LONDON MISSIONARY AND TRACT SOCIETY.

The thirty-first anniversary of this society was held at the church in Crossstreet, Hatton Garden, on Wednesday, May 12th. The Rev. T. C. Shaw presided. In opening the meeting, he pointed out the important objects contemplated by the society, and which, with adequate support, it would be enabled to accomplish.

The report of the committee (which will soon be published) described the chief of the missions performed during the year. From this it appears that the Rev. T. Chalklen had been to Elmham, near Norwich, where a small society has lately been formed; to Colchester, Wivenhoe, Brightlingsea, and St. Osyth; also to Stretford, in Suffolk, where he had a discussion with a Calvinist and a Unitarian, who each joined him against the other. In this visit he spent upwards of three weeks, and was engaged more than twenty times.

The Rev. J. Bayley gave two lectures at Baker's Rooms, Islington. He also went to Chatteris, in Suffolk, and had service three times on Sunday, and on Monday gave a lecture to 250 persons.

The Rev. E. Madeley went to Brightlingsea; the Rev. W. Woodman to Aylesbury; and Mons. Oegger to the Jersey society, where he preached in French, morning and evening.

The most interesting of the proceedings of the year, were the six lectures against Infidelity, delivered by Mr. Woodman at the Mechanics' Institution, on Tuesdays and Thursdays, commencing March 9th. The subjects were:-1. The Being of God. 2. The Truth of Sacred Scripture. 3. Freewill as essential to Humanity as Rationality. 4. Marriage vindicated; and its laws shewn to be essentially those of Humanity under its most elevated phases. 5. The Existence and Eternity of Hell not inconsistent with Infinite Love. 6. The true doctrine of Secularism, or the relation of Time to Eternity. A syllabus of the heads of the lectures was widely circulated, and the lectures were well advertised in the papers. There was a numerous attendance throughout the course. A discussion ensued after each lecture: the effect of this was to shew both the weakness of the negative position, and N. S. NO. 150.-VOL. XIII.

the great advantages possessed by those who enjoy the light of the New Church.

Mr. Gardiner, our city missionary, has continued his reading meetings, which have been fairly attended. They afford a good opportunity for inquiries to be answered, and are found to yield favourable results. He has paid many visits to the meetings of the Christian Association of young men, and introduced the doctrines of our Church. He has also made many calls upon ministers of various denominations, entering into conversation with them, and leaving them books and tracts for their perusal.

In conjunction with the Swedenborg Reading Association, a very suitable room has been engaged in Store-street, near the Music Hall, in which to hold meetingson Wednesdays for reading and discussion; and on Sundays for divine service, with readings, but without discussion, although questions will be permitted. Several friends will take part herein, at once employing and improving their talents.

During the Great Exhibition a large number of tracts were distributed, especially at the various public meetings called by different denominations to celebrate the event. Two tracts, one in French, by Mons. Le Boys des Guays, and one in German, by Dr. Tafel, were kindly written for the occasion. Copies of these may still be had. The seed was thus well scattered in new soils.

The report of the treasurer was not such as is creditable to the New Church. The amount subscribed continues so small, as to check the operations the committee would willingly undertake.

After the reading of the reports, various resolutions were proposed for the adoption of the meeting. These were introduced by addresses from Messrs. Pulsford, Hall, Gunton, Granger, Woodman, Bourne, Chambers, Bruce, Finch, and Bateman. The topics chiefly dwelt upon were, the distracted state of the various sections of the Old Church, as acknowledged by their own members, and the consequent necessity for theological opinions adapted to supply the wants of the age, and to check the growing tendency to infidelity. These, it was urged, were to be found in the doctrines of the New Church, mercifully imparted for the purpose; and hence the duty of 2 G

those who possess them to diffuse them by all orderly means. The means adopted by this society are among the best for the object; and it was recommended that efforts should be made to use the two London churches on week-day evenings, when persons who are engaged at their own places of worship on Sundays, might be induced to come and learn what the doctrines really are.

The meeting was addressed by a gentle man who had long been convinced that the views of the body of Christians to which he belonged, were not the genuine doctrines of the Word of God. Having attended Mr. Woodman's lectures against Infidelity, he was struck with the arguments then employed, and was led to examine the tenets of the New Church. As far as he had yet gone, he has reason to be satisfied that he has met with that which he was seeking. Of the truth of the principal doctrines he is convinced.

In his concluding remarks, the chairman forcibly pointed out that, however good other means might be, the best mode of making the doctrines known was by a practical exemplification of them in the life.

The attendance was less numerous than usual, but it was felt to be one of the most useful, from the happy spirit that pervaded it.

LECTURES ON THE RESURRECTION, BY MESSRS. WOODMAN AND AINSLIE.

(From the London Missionary Society.)

It was stated in the last Repository, that Mr. Woodman had delivered a lecture on this subject, at the Music Hall, Store-street, on Friday, March 26th. Mr. Ainslie gave one also, stating his own views, and scarcely attempting to reply to the arguments that had been used. He however took advantage of the opportunity to give some garbled extracts from Swedenborg, with a view of shewing that he was not an enlightened messenger, and was therefore unworthy to be taken as a guide in matters of religion. He contrived so to occupy the time that there was none left for the correction of his statements. It had therefore to be reserved to another time.

On Thursday, May 13th, at the ssme place, Mr. Woodman gave a lecture in reply to Mr. Ainslie. His former lecture had been reported verbatim, and a corrected copy had been placed in Mr.

Ainslie's hands, that he might verify quotations, &c., and it was expected, in common fairness, and indeed he had promised to let Mr. Woodman have the manuscript he had read from. This he delayed from time to time for weeks; and when he saw the advertisement announcing the lecture in reply to him, he pretended that his not having been informed that his lecture was wanted for that purpose, justified him in withholding it altogether.

Why, if possessed of common sense, he must have known that the lecture he had thought proper to deliver would not be allowed to pass unnoticed; and had he been a straightforward opponent, he would have desired to afford every facility for a complete answer. Fortunately, as it turned out, Mr. Woodman had taken such accurate notes, that, having the truth also on his side, he was enabled fully to meet every point, and to shew that the doctrine of the resurrection, as commonly held, and as advocated by Mr. Ainslie, is at once irrational and unscriptural. This being the case, there is the less wonder that he should gladly seize upon an appearance of a want of courtesy, and should have recourse to personalities. He however pledged himself to reply in print, and to expose the Swedenborgians! Let us hope he will fulfil his promise. If he examines Swedenborg in earnest, he may find his task not so easy as he seems to imagine.

MISSIONARY VISIT TO DARLINGTON. To the Editor.

Dear Sir,-The public introduction of our heavenly doctrines into any new place, is always interesting to the Church, and a record of it may be useful as affording materials for its future history. For some years there have been resident in the neighbourhood of Darlington three families, receivers of the doctrines of the New Jerusalem, and recently another friend, a new receiver, has commenced business in the town; and he has been making himself useful in introducing those doctrines to the favourable acceptance of others. On hearing that I was in Newcastle for a short period, this gentleman, with the concurrence of the other friends, requested me to pay them a missionary visit. Arrangements were made for the delivery of two lectures in the lecture-room of the Central Hall, on Monday and Tuesday evenings, the 19th and 20th of April. The

first was On the Unity of God, and the Divine Trinity as centred in the Divine Person of Jesus Christ;" and the second was "The Human Soul a Spiritual Body." A quantity of tracts was distributed. The first lecture was attended by about 70 persons, and the second by about 150. Both were listened to with marked interest and attention, and I was informed that a good impression was made upon several well-disposed persons. Some questions were asked and answered, not in the way of discussion, but as explanations; and a wish was expressed, by strangers, that I might have an early opportunity of paying them another visit. I think some use has been performed by this work; at least in the way of sowing seed, and hope there was some good ground for its reception.-I am, yours, &c.,

E. D. RENdell.

THEOLOGICAL PREMIUMS.

A gentleman deceased left by his deed of settlement a considerable fund, to be applied by his trustees at intervals of forty years, from 1774, in the payment of two premiums for the best treatises on the following subjects:-"The evidence that there is a Being, all-powerful, wise, and good, by whom every thing exists; and particularly, to obviate difficulties regarding the wisdom and goodness of the Deity; and this, in the first place, from considerations independent of written revelation, and, in the second place, from the Revelation of the Lord Jesus; and from the whole, to point out the inferences most necessary for and useful to mankind."

The amount of the fund to be so applied cannot be less, at any period, than £1,600.; and, as nearly as can be ascertained, it will, on occasion of the next competition, be about £2,400. Threefourths of the fund divisible at each period are appointed, by the terms of the bequest, to be paid to the author of the treatise which shall be found by the judges (to be named as after-mentioned), to possess the most merit, and the remaining fourth to the author of the treatise which, in the opinion of the said judges, shall be next in merit to the former, after deducting therefrom the expense of printing and binding three hundred copies of each of the said treatises, or of purchasing three hundred printed copies each thereof as the said trustees shall direct, to be distributed by

them among such persons to whom they shall think the same will prove most useful, or in any other manner that they shall judge proper.

The ministers of the Established Church of Aberdeen, the principals and professors of King's and Marischal Colleges of Aberdeen, and the trustees of the testator, are appointed to nominate and make choice of three judges, who are to decide upon the comparative merits of such treatises as shall be laid before them; and it may be proper to mention that, to discourage mean performances, the judges are empowered (if unanimous only) to find none of the treatises produced of sufficient merit to entitle the writers to the premiums. The trustees, however, believe that in the present state of the literary world, this is a contingency which can scarcely occur. The trustees, deeply sensible of the importance of the founder's design, and anxious, as far as lies in them, to do full justice to his wishes, venture to give an assurance that, in appointing the judges at the proper time, nothing will be regarded but that eminence of character and qualification which shall secure a satisfactory decision.

The time allowed by the testator for the composition of the treatises for the next periodical competition, extends to the 1st of January, 1854; and his trustees do now intimate, in compliance with his appointment, that those who shall become competitors for the said prizes must transmit their treatises to Alexander and John Webster, advocates, Aberdeen, agents of the trustees, in time to be with them on or before the said 1st of January, 1854, as none can be received after that date; and they must be sent free of all expense to the trustees. The judges will then, without delay, proceed to examine and decide upon the comparative merit of such treatises as shall be laid before them, and the trustees will, at the first term of Whitsunday after the determination of the judges, pay the premiums to the successful candidates, agreeably to the will of the testator.

As it tends much to an impartial decision that the names of the authors should be concealed from the judges, the trustees request that the treatises may not be in the handwriting of their respective authors, nor have their names annexed to them. Each treatise must be distinguished by a peculiar motto; this motto must be written on the outside of a sealed letter containing the author's name and

his address, and sent along with his performance. The names of the successful candidates only shall be known by opening their letters. The other letters shall be destroyed unopened. The writers of the unsuccessful treatises may afterwards have them returned by applying to Messrs. Webster, or to the trustees, and by mentioning only the motto which they may have assumed.

Letters addressed as above (post-paid) will meet with due attention, and it will save much trouble, in answering inquiries, to announce that there is no restriction imposed as to the length of the treatises. Aberdeen, March 1st, 1852.

MANCHESTER AND SALFORD MISSIONARY INSTITUTION.

Mutual Improvement Meeting.

The fourth of the above meetings was held on the evening of the first of May, in the Irwell-street School-room, Salford. About the usual number were present, among whom we noticed-Ministers, D. Howarth, W. Woodman, and J. Boys. Leader, Mr. Robinson. Missionaries, Messrs. E. Howarth and S. Beswick.

The subject," Redemption," was discussed with the collateral one of the "Incarnation," in a profound manner, doubtless instructive to some of those present.

Perhaps a remark on the manner of treating subjects may not be out of place, and the suggestion about to be made is offered without any desire to be offensive to any one.

The meeting assembles under the auspices of the Missionary Society. Missionary duty, in one of its leading particulars, is that of teaching all nations, and of bringing all doctrine to the proof of the Holy Word; that when this is done mankind may be enabled to hold fast that which is good, and be able to give a reason (a Scriptural reason) for the faith which is in them.

Now, all of us are missionaries in some sense, although all of us may not preach from the pulpit. True doctrine is to be upheld and false doctrine may be exploded, in our social intercourse as well as in a more formal and elaborate manner. It appears to us, then, that the meeting would occupy its time more usefully by bringing to the test of Scripture the doctrines commonly entertained by those of the first Christian dispensation, and thereby familiarising the minds of

those present with their fallacious nature, and by presenting the vivid contrast which exists between them and the doctrines of the New Church, supported by all that weight of Scriptural authority of which they are an embodiment, and thus preparing those present for a successful issue in their missionary duty.

If we desire that others should see and acknowledge, by a life of practical usefulness, as well as by a confession of the lips, the divinity of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, we must enable them to do that which we in some measure have already done for ourselves, in obedience to the command, "Search the Scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me." We must thus appeal to an authority which they acknowledge. In all our disquisitions, be it ours to attend practically to the simple rule, first the Scriptural, second the rational, and what you please next.

The meeting in July will be held on the second Saturday, in the School-room, Peter-street. To commence at five p.m. prompt (if possible).

The subject is "The reason why our Saviour appeared on this earth, and the nature of the temptations by which the Humanity was assailed." G. B. S.

NEGATIVE RATIONALISM IN HOLLAND.

(Abridged from the " Evangelical Christendom" for March, 1852.)

"The Reformed Church of Holland, like the Protestant communities of Germany, is the prey of Rationalism. Freethinking has penetrated every department of church and state, and its effects are of the most lamentable kind. Not a few of the clergy, in pursuit of this modern science, if it is to be so dignified, have arrived at the conclusion that there is either no God, or that every thing is God. Men who regard themselves as philosophic theologians, are on this matter almost united in their views, and are proud of this extreme result of their investigations.

"Their next step, and one of the highest importance, is to make out that man has no soul. With these two great discoveries they think to render invaluable service to humanity, overlooking, in their successful polemics, the fatal consequences, social and moral, which inevitably flow from their theories—that man, without a soul and without a God, cannot