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ning-conductor will be made after the best modern methods.

No church ought to be considered as completely furnished until it is supplied with several sets of hearing tubes connected with the pulpit, by means of which partially deaf persons may be assisted to hear the minister's discourses. During the liturgical services, reading the Word, and the singing, deaf persons may, without such assistance, easily join with the congregation; but unless means of hearing the sermon are provided, they are wholly debarred the delight and benefit arising from that important part of the service. In carrying out this provision, the liberal aid of a lady friend has enabled the Committee to arrange for four separate hearing tubes, which will be so constructed as to assist the hearer to the utmost extent that science can suggest. The gift of additions to the organ by one of our liberal, active, and enthusiastic friends is, both in money value and in other respects, one of the most important yet offered. It consists of the enlargement of the instrument by the addition of what is called a "Choir Organ" complete. We have already two manuals, the "Great" and the "Swell," and this valuable addition, together with some important re-arrangements, will make our organ complete in all respects for its work. Three "manuals,' or rows of keys, with a complete organ of distinct pipes to each, enable the performer to make changes of power and combinations of tone with great ease, and in a variety largely exceeding what is possible with only two "manuals. Besides this addition of a "Choir Organ," the gift includes a new frontage to face the north aisle, which, with the frontage to the chancel, will be in metal pipes, suitably decorated. Mr. Nicholson of Worcester, the builder of the instrument, has already put the additional work in hand, so as to have it finished when the church is sufficiently advanced to receive it.

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An eminent cabinetmaker of this town, not connected with our congregation, though acquainted with many of its members, has most kindly promised to supply two chairs for the Communion, and from the high reputation of the firm, there is no doubt but that the gift will be as worthy as it will be acceptable. Small subscriptions, from a shilling

upwards, are asked from all who have been baptized in our Church, or who have had children baptized there, for the purchase of the font; and the amount already received, supplemented by assistance from other sources, now seems sufficient to warrant the hope that an elegant font may be purchased. Mr. Roddis, the sculptor of the pulpit, is engaged in the matter, and as soon as definite arrangements have been made we shall have pleasure in giving all possible information. Meantime, any one desirous of adding his little donation to the fund may forward it to Mrs. Rodgers, or to Miss Annie Bragg. The usual sums are from one shilling to five shillings each.

BOURNE (Lincolnshire).-On Thursday the 8th, and Friday the 9th of June, Mr. Gunton delivered two lectures in the Corn Exchange. On the first evening the chair was occupied by Robert Jobson, Esq., Honorary Secretary to the Missionary and Tract Society, and on the second evening by the Rev. Dr. Collett, a minister in the Baptist Church. The attendance on both evenings was satisfactory, there being present on the first about 100, and on the second about 200. The remarks of the Chairmen and of the Lecturer were well received by most of those present, although there was some interruption from a number of boys and youths, whose education in reverence for spiritual things was manifestly very defective. The first lecture was on "The Scriptural way of Salvation," and the second

on "The Second Advent, How! When! and Where ! Christ is coming, according to the Scriptures." There was manifestly a considerable number of persons present, whose minds have grasped to some extent the truth and importance of New Church doctrines. It is expected that Dr. Collett, whose accceptance with the people was unmistakably manifested, will deliver a lecture in the same building on Friday the 23rd, under the auspices of the Missionary and Tract Society, "The unity of God in the person of the Lord Jesus." From Bourne, Mr. Gunton proceeded to Horncastle, where he preached two Sundays, the 11th and 18th of June. The small Society at this place suffers for want of assistance in the supply of its pulpit. It offers a

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good field of labour for a self-denying has been delivered at this church by labourer. A neat and commodious Mr. S. B. Dicks, during May and June, church has been erected, and willing helpers are there prepared to render every needful assistance. The harvest is plenteous, and waits for the labourer. Who will arise to our help?

BRISTOL.-On Sunday, April 23rd, several members and friends in connection with this Society met at their room in the Oddfellows' Hall, to present Mr. and Mrs. Eyles (who have lately been married, and will shortly leave this city for Exeter) with a token of their esteem. Mr. E. Waller, the leader, presided, and, having stated the object of the meeting, called upon Mr. Jas. Lee to make the presentation. Having dwelt upon the subject of marriage, and the various uses they had performed in the Church and Sunday School since their establishment, he presented them with a very neat timepiece, bearing the following inscription: "Presented to Mr. and Mrs. Eyles, on the occasion of their marriage, by some members and friends of the Bristol New Church Society. March 23rd, 1876." The present was suitably acknowledged both by Mr. and Mrs. Eyles. Mr. W. Hart also addressed them during the afternoon, and the young ladies of their Sunday School class took this opportunity of presenting Mrs. Eyles with a photograph of the class in a group, accompanied by a nicely written letter, to which Mrs. Eyles warmly responded, expressing the gratitude and pleasure with which she received it. Hymns were sung, and the meeting, which was a most enjoyable one, terminated with the Benediction.

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and have aroused considerable interest. The attendances have throughout been very good. Many who were entire strangers to our doctrines have attended the whole course, and expressed their surprise and pleasure at the easy manner in which the old stumbling-blocks are shown to be erroneous by the light of the new dispensation, while, on the other hand, the teachings of our church respecting this important subject have commended themselves as rational and elevating interpretations of the Divine prophecies. It is proposed (D.V.) to follow up this effort with some lectures on "The Descent of the New Jerusalem." One gratifying fact in connection with the success of the effort is that no extra expenses for advertising, &c., have been incurred. The general condition of the Society is healthy and progressive, not so much in point of numbers, as in the growth of the spirit of brotherly love one to another, which is the only true bond of union and source of strength. Our building fund increases very slowly, but we hope and work for brighter days. The building in which we now worship is unsightly and dirty, and away from the district where it is most needed, so that strangers who may be attracted to the lectures soon weary of the journey and the discomforts of the place. A few hundred pounds would give us a decent and wholesome habitation.

LONDON (Camberwell).-The following was unavoidably omitted from our last number. The usual quarterly business meeting of the members of this Church was held on Friday, April 21st, Mr. Austin, the minister, presiding. Five new members were elected. It was resolved that the new liturgy, published by the General Conference of the New Church, which has, provisionally, been employed in the Sunday services for several months past, be permanently adopted for future use. The consideration of several suggested variations from it occupied the meeting to a somewhat late hour, and necessitated the adjournment of two motions of which formal notice had been given. It was incidentally mentioned in the course of the evening that every pew in the building was already appropriated, and that very few single sittings were vacant. This

fact elicited the unanimous opinion of labours of this gentleman would not the gathering that the enlargement of have been mentioned here, were it not the church must shortly be undertaken, that at his farewell service he attempted towards which cost the treasurer an- to bring ridicule on the New Church, nounced that he already held funds by saying he supposed they believe that amounting to more than £100. those who spin or weave here will have to spin or weave to eternity when they get to heaven. Perhaps he thought that this remark would please the four or five resident ministers who were with him in the pulpit, and those of the members of their congregation who were present; but they know the New Church people better than Mr. Culliss does, and some of them had the good sense and the good feeling to express their regret that the remark had escaped his lips. A letter explanatory of the nature of angelic employments, written by Mr. Pilkington, appeared in one of the local papers on the following Saturday, and there is no doubt it will do much to remove the misconceptions of the public upon this subject. That this attack has done more good than harm is evident from the increased attendance at the charity sermons, and from the very liberal manner in which the Ramsbottom Society has been supported on this occasion by persons belonging to various sections of the Christian Church.

RAMSBOTTOM.-On Sunday, May 14th, the annual charity sermons of the New Jerusalem Sunday School, Ramsbottom, were preached by the Rev. J. Presland, who also delivered a very appropriate address at a scholars' service held in the morning of the same day. These services have for many years been held in a large hall, and have always been well attended. Their success has often been attributed to their having been held in a public hall, on neutral ground, where people of all denominations could better assemble to hear a New Church preacher, without appearing to countenance the views he might set forth. Remembering the prejudice which has existed against the New Church here, but which is now happily dying away, some of the members of the Ramsbottom Society doubted whether their charity sermons would be as successful if held in their new place of worship as they had been in the hall. All the services, however, took place in the church, and it is gratifying to be able to record that they were never better attended; while the collections of the day, which amounted to £70, exceeds by about £15 the highest sums ever realized on a similar occasion. Still more encouraging to the New Church friends here are the commendatory remarks which they hear on all sides respecting the views advanced by Mr. Presland, and his manner of treating them. His discourses have received the most unqualified praise from persons who are in no way connected with the New Church, one of whom remarked, that if ever the Gospel was preached in Ramsbottom it was at the New Jerusalem Church on Sunday last. This recognition of the beauty and power of the New Church way of presenting the truths of the Gospel is all the more encouraging, as the remark referred to seems to bring it into contrast with the style of Gospel preaching adopted by the Rev. W. B. Culliss, an American evangelist, who, almost every day for the last three weeks, has been holding revival meetings in Ramsbottom. The

DR. SEXTON.--This gentleman, who has become a receiver of New Church doctrine, has lately visited Newcastleon-Tyne, and held a discussion in defence of Christianity. While there, he was entertained at a tea-meeting to which he was invited by the members of the New Bridge Street Society. Mr. M'Lagan was in the chair, and introduced the business of the evening in a warm eulogium on the ability and labours of their guest. Dr. Sexton-in the course of an eloquent speech, in which he referred to the growth and influence of the teaching of Swedenborg-said that, some short time since, he had stated at a meeting of the Swedenborg Society in London, what he might repeat now, that he believed that if he had been acquainted with the writings of Swedenborg twentyfive years ago, it would have saved him many years of anxious doubt and sceptical opinion. On lamenting, one day, to a New Church minister the loss of the years thus spent in unbelief, the minister had replied to him that perhaps this was God's method of educating him (Dr. Sexton) for the work he had to

perform, and the time, therefore, might pain. For fifteen months he was unable after all not have been wasted. For to leave his bed, and only by the conhimself, he would gladly take that view, stant and unwearied care of his beloved but it was not easy to arrive at such a wife and daughter were his sufferings conclusion. When it was known that assuaged and his life below prolonged. he had abandoned the Secularist plat- At two o'clock on the morning of form, and had devoted himself to the Saturday, May 20, he glided from his promulgation of Christian truth, he had worn-out body, and rose to the higher been requested to join the ranks of many life. His spirit left a pleasant aspect on denominations. He said this without the countenance, a look of calmness and any vanity, or without wishing to over- peace, that spoke of rest at last. rate his own abilities. He had been He had endured his frequent agonies offered pulpits in different denomina- with great patience, longing for delivertions, but up to the present time had ance, but never murmuring. His prinaccepted none. His tendency had been ciples sustained him. The sight of his at first towards Unitarianism, and his friends from time to time cheered him. friends naturally expected that he would The token of general esteem that was settle down in that denomination. He commenced by the Sunday-School Union soon came to see, however, that the Committee, and so worthily responded great central truth of Christianity was to all over the Church, was very pleasant the supreme divinity of the Lord Jesus to him as a mark of the general affection He had Christ, and that if this were removed with which he was regarded. the whole fabric would fall. Wherever to be lifted up, being too weak to raise he went, he must, at all events, preach himself, to see the timepiece and the this truth. After explaining, at great purse of 260 guineas that were thus prelength, the way in which the teachings sented, and he was deeply touched. of Swedenborg had influenced his mind, But he was glad when his journey was he said that he intended devoting the ended, and he entered the desired haven. rest of his life to the preaching of the Gospel and the promulgation of Christian truth. Music and speeches from other friends filled up the time of a pleasant evening.

GENERAL CONFERENCE.-All ministers and representatives intending to be present at the next Conference are respectfully requested to communicate with Mr. J. W. Cunliffe, 11 Avenue Parade, Accrington, as early as possible, so that the necessary arrangements may be made for their accomodation.

Marriage.

At the Congregational Church, Hopton, Mirfield, on June 6, by the Rev. J. Gamble, and afterwards at the residence of the bride, by the Rev. E. Whitehead, Mr. Joseph Hartley, late of Accrington, to Miss Emily Smith, of Hopton, Mirfield.

Obituary.

REV. E. D. RENDELL.-Born, July 21, 1803; departed, May 20, 1876; aged 73. The many friends of the esteemed minister whose name heads this article have long been aware that his body had sunk into great feebleness, and that he was severely tried by extreme

Mr. Rendell was born at Barnstaple in Devonshire. He was of French extraction through both parents. His ancestors had been driven forth from France in 1685, by the revocation of the Edict of Nantes; and thus the destruction of the liberty of worship for Protestants by the vain-glorious king Louis XIV., as a mark of repentance dictated by the Church to atone for the profligacies of his life, led to the settlement of his family in this country. One of the Protestant ministers compelled by wicked bigotry thus to leave his home and native land was named De la Roche, and from him Mr. Rendell's grandmother, and thus he derived the De la Roche in

his name, Elias De la Roche Rendell.

Mr. Rendell's family was led by cirhis youth; thus, he was educated partly cumstances to move several times during at Ashburton, partly at Chudleigh, but chiefly at Bristol, where he attended a school kept by Dr. Durham in Guinea Street, for several years. Here he acquired a love for reading, elocution, and dramatic poetry, and a taste for drawing and painting. He subsequently chose miniature-painting as a profession, and his family having removed to Salisbury he had several years' training, and then commenced his career in the walk he

had chosen for a livelihood. This was in 1823, when he was twenty years of age. Up to this time he had been associated with the Church of England, but having become thoughtful, he found many perplexing difficulties in the articles and liturgy of the Church which disturbed him greatly. These related chiefly to the teaching of that Church respecting God, that He has no form, and yet is three Divine persons that the first Divine person is infinitely wrathful, demanding pacification; the second infinitely tender and merciful, ready to suffer infinite torment to satisfy the first; and the third, neither demanding nor yielding pacification, and yet they are all alike, and only one. While pondering these things, he had occasion, by his business, to visit the shop of a stationer named Le Cras, afterwards an editor and resident in Jersey. To him young Rendell opened his mind, and learned that he would find all his difficulties removed by the clear expositions of divine truth in the writings of Swedenborg, which Mr. Le Cras had for some time greatly prized.

Mr. Rendell read and received the expositions of Swedenborg with delight. He learned there were others in the city like-minded, and he assisted in getting the friends together to make a society even of a few, and worship according to their own convictions. This continued for three years, and during that time Mr. Rendell began to feel an inclination to devote himself to the ministry.

In 1826, the Conference was held in Manchester, and Mr. Rendell resolved to visit that body and confer with others who loved the Church in the north of the kingdom, calling at Bristol and Birmingham on the way. He made many acquaintances in the Church on his journey, and learned that a body of New Church friends in Newcastle-on-Tyne wished for a minister, and he entered into correspondence with them. He was invited to visit them for three months on trial, paying his own expenses. This was in November 1826, and subsequently he agreed to remain as their minister, with such very moderate contribution towards his support as they were able to make.

The chapel in Percy Street, Newcastle-on-Tyne, had already been erected chiefly at the expense of one lady, Mrs. Norman, the Rev. Mr. Bradley having for several years previously laboured in

that town as minister, and with considerable success. Mr. Rendell having been three years at Newcastle, was ordained in 1830, by the Rev. S. Noble, in Peter Street Church, Manchester, the Conference being held that year at the Temple, Salford.

Mr. Rendell laboured at Newcastle for 18 years, and only removed in March 1844, when he was invited to take charge of the New Chapel erected by Hugh Becconsall, Esq., at Preston, Lancashire, for the small company of New Churchmen already gathered in that town, mainly through missionary exertions, from Accrington and Manchester.

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On leaving Newcastle, the friends presented him with several tokens of esteem, on each of which was the following inscription Presented to the Rev. E. D. Rendell, by the Newcastle Society of the New Jerusalem Church, as a testimony of affection and esteem; and as a tribute of respect for his character as a man and a Minister of the Gospel. February 29th, 1844."

For 32 years he continued to occupy the pulpit at Preston, and to take a full share of the labours for other societies in Lancashire at the Sunday School and other anniversaries. He was always ready to do his part, and always acceptable.

In 1841 he was elected President of Conference for the first time, and so well did he acquit himself in the performance of his duties, that he was chosen on six other occasions, the last being in 1872, at Preston. Such special qualifications for this office did he possess, that some friends have been heard to wish that he might constantly occupy that office. He was made ordaining minister in 1857.

In 1859 he was chosen Editor of the Juvenile Magazine, and he continued to minister to the young friends of the church in that office for seventeen years with how much gratification both to scholars, teachers, and parents, was evinced by the testimonial of grateful love sent to him on his dying bed.

In his

Such, in brief outline, was the ministerial life of our esteemed friend. citizen life he was esteemed and useful. He was a friend of science, and fostered the Mechanics' Institution in Preston by occasional lectures, and otherwise. Several notices appeared in the Preston

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