and not a genuine conscience, formed by charity and faith, the natural attributes of which are gentleness and meekness. In fact, there are few things more difficult than to ascertain to a certainty whether, and how far, an opinion we entertain is from above, through the conscience; or from below, originating from a merely personal preference, grounded in prejudice, natural or acquired taste, or the force of habit. To urge conscience as the ground of an opinion, must therefore ever be liable to suspicion with experienced persons. The disputes of opinion which occur between members of a church, can always better be settled on grounds of right reason than on pleas of conscience. The former are tangible matters between man and man; the latter, properly considered, are between the individual's interior thought and the "court above." The plea of conscience, while it carries no weight to an antagonist, since he has no means of testing either its sincerity or accuracy, generally serves to inflate its author with a sort of supernatural assumption, which renders him more or less disagreeable. He calls to his aid the sanction of conscience; and his call is very likely to be answered by a combination of self-will and self-confidence; and why? because appeals from conscience in matters pertaining only to the reason and judgment are not legitimate, and therefore tend to confusion. The appellant parts company with sober considerations; soars into an unknown region; missss his way, and gets a fall; but his confidence remains undiminished. The amount of mischief resulting from pleas of conscience, when the matter in dispute is purely one of taste, or at best of questionable opinion, is beyond calculation. As soon as an individual has pledged his conscience, he feels it his "duty," backed by the pride of consistency, to be obstinate, and deaf to all remonstrance. He has closed his account in the court of reason, and he regards the matter as irrevocably settled, and stamped with the seal of infallibility. He knows that he has put forth a plea that admits of no answer, and therefore complacently concludes that he has put down his opponent by his own superior religiousness, if not by his own superior judgment. 66 Bigotry within a Church" will always be coëxtensive with the deficiency of self-control and self-renunciation in its members. When we have more love-not professions of love, but more practical, kindly yielding love one to another, this plague-spot will disappear. The Editor of the Intellectual Repository has prudently waived his right to insert "a Sermon,” which he may think, nevertheless, ought to be profitable and acceptable to his readers. He defers to their taste whether sermons shall occasionally be inserted or not. Give to a fair composition the aspect of an essay, and it will generally prove acceptable; head the very same essay with the words-" A SERMON," and cite a text, and it straightway becomes an object of offence. How is this? Surely there are readers who would be led by this title to put themselves immediately into the profitable attitude of devout and patient hearers of the Word, whereas, if they begin to read the same matter under the impression that it is a mere essay of the understanding, they would, for want of the former state of devout preparation, be much less profited. Has the opponent of the "Sermon" no brotherly sympathy with the more lowly-minded approver of sermons? Is one always to have his turn served. and the other to go without? The Boston (United States) New Jerusalem Magazine has usually "a Sermon" inserted. Are our American brethren more tolerant or more devout than ourselves? However this may be, the contributor of this article, from the remarks he has heard, is of opinion that the insertion of “ a Sermon," as such, will be likely to do more harm than good; it will probably have two bad effects; it will be more likely to be the subject of sharp criticism and contention, than of devout meditation; and what perhaps is worse, more likely to diminish than increase the number of subscribers to the Repository. Doubtless the time will come when so good a work as the upholding of the Church Magazine and its important uses, will be too highly esteemed to be liable to lose support in consequence of this or that description of papers being inserted, when nothing opposed to the Good or the True can be alleged against them, but only the old objection-" it is not to my taste”—an objection far more likely to proceed from the "old man" than from the new man." 66 These remarks may suitably be concluded by a short extract from the Address from the General Convention of the New Church in the United States to the General Conference in 1848:-" God grant that this precious word-FRATERNITY—may be filled with the spirit which first gave it birth, and carry with it a vitality and living energy that shall warm and animate every heart! There is religion in the word, and man acting in its spirit, would be united to God and his neighbour." And to this may be added, that where true fraternity prevails, there will be no place found for "Bigotry in a Church." ECLECTIC 232 REVIEW. MARRIAGE: ITS ORIGIN, USES, AND DUTIES. A Discourse delivered in the New Jerusalem Church, Cross-street, Hatton Garden, London, March 3rd, 1850. By the Rev. W. BRUCE. London: GEORGE SLATER, 252, Strand. Manchester: KENWORTHY, Cateaton-street. pp. 31. "THE following Discourse, (says the advertisement) preached in compliance with the wish of several of the younger members of the church in Cross-street, is now printed, at the request of the congregation." We feel ourselves much indebted to "the younger members of the Cross-street Society," as well as to the author, for the appearance of this beautiful discourse. No subject can be of greater importance than "the origin, uses, and duties of marriage ;" and when young members are delighted to consider the holiness of marriage and its duties, it is a proof to all who reflect, that society is advancing in its proper direction; since marriage is the source, nursery, and seminary of all the relations and affinities of life. All the endearing ties of love, friendship, and confidence between man and man have their origin in conjugial love; and the more this great principle is regarded and esteemed as the most precious jewel in human life, the more the way will be prepared for the descent of the New Jerusalem amongst men. Hitherto it has not been customary to view marriage in relation to the church and to heaven, although the Word of God is full of powerful descriptions as to this holy relation; but in the New Church it will be otherwise. Conjugial love not only comes from the Lord, as the Bridegroom and Husband of his church, but it is eminently his abode in man, and must consequently go hand in hand with the process of regeneration, and with the progress of the church in man, and in society at large. : This admirable discourse treats its subject in the following order :First, The origin and ground of the distinction of sex. Secondly, The origin and nature of marriage. Thirdly, The uses of marriage. Fourthly, The duties of marriage; and Lastly, The indissoluble nature and the everlasting duration of marriage. Gladly would we adduce extracts of great clearness and beauty on each of these important heads; but as the reader would enjoy more instruction, profit, and pleasure by reading the discourse entire, we earnestly recommend it to his attention. 233 MISCELLANEOUS INFORMATION. QUARTERLY MEETING OF THE BRETHREN OF THE NEW CHURCH IN GERMANY, Held at Stutgard, on Easter Monday, April 1st, 1850. * In our report of the last General Assembly or Conference of the New Church, held at Cannstatt, near Stutgard, Sept. 30th, 1849, (see this periodical for March last, p. 115) it was stated, that the next meeting would be held April 1st. We have lately received the report of this meeting, and we proceed to translate and to communicate the following interesting particulars. The members assembled at 9 o'clock in the morning, in the hall, according to appointment. The meeting was very numerous. The hall was prepared for the occasion. A large tablet opposite to the president was exhibited, in which appeared, in white letters on an azure ground, the sentence, "And He who sat upon the throne, said, Behold I make all things new." (Rev. xxi. 5.) Professor Emanuel Tafel was appointed president. The meeting was opened by a beautiful hymn,full of truthful heavenly sentiments.+ Prayer was then offered, and the 62nd chapter of Isaiah was read, after which the Gospel applicable to the season, it being Easter Monday, from Luke xxiv. was also read. The president then addressed the meeting on "The consequences of the Fall, and the divine means of Restoration," a translation of which forms the first paper in this No. of our periodical. We regret however that we cannot, for want of space, insert it entire in our present number. After this discourse the 122nd Psalm was chanted, and the meeting, in respect to its devotional and edifying character, was concluded by prayer. We can in some degree imagine how delightful it must have been for individuals, many of whom had probably never assembled together before, for the public worship of the Lord according to the truths of the New Church, to have united their hearts and voices together in that holy and exalting duty. Religious liberty in Germany did not, prior to the * The number is not given in the report, but we have heard from private letters that about 200 were present.-ED. The entire hymn is given in German, but our space does not allow us to insert a translation. N. S. NO. 126.--VOL. XI. late political changes, admit of so many assembling together, except in the national churches. The following are the minutes of the proceedings of the meeting, as they relate to matters of business connected with the spread of the doctrines and the edification of the church. 1. At the commencement of the meeting a communication from the society of the New Church at Vienna was handed to the President, expressing a wish to enter into the most intimate and brotherly relations with the assembly. This communication (which will be again referred to) was received with great joy, and it was resolved to greet in the most friendly manner the brethren in Vienna, as members of this union. 2. The same was also resolved in reference to the many communications from members of the New Church in Berlin, who were thought of with great interest and affection. 3. Many persons present gave their names as members of the union. 4. A friend from Stutgard then proposed, that it should be recommended to the members, that in all places in which several receivers of the New Church doctrines resided, they should assemble at an appointed hour every Sunday, and read together a sermon or something calculated to instruct and edify them in the perception and practice of the truth. 5. This proposition was agreed to, and it was observed by another friend from Stutgard, that the members should, above all things, possess such sermons, and to this end he proposed that a weekly periodical, consisting of one sheet, should be established for the New Church, in which not only sermons, but also information concerning the progress of the church, and concerning other subjects which might be deemed important and useful to their edification, should be communicated, and for this purpose it was further proposed that each member should every month give a subscription. This proposition was highly approved, and it was unanimously resolved to carry it out immediately. The attention of the meeting was then drawn to the fact, that the New Church already possesses in the English language an abundant store of suitable sermons, of which some years ago (1845) several S written by Messrs. Clowes, Sibly, and Keene, were translated and published. 6. Lastly, the assembly, which had been pervaded by a spirit of union and love, resolved that they would again assemble in the same place, on Sunday the 30th June next, at 9 o'clock in the morning. Many remained to partake of a simple repast, after which they separated, highly rejoiced at the great number which had attended the meeting, and with cordial wishes and sincere prayers that the good cause might speedily prosper. A Voice from Austria. The communication from the society at Vienna, which in October last consisted of 12 persons, but is now increased to 50, contained a statement, drawn up for circulation, of the doctrine of faith and life for the New Church. We will here give the introduction to this statement: "Every sincere, thoughtful mind, and every benevolent heart must see and acknowledge, that in all countries the miseries of mankind are increasing from day to day. This dreadful state of things is brought to pass chiefly through demoralization and vice of every kind. This is seen and admitted by thinkers of every political and religious party; and every honest-hearted man, to whatever standard he may belong, says that this state of things must be changed. And so it really must, but how shall it be changed? The skilful physician inquires into the cause of this wide-spread disease; and the right-minded and unprejudiced thinker knows the cause, it is lack of religion! -the fallen state of the christian church. "Centuries have passed away, and physicians have endeavoured to heal humanity, but have brought us, through superstition, to the present diseased condition; they have brought us, by the smouldering pile,* to enragement and fury, and by the sweet, milky voice of delusive conversation they have brought us to indifferentism, out of which men have plunged into naturalism and hence into materialism, and have at length embraced an infidelity which doubts, yea, denies the existence of God. But this infidelity, if God did not interpose, would utterly destroy the order of society, and mankind would perish. But the Lord hath at all times cared for man; He is life, love, and wisdom itself; and His love, the power of which is almighty, will again restore what man has destroyed. The revival of the dead, the awakening in the minds of men of a religious and moral principle, is the great object which this provisional society contemplates; we say "provisional" until the state (by the laws of religious liberty about to be established in Austria) shall fully acknowledge us, and which we intend by God's help, trusting in His protection and power, to accomplish. In order, however, that this society may not take into itself Pharisaic leaven, and may preserve itself as much from superstition as from infidelity, it has its own doctrines of faith, and its precepts of practical life, which agree with God's Word and with human reason, which we here subjoin, and for the speedy reception of which we earnestly implore God's blessing." [Here follow the twelve articles of faith, similar to those in the Conference Liturgy, to which are appended the precepts of the truly christian life, taken from the "Doctrine of Life."] As the concluding part of this communication from Vienna is important, and will be interesting to our readers, we shall recur to it again. It may be remembered by some that not many years ago a gentleman, a physician, was by the Austrian authorities cast into prison, and incarcerated for some time (the case was mentioned in this periodical) for making known the doctrines of the New Church, if we mistake not, at Prague. But now the times are altered.]—EDITOR. TWELFTH ANNUAL ASSEMBLY OF THE NEW JERUSALEM CHURCH TRACT SoCIETY, INSTITUTED IN MANCHESTER IN 1837, held in Peler-street, May 6th, 1850. The subscribers and friends of this society assembled to tea at six o'clock, after which the interesting business of the meeting commenced. The Rev. J. H. Smithson was appointed to take the chair. The report, which will be found very interesting, states that the total issue of tracts during the year was twenty thou sand six hundred and forty-three. The number printed during the same period is as follows:-5,150 copies of the "Doctrine of Life," 5,124 of the "Intercourse between the Soul and the Body," and 5,200 of Tract 31 (reprint), in all 15,474. Five of the minor works of Swedenborg |