"During the past year the committee have availed themselves of the power which the art of printing affords, to spread the knowledge of truth to a considerable extent; 3000 copies of Dr. Beyer's "Declaration, respecting the doctrines taught by Emanuel Swedenborg," &c. and 2000 of a tract, entitled, Proofs of the Supreme Divinity of the Lord Jesus Christ, and of the Doctrinė of the Divine Trinity," &c. have been printed. Nearly 1000 copies of each of these tracts have been gratuitously distributed, at the various places to which your committee have sent missionaries; 150 copies of each have also been given in equal proportions to the societies of the New Church in London. 1000 copies of Clowes's "Divine Person and character of Jesus Christ defended," &c.; 500 of "Plain Answers to the Question, Why do you receive the Testimony of Baron Swedenborg;" 100 of the "Exclusive Divinity of Jesus Christ, proved from his appellation of Saviour;" 100 of Noble's Missionary Lecture on the Divine Trinity, Regeneration and Good Works, have been distributed gratuitously.

"Your committee now proceed to lay before the society an account of the several journeys taken by your missionaries. Twelve journeys have been performed, which shall be separately described."

These journeys accordingly are described, and many particulars are related of an interesting nature. The places in which the doctrines of the New Church have been preached, and the number of lectures delivered in each, are the following: Northampton, (three lectures,) Melbourn, (one,) Leicester, (one,) Brightlingsea, (eleven,) St. Osyth, (three,) Colchester, (thirteen,) Dover, (one,) Ramsgate, (one,) Norwich, (nine.) We select the accounts of Mr. Goyder's visit to Brightlingsea and Colchester, and of Mr. Noble's visit to Norwich.

"The committee having passed a resolution that another Missionary visit should be made to Colchester and Brightlingsea, I left London on Friday morning, February 7th, and arrived at Brightlingsea the same evening. On Saturday evening many of the members of the church met at the house of Mr. Maskell, when the time was spent in conversing upon the heavenly doctrines. On Sunday, Feb. 9th, I preached twice at Brightlingsea: morning and afternoon. In the morning, the congregation was rather small; but in the afternoon the chapel was well filled. I baptized one infant. After these services were concluded, Mr. John Noble was kind enough to take me in his gig to Colchester, where we arrived in time for the lecture. About 150 persons were present; and I delivered a lecture on the true nature of man, his death, resurrection, and entrance into immortality. The congregation were extremely attentive, and several persons, after the lecture was finished, expressed their satisfaction at what had been delivered. On the following evening (Monday), I preached a lecture on the

atonement; about 120 or 130 persons were present; after the service several of the Unitarians came to the inn, and spent two hours with me, when we had much conversation upon the doctrines; but nothing transpired in the course of our conversation which led me to hope, that any of them would receive the doctrines. They all, however, expressed their willingness to lend us their chapel at any time, and begged that they might soon have the pleasure of seeing some of us again."

Describing his visit to Norwich, Mr. Noble writes to the committee as follows:

I had scarcely arrived from Colchester at home, on Friday, July 11, before I was waited on by our friend, Mr. Joseph Clover, who shewed me two letters from his uncle, Mr. Clover, of Norwich, which stated, that the friends of the New Church had obtained the use of the Lancastrian school-room in that city, for the delivery of some Lectures; and that they therefore wished me to go down for that purpose, and to preach on two Sundays (July 20 and 27) and on some of the intermediate evenings. It was also stated, that, while there, I should be at no expense. Our friend Mr. Presland was so kind as to offer to accompany me, at his own charge; and he was eminently useful in promoting a spirit of zeal and united action among the friends of the church at Norwich. We arrived there on Saturday evening, July 19, and were most kindly received and entertained by Mr. Clover and his family. A thousand bills had been printed and circulated, announcing that a course of nine leetures would be delivered by me, at the Lancastrian school-room, explanatory of the doctrines of the New Church of the Lord, called the New Jerusalem, and specifying the subjects.

"The school-room is a building about 80 feet long, and 30 or 35 wide, having twenty-two rows of seats, capable of holding eighteen or twenty persons each, besides a considerable vacant space in the passages up the sides, and at one end. At the other end a convenient temporary pulpit had been erected. The seats were well filled in the morning of the first sabbath, and there being some standers, the number present was computed at 500, In the afternoon the seats were all filled, and the standing room too, and a considerable number of persons stood in the yard before the entrance, unable to get in. The master of the school, judging from the numbers he had actually counted on some former occasion, estimated those present at near 900.... The attendance in the evening was much the same. Except that some persons thought the lecture in the afternoon (on the Word) might be difficult of comprehension to uncultivated minds, the testimonies of approbation that we received were very great. Our friends at Norwich are pretty numerous, and all heard of several instances of strong approval. We found that the view given in the morning of the nature of faith and charity, had conciliated the favourable opinion

of many; and that the copiousness of proof adduced in the evening from the Scriptures in favour of the sole divinity of the Lord Jesus Christ, had excited much surprise, and made a deep impression. And if the lecture on the Word was not by all completely understood, we nevertheless heard an anecdote the next day, which proved that its effect had been very-beneficial. It is to be observed, that deistical publications have lately been circulated with industry, and read with avidity, in Norwich: 500 copies of Paine's "Age of Reason," are said to have been disposed of there in a fortnight and a society of young men has been formed, whose object is, to confirm each other in their denial of the Scriptures, and to endeavour to overthrow the faith of others. Two of these; who had heard the lecture on the Word, observed the next day to one of our friends, that there was no other class of believers in christianity, in the city of Norwich, whose arguments they did not think themselves competent easily to overturn; but that they must acknowledge, that they did not think they could overturn ours; for we placed the Word in a light of which before they had had no idea.

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"On Monday evening, (July 21,) I delivered a lecture to an auditory nearly as numerous as on the Sunday evening. My object in this lecture was, to remove the objection against the Lord's sole divinity, drawn from his appearance, and the language he sometimes used, during his state of humiliation and I had the satisfaction of hearing afterwards, that several persons had declared, that their doubts respecting the Lord's sole divinity were entirely removed.

"On Wednesday evening I treated on the nature and necessity of mediation, with a design to remove the objection against the Lord's sole divinity, contained in the common notions on that subject: and our success seemed to become still more decided. After this lecture, I ventured upon the experiment of inviting conversation on the subject of it; not having had any reason to repent of having taken that step at Colchester, where it was almost forced upon me. At first, all went on very well. Several who proposed questions seemed to be satisfied with the answers they received; but, at length, a methodist local preacher, backed by some intemperate and ill-mannered associates, who crowded about him, and pressed to the upper end of the room, in a tumultuous manner, occasioned some confusion. As to his remarks, they chiefly consisted in continually repeating, I can't understand; which drew from one of our friends the reproof, that he could not expect us to furnish him with explanations and understanding too. However, the impression on the generality was certainly in our favour. One person went away before the conclusion, saying, as he went out, that, for his part, he was quite satisfied with what we had advanced, and was convinced that no question could be proposed to us which we could not answer. But another, when

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going out, made this sagacious objection: This doctrine,' said he, can't be true, because it contradicts St. Paul: for St. Paul says, "Great is the mystery of godliness-God was manifest in the flesh. The is a mystery, then; it can't be understood: but this gentleman explains it so clearly, that any body may understand it: so he certainly contradicts St. Paul,

"On the evening of the next day, a private meeting was held in the room where the friends of the church, usually assemble. About forty were present, which is more than the room will hold without inconvenience. Preparatory to administering the ordinance of baptism, which was the chief design of our assembling, I read and commented upon that part of the third chapter of Luke, which treats of the institution of baptism, and of the duties undertaken by those who receive it: after which I administered' the rite to twenty-seven persons, namely sixteen adults and eleven children. A more delightful, edifying, and impressive scene was never witnessed; and it was so felt by all present.

"On Friday evening I delivered my sixth lecture, to a numerous auditory, but not so much so as some of the former ones. The subject was Redemption: and although the idea presented of the nature of that divine work, as consisting in the subjugation of the infernal powers, was nearly new to most; and although some of the points necessary to be established were quite contrary to the popular prejudices; yet weight of evidence adduced. I believe t from the Word was felt to be irresistible. This was evident from the manner in which the discussion which I afterwards invited was carried on. No sooner had I stated that any of the company were at liberty to make what observations they might think proper, than a gentleman unknown to our friends, exclaimed with ardour, All you have advanced, sir, is truth itself; it is incontrovertible.' And although several spoke afterwards, yet all that they offered: was in the way of inquiry, not of opposition. Nothing like interruption was attempted when I and others of our friends were speaking, which we did very copiously: and although the local preacher and his turbulent friends who made the confusion on the former evening, were present, and he had evidently come prepared to renew his opposition, Having a paper of notes in his hand, he seemed to be tongue-tied, and constrained to silence. Indeed I could not but feel, that the power of the Lord in his Divine Humanity, which vanquished the infernal hosts in the work of man's redeniption, and which had been the subject of the lecture, was present, here and stopped the mouths of gainsayers. I also succeeded in completely preserving external order, which no doubt was one cause why internal order prevailed also. I first begged that all the company would sit down, and that none would stand up but those who wished to address me. Some had" began to crowd towards the upper end of the room; but I insisted on their returning to their seats, otherwise I should instantly leave No. I.-VOL. 1.

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the place; as I also would do if any rudeness were attempted in language or behaviour. I likewise begged that all who should take any part in the discussion would preserve the temper suited to the sacred nature of the subject. I observed, that it was always easy for a few turbulent persons to drown, by clamour, the voice of truth: but that such persons would do well to reflect that, in the estimation of every candid and well disposed mind, they who resorted to the use of such means, acknowledged that their cause admitted of no better. Having, by this effort of firmness, secured perfect order at the commencement, no interruption of it afterwards took place: and I mention this for the guidance of others who may be placed in similar situations. Certainly on this evening, every person present felt, whether willingly or unwillingly, that the triumph of the New Church was complete.

"On the next evening (Saturday), a private meeting of the friends of the church was again convened; when after commenting upon that part of Luke xxii. which relates to the institution of the Lord's supper, that ordinance was administered to 22 communicants. Sentiments of pure devotion and gratitude for mercies received, seemed to animate every breast.

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"The Sabbath being returned, I again delivered three lectures, and had the satisfaction of beholding an attendance greater than ever, and increasing at each service. Indeed it was evident that a very great interest had been excited throughout the city. The lectures were all considerably longer than I think in general advisable on such occasions; but not the least impatience. was exhibited. A gentleman in the morning, who had not been there before, was so affected with the explanation given of the true nature of the atonement, that he could not refrain from tears; he declared to a friend of ours, that he had never felt such delight before, and that he should bring his family to hear the remaining lectures. When I arrived at the place in the evening, about ten minutes from the time of commencing, it was with difficulty that I could make my way to the pulpit; and I was informed that all the seats had been occupied above half an hour. It was thought, (such was the density with which the assemblage was pressed together,) that not fewer than 1000 persons were within the walls of the place. The yard in front was likewise filled with people; and so was a yard behind, the access to which is from another part of the town, and with which the school-room only communicates by two windows. Heads, also, were seen poking in at every accessible window all round. The attention paid to the lecture, which was on the nature of the life hereafter, was commensurate with the exertions made to get within hearing of it: and, according to every appearance, the majority of the auditors were strongly affected by it. At the conclusion of some of the sentences, many unconsciously gave tokens of assent by some involuntary gesture: and I believe many felt the spiritual world to