He powerfully shews that the priests, by virtue of their office, and of their profession, as "standing aloof from the world," and of their consequent ignorance of secular things, were totally unfit to represent the people in the Assembly of Deputies. We can readily imagine that M. Bayot, by this publication, must have brought upon himself the hatred and vengeance of the priests, which, soon after the appearance of the pamphlet, he began to experience in a thousand ways. His sincerity, however, and his manliness in avowing his interior convictions, are abundantly evident, and have weighty claims on our esteem and regard.

THE TERM SWEDENBORGIAN.

Possibly on reflection, the editor of the Intellectual Repository may regret that he allowed his over-zealous correspondent "A." to brand any of his readers with the charge of "sacrilege," on account of their adoption of a different definition of the term "Swedenborgian," for verily that is the real, and as I judge, the only question at issue between "A." and those amongst us who call themselves Swedenborgians.

The world calls us "Swedenborgians;" and consistently with the fair use and meaning of the English language, as common to us all, I maintain that it ought not, and therefore cannot be reasonably expected, to call us any thing else; and therefore it is unreasonable on our parts to ask them to call us anything else; and useless to give ourselves any other name in communicating with them; and injurious to us, in their estimation, to refuse the name which, in common justice, we ought to accept under the circumstances. I think the Golden rule teaches this conclusion.

a

I commonly call myself a Swedenborgian. Lately in talking with stranger, "I presume," said he, "you are a Unitarian;" to this I replied, "No, I am a Swedenborgian." This reply I maintain was proper in every respect, on my part, and dictated by practical common sense. It was accurate as expressing my meaning. Lutheranism, I submit, means Luther's interpretation of the Scriptures; Calvinism, Calvin's interpretation; and Swedenborgianism, Swedenborg's interpretation of the Scriptures. A Lutheran is one who accepts Luther's interpretation, and a Sweden

borgian is one who accepts Swedenborg's interpretation. In fact, to say that there are no Swedenborgians, properly so called, is to say, that there are no receivers of the doctrines of Swedenborg. My reply was suitable to the impression-the reasonable impression of the stranger whom I addressed, and also the most intelligible to him; and I consider that the duty of courtesy requires us to speak as intelligibly as we can, and adapt our expressions to the understanding of others. Suppose I had said "I am a member of the New Jerusalem Church," either I must provoke a feeling of pity for my assumption, or be liable to be told that no such church exists, for such is the belief of all who do not receive the doctrines, and therefore that I cannot be a member of it. If a man told me he was a Latter Day Saint, I should not hesitate to demur to the accuracy of his title, on the ground that "the saints" constitute an invisible body, and are not a visible community. If a man allows me to call myself a member of the New Jerusalem Church, and courteously (to excess) calls me so, what satisfaction ought it to give me, when I know that he gives me the title in an opposite sense to that in which I take it? With me, it implies truth of doctrine; with him, falsehood and fanaticism.

I am engaged with others in promoting "secular education;" the Unitarian minister acts as secretary; and he addresses my letters as such, The Rev.

Swedenborgian Minister,"

What a singular being he would think me if I were to take umbrage at this! Why, I ask, should I incur obloquy and ridicule by objecting to a title which, on his principles, is quite accurate? Why should I tell him to call me by a name not consistent with his conscientious principles? Really, I might with equal propriety insist that my servant should designate me My lord," and "Your lordship," to which he sees I have no title, as to ask another to call me by a religious title to which he conscientiously believes I have no right. I shall certainly persist in calling myself a "Swedenborgian," in accordance with my own views of duty, notwithstanding that "A." so confidently dictates to me, with something like an anathema at the tail of his dictation, the contrary line of duty.

More might be said, but believing I

have said enough, I forbear to bandy left-handed compliments with your too confident correspondent "A." When there are too sides to a question, and one is brought forward in the Intellectual Repository, (especially in the extraordinary strain adopted by "A.,") I consider that common justice requires that the other side should be allowed to be presented, and in the present case, to be presented by any one who, with CLOWES, (in his tract entitled "The Swedenborgian, a Portrait,") on the grounds above mentioned, calls himself A SWEDENBORGIAN.

P.S.-Akin to the objection of "A." is the assertion that the New Church is not a sect, as if the word sect were a theological term at variance with New Church theology, instead of being a civil term, referring to the sections or divisions of the population of Christendom. The Romanists say they are a church and not a sect, as Protestants call them the Church of England say they are not a sect, as dissenters call them I cannot but think it beneath the true dignity of the New Church to engage in such a bootless strife as this. Every dictionary of our language will bear me out in affirming, that a Christian sect is a section of the Christian world; and can it be questioned that the receivers of Swedenborg's interpretation of the Scriptures are a section or portion of the Christian population, for that is what is properly meant when they are designated a sect?

:

THE TERM "SWEDENBORGIANISM."

To the Editor.

SIR, In your last number a correspondent writes on the impropriety of New Churchmen employing the term 66 Swedenborgianism" in reference to themselves. It may be interesting to your readers to know that this term was first applied to the doctrines of the New Church by the enemies of Swedenborg, about the year 1769. In the "Documents concerning Swedenborg," at p. 178, we find that in a letter to Dr. Beyer, he mentions Swedenborgianism as the term of reproach with which his enemies at Gottenburg, especially the Dean and Count Ekablad, had endeavoured to stigmatise his writings. The conclusion, however, I think, is that although there is no necessity, but an obvious impropriety, as your correspondent states, in

New Church people using the term among themselves; still I do not see how they can avoid employing it in reference to strangers. Thus, if a stranger inquires of what denomination a person is who has received the doctrines of the New Church, he might with propriety reply "I am a New Churchman, commonly called a Swedenborgian." This would be sufficiently explicit, and yet give the stranger to believe that we do not apply to ourselves the term "Swedenborgian," but that of New Churchmen. Moreover, it is quite certain that we shall only be known by the state, and recognised in all public offices, by the term "Swedenborgians." It appears that, for external purposes, especially in relation to the state, the Lord Himself was "supposed to be the son of Joseph." (Luke iii. 23.) But it would indeed be something worse than

"sacrilege" for Christians to believe that He really was the son of Joseph.-I am, &c., P. O.

SHORT AND PITHY TRACTS.

To the Editor.

I am very

Dear Sir,-Permit me to make an observation or two on that part of the last Report of the Manchester Tract Society which refers to the subject of Short and Pithy Tracts. I had no intention of "raising the whole question of what a tract should be." well satisfied with most of the Manchester series of Tracts. They would, however, have pleased me better if they had been written in a more popular style. But they are, nevertheless, very good; and are very cheap considering the quantity of matter which they contain. They are just the sort of thing which every member of the church should keep by him, for private distribution. They are not too expensive to be given away in ones and twos; but they are far too much to be given away in hundreds. My object, therefore, was not to get the Tract Societies to set aside their present series; but to add a new one; one that should be a short and pithy epitome of the leading tracts of the present series; and which should be printed at such a price, as that they might be given away after every lecture, without much cost. If this could be accomplished, I am sure it would be productive of good. The cheap tracts which are referred to in the

report, which the committee seem to regard as an experiment, are not the thing at all. The subjects are the wrong kind for an experiment. Let the committee try a short and more strikingly written series, on the Trinity, Atonement, Intercession, Redemption, Repentance, Salvation, the Bible, Heaven, Hell, Baptism, Holy Supper, Resurrection, What God is, and how we ought to think of Him, Second Coming of Christ, Swedenborg, &c., and I dare venture to answer for the result. Instead of issuing 21,000 tracts a year, as the Manchester Society at present do, they would issue at least five times as many of the short series, if the subjects were well and popularly written. Let the committee try three or four tracts on the first named subjects, and solicit orders from every society in the church, and it is very probable that their money will return to them within a few months. I may be too sanguine; but the idea seems so feasible, that I am surprised, especially as it is not new, that it has not been fairly and vigorously tried long ago. I hope, however, that the time has now come when a general effort will be made to accomplish the object, and thus add another to our numerous means of doing good.

I am, &c.,

R. EDLESTON.

THE CONFERENCE MAGAZINE.

To the Editor.

DEAR SIR,-I was glad to perceive, from the account in your last number of the proceedings of Conference, that the Magazine has become a profitable investment; but I must strongly express my disapprobation of the attempt to apply the profits arising from its sale either to the "Ministers' Widow's Fund," or to any other fund, while it is supported entirely by voluntary contributions. For with the exception of the small salary of the editor, to enable him to pay the expenses of his extensive correspondence, and to procure the necessary books and literary materials to aid him in his work, I am not aware that any writer gets any remuneration, and it is my opinion that every shilling made by the Magazine ought to be spent on the work until every man is paid for his labour; and then, but not till then, the profits may be disposed of to assist some

other institution of the church. Literary men in the New Church are like literary men in every other church,-seldom blessed with much of this world's wealth, and to expect that they are to devote their time without remuneration is unjust, and to apply the profits arising from their labours to any other purpose is equally so. Besides, the Magazine of the church should not be made, as to its literary composition, a mere plaything, a mere matter which can be attended to when we have nothing else to do; but it ought to be a matter of first importance, and it can never take that position in the literary world which it ought to take except its articles are written by competent men who make literature their business. It is all very well for people like myself to pay my sixpence for the Magazine, and to sit down and get instructed with the labours of other men; but let any one who disputes my opinion sit down after the labours of his business, whatever it may be, and try to write such articles as have appeared in the Magazine as of late years conducted, and then ask himself whether such articles do not deserve being paid for instead of making the writers pay even their own expenses in paper, postages, &c.

I should, therefore, propose for the consideration of the Trustees of Conference, that a scale of remuneration be fixed, like other magazines, at so much per sheet or page, and that the profits in hand from last year be immediately applied to this purpose, and however small the remuneration might, in the first instance, be, yet the principle being acknowledged, I have no doubt the result would be a material decrease in the labours of the Editor, and, in every sense, a more profitable Magazine.

I am, dear Sir,
Yours truly,
JOSEPH SKEAF.

Liverpool, 12th Sept., 1852.
RELIGIOUS SERVICES BY MINISTERS
ATTENDING THE LATE GENERAL
CONFERENCE.

In the report of the proceedings of Conference in our last number, we regret to find that the name of the Rev. E. Madeley was omitted from the list of those who addressed the large public meeting on the Thursday evening. Besides the

services on the two evenings during the Conference, mentioned in our notice last month, we understand that on the previous Snnday the Rev. T. C. Shaw preached twice to the Society at Newcastle, and the Rev. W. Bruce at Edinburgh. On the following Sunday, Messrs. Rendell, Woodman, and Bayley preached at Edinburgh, and Mr. Bruce at Paisley. On the next Sunday, Mr. Shaw preached twice at Glasgow, and Mr. Madeley twice at Edinburgh, and administered the Holy Supper to the society.

As these visits by ministers from distant parts are always appreciated by the societies that receive them, and felt to be refreshing, as producing a healthy excitement, it is very desirable that, whenever practicable, arrangements should be made previous to each Conference for thus engaging such ministers as can make it convenient to undertake. By these means, some of the societies that are without an ordained minister, might have the sacraments duly administered, if not at any other time.

NOTICES OF NEW BOOKS.

The Gospel according to Matthew, with Notes, &c., by D. G. Goyder, now in the press. In answer to numerous

inquiries, whether this work is a reprint of the Rev. J. Clowes's work on the same Gospel, we are requested distinctly to say that it is not. Of course the text will be the same, or where there is any variation sufficient reason will be assigned: and the editor will use the writings of Swedenborg freely and without restraint. In every other sense the two works are distinctly different. Subscribers' names will continue to be received while the work is going through the press; but from and after the day of publication, when the work will pass into the hands of the booksellers, it will be permanently raised in price onethird, that is, from 4s. 6d. to 6s. 6d. Contributions in illustration of any passage in Matthew, and subscribers' names, may be addressed to David Geo. Goyder, Melbourne, Derbyshire, or Ipswich, Suffolk, from whom also detailed prospectuses may be had.

The Third Volume of Spiritual Reflections, with daily prayers, has just been issued. The first and second volumes were by the late Rev. Thomas Goyder. The third volume is by his brother, Mr. D. G. Goyder. The fourth volume, completing the work, is preparing by the same author, and its publication may be expected towards the end of the year.

Died, of rapid consumption, June 28th, in the 28th year of her age, Clementina, the wife of Mr. James Hall, of London. She had always suffered from general weakness of the system, and has frequently said that her body was never strong enough to carry out the desires of her mind; but the disease of which she died did not decidedly manifest itself till within six months of her death, during which time she certainly manifested great patience and resignation to the Divine will. Although a native of Hertfordshire, she was first introduced into the New Church at Newcastle-uponTyne, in the year 1843, about the same period her then future husband first became acquainted with the works of Swedenborg; and the writer, one of the many friends who knew and respected her for her genuineness of character and general good qualities, can bear testi

mony to the good result of such reception. Nothing could exceed the earnest and certain confidence she so frequently exhibited during her short illness, in the reality of her future existence, and the happy consciousness that she should soon pass from this world of suffering, to one of happiness and peace. Almost all earthly ties lost their hold upon her affections at the last, and in her deep affliction and suffering she would occasionally murmur at being again restored, after having sunk into unconsciousness, to have again and again to endure the same sad affliction and pain. She has left an only child, a son, who it is hoped will never feel the great loss he has sustained in the death of an anxious and affectionate mother, who has passed into the other world, doubtless to the happy realization of all her bright hopes in this. H. W. B.