"for unto whom much is given much is required." And, at the same time, it shews that nothing, however excellent it might appear, or be, in outward act, if it does not flow from that inward source of love which constituteth the heavenly life, contributeth nothing to our happiness in the spiritual kingdom of our heavenly father; because the soul of man is that which in him is alone immortal, and consequently, that alone which liveth in an hereafter. The loves and affections of our soul are those for which we are responsible, and according to which we shall meet our punishment or receive our reward. And if we have suffered the ten commandments to form the rule of our outward life as well as inward love, we shall not only be led most ardently to shun all the evils therein enumerated as sins against God but also feel the heavenly warmth of humility to acknowledge all the ability to have been derived from Him who is ability itself. For although the New Jerusalem insists upon the purest life, flowing from the most undefiled principles of human nature, she is quite certain that man of himself has no ability to animate him to the heavenly end of love to God and charity to man; but, notwithstanding she has this certitude on the one hand, she is equally convinced on the other, that this love and charity may be cultivated by man as of himself, because the Lord has declared Himself ever desirous to assist his creatures in heavenly-mindedness, by which they are enabled to discriminate between the thoughts and affections which are derived from heaven, and those which are derived from self, and to love the former for its own delightful sake, and despise the latter because they are sins against God and the purity of his kingdom."

We know Mr. Rendell has the sanction of one of the best writers in the church, for the abundance of notes which he has subjoined to his pages: we do, however, consider copious notes as tending greatly to disturb the reader's attention from the chain of argument, and thus to weaken the general effect. Portions too obscure for the common reader ought to be omitted, and a little skill only is required to interweave all the elucidation which can be supplied by a note in the body of the work.

The Messenger of Intelligence; Moral, Entertaining, and Religious; consisting of Original Pieces in prose and verse. To be continued Annually, 18mo. pp. 144. 3s. 6d.

THIS is the first work of the kind which has appeared written exclusively on New Church principles, and we regret its arrival so late in the month, because it precluded our entering so fully into its merits as we could have wished. It consists of twenty original articles in prose and verse: three of these articles-"Serious Reflections ;" "The Mote and the Beam ;" and the "Blessings of the City and the Field," are good Essays. There are also four Original Tales, denominated-"Traces of Benevolence;" "The Traveller's Funeral;" "Lorenzo the Unsuspecting," and "The Widow and her Family." Of these the Traveller's Funeral is exceedingly humorous; the other three more sentimental. The remaining are poetic; and among one or two of minor consideration, there are several of real worth. "Love never Sleeps," (See A. C. vol. i.) “ A Fragment," from an unpublished Dramatic Poem, "Soldier of Waterloo," "Departed Love," "Gratitude," and "The Close of the Year 1828, are all traced with poetic feeling. The work is well got up, and if it be but " a telescopic star in the heaven of literature," and consequently "may be unseen and un

the

known, in the glow of splendour that surrounds it;" we are not without hope that, however it may be received by others, it will meet with encouragement from the members of the New Church. We think it well calculated to be given, as an annual present, to the youth of both sexes, who are receiving their education in our schools. Probably we may, in a future number, present our readers with one of its prose articles: in the mean time we give the poem "Love never Sleeps," in our poetic department.

Miscellanea.

BOOK OF JASHER.

A translatiou from the original Hebrew manuscripts of the book of Jasher, referred to as a work of credit and reputation in Joshua x. 13, has lately been discovered. The book was kept as a memorial of the great events which had happened from the beginning of time, especially to the family and descendants of Abraham, by the kings of Judah. After the Babylonish captivity it fell into the possession of the Persian kings, and was preserved with great care in the city of Gazan; from whence a translation was procured by the great Alcuin, who flourished in the 8th century at the cost of several bars of gold, presented to those who had the custody of it. He brought his translation to his own country, having employed with his companions, 7 years in pilgrimage, 3 of which were spent in Gazan, in order to his obtaining this important and interesting work. After his return to England, he was made Abbot of Canterbury, and having lived in the highest honour, died in the year 804, leaving this with other manuscripts to his friend, a clergyman, in Yorkshire. It appears to have been preserved with religious care for many centuries, until about 100 years since it fell into the hands of a gentleman who certifies that on its cover was the following testimony of our great reformer Wickliffe ;-"I have read the book of Jasher twice over, and 1 much approve of it, as a piece of great antiquity and curiosity; but I cannot consent that it should be made a part of the canon of Scripture." This invaluable work has long lain concealed, until by an accident it fell into the hands of the present possessor, who proposes to publish it. Since the above has been communicated to the public, a person by the name of Samuels, who resides at Liverpool, states that he is at present engaged in preparing the book of Jasher, a copy of which has long been in his possession, and which, together with the original text, he intends shortly to publish.

[In addition to the above information respecting the Book of Jasher, the Editors give the following paper which they have received from another correspondent, who signs himself AMICUS. He states that it was extracted from a provicial paper, called the Derby Journal; and that it was read at the last Monthly Meeting at Friar Street Chapel, before an unusually full attendance.]

"Having seen in your paper of the 8th instant, a paragraph extracted from the Bristol Gazette, announcing that an important and interesting discovery in Biblical literature has been recently obtained, which will excite the attention of the christian and man of letters, (viz) the Book of Jasher mentioned in Joshua x. 2nd Samuel i. 18, and that it was procured at an immense expense by Alcuin, the most eminent man of his time, from the city of Gazan in Persia;-I beg leave to inform you, for the satisfaction of those biblical students who may read your paper, whether Jews or Christ

ians, that I am in possession of the Book of Jasher in the Hebrew language, which I did not procure at an immense expense, but accident threw it in my way in meeting with an Israelite from Barbary, who presented me with it, without knowing its value. And I am now translating it into English, and it will be published shortly with the Hebrew on one side and the English on the other, with notes critical and historical. And what is rather extraordinary, I was this day busily engaged in the translation, when a glance at your paper rivetted my attention to this singular and unexpected paragraph, as I had made many previous enquiries concerning it of my literary friends, and they never heard of its existence. The book it seems has been preserved by the Jews in the east, and some few copies were printed in Poland seventy years ago.

"It is written in that plain and beautiful style that will sufficiently testify its great antiquity, and which is the chief cause of my publishing it, with the Hebrew attached to it; and however much I venerate the Sacred Scripture, and however infinite I consider the distance between this book and the Inspired Volume which we possess, I am still bold to declare that its language is equally beautiful, and throughout one hundred and sixty pages it keeps up the same chaste, elegant, and historical style as that much admired part of Scripture, the history of Joseph. It commences with the creation of man, containing very copious accounts of Jewish records, not at all mentioned in Scripture, and reaches as far as Joshua.

"The two places in Scripture wherein the book of Jasher is mentioned, are beautifully cleared up through this book, particularly that in 2 Samuel i. 18. "Also be bade them teach the children of Judah the use of the bow: Behold! it is written in the book of Jasher." It also elucidates many other parts of Scripture, and will set right some of the most perplexing parts of chronology. But I do not suppose that it has come down to us as pure as the Sacred Volume. And I have not the least doubt that some few parts of it are of a later date than the body of the book; but even those comparatively modern parts, bespeak an antiquity of upwards of 2000 years. "I have already translated one half of the book, having been encouraged to the task by some Christian friends, who possess a fervent zeal for the house of Israel, and an attachment to Hebrew literature. When I return to Liverpool, which will be shortly, I shall issue forth the prospectus of the work, as it will be published by subscription.

"I should therefore be glad to hear something more about the copy that Alcuin obtained, and whether it be in the Persian or Hebrew language. M. SAMUELS."

"104, St. James's Street, Liverpool.

Kelso, Nov. 4th, 1828."

MANNA TREE.

In a recent publication containing the Rambles of a gentleman in New South Wales, he observes that an occasional manna tree relieved the monotony of the journey over Mount Blaxland; and as he stooped to pick up the little pieces that had fallen underneath, he was agreeably surprised to find it the real manna of commerce, of a very agreeable sweetness. It was as white as snow, in little stalactic drops, and was the concrete juice of a tree known there by the name of ash or white bastard gum. In Sicilly, according to Captain Smyth, the manna is produced from the fraxinus ornus by horizontal incisions in the bark at certain seasons of the year. It is said to be cathartic; but it is found in the Bathurst country, New South Wales, in quantities very inconsiderable, and is merely a curiosity. One feels naturally curious to know if this was the manna of the ancient Israelites; and if so, how its peculiar medical qualities were overcome. According to subsequent observation near Bathurst, this gentleman felt satisfied no tree could yield daily more than one table spoon full, even in the height of the season, which is in the three months of autumn; therefore of

course it could not have been an Australian ash that afforded the Jews of old such a wonderful supply; who, according to Schenchzer, consumed 94,460 bushels every day for forty years; and as no manna fell on Saturdays, they would have to collect on Fridays twice the quantity, or 188,932 bushels; or which at 56lbs. to the bushel would be 4723 tons, certainly a very large produce. Perhaps some of your readers will be kind enough to throw a little light upon this very interesting subject, and oblidge

QUIZ.

GENERAL CHURCH INTELLIGENCE.

ACCOUNT OF THE NEW CHURCH IN GERMANY.

A Correspondent has communicated to us intelligence of a very satisfactory kind, which he has just received from Tubingen in the kingdom of Wurtemburg. The letter, which conveys the intelligence, is written in part by a gentleman, who formerly held an office of consideration under the Government, and in part by Dr. Immanuel Tafel, Librarian to the University, whom our readers may possibly recollect as the translator of some of the Writings into German. Of these he was able to publish only three volumes in 8vo., which our communicant has got, containing, 1st, An admirably written preface of considerable length, comprehending about two thirds of the first volume,-2d, The Doctrine of the New Jerusalem respecting the Lord, 3d, On the New Jerusalem and its Heavenly Doctrine,-4th, The Doctrine of Life,-5th, The Doctrine of Faith,-6th, On the Last Judgment, and 7th, The first Six Chapters of the Apocalypse Revealed. When he had finished and published these translations, which are pronounced, by a competent judge, to be most faithfully, and at the same time elegantly, rendered, the government thought proper to interfere, and to prohibit him from making the New Doctrines known by the press, so long as he held the office of Librarian to the University. To this order he was constrained to submit, and to confine himself to private communication and instruction within the circle of his friends. Among those friends, there appears to be one, who, by his zeal and his talents, is well able to aid the cause. This gentleman, as his letter shews, is zealously pursuing the course which Dr. Tafel so successfully began. "The truths of the New Church," he writes, "constitute the delight of my declining days. Those days I dedicate to the assistance of the flock dispersed over Germany by giving them new translations. I have already finished the Doctrine of the New Jerusalem, the Treatise on Heaven and Hell, and, very nearly, the True Christian Religion. Before publishing them I think it quite essential to call the attention of thinking men to these writings, and to counteract the measures of those who fasten upon the Memorable Relations in order to decry them. For this purpose I shall precede the publication by a general picture of those Grand Revelations, purely spiritual, which speak for themselves. I have found this, systematically arranged by the hand of the master himself, annexed to a series of chapters in the third and fourth volumes of the Apocalypse Explained. The translation of this exposition is also finished, with the exception of the two Treatises on the Divine Love, and on the Divine Wisdom, which are found in the last volume. These two works especially, appear to me to have a depth and beauty truly celestial." The writer then alludes to the incorrectness of the copy from which the Latin edition of the Apocalypsis Explicata was made, and requests to be informed whether Mr. Hindmarsh, the Editor and Printer, can furnish him with a list of errata.

Dr. Tafel, in his part of the letter, after stating how desirous he is to possess several of the works, which he enumerates in Latin, says, "We hope and ardently desire that the LORD may soon furnish us with the means of publishing the remainder of the works, and of defending his cause against objections.

FRIAR STREET CHAPEL, LONDON.

On Monday evening the 8th of December, 1828, the regular monthly meeting of the New Church members took place in this chapel: it was more numerously attended than usual. After the time allowed for receiving general information had elasped, the meeting enjoyed a very pleasing conversation on several subjects of a highly interesting and spiritual nature. The subject respecting the Wisdom of Angels, drawn from the writings of E. S. afforded a rich treat to all present. In the course of the evening a gentleman read a paper respecting the discovery recently made of the BOOK OF JASHER, which appeared to interest the meeting very much. We hope the friends of Friar Street Chapel will exert themselves to make this monthly meeting more generally known to the friends in London, than it now appears to be.

NEW JERUSALEM CHURCH, WATERLOO ROAD.

It was expected that this new and neat place of worship would have been ready for consecration about the middle or latter end ef the present month. It is, however, most likely to be the latter end of February before the opening can take place. All the substantial parts of the building, both external and internal, are completely finished, and the work of painting the interior is now going on rapidly. We hope to be able to state in our February number the day when the opening is to take place.

BRIGHTLINGSEA AND ST. OSYTH.

In consequence of the Rev. W. Mason leaving Colchester and residing at Melbourn, the two societies in these villages are deprived of the regular services of a minister; they will, of course, be again taken under the fostering care of the London Missionary Society. We hear that a missionary visit from the said society is to be made by the Rev. Thomas Goyder in the course of the present month.

DERBY.

The Society of the New Church in this town, is, we have been informed, in a very promising state. Mr. Knight, the leader, labours iudefatigably and successfully in this branch of the Lord's vineyard, and we most cordially wish him success in his persevering endeavours. The happiness which he derives from his labours must always accompany him, Extraordinary exertions have recently been made to extend the knowledge of the doctrines in this town, and the effect is that very large congregations now attend at the temple on the sabbath days. This we understand has excited a little alarm among the good folks of other denominations, and we are told that another work, written against the New Church and her doctrines, is in the press. If the authors (for we understand there are more than one) of this forthcoming work manage matters as they out to do, they will take care in the commencement of their hostilities, to secure a comfortable retreat; for their defeat is certain. Another PIKE will, if necessary, call into action another HINDMARSH.

ACCRINGTON.

ON Sunday the 2d of November, the Rev. Thomas Pilkington, by particular desire of his young widow and his relations, delivered a funeral sermon, in memory of the late JAMES KENYON of that place, from JOHN xi. 24—26 : "Martha said unto him, I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day. Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection and the life: he that believeth in me though he were dead, yet shall he live; and whosoever liveth and believeth in me, shall never die. Believest thou this. ?" The manner in which the minister conducted his discourse was the following:The introduction consisted of remarks on the importance of being acquainted with things relating to another life: followed by these heads under which the subject was arranged, viz.