creatures, and not with others. This time has arrived for its permanent arose from our limited conception of establishment in a building of its own, the operation of immutable law in and and it has, after considerable difficulty, through which God acted in all things; purchased a most eligible freehold plot the unchangeable sequence of law, when of ground, fifty feet frontage by one rightly understood, proving that God hundred feet deep, upon which it is was good to all, and His tender mercies most anxious to immediately erect a were over all His works.' When man, building which will meet its present either through selfishness or ignorance, urgent requirements. violated God's laws of wisdom and The purchase of the land having cost benevolence, God permitted these laws the Society nearly all its invested to react upon him in order to teach money, the Committee beg respectfully him wisdom, and to impress upon to solicit subscriptions from the various him the folly of living in this world societies and friends of the Church to without a due regard to the interests aid them in this their undertaking. of others. And when man lived in Cheques and Post-Office Orders may violation of the laws of God, either be made payable to the Treasurer, Mr. physically or spiritually, he did so at William Palmer, 15 Clare Street, his peril. He then instanced the Bristol, and will be thankfully and present awful state of India, and said promptly acknowledged. that famines were no uncommon thing in its history. But he traced the famine and the miseries thence resulting to the ignorance and the supineness of the people on the one hand, and to the thoughtless selfishness of their rulers on the other. The people cared very little who ruled over them so that they got their modicum of rice, and liberty to indulge in their superstitious rites; and their rulers, both native and foreign, did not look so much to the welfare of the people as they did to the amount of wealth they could make out of them. He denied that God was the cause of the present troubles of India; the cause lay in bad management, and the sooner the people of this country came to see this the better it would be for all. When India was better governed, and the rich produce of the country was more justly distributed among the people; when public works were set agoing for efficiently irrigating the soil, we should hear no more of starvation and famine being caused by Almighty God. The collection amounted to £5, 10s."

DERBY.-This Society has for some time been desirous of relieving itself from the remaining part of the old debt upon its church and school, and im mediately after the whole of the money had been paid for the new erection, additions, and alterations, made in 1875 amounting to about £1600, Mr. Clemson brought forward the subject of paying the old debt also, and expressed a fervent wish that it should be done in his lifetime, at the same time offering £100 towards the necessary amount. This offer was supported by Messrs. Robert and Harry Ward, £100; and Mrs. Roe expressed a desire and obtained the sanction of the Committee to get up a bazaar for the same object. This latter effort was ultimated on the 26th, 27th, and 28th of September by the Ladies' Committee assembling in the Lecture Hall with a numerous and varied assortment of things of use and beauty, which, when arranged on the various stalls, presented a very handsome sight, and was pronounced by the press and the public a bazaar of unusual BRISTOL.-The members and friends excellence. The Mayor opened the of the above Society have for several bazaar with a pleasing and encouraging years past felt the absolute necessity of speech, and sales immediately coma place of worship dedicated solely to menced, the results being most satisthe Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. factory, the first day's proceeds being The discomfort and inconvenience of a enough to clear the debt. The total hired room, which is also used for amount taken was £480, which was consecular purposes, and badly situated, tributed from stalls presided over by have proved to be a great impediment Mrs. George Holme and Miss Holme; to the proper spread of the heavenly Mrs. Roe and Mrs. Ashby; Mrs. F. doctrines of the New Jerusalem. Ward and Mrs. Johnson; Mrs. Harry The Society is convinced that the Ward and Miss Ward; Mrs. Duesbury

points of use and gratification were taken up in turn by the chairman, Dr. Sheldon, Mr. A. Pixton, Mr. Parkes, Mr. Horn, and other gentlemen who were present, while a capital selection of songs and glees, contributed by the members of the choir, under the direction of Mr. Hignett, added much to the enjoyment of all present.

and Mrs. Cook; Miss Knight and Miss the Rev. R. Goldsack, the business of Taylor, assisted by very energetic the evening was proceeded with. Various friends. A very enjoyable soiree took place in the Athenæum Room the following Wednesday evening, and on Tuesday evening, October 9th, the Church Committee met in the schoolroom and received the nett amount, £432 odd after paying all expenses, and £10 unanimously voted by the Ladies' Committee to Mrs. Ashby. A unanimous vote of thanks was accorded to Mrs. Roe and the Ladies' Committee, and the desire of the Committee expressed that arrangements should be made at an early date for a social Church-meeting to express our gratitude for the great success we have met with, and thank our many friends.

F. W.

LONDON ARGYLE SQUARE (From The Islington Gazette of September 26th)."The handsome church belonging to the disciples of Emanuel Swedenborg, which is situated in Argyle Square, was reopened on Thursday evening last after a six weeks' holiday, during which period the building has been very effecEMBSAY.-On Sunday, September tively restored and re-decorated at a cost 30th, sermons were preached, afternoon of upwards of £700. The exterior has and evening, in the New Jerusalem been put into thorough repair; the Church, Embsay, in aid of the dayschool connected with that place of worship, by the Rev. P. Ramage, of Kersley. In the afternoon the rev. gentleman selected his text from Exodus xv. 27, and preached an able sermon on the subject of "Elim and its palm trees," and in the evening on "Shall we know our friends in heaven?" The discourses were attentively listened to by good congregations on both occasions; the preacher's plain yet forcible delivery, rendered all the more effective by appropriate illustrations, being admired by all. The choir, which is under the able leadership of Mr. Mitton, of Skipton, for a village choir, is a very good one. They sang two anthems, that in the afternoon being "Praise the Lord, O Jerusalem," in the evening "Daughter of Zion." Collections were taken at the close of each service, which amounted to £6, 12s.

gallery windows enlarged so as to secure additional light and ventilation through the front of the church; the interior cleansed; and the walls, columns, and ceiling coloured in distemper, the tints employed being of simple stone-colour, excepting for the circular shafts in each group of pillars, which have been lightly tinted to imitate red Mansfield stone. The large blank-arched recesses in each transept have been subdivided so as to harmonize with the corresponding recess in the chancel bearing the Commandments, with a view to the writing upon each pair of arches thus created appropriate Scripture texts. The seats have also been rearranged, in order to increase the space round the communion and in the side aisles, whilst the school-rooms, tea-room, etc., on the basement have been cleansed and repaired, and increased lavatory accommodation provided. The work has been done under the superintendence of Mr. Woodward, the architect, and appears to have given great satisfaction to the members of the congregation.

LIVERPOOL.-The Society in this town had a very pleasant re-union on the evening of the 25th ult., when the customary "Conference tea-meeting" "On Thursday evening the service took place. The object of this little was preceded by a tea-meeting, at gathering is to give the representatives which nearly 150 were present, and this at the preceding Conference an oppor- was afterwards so increased that the tunity of stating their experiences and impressions, so that the interests and welfare of the Church may be the better advanced. On the present occasion the tables were well filled with guests. After tea, under the chairmanship of

church was well filled in every part. Several ministers of other Swedenborgian congregations assisted at the service, and the choir was supplemented by that of the Camden Road Church (Dr. Tafel's). Three anthems were sung during this

service, which was followed by a sermon school by the Rev. Dr. Bayley. After from the Rev. John Presland, the able a hymn had been sung by the children, and popular minister of the Society, who Mr. Hanson, the superintendent of the selected for his text the words in Haggai school, delivered a short address. Some ii. 4 Yet now be strong, O Zerub- recitations by the scholars followed, babel, saith the Lord; and be strong, after which the prizes were distributed. O Joshua, son of Josedech, the high Other recitations and a hymn followed, priest; and be strong, all ye people of when it was announced that the next the land, saith the Lord, and work; for part of the programme would be "buns I am with you, saith the Lord of Hosts.' and apples," a part which was done at In a fine and very eloquent way, Mr. least as much justice to by the children Presland pointed out that the whole of as the preceding ones. At this stage of the prophecy was intended to stimulate the proceedings an incident of much the Jews to the rebuilding of the Temple, interest took place. This was the presen and although in its absolutely historical tation of a testimonial, in the shape of a sense it had no reference to our present gold watch and chain, to Mr. James necessities and obligations, yet it con- Browne, who, as secretary of the Mutual tained many useful lessons bearing upon Improvement Society, has won the rethe present position of those whom he was addressing. These lessons the preacher proceeded to point out, and concluded his discourse with an earnest application of the words: For I am with you, saith the Lord.'

"At the close of the sermon an offertory was taken up, amounting to £17, 9s. 2d., which will be devoted to the expenses of the restoration; and it was announced that the afternoon service on Sunday last would be of a character more immediately suited to children, the church being specially decorated on the occasion."

gard of a large circle of friends. Dr. Bayley in presenting this expressed his regret at the departure of Mr. Browne, and the sense of high esteem in which both he, and those he represented on the occasion, held the services he had rendered to the Society. He trusted that the souvenir of their affection he now handed him would, in addition to its useful properties, remind him constantly of the friends at Ken. sington, and the interest they took in his welfare. The proceedings were then concluded with the hymn "Onward, Christian Soldiers.'

دو

The writer of this article, who writes over the signature of "the Theological SOUTHPORT.-On Monday, October Cosmopolitan," thus concludes his 1st, the members and friends of the notice "The Swedenborgian denomi- Church held a tea-meeting, in the Tempernation is the most respectable of all ance Hall, Mr. R. Iddon in the chair. those which are technically called 'un- About eighty sat down to tea, and the orthodox.' Its teaching abounds with numbers increased to about one hundred philosophy of the deepest and rarest for the meeting. Rev. R. Goldsack, of kind, and is essentially an intellectual Liverpool, expressed his pleasure at creed. In a sense it is a spiritual rationa- seeing so many there to bid God-speed lism, and love to man is honestly to Mr. Thornton on his departure to preached because it is honestly practised. Australia-the country from which he The hypocrites of the Broad Church (the speaker) came when quite a young party, who boast their exclusive keeping man. He said it seemed strange that of the eleventh commandment, might he should have come here and another with advantage study the works of go there, both seeking their sphere of Emanuel Swedenborg; and if they usefulness in the Church. He wished should further require prompt living Mr. Thornton a safe voyage, and a joyful commentaries on these works, let them try for immediate introductions to some good New Church families. By their fruits ye shall know them."

LONDON (Kensington Palace Gardens Church).-On Thursday evening, September 27th, the prizes were presented to the successful scholars in the Sunday

welcome on the other side. No doubt the friends here would miss their loved minister and friend very much, but if it was a loss to them, it was a great gain to their brethren in the colonies.

The Rev. J. J. Thornton, in thanking the meeting for their kind wishes, said that he should always remember the twelve months spent at Southport with

afterwards made by Mr. Thornton, Mr. Isherwood, of Heywood, and Mr. Charles Ashworth, and the meeting closed by the benediction.

pleasure, not only for the kindness of the doctrines. He concluded by wishthe Society as a body, but of each ing Mr. Thornton a pleasant journey to member. They had one and all done his new home. Short addresses were their utmost to make himself and his family happy. The Church had improved, and he hoped would improve still more under the coming minister. He thought more of the members and friends should take part in the work, and so have an interest in it. Thanking all for their kindness, past and present, he bade them an affectionate farewell. Mr. Brierly was called on to introduce the Rev. Wm. B. Hayden (late of Portland, U.S., America), who has accepted an engagement for the next six months. He said Mr. Hayden would find the Society to be only in its infancy. There was still plenty of work requiring willing hearts and hands. He thought their greatest want was a schoolroom in connection with the church, where they could have social and other meetings; and he hoped the time was not distant when something would be done to meet this requirement. Mr. Brierly had no doubt that Mr. and Mrs. Hayden would make themselves at home amongst them, as he was sure the members would do their best to make them feel so.

YORK.-The New Church Society of this city being visited by the Rev. W. B. Hayden, of Portland, U.S.A., handbills were circulated announcing morning and evening services for Sunday, September 23rd, and collections in aid of the India Famine Relief Fund. The claims of this urgent charity were placed before the audience, and the collections, amounting to £6, 6s., duly paid to the Town Clerk, who is appointed to receive contributions for this Fund. In view of the distress prevailing amongst our fellow-subjects in India, affecting, as it needs must, the whole body of the British empire, the subject of Mr. Hayden's morning discourse was opportune and suggestive: "Thou shalt consider in thine heart, that, as a man chasteneth his son, so the Lord thy God chasteneth thee" (Deut. viii. 5). This inspired sentence not only formed the head, but the very heart of an address, in which Mr. Hayden appeared to unbosom both his text and himself,-God's mercy in man's misery being viewed from the interior domain of Divine ends and causes, and delineated with a searching orderly accuracy, which to New Church thinkers is the highest form of eloquence.

Mr. G. H. Tidswell (Secretary) remarked that Mr. Hayden was quite a stranger to them, except by his works, but hoped they would be able to make him comfortable, and had no doubt they would find him to be the right man for the place. The Rev. Wm. B. Hayden rose to thank the friends for his kind reception. He said that the social The evening discourse was founded intercourse of the evening, and the hints upon Rev. xxi. 21: "And the street of received from the various speakers, had the city was pure gold, as it were given him great pleasure, and shown transparent glass." Mr. Hayden alluded what was wanted more than months of to the phenomenon of vitrifaction, or work would have done. He already the mode in which glass is produced from felt so much at home that he could sand, mixed with other opaque subquite see that it was needful for all stances, the union and elevation of these hands to be at work. Social meetings ingredients by the agency of heat into and the coming of friends from transparency, and the further elaboraother places brought the Church as tion of glass into beautiful and a body into harmony of thought exalted uses in the telescope, the microand action, which could not be at scope, etc. From the transparency of tained without the greatest difficulty glass, and the spiritual correspondences on the other side of the water; the involved in a manufacture emulous to distances being so great that it was equal the peerless radiance of the quite an undertaking to attend a meeting diamond, ruby, and emerald, the at another place, while here an hour or preacher adverted to the Urim and two was sufficient for the purpose. But, Thummim; to the gems flashing reon the other hand, our friends in America sponsive light and guidance on the had the advantage of us in having a breastplate of Aaron, and representing press more favourable to the spread of the supernal truths of heaven and the