Thus the Dean of Chester remarks "What is the Christian Church? We might answer the question from our present point of view very correctly by employing a familiar modern phrase, and by saying that the church is a great co-operative society. All Christians are presumed to be living members of a living body. Every baptised person who does not give of his service, according to his ability, is in a false position. This assertion is obviously correct, from the very nature of the case; and it is in harmony with the picture of the earliest church, as presented to us in the New Testament. While we find there the proofs of a stated ministry and the record of systematic ordinations,

still it is most evident that the habit of active service was diffused through the whole body. I need hardly say," continues the writer, "that this is not a true description of the modern Church of England. We have trained our people to think that we, the clergy, are to do all the religious work, and that they, the laity, are simply the recipients of the spiritual benefits we are commissioned to convey to them."

The necessity for increased attention to this subject is urgent. Those who long for opportunities of usefulness will find them elsewhere, if we do not supply them.

And especially," continues the Dean, "I would lay stress on the faint idea which we have of church life through the want of united action. If we exacted more, we should have more. Selfsacrifice always produces attachment to that for which we sacrifice ourselves. We are enthusiastic on behalf of that for which we toil and suffer. All this habit of mind we lose in our lay people, through being almost exclusively a clerical church. If the Church of England were disestablished to-morrow, it would be thrown out into the country, as regards organisation, in the form of a clerical skeleton. I take it as a matter of course that its main organic framework ought to consist of an authorised and regularlyordained clergy; but this is not enough without the sinews and muscles of the laity to constitute a living and working body." This sentiment pervades this paper. To take another example from the allusion to diocesan conferences, in which laymen meet with the clergy:"It is very good for us, the clergy, to be brought face to face with the laity,

and to learn from them many things which we are not in the habit of learning for ourselves. And it is very good for the laity to be taught that they are not merely the recipients of the spiritual good which we are supposed to do to them, but are constituent parts of the church, and fellow-workers with us, and that they ought to take some trouble in the matter, and do it under a sense of responsibility."

And what now is the direction to which these remarks tend? "I would wish," says the Dean, "to see in our parishes carefully-selected and welleducated laymen working parochially under the clergy, with the Bishop's formal sanction.

As to the work in

general undertaken by such officers, a catalogue of many things might easily be made to which no one could demur. Just as the female lay agent would be occupied with questions of health, with attention to neglected children, with helping to prepare girls for confirmation, with Sunday classes for young women; so men would find parallel lines of occupation in evening schools, in pioneer work, and missionary work of various kinds. Here," continues the writer, "we touch the point where the greatest differences of opinion are, perhaps, likely to arise. What are we to say about preaching and the conducting of services? Where are we to draw the line between the clergyman and the layman in these respects? I confess I should find it difficult to draw a theoretical line. But I would draw a practical line at the church porch. I think it most important that the ordained clergyman should retain in his own hands, not only the parochial superintendance, but all ministrations within the consecrated building, except as regards the choir and the reading of the lessons. . As to services in school-rooms and mission-houses, these are among the opportunities in which lay church officers might be most efficiently useful. In such cases, it is sometimes insisted that the lay minister ought always to read a printed sermon from an approved book. I venture entirely to differ from this view, and to think that if a layman has the gift of utterance and of exposition, he ought freely to exercise it. Indeed, I am bold enough, perhaps rash enough, to go much farther. It seems to me that it would be a very good thing if some of our clergy did not preach at all, and if

some of our laity were to preach a great deal."

The expression of these sentiments, and the sympathy shown them, indicate the changes of sentiment gradually taking possession of the minds of eminent Churchmen, and are the foregleams of great changes in the polity of the Church. Some of these changes have already taken place (as in the case of scripture readers, district visitors, &c.), and others are gradually making their appearance. Amid the confusion of thought, and the jar of contending parties in her midst, the Church is yet seeking to adapt herself to the wants of the age and the condition of the people. In the effort to accomplish this, not a few look wistfully to the things that are behind. Mr. Parry, in a subsequent paper, recommended the institution of brotherhoods and sisterhoods, and exposed himself to the expression of the most determined opposition by the recommendation of "protestant nunneries."

We have not left ourselves space to point out the treatment of this question by the writers who presented papers to the Congregational Union. In dissenting churches, the engagement of lay agency is not a novelty, and the only question is its best and wisest arrangement. In all such churches, laymen are admitted to the pulpit and employed as helpers of the ordained ministry. They are not, indeed, excluded from any office of use in the church; but what these writers seem to desire, is an expansion and more perfect organisation of their several uses. "Individual energy must necessarily be transient and various. One soldier may be valorous, but is wounded and dies; the army is strong and lasts out the campaign."

MIDDLE AND UPPER CLASS EDUCATION. The educational wants of our labouring population, and the vast numbers of the people growing up in populous districts in ignorance, indolence, and vice, has compelled attention for some time to the subject of our popular education. So general has been the attention given to this subject, that there seemed at one time danger that in the new-born zeal for the education of the utterly neglected we might overlook the wants of those above them. Latterly, however, a thought ful und earnest attention has been directed to the educational requirements of the middle classes. The Established Church, which has long been foremost

in this great work of national education, has led the way by the institution of large middle-class schools, which provide a superior education and higher intellectual culture than can be obtained in our popular day-schools. Nor are the Dissenters indifferent to this growing and important necessity of the times. Proprietary middle and upper-class schools are being instituted in different parts of the kingdom, with the view of supplying a first-class education, and of preparing those who have leisure, and are looking forward to this end, for admission to the universities. The course of education in these schools is thus described on the public opening of the one at Bishop Stortford ::-"In the school now formally opened a thoroughly practical and useful education would be given. French and German would be taught, and sound instruction given in Latin and Greek, to the extent of acquaintance with several authors in both tongues. The school proposed to equip men for the learned professions, and encourage its students to look forward to enter one of the universities, and to do that in connection with a competition for scholarships. The classical training, therefore, would be of the highest order.” The religious instruction in this school is to be of a broad and catholic character. It was thus described by the head master, Rev. R. Alliott, on the day of opening. After stating that some of their boys were sons of Church of England parents, and expressing a hope that their number might be very much multiplied, he went on to say "The only thing they objected to was the sectarianism of any one sect in the Church of Christ, and all that they desired was to take that which was the foundation of the belief of every body of Christians, and teach the Gospel of Christ in all its simplicity. They did not teach dogmatic theology in their families, but were quite content to gather the children round the family alter, and let them know that they reverenced the Bible, and took it as the Word of Life, without going into the question of church or dissent. That was just what they had to try and realise there. He did not want to have nonconformity very prominent, and was sure that conformity would never be in the least degree noticed in that place. wished to realise the simple, pure, Christian life, living the Word of God, realising the Fatherhood of God, and by

He

example as well as precept making these lads feel that Christ was their Saviour." The church's broken unity may in the end, therefore, be promoted by the new and improved agencies brought to bear on the education of the rising generation. One thing seems certain, the higher education of the country will no longer be confined to one portion of the community. Dissenters are making their appearance at the ancient seats of learning, and their numbers are slowly but surely increasing. They compete for prizes, and have taken honourable places in the examinations. They join also in the amusements and social life of the students. Friendships are thus formed, sectarian bitterness nipped in the bud, and the way prepared for the unity of heart and soula unity, not of sameness, but diversitywhich is to distinguish the church of the future.

In the midst of this educational activity it would be well for us, as members of the New Church, to seriously consider our position. We have taken, as a Christian community, a prominent and active, and by no means unsuccessful, part in the great work of popular education. Have we been equally successful in our efforts towards a middle and upper-class instruction? We think that no member of the Church will answer this question in the affirmative. The efforts hitherto made have been, so far, anything rather than successful. We do not here inquire into the cause of our small success, and still less are we inclined to attribute blame to any of the workers in this cause, but we call attention to the subject in the hope that increased attention may be given to it, and that our efforts, wisely directed, may end in success. At present, the only opportunities of superior education offered to children of the New Church are the college, which has for some time been struggling to gain an establishment as one of our leading educational institutions, and private schools. Of the private establishments, young ladies seem better provided for than young gentlemen. Dr. Bayley, in a communication inserted on another page, points attention to a continental school, where a good education is imparted in harmony with the doctrines of the New Church. The Rev. Mr. Abbott, a gentleman eminently fitted by high intellectual and truly Christian culture, with the assistance of Mrs. Abbott and ladies of superior educational training

and ability, has opened a first-class seminary for young ladies at Malton. Mr. Lowe has made a similar provision for young gentlemen at Birmingham. Until the church is provided with public schools adapted to her wants, ought we not to give to these brethren our best and warmest support? Is it not our duty to the rising generation of the New Church, to supply it with the best means within our reach of intellectual and religious culture? It is now a generally recognised fact that the growth of churches is not to be looked for from spasmodic efforts and sudden conversions, but from the careful training and correct instruction of the young, The foundations of religion and piety are laid in early life. The structure of holiness and truth is to be built up by the influence of home and the moral training and intellectual instruction of schools and colleges. The New Church is rich in her knowledge of principles, but these avail nothing unless they are applied to practice. New Church parents often deplore the want of suitable schools for their children. Let us at least avail ourselves of those which offer some of the advantages we require. We may reasonably hope that by so doing we shall be preparing for still further supplies in the future.

JOURNAL OF THE GENERAL CONVENTION OF THE NEW JERUSALEM IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.-This journal is a neat and elegantly-printed pamphlet, of one hundred and four pages. Of the meeting itself we gave a notice, kindly furnished us by a correspondent, in our October number. Another correspondent has carefully culled from the printed journal the statistics of the American church, so far as they appear, and presented them to our readers in our November number. We inserted in our July number an account of the society at San Francisco, and of the ordination of their leader, Mr. John Doughty. The circumstances connected with this ordination are presented in a special report of the executive committee which was adopted by the Convention. The resolutions appended to this report occupy two pages of the journal, and are distinguished by the most liberal sentiments and generous Christian feeling. One of the subjects which has often engaged the attention of the Convention, and also of individual

societies in America, is the most orderly and appropriate means of raising money for religious uses. On this subject the following resolutions were adopted at this Convention:

"Resolved,-Therefore, that every man is bound to contribute to the uses of the Church, as the Lord shall give him ability. Resolved, That this Convention recommends to the members of the New Church, that they set apart one-tenth of their annual income to the use of the Church."

The Convention resolved to institute a tract society, and appointed a committee to carry out its resolution. A committee was also "appointed to cooperate with the General Conference of the New Church in Great Britain, and other bodies of the Church not represented by the General Conference and this Convention, to arrange for a General Assembly of New Churchmen from all parts of the world, to be held June 19th, 1870, to celebrate the centenary of the New Church."

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A considerable amount of the business of the Convention continues to be transacted during the year by standing committees. The reports of these committees are published along with the Journal, and are full of interesting particulars. We make an extract from the report of the committee on foreign correspondence. After referring to the "German New Church Publishing Society," which "provides the German New Church in America and elsewhere with the theological works of Swedenborg, all of which are translated and printed, except the second half of the Arcana Coelestia,' the second part of Conjugial Love,' and the 'Apocalypse Explained,"" the report goes on to say:"There is quite a number of receivers in Vienna, Austria, who desire to form themselves into a society, and for this purpose have already provided themselves with the German Book of Worship, published in this country. They are prevented doing so by the laws of the empire, but hope that the late reforms begun in Austria will soon be carried so far as to allow them the privilege of forming themselves into a regular New Church Society, and of worshipping the Lord according to the doctrines of the New Jerusalem.

"In Rheinfelden, near Basel, a chapel devoted to New Church worship exists, and regular worship is kept in it every Sunday. Miss P. Von Struve and Mr.

Theodore Muellensiefen live there, and are very active. Mr. Muellensiefen keeps a large depository of the writings of the church, and spreads the same directly, and also by means of booksellers, over the continent. He is the brother-in-law of the late Dr. Tafel, and, after his death, bought all the German books from the widow, his sister. Of late several families of high standing and great influence have, through the efforts of our friends, become interested in the doctrines, and they are reported to be promulgating the heavenly truths."

CONFERENCE OF THE NEW CHURCH IN CANADA.—The annual Conference of the Association of the New Church in Canada was this year held at Toronto. Its session commenced on Friday the 19th, and extended to Tuesday the 23rd of June. From the Journal of Proceedings, which has been sent us, we learn that there were present three ministers, one delegate, and thirty-eight members. The meeting was first occupied by a lengthened address from the president, the Rev. Mr. Türk, and reports from the several officers, the standing committees, societies, and individuals engaged in church work. Among the latter was the report of an extended missionary journey undertaken by Mr. Parker. It is interesting to read the account of those early and zealous labours in a new and thinly-inhabited country. The missionary, after toilsome and difficult journeys, finds himself surrounded by a small audience in some district schoolroom, some of his hearers having probably come some distance to be present. His discourse is listened to with respectful and often earnest attention; tracts are cheerfully accepted, occasionally books are purchased, and the seeds of truth scattered, in not a few cases in good ground, to yield an abundant harvest in the future. Several meetings of this kind seem to have been held by Mr. Parker, who spent a month in his missionary labours. The conference resolved to continue to give its attention to missionary labours, to advertise the writings, and in other ways to endeavour to build up the church and to extend the knowledge of her doctrines. An application for the ordination of Mr. Parker—a gentleman who will be remembered by many members of the church in England-was complied with; and there are now four ministers connected with the church in Canada. The appendix gives also three

pages of names of members of the association. We thus find that the church is obtaining a firm footing in this part of the world, and is gradually extending its influence. Where societies are established, they are small but increasing. The Berlin society is on the eve of erecting for its use a new place of worship. It is still, however, the day of small things; calling forth the zeal and selfdenial of our brethren, who labour amid difficulties and discouragements to prepare the way of the Lord's second coming. May they be sustained and strengthened in their work, and find their labours crowned with an abundant success!.

FRANCE. The following extract from a letter of our brother Aug. Harlé, will be interesting to our readers:-"Although you hear so little of me, because of my being abroad, of my peculiar task, and yet more of the many details which increase upon me on account of the central situation that I occupy, of the want of organisation of our French New Church, and, finally, of the peculiar sort and weakness of my abilities in working, yet having given for a time my care to the publication of the work of a friend, Mr. Blanchet, under the title 'L'Humanité et la Redemption, or of the different churches upon this earth, and of the future and true Christian church,' -intended to be a popular work, I have now resumed, and approach having completed my edition of Heaven and Hell,' revised translation of Le Boys des Guays I have revised, too, somewhat increased, and I hope improved the Index,' which was the first essay of Le Boys des Guays in that speciality in which since that time he excelled. With a view to a preface, I am studying and collecting some interesting confirmations of the revelations of Swedenborg, resulting from the latest and always progressing researches and discoveries in Egyptian antiquity. I feel it to be of lively interest for us to show the evidence afforded by a coincidence which has been so explicitly announced by our author."

19, Richmond Crescent, Barnsbury. My dear Mr. Bruce,-I have recently received a beautiful photographic representation of a goodly house and garden, held now by some New Church ladies, at Constance, in Switzerland, on the lake of Constance, for the purposes of educaThe two chief ladies are Miss Klein and Miss Von Manuel. They are

tion.

assisted by other ladies, among whom is Dr. Tafel's daughter Anna, who was in England for some time, and esteemed much by those who had the means of knowing her. I think any New Church friends who are desirous of sending their children to receive an education in German, and after the German manner, would do well to entrust them to the care of these ladies, most of whom I know and greatly esteem. The terms are £12. 10s. per quarter, and I translate their prospectus for the benefit of those who may desire information. These ladies have the love of education greatly at heart, and the neighbourhood in which they have planted themselves is highly salubrious and extremely beautiful :

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Boarding School for Girls, Hausegarten, Constance, Switzerland. - The object to which this institution is devoted, and to the carrying out of which, from love to the work, those who are engaged in it have engaged themselves, is the education of young ladies for maidenhood and womanhood, in the truest and fullest sense of the word. That object is intended to be accomplished by the harmonious cultivation of heart and mind. The general course will comprise religion, the German, French, and English languages, literature, history, geography, natural philosophy, arithmetic, bookkeeping, drawing, singing, and needlework. Instruction in harp or piano, the higher departments of singing, the Italian language, or other attainments not comprised in the general course, will be specially charged. Gymnastic exercises and various useful labours form part of the education. The spacious garden and open neighbourhood of the institution form a healthy and agreeable abode for the pupils, and the well-arranged swimming baths of the lake supply another of the necessities of health. Further information by the Misses Klein and Von Manuel, as above."

QUARTERLY MEETING OF THE MINISTERS IN LANCASHIRE.-This meeting was held at the house of the Rev. John Hyde, Manchester, on Tuesday, October 20th, when all the ministers and most of the leaders were present. The greater portion of the day was occupied in the endeavour to ascertain what localities in the north of England would be likely to be most benefited by New Church missionary work. It was thought that week-day cottage meetings and monthly