rolled away from the sepulchre, and the Divine oracles are being manifested in their pristine integrity and their Divine practical harmony. The crude efforts by which men endeavour to let the Divine impulse with which they are quickened play itself forth, is rather an evidence for than against its Divine origin. For how mighty must it be to overcome the sluggishness and waywardness of humanity, and lift the mind above merely earthly contemplations and fix it upon spiritual things! This is the wide-spread effort of our race in this our day. Dr. Colenso in his work on "The Pentateuch," Darwen in his "Origin of Species," Dr. Davidson in his "Hermeneutics," the Rev. J. J. S. Perrone, B.D., late Hebrew lecturer of King's College, London, in his articles on "Noah" and "The Pentateuch," in Dr. Smith's Dictionary of the Bible, in our own country, with Kuenen in Holland, and Bleek, Hupfeld, Knobel, and a host of other German critics and philologists,-though some of them may, with apparent truth, be charged with a leaning towards neology,are all working, although they may perhaps have little if any conception of the results of their labours and investigations, to this end. The popular and incomplete views of the Divine Word will be superseded by the Divine manifestation of its real divinity and true nature, while the Divine law of its interpretation will be universally admitted and received. The clouds must be broken before the sunbeams can penetrate. Even so, does it now appear in the horizon of the theologic world to enlightened and observant minds. To such, the convulsions, debates, and controversies of the present time are so many assurances of the dawn of light; and as such hailed. They entertain no Uzzahlike fear for the ark of God, though it be shaken, knowing that the Omnipotence of Divine Truth rests therein. Such, brethren, is the confidence of every true member of the New Jerusalem. He being made free by the truth as it is in Jesus, hails with delight the efforts of developing minds to release themselves from bondage. Seeing the Divine harmony between revelation and creation, he rejoices that the opportunity, whereby what delights his soul so much can be communicated to the thirsty minds of all who seek the words of wisdom, is presenting itself to mankind. For discontent with prevailing error and fallacy is the first step towards truth and light. Nor should the members of this Society be the least ardent in their desires to aid in satisfying the public inquiry. If there is any use we can perform more fully and with greater hope of ultimate success than another, surely it is to make known the plain, simple, and rational doctrines of the Divine Word, which have been mercifully vouchsafed to our stewardship for the universal good. Let us do this with greater zeal than ever by the pub lication and circulation of works calculated to instruct the public mind, and to educate popular opinion. We can look upon the inner side of the Sacred Oracles, and need not guess at their meaning. Instead, then, of denouncing those who see only the outer face, let us endeavour to induce them to look within for consistency, purity, and wisdom. For notwithstanding there is this great controversy respecting the oracles of God, it cannot be denied that, as Dr. Colenso says,-" There is, in our days, a general acceptance of the highest and deepest truths AS REVELATIONS IN THEMSELVES, the communications of the Divine Being to His children, without a slavish adherence to the forms in which they have appeared, or to the authoritative ecclesiastical system of doctrine to which some would limit their existence for us." Hence we find that in his fourth volume he says "These first eleven chapters of Genesis-whatever value they may have, whatever lessons may be drawn from them-cannot be regarded as historically true, being contradicted in their literal sense again and again by the certain facts of modern science." And what is this that we live to witness, but a bishop of the reformed church declaring from external evidence what Swedenborg declared from internal teaching more than a century ago, viz.,-"That the historical form in which the creation is related in the first chapters of Genesis is a made history, assumed for the expression of heavenly and divine things," (A. C. 8891, 942.) and that "this style of writing is continued from the first chapter of Genesis to the account of Eber, where actual history commences, that history being in like manner representative," (A. C. 1403, 1409.) but not knowing that "the angels understand even the historical relations of the Word spiritually." (A. C. 6884.) Again, the late Dr. Whately, Archbishop of Dublin, to whom a Tract has been publicly ascribed, asserts that the short narrative in Genesis xi. 1—10, of the Tower of Babel, labours under great difficulties; and he goes on, after indicating some of the difficulties attendant upon a literal historic exegesis, to suggest the probability of the story being intended to record the fact that "some chief men had determined to found an empire which should embrace the whole human race," and "that this empire might have the sanction of religion, they wished to found a temple, dedicated to some idol in that city which was to be the head of the world. And since it was not in the power of these men, living on the plain, to place that building on a mountain, therefore, they determined to erect a very high tower like an artificial mountain." From which the necessity for some clear law of Biblical interpretation is clearly evinced, and this the Science of Correspondences supplies. Let us, then, press it upon the Church and the world. Let us be up and doing, ever taking care to endeavour to obey the Divine injunction-"Be ye clean that bear the vessels of the Lord." (Isaiah lii. 11.) For while the Archbishop of Canterbury designates the efforts of those who are striving to form a rational view of the Bible, as heretical and blasphemous, Dr. Wiseman, the head of the Roman Catholics in England, declares-"That the aim or tendency of modern science is to demand not equality but supremacy,-not a fair balance but a loaded scale, whenever it seems to come into competition with the claims of revelation. Science exacts that all else should give way." Both are alarmed at rational inquisition and scientific researches, and justly point out their deleterious effects when prosecuted in a negative spirit; but neither seems to comprehend that both may be, nay, ought to be, pursued in an affirmative resolution of soul, and then vast mines of spiritual and natural truth will yield their treasures to enrich and to make glorious our lives both here and hereafter. So that the members of the Lord's New Church have an open field for the promulgation of the heaven-born and heaven-given doctrines of the Lord and of His Word. Let us work while it is day, for the night cometh when no man can work. Let each of us earnestly say-" For Zion's sake I will not hold my peace, and for Jerusalem's sake I will not rest, until the righteousness thereof go forth as brightness, and the salvation thereof as a lamp that burneth." (Isaiah lxii. 1.) In conclusion, we record the removal of our late esteemed President, the Rev. J. H. Smithson, into the spiritual world. He went on a mission to Kilmarnock, and was attacked with anthrax, in the month of March last; he, however, notwithstanding the requisition of his friends, determined to complete the course of four lectures, which he effected on Tuesday, March 22nd, and then returned home on the 23rd, and on the following Saturday, March 26th, he passed peaceably into the spiritual world. On the 4th April, a Special Meeting of the members and friends of this Society was held, when the Honorary Secretary reported that"The Rev. John Henry Smithson, for twenty years the Honorary Secretary of this Society, from the death of Nathaniel Shelmerdine, Esq., in 1837, to 1857, and for more than seven years President of this Society, from the death of the Rev. David Howarth, in 1856, had passed into the spiritual world, on the 26th March last." It was thereupon unanimously resolved “That this meeting takes the earliest opportunity of expressing their heartfelt thankfulness to the Father of all mercies, our Lord Jesus Christ, for having gifted their beloved and esteemed friend and brother with such high literary talents as have given him so large a capability for the performance of uses, and for the Divine Wisdom and loving-kindness which have preserved him for so many years with the power and disposition to render the very many important and varied services to the Lord's New Church militant, as his indefatigable, continuous labours in connection with this Society have afforded for so long a period; and although his removal is felt by the natural man with tearful feelings, yet the spiritual man rejoices 'with exceeding great joy' that he has been called by Him who does all things well, into the inner mansions of human activity and development, where his purified spirit can for ever, through the Divine power and sphere, be instrumental in rendering unseen, but all the more efficacious services to the New Jerusalem on earth. 66 His labours, for more than thirty-three years, in revising, compiling, and superintending through the press, the works of the late Rev. John Clowes, pub. lished by this Society; his Two Letters to the Rev. G. Gibbon, of Ramsbottom; his Translation of Dr. Tafel's Vindication of Swedenborg from the attacks of Dr. Mohler and Professor Perrone; and his valuable Translations of the 'Psalms' and the Prophet'Isaiah,' as well as his Documents concerning Swedenborg, will place him in the foremost rank of the earlier disciples of the Lord at His second advent, and will cause his mind to be present with the brethren in this world for many ages. He has gone to his reward; and with gratitude to the Divine Head of the Church, his brethren below resign him to the fellowship of the Church triumphant above, praying that they may be Divinely enabled to endure unto the end, and be re-united in the kingdom of everlasting peace and love." The above resolution was conveyed, with a letter of condolence, to his afflicted widow and family. MANCHESTER PRINTING SOCIETY. From the Report of this Society, just issued, it appears that nearly 70 per cent. more volumes have been sold during the past year than in the year preceding. The Gospels are in continual demand, as well as the Psalms, the Parables, and the Miracles. Of these the Gospel by Matthew and the Parables are out of print, and there are very few copies of the Psalms. It has been determined to reprint the two former of these works as early as possible. During the past year that esteemed and profound scholar, our indefatigable co-labourer Dr. Tafel, having passed into the eternal world, the progress of his new edition of the Apocalypsis Explicata has, for the present at least, been arrested. It is hoped, however, that arrangements will be made for its completion. The Committee earnestly invite the brethren of the New Jerusalem to supply themselves with the works issued by this Society, which contain such valuable illustrations of the Divine Word, and unfold so fully its internal sense, as well as propound and elucidate the heavenly doctrines, while they supply aids to family devotion and self-examination. 381 THE GENERAL CONFERENCE. THE General Conference will be held in the New Jerusalem Church, Summer-lane, Birmingham, and will commence on the 9th instant. Societies having information to convey, should take an early opportunity of communicating with the Secretary. The Secretaries of the various Committees which were appointed with a view of reporting to the next Conference, who have not yet forwarded their Reports, are requested to do so at once to the Secretary of the Conference, F. PITMAN, 20, Paternoster Row, London, E.C. MISCELLANEOUS. to others, I thought of writing to you GENERAL CHURCH INTELLIGENCE. that the same idea might be conveyed INQUIRY, WITH ANSWER.-An intelligent young friend and fellow-labourer writes to say-"Will you be so kind as to explain, under the head of 'Inquiries, with Answers,' what you mean by the expression in your sermon, on page 252, 'His soul (the Lord's) was from the Father'? The word 'from' is the point. I mean, why did you not say the Lord's soul was the Father?" To this it may be answered, that either statement involves the other. Both occur in the Writings. Speaking of the miraculous conception, as stated in Matt. i. 20, 25, our author says-" Who does not know that every child receives his soul and life from his father, and that the body is derived from the soul? How then could it be more plainly expressed in words that the Lord received his soul and life from Jehovah God (ex Jehovah Deo)? And since the Divine cannot be divided, what can be more evident than that the Divine of the Father was the Lord's soul and life? wherefore the Lord so often calls Jehovah God his Father, and Jehovah God calls Him his Son." (T. C. R. 82.) I have no doubt this passage will satisfy my young friend. I might have referred him to it privately, but give it publicly for the same "Theological Lectures.-The first of reason that induced him to ask for a a series of theological lectures was depublic explanation. The expression in livered in the Corn Exchange Hall, on the sermon had conveyed to his mind, Tuesday evening (15th March), by the and seemed to him to involve, by logical Rev. J. H. Smithson, of Manchester. consequence, the existence of two Divine As the lectures were not announced to Beings. And he says "As I thought take place under the auspices of any REV. J. H. SMITHSON'S LAST LECTURES. We have received two numbers of the Kilmarnock Standard, dated March 19th and 26th, containing reports of the last labours of our lamented friend the Rev. J. H. Smithson, who departed this life on the 26th March, 1864. No detailed account of the lectures, which terminated fatally for the lecturer, having yet appeared in the Repository, the extracts below will be read with deep and painful interest: |