poral power; or (3) we are on the eve of great catastrophes in Europe, and the breaking up of the whole fabric of social order,-events of which the destruction of the temporal power of the Pope is only the forerunner, or, so to speak, the first Job's message." Upon this view of the subject we shall only observe that, in case the Pope should be reduced to the position of only the chief Bishop of the Roman Catholic Church, the Gallican Church would have no alarming apprehensions of the total destruction of social order, and only congratulate the Ultramontanist on the arrival of such a happy result.

After a long interval, one of the semiofficial replies to the "Essays and Reviews," on the part of the Church of England, has at length appeared, with & Preface by the Bishop of Oxford. Mr. Rorison undertakes to answer Mr. Goodwin on the subject of the seven days in the Mosaic narrative of the creation, which he does by candidly acknowledging that no satisfactory interpretation of these days has yet been given, and that no one has any right to find fault with Mr. Goodwin for his rejection of the absurd theories by which it has been attempted to reconcile this chapter of the book of Genesis with geology. Mr. Rorison's theory upon the subject is, that the first chapter is a psalm, and as such sublimely poetical. This state of matters, we cannot but think, is calculated to produce a sensation! Many looked forward to the "Seven Replies with the expectation of their giving "crushing" replies to the "Essays and Reviews;" but this very important subject of the days in Genesis is given up. The whole theological world seems to be in a state of great uneasiness.

The "Westminster Review," when speaking of The Heresies among the Working Classes, observes that Spiritism has made some persons proselytes who otherwise would not have been so. On the other hand, the Bishop of Oxford speaks, in his Preface, of "the blasphemies of American Spiritualism." It is a happy thing for the cause of the New Church that the Swedenborg Society has maintained its independence upon this point, and its adherence to the Scriptural teaching of Swedenborg.

It may be interesting and useful to

some of our readers to notice that the Rev. Edward Monro, of St. John's

church, Leeds, stated at a clerical meeting, held at Whitehall toward the latter end of December, that he had mixed with various crowds at the Secularist places of meeting in Leeds, and found that nearly all present were men not committed to, or prejudiced in favour of infidelity, but evidently present from curiosity, and a strong sense of giving fair play and hearing to all parties. One Secularist established a Sunday Bible class, in which to teach the absurdity of believing the Bible. It was crowded. As each one of the class fell into apostacy, he gave up his Bible to be burnt. One of Mr. Monro's Sunday-school teachers, a youth who was preparing to become a communicant, actuated by the prevalent itching after inquiry, went to the Secularist's class. In a few Sundays his place in the school was vacant; he had joined the Secularists, and burnt his Bible!

National events have a moral and spiritual as well as a political and economical side, and we may look at the one without at the same time fixing our attention on the other. We say this much as an apology for introducing into the columns of a religious publication the record of an event which, from its vast moral and spiritual influence, seems not undeserving of being chronicled as one of the memorabilia of the month. When in our last number we recorded a death that made the sovereign of these realms a widow and her children orphans, the whole nation was touched with one universal feeling of sorrow and sympathy, as deep and tender as a nation's sorrow and sympathy could well be. Yet, at the very time we were mourning over the loss of one, with its domestic and national bereavement, we stood, seemingly, on the brink of a catastrophe that must have swept our own land and that of a kindred nation as with the besom of destruction, that must have carried thousands of brave men on both sides into a bloody and untimely grave, turning thousands of happy wives into disconsolate widows, and more thousands of cherished children into unprotected orphans. But these are not the only, perhaps not even the worst or most enduring evils which must have followed such a conflict as that which appeared to be imminent. The fierce passions that war evokes, the cruel enmity which it nurtures, the deep national antipathies

which it perpetuates, are, if possible, still greater evils than the desolation and woe which it carries into the homes of the people. Have we not then the most abundant reason to express our profound gratitude to that Being by whose divine mercy the threatened calamity, fraught with so many and such enormous evils, has been so bappily averted? And may we not hope and pray that the principles of the gospel of peace, which on this occasion have providentially triumphed, may henceforward be more carefully cultivated by the members of both these great communities, and find their way into all their feelings towards and their transactions with each other?

RHODES.-OPENING OF THE NEW JERU

SALEM PLACE OF WORSHIP AND
SUNDAY SCHOOL.

This event, which stands among the foremost in the history of this longestablished society, and which has been looked forward to with great eagerness for nearly two years, took place on the 29th December last.

The dedication of this handsome and commodious new building to the service of the Lord Jesus Christ, the only God of heaven and earth, was performed by the Rev. J. B. Kennerley, of Salford, who preached two powerful sermons on the occasion. The afternoon discourse was from the words " Behold, I make all things new." Throughout this discourse the preacher had special regard to the doctrines of the New Church, the truth of which he showed in a most convincing manner. In his usual masterly style, he explained the doctrine of the Trinity, remarking that the New Church view of this hitherto perplexing dogma was one of the new things contained in the prophecy which formed his text; and he elucidated the doctrines of redemption, regeneration, the divinity and sanctity of the Word, with as much completeness as could be done in a single lecture. The clearness with which these subjects were treated could not fail to give the audience a correct view of the new and glorious things to be taught in the new building. The evening discourse was from Exodus xx. 24, 25-"An altar of earth shalt thou make unto me," &c. In the exposition of this passage, the practical nature of the Word, when examined in the light

of the New Church, was strikingly manifested. A condensation of the sermon it would scarcely be possible to give in this notice. The explanation of its spiritual sense was so lucid, and its practical application was so forcible, that the attention of the audience was riveted, and their hearts roused to higher aspirations after a holy life.

On the 1st Jan., the Rev. John Hyde, of Derby, also delivered two eloquent discourses in connection with the opening. The text in the morning was the first verse of the cxxii. Psalm-" I was glad when they said unto me, Let us go into the house of the Lord." The subject evolved from these words was the true nature of the Lord's Church, which was considered, in a particular sense, as relating to the heart of man, when he is working out his regeneration by the expulsion of his evil propensities,-the enemies of his own household, and by the reception from God of those heavenly virtues which constitute the church in man; in a general sense, as including those who in sincerity and true humiliation of heart meet together in the house of God to unite in the worship of their Creator, and to strengthen the bonds of mutual love; and, in a universal sense, as when we consider the Great Source of Being pouring forth His love and light into the hearts and minds of His angelic and human recipients, thereby bestowing on them the means of serving Him more efficiently, and worshipping Him more fervently. The afternoon discourse was on Rev. xxi. 12, 13. The twelve gates of the New Jerusalem were particularly dwelt upon; and that broad, charitable principle of the New Church doctrine which teaches that the good of every religious sect, ay, even of the idolatrous heathen, will be saved, if they continue to walk in the light of that truth which Providence sees best suited to their state, was clearly demonstrated. God is no respecter of persons,-wherever good is to be found, there His blessing will not fail to descend. And there is good to be found in the diminutive Esquimaux, in his cold, murky, sunless regions,-in the wild tawny Indian who scampers in the prairies,-in the Arab, surrounded by the vast burning deserts of his country,-in the uncultured Negro on the sterile plains of Africa, as well as in the civilised white skins of Europe.

This comprehensive subject was so familiarly explained, and delivered with such brilliant oratorical powers, that it elicited the admiration of some who were previously averse to our doctrines.

In the evening a tea meeting was held in the old School-room, which was literally crammed with friends from the various New Church Societies around, and we were greatly rejoiced to see that our invitations were responded to with such unexpected readiness. Including our own members and adult scholars, there were not less than 200 who sat down. After tea the company convened in the new building, where was much mutual greeting between friends whom the occasion had been the means of once more bringing together. When this delightful intercourse had somewhat subsided, Mr. J. Broadfield was unanimously called upon to preside over the meeting. In his opening address he offered some excellent advice for the encouragement of the teachers and other officers of the school. It is to be hoped that the words of wisdom which fell from the lips of that venerable man will be long remembered, and will be acted upon in the performance of their Sunday-school duties.

The Rev. Mr. Boys spoke of the blessedness of subscribing pecuniary donations for the bodily convenience of those who are engaged in the blessed work of communicating religious instruction to children; and he remarked that anything which is given from a good motive for the benefit and extension of the Lord's church on earth, never makes the donor the poorer, not even in an external point of view; for the Divine Providence is extended to, and governs all the particulars of man's life, and He alone is the bestower of every earthly blessing; He only can reward the cheerful giver.

The Rev. Mr. Hyde delivered a very interesting address on the uselessness of acquired knowledge if not brought into actual life, if not used for the charitable purpose of communicating it in such a manner as to render it within the grasp of the perceptive and comprehensive faculties of the docile, patient, willing aspirant. He very beautifully compared genuine living truth to water in motion. Water, when it makes its first appearance by the accumulations

of moisture in the atmosphere, and deposits its new-formed body on living vegetables to give freshness to their beauty and strength to their stems;water, when it drops from leaf to leaf, and trickles down the tender twig, hastening to add its atom of usefulness to the gentle stream which flows on, gladdening the woods with its musical ripple and refreshing the hot atmosphere with its cold purity, till it joins the broad, deep, navigable river;-water, when it dashes its huge waves against the rocks, when its mountainous billows roll along until they have circumvolved the earth and spanned every shore, bearing the wealth of nations on its bosom from land to land ;-water in motion-this is the emblem of that truth which lies, not lifeless in the memory like the still stagnant pool in waste places, but which is ever seeking out some channel by which it may be conveyed to the human heart, in order that it may work out its high and sanctifying purpose. In some such strains as this did Mr. Hyde continue to edify the meeting to the end of his thrilling address.

Appropriate addresses were also given by Messrs. Thos. Ogden, Thos. Potts, E. J. Broadfield, and others.

On the Chairman giving out a hymn, and pronouncing the benediction, this delightful meeting separated about nine o'clock.

As some friends may be wishful to know our exact pecuniary position after the erection of our handsome building, we beg leave to state that the debt which is still owing amounts to £220., of which £200. is owing to the Union Building Fund, to be paid off according to the rules of that society. We would very thankfully accept of subscriptions and donations to enable us to wipe off the odd £20., which would set us upon even ground to continue our good work. We have depended much on the generosity of the church at large in this effort, and are happy to say that, mainly through their liberality, our expectations have been more than realised: for this we render our sincerest thanks to all those who have so generously afforded their assistance, in the hope that they may experience the reward involved in the sentiments of the Rev. Mr. Boys, mentioned above.

SAML. PILKINGTON, Sec.

SALFORD SOCIETY.

To the Editor.

Rev. Sir,- The Committee of the Temple have pleasure in stating that their affectionate and esteemed pastor, the Rev. J. B. Kennerley, has just concluded a course of Lectures on the following interesting subjects :

1. Who and what is God?

2. How can three persons be one God? 3. If Jesus is God, why did the Son pray to the Father?

4. Jesus our Redeemer.
5. The Atonement.

6. Jesus our Saviour.

7. The Invisible World. The Heaven of the Saved. What and where is it? 8. Will the World ever be destroyed by Fire?

9. The Last Judgment. When, where, and how is Man judged?

10. If God is Love, why is Hell? 11. What and whence are Angels? 12. Can Angels and Spirits be seen by Man whilst he lives in the natural World?

13. (By request.) What is Saving Faith? Can Faith alone save Man?

As most of our members reside at long distances, few of them were present; nevertheless the lectures were very well attended, the temple being full on each occasion. To attempt to give even a faint outline of the discourses would take up too much of your space; we may, however, remark that the masterly and eloquent manner in which they were delivered, places our minister in the foremost ranks as an expounder of the Scriptures, and popularizing the doctrines of the church by presenting them in a variety of aspects, so that their efficacy, purity, and rationality, can be seen and felt by each differently constituted mind. We have heard of one reverend gentleman assuring one of his members, who attended these lectures, that if he embraced such doctrines as those promulgated by the New Church, he would certainly be eternally lost; and the answer given was, that he would have to be lost, for he felt that what he had heard must be the truth. We do not see how any one, who was seeking for an enlightened religious belief, could hear the lectures without such a feeling being produced; for each position advanced was proven, 1st, by the testimony of the Word; 2nd, by the test of human reason; and lastly, by a heart

stirring appeal to each individual's own experience, the force and power of which could not fail to dispel any clouds of doubt which existed in the mind, and give it a brighter and purer light, to serve as a beacon in our journey through the ocean of life, warning us of its dangers, and teaching us how our frail humanity may safely be carried over its troubled waters, and the humble, but sincere and earnest soul, find a peaceful and happy home in the mansions of the blest, eternal in the heavens. We may also remark, that on the occasion of the removal of the Prince Consort to the spirit world, we had an appropriate and instructive sermon, based upon the words-"Know ye not that there is a prince and a great man fallen this day in Israel?" Amongst the many excellent ideas given as to the best way in which we could manifest our sympathy to our bereaved Queen, it was suggested that we should, as individuals, faithfully obey her laws. A regret has been expressed by some of our members that this sermon was not published and forwarded to Her Majesty, as they felt certain that as far as human sympathy can alleviate the sufferings of the affiicted mind, its perusal would have afforded her much consolation.

It is gratifying to record, that the condition of our society, regarded either as to increased numbers or its financial position, is much better than it has been for very many years, the result no doubt of the constant and unwearied exertions of its pastor; still, there is much to be done by the members, before it is what a society ought to be. We are also glad to say, that we have an excellent voluntary choir (with the exception of the leading soprano), whose good music and harmonious voices materially aid and strengthen the devotional feelings of public worship. One of our comparatively new members, being desirous to manifest his appreciation of their services, kindly invited them on Friday last to spend a social hour with his family, the minister, and one or two other friends. During the evening, a small but substantial token of respect, contributed by a few of the members, was presented to one of our musical friends, for kind services rendered to the society from time to time. We trust other members will manifest their appreciation of the choir, by following the

example of our friend, for it is these little acts of courtesy, kindness, and friendly recognition of services given, that tend more than anything else to bind a society together in the bonds of brotherly love, and make it, as it were, one harmonious family.

The Committee have pleasure in here acknowledging the many contributions the members and friends have given, during the last few months, to enable them to promote the welfare of the society. We may rest assured, that the more demands a society has upon it, the more likely is it to be maintained in a healthy condition, provided the demands are prudent and judicious ones. The less we have to do, either individually or collectively, the more selfish do we become, until all social feelings are banished from the heart, and our very spheres almost freeze each other. The Committee, therefore, would just whisper to the members, that ere long they will require between £150. and £200. to enable them to beautify the temple, and discharge the small debt still remaining connected with the alterations. We should not, perhaps, make our wants known so publicly, but the Committee do not see that they will have a better opportunity of acquainting the members, and therefore name them, that we may each know what, as a society, we have to do, and endeavour to accomplish it. In conclusion, sincerely do we hope that the ministrations of a faithful, affectionate, and hard-working pastor, may awaken us still more fully to our duties as members of the society, so that we may manifest a more active zeal in promoting its progress, by an enlarged heartfelt sympathy one towards another, that we may become united in the bonds of harmony and affection, each striving to promote the happiness and prosperity of the Lord's church upon earth, and thus prepare ourselves to enjoy more fully its manifold blessings in the kingdom of heaven.-Yours truly, T. S. ATKINSON, Hon. Sec. January 13th, 1862.

To the Editor.

SHEFFIELD.

My dear Sir, I have just returned from a short visit to the society at Sheffield, and as some of the features of my visit will afford me a text on which to express a few thoughts on missions,

perhaps you will oblige me by a corner in the Magazine.

For many years past I have spent the last Sunday in the year at Sheffield. The services of the Sabbath have been advertised, and notwithstanding the festive season of the year, usually well attended. These services were always followed by a social tea meeting on the Monday or Tuesday following, attended by our own friends and a few others who have joined us on these occasions. My removal during the past year to a greater distance from Sheffield, did not prevent our friends from renewing their annual application for my services, and I was happy to find myself in a position to be able to oblige them. The subjects of the discourses selected by our friends, were on the prophecies relating to the second coming. The room occupied by our friends, which will comfortably seat over a hundred, was filled in the morning and quite crowded in the evening. The utmost attention was paid to both the discourses, the deepest interest being manifested in the evening. Several members of other religious communities were present, and we may reasonably hope that some good may be the result of the services. In the morning service I baptized an infant, and at the close of the evening service administered the sacrament of the holy supper. Both these services were felt to be impressive and refreshing, and will be, I feel certain, long remembered.

On the Monday evening the society held their annual social meeting. Nearly all the members were present, and a few others not immediately connected with the society. The evening was spent in a very pleasant manner, being diversified by speeches, recitations, and music. The musical performances were all by members of the society, and were very pleasingly rendered. The addresses also indicated an intelligent acquaintance with the doctrines, and all the proceedings manifested a continued and increasing love for the church.

On one of my former visits to Sheffield, I had the privilege of assisting one of their noble educational institutions, the People's College, by the delivery of a lecture on a scientific subject. The committee of this institution finding that I was in Sheffield, politely sent me an invitation to attend their annual soirée, which was held in the Cutlers' Hall, on