its first appearance, as they would "a loaded shell." In reply to this, a pamphlet was published maintaining that "the Suppression of Doubt is not Faith," and that according to our modern poet

"There lives more faith in honest doubt,

Believe me, than in half the creeds." The author of this pamphlet was supposed to be Professor Goldwin Smith. The Bishop preached a sermon in reply at Oxford, but which we believe has never been published. The truth is, the Undergraduates at Oxford have ceased to be what they formerly were, the mere subjects of traditional thinking in matters of theology; a spirit of freedom prevails among them in the present day altogether unknown in former times, and from which may be anticipated the best results, although it may lead to a considerable modification of many theological tenets now generally held.

*

"THE WESTMINSTER REVIEW."-This "Quarterly," commencing the present year, contains a lengthy and pretentious article on "The Religious Heresies of the Working Classes." It is not easy to see the exact point from which it is written, though it is very clear that popular Christianity will regard the writer as one of the heretics. I have been told, on good authority, that he was recently a young student in one of the Unitarian seminaries; and so it is probable that Unitarianism is the platform whence the subject has been viewed. In that article the New Church is referred to several times, and it has been thought that a notice of this circumstance might be interesting as a matter of news, and also that a few remarks on some of the statements might be useful in some other respects.

Speaking of the progress of" organised congregations," "Swedenborgians" are classed among those who are increasing in numbers but decreasing in intellgence (p. 67), but no authority for the state

ment is given. The former portion of it is indeed a gratifying fact, for three new places of worship have been built during the last twelve months; but the latter portion of it is by no means complimentary, and perhaps a denial of it might not be very easy to maintain, for a similar statement has been frequently made by some of the older members of the Church now living. It has been said that, notwithstanding the writings of Swedenborg are much more extensively and cheaply circulated than they were a quarter of a century ago, the general reading is said to be less earnest and careful, acquaintance with their contents more limited and superficial, and that congregations are satisfied with pulpit ministrations more slight in their materials, provided they be only somewhat showy and eloquent in words. Nor have these been the isolated opinions of crotchetty and complaining persons; they have been uttered by thinking and earnest men among us, and it is not improbable that the writer of the "Review," has come in contact with some of these, and that they are the authority for his statement. If this has become true as a matter of history, it is the duty of a church in which it is allowable for its members to enter intellectually into the things of faith, to arrest its progress by a more diligent attention to the privilege conferred upon them. But whether true or not, they should never be unmindful of those studies which conduce to the advancement of that high and practical intelligence of which the New Church is so remarkable an exponent.

The writer further on, page 75, after citing the "orthodox" doctrines "which have made men secularists," says "he knows that in various quarters a nobler theology is preached," and the "Swedenborgian" is enumerated among those who preach it. At page 88, he is given some credit for staying the progress of unbelief, and bringing the sceptic back into some reverence for religion. It is there said, "Swedenborgianism, at once mystical and scientific, has received a few, and would have received more, but for its unfortunate doctrine of the eternally fixed state of the wicked; for seekers after a faith ask why, if they are free to change here, should they be handcuffed for ever after?" It is very doubtful whether the reason here assigned for the imperfect success of our

teachings in that quarter is correct. We have had some intercourse with sceptics, but do not remember that that fact was ever urged as any serious objection to their reception of our views. The wicked may well dread such a doctrine as a fact, and thence deny and turn away from it; still the writer who questions it, and others who may do so from motives of benevolence, have not founded their benevolence on the broad wisdom of the Word, and the distinction between man's freedom in this world and in that which is to come. The Word teaches the doctrine of "everlasting punishment" quite as clearly as "everlasting life;" it also teaches, with equal plainness, that man's condition in futurity is determined by the character which he has formed and cultivated during the time of his probation. "They that have done good shall come forth unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil unto the resurrection of damnation." (John v. 29.) So that this "unfortunate doctrine" of "Swedenborgianism" is also the divine doctrine of the Word. Where do the "seekers after a faith" expect to find it apart from the Bible? And if they are hindered in their search by "its unfortunate doctrine of the eternally fixed state of the wicked," they will surely never find it; for that is a doctrine "steadfast, immovable," both in the letter and the spirit of revelation. If the wicked could change their condition in the other life, why may not the good? The notion that there is no "eternally fixed state," that the wicked may become good, implies, also, that the good may become wicked, and thus that heaven may be converted into hell and hell into heaven! But surely no sceptics will accept this consequence as a satisfactory solution of their difficulty; and they will hardly thank the writer for representing them to reject a faith for such unreasonable reasons.

But those "seekers after a faith" are represented as asking, "Why if they are free to change here, they should be handcuffed for ever hereafter? The answer is short. This is the life in which we are free to change our character; the other is not. Here we live between the influences of good and evil; this is the world of selection; here we are free to make a choice of either, and that which we adopt in freedom becomes our own; it is then our love, our delight, our life.

When we die we pass into this character, whatever it may be, into that world which has been freely chosen. If it be good we go to heaven, and there we shall be safe from the influences of evil; if it be wicked we shall go to hell, and there we shall be separated from the influences of good. In neither of those kingdoms are its inhabitants, as in this, between the influences of good and evil; in each they are wholly immersed in that which is peculiar to itself, and this they have freely chosen during their lifetime here. There they are free to pursue all that which is in conformity with the life which they have freely made their own, but they are not free to change to the opposite; for having rejected from themselves all that belongs to the opposite, they have deprived themselves of will in that direction, and where there is no will there is no way, so that the wicked are "handcuffed for ever hereafter," simply because they have preferred the handcuffs here, where they had the opportunity for making a superior choice. To this reasoning may be added the Scriptural declaration, "He that is nnjust, let him be unjust still; and he that is filthy, let him be filthy still; and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still; and he that is holy, let him be holy still." Preston.

HOME.

R.

DR. BRINDLEY'S ATTACK IN YORK. THE
REV. W. WOODMAN'S LECTURES.
To the Editor.

Dear Sir, I forward you an account of Dr. Brindley's doings in York against the New Church; also the Rev. W. Woodman's Lectures in reply to the Doctor's scurrilities.

It appears that for some time previous several of the Primitive Methodist local preachers had been reading the New Church works, especially "Noble's Appeal," which had convinced some of them of the truth, and three of them preached our doctrines in public. This of course caused the leaders in the church to bring accusations against them of false teaching; and at the quarterly meeting of their society, one local preacher and trustee of the chapel was expelled, and two others were suspended for six months, one of whom, being also a trustee, sent in his resignation. These two men were highly respected, both in

the society and in the districts in which they were in the habit of preaching, one of whom having been a local preacher for upwards of twenty years. This caused the Dragonists to burn with rage against the New Church, and to search for weapons whereby they could exterminate us. About this time Dr. Brindley was lecturing against us at Huddersfield, and had issued a scurrilous pamphlet against the Church. One of the Primitive local preachers went over to Huddersfield, and soon discovered that he had found the right man in Dr. Brindley, for our extermination. He was accordingly engaged to lecture at York. This person brought back with him several of the Doctor's pamphlets, which were freely circulated in our city. So delighted were they with their champion that they were almost in ecstacy, and immediately issued a large bill-" Brindley is coming." Shortly after, four lectures were announced for delivery by Dr. Brindley, on the 3rd, 4th, 5th, and 6th of December, the subjects being1st, "God in Creation;" 2nd, "Essays and Reviews;" 3rd, "Swedenborg the Mystic;" 4th, "Immoral Teachings of Swedenborg." The first two lectures were really on astronomy. The third was short extracts from a pamphlet, for for which he said he would not take 100 guineas-Hindmarsh's or Robson's life of Swedenborg. The whole of this lecture was evidently given to pander to the gross and sensual appetites of his audience, by insinuating that Swedenborg was a drunkard; that he had received his divine call in a low London tavern; that he was an adulterer with the gardener's wife; that he had a summer-house constructed in such a manner that as one door opened another shut, that he might more decently carry on his amours; that he was an impostor, a madman, &c. &c. At the close of the lecture, he called upon the low, sneaking, filthy, Swedenborgians to come forward to deny what he had said. also said that he had exterminated the Swedenborgians in some towns, and he would not leave York while any remained in it. Mr. Heppell (our leader) then came forward to vindicate the character of Swedenborg. He told the Doctor that he had no doubt he prized the book, by which he had made so much money, and if he were to part with it his occu

He

pation would be gone; and asked the Doctor whether he thought Swedenborg was "mad or an impostor?" To which he replied, "Both." After some further discussion, in which the Doctor bullied rather than argued, the meeting broke up about half past ten o'clock. There were about 700 persons present, the friends of the Primitives principally, who, by their boisterous applause, seemed to believe every word Brindley had said.

The fourth lecture, on "The Immoral Teachings of Swedenborg," was of a similar character as the preceding one, with a rather more numerous assembly. Rev. Thos. Myers in the chair. The Dr. read a few extracts from Swedenborg's Scortatory Love, and commented on them in a most sensual and disgusting manner, which seemed to please the audience very much. In reading what Swedenborg says, about a man being still a man in the spiritual world, and a woman still a woman, and that he (Swedenborg) had ocular demonstration of the fact for many years, the Doctor by insinuation made it appear that Swedenborg said he had seen the sexes in their nakedness, and therefore could testify to its truth. Mr. Heppell again stepped on the platform, in defence, along with Mr. Brooke, and two or three other friends. It was shewn to the audience that the book was not written for this country alone, but for the whole world, Mahommedan as well as heathen, and declared it in no case allowable to Christians to have more than one wife. It was also shewn that the quotations were from "Scortatory Love," and not "Conjugial Love," as the Doctor had stated; and Mr. Heppell read extracts from Swedenborg's "True Christian Religion," and the "Doctrine of Life," in which Swedenborg shews the sin of adultery. This meeting was more boisterous than the preceding one, and the Brindley party were mad with delight. One of them rising to second a vote of thanks, exclaimed-"All hail to Dr. Brindley! the rising generation would have to bless the day that Dr. Brindley came to York; and hoped the lustful Swedenborgians would soon be exterminated. All hail to Dr. Brindley!" The excitement and prejudice was now at its climax, and to all appearance it seemed that their threat of extermination was about to be carried into effect.

At the close of this meeting it was announced that Dr. Brindley would give another lecture the following evening; but he would have to read extracts of so disgusting a nature, that "females and youths were not to be admitted." Our members were insulted by expressions from the people, such as-"Lust! lust!" "Write Lust in your houses, on your doors," &c. Such a state of fanatical excitement was never known in York before.

The fifth lecture (from which females and youths were excluded) was of a similar nature to the preceding one; although the extracts he read from "Conjugial Love and Scortatory Love," were of such a nature that the sapient Doctor himself could not find aught in them to ridicule, and he could scarcely get a laugh from his audience. Just before this lecture commenced, one of the Brindley party called upon Mr. Heppell, to ask him to discuss the New Church doctrines with Dr. Brindley, after he had finished his readings from Conjugial Love," which would close at nine o'clock. Mr. Heppell declined the honour, after such a reading and ridicule, and before such an audience, to discuss the doctrines of the heavenly Jerusalem : "Cast not your pearls before swine." The Doctor, however, as soon as he had finished his readings and gross comments, stated he would give four other lectures in the following week, on the "Four Leading Doctrines of Swedenborg," and then named his subjects, viz.:

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1. "The Doctrine of the Trinity." 2. "The Doctrine of the Resurrection, and the Future Judgment."

3. "Doctrine of the Atonement."
4. "Justification by Faith."

These, he said, were Swedenborg's Four Leading Doctrines, and he urgently called upon the Swedenborgians of York to come to discuss them with him. Mr. Heppell here informed the audience that these were not the Four Leading Doctrines of Swedenborg, as stated by the Doctor, and then enumerated them by their proper titles. (We should here remark that we agreed to discuss the Four Leading Doctrines.) 'Yes, yes," said the Doctor, "I know that these, just named, are the doctrines, but I thought it best to give them more understandable titles; but they are all the same; "Who," said he, "can understand the Doctrine of Life?" Not he,

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