On Thursday, the 1st of April, the Committee, or Local Board, met to decide upon the question of keeping or retaining the books. The Board consisted of eight members present. Four voted for the rejection, two did not vote, and two voted for the retention of the books. The works were consequently rejected, and as was significantly remarked by the local paper, this sapient vote was very appropriately arrived at on the 1st of April.

Three different parties had offered to accept the works and keep them for reading and being lent out con amore. When they arrived in London, they were simply redirected, and dispatched to the Committee of the Free Enquiry Library, who had petitioned for them. The parties have drawn up a code of rules, and printed them on a neat handbill for circulation, with an invitation to others to join them. From the agitation, general curiosity has been excited, and a large number of persons are evidently favourably impressed towards the doctrines. Some stating they had been delivered from infidelity by what they had heard. The Missionary Society intend, with the co-operation of the Manchester Society, to follow up with a series of services at intervals, and while there is reason to hope that much good has been done, we trust it is only the first step to much more. Dr. Brindley has promised a pamphlet, which will afford opportunity for a salutary reply.

As the interest in these proceedings still continues, and as their importance entitles them to a further and more permanent publicity than is given them by a few local newspapers, we shall notice, more particularly, in our next No., these and other matters which have transpired in connection with the subject.

Correspondence.

REV. J. CULL.

To the Editor.-Dear Sir, Permit me to make a brief comment on a few friendly remarks respecting me, which appeared in your last No., p. 141, inasmuch as from those remarks it may be inferred that my health is uniformly good, and consequently, such as to permit me to fill any situation in the church, however arduous its duties may be. Such, I am sorry to say, is not the case.

It is necessary to state, that during the last seven or eight years I have been subject to periodical attacks of rheumatic gout and fever, which, for weeks, sometimes for a month or two, prostrates my energies, and renders me unfit for any exertion.

I have, therefore, on principle, that is, in justice to others, declined, under such circumstances, to accept applications for a permanent engagement.

During such intervals of health which I am permitted to enjoy, I have been happy in affording any assistance in my power, as in the case mentioned in the report above alluded to; but at no time is my physical strength adequate to long-continued exertion.

During a part of the summer months, when I enjoy a partial immunity from the torturing malady of which I speak, I have indeed supplied for the Melbourne Society during the last four years, the air and situation of that locality being also congenial with my constitution and general health, which seems to moderate, but not prevent a return of the disease. While writing these remarks, I feel it, "sharper than a serpent's tooth,” but am now happily emerging from a six or seven week's painful ordeal.

From these statements you may draw the legitimate inference, that I am, at least, no “Thunderer;” and that the “fierce debate,” and the noisy discussion, is by no means a suitable arena for me. With regard to "lightning;" I certainly use my

best efforts to enlighten, guided by the Holy Word, and the writings of the church; but must leave it to others to judge as to the result.

11, Tomson Street, Everton, Liverpool.

PHASES OF THE CHURCH.

I am yours, &c.

JOHN CULL.

To the Editor.-Dear Sir, Your correspondent, in criticising a paper entitled "The Phases of the Church," which appeared in the January No. of the Observer, has closed his objections under several heads, such as "crudeness and incoherence, confident tone, and pompous diction;" these charges I leave to the consideration of your general readers, for I have little confidence in the judgment of critics. The last objection against the expression of mine that "external worship will not be a prominent part in the New Jerusalem Church," demands more notice. It will be found that what I stated is quite in agreement with what E. S. has said on the subject, and any well informed New Churchman will see that E. S.'s explanation of there being no temple seen in heaven, fully bears out my remarks, that external worship will not be prominent in the New Church; but this is a very different thing from having no external worship at all, which your correspondent endeavours to insinuate. I have no where advocated such an idea, and had your correspondent acted fairly, he would never have said "some have supposed that in the New Jerusalem there will be no external worship." I have nothing to do with what some supposeneither ought your correspondent to have supposed I had; the paper evidently proving the contrary. If he doubts the accuracy of the statements, let him write an article on the opposite, viz., That external worship will be prominent in the New Church; this will place us in our right positions.

In that portion of the paper where I stated, that "When as a nation we cease to pay magistrates, lawyers, and police, we shall have crime treated as crime should be," I ought perhaps to have been more explicit for your correspondent's sake, he not being sufficiently acute in vision to see that there is a great distinction betwixt trading in uses and abuses; and if ever the church progresses, this will be one of the signs of her progress, that she will remedy the evils that arise from such a course; every tyro in politics is aware "that trading in one article increases its production."

If your correspondent would favour us with his views on these things, I should be much obliged, and it would be as well if all critics were obliged to write articles on that which they criticise, it would stay that which is frequently done, viz., introducing ideas that do not belong to the article criticised. K.

Miscellanea.

NEW CHURCH MISSIONARY AND TRACT SOCIETY.-The Members and Friends of the New Church are affectionately invited to attend the Thirty-Seventh Anniversary of this Society, which is to be held at the Church in Argyle Square, London, on Tuesday, May 11: the Chair to be taken, at half-past 6 o'clock, by the Rev. Aug. Clissold. Much interesting information—including the most recent from Leamington-will be laid before the meeting. The operations of the Society during the year having been more numerous than usual, the expenses have been proportionally increased: it is therefore important that subscriptions which are due should be paid without delay, either to the Treasurer, Mr. W. Maxwell, 32, Bell Yard, W.C., to Mr. Cavitt, Mr. Gunton, or the Secretary; who will also be happy to receive new subscriptions.

Tea, &c., will be provided in the school-room at five o'clock. Tickets, 6d. each, may be obtained at either of the Churches.

A NEW MAGAZINE.-To the Editor-Sir, Allow me to direct the attention of your readers to the following statement of the result of the appeal, contained in a former number of your Magazine, for assistance in establishing a new Periodical to be called The Pioneer. I am, Sir,

London, 9 April, 1858.

Yours very truly,

THOS. G. WATSON.

About 200 copies of The Pioneer have been ordered, and £4. 48. guaranteed as donations towards its establishment. The above number of orders is of course too small to justify The Pioneer Committee in commencing the work, but they believe that a large number of persons withhold their answers because they cannot take more than one or two copies of the Magazine. The Committee, therefore, take this opportunity of reminding them that, as orders for a thousand copies per month are required previous to the publication of the first number, an order, for a single copy will forward the endeavour a step.

"THE FAMILY INSTRUCTOR," a Monthly Pictorial Magazine, emanating from the friends at St. Ives, Huntingdonshire, which commenced with the new year, was discontinued with the third No. The price was but 1d. a No. We have only seen the one for March (the others having been all sold,) and that contained eight wood engravings. This was perhaps too heavy an expense for so small a retail price. Two pages of the No. were devoted to New Church matter. by its publication was to aid the St. Ives New Church doubtful assistance we are afraid it would have proved. however, the same parties have issued a prospectus of

One object had in view Building Fund-a very Instead of the Magazine

A WEEKLY NEWSPAPER, to be called The New Church Banner; price 3d. The first No. to appear on the 1st of June next. "Two hundred shares," says the prospectus, "to be raised at 10s. each," producing £100.; and with this sum a newspaper is to be commenced! "Two Ministers of long standing and experience in the Church are to be the Editors." It is to be hoped that the Address in the prospectus is not to be taken as a specimen of the talent which is to be employed on the Paper.

THE "CLERICAL JOURNAL" AND THE PATRIOT" NEWSPAPER.-The Clerical Journal of April 8th, and the Patriot of March 5th, have employed considerable space, but very little of either truth or charity, in noticing the Tract which was recently published in answer to a series of articles on the Swedenborgians by the Vicar of Froome. They take the occasion to manifest their own weakness, if nothing worse, by an abun dant display of abuse and denunciation, and a timorous disinclination to give their readers any definite idea of the book they are professing to criticise. They have read the book, evidently, or sufficient of it to render them totally unfit to proceed any further, for their own safety, or for any use the attempt could afterwards be to others; that is, if we are right in supposing that their expressed fears that the intellect of their fellow-believers might possibly be unsettled, have originated in the utter bewilderment of their own. The one says, "Of course it is annoying for us to see plain people pestered, and having their minds and faith disturbed by these delusions, and it is mortifying to see the weak and incautious carried away by them;" and the other says, “We are much obliged to the Vicar of Froome for what he has done; and we hope that the mystifications of his opponents will not muddle the heads nor confound the faith of any of his fellow-believers." And in case their readers should be in the least muddled or confounded by the slightest glimpse of the truths brought out in the pamphlet under notice, they are left totally in the dark concerning them. “We shall not follow the editor of this pamphlet in his vagaries and fallacies," concludes

the Clerical Journal, “but leave him with the assurance that till the New Church has something else to say, the language of all intelligent and devout Christians will be, 'The Old is better!"" It was full time to leave "the editor of this pamphlet " after such "assurance" as that. If this is to be the language of "all intelligent and devout Christians," of what a collection of doltish and impious Christians the New Church must be constituted!

LECTURES AT CROSS STREET.-Six Lectures are in course of delivery, by the Rev. W. Bruce, on Sunday Evenings, from April 25 to May 30. The Subjects are What is Truth? What is Sin?-What is Righteousness?-What is Freewill?— What is Election?-What is Happiness?

LECTURE ON SWEDEN BORG.-The Rev. E. G. Holland, from the United States, will deliver Three Lectures at the Mary-le-bone Institution, London, on the evenings of May 5, 12, and 19. That on the 12th will be on "SWEDENBORG: his claims and consideration as a man of science and moral worth the philosophic character of his genius—the facts of his personal history-his character as a seer—his leading views and principles-the influence of his literature on the present age."

IPSWICH.-Lectures are in course of delivery on successive Sunday Evenings in this town by Mr. J. Spilling. They commenced on April 11th, and will be continued till May 30. The following are the subjects: Swedenborg, his Life and Mission-The New Church, and its Relation to the Age-The Second Coming of the Lord—The Word—The Trinity-The Atonement-Faith Alone--The Resurrection.

AUSTRIA-From notices in the foreign journals we extract the following:-"The Minister of Public Instruction and Worship in Austria, has just published an order, to the effect, that any person who shall join or favour a new sect, called the New Jerusalem--which denies the necessity of public worship, ecclesiastical hierarchy, or different grades of civil society, shall be punished with fine and imprisonment." And Dr. Tafel, in a letter to the Editor of the American New Jerusalem Magazine for April, writes, under date of Jan. 31, "To-day I received a letter from Austria, which proves that there is a great hostility to the works of Swedenborg and all New Church books. Before I had (for the celebration of the Centenary) reduced the price of my first translations of his works, a receiver at Brunn had requested them for a friend; and they were sent to him by the post, but retained at the Custom House and sent to Vienna, because, as he was told, they are expressly named in their Index libror. prohibitorum.”

There are those in this country and in America, who, professing to receive the doctrines of Swedenborg, entertain the views objected to in the Austrian denunciation. It is much to be regretted that such matters should be attempted to be foisted upon Swedenborg, as there is not the shadow of authority for them to be found in his writings; and much mischief is being done by their promulgation.

Suquiries and Suggestions.

To the Editor.-Sir, If the following suggestions in answer to some of the questions contained in your April No, be thought of any value, I beg to place them at your disposal. Your obedient Servant, M. C. H.

Question 3. As a sword, water, a city, garments, silver and glory, each represent Truth, how are we to ascertain in what respect they differ in a spiritual point of view?

A. Chiefly by having respect to the functions of the various things named as representatives of Truth. A sword, for instance, represents Truth combating: water Truth cleansing: a city, Truth combining lesser truths harmoniously, and thus in security for which reason a city more strictly signifies doctrine: garments signify external, or it may be scientific truths, investing, beautifying, and confirming interior truths: silver, Divine Truth accommodated to, or brought forth to perception of the bodily senses, thus Divine Truth Sensual; that is, sensual truth in perfect harmony with, and subservience to, Divine or religious truth: and glory, finally, the highest Divine Truth; and in the supreme sense the Lord Himself, from Whom alone flows, and Who alone Is, glory or Truth in the spiritual sense: "Who is this King of Glory? The Lord strong and mighty, the Lord mighty in battle. Lift up your heads, oh! ye gates, even lift them up ye everlasting doors, and the King of Glory shall come in!" (Psalm xxiv. 8, 9.)

Question 4. The 14th and 53rd Psalms are (with the exception of a word or two) the same-how is it that Swedenborg gives a different exposition of the internal sense of each in his work on the Prophets and Psalms?

A. Spiritual truth is infinitely rich and various, like the interior organization of many of God's works, which outwardly appear as one, while internally they are marvels of complex and intricate phenomena. Thus every verse of the Word has probably manifold spiritual meanings; and it is quite certain, at least, that no one spiritual exposition which may be given of any text or passage, can exhaust the treasures of Divine Wisdom contained in it. Therefore in explaining these two Psalms, Swedenborg would naturally take the opportunity of varying the spiritual instruction to be drawn from them; especially as much depends on the series in which a passage is placed; and it may be that the one or two words in which the psalms differ the 14th using the word "Lord" where the 53rd has it “God ”—are in themselves the determining cause of a quite different aspect of spiritual truth. "Lord," as it is well known, has reference more especially to the Lord in Himself, as Divine Love; "God," rather to His manifestation to man as Divine Truth. Question 6. What spiritual instruction is conveyed in Rev. xiii. 18?

A. A detailed answer might better be sought in Swedenborg's work on the Apocalypse Explained; but the following may give some idea of the meaning of the passage. The number signifies the nature or quality-and that here given, 666, will signify nearly the same as 6; the same idea being conveyed in a less limited form; just as in decimals any number may be indefinitely repeated without altering the value of the series. Six days, signify, we know, all the evil, labour, and strife of man's unregenerate state; the seventh, or Sabbath, signifying the complete peace of the regenerate state, or life of the Lord with man. The number of the beast may therefore be said to signify all evils and falses in their complex; because from evil affections and falses alone flow all the wickedness and misery, deceit and tyranny, which constitute the reign of the beast. And the beast may not improperly, therefore, be considered a personification of self-love under some one of its multiform aspects; self-love being at once the source and sum of all evil and all falsehood.

It should run :

ERRATA. In the fifth verse of "The Comforter," in the April No., the last two lines stand:"But none have for my hurt found healing "And where, for endless rest, to flee ?" "But now have for my hurt found healing "And where, for endless rest, to flee." Page 123, line 14, for perceptions read perfection.