The first error we have observed some hold on this subject is, that persons are in a receptive state for New Church doctrines because they deny the old. But mere denial of falsity by no means assures us of a state to receive truth. There may be all forms of self-sufficiency in such denial and the vanity of self-intelligence; or, what is even worse, such denial may be a mere expression of the inability of the natural mind to receive spiritual teaching. It may even come from a tendency of the character not to come into settled convictions. All these qualities of mind which produce the denial are such as would incapacitate one for the reception of New Church teachings. The system of truth taught in our doctrines has decided positions to affirm. It has strong convictions which its receivers are to accept, and it is only when one lays aside the old teachings because he has come into a state to receive higher that denial indicates a preparation for the reception of the new teachings.

Others imagine that a radical state of mind, that is, one which readily discards established ideas and adopts extreme positions, indicates a receptivity for new truth. But so far from this, a conservative tendency makes altogether the best soil for our doctrines. Minds which are slowly convinced, but become correspondingly firm in their convictions, are the best adapted to receive the heavenly teachings. A mind that is reverent, not apt abruptly to change, and that seeks to attain unto what is high, pure, and good, is much better soil for our spiritual plants than the self-sufficient and extreme radical.

Others imagine that those of a rationalistic tendency, or who speculate much concerning truth, are likely to become interested in the New Church doctrines. But this is furthest from the truth. The rationalists, so called, are apt to look to their self-derived intelligence for instruction, and consult their fancies in the determination of their opinions. He who comes into the New Church must be prepared to accept a revelation, rational, it is true, but not the product of man's rationality. The New Church writings are the furthest of all writings from speculative tendencies. They are mere; statements of fact.

If the advocates of the New Church would remember these things when thinking of the growth and prosperity of our Church organization, they would be less likely to be disappointed by anticipating success where they had no right to expect it.-New Jerusalem Messenger.

FR

SENTIMENTALITY.

RUTH and good must be united in a good life to be anything. Truth talked about without regard to life becomes sentimentality. It is as possible to make as unreal a thing of good as of truth, and it is essentially the same evil which leads us to do it. Faith alone is one extreme, sentimentality the other.

We ought to abominate the faith-alone state in the Church and in ourselves, but should not try to correct it by resorting to sentimentality. Sentimentality is as weak and enervating as faith alone is hardening and forbidding.

When we are trying to correct the faith-alone state in others, we are especially exposed to the dangers of sentimentality; if we are resisting our own faith alone we are not so much in this danger.

We can only remove faith alone by sound, wholesome teaching of practical good, and by the actual doing of

this good. There is no more virtue in talking about good than in talking about truth. Faith, charity, and good works are a heavenly trinity; neither of these attributes can exist without the others; neither can be ignored without destroying the unity and perfection of life; if either is destroyed, they all perish like a pearl reduced to powder.

Instead of going to one extreme to correct another, let us busy ourselves with living both truth and good. We have felt the tendency in ourselves to remove faith alone by sentimentality, and the danger of the tendency is very apparent to us, therefore we have of it.-W. G. F. in the New Jerusalem Messenger.

ARCHDEACON COLLEY AT GRAHAMSTOWN.

N Sunday, August 1st, the Ven. Archdeacon Colley, M.A., Dean of St. Peter's Church of England Cathedral at Maritzburg, in the diocese of Natal, conducted the services at the Cathedral in Grahamstown, The Eastern Star gives an extended report of both sermons. The sermon in the morning was from the words, "Cast thy net on the right side of the ship, and ye shall find," and in the course of his remarks the Archdeacon said: "Skilful workmanship in any handicraft compels admiration, whereas blundering stupidity deserves and gets scant patience, especially when reasonable expectation hopes for that perfection which a long apprenticeship to experience should show. Each has a special aptitude for a given work, in which he may stand supreme without a rival; and most of the bungling patchwork of misdirected effort, and the disastrous failures in a man's career, are the unhappy results of a mistaken vocation and forgetfulness to test the adaptability of the mind and bias of the will for the thing attempted. The vast mass of men are the slaves of chance and creatures of circumstances, who drift hither and thither, ever at the mercy of the next event. Objectless, aimless, with no definite plan or purpose, their course is zigzag; carried about by every wind of doctrine, the frivolity of fashion, the new madness of the hour, they are as vinegar to the eyes of the honest toilers, who plough the deep to explore God's wonders and make provision for the coming morrow. The Master calls us to be fishers of men, calls us to be spiritual anglers for the weary, the downcast, the sinful; 'tis ours to draw humanity from the depths of depravity; to rescue homo from diabolus; to draw out the noble from the ignoble ; reason from insanity; the high human from the low brutal; the true manly from the mere animal. But we neglect to let down the net on the right side. We have a blundering, left-handed way of doing even good things, which is really equal to a right-handed facility for doing evil things. A favour may be rendered in such an ungracious, ungainly fashion that a courteous refusal of it would have been far pleasanter. And people of this sort are very much like the left-handed men of Benjamin, who could sling stones at a hair's-breadth and not miss. They pride themselves on their ability to sling sarcastic speeches at their neighbour, they shoot out their arrows, even bitter words.' They speak the truth not to amend, but to wound, and are brutally rude under cover of being outspoken and plain. But when did this sinister style of angling ever net large results, or do anything but mischief, or cause aught but trouble and pain? We must cast the net on the right side if we would find. We must speak the truth in love; bear and forbear. You may catch more flies with a spoon. ful of honey than a barrel of vinegar. You may toil all night and take nothing, and marvel that your persistent efforts to dragoon sinners into right ways are not more successful. But who is at fault? Is it their depravity or your stupidity that is to blame. Let go your high heroics for a time, and try a little homely common-sense in these things. The over-much righteous sometimes give occasion for the over-much wicked to blaspheme. Indeed, I rather more than suspect that when the Pharisee shows himself in God's sunlight the shadow of the publican and sinner is not a great way off. When I see the one, I have not far to look for the other. This is the shrewd opinion, I think, of most men. So if you wish a man to act right, don't ply him with too many opportunities of acting wrong, by multiplying trivial rules and regulations and Canon laws, brand-new and idiotic, for him to break; and don't tempt him by useless limitations and captious curtailment of due liberty to rush at your poor fences and foolish prohibitions, lest the impetus should carry him beyond his neighbour's landmark, and lead him to trespass on God's forbidden ground. Ask, don't bid. Win, don't force. Lead, don't drive. Bend, don't break. In short, just do according to the Master's words, and 'let down the net on the right side,' and we shall catch men, and earn their love, and net many friends, yet not one too many, for

'He that hath a thousand friends

Hath never a friend to spare, And he that hath an enemy Shall meet him everywhere.'

But the disciples toiled all night and took nothing to teach us how not to do the same. It was Peter-the noisy apostle, I say it with all reverence-before his conversion, ever forward and pushing, that said, 'I go a-fishing,' 'I,' 'I,' 'I,' you may do just what you like, but, ego, 'I myself,' I go a-fishing. And as one fool makes many, they all went at it in this same spirit; and with a plentiful lack of humility, we know how many do the same in other things, who meddle and blunder into a like ridiculous measure of success, and show empty nets. Oh for the wisdom to cast them in on the right side! Are there not men whose piety is of a hard, harsh, repulsive nature? Who just know how not to do the right thing lovingly? Who have a back-handed awkwardness, a lefthanded ungainliness for those things which, above all others, should bear the impress of the beauty of holiness and the suavity of Christian gentleness?! There are those who even wear a painful look and bitter aspect; who stand in dark embodiment of suspicion and a chronic doubt; who look the very picture of an incarnate negative. You scarce ever hear them say sweet Yes to anything; it is with them a surly, everlasting No. One scruple avails with them more than a thousand affirmations. They stumble at a straw, and seem to like it. But oh, it is a sad spirit, and, if cherished, becomes so engrafted in one's nature that it induces a sort of spiritual paralysis that cripples with sinister force one side of our moral constitution, making us perverse, peevish, sullen, sour. It is the fly in the pot of ointment. Better bear all things, and believe all things, and hope all things, and endure all things, than doubt everything and believe nothing. Better be a fond fool for Christ's sake than a curt caitiff for our own. Charity teaches trust, and says, 'Cast the net on the right side of the ship, and ye shall find;' while, on the other hand, the unwisdom and lack-love of distrust toils for selfish,ends, honours, power, riches, and a name; toils in futility all night and takes nothing, and gets cursed for its pains, and hated of men. Let charity reign in us, and let patience have its perfect work, that we may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing. And in every state, condition, circumstance, and event of life, in all zones and latitudes, climes and longitudes, let us remember the Gospel meaning of our Lord's command when He said, 'Cast the net on the right side of the ship, and ye shall find,' and we shall be blessed in our deed with the favour of God and the friendship of men."

CORRESPONDENCE.

To the Editor of Morning Light.

MISS ROGER'S BEQUEST.

DEAR SIR, It is announced in your number, September 11th, "that £200 had been left free of legacy duty to the Camden Road Society" by Miss Rogers of Bocking End, Braintree, Essex, whose "name is well known in the New Church by her liberal donations in former years to the New Church College in Devonshire Street, Islington.' It may be well perhaps to mention that Miss Rogers left this money to the "Cross Street Society," of which the "Camden Road Society" is the present representative, as the following note addressed to me by the executor, Mr. Rooks, will testify :—

"DEAR SIR,-My late relative, Miss Eleanor Rogers of Bocking End, who was a governor of the New Church College, has by her will bequeathed to the church in Cross Street, Hatton Garden, London, the sum of £200 free of duty, to be paid to and be distributed by the minister thereof at his discretion.

"I cannot find that there is any church as described by the will in Cross Street. I am anxious to carry out the wishes of the testatrix, and shall be obliged by any assistance you can give me towards that end. You were good enough to write to me on the 7th of February last.-I am yours truly, G. A. Rooks.

"HENRY BATEMAN, Esq., 13 CANONBURY LANE, N,'

On the same evening I had a letter forwarded to Mr. Rooks informing him of the change of locality of the Society, and at the same time of the address of Dr. Tafel. I also communicated with Dr. Tafel immediately on the subject, and am happy to find that the assistance thus rendered has secured the legacy. I have also the pleasure of stating that Miss Rogers left £300 to the Argyle Square Society, and that she not only contributed occasional donations to the New Church College, but also was the largest annual subscriber to its funds, until the year of her decease inclusive.—I remain, dear sir, yours faithfully, HENRY BATEMAN.

13 CANONBURY LANE, N., Sept. 11, 1880.

HOW TO INCREASE THE CIRCULATION OF NEW CHURCH

LITERATURE.

DEAR SIR,-I was pleased to see this question raised by Mr. Swift, jun., in your number, September 11th, of Morning Light, for the point has been silently debated in many minds for a long time.

Though every one must admit that New Church books are very low in price, I do not think it can be said that they are "second to none in cheapness," and I think that it is in cheapening them yet further that an increase in the circulation will be effected. Twelve volumes of the "Arcana Coelestia," the most valuable book next to the Bible in a New Church library, at 4s. a volume is more than a poor man can easily afford to buy, and I think that this is the cheapest edition issued. Could not the Swedenborg Society have the whole book done in smaller type and thinner paper in one volume at about 21s., or perhaps in two volumes at about 12s. 6d. a volume? When we compare even our low prices with those of some of the publications issued by the Religious Tract Society and others in this Sunday-school centenary year we are unable to boast that they are unrivalled in cheapness, and the results which others have achieved ought to make us think that something further in this direction is to be quite reasonably expected from us.-Yours very truly, SPES.

SIR,-The circulation of the literature of the New Church is one of the duties incumbent on every one of its members, and none should be discouraged by not perceiving any immediate external results.

In order that I may encourage those who are perhaps inclined to take a somewhat despondent view of the apparent slow progress of the New Church, I would just mention, that some time after leaving the communion of the Established Church I gave a copy of the T. C. R. to the curate of the church of which I was formerly a member, and which gets filled every Sunday with a congregation of not less than eight hundred. The curate lent the book to the vicar, who, it should be remembered, is what is called a "low churchman." What the results may be the future alone will show, but from what I have heard from my relations who still attend the church, it seems plainly evident that the vicar is preaching already a more liberal theology and more in accordance with the Word. For instance, I understand he said in a sermon lately delivered that God, who is Love, does not damn any one, but that man condemns himself. And further, last Sunday I heard he preached against the detestable doctrine of predestination!!

The distribution of our literature amongst the clergy especially is one of the injunctions of Swedenborg in T. C. R. No. 784. Let then each and all of us, as members of the Lord's New Church, do what we can to sow broadcast over the whole land its heavenly doctrines, and trust the Lord for the result. Let us not be discouraged by the slow progress of the New Church so far as regards its externals, for depend upon it, its literature is acting like leaven in the old church, and materially altering the views of even low churchmen.-I am, sir, yours truly,

AN EX-MEMBER OF THE OLD CHURCH.

NEWS OF THE NEW CHURCH. BLACKBURN.-On Sunday, September 12, the annual sermons in aid of the Sunday schools connected with the above Society were preached by the Rev. C. H. Wilkins, of Manchester. In the afternoon the rev. gentleman took as his text the words, "And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters" (Gen. i. 2). After stating that the Bible was never intended by the Lord to give us precise statements of literal and scientific facts, and showing that the literal truths of the Word were always made subordinate to the spiritual sense contained within the letter, he showed that although the Bible was not absolute literal truth, yet still it was absolute spiritual truth in every word, and that this first chapter of Genesis would teach us, even in the literal sense, three important truths. Firstly, that this beautiful world, with all its glorious scenery of earth, sky, and ocean, was the handiwork of God. Secondly, that the worlds were formed by the power of Divine Truth, and conse quently the whole world must be a living parable of the Lord. Thirdly, that the Lord brought the world into existence for the sake of man, in order that he might be formed in His image and likeness, and that great and grand as the creation of the natural world was, yet it was not to be compared to the far higher and grander work which the Lord accomplished in every individual soul when it was brought into harmony with the Divine Nature by a life according to the Lord's commandments. The beginning of man's spiritual day commenced when the Lord said to him, "Let there be light." Before this all was darkness and chaos, but still the Spirit of God was moving upon the face of the waters. And so it was at the present day in the world: all in our eyes seemed to be darkness and confusion,

and in the eyes of the angels man in his unregenerate state is without form and void, but still the Lord was moving upon the face of the waters; and although we might not be able to perceive it, the Lord was using the remains of goodness and truth stored up by the angels in our infancy for the grand purpose of our regeneration and creation anew in His image and likeness. In the evening Mr. Wilkins took for the subject of his discourse Rev. xix. I, "After these things I heard a great voice of much people in heaven, saying, Alleluia." After showing most conclusively that heaven is everywhere where genuine goodness exists, and that heaven in its least form exists in the mind of every good man, Mr. Wilkins said we talked very loudly sometimes about the populousness of our large towns and cities and the enormous and ever-growing population of the world, but this shrank into insignificance beside the idea of the innumerable multitude of angelic beings which peopled the heavens. And as angels in the spiritual sense of the word corresponded to truths, so in every good man's mind the truths were innumerable. And although the Apostle John heard a voice of much people in heaven, yet still he only heard it as one voice, because although in heaven there are many societies, and an infinite variety in each society, yet the harmony of the whole was perfect, because all lived in love to the Lord and in the desire to do good to their neighbour; and as it was in the heavens so it was in the heavenly-minded man when he was being regenerated by the Lord and his whole being was changed. Then although he might have a great variety of truths stored up in his intellect, yet all was harmonized in the one desire to speak to others both in his words and actions of his Saviour's love; and although there were many degrees of good in man's nature, when he came to love the Lord truly he had only one message to deliver. In his business life, in his home life, in his church life he acknowledged the Lord as his Lord, and that all his goodness of every degree came from the Lord Himself. And so although we could see in the world that the Lord worked by unchanging laws, and it felt hard at times to us in our ignorance that we should suffer losses in our business, and that our friends and little ones should be taken away from us, yet behind these workings of the Divine Providence we could see that the Lord's goodness was still there, and that these things were only meant to lead us to higher states of love and faith, and that the Lord's object in all was our salvation. By these means we were brought eventually to praise the Lord more fully and unite in one grand hymn, the whole burden of which was Alleluia, salvation and glory, honour and power unto the Lord our God! In the morning a service of song, entitled "The Prodigal Son," was given by the choir, assisted by the elder scholars, in a very pleasing and effective manner. Mr. J. H. Riley presided at the organ with his usual good taste and ability. The weather being rather unfavourable the services were only moderately attended, but all who were present seem to have been much pleased with the earnest and eloquent manner in which Mr. Wilkins presented the truth before them.

BRISBANE (QUEENSLAND).-The Brisbane Courier of Monday, July 26th, has the following notice: "On Friday evening last Mr. George Slater delivered a lecture in the church, Wickham Terrace, on Marriage in the Light of the New Church,' the greater portion of which was from a lecture by the Rev. J. Reed of Boston, United States. Mr. Slater began by stating that Swedenborg published a work on marriage and its opposite evil under the title of ‘Conjugial Love' when he was about eighty years of age, and that misrepresentations had frequently been made of this work by persons who had not studied it, or who were not in a condition to judge of it. According to Mr. Reed, Swedenborg presents a conception of the relation between man and woman which is pure and exalted beyond that of any other writer; that he regards the marriage covenant as something peculiarly sacred, never to be lightly entered into, and never to be dissolved except for reasons which are morally and legally sufficient; and that he invests with new significance the Christian institutions of family and home, while he reiterates and emphasizes their transcendent importance. If he distinguishes among the ways in which the laws of marriage are violated, representing some of them as lighter and less fatal than others, he does no more than many moralists have done. Mr. Slater concluded by reading a poetical version of Swedenborg's description of a married pair professedly sent by the Lord from the celestial heaven to Swedenborg at a time when his spiritual senses were opened into the spiritual world, and while he was still in the natural world."

GLASGOW.-On Sunday morning the 12th of September, immediately after the lessons, the address to the members of the New Church in Great Britain, prepared by the Rev. Dr. Tafel and adopted by the late Conference, was by order of the Church Committee read to the congregation. Mr. Potts began the same morning a series of discourses on the Book of Jonah, taking for his text the first two verses of the first chapter. He referred to the uncertainty which was felt as to when Jonah lived and wrote, some believing him to be the oldest of the prophets, and others assigning him to a comparatively late period. Again the surprising nature of the story inclined many German theologians to regard it as

highly fabulous. But these difficulties did not disturb the faith of New Churchmen, for they were interested not so much in ascertaining to whom it was originally addressed as in knowing that it is addressed to them now. They know it contains an internal sense, and that therefore notwithstanding its almost incredible story it is Divinely true. Jonah was a Jew, and therefore represents a man of the Church. For at that time the Jews only possessed the Word of God, and the Church is where the Word is and where spiritual truths are known and acknowledged. But Jonah represents especially the New Churchman because the New Churchman above others is acquainted with spiritual truths. We are all therefore as to our possession of the truth Jonahs. But we are told that "the Word of the Lord came unto Jonah the son of Amittai, saying, Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry against it." If we are Jonahs from our possession of the truth we should be deeply interested in knowing what the Word of the Lord says alike to Jonah and to us. For we, like Jonah, have a mission, and a mission it would seem against a great city. Nineveh was a great city, and yet its place and name in history fell so completely out of memory that Xenophon when he encamped near its ruins supposed them to be those of some other place. The Assyrian sculptures and remains, particularly the winged bulls placed at its gates, which have been excavated recently, have made it once more known to us. The Scripture references to it are not numerous. Jonah, who typifies the man of the Church, the possessor of spiritual truths, being sent with a message to Nineveh shows that Nineveh does not possess the truth, and yet being a city it represents doctrine. It must therefore represent a doctrine which is false. In fact, the Ninevites represent a peculiar class of those who are in false principles, namely, those who are in falses because they have never been taught revealed truth, who have acquired all their ideas from their natural senses. Nineveh therefore represents the Gentiles. And wherever we may meet such we are commanded to cry against the state in which they are. This applies both to preacher and laymen; for all, so far as they know the truth, can and ought to cry against the falsities which spring from ignorance, and deliver the message which has come to us from the Lord at His Second Coming to the inhabitants of the great city Nineveh. Many of them would if we were faithful to our charge receive our message and come out of Nineveh. After applying this in various ways to New Churchmen both within and outside the organized Church, he concluded by intimating that what was meant by Jonah's fleeing from the presence of the Lord, and going by ship to Tarshish and paying his fare, would be treated in his next discourse.

66

After

LIVERPOOL.-On Sunday afternoon, September 19th, the usual social tea meeting was held in the schoolroom. Tea was provided at 4.30, to which a comfortable number of friends sat down. tea a paper was read by Mr. J. Skeaf, who took for his subject Beds, their practical Application to Everyday Life." In dealing with his theme the essayist said that all men are their own bedmakers, the doctrine which they avow and practise being the spiritual bed upon which their character rests. The various doctrines which were held by men were then referred to, and all were exhorted to rest on the bed of doctrine, drawn from the Divine Word as given in the sacred writings of our Church. Remarks were made at the close of the paper by Messrs. Cann, H. M. Savage, J. Stevenson, and the chairman, Mr. R. J. Tilson.

In

LONDON (CAMDEN ROAD).-On Sunday, September 19, the Rev. Joseph Ashby of Derby occupied the pulpit of this church. the morning he delivered a beautiful and eminently practical discourse on "The righteous shall flourish like the palm-tree," illus, trating in a highly practical manner the spiritual lessons which the tree supplies from its nature, uses, shape, and place of growth. In the evening he selected the words "A door was opened in heaven" (Rev. iv. 1) to give a discourse admirably suited to strangers, a large number of whom was present. He said that after John had done the duty assigned him of writing to the seven churches in Asia, then the door appeared opened. So was it always. As duty is done, illustration comes. A door was opened in heaven to John and to many others, as the Old and the New Testaments both inform us. We frequently read that the heavens were opened and visions of God seen. The Book of Revelation treats of the last times of one Church and the beginning of another. Then God reveals Himself afresh. We know that the Lord will come again. He has said So. We know its fulfilment must be some time. But we believe that now is the time of His Coming. We require to learn what is meant by door. "I am the door." It is the opening by which new and higher knowledge on spiritual subjects can come to man. There is a yearning for it amongen. The child asks where its parent has gone, the friend is desius to know of his friend, the mother of her child. In the natural world doors are opening on every hand. Is light to come upon every subject except the most important of all? Of the present we are accustomed to speak as "enlightened times;" and we are fully justified in doing so, for we believe that light has come. Indeed it is only as we possess more

and full spiritual light that we are able to judge accurately of this world. On the other hand, eternity is our to-morrow, and we should desire to prepare for it. The other world has been termed a bourn from which no traveller returns. No Christian, however, can say so. The Bible came from it. Daniel, John, and Paul were in it. The Bible teaches that that world is real, and details drawn from different parts fill up the picture. This world is indeed but the shadow of that. The people there as here are in the human form. There is no death; what seems so, as the poet tells us, is transition. The spiritual world is near. We may have a near friend even at the Antipodes if we love him greatly. Death is merely the removing of the scaffolding on the completion of the building, the drawing of the sword from the sheath, the weighing of the vessel's anchor. Natural death was a part of the Creator's design. Sin is the cause of the death of the soul, not of the body. Judgment follows in the world of spirits immediately after death. There good and evil men are separated, and also the good and evil in each individual. There are many evidences that full light on these subjects has come, and it is our duty, who possess it, to try and lead men to the acceptance of its truths from a rational basis.

LONDON (DALSTON).-The Rev. J. Ashby of Derby favoured us with a visit on Sunday evening, Sept. 12th. The text chosen was from Isaiah xlviii. 18, "O that thou hadst hearkened to My commandments! then had thy peace been as a river, and thy righteousnéss as the waves of the sea. In the course of a very able and

eloquent discourse the preacher pointed out that it was only as men came into a state of order and conformity with the eternal laws of God that peace or righteousness could be obtained. Peace derived by the purified man from God is fitly compared to a river both as to its exalted source and the blessed results it carries wherever it flows. The strength, unceasing activity, and beneficent uses performed by the waves of the sea also fitly portray the righteous life of him who has truly hearkened to the Divine commands. The sermon was very highly appreciated by a large congregation.

SIMPLE WORDS To Simple People !-How the people are sometimes fed is illustrated by the following information taken from the sermon of the vicar of a rural parish in Suffolk-a sermon published in the Church of England Pulpit. In it "these Suffolk peasantry were informed that the principal meals in Palestine are an 'ariston' in the morning, and a 'deipnon' in the afternoon; and that Oriental houses, as architectural and structural features, have their 'pylon,' their catalyma,' and their 'hyperoon.' Taking these as a kind of introduction to the house of Simon the leper, the preacher proceeded further to state that the woman took her 'myron' from an 'alabastron,' and that the particular perfume referred to in the Gospel narrative is known to botanists as 'nardostachys.' I wonder whether 'Giles' and 'Hodge' duly and at frequent intervals nodded assent to these wonderful words." The preacher's art in this instance seems to have been to make simple things difficult, instead of diffi cult things simple.

THE LABOURERS IN THE VINEYARD. October 3, Morning.-Matt. xx. 1-16. Most parables are intended to tell us in different ways what "the kingdom of God is like." The kingdom of God is heaven and the Church; and what makes these is the acceptance by angels and men of the principles which flow forth from the Lord of truth and love. This parable refers to the universal call which religion makes to men-the address which it makes to their nature, and the different characters of the persons to whom it is made. In the parable the vineyard represents the Church. The labourers are the men who enter it in different states, represented by the various hours at which they are hired, and the market-place is their unregenerate state. But in the historical sense it refers to Jewish, Christian, and New Church dispensations. The Jews as a Church acted on the ground of obedience; the Christians from a state of faith; and New Churchmen will, when the Church is fully established, act from a principle of love. But the principles typified by these three classes of persons also exist in each individual mind; and in the process of regeneration the labourers hired at daybreak, the third, sixth, ninth, and eleventh hour, all come successively into place. In the individual the house denotes the will, the vineyard the understanding, and the market-place the memory. The householder is the ruling love, the labourers waiting are knowledges in the memory, which is the place for inactive truths; but when they are hired they are transferred to the vineyard, where they become active in good works, the vineyard itself being the Church. The principles (the labourers first hired) are those of obedience merely, which bargain for the reward of their labours, that is, look upon their works as meritorious. This is a low condition, as is further shown by their murmuring, when, like those hired later, they only received a penny. The labourers hired at the third and the eleventh hour represent higher principles, which should succeed the state of obedience in which we are at first. They do not bargain for a reward, but are content with the Lord's word, that "whatsoever is right that shall ye receive." In states of faith and love, especially of the latter, the labourers do what the master of the vineyard lays upon them to do without any thought of gain; in fact, the work they do is itself their highest reward.

THE FIFTH COMMANDMENT.

October 3, Afternoon.-Exod. xx. 13. It may seem an unneces sary and even a dreadful thing to teach children that they must not commit murder. But though they are so far removed from wishing to take away the life of a fellow-creature, there may be in them the seeds from which in later life all murder flows. Unkind feelings towards others is this seed; which may, nay, which will, grow if it lives in us at all into hatred, and hatred on occasion overflows into act in the deadly way which this command forbids. But though the command forbids us to hurt the natural life of others, the life of their bodies, that is not the only life which we must take care of. There is the life of their souls, the life of goodness and truth in them, which we must not set ourselves to overthrow. To destroy that life would be to deprive them of heaven. Murder is committed whenever from hatred or revenge you strike or do harm to any one, or even try to do so. This feeling when it becomes stronger in you is not satisfied with merely injuring; it assays to kill. Many who commit this crime, perhaps most, did not mean to do it; but having always indulged their angry passions, they are unable by-and-by to control them. The only safe course for us is to try on every occasion to check the anger as it rises in our hearts. Do not give it vent. It is like fire. Give it vent and it spreads; cover it in and it will die from want of air and fuel. Wounding others by teasing them or by telling untruths about them are all breaches of this command. ment. A worse form is by leading them to do wicked or to say wicked things. Sin is spiritual death, and we must not incite others to seek it. We should remember the Lord's saying, "If a man keep My sayings, he shall never see death" (John viii. 51).

BIRTH.

On the 30th August, at Vauxhall Grove, Birmingham, the wife of J. William Tonks of a son.

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