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Obituary.

DIED on Sunday, September the 3rd 1826, Mr. Edward Melling, of Upholland. This gentleman was one of the earliest receivers in this part of Lancashire. He became acquainted with the doctrines through the medium of Mr. J. Bugby, 30 years ago. In the early part of his life he was inclined to Methodism, but since his reception of the New Jerusalem Doctrines, he was ever willing to proclaim their superiority. This worthy and affectionate man was universally beloved and respected. A funeral sermon was delivered on the 10th instant by Mr. Sheldon of Liverpool, to about 100 persons, at Upholland.

ON Saturday Morning September 9, 1826, at his house, King Street, St. James's Square, London, after a few days illness, Mr. John Presland, in the 52d year of his age. This worthy and excellent man had been a receiver of the heavenly doctrines above 30 years. The way in which Mr. P. became acquainted with the Doctrines was rather singular. His father, we believe, belonged to a Dissenting body of Christians in Essex, and about 34 years ago came to London on a visit to a friend. During the time of his stay in the Metropolis, his friend took him to hear a variety of preachers, and among the rest to hear the Rev. James Hindmarsh, who then preached the doctrines of the New Jerusalem in East Cheap. The Sermon made a powerful impression upon the mind of Mr. Presland, and he observed to his friend, that although he had been connected with a religious body all his life, he never heard the TRUTH till then. Upon his return home to his family, he related what he had heard, and his eldest son, John, the subject of our present memoir, then about 18 years of age, was much delighted with his father's account of what he had heard. Shortly after this period, the subject of our memoir came to London to reside, and went to hear Mr. Hindmarsh. From that time he began to read the works of Swedenborg, and became a most cordial receiver and promoter of the heavenly doctrines. Mr. Presland was a most liberal supporter of most of the institutions connected with the New Church. He was a man of strict integrity and virtue, and perhaps no man has adorned the doctrines by a religious life more than our departed friend. He was a most affectionate husband-a kind and indulgent parent-the true christian, and the sincere friend. The Rev. S. Noble preached, on the occasion, an impressive discourse, in Hanover Street Chapel, on Sunday, September 24th, in which he observed, after giving a short sketch of the life of Mr. P. that he thought the words of his text might safely be applied to him, “Behold an Israelite indeed in whom is no guile." John i. 47. Reader! time is short-every moment is precious! "Go, and do thou likewise."

POETRY.

MISSIONARY HYMN,

Composed by the late Bishop of Calcutta, and set to Music by Mr. Wesley, organist in ordinary to his Majesty, recently published for the benefit of the Church Missionary Society.

FROM Greenland's icy mountains

From India's coral strand,
Where Afric's sunny fountains

Roll down their golden sand:
From many an ancient river,

From many a palmy plain,

They call us to deliver

Their land from error's chain.

What though the spicy breezes
Blow soft o'er Ceylon's Isle ;
Though every prospect pleases,
And only man is vile-
In vain with lavish kindness
The gifts of God are strewn ;
The heathen in their blindness
Bow down to wood and stone.
Shall we, whose souls are lighted
By wisdom from on high,
Shall we to man benighted,*
The lamp of life deny?
Salvation! O Salvation!
The joyful sound proclaim,
Till each remotest nation
Has learnt Messiah's name.

Waft, waft, ye winds, his story,
And you ye waters roll,
Till, like a sea of glory,

It spreads from pole to pole;
Till o'er our ransom'd nature,
The Lamb for sinners slain,
Redeemer, King, Creator,
In bliss returns to reign.

SONNET TO TIME.

FAIN Would I disabuse thee, mighty Power!
From wailings of the melancholy brood
Who deem thine influence devoid of good,
And chide with each successive, silent hour
That comes eventless: and when Fate doth lower,
Think not of patience. All things tell of thee-
The mossy glory of the aged tree,

And the gray pall of ivy-cinctured tower.
Thine is the key of History's marble page—
The halo that the head of Genius crowns-

The wonders of the dim, dismantled age

The breath that long-forgotten scrolls embrownsThe crumbling touch of withering decayThe changes of a year-the chances of a day.

THE

NEW JERUSALEM MAGAZINE,

AND

Theological Inspector.

NOVEMBER, 1826.

To the Editors of the New Jerusalem Magazine. GENTLEMEN,

The late Dr. Watson, bishop of Landaff, (whose talents as an advocate and defender of the christian religion are too generally known and appreciated to require the eulogy of the person who now addresses you) was so esteemed amongst the most exalted personages in the state, that no surprise can be excited by his opinions being sought after and regarded by those who even differed with him as to principles, but who, nevertheless were glad to avail themselves of his discriminating judgment on subjects most intimately connected with the best interests of our happy constitution. Restricting, however, my observations to his illustrious character as a learned divine, I apprehend his ароlogy for christianity addressed to the sceptical Gibbon, and his Apology for the Bible," intended, as it proved to be a complete antidote to the vulgar ribaldry of that implacable but impotent infidel Thomas Paine, will be read with intense delight by every true and sincere christian, and will occupy a niche in the temple of fame, when these adversaries of truth shall be consigned to their merited oblivion.

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Amongst the number of the bishop's familiar correspondents and admirers of his luminous talents was the late Duke of Grafton, whose mind, there is too much reason to suspect was infected with the fertile but specious dogmata of modern Unitarianism. Dissatisfied most probably with the errors he had embraced, the Duke felt desirous to avail himself of this worthy prelate's advice on the momentous subject of his eternal salvaltion, and in the year 1801; a correspondence was commenced between these two exalted characters, which it is to be hoped ultimately proved No. 11.-VOL. I.

X

successful to the inquisitive nobleman. In the course of this epistolary correspondence, the learned bishop transmitted to him his opinion on the doctrine of genuine repentance, which being discussed with the clearness and decision of a christian divine, and in many respects approximating to the truths and doctrines of the New Church, I herewith forward to you, in the hope, when you can give it insertion in your useful magazine, it will prove acceptable as well as profitable to your numerous readers.

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BOTH reason and revelation instruct us to believe that the Creator of the universe wills the happiness of his creatures, not for his own sake, but for theirs. It would be impious to suppose that our vices could disturb his peace, or our virtues augment his felicity: this would be to make a God with the passions of a man, to render the infinite perfection of the Creator dependant on the imperfections of his creatures. When, therefore, we read of the punishment denounced in the gospel against all manner of wickedness, we may properly consider the threatning as the gracious warning of a wise and affectionate father, rather than as the tyrannical declaration of a cruel and vindictive God. Vice and consequent misery, arising from the loss of health, of character, of fortune, of self-government and other sources, are generally, if not universally connected together in this world; and we may from reason analogically infer, that in another world they will be so connected there also. Now it has pleased God in and by Jesus Christ, to assure us that there is another world, and to confirm this analogical inference by a positive declaration, that the connection which we observe here between vice and misery will remain for ever hereafter. This declaration is made to us, as if it were the arbitrary appointment of God, that punishment should follow sin, rather than a certain consequence springing from the nature of things that misery should follow vice; but the conclusion rests on the same foundation in whatever way we consider the matter : for what is the nature of things, what the constitution of this world and the next, but the positive appointment of God himself? Transgress and die is a positive law; be vicious and be miserable is a natural law; they are equally the means of God's moral government of free agents: the latter is intimated to us by reason, the former is promulgated in the gospel; and they are

like their author, both of them immutable. But these are not the only laws of God's moral government; there is another intimated to us by reason, and clearly made known to us by the gospel, and it is a law which mitigates the severity of others, which administers consolation to our fears, and strength to our inability; it is this-repent and be forgiven, turn away from wickedness, do that which is lawful and right, and though you have sinned, you shall save your soul alive-this is the voice of revelation; and reason says, céase from vice and you will lessen, if not wholy annihilate the misery attendant on it.

But in what does repentance truly consist? it is answered, it is a change of mind, accompanied by a change of conduct, This change of mind then is most perfect when it proceeds from the fear of God, from a fear grounded on our love to him, and regulated by filial reverence, and humble confidence in his mercy; and it is then most sincere and certain, when it is succeeded by a change of conduct, from viciousness to sobrietry of manners, from habitual sinfulness to habitual righteousness of life. A man may be actuated by the fear of punishment, and change his conduct from vice to virtue, but this does not, strictly speaking, imply such a change of mind as is essential to true repentance. When a man abstains from murder, theft, robbery, merely because he fears the gallows; when he conceals his intemperance, pride, envy, malignity and evil propensities of any kind, merely to preserve his character from censure, and to exhibit a fair outside to the world, his heart is not right, his mind is not changed, his old man is not put off, his repentance is nothing. But when a man might commit sin with secrecy, and, as to all human tribunals, with impunity; when he might indulge his sensuality, gratify his revenge, satiate his envy, feed his malignity, without danger to his health, fame or fortune; when he might do these things, and yet abstains from doing them, because God has forbid him to do them, and because he is persuaded that God loves him and forbids him nothing but with a gracious design to preserve him from misery both here and hereafter; then is his repentance sincere, his obedience is a reasonable service, his heart is in a proper state of resignation, humility, love, truth and gratitude towards the author of all good; in short, he is then in the practical use and exercise of true and genuine repentance.

ON THE ADVERSARY SPOKEN OF IN MATT. v. 25. In a late number of your esteemed magazine a few subjects were proposed for the consideration of your correspondents. One of them

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