over a year, but he was satisfied that it had already performed important uses. It was a good thing for the young people to meet together. A warm and kindly feeling towards each other was the result, and sometimes friendships were formed which lasted for life. Such gatherings were attended also with intellectual improvement. The society had held two meetings in the month, viz., one on the first Tuesday evening of every month, for the consideration of literary and scientific subjects, and one on the third Sunday afternoon for such as were religious and theological. He thought it particularly desirable that this last class of subjects should be approached in a modest and reverent spirit. He deprecated the discussion of profound theological questions in a flippant and selfconceited manner, as being rather hurtful than beneficial. It would be better for the young people of the society not to discuss such subjects at all, but simply to listen to them as taught by the minister from the pulpit, than to treat them in a light and irreverent manner, or as they would treat merely natural and political questions. Mr. Smith gave a brief and interesting report of the history and progress of the society. He stated that at one of the Conferences the thought occurred to him that there was not this means of moral and intellectual improvement in the Cross-street Society. On returning home he adopted means to call the young people together and consult them on the subject. This resulted in the adoption of rules, the enrolling of twenty-one members, the election of officers, and, in short, the establishment of the society, which has since gone on increasing in numbers and the performance of mutual uses, the effects of which would be felt throughout eternity. By its institution the Crossstreet Society has completed a circle that provides for the moral and spiritual instruction of all ages: the children and young people have their Sunday classes, the young men and women their mutual improvement society, and our senior members have their means of spiritual improvement. He felt sure the society would continue to prosper and be a blessing to the members, and if spared to see a similar meeting next year, it would be under circumstances as favourable, yea, more favourable, than those

under which we are now assembled. Mr. Gunton and Mr. Faraday also briefly addressed the meeting. Altogether the meeting was a perfect success, and we trust to have many similar anniversaries in the future.

NOTTINGHAM.-In our last number we noticed the grant of books by the Swedenborg Society to the Free Library at this town. We have since been favoured with a copy of the correspondence connected with this presentation. From this correspondence we learn that the feeling of the library committee was first ascertained by a letter from Mr. Stephenson to their chairman, who in his reply says:-"It is a very curious thing that this very morning I asked our sub-librarian if we had any of 'Swedenborg's works' in the library, as I was very desirous to have some; if, therefore, you can obtain any for us, the committee will be much obliged to you." Mr. Stephenson adds:" The books have been received and inserted in the catalogue. I called before the library was publicly opened and saw them in a very prominent position on the shelves. I was, however, sorry to find the theological works only, and trust the Swedenborg Society will send a complete set of the philosophical works. We cannot too highly prize the means of placing the writings in the hands of thousands of readers who otherwise would never see them, and we in Nottingham feel very thankful that not only was no obstacle raised, but a desire expressed by the chairman to have the works."

SALFORD.-On March 11th, a meeting of the Salford Society was held in the School-room, to welcome the Rev. W. Westall as their minister. There was a very numerous attendance, the Manchester and many neighbouring societies being largely represented by their ministers and members. After tea the chair was taken by Mr. Henry Whittington, who, after reviewing the objects and duties of religious association, and remarking on the necessity of mutual co-operation between minister and congregation, called upon the Rev. J. Boys, who introduced Mr. Westall to the Society; and was followed by Mr. Mackereth, who spoke on behalf of the Society, and was followed by the Rev. W. Westall, who said :-I feel sure you will believe me when I say that no

words that I can use will adequately express my thanks for this very cordial welcome of me as minister of your Society. In answer to such kindness, I can only pray, which I do most sincerely, that this union may tend to the good of our Society, and the religious welfare of every one concerned. The history Mr. Mackereth has given of your Society confirms in me the impression which I previously had, viz., that it is one of the most important in the Church, and the duties of its minister will therefore be proportionately great. In the discharge of those duties I feel that I shall stand in need of your kind indulgence and forbearance. I feel this the more when I think of your former ministers. They have been among the most distinguished in the Church. Of Mr. Hindmarsh we all know something from his writings. We know him to have been a man of great talent and industry, suited to the times in which he lived, and well fitted for the work he had to perform. He fills an important page in the early history of our Church. After him came the Rev. D. Howarth, a gentleman of whom I had some personal knowledge, and who was one of the first preachers in the Church. He was not, perhaps, what might be called a brilliant man, but his goodness endowed him with an interior perception which, united with assiduous study, gave him a most profound understanding of the Word and the doctrines of the Church. His whole countenance seemed lit up with an intelligence more than earthly, which, conjoined with a profound humility, made him a most estimable man, and a most exemplary minister. Since his time the services in the pulpit have been characterised by great talent, and high intellectual ability. I can only say that the excellencies of your former ministers have my respect and sincere admiration, and I shall endeavour to cultivate them in my own humble degree. I bring to the discharge of these duties a love of the Church I have vowed to serve, a firm faith in the workings of a Divine Providence, that as we trust in the Lord, and resign ourselves to His dispensations, He will ever guide us to that which is good. I am also cheered by the reflection, that as I attend to these duties in sincerity and truth, the ability to perform them will constantly increase. The times in which we now live, how

ever, are very different from those to which we have referred. Evidences are daily crowding not only upon us, but upon the world, that we live in a new age. We also are realising the truth that the New Church is by no means confined to ourselves. The doctrines of the New Church are being more and more received by others, at the same time that the source whence they are derived is being increasingly acknowledged. Nevertheless, the advantages of belonging to the New Church denomination are none the less great, for we are led directly to the source whence these great truths are derived, and have an association human and spiritual, which strengthens us in a life and worship in harmony with them. We know that the New Church cannot advance by any mere intellectual effort. It is to be by a cultivation of the life, for just in proportion as the life is improved in the same proportion can the New Church advance. This will show us the difficulties of the Church's progress from another point of view. We live in times when the desire for wealth is strongly stimulated, for the facilities for acquiring it are increasingly great. In this way good men are drawn into the whirl of business, which leave them little time, and often less inclination, to attend to religious duties. What then must it be with young men? for here we see a tremendous influence opposing the progress of the church. A religious society, therefore, should endeavour to counteract this influence by giving to religion that ascendancy which will enrich every other blessing. To this I hope constantly to look; for this I invoke your counsel and coöperation, that without neglecting any business, every other talent and scholastic attainment may be given to the service of our church and the development of this religious life, and that this life may be constantly enriched by the superior intelligence which the New Church is able to give. I again thank you most sincerely for your kind welcome, and pray that in the hands of Divine Providence it may be made contributory to the good of all.

The meeting was afterwards addressed by the Revs. R. Storry, E. D. Rendell, John Hyde, Messrs. J. Broadfield, Geo. Benson, G. B. Shatwell, E. J Broadfield, J. T. Swallow, and Dr. Pilkington. In the course of the evening a resolution

was passed, expressing the obligation of the society to the ministers and missionaries who had so kindly undertaken the duties of the pulpit during the past twelve months.

SHEFFIELD. The society here have been obliged to change their place of meeting, owing to circumstances over which they had no control, from the Council Hall, Norfolk-street, to No. 82, Division-street. They entered on their new room a few weeks ago, and are progressing in their usual state of quiet usefulness.

MISSIONARY AND TRACT SOCIETY.-The forty-seventh anniversary meeting of this society will be celebrated on Wednesday evening, the 13th of May, at the Argylesquare Church, King's Cross. Mr. Austin will occupy the chair, and in addition to the London friends who will address the meeting, Mr. Presland has been invited from Derby. Tea in the schoolroom at 5-30; the chair to be taken in the church at 7-0 pm.

Obituary.

On the 29th of February last, Mr. George Francis Preston, youngest son of Edward Preston, Esq., of Rose Hill House, Eccles, near Manchester, was removed into the spiritual world, in the 29th year of his age. His illness was a slow consumption. He was brought up by New Church parents, and always attended willingly and regularly the services of the New Church on the Lord's Day. Very modest in his disposition, and kind and truthful at all times, he enjoyed the sincere love of those who best knew him. When made aware how his illness would terminate, he showed no fear or unwillingness to leave the world. He was very resigned and patient, knowing that he was in the hands of Him who does all things well, and takes every one away at the best time for himself. He was in a most happy state of mind on the day of his departure, and so it may be truly said that his end was peace.

Died, on Friday, the 27th of March, 1868, in the 68th year of her age, Christina French, relict of the late John Becconsall, Esq., of Ashton-on-Ribble, near Preston, whose decease was noticed in the last number of the "Repository." This lady, who had been in a delicate

state of health for a considerable time, survived her husband only one month. The grief occasioned by his removal brought her own condition to a crisis; immediately after that event she became worse, and with humble resignation passed peacefully away. She was a wellknown and much esteemed member of the Preston Society. The doctrines of the New Church were introduced to her about 30 years ago by her brother, the late Mr. Richard Parkinson, whose obituary appeared in the April number of the 66 Repository" of 1849. Her acceptance of the doctrines was quiet and undemonstrative, but real. She had a clear perception of the truths which she accepted, and while she saw their light there is reason to believe she felt their power. Her long reception of those doctrines exercised, no doubt, a favourable influence over the formation of her spiritual character, and conduced, in a high degree, to the promotion of her happiness. It is known that they were eminently useful to her in some of the trials she had to sustain, and that she relied for relief being communicated to her from the Lord through their consolatory teachings. Her natural disposition was lively and domestic, and her character, as a wife, was most assiduous and devoted. She was affectionate to those who were so happy as to obtain her friendship, and was ever careful in the performance of use whenever opportunities were presented. She was generous in her habit, affable in her manners, steady in her friendships, and remarkably tenacious of the reputation of those whom she regarded. She has been known to the writer for nearly a quarter of a century: during that period he has never heard her speak a disrespectful word even of the unworthy, and she has always appeared to him to have maintained a Christian consistency in all her deportment. R.

At Kersley, February 7th, Elizabeth, wife of Mr. Ralph Wood, aged 28 years. The deceased was brought up in connection with the Sunday-school, where she distinguished herself by her attention, intelligence, and orderly conduct, and afterwards, with her husband, joined the Kersley Society. Her illness was brief and severe. On the Sunday morning, after dressing her children, she was compelled to retire to her bed, from which she did not again rise. She