there are many receivers of the doctrines of the New Church in various parts of the kingdom. We might also mention Germany, where lately, at Canstadt, near Stutgard, one hundred individuals, from Prussia, Bavaria, Hanover, and Switzerland, assembled for mutual edification, and for the purpose of deliberation as to the means of spreading the doctrines of the New Jerusalem.* The facts stated by Mr. Essex were heard with great interest by the audience, and the minds of all were inspired with encouragement and hope for the future. It is the Lord's cause, and "He will hasten it in His time."

The president then invited various friends, in succession, to address the meeting. The speakers were the Revds. D. Howarth, of Salford, W. Mason, of Derby, T. C. Shaw, of London, J. H. Smithson, of Manchester, J. Bayley, of Accrington, E. D. Rendell, of Preston, and Mr. Keene, of Bath. Our space does not permit us to glve even the briefest abstract of the various speeches. Suffice it to say, that each speaker selected some prominent feature of the New Church and its doctrines, which he explained and applied, to the evident gratification of the hearers. It was, indeed, a re-union; new states of sympathy and affection appeared to be opened, and a happy sphere of consociation and of mutual love prevailed; we doubt not, that many will long bear in delightful remembrance the meeting of Conference in London, in the year 1849.

THE TRINITY.

TO THE EDITOR.

SIR,-The two following short papers on the Trinity having already appeared in the Cheltenham Journal and Stroud Herald, the first in the paper of June 4th, and the second in that of June 11th, I send them to you in the hope that you may find a corner for them in your next number. Yours very truly,

THOMAS GOYDER.

Chalford, June 20, 1849. "In reading, says an eminent writer, that the Lord set his bow in the cloud for a token of a covenant between him and the earth, I was forcibly struck with a beauty and fitness in this natural object to convey some idea of a Trinity in Unity. It is now known that light is composed of only three primitive colours, the other prismatic colours being merely the result

* See this Periodical for December last,

page 441.

of the combination of these primitive colours. These three colours, red, yellow, and blue, are beautifully displayed in the rainbow, exhibiting the composition of light. Our Lord compares himself to Light. There are three persons in the Godhead, and three colours in light. The red ray is light, the yellow ray is light,— the blue ray is light; and yet they form not three lights, but one light. Every ray of light, by which the natural eye is enabled to see, is the effect of the three colours; every ray of spiritual light which illumines the soul is the effect (a work) of the three persons in the Godhead. We can distinctly perceive the three colours in the rainbow, but we cannot see where they begin or end, they are so blended together in their combination with each other. In the Word we have clearly shewn to us the three persons of the Trinity, but inseparably united in the glorious work of salvation. It has been proved that by taking proper proportions of the three colours, a white colour of light is exhibited; so by our being enabled to receive into our minds the offices of Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, in the work of Redemption, true light is formed in our souls. What the rainbow is to the natural world, an exhibition of the component parts and nature of created light, so is the book of the Lord to the spiritual world, to shew the nature of the eternal light, and in both instances for a token of a covenant between the Lord and the earth."

"REPLY.

"To the Editor of the Cheltenham Journal and Stroud Herald.

"SIR,-Perceiving in your paper of Monday last an article headed as above, and conceiving the intelligent writer to be under a mistake in supposing the three primitive colours-red, yellow, and blue,to be an emblem of the Trinity, as popularly considered, I send you the following for insertion, in the hope of it being useful in the cause of truth. That there are but three primitive colours is a fact now placed beyond all dispute, but still light in itself is pure white, the Scripture phrase being 'white as the light.' The three colours are produced by the one white ray of light, receiving modifications in the prism. This one ray of white light is therefore properly a Tri-unity or Trinity; the red, yellow, and blue being the trinal properties of the one white ray. Now this can by no means be taken as an emblem of the popular notion of three Divine Persons in the Trinity, since each Person is believed to be, dis

tinctly and separately by Himself, God and Lord. This notion involves a trio of Divine Persons acting unanimously in the accomplishment of a certain end, and not a Trinity in Unity, for the word Trinity means the trinal properties of the One Life. If we view the three colours, red, yellow, and blue, as trinal properties of the One white light, then a correct emblem appears of the trinal properties of Love, Wisdom, and Life in the One Divine Being, the Father, Son, and Spirit of Scripture, which, as these form the fulness of the Godhead, and are said to dwell bodily in Jesus Christ, therefore it follows that the Trinity is in the One Person of the Saviour. This view renders the language of Jesus perfectly plain and easy-'I am in the Father, and the Father in me;' 'He that seeth Me seeth the Father,' and that the Holy Spirit, the living breath of Jesus, proceeds from Him to vivify and bless the minds of men. (John xx. 22.) Scripture certainly teaches the Holy Trinity to be the trinal properties of the Divine Unit or One, and not the unanimous actions of a plurality. The writer of the former article says, ' In the Word we have clearly shewn to us the three Persons in the Trinity, but inseparably united in the glorious work of salvation.' I reply that the Word never mentions anything about three persons in the Godhead; if it does, let the passage be pointed out. He also says, 'The red ray is light-the yellow ray is light-the blue ray is light; and yet they form not three lights, but one light.' There is too much of the human creed here to be intelligible. The red, yellow, and blue are only modifications of the One white ray, neither of which is, in and by itself, perfect light. If we were to say the red is a modification, the yellow a modification, and the blue a modification, and yet there are not three modifications, but one modification, it would be nothing but mystery run to seed, for the fact is that there are three modifications of the One white ray. Scripture teaches that the Trinity is in One Divine Person, and not of Three; showing that the Lord Jesus, in whom all fulness dwells, is the One True God and Eternal Life, in whom is the Father and from whom the Holy Spirit proceeds. I remain, Sir, your obedient servant,

" G.

the consideration of, and explication (I would hope in a fuller way than I can pretend to) by some able correspondent: Is the Lord's Prayer applicable to Jesus Christ, or is it not? If it is, the Saviour is also "Our Father;" if it is not, then, the Unitarian is right in regarding our Lord as a mere man, and all who worship Him as God are idolaters; because, there is no warranty from Jesus Christ for a belief in His divinity, seeing that He is self-excluded by this His own and only appointed prayer.

66

The above was suggested on reading Tract 62, on Apparent and Genuine Truth," (see page 13, line 4 from the foot) where are the words "commanded us to address Him as 'Our Father.' "Now, according to the present writer's idea and persuasion, Christians generally do not consider the Lord's Prayer, or use it, as applying at all to Jesus Christ, but exclusively to the (supposed) First Person in the Godhead, so that they also do, by such exclusion, virtually deny the Saviour's divinity; unless, indeed, it can at all be apprehended that He and the Father are not One, contrary to what our Lord elsewhere so emphatically declares them to be.

A THINKER ON DIVINE THINGS.

WEST OF ENGLAND BRANCH MISSIONARY SOCIETY. REV. D. T. DYKE'S VISIT TO WINCHESTER.

To THE EDITOR.

SIR,-Having been solicited by the society at Winchester to pay them a missionary visit, for the purpose of administering the sacrament, I accordingly left home for that purpose on the morning of Sunday, June 17th, arriving in that city, which is distant from Salisbury twenty-eight miles, in time for the customary services. In the morning, after performing the usual service from the liturgy, I preached from Daniel x. 4, 5, 6, to a congregation consisting of about thirty adult hearers, including some strangers; all of whom seemed to listen with interest and attention to the spiritual and practical elucidation of this portion of the Divine Word; after which, and before concluding the service, I administered the rite of baptism to three infants, two of whom were the newly-born twin daughters of Mr. Butcher, the respected and worthy leader of the society. In the

BE ADDRESSED?

to state, from what afterwards transpired in the course of conversation, that the elucidation of this singular text gave great delight to all present. After this service the sacrament of the Holy Supper was administered to eleven communicants. All seemed to feel that the various services of the day had induced upon them states of mind of a calm, peaceful, and spiritually refreshing character, and sincerely do we hope that, under the Divine Blessing, without which all our efforts are in vain, some little real and lasting good has been effected.

The society at Winchester, like most of our small societies, is placed in what appears to us, in our natural state of perception, as adverse circumstances; (See Intellectual Repository, 1843, p. 277.) although, in some particulars, they possess advantages which many societies do not; for instance, a neat, convenient, and detached church, kindly fitted up and lent them by a member, free of rent. As a society, they appear to be truly united, intelligent, and affectionate, and with persevering efforts and increased exertions, there appears to be no doubt but that a good society may ultimately be raised. In order to assist them in the good work, I have promised to endeavour to visit them at such times as they shall think my feeble services of any use.

After spending the following day with our kind friends, from all of whom I had received the greatest kindness and attention, I bade them adieu, and reached my home safely. I am, Sir, yours very truly, D. T. DYKE.

Salisbury, July 8, 1849.

"One of the most remarkable phenomena in the latest theological literature, is the diffusion of the doctrines of Swedenborg, by means of translations of his works executed by Tafel and Hofaker in Tubingen. This doctrine is closely connected, by an internal bond, with the ancient oriental and romantic mysticism; but an altogether peculiar plant has sprung up from a southern seed in a northern home. He may be called the Protestant Mahomet of the north, inasmuch as he promulgates not only a new doctrine, but even a new church, and not only, like Luther, rests upon Scripture grounds the old Revelation and reason, but supports a new Revelation, made to himself as a prophet, on the immediate inspiration of heaven. But as Mahomet's doctrine, according to the character of the torrid zone, is the doctrine of slavery, so, according to the character of the north, Swedenborg's doctrine is the doctrine of freedom, and the boldest in the world. Hence it is suited to the poetical rationalists (like Goethe, who adhered to it) no less than to the followers of magnetism; and it would not be impossible for it to obtain a still wider diffusion, and at some future time to form a powerful opposition against the romantic mysticism to which the south will ever remain faithful. The characteristic of this doctrine is the most logical Protestantism, the opposition of an absolute freedom and self-determination to the divine determination of man. All that man can be this side or the other of the grave, he becomes by himself alone; by the direction which he imparts to himself; and if he does not enter the higher regions, it is from his own will: he does not, because he is not at his ease there, because he prefers meaner company. In this doctrine every thing is serene, clear, and comfortable; one feels in it very much as if he were at home, and the wonders which we anticipate beyond the grave, and the terrors arising therefrom, disappear. In fact, there is no doctrine which corresponds better with the common sense of the present age. In regard to self-determination, it is most intimately connected with the philosophy of Fichte, and thereby with all the ideas of freedom in modern science. Even the intercourse with the world of spirits appears therein as something quite natural. Swedenborg belongs to the north, which is thoroughly pervaded by the magnetic power in its inhabitants, as the visions and somnam

bulic states of all high northern nations, the Hebrideans, the Greenlanders, the Schamans, demonstrate. Animal magnetism is as natural there as physical, the inner light as common as the northern light; and as the latter is a self-illumination of the earth,-a translation of the planet into the sun, so the inner light of the subject of magnetism is a selfapotheosis of man, a translation of the mortal individual into the immortal world of spirits; though both to a very limited extent, and not without a delusion, which necessarily belongs to the inversion of relations. The northern seer and the northern light illuminate the night only, but are far different from day-light; and he who has been a night-wanderer in this doctrine, and at length beholds the dawn in the heavens, will feel like one who had seen only the northern light, considers it the sun, and suddenly beholds the sun himself.

"I believe, consequently, that the doctrine of Swdenborg, however much it must contribute, in one direction, to the illustration of religious things, and however elevated it is in respect to its morality, founded on freedom, will yet always form an opposition to the more ancient and romantic doctrine of pardoning love from on high. It is certain, however, that if the wretched triviality and want of ideas in theology gives way more and more to profounder investigation, the doctrine of Swedenborg cannot fail to exert a great influence."

ARE ALL THINGS CREATED OUT OF NOTHING?

TO THE EDITOR.

SIR, I have read with much interest the remarks in the current Repository on the doctrine of Creation out of Nothing.' The views set forth in the second portion of the article are clearly the only ones which can be entertained by sound philosophy. There is, however, an additional argument which it may be well to suggest to those interested in the subject, namely, that if all things were created out of 'nothing,' there is no legitimate reason why they should not all admit of being reduced to the state of nothingness again, a state certainly rather difficult to conceive of in the New Church, whatever it may be in the Old. Now, it is univer

sally admitted by scientific men (including many who unwittingly assent to the above dogma as propounded by their priesthood), that destruction and annihilation are impossible. It is shewn by chemistry, and other forms of knowledge, that 'death' and 'destruction' are never anything more than decomposition, the simple attendants on change of form,mere separation of the ultimate elements of the disappearing body, preparatory to their re-combination into other shapes. It stands therefore to reason, that that which cannot be lost, or, in other words, be reduced to nothing, cannot possibly have come from nothing. Matter, as we behold it, is plainly the consolidation of substance, whieh, ethereal in its earliest undulation from the centre of all, has gradually become more and more dense and gross.—I am, Sir, yours respectfully, LEO.

Manchester, August 7th, 1849.

MINISTERS' ENDOWMENT FUND.

To THE EDITOR.

SIR,-In your number for December, 1847, you kindly inserted my communication respecting the donation of £100., which had been placed in my hands, to be applied in some way for the benefit of the New Church, and which I stated I purposed should form the nucleus of a fund for Ministerial Endowment. I also stated that I had invested the money in the 3 per cent. Consols, and that it had purchased £118. 2s. 8d. I now beg to communicate, that an opportunity having presented itself for making a secure investment, at 5 per cent. interest, I have sold out the stock, which has realized a profit of £9. 13s. 9d. This with the interest received from time to time on the stock, and that produced by depositing the same in the Savings Bank, makes the total amount £116. 17s. 5d. Of this sum £100. is on loan, as alluded to above, to one of the societies of the church, and the balance is deposited in the Savings Bank.

Such is the account of my stewardship in relation to this matter up to the present time, and I hope it will be satisfactory. Yours very truly,

July 18th, 1849.

JAS. S. HODSON.