Billeder på siden
PDF
ePub

On the two Sundays following the opening services were continued.

On the first of these the Rev. Dr. Bayley preached in the morning and evening, and the Rev. R. Storry in the afternoon. On the second Sunday two discourses were given by the Rev. Mr. Presland. The attendance at all these services was good. The collections on the Sabbaths amounted to over £200.

sible, to raise during those services truths of life. The New Church be£1600. That would clear the house lieved firmly in the plenary inspiration of all debt. Of course the cry every- of Holy Scripture, in the supreme where was that times were bad. Divinity of the Lord Jesus Christ, and The Lord had blessed them in times in the necessity of a life in harmony past, and good times were nigh at hand, with the Divine will. They were and they would keep getting better. aggressive only on the empire of Satan Let him, therefore, ask them to do and desired to unite with all good and what they could to help those who had true men in enlarging the realm of so liberally and generously helped goodness, promoting the glory of Godthemselves. The collection was then peace on earth, and goodwill among made, which realized the handsome sum men. Addresses suited to the occasion of £100, 7s. A tea-meeting followed in were made during the evening by Revs. the schoolroom, to which about 400 T. Mackereth, R. Storry, Dr. Bayley, sat down, after which a public meeting S. Forrest, and G. S. Ordish, and by was held in the same room. The Rev. Francis Smith, James Fletcher, and P. Ramage occupied the chair, and he Samuel Lindley, Esqs. The proceedwas supported by the Rev. Dr. Bayley, ings were interspersed and enlivened of London; Rev. R. Storry, of Heywood; by the singing of hymns, in which the Rev. T. Mackereth, F. R. A.S., of Bolton; large party assembled joined, and by Rev. S. Forrest, Wesleyan; Rev. G. S. anthems, which were well rendered by Ordish, Congregational; S. Lindley, the choir. Esq.; James Fletcher, Esq., and other influential laymen. After singing and prayer the Chairman said that since they began their building many of their members had entered the immortal life. Among those who had recently passed away he might mention the familiar names of Mr. Samuel and Mr. Isaac Gee, and just as they were preparing for opening Mr. Joseph Grimshaw had also entered into his rest. But they really entered the land of the LONDON (Dalston).-A course of four living, and would no doubt influence lectures has recently been delivered at for good those they left behind. They the Albion Hall under the auspices of should best honour the memory of the Missionary and Tract Society which those good men by carrying on with have attracted large and appreciative earnestness the work in which they audiences. The first two were delivered were so deeply interested. His first by the Rev. John Presland, the subpleasing duty was to give a cordial jects being "The Lord Jesus Christ, welcome to all the friends who had the only God of Heaven and Earth," favoured them with their presence. In and "The Way of Salvation." The the name of the members of the church it was his duty to thank the Building Committee for their earnest and persevering labours, which had that day been crowned with ample success. The building which they had opened was the expression of their faith in the necessity of a truly religious life. At the present time, when the fundamental truths of Christianity were being attacked with great vigour, religious bodies were more than ever called upon to give a reason for their existence. In the present transition state of the Christian faith many earnest souls were being swept from their anchorage, and were looking anxiously for more light on the great

third was delivered by Mr. S. B. Dicks, on "Christ's Second Coming: How, When, and Where?" The last was delivered by the Rev. Dr. Bayley, on "Is there any Scriptural Authority for the Jews as a Nation returning to Palestine?" A full report of the last lecture appeared in the columns of the Hackney and Kingsland Gazette.

In connection with this effort five Sunday evening lectures on subjects connected with the spiritual nature of man and the life after death have been delivered by Mr. Dicks. The expenses

of advertising these were defrayed by the Missionary and Tract Society. It is grati fying to report that the effort has been very successful. Despite the inclement

weather, good congregations have been attracted, many of whom, although strangers to the New Church, have attended the whole course as well as some of the week-night lectures.

The Dalston Society continues to make satisfactory progress in its new home. This is doubtless in a great measure due to the liberal assistance accorded by the Missionary and Tract Society.

THE MISSIONARY AND TRACT SOCIETY. -This Society resolved at its last meeting to exhibit on the stations of the North London Railway for three months thirty notice-boards containing the large bill with the principal doctrines set forth thereon, and a list of the New Church places of worship in London, with the names of the ministers attached

thereto.

LONDON (Camberwell). A special general meeting of the Camberwell Society was held on Friday, the 13th ult., to consider a notice of the resignation of his office received from its minister, Mr. E. Austin, who has occupied that position throughout the existence of the Society, viz. for fifteen years. The chair was taken by Mr. I. J. Alvey, who presided at the initial meetings of the South London friends in 1863-4, and who is chairman of the Church Committee for the current year. Though not very largely attended, the gathering very fairly represented the leading members of the New Church in Camberwell. It was proposed by the secretary of the Society (Mr. A. Braby), seconded by Mr. John Williams, and carried unanimously: "That this meeting learns with very deep regret that the respected minister of the Society, Mr. Austin, feels himself compelled, through pressure of other duties, to relinquish the office he has so ably filled during the long period of fifteen years, and desires to express to him its high appreciation of his ministerial labours, and its regret that the Society is unable to secure his valuable services altogether to the uses of the ministry; but it trusts that the Society may still receive the advantages of Mr. Austin's ability and experience in Church-fellowship." It was then proposed by Mr. Thwarte, and seconded by Mr. Pursey: "That the Committee be requested to take such steps as to them may seem best to bring before the notice of the Society gentle

men who are eligible to fill the office of minister." Upon this a considerable amount of discussion ensued, chiefly as to the best means of making the wants of the Society known to gentlemen who would be eligible for the appointment without creating dissatisfaction or inconvenience either to the gentlemen themselves or their present congregations. In the course of the debate several names were mentioned, upon action was feasible. The motion having which, however, no immediate practical been ultimately carried nem. con., a third was submitted, having for its object an expression of the opinion of the meeting as to the amount of stipend to be guaranteed to the minister who may be selected, a matter which-Mr. Austin's valuable services having been retained for a most insignificant fee-must be one of vital import to the Society's future welfare. This called forth numerous speakers, who, in the main, agreed that the Society must strain every nerve to secure the services of a minister who will devote his entire energies to the work, and who will do justice both to the Society and the New Church, and that it must to this end provide adequate funds for the support of such a gentleman. A friendly amendment having been put to the meeting and lost, the original motion was carried. A resolution appointing a Committee to collect subscriptions from members of the Society and congregation -for the purpose of presenting to Mr. Austin some tangible memorial of the gratitude of those to whom he has so long and so ably ministered-was carried with acclamation; the gentlemen selected being Dr. Morrisson, Messrs. John Hall, A. C. Moore, and C. Higham, Secretary. The proceedings, which had been most harmonious and enthusiastic throughout, terminated at a late hour.

OSWALDTWISTLE (near Accrington). On Monday evening, November 25th, the Rev. G. H. Smith delivered a lecture in the above place of worship, his subject being "The Tabernacle and the Court; " the lecture, which was illustrated by diagrams, was most interesting and instructive, and the lecturer earnestly exhorted all to a deeper study of God's Word that they might become better acquainted with its Divine truths. A collection was made in aid of the day

[blocks in formation]

RADCLIFFE (near Manchester).-On Wednesday evening, December 4th, a tea-meeting was held in the New Jerusalem Sunday-school, when four hundred persons sat down. After tea a meeting was held, over which Mr. Lowe presided, and on the platform were the Rev. James Boys and a large number of the members of the congregation. The object of the meeting was to take into consideration the advisability of enlarging the present church and raising funds for that object. A very unanimous feeling was expressed that a bazaar committee should at once be formed to carry out the object. During the evening a choir party sang several glees, etc., in a very able manner, Mr. Carter of Bury acting as accompanist. In the course of the evening upwards of £600 was promised in goods and subscriptions, which augurs well for the success of the undertaking.

MELBOURNE (Derbyshire).—At the weekly meeting of the Mutual Improvement class connected with this church, held on Wednesday evening, the 4th of December, Mr. Cook of Derby gave an interesting and instructive lecture

on

66 'Martin Luther." Mr. Fairweather presided. Mr. Walter Bates and Mr. William Cook, members of the class, made some remarks on the merits of the subject, and a very hearty vote of thanks was accorded the lecturer. Mr. Fairweather delivered during the month of December some Sunday evening lectures on special subjects, the attend ance at which was better than on ordinary occasions. The subjects discussed related to the invisible world, and embraced some of the questions excited by recent publications and controversies on this subject.

Marriage.

On the 11th of December, at the New Jerusalem Church, Spring Bank, Hull, by Mr. J. R. Boyle, Mr. Joseph C. Wray, of Hull, to Ada Hannah, eldest daughter of the late Mr. William Dunlin, of Hull.

Obituary.

Died, on the 12th of November, Mrs. Susanna Upton, aged sixty-nine. She was first made glad by the cheering light of New Church truth under the ministry of our esteemed and venerable friend Mr. William Dean of Loughborough, in Leicestershire, of whom she used to speak in grateful remembrance. She has been a useful and much esteemed member of the Nottingham Society about twenty-six years, and very much might be truly recorded of her unwearied and active, yet unassum. ing, charity and love. Her services in numberless ways were always rendered so willingly, yea, rejoicingly, as to endear her to all, and by some she was greatly beloved. She had her trials, but an abiding trust in the wise and merciful providence of her Father in heaven always gave her confidence and hope. After a brief illness she has finished her earthly life, and has joined the company of the good and blessed who have gone before.

Departed this life,

On the 3rd December 1878, At his residence, Kearsley Mount, Stoneclough (late of Accrington), JOSEPH GRIMSHAW, Esq., In the 56th year of his age.

Departed this life, at his residence, Cheltenham Road, Bristol, Captain J. Cooper, aged 59 years. He was a strong powerful man, and a fine specimen of an English captain, and although physically powerful, he was gentle as a little child, and had qualities which

commended him to love and admiration. He was of an amiable disposition, good understanding, and sound judgment. He was humble and unpretending, and when his sight became impaired through so much exposure to the light of the tropical sun, and he retired from active life, he bore his affliction with great fortitude and patience. He was instructed in the doctrines from childhood, having had the privilege of being one of a third generation in the Church.

[blocks in formation]

THE connection that exists between the natural and the spiritual world, and the communication that takes place between their inhabitants, with the laws that regulate their intercourse, and the uses that result from it, are set forth so clearly and fully in the Writings, that we are relieved of the void and formless notions that so generally prevail on the subject.

The idea of distance, which gives the notion of separation, is produced by one of the conditions of our natural existence. All our natural conceptions are based on space and time; and we cannot help thinking, when we think from nature, that the spiritual world, as being above and beyond the limits of the natural, is far away. Science in this case does not aid us; for the more we know of the extent of the material universe, the farther away must the spiritual world appear. Science may have this good effect: it may lead us to the truth on the subject indirectly. The space between the two worlds being so immense, science alone would say, there can be little or no connection between them; and souls must be unable, on any natural calculation, to wing their flight to a region so incalculably distant. Must there not, then, be some other link of connection between the two worlds than that which space supplies? We have, indeed, in science, evidence of the extraordinary rapidity with which some of the subtler and purer essences of nature can pass through space. Still, time is required; and if the soul could travel many times as rapidly

D

as light, some thousands of years at least would be needed to enable her to complete her homeward journey.

Simple faith and common perception come to the aid of unsophisticated minds; and that which is impossible to the rich in science becomes easy to the poor in spirit. Yet it is not necessary to close the eyes of the understanding in order to believe that the soul at death passes at once out of the natural into the spiritual world; and that angels and spirits do, in like manner, pass instantaneously out of the spiritual world into the natural.

But even. this is more than it is necessary to think; for the two worlds are so closely connected, that neither human souls, nor ministering angels, nor tempting spirits, need to leave one world to be present in the other. The two worlds are indeed distinct, most distinct in their nature and characteristics, but they are not separate. The soul and the body are most distinct; but the soul dwells in the body; and she finds her envelopment so much one with herself that she sometimes denies her own distinct and possible separate existence, maintaining that she is nothing more than brain power, the happy result of the arrangement and activity of molecular substances.

But a nexus has been found between simple faith and scientific doubt on this momentous subject. Although the natural world is in space the spiritual world is not. All persons and things in the spiritual world are as distinct, and apparently as separate from each other, as are those of the natural world; but theirs are the distinctions and separations of state. These states produce, even in the spiritual world, the appearance of space and also of time; but spaces and times there are not fixed distances and periods of duration. All distances there are dissimilarities of state; all times are progressions of state. In this world the nearest and dearest friends may be separated from each other by space. In the other world those who are in one state are in one place. This is the law which determines all distinctions and separations in the eternal world. Heaven and hell are separate from and opposite to each other, because their states of life are separate and opposite. The heavens are distinct from each other, because the states of the angels are distinct. The same cause produces the existence of distinct societies in each heaven; and even individuality of character as well as of consciousness gives and preserves distinct personality. If two angels could be entirely alike they could not have a separate existence. The Divine infinity prevents this. No two beings can be precisely the same; nor can this be the case through eternity.

« ForrigeFortsæt »