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known through those degrees open the mind, so that light from the spiritual world may flow in " (A. C. 5934).

It has been proposed by a recent writer, in an able paper on the "Translations of Swedenborg," which appeared in the New Jerusalem Magazine for April last, that scientifica should be rendered "knowledges," but were this the case no distinction would be made between scientiæ, which, as he truly says, signifies knowledges in the abstract, and scientifica, which means some special things that are known. The same writer proposes to adopt the word "cognize" as a translation for the Latin cognosco and nosco which are in the present editions, equally with scio rendered by "know" as in A. C. 4844. "Their knowledges of truth and their scientifics consisted in knowing (cognoscere), and knowing (scire) what the rituals of their Church represented and signified." To the present writer, however, it would appear that the common phrase "to be cognizant of" is a more readable rendering for cognosco than to "cognize," and would render the difference between that word and scio sufficiently evident, a difference which is now left to the reader to discover. A similar diversity of meaning is blotted out by translating both mens and animus with the one word mind, thus "the state of the interiors is said to be changed when the mind (mens) or mind (animus) is changed as to its affections and consequent thoughts" (A. C. 4850); for this there is no necessity, as the word "disposition" or "intention" is a correct expression for animus, thus "the mind (animus) of procuring to himself truths" (A. C. 5402), evidently means "the intention of procuring to himself truths."

Similarly our constant acquaintances "goods and truths, evils and falses" are a defective expression for the Latin bona et vera, mala et falsa, as they hide the difference between such words as vera and veritates, and present a strange appearance to an unaccustomed eye. "Things good and true, things evil and false" would be correct English for the plural form, while "the good and the true, the evil and the false" would convey a much more definite idea to the mind than "good and truth," "evil and falsity."

The final defect which may be adverted to in our present editions of Swedenborg, is that of incorrect phraseology by which the original is rendered with inadequate force and clearness. To quote numerous instances would be too great a tax upon patience, but one example may be stated as showing how the translation often fails to precisely express the original. In C. L. 20, describing the wedding feast, it is said that first each guest separately, and then all together, said, "May the divine blessing be upon you." The Latin here is simply "Sic benedictio!" a terse form of expres sion that has its only counterpart in the plain English "Bless you!" which brief, but hearty invocation might be introduced with advantage into marriage festivals among New Churchmen.

The foregoing remarks are offered, as stated above, under the belief that such a revision of the translations of Swedenborg as renders his works more attractive to the young, more intelligible to the novitiate, and more agreeable to a critical taste, will be admitted to constitute one of the chief duties of the New Church. It is therefore a cause for great rejoicing that the Swedenborg Society has resolved to have the task accomplished. Each succeeding year's report may now be anticipated to contain an account of rapid and satisfactory progress in the work; and though an increased expenditure will be entailed, it can hardly be doubted that, for such a purpose, the most liberal use of the means the Society possesses will prove the wisest economy, and tend to the most advantageous performance of the functions its aims to fulfil.

T. W. B.

413

Miscellaneous.

THOMAS CARLYLE AND SWEDENBORG.

Mr. Gerald Massey, with many readers a favourite poet, has just published a witty little work entitled "" Concerning Spiritualism." Among several good points in the work, we find the following piece of information :

"It was but the other day Mr. Carlyle acknowledged to an American that he had made Swedenborg known to him for the first time; he, Thomas Carlyle, having looked upon, or rather away from, the great seer all his life as a visionary lunatic.

The following is then given as Mr. Carlyle's words :

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Hitherto I have known nearly nothing of Swedenborg; or, indeed, I might say less than nothing, having been wont to picture him as an amiable but insane visionary, with affections quite out of proportion to his insight; from whom nothing at all was to be learned. It is so we judge of extraordinary men. But I have been rebuked already; a little book, Growth of the Mind,' by one Sampson Reed, of Boston in New England, which some friend sent hither, taught me that a Swedenborgian might have thoughts of the calmest kind on the deepest things; that, in short, I did not know Swedenborg, and ought to be ready to know him" (p. 31).

In this state of thought, the twovolume Index to the Arcana would be a rich intellectual surprise and treat to Mr Carlyle, whom we now leave for

GERALD MASSEY AND SWEDENBORG.

Commenting on Mr, Carlyle's remarks, Mr. Massey says:

"This is typical of a change now passing over the face of the world, and Swedenborg will be better known after many days. He has waited long with a most placid patience, but is one of the eternal men who can afford to wait any length of time. I look up to him as to one of the largest, loftiest, serenest of the starry host in the realm of mind. He is seen but dimly by the distant world at present; but is slowly, surely arriving from the infinite with a surprising light of revelation. I know him to be a sun; one of the spiritual suns

that will go on shining to the full eternal day, and should be glad if I could let any one have a look at him through my glass" (p. 32).

A peculiar psychical experience made me gravitate towards him to hold up my facts in his light to see what we could make of them. This has led me to look up to him as one of the most specially illuminated minds since the advent of Christ: one who has done more than any other to make the world of spirit solid ground for men to tread. He has afforded foothold and restingplace, as of Ararat amidst the delugethe Ararat of a new world just emerging into view" (p. 31).

PRAYER FOR THE SICK.

R. M'C.

Two apparently conflicting facts present themselves to the minds of most thoughtful persons who meditate on this subject. One is the dominion of law and the uniformity of its action in the ways of Divine Providence, and the other the universal tendency of all classes to offer up prayer to the Lord in seasons of sickness, and, in the case of the religiously disposed, on behalf of sick persons. A prominent feature of the present times is not merely to think, but to publish thought; and those who feel constrained to differ from popular religious opinion and practice, are not slow to express their difference, and to publish the grounds on which it rests. "Two opposing parties," to use the words of Professor Tyndall, "here confront each other, the one affirming the habitual intrusion of supernatural power in answer to the petitions of men; the other questioning if not denying any such intrusion." A correspondent of Professor Tyndall's proposes to subject this question of the prevailing power of prayer to the test of physical experiment, and the Professor thinks "his proposal is so fair," that he could not refuse to give it publicity. He has sent his letter, therefore, to the editor of the Contemporary Review, who, with the generosity which distinguishes this eclectic journal, has given it a place in his pages.

And what is the experiment proposed to test the value of supernatural agency in the recovery of the sick? It is, in few words, this-premising that the statistics

of virulent diseases are well-known, it is proposed that a ward of some hospital in which these diseases are treated "should be, during a period of not less, say, than three to five years, made the object of special prayer by the whole body of the faithful, and that, at the end of that time, the mortality rates should be compared with the past rates, and also with that of other leading hospitals, similarly well managed during the same period.'

of doubt that the sincere and fervent prayers of Christian people, followed by the restoration of the Prince to health, has been the means of deepening in the public minds the sense of Divine things, and of the providence of God in the affairs of men.

BRITISH AND FOREIGN BIBLE SOCIETY.

The annual meeting of this Society is one of the earliest of the anniversaries It seems wonderful that so shallow a held in the metropolis in the month of device could be proposed by an educated May. The public meeting this year mind, and that a learned professor could was numerously attended, and, as usual, be led to endorse it with his favourable presided over by the president of the opinion. Can these men seriously think Society-the Earl of Shaftesbury. The that the Creator could become a party to report is occupied with details of the their ill-concerted schemes of material- work of the Society on the Continent, istic experiments for the measurement of in Egypt, Syria, and Palestine, in India spiritual influences? These influences, and China, and many other portions of moreover, are as completely subject to the globe. The introduction of the spiritual laws as material forces are to Word of truth into Italy, and its free the control of natural laws. And one of course among its people, is one of the these laws is very certain-viz., that to mighty influences whereby a merciful secure the Divine blessing, we are neither providence will promote their regenerato tempt God, nor impiously set up our tion. On this portion of their work will above His. Prayers for the sick are the committee say :-"What the Pope universal, and doubtless efficacious and would think of an Italian Bible Society useful. But their influence which is inaugurated under the auspices of men spiritual, operating on the mind by of distinction and rank, and supported bringing it into closer communion with by native churches, it is difficult to conthe Lord and His kingdom, and from ceive. Such a scheme had, however, the mind on the body, cannot be sub- been launched at a public meeting amidst jected to earthly measurement. Neither much enthusiasm, and it has since been do they necessarily issue in the restora- resolved to print the New Testament in tion of the sick to bodily health, nor in Rome. The committee of this Society orderly prayer are they intended to pro- had already made a grant of the paper mote this end further than may be in for the purpose, and American friends agreement with the Divine will. The had made themselves responsible for foundation of all orderly prayer is sub- the printing. It is an incident not mission to the Divine will. And this unworthy of note that, whilst the statesapplies alike to prayers for the sick men of England and America were deand for spiritual blessings. The very bating questions of grave import bearing purpose of prayer is to bring our wills into subjection to the Lord's will, and to teach us to say with inmost desire "not my will, but Thine be done." And it is as we attain this state that the Lord can impart to us blessings He was waiting to bestow, but which we were not in a suitable condition to receive. And Of the general state, work, and prosamong these blessings may be restora- pects of the Society, the Committee tion of ourselves or our loved ones to report-"The wants of the Society with bodily health, if seen to be for our or their respect to funds wherewith to carry on spiritual advantage. And in the case of its extended work has been met in a the Prince of Wales, which has given most marked and encouraging manner. rise to this rebuke, although attended The contributions from auxiliaries, the with much that must grate on Christian feeling, and violate enlightened Christian sentiment, yet it can scarcely admit

occasionally a threatening aspect, the Christians of the two countries were joining hands in Rome to sustain an effort whose object is the regeneration of Italy through the diffusion amongst its people of God's message of reconciliation and peace."

annual subscriptions, the collections, and the legacies, all showed an increase on the receipts of the previous year,

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amounting in the aggregate to £6,600, trine of the Deity of the Saviour is one in addition to which one generous bene- from which it easily recedes. And the factor, Thomas William Hill, Esq. of evidences of such recession in the Synod Bristol, had placed, in trust, property of are very abundant. The proposed enactthe estimated value of £20,000, the in- ment of a principle of Faith of a very terest of which was to be appropriated simple kind led to intense hostility and to the Society after his death. With opposition. The pith of this declaration the exception of the year 1865, when a of faith is expressed in these wordssingle legacy of £15,000 raised the income "The sovereign authority of the Holy of the Society far above the average, the Scriptures in matters of Faith and Salvareceipts of the present year for general tion, by faith in Jesus Christ, only Son purposes have been the largest that of God, who died for our offences and the Society has ever known. Twenty rose again for our justification." Such years ago these receipts amounted to a declaration as the above," says the cor£56,000 now they had reached a total respondent of the Guardian, "one would of £90,000. Scriptures sold at home think ought not to have been very diffihad realised £50,000; those sold cult for a Synod calling itself 'Christian' abroad £33,000. The total receipts to have adopted unanimously. But, on from ordinary sources for the year end- the contrary, its presentation caused ing March 1872, amounted to the sum of great emotion, the Rationalists at once £183,944. To this must be added some feeling that the test was being applied additions from special funds, making a to them. And, in fact, as M. Bois regrand total of £184, 196. The ordinary marked in supporting his motion, it payments have amounted to £181,065; was no use talking any longer about and adding the sums paid on account of simple 'shades of opinion,' or 'tenthe special funds, the total expenditure of the year has been £183,175. The Society is under engagements to the extent of £127,970. The issues of the Society for the year are as follows:From the depot at home, 1,384,850; from depots abroad, 1,199,507; total, 2,584,357 copies of Bibles, Testaments, and Portions. The total issues of the Society now amount to 65,884,095 copies."

PROTESTANTISM IN FRANCE.

"An attempt" says the London Guardian, "has been made to take advantage of the present restoration of the public liberties to reconstitute at once the faith and liberties of the French Protestant Church. A decree, such as has been long jealously withheld by all preceding governments, was obtained on the 29th of November of last year, legalizing the convocation of a General Synod in Paris. Under this decree, for the first time since the Synod of Loudun in 1660, the descendants of the old French Huguenots have assembled in the Temple of the Saint-Esprit in the Rue Roquepine, in General Synod. The assembling of this Synod has made very manifest the two parties, the orthodox and Rationalists, into which the French Protestants are divided. Calvinism has in it the seeds of Socinianism. The great doc

dencies,' existing among them. They had now diametrically opposed views. On one side, he said, were men who believed the Holy Scriptures to be the deposit of truths revealed by God to man; on the other, men who saw in them no supernatural revelation at all. On one side were men who believed Jesus Christ to be the only Son of God, with all the Divine attributes assigned to Him; on the other, men who believed Jesus Christ to be only a man like themselves, though exhibiting a higher ideal of human nature. Could this latter 'new' religion, he asked, co-exist with the Reformed Church of France?"

The proposition of M. Bois was carried by a majority of 61 to 45. In the course of the discussion, which extended over seven days, some very outspoken statements were made by members of the Rationalistic party.

"I did not hear the expression made use of myself," writes the correspondent of the Guardian, "but the Père Hyacinthe, who happened to be present at the moment, told me, with the strongest sentiment of disgust, that a certain M. Fontanès in the course of his speech had exclaimed that after all, they were only quarrelling over the dead body of Christ!' The Greek word anastasis, he said, did not mean the return of a dead body to life,' but the 'elevation of the

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SUNDAY SCHOOL UNION.

The annual meeting of this Union was held on the 24th of June in the Church at Accrington. Ten ministers and leaders were present, and the num ber of representatives and others entitled to take part in the proceedings, raised the number in attendance to over fifty. The Rev. R. Storry was elected president, and Mr. Potts re-elected secretary. In addition to the usual routine business, lengthened discussions took place on the preparation and diffusion of school literature. These discussions embraced the publication of a tune-book adapted to the school hymn-book, the preparation of an advanced class-book, and the diffusion of New Church and general literature through the medium of the Sunday schools. The general feeling of the meeting was in favour of the con tinued employment of the agency at the disposal of the Union for the diffusion of books and magazines; but a resolution was passed directing the committee to promote, as far as possible, a hearty co-operation with the operations of the colporteur and the booksellers. There has been during the year a decrease in the sales of the Juvenile Magazine, and sundry suggestions were offered for its improvement, though no definite resolution on the subject was adopted. Rev. Mr. Rendell was re-appointed editor. The minutes of the meeting, and the documents relating to its work, will ap pear as usual in the August number of the Juvenile Magazine.

personal being to a higher order of exist- better chance of being heard. But it ence.' St. Paul, he declared, had would seem for the present to be connever believed in the material and cor- demned to the same confusion as every poreal resurrection of Christ!' And other French institution, and we can one of his colleagues, M. Colani, who only hope there are unseen influences at was sitting by, supported him by reply- work in the chaos which will eventually ing to the question which was asked- develop a new organization." Was Christ, then, never seen after His death?'-that 'a man must be a fool who affirms that it was with the same body!'" These discussions have attracted considerable attention. The most prevailing form of religion in France is Roman Catholic, but it has lost its hold on multitudes in its own community who are drifting into scarcely concealed atheism. There are 500 Protestant parishes, but Protestantism is "a house divided against itself." This is also true of the Romish Church, though to a less conspicuous extent. Neither are in a position to exercise a vigorous and powerful influence on the mind of France in her present unsettled and fluctuating condition. On this feature of the subject the Times thus concludes one of its leading articles :-"It is certain that the Protestants, like every other class in France, do not know their own minds, and have no principles to guide them. French Society and French Faith are alike in a state of disorganization, and there is no man and no party who can strike a note of union. The collapse, in this instance, is especially discouraging, The Huguenots of old days represented all that has been soundest in the spirit of France. They displayed precisely that gravity of temper and sobriety of thought which have long been so dangerously wanting in the French charIt was proved by the influence they attained that the French mind was fully capable of embracing the principles of that manlyand reasonable religion which emancipated and elevated the nations by whom the Reformation was accepted. It is difficult not to believe that the same element must still exist in the nation, and that it would respond to an effective appeal. Roman Catholicism is nominally dominant, but faith in it is dead; and the sole question in such countries as France and Italy is whether they will lapse into avowed infidelity, or will attach themselves before it be too late to a religion which reasonable men can accept. There never, perhaps, was a time when, if the Protestant Church of France could speak clearly, it had a

acter.

At the close of the meeting a public meeting was held in the schoolroom, which was well attended by the members of the Union, and by members and friends of the Society at Accrington. The proceedings at this meeting were introduced by a short address by the chairman, and followed by addresses by other ministers and gentlemen who were present. The subjects that were brought under the attention of the meeting were chiefly such as related to the moral and religious qualifications of the teachers and the necessity of combining with the

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