members of the Church in England; the Royal Society of Sweden, a society similar to the French Academy, has now struck a medal in reference to his prophetical character, and to the great spiritual Revelations he was the chosen instrument to makethus, says the Report, "inaugurating, the first year after his centenary, and the year of the completion of the first half century of this Society, in a manner which realizes one of his predictions, that the world would be ripe for the New Church 100 years after his time.' "*

A review of the state of the Society, and of its operations during the last 50 years, is then presented, and of which we purpose to give some account when the Report is published.

The project of having a portrait painted of the Rev. A. Clissold, as a recognition of the many important services he has rendered to the Society,-to be placed in the Hall, has not been carried into effect on account of an objection entertained upon the matter by the gentleman himself.

The resolution as to the Jubilee of the Society, by which the Committee were requested to consider the propriety of holding a public meeting on the occasion, resulted in holding of the usual Anniversary, without any special allusion to, or celebration of, the event.

ANNIVERSARY OF THE NEW JERUSALEM CHURCH SUNDAY-SCHOOL, MIDDLETON.

ON Sunday, July 10, the annual sermons on behalf of the above-named institution were preached in the Temple, Wood Street, Middleton, by the Rev. E. Madeley, of Birmingham. Collections were made at the close of each sermon, amounting together to the sum of £33 1s. 9d.

On Monday evening, the 11th inst., a tea meeting, consisting of above 130 persons, was held in the school-room. After tea a public meeting was held, when the numbers were increased to about 160. Mr. Edmund Howarth, of Middleton, was called to the chair.

The meeting was opened by singing and prayer; and the Chairman, as an introduction to the business of the evening, read the 133rd Psalm. He remarked that this Psalm was expressive of a social gathering, and he had considered it appropriate, as the subject for discussion was, "the Social and Religious Signs of the Times." Sociality was a remarkable feature of the present times, and religion and sociality should go together-they were inseparable. The mind ought to be sometimes open to social feelings and enjoyments.

Mr. Mackereth, of Manchester, then addressed the meeting. The subject for consideration was the social and religious signs of the times, and a man must have “a Seal upon his Lips," who could not speak upon such a subject. The state of man was in proportion to the state of sociality and religion. Some attributed the change that had taken place in the world within the last 100 years to education; but education was only one of the results of social improvement. He then referred to the religious signs of the times, and commented severely on the style of popular preaching which had been so prevalent of late.

Mr. Seddon, of Salford, addressed the meeting on the subject of the evening, followed by Mr. Thomas Robinson, of Failsworth, who among many valuable remarks, observed that religion did not mean theology; theology only signified doctrines, while religion signified practice, for all religion had relation to life.

* We learn that this medal has, by order of the Society, been called in to be altered, and will not be ready for circulation till the end of August.-ED.

Mr. John Holt, of Middleton, felt himself incapable of expressing the benefits he had received from the sabbath-school in connection with that place, where they were taught such principles as would uplift the young, and fit them for society.

The meeting was further addressed by Messrs. John Jacques, Joseph Partington, and James Whittaker, of Middleton; and afterwards by Mr. Thompson, of Manchester, who observed that one of the signs of the times was progress. He briefly reviewed the progress of society at large, and made some pointed remarks on sabbath-school tuition. Mr. Thomas Kay made some allusion to the history of the New Church in Middleton, and expressed the pleasure he had in seeing the progress which had been made.

The Chairman next introduced to the meeting the Rev. E. Madeley, who expressed the delight he had in meeting the friends on that occasion. When he first visited Middleton they occupied a small room, and were very few in numbers. It was gratifying to see such a large increase. His father before him was always delighted with the Middleton people, believing them to be warm-hearted and intelligent. He was glad to see so many young people amongst them, and hoped they would be looked after and educated in the doctrines of the New Church, and that those doctrines would be carried into the families, and thus would be formed a church upon earth. He gave some statistics of the state of society in 1757, and shewed how the people had progressed and improved since that time. And in conclusion, speaking of the Lord's New Church, he said it was not confined to any sect or party, but was designed to include the wise and good of every name and clime.

The whole proceedings were of a very interesting character, and were much enlivened by the introduction of music of the best character and judiciously selected.

EPISTOLARY CORRESPONDENCE OF THE EARLIER MEMBERS OF THE CHURCH.-LETTER V.

Mr. James Glen.

London, 8th February, 1807=50.

DEAR SIR,-I was in hopes I should have had it in my power to send you by this conveyance the first intended Report of the Proceedings of the respective Societies of N. C., but on inquiry I find it will yet be some weeks before the same can be published. I have lately heard it asserted that there are at least 38 Societies of Readers of the Writings of E. S., formed in different parts of England, who are supposed to consist in the aggregate of upwards of 3,000 persons; and it has been suggested that if each individual were to subscribe only one penny per week, (which would amount to £650 per annum,) it would enable the General Committee to appoint three ministers at a salary of £100 per annum each, to be sent forth as missionaries into different parts of the kingdom to preach the glad tidings of the New Jerusalem Dispensation; the remaining £350 might remain as a fund towards printing and advertizing the Works. I should be glad to hear of such a proposal being brought forward, as even the poorest of the brethren might contribute so small a sum without inconvenience to themselves. I am also told that Mr. Clowes has lately received information, that a Swedish bishop, and sixty other clergymen in Sweden and Denmark, have become proselytes to the truths of the Writings, and openly preach and avow them; this is pleasing intelligence; may the Lord in His Divine Love and Wisdom strengthen the influx, is my sincere prayer.

In one of my former letters I mentioned an intention of proposing to you a few

queries, on subjects concerning which I have never been able in the course of my reading or conversation to obtain satisfactory solutions, viz.

1. Concerning the antiquity of our Earth or Planet.

It is a common received opinion among Chronologers, that the age of our globe is about 6000 years; which ideas appear to be drawn from the literal sense of the Word. There have, however, been some persons who have thought otherwise, particularly a Mr. Toulmin, who about thirty-five or forty years ago, wrote a small Treatise entitled the Antiquity of the World, wherein he endeavoured to prove from combined circumstances, that our globe is much older than generally supposed; I formerly saw this Treatise, but cannot now meet with it.

The Chinese annals we know have been carried far beyond the period to which the Scripture chronology assigns the creation of the world; also the learned in the kingdom of Thibet in Great Tartary, bordering on China, together with the Bramins among the Hindoos, who wrote in the Sanscrit language, testify the same.

Mr. John Greaves, Astronomy Profesor at Oxford, published a book in the year 1706, entitled Pyramidographia, wherein among other matters he treats of the great antiquity of the Egyptian pyramids; this book I have in my possession. Mr. Greaves, besides quoting several passages from Herodotus, Diodorus and other Greek writers, mentions certain Arabian traditions, and says that the Sabeans will have one of the pyramids to be the sepulchre of Seth, and likewise that all sciences are to be found within them, inscribed in hieroglyphics, which leads him to the opinion that these stupendous monuments were built before the time denominated by the flood.

The hieroglyphic characters found within the pyramids are, I conceive, no other than the science of correspondences. The Egyptians are said by Strabo to have concealed their learning under many symbols, and were not easily drawn to unfold it: neither does it appear that the most mysterious parts thereof were ever known to foreigners; and it is probable that after the Egyptians were conquered, first by the Persians, and after that by the Greeks, the latter Egyptians scarce understood their own learning, which I am inclined to think was derived from the Chaldeans and Babylonians. Certain it is that the Babylonians were of very high antiquity, their empire also acquired great extent, comprehending Assyria and Persia, and the ancient Persic language, and even the Arabic was found by Sir William Jones to be a dialect of the Chaldean. Cyrus introduced the Magi into Persia, and it is said that the names of most of the Babylonian Deities are to be found in the ancient Sancrit books, and are to this day worshiped in India. It seems however to be the prevailing opinion that the Hebrew is the primeval language, and in that case the Chaldia and Syriac may be derived from it, for it appears the Hebrew language was generally understood down to, and at the time of Moses writing the Pentateuch, and long after. Abraham, though bred in Chaldea, could converse freely with the Egyptians, the Sodomites, and the King of Gerar. Nay, the Israelites, in their journey through the Deserts of Arabia, after they had been some hundred years in Egypt, though joined by a mixed multitude, and meeting with divers kinds of people, had not corrupted their language, and were easily understood; from whence I infer that the Hebrew tongue was then the universal language, owing probably to its simplicity and distinctness. I am personally acquainted with a learned physician, Dr. Bennemore, now residing in London, who is well versed in the Arabic language; he lived some time at Constantinople, and afterwards travelled through Egypt; he informed me that he had been within the great pyramid, and confirms all that travellers and historians have written and related concerning it. The massiness of these structures is wonderful, the base of the largest covering near eleven acres of ground, and near a furlong in height; the greatness of the stones, some of them

thirty feet in length; the richness of the materials, on the inside being marble, hewn out of the mountains of Arabia, the closeness of the joints, and exquisite truth of the work, being as firm as the rock upon which they stand; he told me that on viewing them he was filled with astonishment; soon after he had entered the large pyramid attended by guides with torches, prodigious flights of bats had nearly extinguished the lights!

In the Mosaic account of the creation, it is written, " In the Beginning God created the Heaven and the Earth." E. S. says, "The Beginning meaneth the most Ancient Time; by the prophets it is usually called the Day of Antiquity, and also the DAY OF ETERNITY." As to what period of time had elapsed from the beginning of the most ancient people to that of the flood, I can form no data on which to ground an opinion. Time is not predicable of spiritual ideas; a thousand years with the Lord are as one day, and one day as a thousand years. Whenever I have thought on this subject, I have conceived it possible that the antiquity of our earth may be far more remote than is generally supposed. Manifold vestiges appear to prove that the planet we inhabit has undergone various convulsions and changes since its first formation; the prodigious strata of marine productions discovered at the distance of from fifty to more than one hundred miles from the ocean* seem clearly to shew, that the sea at some former period covered many vallies which are now inhabited, perhaps the islands may be the tops of mountains, and the waters which now surround them may overflow those parts that were heretofore fruitful vallies! nay, may not the globe itself be considered not as a solid mass of earth, but rather consisting of substances of fire, air, and water, encrusted with terrene matter; which, supposing it to be forty or fifty miles or more in thickness, would not be more in proportion than as 160 to 8000 (the earth's diameter), or as the rind of an orange to its whole substance. Some ideas of this kind are I think suggested in that beautiful Treatise De Cultu et Amore Dei.

From the observations of astronomers it appears there are at least four other planets in our solar system, besides those formerly known.

The Georgium Sidus, discovered by Dr. Herschell in the year 1781, which (excepting Jupiter and Saturn) is far larger than any of the others.

On the 11th January, 1787, Dr. Herschell discovered two satellites belonging to it. Since then three other primary planets have been discovered by other astronomers, -viz. :

Infinite Love and Wisdom continually is, and ever will be creating new worlds, and recipients for happiness. The Works of the Lord are truly great and marvellous, sought out of all them who have pleasure therein. Amen, Hallelujah!

2. Whence is the origin of the blacks (the Africans)? Are they the remains or descendants of the antediluvians, or did Infinite Love and Wisdom originally create on this globe more than one of the human race?

3. Is the animal described by those celebrated naturalists, Linnæus and Buffon, and called by the Indians Mammoth, still in existence? is it not the Behemoth mentioned in the Book of Job?

Certain it is that such an animal has existed on our globe; and the tradition is, that it was a carnivorous animal, and the skeleton of one of them lately exhibited in London, shews it to have been of unparalleled magnitude, at least five or six times the * It is said that shells have been found in the Andes, in South America, 15,000 feet above the level of the ocean.

cubic size of the elephant; the grinders are five times as large, are square, and the grinding surface with four or five rows of blunt points, whereas those of the elephant are broad and thin, and their grinding surface flat, from whence, and from an examination of the form and structure of the tusks, Dr. Hunter, the late anatomist, declared they were essentially different from those of the elephant. In the hope of hearing from you soon. I remain, dear Sir,

Your sincere friend and co-recipient, HENRY SERVANTÉ.

Correspondence.

CONFIRMATION OF SWEDENBORG's DESCRIPTIONS IN SOME MEMORABLE RELATIONS.

To the Editor.-Sir, This month's communication is very different, perhaps not quite so pleasing as the two which preceded it; it is not, however, less illustrative of New Church doctrine, which teaches that the spiritual state determines the external circumstances of our being, certainly and quickly in the spiritual world, but often to a striking extent, even in this comparatively slow moving material phase of our existence. Take the following picture, which might be an extract from a memorable relation, instead of from "Chambers' Journal":—

"The professional thieves are those who follow no other ostensible calling-who live solely, and we might almost say avowedly, by pilfering or defrauding their neighbours. They are a class or trade altogether apart from the rest of the community. They have their own dwellings generally in quarters where few honest people are to be found; they associate principally or solely with one another; they have, like men in other occupations, their own houses of call, their own instruments and tools, their own rules and maxims of the trade,' their own organisation and division of labour; nay, though in this they are less exclusive, their especial recreations and amusements, wherein the ill-gotten gains of their profession are squandered as lightly as they are earned. There are, in all large towns, certain neighbourhoods which are their head-quarters, and to which they resort from all the various regions round about, where they may have been carrying on their operations. These haunts are narrow, dingy, and most unpleasant to traverse; the houses are tall, rickety in construction, and unsafe in appearance; the windows glazed with coarse, green glass, and when that is broken, in a row, or by some drunken passer by, the place is filled with the first dirty piece of cotton rag that comes conveniently to hand. In many of these streets every other dwelling is a low beer house, whose upper rooms serve the purpose of a lodging-house, and are filled with closely packed beds of most uninviting aspect. Above, all is dirt, darkness, and squalor; below, at the time when these places are most crowded, there prevails an uncomfortable, cheerless, riotous gaiety, the inmates of these hovels assembling round a dirty table, on a floor innocent of washing since first it received the contributions of beer-dregs and tobacco-juice, which are every evening augmented. Here the plunder of the congregated thieves is spent in the coarsest kind of dissipation; in drinking beer, or, less often, gin and brandy, in the lowest condition of adulteration; in gambling with filthy dominoes, or filthier cards; or in other amusements of a nature still more coarse and criminal. But if there be one feature which is common alike to the men and their dwellings, it is the all-pervading appearance of comfortless squalor which distinguishes them, above the very worst of the orders from which this class of thieves chiefly come. Honest labourers, even when very poor, would shrink from the utter wretchedness of these miserable abodes. Yet, for the sake of the dissipations which they here enjoy, these