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is a state not due to errors and mistakes, but a hatred of the very inward character of religion. It is not against the letter; it is against the Holy Spirit. It is the soul it hates, not the form. It hates it until it mocks and blasphemes. Many are astonished at the revealings of their. interior evils as their regeneration proceeds. They accuse themselves continually, and sometimes accuse Divine Providence of giving them a harder lot than others; then will come the dark suspicion—have I sinned against the Holy Spirit? Is it all over with me? That thought I cannot bear. As long as a person complains the better nature is present, and really in the ascendant. Evils are in the external man. When we mourn about them, condemn them, condemn ourselves for suffering them, there is a better state within that sees and judges the worse. There is a living man as well as a dead one. Persevere; through the life within the Lord will restore the dead. The sins we hate are with us, but not in us. The soul that is in the sin against the Holy Spirit no longer mourns, it blasphemes.-The above are only sentences caught at intervals, and isolated often from their context. To be appreciated the discourse must have been heard. At the urgent request of many hearers Mr. Gunton promised to come again in about four months."

BESSES. -On February 8th the annual meeting of the Society was held. A tea was provided, to which a fair number of friends sat down. The chief business of the meeting after tea was the election of officers for the year and the discussion of measures for the improvement and advancement of the church and school. Mr. Robert Taylor occupied the chair. The reports of the Secretary and Treasurer were read, and gave much encouragement for future success. Since the Society entered upon the important step of securing a minister the members have shown their earnestness in a substantial manner. The Secretary's report showed that since the Rev. I. Tansley entered upon his pastoral duties twenty-six niembers have been added to the church, many of them from the Sunday school. Formerly service at this church was held morning and afternoon, but evening service has been now held for some time.

The result of the change has been highly satisfactory; the average attendance in the evening having been more than a hundred. A series of lectures was given by the minister, ending with the year. A second series is now in course of delivery. The report of the booksteward showed that nearly 2000 books and periodicals had been sold during the year. The report of the party committee showed that very useful work had been performed in that direction during the year. All the tea-parties had been highly successful, especially the congregational party, at which over two hundred sat down to tea, and the audience which assembled after tea to see the drama performed numbered more than five hundred. The business of the meeting was gone through with perfect good feeling on all hands. The proceedings of the evening were enlivened by several glees, well sung by the choir. After a few encouraging remarks by the minister the meeting was brought to a close in the usual way.

BLACKBURN.-The Rev. H. Cameron, the minister, has recently been delivering a course of popular Sunday evening lectures on the "Days of the Creation ;' and it was a very pleasing fact to observe that these interesting discourses were well attended by the members of the Society, as well as by several strangers. Mr. Cameron treated the respective work of each day's creation in a manner which will not be forgotten by those who had the pleasure of hearing them—bringing scientific facts to elucidate and confirm the New Church teachings on this very important and highly instructive subject. The annual New Year's tea-party of the members and friends of the church was attended by about 250 persons. After tea the Rev. H. Cameron took the chair and delivered a short address. There was an interesting programme of song and dialogue gone through by the young people, every one doing their part well, so that the evening passed agreeably and profitably. A very pleasing part of the evening's proceedings was the presentation of an elegant black marble timepiece to Mr. J. H. Riley, the organist and leader of the choir. It bore the inscription, on a silver plate, "Presented to Mr. J. H. Riley by the members and friends of the New Jerusalem Church, Blackburn, as a token of their apprecia

tion of his services as organist and choir leader. January 1st, 1879." Short addresses were delivered by Messrs. Porter, Astley, Pemberton, Drake, and Aspin, and the meeting broke up about ten o'clock.

the miseries that follow in their train, and in their stead possessors of the glorious liberty of the children of light and the true happiness which ever flows from a life spent in doing good.”

LONGTON.-The annual meeting of this Society was held on the 22nd of January. During the evening addresses were delivered by Mr. Henshall, the colporteur of the Manchester Missionary Society, and by Messrs. Platt and Brough. The long-continued and faithful services of Mr. and Mrs. Brookhouse were cordially acknowledged, and a pleasant and interesting evening was

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HORNCASTLE.-The sixth anniversary of this Society was held from the 9th to the 18th of February. Mr. Gunton, whose services had been secured for the occasion, preached on the 9th and 16th, and lectured on the 12th and 18th. The subject of the first of these lectures was, "Did Swedenborg converse with Angels?" of the second, "Where do the millions who have died now spent. The Society, though called to dwell, and what do they do?" It will struggle with adverse circumstances, yet be seen from these subjects that the labours on in faith and constancy. national missionary does not keep in the is it without some gleam of hope. We background the source of his informa- have been shown an interesting letter tion. The name and office of Sweden- from an inquirer in a neighbouring town, borg are prominently presented, and his from which we make the following exWritings freely sold at the close of the tract: "I have of late been trying to lectures. The members of this "little obtain light on several subjects, and am flock" still continue few in numbers, more than ever convinced of the darkness but persevering in their efforts to make in which both myself and many others known the truth and extend the influ- are at present groping; in fact, we are ence of the Church. 'blind leaders of the blind,' whilst the light of the New Church shines out so clear and brilliant as to be at times well nigh overpowering. My feeling is, and especially when in the sacred desk,' that I grasp well nigh nothing of the truths I may be attempting to deal with. My mind has been much exercised of late through pondering over a page or two in T. C. R., No. 647, which shows plainly that the faith and imputation of the New Church cannot be together with the faith and imputation of the former Church;' and I can assure you that should I become sufficiently imbued with New Church doctrine, I would at once relinquish my connection with the body to which I am now joined, and thus avoid having, to some extent, to enunciate that which I feel is not compatible with the faith I now most certainly hold."

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LONDON (Dalston).-This Society, which now meets at Albion Hall, continues to progress under the ministry of Mr. Dicks. The Hackney Gazette favours the Society with occasional reports of the sermons preached at the hall. Three of Mr. Dicks' discourses have been reported, and one by Dr. Bayley. The last of these reports is a sermon by Mr. Dicks on "Babylon's Recompense (Psalm cxxvii. 8, 9), which occupies nearly two columns of the paper. An extended exposition is closed with a brief recapitulation, from which we give the closing words: "We have all within us these conflicting elements of spiritual strife. The truths we acquire from the Word are our children of Israel;' the desire for self-aggrandizement at the expense of others constitutes our daughter of Babylon,' which, while it holds its sway unchecked, keeps Israel in captivity; while the false ideas of self-importance are the 'little' ones that defile. What is our duty at the time that our true state is made clear to us? To lead captivity captive; to live for others, not for self alone, and the truth will make us free.' Free from evil, free from error, with all

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PRESTON (from the Preston Guardian of February 8th).-"The lectures announced for delivery by R. Gunton, Esq., London, and referred to in our last issue, were continued in the schoolroom under the church on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday evenings. We can only give a brief report, and may say that the majority of those

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present seemed to appreciate the views delights are to all sane people. presented by the lecturer. Two of the lecturer said also that there was no evilectures were on the spiritual world, the dence in the Scriptures that if a man, latter having especial relation to hell, deliberately and of free choice, gives the and the lecturer holding the view that preference to wicked delights in this it had been granted of the Lord to life his nature and decision can be Swedenborg to see and converse with changed after death.-The last lecture departed men in the spiritual world, was on 'The Scriptural Way of Salvaboth good men and bad men, both tion,' and it was argued that obedience angels and devils, and that for a period to the Divine precepts was the only way of twenty-seven years uninterruptedly. of salvation mentioned in the Scriptures. He called the attention of his audience Adam, Noah, and Abraham all received to a book called 'Heaven and Hell,' commandments from the Lord, and the containing many of the facts of experi- result in each case was the result of ence thus obtained. The lecturer argued obedience or disobedience. The law that evil originated with and in man, was, 'When the wicked man turneth and consisted in the misuse of a power away from his wickedness and doeth for good; the power given for the pur- that which was lawful and right, he pose of obedience to God's command shall save his soul alive,' and the Lord was, he said, used in violation of that did not, he said, as some suppose, command, so that evil originated in dis- abolish the Divine law; it was only the obedience and rebellion; and as dis- ceremonial law which came to an end, obedience and rebellion originated evil, not the Decalogue; hence the Lord so a continuance in evil and wicked- said, 'Think not that I am come to ness-loved and cherished-originated destroy the law and the prophets;' and hell, both in this world and the next; hence also the Lord said, 'If thou for, said the lecturer, every one knows wouldst enter into life, keep the comthat there are many hells on earth, and mandments.' It was argued that the the persons in them have acquired a doctrine of substitution was a human nature by their evil practices which device, a human dogma, having no causes them to cling to that disorderly foundation in Scripture, and that judg and unhappy life. Such persons when ment was always represented as based they die and go to live in the spiritual upon the life of the man, and not any world are still themselves-they still professed belief separate from the life. love the same wicked practices, and, as- A vote of thanks to the lecturer, moved, sociating together, they there constitute seconded, and supported by gentlemen hell; for the future life is, it was unconnected with the denomination, argued, essentially a continuation of brought the meeting to a close, and a this. The real life of the man in this desire was expressed that Mr. Gunton world is the life of his affection and should visit Preston again." thought, and that is his real life in the future world, so that what a man loves here he loves there; if he is covetous here he is covetous there. As the tree falls so it lies. The summary of the lecturer's arguments on this subject was, that those who make evil their good prefer the delights of wickedness to the delights of purity; thus they make their own hells and remain in them, both here and hereafter, because they prefer the delights of wickedness. The terrible results of this choice were represented as shocking, and were compared to the horrible experiences of the man who, by drunkenness, brought on delirium tremens; and still many of the men, notwithstanding those dreadful experiences, would indulge in the de"We have lights of drunkenness, shocking as such to record the death of one who, humanly

In addition to the foregoing, Mr. Gunton preached twice on the Sabbath to large and attentive audiences. A correspondent writes: "We are pleased to record the fact that at the conclusion of these lectures more books were sold than at any lectures previously delivered. Upwards of 120 copies of Heaven and Hell,' 'Brighton Lectures,' 'Nature of Spirit,' 2 copies of the 'True Christian Religion,' 1 'Apocalypse Revealed,' and a large number of tracts were disposed of, all of which will no doubt, under Divine Providence, be productive of much fruit."

Obituary.

MR. MAXWELL HASELER.

speaking, promised all that hope could fancy and that heart could wish. Youthful,genial, flushed but a few days ago with all the enterprising activity that makes life a pleasure, and engaging in all good works that give delight to others,-yet on January 26th, without a moment's warning, Mr. Maxwell Haseler, youngest son of Mr. G. C. Haseler, was called away to his eternal home. We follow him, repeating with mournful significance we are but 'strangers and pilgrims on the earth.' To some it is well to go in infancy, to others youth is our Father's allotted time, others are taken hence in the strength of early manhood, and others wait for their summons in the calm of lengthened age. But all go at the moment which is best as seen by Infinite Wisdom. In death there are no mistakes. We cannot see that it is so; but truth asserts it, reason endorses it, the heart says, 'Yes! God is infinitely good; it is and must be so.' Whether in infancy, manhood, or age, death is the outward manifestation of the same law of love. Gone from amongst us for ever in the body, yet he is present with us in all happy memories. A good son, a true friend, a hard worker, a genial spirit everywhere, and a reliant man with a true religious spirit; his early death teaches a solemn lesson, and seems to say both to the young and to the aged, 'Be ye also ready. "-From the Manual of the New Church, Wrexham Road, Birmingham.

and he at once united himself with a small Society of the New Church which met for worship and mutual instruction at Bradford. Here he remained for some years, taking a part in conducting the services, and making himself useful as opportunity served. On his removal to Dewsbury he continued to interest himself in the promulgation of the truth. The Rev. R. Storry during his residence at Dalton frequently conducted services in his house. These services were attended by a considerable number of his neighbours, and the interest excited was fostered by the kindly conversation of our friends, and the distribution of New Church tracts and other publications. On the institution of a Society of the New Church some years afterwards, chiefly, we believe, through the instrumentality of Mr. Walmsley, who has also passed to his reward, Mr. Arran was appointed leader. For some time past our departed brother has suffered from a distressing malady which has made him helpless and dependent. His disease, which affected the brain, impaired the memory of earthly things, but he retained the remembrance of the psalms and hymns he learned in former years and cherished through life. His latter end was singularly peaceful. He had no fear of death, but passed quietly away in the serene composure of Christian assurance and hope.

Departed this life, at Derby, February 1st, 1879, Harriet Fantom, aged forty

six years.

The deceased was for a num

ber of years a member of the Society of the New Church in this town. She was

a devout lover of the doctrines, a most regular and constant worshipper at the public services, and in her attendance and instruction was most persistent and at meetings for religious conversation exemplary.

On the 30th of December 1878, Mr. John Arran, of Eightlands, Dewsbury, entered into his rest in the seventy-sixth year of his age. The early life of our departed brother was passed among the Methodists. Naturally thoughtful and inquiring, he became during his connection with this body a subject of doubt, with its accompanying perplexities and distress of mind. He could not relinquish his hold on the Bible, as he felt that, apart from On the 29th of January, at Heywood, revelation, there was no safe anchorage Mrs. Mary Clark passed away to her final for the soul. His difficulty was to home at the ripe age of seventy-one years. understand the teaching of the Bible, and She has been for many years a consisto reconcile with reason and the revealed tent and warmly-esteemed member of character of God the doctrines he had the Society at Bury. been taught to believe. It was in this state of mental perplexity that his attention was drawn to the writings of the New Church. His investigation of these writings led to his reception of the truth,

At South Parade, Newcastle-on-Tyne, Ann, wife of Thomas Catcheside, Esq., departed this life on the 24th day of January, aged fifty-two years.

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In the February number we offered some remarks on the nature of the connection that exists between the two worlds, of which even we are inhabitants, being in the spiritual world as to our souls and in the natural world as to our bodies. Of our presence in the spiritual world we have, while we live in the natural body, no consciousness, because the seat of our consciousness is in the body, or in that degree of the mind which is in immediate connection with it; but when we lay aside the material body, our spiritual consciousness is awakened, so to speak, and we see and know that we are in the spiritual world. Indeed all our spiritual senses come into activity, or rather the spirit which perceived the objects of the physical world through the senses of the natural body, when the natural body is put off perceive the objects of the spiritual world through the senses of the spiritual body. And as the spiritual world is more real and even more substantial than the natural world, and our souls are more real and even more substantial than our bodies, the objects of the spiritual world are at least as much cognisable by the senses of the spiritual body as the objects of the natural world are by the senses of the natural body. The exchange is not therefore a loss, but a gain. And if our state takes us to that part of the other world which is the home of the righteous, how great will our gain be! For the spiritual world is not, like the natural world, the same in its outward aspect to all, but is the

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