Thursday evening, after the general tea meeting, it is intended to admit the public at a penny each, to the intelletual part of the evening, which is intended to be conducted similarly to the great meeting in London; and if any improvements can be suggested therein we shall be glad to hear such from any friends. On the Sabbath following, we expect the services of a minister who may be able to remain for a few days in the following week and deliver lectures. Such is the course we suggest as being the most useful to ourselves and the public. and with which our ministerial friends will no doubt be glad to coöperate.

In arranging for the accommodation of ministers, we are a little at a loss as to the number likely to be here; it is therefore requested that all ministers intending to be present will be kind enough to intimate it as early as possible, so that they may be put in communication with the friends whose guests they are respectively to be.

Suitable and economical arrangements will be made for the representatives, as well as for the Conference dinner. Places of interest in and around our noble town will be made accessible at the most moderate cost; and every other provision the committee can make for the comfort and gratification of their brethren they will endeavour to attend to.-On behalf of the Committee, ROBERT CATCHESIDE.

Grainger-street, Newcastle.

CLAIRVOYANCE.

To the Editor.

MY DEAR SIR,-Will the writer of the paragraph concerning clairvoyance, in your last number, kindly inform your readers whether the Bible was rejected by Andrew Jackson Davis and his assistants at the spiritual convention, before they began these freaks, or as a consequence of them? It is one of the principal canons of our philosophy of the spiritual world, that the spirits associated with us are such as we ourselves are in heart and understanding. It is at least probable, therefore, that there is no more necessary connection between clairvoyance and the denial of the Word, than there is between the evil spirits' attendance upon an atheist and the angels that were with Swedenborg.

I shall be excused, perhaps, in expressing my regret that a subject of such real importance as the communication between mankind and the world of spirits, should be treated as one of slight importance in the avowed organ of the New Church in this country: not to mention other considerations, it has the appearance of that extreme and hasty generalization from a few facts, which is only excusable in very young men, or in very old and prejudiced inquirers.

It is enough to say, perhaps, as a justification for these comments, that I have myself witnessed many instances the very contrary of that alluded to in the "caution'; instances, I may say, in which the Word was treated with a sanctity and a delicacy almost surpassing belief.-I am, &c. E. R.

[We have received another communication on the subject of clairvoyance; and we wish that our readers should well understand our position in relation to these and other extraordinary pheno mena, such as "spirit rappings," which at the present day are so much engaging the attention of the public. We neither ignore nor deny these phenomena; but as our periodical is devoted to the rational and spiritual improvement, or to the reformation and regeneration of man, we take our stand, as to these extraordinary exhibitions, upon the following proposition of Swedenborg,— "That no one is reformed by visions, and · by conversing with the dead, because they force." (D.P. 134.) The reasons which the author gives in that number, we beg the reader to peruse and consider. These phenomena, however, are no doubt permissions of Providence, and as such not only deserve our attention, but we are bound to inquire into the use, the cui bono, of these strange experiences, which cannot all be resolved into mere deceptions and illusions. Now we think, that next to the want of a true knowledge of God, and of our relation and duty to Him, the want of a true knowledge of the spiritual world, and of the separate state of departed spirits, or of men after death, is the greatest calamity to man. We cannot see how a man can "fix his affections on the things that are above," (Col. iii. 2.) if he knows nothing of those things which are above; nor can we see how he can "have

his conversation (or rather citizenship, TOλITEνμа) in heaven, (Phil. iii. 20.) unless he knows something of the nature and life of heaven, and of its relation to his soul or to himself. But this knowledge at the present time, although revealed and involved in the Word, is, out of the New Church, almost entirely wanting; and whilst there is a lack of knowledge on these all-important subjects, men's minds are strongly disposed to bury themselves in the merely natural and corporeal, and not to look to the spiritual and heavenly, but to fix their affections on the things of this life only. Thus naturalism in religion abounds, so long as men's minds are not awakened to a knowledge of the great fact, that the spirit of man arises immediately after death, and continues its existence in the spiritual world, which, by the laws of correspondence, is intimately connected with this. Now the way, according to order, of becoming acquainted with this most useful knowledge, is by the genuine doctrine of the Word; but when this doctrine is wanting or perverted, it may be among the permissions of Providence that other and extraordinary means should arise to awaken men's minds to the admission and belief of such a separate state of existence, and that consequently the soul is really immortal, and deserves our highest and most solemn consideration. Although this, which is a kind of miraculous awakening to the fact of the soul's existence in a spiritual body immediately after death, does not constitute a true faith in the fact itself, "because it is forced," yet it may be the starting point from which a mind hitherto buried in materialising may in freedom inquire into the Scriptural and rational grounds of the soul's immortality, and of its conscious existence in another state after death. Herein, then, we can see a great use in these phenomena; for everything which tends to make a man think of his soul, and of its conscious existence after death, is a great benefit to him. And we are assured that this, especially in France, has been extensively the case.*

But as to any farther use than that of awakening men's attention to the great fact of a separate state, we much doubt: for there are but two kinds of infor

* See Tafel's Reply to Mohler, p. 11, where this is shewn to be the case. See also Chambers's Journal, May 21, 1853.

N. S. NO. 163.-VOL. XIV.

66

mation that we can receive from that source,-natural and spiritual. As to the former, that may be procured in the usual, ordinary, natural way: and as to the latter, we may consider it under two heads, first, as to instruction how we are to believe and to act, or as to faith and life; and secondly, as to the ordinary facts and phenomena of the world of spirits. Now as to the first head, we consider it to be impious and profane in the extreme, to seek by clairvoyance, or 'spirit-rapping," any instruction as to faith and life, or as to salvation, since this would be an actual setting aside of the Lord and his Word as the only source of truth and instruction on these essential subjects. If Swedenborg declares in the most solemn manner, that "no spirit durst, neither would any angel presume to say anything to him, much less to instruct him about anything in the Word, or on any doctrinal derived from the Word, but that the Lord alone taught and illuminated him whilst he was reading the Word,"* we are quite certain that it would be most deadly injurious, and open the door to the most diabolical errors, phantasies, and persuasions, if any information on these subjects were sought after through clairvoyance or spirit-rapping. And our intelligent correspondent above, has pointed out one reason why it would be so detrimental, because spirits who would thus come into sensible communication with man, would be of the same persuasion as the man himself is, and thus enroot and confirm all his errors, idiosyncrasies, and persuasions; so that the man could not possibly advance in improvement and regeneration.+ We have, by means of the Word, direct and immediate communion with the Lord himself, which is an infinitely greater privilege and blessing than open communication even with angels; and by means of the Word, we are also placed in the most profitable communion with the angelic world.

But as to the ordinary facts and phenomena of the world of spirits, no reliable information whatever can be procured: the lower sphere of that world abounds with spirits similar to the general states of men in the world, but

* *D. P. 135.

+ See this abundantly confirmed in Cahagnel's work, where it is evident that Romish spirits were in attendance on the somnambules, confirming the errors and practices of popery.

2 N

they differ from men in this, that they can only speak, unless under restraint, either according to their own proprium or according to the proprium of the individual whom they address, and whom they desire to please for the sake of some selfish end; and whatever is spoken according to proprium, is either fallacious, delusive, or false. It may, however, be said, that those who are in a true faith can receive no harm, but be benefitted, by such sensible or open communication with spirits. We reply, that those who are really in a true faith, have no need of such communication, nor will they desire it; they have, as already stated, what is infinitely better, communication by the Word with the Lord himself, and communion with his entire kingdom. But there is a great difference between being in the knowledge of a true faith and in the true faith itself. There is a Balaam-state, in which a man may have an enlightened understanding, or be in the knowledge of a true faith, and yet be associated with evil spirits as Balaam was.* We have therefore to be prayerfully on our guard against the presumption that we are really in the life of a true faith, and that open communication with spirits will not injure us. Let us then duly consider the divine Truth, which declares, that "if they believe not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one rose from the dead." (Luke xvi. 31.]-EDITOR.

PRESENTATION TO THE REV. J. BAYLEY ON CEASING TO BE THE EDITOR OF THE JUVENILE MAGAZINE.

For ten years the editorship of this useful periodical was conducted by the Rev. J. Bayley; but at Christmas last, owing to accumulated duties arising from his school, newly established, he relinquished, as editor of the Juvenile Magazine, the duties which he had so long and so successfully fulfilled. In gratitude to his exertions, the teachers and scholars of the Sunday Schools, especially those in connexion with the Sunday School Union, subscribed (the subscription being limited to 1s. each) a sum sufficiently large to present him with the following useful works, most elegantly bound:-1. The

* See Swedenborg's Adversaria, Numbers xxii. xxiii. xxiv.

Hexapla, containing the New Testament in the original Greek, with six different translations. 2. A beautifully illustrated edition of Josephus's Works. 3. Dr. Kitto's Biblical Literature, a work replete with general information on Scriptural subjects. 4. A History of the Art of Writing, a work illustrative of Ancient Scriptural Manuscripts and Oriental Literature. These handsome and useful volumes were presented to the Rev. J. Bayley in the name of the Sunday School Union, by Mr. C. Fox, in a very affecting and appropriate speech. The presentation was accepted aud acknowledged in a deeply affecting and eloquent manner by Mr. Bayley. After which several friends addressed the meeting on the subject of education, and on the mode by which it can be most effectually carried out. But for a full account of the meeting we must refer our readers to the Juvenile Magazine for May, p. 125.

TRACTS IN INDIA.

To the Editor.

Dear Sir, I was much affected and delighted with the letter from India in your last. It is wonderful to see how the Lord acts by instrumentalities of which we are not aware. Little did the person imagine, who incidentally, as it were, put a few New Church Tracts into a case destined for India, that at six stations in that extensive country the sole Divinity of the Lord's Humanity would be acknowledged, and that the Lord Himself would be worshipped. This great Truth is the only true centre of the Church. From this centre-point everything must proceed that can constitute genuine Christianity upon earth. "I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me." (John xii. 32.) This is the great centre of all divine and heavenly attraction; and to think that this glorious centre has been established in six different parts of India is delightful indeed. Who knows but what these "little ones" may shortly "become thousands"? Let our brethren in England take counsel from India, and resolve to send forth, wherever they can, these useful Tracts of the New Jerusalem.

NEW PUBLICATIONS.

:

SWEDENBORG AND HIS MISSION. By David G. Goyder, Minister of the Society of the New Church, Melbourne, Derbyshire. London: Fred Pitman, 20, Paternoster-row. pp. 92. We are glad to introduce this new publication to our readers, as calculated to perform a distinguished use in giving a general idea of the mission of Swedenborg. But the author expresses his object in publishing the work in the advertisement, which we here adduce :"The following pages form an introductory Essay on the Mission of Swedenborg, prefixed to a version of the Gospel by Matthew, now in the press, with notes, illustrative, practical, doctrinal, and descriptive, as professed and believed by those who receive the testimony of Emanuel Swedenborg. The spiritual explications are in harmony with his writings, but nothing is advanced but that which can be by indubitable evidence sabstantiated from the Word of God. Believing that the Essay itself might be useful at the present crisis, independent of the Commentary on the Gospel, I have ventured to detach it, and issue a few copies separately. It is offered to the perusal of the candid and reflecting, with sincere respect.

"Hitherto there seems to me to have been too much of fear in using the name of Swedenborg, and speaking openly of the doctrines he teaches. Now, as he never advances an opinion without supporting and confirming it from God's most Holy Word, I see no reason for keeping his name in the back-ground: and as I most cordially believe that his writings, the more they are known and studied, will be of the deepest benefit, and tend to promote the greatest happiness of my fellow-creatures, I hold myself bound to bring them as prominently before the public as lies within the compass of my ability.

"My own conviction is that Swedenborg was a Scribe instructed in the great mysteries of the kingdom of heaven,

and I feel thankful in being able to add my humble testimony to the truth of his valuable works."

Mr. G. J. Holyoake Refuted in his Own Words, (in a Series of Tracts,) by Sanders J. Chew. London: Houlston and Stoneman.

We have received several able and wellwritten 'Tracts in refutation of Mr. Holyoake. We had thought that Mr. Woodman had sufficiently demolished Mr. Holyoake in all his stand-points, not only by his repeated discussions with that champion of infidelity, but especially in a very able pamphlet noticed in this periodical for January, p. 40. It would, however, appear from these refutations of Mr. Chew, that Mr. Holy. oake is still on his legs, and pursuing his wonted career. For our own part, the positions and statements of Mr. H. are so utterly fallacious and false, that when we descend to look at them, we find, as was the case in Egypt during the plague of the frogs, such a stench assail our mental olfactories, that, filled with disgust and abhorrence, we flee away from the scene. We do think that if atheists and infidels of this class were left to themselves, they would soon die out, or come to a better state of mind. Excitement and irritation produced by discussions, and even by pamphlets, often make matters worse by arousing the bull-dog propensities of our nature. Let Christians live the life of Christianity,-"let their light so shine before others, that they may see their good works and glorify our Father which is in heaven," and we should soon see the land cleared of the nuisance of frogs, the filthy reasonings grounded in sensual fallacies, against divine and spiritual things, which the merely natural mind delights to indulge and practice. Those, however, who would wish to see a clear statement of the case, and how cleverly Mr. Chew has refuted his opponent "in his own words," may do so by procuring these cheap and convincing Tracts.

Married, on the 3rd of May, at the New Church, Argyle-square, London, (by the Rev. Edward Madeley, of Birmingham, father of the bridegroom,) Mr. Edward Madeley, of Kensington, Middlesex, to Lydia Grace, only child of Mr. James Stanbury, of Portmanplace, Edgeware-road, London.

Married, at the Temple, Percy-street, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, on Saturday, May 29th, by the Rev. John Cull, Mr. Richard Clement Fisher, of Liverpool, to Hannah Jane Gowdy, younger daughter of the late William Gowdy, Esq., Commander R. N., of the former place.