the preacher is in his true life, then evil spirits have the ascendency. is clearly manifest how the evil bring forth good things."-Sp. D. 4129.

Thus

So teaches Swedenborg. You see he is most clearly consistent with his teachings in other parts of his writings, where he makes a marked distinction between the official and personal capacity of the minister of the church. And I appeal to both you, Mr. Editor, and to your readers, whether it is not sounder doctrine than that of "X." and whether it does not correct his error in the premises? For is not this a universal law of the divine economy, as applicable to the New Jerusalem as to any other dispensation, and hence may not "the preacher of bad life" in the New Church, as well as in any other, have his thoughts and speech so ruled by the Lord through the angels of the New Heaven as to "commend what is good," and thus, though evil himself, be an instrument in the Lord's hands of " bringing forth good things" in the hearts and lives of his true disciples? And can "X," or yourself, show any good reason why the following divine law does not apply as well to the New Christian Church, as to the old"The priestly office or function is holy, whatsoever is the quality of the person who ministers therein;" so that "the Word, taught by a wicked person is alike as holy as when taught by a good person?" The wicked, as well as the good person, "representing the Lord, by virtue of the priestly office and function," and hence "the preacher of bad life," having his thoughts and speech ruled by the Lord through the angels, "may perform uses, inasmuch as good men will receive the Word from evil preachers well, since the Word, from whatsoever mouth it comes forth, is received by man, according to the quality of his good." Or do you and "X." both of whom, I presume, are set, or have set yourselves, " to instruct in the New Jerusalem"--you, I see, having been ordained "to the performance of all the functions of the three several grades of the New Church ministry"-leave us to infer that you deem yourselves to be such four-square men as full regeneration alone has rightly qualified for "instructors in the New Church?" Pray, allow at least one of your subscribers to hope that this much of what you think to be the truth of the New Church, has been received by you on the principle of faith alone.

A SUBSCRIBER.

REMARKS.

We have, in our time, suffered such enormous injustice at the hands of religious editors that we long since resolved that if ever the Divine Providence should call us to occupy a similar post ourselves, we would at least show an example of fair dealing with correspondents, such as it has very seldom been our own lot to experience. We were determined from the outset that no one should ever say of us as we were once constrained to say of a Puritan Editor, that the sole reason why we doubted of his willingness to insert a proffered article was the justice of our claim. Accordingly we have freely given place to the above, although it closes with some not over gentle insinuations of a personal nature and which were not at all called for by the drift of the argument; for what has that to do with the private opinions of the editor? "A Subscriber," had no ground to suppose from the mere fact of our insertion of "X.'s" article that we thereby became responsible for all its

sentiments, or that it gave him a just claim to involve us in whatever odium he might think proper to attach to the views of our correspondent. In the "Editor's Address," published in the first No. of the Repository (Jan. 1848), we say :-"The grand purpose of our projected enterprise is to furnish a repository of all the most valuable exposition, discussion, and information which can be concentrated in its pages. Without surrendering the right of judgment as to the suitableness of the matter presented to the general aim and objects of the work, we would still fain impress upon it a character of freedom and liberality. The interchange of opposite opinions, when conducted in the spirit of charity, can scarcely be termed controversy, at least in the offensive sense of the term, and so long as variant views of doctrine are entertained by minds equally intent upon the attainment of truth, we know no sound reason for refusing a hearing to both sides of debatable topics, provided ever that the disputants shun a resort to harsh personalities and indecorous crimination of motive. The Editor will in no case deem himself responsible for the sentiments advanced by correspondents, although it is to be expected that the tenor of all communications will be in accordance with the general plan and scope of the work. If the positions of any writer are assailed, he is to be supposed competent to defend them, and upon him will it rest."

This is sufficiently explicit in the way of defining our editorial position, and in view of this position we might leave "A Subscriber's" criticism to have its due weight with our readers, without any comments of our own. But as he has alluded to the fact of our ordination with an apparent aim to hint at some degree of inconsistency on our part, we beg leave to refer him to the full statement made on that head in our last, where he will find our ministerial position as clearly defined as our editorial is in this. He will see, moreover, that the form of ordination employed on the occasion makes no mention of three degrees of ministerial rank, of which we know nothing as we are taught nothing.

As to the subject-matter, however, of the article called in question by " A Subscriber," we are free to say, that while we do not altogether approve its tone throughout, still the point objected to in the above communication is not that which strikes us as most open to censure. We are disposed rather to object to the somewhat sweeping and unqualified vein of reproof and condemnation in which he speaks of the existing state of New Church Societies. Even granting that the Church is at present far from its culminating point of purity and order, yet it cannot justly be doubted that there are numbers-growing numbers we trust-who are striving at least to realize their conceptions of a church in the least form, in themselves individually, and to submit themselves to the process that shall result in their spiritual quadrature, the working out of the perfect cubical form that shall fit them," as living stones," into the integrity and symmetry of a cubical city. We do not therefore relish the tone of any communication which seems not to recognize the good as well as the evil in the existing state of things. If the Lord has actually commenced the establishment of a church on the earth which is to fulfil the predictions of the New Jerusalem, it is but reasonable and scriptural to believe that His divine purpose will secure the effectual operation of the principles of that Church in many more hearts than we are probably at present aware of.

At the same time, it is no doubt well that a high standard of truth and life should beheld up before the men of the incipient New Dispensation, and that the various forms of evil and falsity to which they are liable should be distinctly pointed out. This we think our correspondent "X," has well done in several particulars, especially in what he says of the requisites in the character of "those who should instruct in the New Jerusalem." On this head the illuminated teacher of the New Church is certainly very explicit. Thus he says, A. E. 820," That they who are in the doctrine of truth from love to the Lord are to instruct those who will be of the Lord's church, is understood by the Lord's interrogation (to Peter), ' Lovest thou me,' and by saying afterwards, Feed my lambs,' and ' Feed my

sheep."" Again, in the same connection, "Inasmuch as Peter signified truth from good, which is from the Lord, and thence also doctrine, and so represented those who are in truths from good, and in the doctrine of genuine truth from the Lord, and inasmuch as these are they who are to instruct others, and who are instructed by the Lord, therefore Peter so often spake with the Lord and was also instructed by him." To be "in truth from good," therefore, is the grand qualification of New Church teachers, and this is little to be expected from any others than regenerate or regenerating men; and we do not perceive that the simple assertion of this principle lays any man open to the charge of a virtual assumption of superior personal sanctity, or teaching endowments, which seems to be brought by " A Subscriber," both against "X." and the editor. Without however noticing any farther his not very decorous challenge on this score, we would say in conclusion that while as a matter of fact it is quite probable that there are and will be, in despite of all precaution, unsuitable men engaged in this function, it is yet a very questionable policy to plead for the propriety of such men's being employed in the work. With all endeavors to close the door against their entrance they may still crowd in, but shall we on this account open the door wide for their admission and make a providential permission a virtual warrant or license for an acknowledged evil? We do not see that "A Subscriber's" view of the matter comes much short of this, and believe therefore, that his sentiments err as much on the side of laxness as do those of " X." on the side of stringency. The following paragraph from Swedenborg bears so directly on the general subject, that we close our remarks with it.

"A man who is in corporeal and worldly love, and not at the same time in spiritual or celestial love, has no other than evil spirits present with him, even when he is in a holy external; for good spirits cannot in any wise be present with such a person, inasmuch as they perceive immediately what is the quality of man's love; it is the sphere which is exhaled from his interiors, which spirits perceive as manifestly as man perceives by smell the fetid and filthy substances which float around him in the air. That nation, which is here treated of, was in such a state as to good and truth, or as to love and faith. Nevertheless that they might act the representative of a church, it was miraculously provided of the Lord, that when they were in a holy external, and were then also encompassed about with evil spirits, still the holy in which they were might be elevated into heaven; but this by good spirits and angels not within them but without them, for within them was nothing but emptiness or uncleanliness. Wherefore communication was not given with the man himself, but with that holy, in which they were when they put into act the stat utes and precepts, which were all representative of the spiritual and celestial things of the Lord's kingdom: this is what is signified by the Lord's being representatively present with that nation. But the Lord is present in a different manner with those within the church who are in spiritual love and thence in faith. With these there are good spirits and angels, not only in external worship, but at the same time also in internal; wherefore with them is given communication of heaven with themselves, for the Lord flows in through heaven by their internals into their externals. To these latter the holy of worship is profitable in another life, but not to the former. The case is similar with priests and presbyters, who preach what is holy, and yet live wickedly, and believe wickedly. With such neither are good spirits, but evil, even when they are in worship which appears holy in its external form; for it is the love of self and of the world, or the love for securing honors and acquiring gain, and thereby reputation, which inflames them, and presents an affection of what is holy, sometimes to such a degree, that nothing of pretence is perceived, and then neither is it credited by themselves; when yet they are in the midst of evil spirits, who are then in a similar state, and aspire and inspire. That evil spirits can be in such a state, and that they are so when they are in externals, and are inflated by self-love and the love of the world, has been given me to know from manifold experience,

concerning which, by the divine mercy of the Lord, in the relations which follow at the end of the chapters. These persons have no communication with heaven in themselves, but they who hear and apprehend the words which they speak, if they are in a pious and holy internal, have communication; for it is of no consequence from whom the voice of good and truth flows forth, provided their life is not manifestly wicked, for this scandalizes."-A. C. 4311.

ED.

ARTICLE VI.

THE JEWISH TABERNACLE VIEWED IN ITS SPIRITUAL IMPORT.

No. IV.

It is a favorite notion with the Jews that the Tabernacle possessed in fact the two-fold character of a Sanctuary and a Palace-of a place of worship and of a royal residence. Viewed in the latter light, the Tabernacle was regarded as the peculiar dwelling-place of Jehovah as King of the Jews, where he held his court, whence he issued his edicts and laws, and where he received the tokens of his people's homage. They even carry out the analogy so far as to regard the utensils of the Tabernacle as palace furniture and the priests as ministers of state, and suppose, as a king has an ante-chamber and an apartment exclusively appropriated to himself, so in this edifice the Holy and Most Holy Place were designed to answer a similar purpose. We recognize a degree of truth in this so far as the Tabernacle, in its supreme sense, denoted the Lord, who combines in himself the sacerdotal sanctity with the royal dignity, and who is represented as "sitting a priest upon his throne," in Zion or the church-the kingly prerogative having relation to truth, and the priestly to good. But the full import of the structure in all its bearings will disclose itself as we proceed.

THE HOLY AND MOST HOLY PLACE.

The grand division of the sacred edifice was into the two apartments thus denominated, and which were separated by a curtain exquisitely embroidered, and called the "vail." The dimensions of the two rooms differed in length nearly as three to one, the outer being thirty-seven feet long and eighteen broad, while the inner was of a cubical form eighteen feet each way. The general relative appearance of the two apartments may doubtless be inferred with some considerable approximation to truth from the annexed engraving, in which the three pillars in front are cut off, and the separating vail drawn up to afford a more unobstructed view of the rooms with their respective contents. The further extremity of the Most Holy place is represented as partially open, whereas in fact it was closed like every side of the room except the front-this appearance being simply a

device of the artist to obviate the difficulty of representing the Cherubim over the Ark on a dark background.

As will be seen from this representation, the only objects in the outer room were the Candlestick, the Table of Shew-Bread, and the Altar of Incense, the Candlestick on the left, the Table on the right, and the Altar in the centre near the Vail. These several articles we shall describe in detail, commencing with the

The order for the construction of this article runs as follows. "Thou shalt also make a table of shittim-wood, two cubits shall be the length thereof, and a cubit the breadth thereof, and a cubit and a half the height thereof. And thou shalt overlay it with pure gold, and make thereto a crown of gold round about. And thou shalt make unto it a border of an hand breadth round about, and thou shalt make a golden crown to the border thereof round about. And thou shalt make for it four rings of gold, and put the rings in the four corners that are on the four feet thereof. Over against the border shall the rings be for places of the staves to bear the table. And thou shalt make the staves of shittim-wood, and overlay them with gold, that the table may be borne with them. And thou shalt make the dishes thereof, and spoons thereof, and covers thereof, and bowls thereof, to cover