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SWEDENBORG SOCIETY.

To the Editor.

Dear Sir, It having been supposed by some of the members and friends of the Swedenborg Society that, in the considerable amount recommended to be paid to Mr. White, in the final settlement of the late unhappy difficulty, there was a sacrifice of principle, and a virtual acknowledgment that he was entitled to damages, the Committee have requested me to ask you to be good enough to publish the terms of Mr. Clissold's award.-I am, dear Sir, very truly yours,

SAML. M. WARREN, Secretary. The agreement for the settlement was as follows, viz.:

"1. That the law proceedings cease, each party paying their own costs.

"2. That any claim Mr. White may consider that he has upon the society, shall be referred to Mr. Clissold "

"The decision of the Rev. Augustus Clissold, in accordance with the proposition that the case of Mr. White be left to his arbitration.

"In the action of White versus Spurgin, said to be impending, Mr. White, in a letter to me dated June 25th, 1861, lays his damages at £1000.

"In another part of his letter he says that he is willing, for various reasons, to make a sacrifice, and that he will be

satisfied with £600.

"In this £600. he includes a repayment to him of £200., which he says are the costs of his action in the case of White versus Bayley.* The repayment of these costs he claims on the ground of the agreement that all law proceedings should cease, on the condition of each party paying their own costs.

"As this interpretation of the agreement was not originally contemplated by either party, Mr. White must pay his own costs, and the £200. which he has had to pay for costs must be deducted, thus leaving the amount at £400.

"I cannot admit that Mr. White has any claims whatever upon the society for any portion of this amount; but, as this is an amicable settlement, I recommend this sum to be paid to him, solely with a view to peace, and to prevent further litigation.

This is the action in which Mr. White had been non-suited.

"The manner of payment recommended is the following:

"As it is just possible that a court of law might have awarded to Mr. White half-a-year's salary, I would recommend that this amount, viz., £37. 10s., be paid to him from out of the society's funds; and that the remaining amount, viz., £362. 10s., be paid out of voluntary subscriptions to be raised for that purpose, and for which I offer myself as guarantee.

"The whole to be paid over to Mr. White as soon as I have a letter from Mr. Philp, stating that all other law proceedings referred to in the agreement are finally settled.

(Signed)

"AUGUSTUS CLISSOLD.

"Stoke Newington, "June 29th, 1861."

ST JAMES'S HALL LECTURES. The New Church Missionary and Tract Society has just made a great effort in London to bring some of the chief doctrines of the New Jerusalem before the attention of the public; and a record of the experiment will be bereafter. interesting now, and may be useful

St. James's Hall, Piccadilly, is of comparatively recent erection, ranking and the principal room, in which this in importance as the second in London; capable of seating 2,000 persons, and course of lectures was delivered, is almost daily, or nightly, use, for conis very handsomely decorated. It is in certs, public meetings, entertainments, lectures, &c.; and it was thought that greater publicity would be obtained by a few discourses in a hall of this character, than by repeated courses of lectures in a room less respectable or less popular.

which has been generally approved as a We give here a copy of the syllabus, document whose circulation must have done good, independently of its direct object:

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Dr. BAYLEY, of Argyle-square Church, Thursday, Nov. 7th, 1861.--The Rev. King's Cross, London.-God manifest in the Lord Jesus Christ; the whole Divine Trinity in Him, as taught in the Sacred Scriptures.'-Syllabus:-Jesus the Light, the Life, and King of the Universe.Jehovah was He that was to come to redeem and save the world. - He could only come by a Divine

Humanity, which would manifest and reveal Him. The Son was this Humanity. The Father the Invisible Divinity in the Son. Man the image of God.-God an Infinite Divine Man. -Man a human Trinity, God a Divine Trinity. All the difficulties respecting the Father and the Son may be illustrated and cleared by analogies in man. -The promise of the Saviour was, that in the latter days He would shew us plainly of the Father. That promise fulfilled by seeing Himself as the First and the Last, the All in All.

"Thursday, Nov. 14th.-The Rev. R. STORRY, of Heywood, near Manchester. 'The Atonement, Mediation, and Sacrifice of Jesus Christ.'-Syllabus:-God is revealed in the Bible as personally One, and as infinitely Good.-Both these statements are sustained and illustrated in the work of Redemption and Atonement.-God from love by wisdom created the world, and placed man upon it. The end of man's creation is the formation of a heaven of angels from the human race. The Fall of Man, followed by ages of wickedness, placed this end in jeopardy. The Creator, therefore, to secure the end of His creation, descended to become the Redeemer.-His descent was by the assumption of man's nature, that Redemption might be effected in the nature that had fallen.-Redemption is deliverance. This deliverance is from enemies. These enemies are the powers of darkness who had gained the ascendancy over the souls of men.-Deliverance from these enemies was by combats with and victories over them.-These combats are extensively described in the Word. The last of them was the passion of Gethsemane and the Cross. -In the accomplishment of Redemption the Lord wrought out His work of Atonement. Atonement is reconciliation. This reconciliation is by the removal of enmity. - Enmity is not with God but with man. - Atonement, therefore. is not the reconciling of God to man, but of man to God. This Atonement is first effected in the reconciliation of the human to the Divine nature in the person of Jesus Christ.This reconciliation is by the glorification of His humanity. By this glorification a medium was provided whereby God could come nearer to man, could affect him more powerfully by the saving influences of His Spirit, and whereby

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man could have more perfect access to God. This medium is the glorified Human of the Saviour, which mediates between the pure Divinity and fallen humanity, and in which He is as a Mediator and Intercessor.-In the process of the Lord's Redemption and Atonement, He became a sacrifice for sins.-The Lord's sacrifice denoted by all the sacrifices under the law. These did not represent the punishment of the sinner, but his purification, and the offering by him of a living sacrifice of thanksgiving and praise.-The sacrifice of Christ was the hallowing and consecrating of His Humanity, and hence the offering of it without spot to God.This offering was for us. It was that our nature might be brought nearer to the Divine, and that we might derive strength from Him to follow in His steps, and be purified in obeying the truth.-Regeneration is thus individual redemption.—The regenerate are born of God and truly reconciled to Him.— The disciples of the Saviour are to offer themselves a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable, which is their reasonable service.

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Thursday, Nov. 21st.-The Rev. W. WOODMAN, of Stoneclough, near Manchester.-'Bible Triumphs, Past and Prospective. What has the Bible effeeted, and what is it yet destined to accomplish for the Human Race?'— Syllabus:-The Human Mind dependent on Education.-Its two classes of faculties, the External or Natural, educated by the instrumentality of the senses, and by the natural Sciences; and the Internal or Spiritual, which can only be educated by a revelation from God.-The Bible, therefore, the great Spiritual Educator, indispensable to the development of the Spiritual Element of Man.-Its great central intellectual truth.-The Divine existence; its Subordinate Teachings, the Soul, Heaven, Hell, and the Life after Death.-The moral influence of these truths.-The great central moral truth. The first great Commandment, around which are grouped the laws embodied in the Second Commandment and Golden Rule. These the basis of true civilization, of religious, moral, civil, and political freedom.-The Influence of the Bible traced in the history of the Jews.-Slavery not a Bible institution; and although not directly prohibited, its foundations are

sapped and destroyed by Bible teaching. -Illustrations of this subject.-The influence of the Bible under the Christian Dispensation.-Its influence on Science, of which, though involving an apparent paradox, it is the great promoter.-The great enemy of the Bible, Infidelity.The Infidelity within the professing Church.-Practical Infidelity, and intellectual-the former the more insidious. The blessings in store for man when the Bible has overcome its enemies. -The earnest of its final victory.-The New Dispensation of Divine Truth at this day vouchsafed by the Lord.

"Thursday, Nov. 28th.-The Rev. J. HYDE, of Derby. The Glory and Divinity of the Bible: its Spiritual Sense. -Syllabus:- Revelation from God a necessity of man's nature.-The true standard and test of Revelation.-Revelation must teach those things that Nature cannot teach.-Revelation must reveal God and explain man.-Revelation must as evidently be the Word of God as Creation is the Work of God. The essential difference between God's Word and the writings of man.-Historical accuracy of the Bible not sufficient to constitute it the Word of God. -The Bible more than a record of a revelation. The literal fulfilment of several prophecies not sufficient evidence of the Word of God.-Miracles not sufficient evidence of the Word of God.-The Bible, to be worthy of God, must be suited to all varieties of men in all degrees of development; hence, spiritual in object, infallible in correctness in relation to that object, eternal in interest, capable of experimental sub. stantiation, and of universal application. -These only possible by the existence in the Bible of an inner and spiritual sense, referring to man's spiritual nature, and applicable to man's LIFE.-The existence of such a sense has been more or less seen by the holiest and best Christians. To this inner sense there must be a consistent Key.-Correspondence of all natural things to spiritual things the only Key.-The Bible has this spiritual sense explicable by this science of Correspondences.-The allegorical portions of the Word-Genesis I.-The historical portions of the Word Israel's deliverance from Egypt, and pilgrimage to Canaan.-The Psalms. Man's combats with spiritual adversaries. The prophetic portion of God's

Word.-The gathering of Israel, and re-establishment of Jerusalem. - The Gospel.-The Glorification of the Lord's humanity the pattern of man's Regeneration.-Couclusion-The_universal applicability of the Bible to LIFE the great seal to the Glory and Divinity, and the great evidence of the Spiritual Sense of the Word of God."

The audiences were-about 800 the first evening; somewhat less the second and third evenings, both stormy nights; and above a thousand at the last lecture. The majority of the audiences were strangers.

This may by some be regarded as, in some respects, a poor return for the large outlay incurred. Still, it may reasonably be hoped that such a fair opportunity could not have been given to the public to judge for themselves of the nature of our views, without producing directly some good result, and indirectly aiding the spread of the doctrines by arousing attention to them. Those friends at least who think that the New Church to some extent hides its light under a bushel, will congratulate this society on the present effort. And it is not improbable, if in the coming year the funds of the society' permitted a similar effort to be made, that a greatly increased attendance would be the result.

Favourable notices of each of the lectures appeared in consecutive numbers of the "Marylebone Mercury," and a brief notice in the "Christian Cabinet."

The course terminated on the evening of the 28th November, when Mr. Hyde concluded a long, a logical, and an eloquent discourse, which had been listened to with the utmost attention, in the following words:-" And if, from such a sketch, we can see that the Bible in its histories refers to man's regene ration; in its prophetical parts refers to man's regeneration; that the Psalms refer to man's regeneration; the Gospels, still to man's regeneration,-life, everlasting life, the burden and the tenor and the subject of it all,-then we can see how such a view of the Word of God shall only render the Creator the lofty Object of our apprehension; only render the Redeemer the loving pattern and the fitting example of our lives; shall only render the history of the world a stupendous drama, which has been enacted for our benefit and recorded for our in

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The interest long felt in our heavenly doctrines in this part of the kingdom is still continued. Most of our societies are actively and usefully employed in building up the church among themselves, and seeking to extend a knowledge of its truths to others. All the ministers are, we believe, adding to the attractiveness of their ordinary services by the delivery of lectures, on popular and interesting subjects, on the Sabbath evenings. We note a few of the services which are in progress.

PRESTON.-At this place, a course of lectures is in progress, on Discipleship to the Saviour. In a course of eight lectures, the Rev. E. D. Rendell is expounding the instruction contained in the various allusions to the Apostles in the Gospels. From the well-known ability of the lecturer, and the interesting nature of the subject, we feel assured that the best effects must follow.

LIVERPOOL-BEDFORD-STREET.-This society has lately been deprived of the services of its leader, Mr. George Parry. The settlement of this gentleman in Liverpool had led to the hope that the society was provided with a leader of competent ability, and whose labours would have been increasingly useful. We understand that the chief, if not the only, cause of Mr. Parry's retirement is the difficulty, if not the impossibility, of efficiently discharging the duties of two such important offices as those he has lately held, both requiring a large amount of mental labour. The case is one which shows the importance of providing, as far as possible, an adequate support for the ministry. Efficiency in the discharge of all the duties of the ministry can only be attained by the devotion of the entire life to the work. We understand that

Mr. Francis Smith, of Manchester, is appointed for a short time to supply their pulpit.

BOLTON.-The departure into the spiritual world of Dr. Haddock, has deprived this society of the services of a regular leader. The pulpit is at present supplied by missionaries, chiefly by Mr. R. Adcock, of Manchester. On the 10th of November last, the anniversary sermons were preached by the Rev. R. Storry, when the church was quite filled with very attentive audiences. Collections amounting to £15. were made at the close of the services. The society possesses a good church, a neat and well-appointed schoolroom, and chapelkeeper's house. The property is situated in a very eligible part of the town, and we hope the time is not distant when an efficient and active minister may be settled among them. Societies situated like this, having all the means of success already provided, should receive the first attention of our Ministers' Aid Society.

BURY.-At this place a neat little church was opened, December 13, 1860. Since the opening the services have been conducted by missionaries. Among these a prominent place has been given to Mr. Eli Whitehead, of Heywood. Mr. Whitehead has also preached their anniversary sermons, on Sunday, December 1st. The nearness of this place to Heywood has enabled the Rev. R. Storry, since his settlement there, to institute a monthly Sabbath evening lecture. This is advertised in the local papers, and has been so far attended by a full chapel. Several strangers have attached themselves to the congregation since the opening of the church. A weekly meeting for reading and conversation has been instituted, and is regularly attended. The Sunday-school has also been reorganised, and is increasing in numbers.

HEYWOOD.-At this place a course of lectures is in progress by the minister, the Rev. R. Storry, on the Fulfilment of the Prophecies relating to the Second Coming of the Lord. The attendance at these lectures has been large and encouraging. A monthly lecture is also instituted in the schoolroom, in connection with the night schools and other associations of the society, which has been so far well attended. This lecture is not of a theological character, but is intended to aid the general educational movements of the town. The first, given

by Mr. W. A. Storry, was on "The Constitution and Government of the United States of America." The second, by W. Pickstone, Esq., of Radcliffe, was on "The Present and Future Growth of Cotton." Others are to follow.

MIDDLETON.-This society is at present engaged in increasing its school accommodation. An additional story is being added to their spacious schoolroon; so that in a short time the society will possess two large and eligible schoolrooms. When this enlargement is completed, the day, as well as the Sunday-schools, will be divided into two, one for each of the sexes; and from the efficiency of the teachers, there is every reason to hope for an extended use by these noble institutions. It argues well for the zeal and earnest ness of the society, to have undertaken this good work in the midst of the depression of trade in their neighbourhood. The pulpit is at present supplied by missionaries. On the 17th of November last, the Rev. R. Storry visited them, for the purpose of administering the sacraments, and preached twice. The attendance was good, but not large.

RHODES.-This is a hamlet situated in the immediate neighbourhood of Middleton. At this place, a few earnest receivers of the doctrines have long resided. A few years ago, their numbers were increased by an accession of young people; and they are now engaged in the erection of a very neat and commo. dious chapel, which is fast approaching completion.

OLDHAM.-At this town public lectures have been repeatedly given, under the direction of the Manchester Missionary Institution. Attempts have also been made, but hitherto without success, to establish New Church worship. From a printed placard, we learn that another effort is being made for this purpose. A room has been taken in Retiro-place, which was opened by Mr. David Fox, of Southport, on the 15th of December. There are some elements in the society which promise greater strength than formerly, and we sincerely wish them

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Dear Sir, I beg leave to inform you that two lectures-one "On the Lord Jesus Christ as the true Object of Worship, and on the Trinity as centered in Him, no Mystery," and the other on "How is Man Saved? or on Redemption and Salvation"-were, on December 5th and 6th, given in Stafford, by the Rev. J. H. Smithson, of Manchester. This is the first time that the doctrines of the New Church have been proclaimed in this ancient borough. It may be interesting to your readers to know why these lectures were delivered at this time. About two or three months ago, a gentleman at Stafford, who had lately received the doctrines, resolved to have his first child baptised in the faith of the New Church. He accordingly came to Manchester, a distance of nearly sixty miles, to have his child baptised in Peter-street, by the Rev. J. H. Smithson. After the ordinance was performed, Mr. Smithson observed that he had come a long way for that purpose; and asked whether there were any other receivers at Stafford. He replied that he knew not of more than two or three who were in some measure acquainted with the doctrines, and favourably disposed to them. Upon which Mr. Smithson inquired whether it might be useful to give a few lectures at Stafford, in order to see, if by advertisements, by lectures, and by the distribution of Tracts, there were any good ground for the reception of the doctrines of the New Church. After further inquiry, Mr. Smithson resolved, under the auspices of the Manchester Missionary Society, to engage the hall of the Lyceum, at Stafford, and to deliver two lectures on the principal doctrines of the New Church. At the first lecture there were about 250 present, who listened with evident interest to the subject. At the second there were not so many, owing it is supposed to the heavy rain which continued almost without intermission. After each lecture, the lecturer stated that any questions might be asked for the sake of further

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