same description. Sound reason again teaches that no creature, whether animal or vegetable, can possibly possess independent life, inasmuch as life itself is not creatable, and consequently every creature, whether animal or vegetable, is merely a form receptive of life, and receptive in proportion to the greater or lesser pefection of its form, whilst man alone is also a re-active form, and thus capable of referring his life to it's DIVINE SOURCE. The truth of revelation likewise speaks the same interesting language, because by revelation we are instructed, in the first place, that angelic beings, and also the departed spirits of men, are in human forms, as is evident from what is related in the history of the LORD's transfiguration, where we find it recorded that Moses and Elias were seen by the Apostles talking with Him, from which testimony it is plain that they were seen as men, consequently that they were in human forms [Luke ix. 30, Matt. xvii. 3. Mark ix. 4.] ; and further, from what is recorded of the angel who appeared at the LORD's resurrection, and who is called a young man [Mark xvi. 5. see also Luke xxiv. 4. 23]; and again, from the angel who appeared to the Apostle John in his Apocalyptic Vision, and who, when the Apostle was about to worship him, testifies concerning himself, saying, 'I am thy fellow-servant; and of thy brethren that have the testimony of JESUS' [Rev. xix. 10.]; from which words it is manifest that, although he was an angel, yet he had once been a man, and therefore it is reasonable to conclude, that the human form, in which he now appeared to the Apostle, was the proper form of his spirit when it was clothed with a body of flesh. Revelation teaches, in the second place, that GOD, at creation, breathed into man's nostrils the breath of life [or lives], and that thus man became a living soul, [Gen. ii. 7.] which sublime idea is afterwards confirmed by the INCARNATE GOD, who calls Himself emphatically "THE LIFE," [John xi. 25. xiv. 6,], and who taught also that the connection of man with Himself is like that of a vine and its branches, [John xv. 5.] consequently that man, as a branch, possesses no independent life, but only the life which he derives from the PARENT STOCK. V. That this grand rational and evangelical truth is most momentous to every human being, not only in a speculative, but also in a practical view, since if man once suffers himself to be betrayed into the delusive notion, that his life is his own and independent, it will presently follow, as a natural and necessary result, that he will conceive his talents, his intelligence, his joys, his words, and works, and even his virtues, to be his own and independent also, and will thus be in danger of separating both him. self and them from their DIVINE SOURCE, and by that separation plunging himself into the dreadful abyss of a vain and infernal selfishness: whereas, from the moment that he begins to refer his life to its true origin, by regarding it as a stream in a perpetual connection with a DIVINE Foun TAIN, rather than as a separated and stagnant pool, in that same moment he begins to arise out of all the mire and clay of a defiled self-love, and to worship God in spirit and in truth, because in that same moment he comes into the blessed habit of referring all his faculties, whether voluntary or intellectual, whether of mind or of body, together with all their exercises, sensations, joys, and products, to that SUPREME ALMIGHTY FATHER, in whom, as the Apostle expresseth it, "We live, and move, and have our being." VI. That therefore it is at once both the wisdom, the happiness, and the duty, of every human being, to live, think, and act, under the continual devout acknowledgement that his life is from GOD, yet, at the same time, to live, think, and act freely, as if his life was his own, and independent, since without such freedom his life would be under perpetual constraint, and consequently deprived of all its joys." The Minutes of the Seventeenth General Conference of the New Church were published nearly at the time of our last Number: They form with the Reports and other articles of their Appendix, a closely printed pamphlet of 84 pages; and they exhibit plain signs of the steadiness with which the New Church is advancing to a solid establishment under an orderly form. The nature of the contents of these publications, as records of resolutions and other documents relating to the business of the Church, does not, of course, afford many materials for interesting extracts; and as it is necessary that a knowledge of the business transacted in Conference should be generally diffused, the Conference itself provides for that object, by directing the Minutes themselves to be circulated in every society of the kingdom. Thus there is little left for us, but to add our tribute of approbation of the labours of those, who, as representatives of the Church in general, undertake the trouble of assembling at places remote from their homes, to consult for the benefit of the great cause which they have espoused. There is, however, always something done or occurring at the Conference, and recorded in its Minutes, on which we feel glad to have an opportunity of congratulating the Church at large. The most solid piece of good news which we find in the present Minutes, is the fact, that the liberal bequest of the late Mr. Chester has been paid over, and that 32001. in the three per cents. have been purchased with it in the names of four of the Conference Trustees. We have repeatedly had occasion to advert to this legacy before: nevertheless, the satisfaction is not small, of being enabled now to record its realization. The completion of that important and excellent Work, the Conference-Hymn-Book, likewise announced in these Minutes, has also before been noticed by us: but we can now add, what, we are sure, will yield no small pleasure to our readers in general, that, such is the acceptance which it has met with, that nearly if not quite all the copies printed have already been sold; and that we are continually hearing, from fresh quarters, testimonies to its merits. We are glad also to see that measures have been taken by the Conference for forwarding the preparation of the Liturgy. But perhaps, no measure of more decided practical utility has yet emaNo. V.-VOL. I. 3 H nated from the Conference, than that of a regular Form of Registers of Baptisms: Register-Books, according to that form, have been printed, and their use is directed in all societies of the New Church. We earnestly hope that all societies will conform to this regulation: its expediency must be obvious to every one at first sight; and its absolute necessity must be seen by all who shall read the cogent reasons urged in the Report of the Committee appointed by the former Conference to procure information on this subject, and which is given in the Appendix to the present Minutes. It certainly is a serious evil in the political institutions of this country, that the title to legal rights is so often made to depend upon religious ordinances, and thus things profane and sacred are so mixed together, as often to debase the latter by their association with the former. Surely every member of society who is willing to submit to the laws of the state, (which laws ought never to encroach upon the rights of conscience-a principle which the laws of this country distinctly recognise,) ought to enjoy all his civil rights without being compelled to purchase them by acts repugnant to his religious feelings;-such as being forced to celebrate some of the most sacred and solemn ordinances of religion in the communion of the established church, how corrupt soever he may esteem her doctrines and worship, and how defective soever her mode of celebrating those ordinances. Thus how hard it is that a man cannot obtain a legal sanction to his union with the object of his choice, and secure the rights of legitimacy to his children, but by uniting in the strange ceremony which the Church of England has prescribed on the occasion! The Unitarians complain loudly of this, and have made some laudable efforts to be liberated from such thraldom: but if the ceremony is so offensive to them, because it slightly recognizes some sort of divinity in the Lord Jesus Christ; how much more repulsive is it to us; who, whilst we regard the Lord Jesus Christ as the only God, and as the sole author of the conjugial principle, are constrained to appear to join in a service which is not addressed to him at all! And the case is not much better in regard to baptism. It is true, that no direct compulsion is used to make us carry our children for baptism to the church; but something like it exists, whilst the law provides for the regular keeping and safe preservation of parochial registers, but leaves those whom it calls Dissenters to keep their registers as they please; and whilst, if they keep them irregularly, carelessly, or not at all, the punishment falls, not where it ought, upon the minister or other officer who has neglected his duty, but upon the innocent child, who, for another's fault, is mulcted of his inheritance. What a bribe is thus offered to parental love, to present its offspring, in baptism, not so much to God as to Mammon: for surely something like this is done, when, in the administration of a divine ordinance, the governing motive is, not to secure to the child the spiritual benefits of it, but to take care of his worldly interests. It certainly is the duty of parents, as far as they are ́able, to take care of their children's worldly interests, as well as of their spiritual welfare: but the law ought not to set these two objects in opposition, and make it impossible, at once, equally to regard both. How easily might the mischief be remedied, by providing by law for the public registry of the birth of children, without uniting it with the religious office of baptism! Or, if the interests of the clergy require that they should continue to be the registrars, make it obligatory upon them, when requested, to take their present baptismal fee without exercising for it their spiritual function: and as they would then have the registering of all the births in the kingdom, instead of a part only, as at present, their emoluments would be increased while their trouble would be diminished. But until the law shall thus do equal justice to all its faithful subjects, (and it has none more faithful than the members of the New Church,) it is highly important that the members of the New Church should not lose any of the privileges to which the law now admits them, through their own neglect. When the baptismal registers of those whom the law calls Dissenters are regularly kept and safely preserved, the Courts admit them as evidence of the baptism of a child equally with the register of the parish: it is truly advisable, then, that the Conference should adopt such regulations as may ensure attention to this object in all our societies: and we trust that it will never omit to watch over the observance of its regulations, and see that baptismal registers are every where duly kept and preserved. Thus will the fears which many parents feel, of trusting any part of the future fortunes of their child to a baptismal register other than that of the establishment, by degrees be removed; and we shall cease to witness the anomaly of persons cordially embracing the doctrines of, and preferring to worship with, the New Church, yet always solemnizing one of the two most sacred ordinances of religion in the Old. The list of ministers contains the names of two gentlemen, whose inauguration into that office has not before been announced by us,-Mr. T. Pilkington and Mr. D. Howarth. Mr. Pilkington, who is known, we apprehend, and advantageously so, to the church at large, by his three pamphlets in controversy with the Calvinist preacher of Park Chapel and the Unitarian minister of New Church, near Haslingden, was ordained by the Rev. R. Jones, at the Church in Peter Street, Manchester, on Sunday the 8th of August last; and Mr. Howarth, who has succeeded to the ministry of the Temple in Bolton Street, Salford, and the duties of which he so efficiently performs, received ordination from the hands of the same gentleman, in conjunction with the Rev. M. Sibly, during the sitting of the Conference at Birmingham. Both these ordinations have been highly acceptable to the Church in general, to which, by the divine blessing, they cannot but be advantageous. Tribute of Respect to the Rev R. Jones. On the 14th of November last, a general meeting of the members of the Society in Peter Street, Manchester, was convened for the express purpose of paying a tribute of respect to their highly respected Minister, whose services they have enjoyed, gratuitously, upwards of 20 years. After passing a preparatory Resolution, expressing that sense of their Minister's worth with which all who know him are inspired, it was determined, That, a portrait of the Rev. R. Jones should be obtained, (with a view to an engraving at some future period,) and that subscriptions should be received to carry this design into execution. All but those who could not possibly attend, were present on this occasion. The most pleasing testimony was borne to the inflexible integrity and unbounded liberality of their pastor, and every one seemed anxious to show how sensibly he felt the debt of gratitude due to the Rev. Gentleman. Mr. Jones knew nothing, till afterwards, of the transaction, being absent on a Missionary visit. New Publication. Mr. Noble's work, so long since announced, is at length published. It is intitled, The Plenary Inspiration of the Scriptures asserted, and the Principles of their Composition investigated, with a view to the Refutation of all Objections to their Divinity. It fórmas a handsome, well printed volume, of 730 pages, 8vo. Our Reviewer has not yet had time to read it, but will give some account of it in our next. In the mean while, our readers may form some idea of its nature, by help of the recollection of the Syllabus of the Lectures at Albion Hall, printed in the first Number of our New Series, when they are informed, that, in addition to the subjects there mentioned, a great variety of new ones has been introduced, and a copious Appendix subjoined, containing a number of important and interesting discussions. DIED OBITUARY. IED on Friday the 3rd of December last, at Brightlingsea, Essex, Mrs. Talmage, relict of Mr. Thomas Talmage, whose decease was recorded in No. xlviii. of our former series Mrs. Talmage's complaint was a swelling in the throat which prevented her taking nourishment. Hearing that I was at Brightlingsea, on the evening of the Monday preceding her departure, she expressed a strong desire to see me; in consequence of which I visited her. I touched upon the consolatory nature of the doctrines of the New Church under her truly distressing situation; which seemed greatly to animate her, and she replied, that such considerations were her only comfort, and took away every wish to continue in this life but for the sake of her children. She informed me that the Methodist local preacher (who had been left executor to her husband's will) had used his utmost efforts to “drag” her away from the New Church; but in that he should never succeed [meaning, in the event of her recovery.] She further stated, |