with directly propagating our own views; we should avail ourselves of indirect methods of propagating our principles. We should aid in every endeavour which our minds and hearts can approve as calculated to establish the kingdom of the Lord on earth. And that kingdom has its foundation in everything that is just and true in any and every department of human life. In this way we should also show the practical nature of our principles, at once exemplifying and enforcing their beneficent character.

ENCOURAGEMENT.

THE author of the Book of Proverbs, whom it is customary to designate as the Wise Man, has declared that wisdom's " ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace;" while experience teaches that the effort to reach the height where those ways, strictly speaking, begin is beset with impediments and attended by disquietude. But possibly there is a prevalent disposition to exaggerate the difficulties and overlook the encouragements which are presented. Progress may be slow, but such as is actual is valuable, however little. It is certainly not much to attain a conviction that we are inclined to particular evils which it behoves us to repent of and forsake. Yet, when it is remembered how many weekly repeat the confession: "Our wills are defiled with evil inclinations; and too often have we run into the

practice of sin, and the actual transgression of Thy holy laws," and for how long a time, without becoming conscious of any distinctive evils in themselves, it is clearly not only something but something of importance. It is that first step without which no second can be taken; and, further, it implies that the inner man has already risen, in some small degree, above the propensities of the outer mind, or he could not recognise them as evil. There is, also, a measure of peace consequent simply upon the desire and intention to subdue them. Self-gratulations do, indeed, gather around unrealized good resolutions; but apart from these, the desire and intention afford a plane for the reception of heavenly influences, which fall upon the soul as soft preluding strains of the joyful angelic chant over the sinner that repents. Then, again, when not only the first step-the discovery of an evil, and the second-the resolution by divine aid to overcome it, have been taken, but an advance made to the third-to that which gives validity to the former two, and transfers them from the sphere of the ideal and theoretical to that of the real and practical, by resisting an evil when its allurements are present; this actual repentance is found easier than was expected. Each successive combat with an individual enemy is,

likewise, easier than the previous one, and occurs at a longer interval, till, at last, the conflict ceases and the reward of victory begins. As it is only evil that separates us from the Lord, its removal brings us nearer to Him, and we become receptive of more light and more love; whence proceed clearer perceptions, purer thoughts and motives, and a more interior happiness. Then, gradually, an experimental conviction is attained, "That it is not so difficult to live the life that leads to heaven as is commonly supposed."

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Reviews.

THE FINAL VICTORY. A Sermon, preached in St. Thomas's Church, Berea, and in St. Paul's Church, Durban, on the third Sunday in Advent (December 11, 1870), on the occasion of the death of Mr Joseph E. Fradd. By the Rev. JOHN REYNOLDS, minister of St. Thomas's Church, Berea, Natal.

THIS excellent sermon has been sent to us, by its auther, from the Cape of Good Hope. It says nothing of Mr. Fradd, whose decease was the occasion of its preparation. Its main object is to present an encouraging exposition of the text, "He will swallow up death in victory," Isa. xxv. 8. The preacher's diocesan is the celebrated Dr Colenso. Our object in noticing this sermon is to express the pleasure which we experienced in recognizing the influence which a knowledge of the doctrine of the New Church had in its production, and, at the same time, to present our readers with an extract or two indicating some striking thoughts. The following have interested us :—

"The prophet appears to give us here, as in a figure, his poetic conception of the grand and glorious destiny of all the human race when the purposes of God's grace and righteousness are fulfilled. By a great and all-comprehensive salvation, sin and suffering are to have an end in the universe. Humanity shall at length be completely redeemed from the desolating dominion of moral evil, and, no more enthralled by death, shall be perfectly triumphant over it for ever. Hitherto, indeed, death and moral evil have seemed to be the mightier, all-absorbing, dominant powers in our world, to which all past generations have inevitably succumbed. But there is yet a mightier power in the universe than DEATH. The LIVING GOD, the Lord of LIFE, eternal, omnipotent, reigneth over it, and will utterly annihilate it. Although it is evident that the distorted truth and life of our prevailing Christianity encourage us to entertain no immediate hope of the universal consummation of the prophet's ideal triumph over 'death,' yet we seem to be advancing steadily towards it. The world is gradually emerging from deadly ignorance. The days of old institutes of religious delusion are numbered. Light is shining upon the people who have been long sitting in darkness and in the shadow of death. There are signs of life even in the greatest strongholds of superstition: its votaries, trembling for their ancient faiths, are roused to antagonism against those who have disturbed their slumbers in the name of the living God. The warfare between truth and falsehood is proceeding with vigour; and it is felt to be essentially a conflict between life and death, in which blind prejudices are assailed, errors exposed, enmity excited. But the issue is not doubtful. We esteem all ameliorating agencies, resulting from physical inquiry, and all patient honest search for truth, together with every new

discovery in medical knowledge for the cure of diseases, for alleviating pain and suffering, and for prolonging human life, as co-working with Christianity, not as hostile, but as integral elements of the Gospel of Christ. Accordingly, as ministers of the Gospel, we desire the cordial union of and co-operation with us of all learning and talents devoted to the search for truth. We value whatever ministers to the well-being of the body, and tends to the improvement of the mind. We rejoice at every effort of philanthropy which seeks to remove vice and misery and poverty, whatever contributes, in any degree, to the practical subjugation of the devastating moral evils which offend and destroy men's souls, in helping to conquer the powers of death and render the powers of life victorious. Faith is the Divine wisdom; faith is the benevolent purposes of all God's laws; faith, persuaded of the truth that the principles of life and love are divine, supreme, the strongest in the universe, yea, are the powers of God Himself, intended. to prevail universally, and conquer for ever all that is comprehended in the metaphorical term 'Death-this is the victory that overcometh, even our faith;' and nothing so called has any life but 'faith which worketh by love.' We must, therefore, protest against the infidelity of those who denounce the restless spirit of our age, and call it 'unbelieving.' We need not be alarmed that some of the leading men of science in our day are constrained to question the assumed infallibility of those dogmas of our Churches which are irreconcilably opposed to the demonstrated facts of modern knowledge. Ever since the time of GALILEO, the claims of the Church to infallibility have been justly disregarded. What is true Christianity, but the life and health and healing of the nations, that there may be no more curse? It is God's remedy for the sickness and sorrows and sins of the world. It is the establishment of God's kingdom of truth and righteousness upon earth; a state of universal holiness and consequent happiness; obedience to His loving will as in heaven; happiness as a 'feast' of universal joy, fellowship, brotherly love, and goodwill outspread freely for the people. The Gospel of Christ is the proclamation to the world that 'God is love.' Christ Himself announces to all mankind this royal truth of Divine revelation; for 'it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth.' He came to shew us of the FATHER. This,' said he, 'is life eternal, that they might know Thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom Thou hast sent.' In the Person of our Saviour, the antagonist powers of Life and Death tried their strength in a decisive battle; and Christ, our Life, the representative of humanity, bravely fought it and conquered. He took the poisoned cup of death for us, and drank it off triumphantly, and thus Himself hath swallowed up death in victory."

Preaching of this character cannot but stir the hearts and minds of those who hear it, and lead them more directly to those sources which so abundantly provide the cheerful light.

R.

A COURSE OF THEOLOGICAL LECTURES. By Thomas Wilson. (Thomson, Glasgow). This is a second edition of lectures, in which the Divinity of the Word and the truth of its leading doctrines are explained and vindicated against infidel objections, on New Church principles. The lecturer having himself been rescued from infidelity by means of these principles, felt a strong desire to deliver others from its dominion. He engaged in public discussion with the leading Secularists of his day, especially the notorious Carlile; but was not one who enjoyed polemics for their own sake. He seems to have done good service to the cause of truth in his time, and may still do good through these published discourses. Those who do not require confirmation themselves may find the book useful to put into the hands of those who do.

DEUS HOMO. (Spiers, London).-This is a reprint of the American edition of this excellent work by Professor Theophilus Parsons. The work was noticed and recommended in the Repository at the time of its first appearance. But the name of the author is sufficient to secure for it a wide and cordial reception.

Miscellaneous.