THE SABBATH. Miscellaneous. One of the questions at present occupying a large amount of public attention is the institution and proper observance of the Sabbath. The severe conceptions and harsh laws of the Puritans have lost their hold on the public mind, and many who assume to be leaders are discussing the best mode of employing the seventh day's rest. It is a feature in the controversy that most, if not all, who take part in it are in favour of maintaining the Sabbath as a day of rest from toil, and a period of instruction and recreation. Those who contend for change, however, are outspoken in their utterances, and boldly invade what not long since might have been regarded as the least likely places to promulgate their opinions. Scotland has been distinguished by its observance of the Sabbath, and its religious literature abounds with denunciations against its violation or lax observance. There is now established in its midst a Sunday Society which aims to revolutionize its practice. The president of this society is Professor Tyndall, one of the most eminent of modern scientists, and his presidential address is published in the November number of the Nineteenth Century. The utility of the Sabbath as a social institution is cheerfully admitted. "Most of those who object to the Judaic observance of the Sabbath,' writes Dr. Tyndall, "recognise not only the wisdom, but the necessity of some such institution, not on the ground of a Divine edict, but of common-sense. They contend, however, that it ought to be as far as possible a day of cheerful renovation both of body and spirit, and not a day of penal gloom. There is nothing that I should withstand more strenuously than the conversion of the first day of the week into a common working day. Quite as strenuously, however, should I oppose its being employed as a day for the exercise of sacerdotal rigour.' The stronghold of Dr. Tyndall in his hostile attitude against the Sabbath as popularly observed, is the mistaken and unscriptural teachings of a bygone age of religious instructors. His remarks upon the Bible are not pleasant reading, but they are founded upon a total misconception of its true meaning. The institution of the Sabbath under the Judaic dispensation was an act of mercy, and intended to promote, not gloom, but serenity and peace. The Sabbath was to be to all its observers "a delight," and even the eunuchs, whose social ostracism was so opposed to the true enjoyment of life, were to be made "joyful in the house of prayer.' Under the Christian dispensation it is to be an occasion of kindly social intercourse, of acts of mercy, of social worship, and religious meditation and teaching. Its observance is not inconsistent with healthful relaxation, although its devotion to mere indulgence and pleasure must ever be repulsive to Christian feeling and sentiment. REV. ISAIAH TANSLEY.-We see by the lists of candidates who have passed the last examinations of the London University that this esteemed minister of the Society of the New Church at Besses, near Manchester, has passed the final B. A. examination, in the first division. Mr. Tansley since his entrance on the work of the ministry has with commendable diligence applied himself to the course of study necessary to enable him to graduate at this university. He has now secured the end of his endeavours, and will be enabled in the future to give a more efficient and undivided attention to the work of the ministry, in which we hope he may be permitted to enjoy a long course of useful and successful labour. LONDON ASSOCIATION OF THE NEW CHURCH. The quarterly meeting of this Association was held at Palace Gardens Church, Kensington, on Monday evening the 25th October, the Rev. W. C. Barlow, M.A., president of the Association, in the chair. The meeting having been opened with prayer by the Rev. J. Presland, the secretary called attention to the fact that the London SundaySchool Union had ceased to exist as an active organization. After some discussion as to the advisability of reorganizing the Union, it was resolved to take steps to unite with the Lancashire Union. The president reported that the New Church Year-Book would shortly be issued, and exhibited a proof-copy to the meeting, explaining the nature of its contents. After some suggestions as to certain additions to the book, it was resolved-That a few copies be issued in cloth covers. In reference to the movement for week-night lectures in the churches, Mr. Higham stated that arrangements had been made for the first of a series of such lectures to be given at Camberwell by the Rev. J. Presland on the 2nd November. On the adjourned discussion on the question of a missionary fund for the London district being brought on, Mr. Horton moved and Mr. Higham seconded, "That the fund to be applied to the missionary work of the New Church within the limits of the metropolis recommended at the meeting of the Association on the 26th April last be now instituted." The Rev. J. Presland moved and Mr. Tonks seconded the following amendment: "That this Association, while regarding the maintenance of a New Church missionary to labour in the London district as a most desirable object, considers that the present season is not opportune for the initiation of a fund for this purpose. The Rev. J. Presland urged as a reason for his amendment the present condition of the Missionary and Tract Society, whose funds were in such a state that they were compelled to appeal to the Church for help. An animated discussion followed, in which the Rev. W. C. Barlow, who vacated the chair for the purpose, warmly supported the resolution, Messrs. Brown, Appleyard, Orme, Woodford, and Billings took part, and on the amendment being put it was lost, four voting for and ten against it. MISSIONARY SERVICES BY MR. C. Prior to his settlement at Bury, Mr. Griffiths was engaged in a course of missionary services under the direction of the Committee of the National Mis sionary Institution. These services were at Wigan, Congleton, York, and Leeds. At all these places, except Congleton, a Sabbath's services were conducted as well as a week-night lecture. At Congleton, where no previous New Church services have been held, two lectures were given, one on the 11th, the other on the 12th of October. Considerable interest was excited, the audiences were large, and lengthened reports of the lectures appeared in one of the local papers. It was very evident that the audiences were in sympathy with the lecturer. The expression of a hope that he might be able to meet them again was received with general applause. From all the places visited we hear the most satisfactory accounts of Mr. Griffiths' services, such, indeed, as lead to the most confident hopes of a career of usefulness in the ministry, on the duties of which he has now entered. AUCKLAND (New Zealand) (From a letter of Rev. J. J. Thornton of Melbourne to a friend in England).— "Mr. Batty of Auckland desires me to correct a statement made in the Intellectual Repository, to the effect that there has been a Society of the New Church in that city for some years. Such is not the case. Indeed, if I understand rightly, there does not yet exist a Society of this kind. There are New Churchmen both in the congregation of the Rev. Samuel Edger, B.A., and outside of it, but they have never yet been brought together and organized as a Society. It is most desirable that this step be taken, and my wish, had I been permitted, was to have visited Auckland and been of some assistance. But the losses recently sustained in Victoria, and other untoward conditions, have hitherto prevented. I live in hope that next year may be more favourable." BURY (Lancashire).-The small Society at this town, encouraged by the generous assistance of friends in their neighbourhood, have elected Mr. Charles Griffiths as their minister. Mr. Griffiths commenced his ministry on Sunday, November 7, preaching in the morning from Luke xxii. 27, "I am among you as he that serveth," and in the evening from Psalm cxxxiii., "Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!" The attend ance at the services was good and encouraging. On the preceding evening a pleasant reception-meeting was held, which was attended by the members and a number of friends of the Society. A report of this meeting was given in the Bury Times, from which we extract the following: "After tea, at which there was a good attendance, Mr. T. Isherwood of Heywood presided, and there were present the Rev. C. Griffiths, the Rev. R. Storry, the Rev. I. Tansley, the Rev. T. Mackereth, Mr. Peak, etc. During the evening the choir sang a number of musical pieces. After singing and prayer the chairman said it afforded him much pleasure to be present to welcome their new pastor, whom he had previously met, and who he thought had some sterling worth in him. He hoped the choice they had made they would never regret. He asked for consideration for the minister, and a regular attendance on behalf of the congregation. The Rev. I. Tansley delivered a short address prior to leaving for meeting at Besses. a "The Rev. R. Storry said the Bury Society was about to inaugurate a new condition of things. There were many classes of mind, and many different kinds of character. Some were very sanguine, others very distrustful. In undertaking works of labour they should have faith in God and faith in their work, and be determined to succeed. If they and Mr. Griffiths worked heartily together, he saw no reason why they should not succeed. The real success of any ministry was in the improvement of the characters of the people. he did his duty at college and prepared himself for the work the Lord would open a door of usefulness in some quiet corner to labour in. This He had now done, and there was every reason to believe that the chosen sphere would prove to be the right one. He had never felt so comfortable and so much at home in any pulpit as in the one at Bury, and what was especially gratifying to him was that their election of him was thoroughly unanimous. Personally he felt his position and the responsible duties that would devolve upon him, but as in the past so in the future he felt sure that the Lord would be with him. Let them all look to the Lord, and He would not fail to guide and bless them with all necessary good. Although poor, there was a sense in which they were rich. Their church was out of debt, and that was a very important consideration. They also possessed ground near the church on which to build a school, and that was another important consideration. He therefore wanted them to co-operate with him with a view to the erection of a school, to which they could invite strangers to come and hear their New Church doctrines set forth, to prove that those doctrines were not merely the declarations of Emanuel Swedenborg, but that they were in accordance with the Word of God. "Mr. R. J. Tilson (of Liverpool) also addressed the meeting, as did Mr. E. Seddon (Oldham), and Messrs. S. Henshall (Manchester), E. Rudd (Wigan), T. Peak (Bury), R. Sunderland (Bacup), and the Rev. T. Mackereth (Bolton) also delivered brief addresses." "Mr. Griffiths said he felt that he could not find words adequately to exHULL.-The Hull Express follows the press his gratitude for the cordial recep- wake of other local papers in publishtion they had given him. Every ing occasional notices of the Christian young man needed encouragement. communities in the town, and reports of They all knew that their honoured and the services at their several churches. A beloved friend, the Rev. R. Storry, had recent issue gives an account of the New been the means principally in the hands Church, derived apparently from White's of Providence of bringing all that about; "Swedenborg, his Life and Writings.' he, however, was only the means-let The writer says: "No man who runs and them remember that the work was the reads can understand this theology. Lord's. When he finished his training The New Church doctrine of God is that at college last July the prospect of an Christ alone is very God—that Jehovah appointment was apparently a very assumed human nature, glorified that gloomy one, and he had not the least nature, and made it Divine. The Lord idea of where he should be permanently Jesus Christ has in Himself the Trinity located. That, however, caused him the Father, or Divine Love, being no anxiety, for he felt confident that if the essential Divinity; the Son, or men no lecturer affirmed that the student who would undertake such a study of Swedenborg's books would find difficulty in allowing the claim he makes to an open intercourse with the spiritual world, and said that it was only to the superficial reader that this claim seems either extraordinary or inadmissible. RAMSBOTTOM.-On Wednesday morning, October 26th, Mr. W. Agnew, M.P., opened a bazaar which was held to help towards liquidating the debt on the church and school of the New Church in this place. Those buildings were opened in 1875. The cost of their erection, and some unavoidable expenses incurred since the opening, amounted to about £3300. Of that sum £2030 had been cleared off, so that there still remained a debt on the buildings of £1270. In order to lessen the debt, if not to liquidate it altogether, an appeal was made to the friends of the cause to contribute articles for sale, and met with considerable success, a collection of ornamental and fancy goods being the result of the appeal. These articles, many of them of an expensive as well as tasteful character, were arranged to the best advantage. Divine Wisdom, being the Divine human- careful perusal of his books. The ity; and the Holy Spirit being the Divine Life, which proceeds from the unity of the Father and the Son-these three essentials being now united in the person of the Lord Jesus Christ.' The science of all sciences with Churchis the science of Correspondences. Without a knowledge of this science the doctrines of the New Church are unsolvable problems or unintelligible riddles. This science is the key which unlocks the treasury of New Church doctrine. By it we learn that the material world is the outbirth or the reflection of the spiritual world. 'Man is a summary of nature; nature is man in diffusion; all things, therefore, in nature, in fire, air, earth, water-every beast, bird, fish, insect, reptile-every tree, herb, fruit and flower, represent and express unseen things in the mind of man.' The Scriptures, or those parts of them which are inspired, are written according to this science, and by this science only can man get the true meaning of Scripture. According to this science of Correspondences, the Bible is a symbolic book; the letter of the Word is the material symbol of spiritual truth. This science applied to man's nature makes clear to New Churchmen that man has a spiritual form, of which the physical body is the mere temporary form and expression. There is no death. What we call death is simply the spiritual, actual man parted from the physical body. There is, therefore, no cold river to pass through to reach the heavens. To be absent from the body is to be in Spirit-land. There friends and dear ones meet and look into the old familiar faces, always getting younger by truth and goodness." This statement is followed by a brief notice of "the modest little New Jerusalem Church in Springbank," Hull, which leads to a very eulogistic account of its minister, Mr. J. R. Boyle, and a brief notice of two lectures given by him on Swedenborg. Of this notice our space forbids more than the following concluding sentences: "No student of the theological works of Swedenborg can well afford to ignore his scientific and philosophical works. To attain an intelligent appreciation of his views, a knowledge of the mental history of the man, from his birth to his death, is absolutely necessary. This knowledge can only be attained by the At the opening ceremony, Rev. S. Pilkington, who presided, stated the circumstances in which the bazaar originated, and explained the need of assistance to relieve the Society from the incubus of a heavy debt. He was succeeded by Rev. J. E. Shepherd, who as a minister in another Christian community spoke with marked sympathy of the New Church. "Since he had been there, " he said, "he had been pleased to meet with the minister of their church again and again, as well as the ministers of most other Churches. It was always a pleasing feature to him to be able to meet with and fra ternize with people belonging to other Churches. The older he grew the broader became his creed and the larger his heart. As members of the Church of Christ, it was his conviction that they ought to shake hands with each other by whatever name they might be called. Every year the spirit of the New Church was entering the creeds of other Churches, and they were doing a great deal to level down the mountains which had existed for a long time in the creeds of other people. He stated that he had always found warm sympathy from the ministers of that Church, and wished them Godspeed in their undertaking.' دو Mr. S. Knowles, as a lay member of another community, also briefly addressed the meeting, and said he fully indorsed all that had been said by the last speaker. He thought by a more frequent interchange of sentiments of that kind it would be far better for them all. They had a broad platform in that Church, and he sympathized with the object of the bazaar, and expressed the fervent hope that they would realize all they desired. Mr. Agnew, M.P., in opening the bazaar, said, when he received the invitation to open the bazaar he felt that those who had honoured him with that invitation had probably been prompted by some feeling that in some sort he was connected with that denomination, for he was born and bred in its community. It was well known to all of them that there existed in this country-nay, in all civilized countries -a great number of persons who acknowledged, nay, who believed in, the mission of Emanuel Swedenborg; that there were thousands who believed and received at least a large portion of Swedenborg's religious dogmas, if he might use the term, who were not seen-perhaps never seen-to take a special part in the denomination known by the name of the New Church. It might be that he was indebted to the teaching of that denomination-he was, he thought for the particular colour and complexion of his opinions upon political, social, and religious matters, and if it were so he was proud to admit it; if it were so he was none the worse for it, for he felt and acknowledged on that platform, with thankfulness and with all humility, that his early education-he might say the whole of his school education-was under the charge, was under the beneficent care of a man than whom none had been a more distinguished ornament to the New Church, his revered master, John Henry Smithson. In charity and love they had conceived that enterprise. It was a noble thing to seek to overthrow the incubus of debt; for freedom from debt was freedom from danger. Men were free who were not environed by the shackles and disabilities that debt involved. They would be happier if from the proceeds of that effort they were enabled to remove the debt from off their shoulders. In charity and love they had done it, and he thought all New Churchmen knew that charity and love ought to be the moving principles of Christian life. Most sincerely did he hope that their labours would not have been in vain; and that in those hours of thought which they had devoted to the particular business they had to transact, and the time they had sacrificed, ladies and gentlemen, young and old, had been animated by the feeling that they had been doing good, useful work. The total receipts of sales, etc., at the close amounted to the handsome sum of £828. A gentleman has promised that in case £900 would be raised, he would make up the amount to £1000; and another gentleman has promised that should this latter sum be raised, he would give £20 more. The members of the Society having thoroughly exhausted all their resources, and urged by these incentives, venture respectfully to appeal to the wealthy friends of the New Church to make up the deficiency, and then they will be able to reduce the debt to £250, which after a little rest they would be able to completely remove. The committee return their sincerest thanks to all who have in any way done something to make their bazaar a success; and they beg to acknowledge their special obligations to the ladies of Accrington and Heywood, who provided many beautiful and valuable articles for the stalls, over which they kindly and ably presided. CORRESPONDENCE. At the last session of the General Conference the following resolution relating to the Miscellaneous department of the Magazine, recommended by the Magazine Council, was unani"Resolved mously adopted: That the Sub-Editor open the columns of his portion of the Magazine for a free and temperate discussion of subjects of interest to the Church: inserting the usual notice, that 'the Editor does not |