ing Herald admitted a reply to this slander, and the Edinburgh Observer gave publicity to a very long and able reply to this foul attack. Would our limits permit, we should most gladly copy it, to show how powerfully zeal in a good cause can combat evil and error even when united! The Manchester Herald, too, copied part of this nonsense which had appeared in the Literary Gazette; but in that town it cannot be imagined our friends would be asleep. They viewed the attempt of the enemy to injure us with that pity which every sincere member of the church must feel for such consummate folly, and they induced the Editor, as matter of mere common justice, to publish what M. Sandel said of the enlightened Swedenborg, in order to dissipate the erroneous impressions which might have been produced on the minds of strangers. We trust our friends, in every part of the kingdom, will follow up this mode of proceeding, to protect the well-disposed mind against the shafts of malevolence and folly.

NEW JERUSALEM CHURCH, PETER STREET, MANCHESTER.

We rejoice to find that the members of this society have requested their worthy and enlightened Minister to preside at a weekly meeting, to be held on the Thursday evenings through the year, from 8 to 9 o'clock, for the very laudable purpose of providing the public with an additional opportunity of hearing the New Doctrines, and also for the improvement of their younger members in the knowledge and acknowledgment of them. The first meeting was held on the 19th of October. The Rev. R. Jones announced to the meeting the plan on which it would be conducted; some portion of the Sacred Scripture would be read, or some part of the Writings of Swedenborg would be brought under consideration, as the meeting from time to time might desire; and every member of the church would be at full liberty to offer his views thereon, and that strangers would be allowed to ask questions applicable to the subjects under discussion, but not to debate points of doctrine such persons as were not satisfied with the answers given them, might embrace the opportunity, at the close of the discussion, to enquire further into the principles discussed, either of the president, or of any one who had taken part in the business of the evening. As we are friendly to every legitimate mode of making known the glorious dispensation which has now begun, we conceive the present plan is fraught with many advantages, and is sure to be attended with beneficial results. Whatever can contribute to the extension of the Lord's New Church our columns shall be open to receive, and we shall feel obliged to every one who will undertake to communicate the various plans for the promulgation of the heavenly doctrines which well informed societies or individuals may adopt.

NORTH BRITISH MISSIONARY AND TRACT SOCIETY.

In introducing the third Report of the North British Missionary and Tract Society to the notice of our readers, we feel pleased in observing, that, though this Institution is yet in its infancy, its

members are not inactive. More labourers seem to be needed among them, which time and circumstances, we hope will duly bring forward. The free circulation of appropriate tracts will do much towards preparing the way for the establishment of the New Jerusalem in the northern parts of the British dominions. In some of the northern counties of England, (in Lancashire for instance) tracts and pamphlets have for a number of years been pretty freely circulated, the effects of which now appear by rising and increasing societies, and the gospel of the kingdom is now publicly preached to numerous audiences of people. In Scotland, too, we have the satisfaction to learn that these doctrines excite public attention, as an instance of which, we here introduce some extracts from the above named report.

March 30th. 1826.

"I have now to add another to the list of my Missionary expeditions, the particulars of which I am sure you will read with interest, and, I trust, with some degree of satisfaction.

"Broughty Ferry is the place in which I preached first after my settlement in Dundee. The discourse created a slight sensation at the time; but, of late, a Methodist local preacher has been declaiming against us in the most triumphant tone of noisy eloquence. I had a desire to be heard again; and having visited a friend there, in company with our friend and brothor Morton, I procured a very commodious Hall, and last night delivered a discourse in it to a very attentive audience, about a hundred in number. My subject was the Trinity, which the people in general conceived, or had been told, we denied. My text was the Lord's command to his disciples: "Go ye, therefore, and teach all nations, &c;" from which the true nature of that divine doctrine was explained, and under which explanation were introduced these two important passages on the subject:-"Let us make man, &c." (Genesis), and the appearance of the Dove and voice of the Father at the Baptism.

"After service, I repeated an invitation, which had formed part of the advertisement, for any person to make enquiry respecting the doctrines of the New Church; but cautioned them to conduct themselves with temperance and christian charity. This plan was adopted in consequence of a desire which had been whispered, that they might have an opportunity of refuting us.

"A teacher of a sabbath evening school appeared as chief spokesman, and appeared to be the mouth piece of a little circle around him. The first subject he started was the Lord's sufferings and death, and wished to know what we believed they effected, and whether they were not to remove the curse of a broken law, &c. This led me to make some observations upon the nature of redemption; and I observed that if by such a curse he meant any curse from God, then I must deny that Jesus Christ removed or bore it; but if he meant the curse of the devil, which was evil and its misery, and which was the only curse mankind could be under, I would coincide with him in opinion. Having, in answer to some other questions, denied that the Lord obeyed the law in our stead, and stated the impossibility of being saved by the imputation of his obedience and righteousness, we descended to the doctrine of faith alone,-the grand palladium: And hero by the straggling remarks and questions which the spur of the moment suggested, the nakedness of the solifidian system was a good deal exposed. He asked if we believed we could be saved by our works? to which I answered, we did not suppose we could be saved by works alone, nor yet by faith alone, but we believed works to be a grand means of our salvation; and shewed him the doctrine of Paul upon the subject, who taught a faith that worketh by love: And here I remarked, Paul's faith is a faith that worketh, and not only a faith that worketh, but a faith that worketh by

love; so that it cannot be alone, but must be accompanied by love and works; and we therefore believe that the union of these is necessary for salvation. I then asked him if he thonght he could be saved without keeping the commandments? This, he insisted, was not to the point; but upon his objection being overruled, he made some kind of hesitating admission that he could not, but insisted that no mere man was able to keep the commandments perfectly, and that Jesus had fulfilled the law for us and purchased our justification. I observed, that God could not demand perfect obedience from imperfect creatures, but obedience was required in order to salvation; and that, since all that was ever required of man was required of him still, I could not conceive what advantage we had gained by such a purchase: But as to our inability to keep the commandments, I asked him if, as an individual, he could refrain from stealing? he answered he could. Can you refrain from killing? I can. Can you refrain from committing adultery? I can. Then how is it that you shun such evils, and yet cannot keep the commandments? The conversation now declined into a mere play upon words, when I proposed to end the discussion. Well, said he, I have only one favor to ask, to read an extract from a book; and stepping into the centre of the room, with the confidence that he had reserved the strongest of his argument to the last, he opened a volume; and, lo! the first of Swedenborg's True Christian Religion. From this he read two memorable relations. I cannot direct you to the numbers, as the volume is my own, which I had lent to a friend in the Ferry, from whom the teacher had procured it; but the first he read was an explanation by Swedenborg to certain spirits why he appeared to them at times, and at times became invisible: and the second was an account of states and employments of those who had confirmed themselves in faith alone, particularly the clergy, who build with bricks and reeds. These were, no doubt, in his view the worst he could select; and by his manner and remarks in the course of reading, he endeavoured to set them off to the best advantage. Lest his audience should forget the writer, and the scene of the transactions he was describing, he frequently reminded them that this was Swedenborg, the founder of the New Jerusalem, and these were in the Spiritual World. He laid particular emphasis upon an evil spirit being allowed to take a harlot for a woman: and upon reading the beautiful distinction between a satan and a devil, the one being in evil from the false, and the other being in the false from evil, he very wisely remarked, that is bread and cheese, and cheese and bread. After this was finished, and the reader had retired to his seat with an air of triumph, the company, who had been during the reading very orderly, began to betray some symptoms of excitement, but upon making an appeal to be heard in defence before judgment was pronounced, the buzz gave way to complete silence. I then offered some general remarks upon the nature of Swedenborg's mission, and, from the case of men in former ages, contended that there was nothing impossible or really objectionable in the case itself of Swedenborg; and, since no man could say that Swedenborg's asserted favour or privilege was impossible, or that it positively was not trne, it therefore rested with the reader to judge of his assertions by their reasonableness and the credit due to the writer.

"I refuted an insinuation that it was a new revelation, by shewing a distinction between the explanations and relations of the Baron and what was properly a Divine Revelation. Going through the most prominent parts of the relations, I dwelt particularly upon the difference between the false of evil and evil of the false; and having appealed to their uuderstanding and conscience whether there was no greater difference than between bread and cheese and cheese and bread, they appeared so well satisfied with its truth that some voices cried YES. As a proof of the general voice of the meeting being favourable, I may mention, that on one or two occasions, when our adversary appeared to be taking an undue advantage, some of the audience rose and contended for impartial justice; and when I had closed my address, which finished the proceedings, a general murmur of approbation followed, and the meeting quietly dispersed. I had a few of the tracts sent by Mr. S., which were thankfully received,

"Considering the prejudice which had been excited against us, and the opposition we had to encounter when we appeared, I cannot but feel gra tified with the result. The novelty of the situation in which I was placed, together with a fear lest the great cause should suffer through the ignorance or inability of its advocate, had cast a damp over my mind; but, through the Divine strength, I was enabled to sustain the attack with a degree of composure, and answer the objections with a readiness, that I could not have anticipated under such circumstances. The relations being brought forward as an accusation, perhaps operated better than if we had read them ourselves; and since they have been publicly introduced, I shall endeavour not to let the opportunity be lost, but will endeavour on an early occasion to follow up the subject, and shew their value as well as their consistency. I have made a kind of promise to return in a fortnight."

In other letters Mr. Bruce states that he had preached at Arbroath to between five and six hundred people: also at St. Andrews to more than two hundred persons, among whom were many students of the university. He also states that he had visited the Divinity College, and inspected the catalogue of books in the library, and found Swedenborg's treatises set out therein at full length. We are further informed that his visit had created some sensation in the place, and that all our books in the college library had been taken out to be read. We do hope their perusal will be attended with some good.

MISSIONARY INTELLIGENCE.

We are happy to inform our readers, that the Rev. Thomas Goyder, of London, has lately made an extensive Missionary journey, and visited all the New Church societies in Scotland, and many in the North of England. He has preached at Loughborough, Melbourne, Dalton, Colne Bridge, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Leeds, and Eccup; and in Scotland, at Glasgow, Orbiston, Edinburgh, Dundee, and Broughty Ferry. In his letter to the Missionary Committee of London he gives the following account of his journey :

GENTLEMEN,

Having under your auspices lately made a missionary tour to the north of England, and south of Scotland, and visited many societies of the New Church, I now write to give you an account of my journey and labours.

I left London on Friday evening the 4th August, and arrived at Loughborough on the following morning. I had previously made up my mind to spend the sabbath with Mr. Dean, to see if any thing could be done at Loughborough in making known the heavenly doctrines in that town. Upon conversing with Mr. Dean on the subject, be determined to occupy a large room in his house for the purpose of delivering a sermon or two, and accordingly on Sunday the 6th August, I preached both morning and evening to a small and select congregation of persons who were invited to attend. From the great pleasure and delight which were felt by all present, I think it very likely, if a place of public worship could be obtained, and preaching regularly carried on, that a small society might be raised in this place. I had intended to leave Loughborough on Monday morning by the first coach, so as to have arrived in Manchester in the evening, but being disappointed by the coach, I went, accompanied by Mr. Dean, to pay a visit to Mr. Haimes, at Melbourne, and was very kindly received by that gentleman. Agreeably to the wish of Mr. H. on Monday evening, August 7th, I preached at Melbourne to a very atten

tive congregation, from Rev. xx. 12. concerning the dead small and great standing before God-the opening of the books-and the nature of judgment from the things written therein. The opening of this subject, according to the doctrines of the New Church, appeared to strike the audience with surprise and wonder, and from the marked attention which was paid to the sermon, throughout, and from the observations made to me by Mr. Haimes, I have reason to conclude that the congregation were solemnly impressed with the importance of the subject, that they were instructed and highly delighted. The following morning early, Mr. Dean and myself, left Melbourne and arrived at Derby in time to meet the Manchester coach, I then parted with my friend Mr. Dean, and arrived in Manchester about 4 o'clock in the afternoon.

After the business of Conference was over, I left Manchester on Saturday afternoon, August 12, and went to pay a visit to the Society at Dalton, near Huddersfield, and on

Sunday the 13th, I preached both morning and afternoon to rather numerous and remarkably attentive congregations. The subject in the morning was taken from Ezekiel xlvi. 9; and in the afternoon from Mark xvi. 17, 18. Never shall I forget the solemn stillness of the congregation, and the delightful sphere which prevailed in these two services. In the evening I went with the Rev. J. Parry, to Colne Bridge, a village about 24 miles from Dalton, and preached in a school room to rather more than 100 persons. My text was "Art thou he that should come, or do we look for another." Matt. xi. 3. In this sermon I pointed out the superior excellencies of the doctrines of the New Church, and gave the spiritual interpretation of the Lord's answer to the question of the text, viz. "Go and shew John again those things which ye do hear and see: the blind receive their sight, and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have the gospel preached to them." The opening of this subject seemed to communicate to the people the most entire satisfaction and delight. During my short stay at Dalton I resided at the house of Mr. Senior, whose kindness to me, and that of his family, I must here take leave to acknowledge. On Monday, the 14th, I left the house of Mr. Senior and took the coach to Manchester, where I arrived in the evening. The next day I left Manchester for Liverpool, and on the following morning (Wednesday 16th) in company with Mr. Mackie, left Liverpool, in the steam boat, and arrived the same evening on the Isle of Man, On Thursday, the 17th, Mr. Mackie and myself spent a very pleasant day with the Rev. T-S- at his house about four miles from Douglas. This Rev. Gentleman is a most cordial receiver of the writings, and from him I learned that he has introduced the doctrines to another Rev. Gentleman, who is now the Lecturer at Douglas, and that he has hopes of his ultimately receiving the doctrines. I had a great wish to preach the doctrines upon the Island, and I made my desire known to the Rev. T-S- but as no place could be obtained, I was obliged to content myself with leaving a few of the Society's Tracts with our friend, and to wait for another opportunity. We left the Isle of Man on Saturday morning about one o'clock, and, after a tedious passage, arrived at Glasgow about 12 o'clock at night. The friends at Glasgow had previously announced, by printed bills, that I was to deliver three Lectures illustrative of the heavenly doctrines, and accordingly on

Sunday, the 20th August, I delivered three Lectures, in Hutchinson's Hospital, Ingram Street, Glasgow, to very full and most attentive congregations. In these Lectures I endeavoured to make the doctrines as clear and as simple as I possibly could. After the morning service, I baptized four infants. The society at Glasgow is at present without a minister, and the friends would have done any thing for me if I could have made it convenient to stop with them a month or two. There are a few individuals who have separated themselves from the parent Society, and meet on the Sundays for worship in a small school-room in Princes Street, Mr. Neil, the leader of this separated body, was desirous that I should preach on the