FORGOTTEN PAGES OF NEW CHURCH HISTORY 1951

Vol. LXXI
January, 1951
No. 1.

New Church Life
A MONTHLY MAGAZINE DEVOTED TO THE TEACHINGS
REVEALED THROUGH EMANUEL SWEDENBORG.

Forgotten Pages of New Church History
     1. Francis Bailey     William Whitehead     1
A Talk to Children
     The Call of Swedenborg     F. E. Gyllenhaal     4
A New Year Address
     The Pillar of Cloud and Fire               8
Reviews
     Rational Psychology                    13
     Better Known as Johnny Appleseed          15
Canadian Northwest
     A Pastoral Visit
          Karl K. Alden                    16
Editorial Department
     Introductory Statement               25
     The Assumption of Mary               28
Communication
     Is the New Church Celestial?
          Harold F. Pitcairn                    30
Church News                              34
Announcements
     Baptisms, Confirmations, Marriages, Deaths     46
     Annual Council Meetings-January 22-27     48
     Military Service Committee               48

PUBLISHED AT
PRINCE AND LEMON STS., LANCASTER, PA.
By
THE GENERAL CHURCH OF THE NEW JERUSALEM
BRYN ATHYN, PA.

Rev. W. Cairns Henderson, Editor. Mr. H. Hyatt, Business Manager
SUBSCRIPTION: $3.00 A YEAR TO ANY ADDRESS. SINGLE COPY 30 CENTS.

February, 1951
No. 2

The Rich Man and Lazarus
     A Sermon on Luke 16: 31
          Hugo Lj. Odhner                     49
Forgotten Pages of New Church History
     2. General Alexander Mouravieff
          William Whitehead                    54
Our Psalmody
     Besse E. Smith                         57
The Origin and Nature of Evil
     Bjorn A. H. Boyesen                    67
Canadian Northwest
     A Pastoral Visit
          Karl R. Alden                    72
Editorial Department
     The Church and Swedenborg               83
     In This Will I Be Confident               87
     A Version of Limited Appeal               89
Communication
     How Easily Traced?
          Richard R. Gladish                    91
Church News                              93
Announcements
     Baptisms, Marriages, Deaths               96

March, 1951
No. 3

Mary of Magdala.
     A Sermon on John 20:1
          Willard D. Pendleton               97
A Talk to Children.
     Why the Lord Allowed Himself to be Crucified
          George de Charms                    103
Forgotten Pages of New Church History.
     3. Heinrich Heine in 1851
          William Whitehead                    106
A Review of the Dutch Position
     James Pendleton                         109
The Lord's Temptations
     Bjorn A. H. Boyesen                    114
An Address to Young People.
     Recreation
          W. Cairns Henderson               120
A Contemporary View                         125
Editorial Department
     The Love of Heaven                    126
Church News                                   131
Announcements
     Baptisms, Confirmations, Marriages, Deaths     143

April, 1951.
No. 4

Laborers in the Eleventh Hour
     A Sermon on Matthew 20: 16
          Joao de Mendonca Lima               145
Forgotten Pages of New Church History
     4. Two New Church "Utopias"
          William Whitehead                    151

ANNUAL COUNCIL MEETINGS
Council of the Clergy Sessions
     W. Cairns Henderson                    155
Joint Council Session
     Hugo Lj. Odhner                         158
Annual Reports
     Secretary of the General Church
          Hugo Lj. Odhner                    164
     Council of the Clergy
          W. Cairns Henderson               167
     Corporations of the General Church
          Edward H. Davis                    173
     Treasurer of the General Church
          Hubert Hyatt                    175
     Editor of "New Church Life"
          W. Cairns Henderson               182
     Sound Recordings Committee
          Morley D. Rich                    183
     Committee on "New Church Sermons"
          Harold C. Cranch                    184
     Military Service Committee
          Doris G. Pendleton               185

Editorial Department
     Of Human Influence                    187
Communication
     Is the New Church Celestial?
          Felix Elphick                    188
Church News                              190
Announcements
     Baptisms, Confirmations, Marriages, Deaths     192
Sound Recordings Library Catalog               111

May, 1951
No. 5

The Lord's Human Essence
     Address to Council of the Clergy
          Hugo Lj. Odhner                    193
Divine Government
     A Sermon on Matthew 11: 28-30
          Ormond Odhner                    207
Some Thoughts on Missionary Work
     William R. Cooper                         211
Forgotten Pages of New Church History
     5. A New Church Chaplain
          William Whitehead                    216
Problem Passages in the Writings
     Leon S. Rhodes                         219
Editorial Department
     "A Contemporary View                    224
     Is the New Church Celestial?               225
     "And Without Thorn" A Review               227
Communication
     Mr. Charles James Whittington
          Winifred Whittington               227
Church News                                   229
Announcements
     Swedenborg Scientific Association-May 23     239
     Academy Joint Meeting-June 2          239
     Baptisms, Confirmations, Deaths          239

June, 1951
No. 6

A Talk to Children
     The Lord's Kingdom
          Harold C. Cranch                    241
The Revelation of Jesus Christ
     A Sermon on Revelation 1: 1
          Elmo C. Acton                    244
Creation for Specific Heavenly Uses
     Address to Council of the Clergy
          Ormond Odhner                    249
Forgotten Pages of New Church History
     6. Remember "New Church Day"
          William Whitehead                    260
Atomic Energy and the Atom
     Wilfred Howard                         263
Review
     The New Convention Service Book          272
Editorial Department
     The Meaning of a Liberal Policy          276
     Sabbath Observance in the New Church     277
     Commencement                         278
     The Rite of Betrothal                    279
Communication
     The Dutch Position: A Reply
          Clarence Hotson                    283
Church News                              286
Announcements
     Academy Joint Meeting-June 2          287
     38th British Assembly-August 4-6          287
     Sons of the Academy Annual Meetings-June 22-23     287
     Baptisms, Confirmations, Marriages, Deaths     287

July, 1951
No. 7

Friendship
     A Sermon on John 15: 14, 15
          David R. Simons                    289
The Hades of the Ancients
     Hugo Lj. Odhner                         295
Are Conjugial Pairs from Creation?
     Elmo C. Acton                         299
Loyalty
     Richard R. Gladish                         304
"The True Christian Religion"-Review          307
Forgotten Pages of New Church History
     7. The Prayer of the Revolution
          William Whitehead                    314
Editorial Department
     Conjugial Pairs                         317
     Fair Criticism and Defamation               317
     Marriage within the Church               319
     Dr. Hotson's Letter                    323
Church News                              327
Announcements
     Baptisms, Confirmations, Marriages, Deaths     335
     Educational Council Meetings-August 20-24     336
     38th British Assembly-August 4-6          336

August, 1951
No. 8

The Delight of Conjunction with the Lord
     A Sermon on Psalm 34: 8
          Erik Sandstrom                    337
Fear
     Academy Commencement Address
          Philip C. Pendleton               343
The Church and Doctrine
     Arthur Clapham                         347
Divine Providence and the Stillborn
     Ormond Odhner                         348
Ordination-19th of June
     Declaration of Faith and Purpose
          Louis B. King                    354
Forgotten Pages of New Church History
     8. Wilson verses Carlile
          William Whitehead                    356
The "White House"
     Randolph R. Stroh                         359
On Gratitude                              366
Editorial Department
     Mr. Odhner's Article                    367
     A Stimulating Report                    367
     Distinctive Social Life                    369
     The Educational Council                    370
Church News                              373
Announcements
     Ordination, Baptisms, Confirmations, Marriages, Deaths     383
     Educational Council-August 20-24          384
     District Assemblies                    384

September, 1951
No. 9

The Love of Offspring
     A Sermon on Psalm 127: 3-5
          F. E. Gyllenhaal                    385
Forgotten Pages of New Church History
     9. The Aims of Urbana University
          William Whitehead                    391
Implanting The Conjugial Ideal
     Janet H. Doering                         395
What is the Sons of the Academy?
     Robert E. Synnestvedt                    406
Daughters of the Academy
     I. Theta Alpha
          Sylvia R. Cooper                    408
The Rev. Richard de Charms Sr
     Geoffrey Childs, Jr.                    410
Review
     A Venture in Applied Doctrine     Eldric S. Klein     416
Editorial Department
     Baptism and New Church Education          419
Communications
     Conjugial Similitudes
          A Stimulated Reader               421
     "Provided by the Lord"
          A Layman                         422
Church News                              424
Announcements
     Charter Day-October 59-20, 1951          435
     Baptisms, Confirmations, Marriages, Deaths     431
     District Assemblies                    432

October, 1951
No. 10

Light and Darkness
     A Sermon on Isaiah 58: 10
          Norbert H. Rogers               433
Madison, Wisconsin
     A New Circle                         439
Divine Providence in Marriage     Sydney B. Childs     440
Rev. Eric A. Sutton
     An Obituary                              448
Forgotten Pages of New Church History
     10. A New Church Minister at the Capital
          William Whitehead                    449
Daughters of the Academy
     2. A Continued Story
          Eo Pendleton                    452
Further Contemporary Views                    457
Educational Council
     Report of Ninth Meeting     Morley D. Rich     460
Editorial Department
     The Swedenborg Foundation               464
     Signs of Regeneration                    465
     Morality in Business                    467
Communications
     The Free Choice of a Consort
          Oliver R. Odhner                    469
Church News                              472
Announcements
     Charter Day-October 19-20, 1951          477
     Baptisms, Confirmations, Marriages, Death     479
     District Assemblies                    480
     Academy Enrollment for 1951-1952     480

November, 1951
No. 11

Thirty-Eighth British Assembly
     Report of the Proceedings
          A. S. Wainscot                    481
External Worship
     Presidential Address
          Alan Gill                         484
A Talk to Children
     Confession and Celebration
          Louis B. King                    491
The Earth is the Lord's
     A Sermon on Leviticus 25:23
          A. Wynne Acton                    493
Mathematics in the Girls' Seminary
     Morna Hyatt                         497
The Flogging of Dead Horses
     Alfred Acton                         505
The Christmas Stories
     I. The Story According to Matthew
          Ormond Odhner                    507
Forgotten Pages of New Church History
     II. Noble Versus "Gulielmus"
          William Whitehead                    513
Review
     A Manual for Parents
          Frank S. Rose                    516
The Western States. A Pastoral Visit
     Louis B. King                         518
Editorial Department
     Church Association or Use?               519
     Dead Churches                         520
     Attitudes and Emphases               521
Church News     523
Announcements
     Baptisms, Confirmations, Marriages     528

December, 1951
No. 12.

Chicago District Assembly
     Report of the Proceedings
          Harold P. McQueen               529
The Doctrine of Correspondences
     Episcopal Address at Fall Assemblies
          W. D. Pendleton                    532
Forgotten Pages of New Church History
     12. Dickens Versus Smithson
          William Whitehead                    544
The Christmas Stories
     2. The Story According to Luke
          Ormond Odhner                    547
Divine Omniscience and Human Prudence
     Alfred Acton                         552
A Talk to Children
     Why the Lord was Born on Earth
          Morley D. Rich                     555
Editorial Department
     Notes and Comments                    559
     Applications of Doctrine               560
     Race Hatred                         561
Directory of the General Church
     Officials and Councils                    563
     The Clergy                              564
     Societies and Circles                    568
     Committees                         569
Church News                              570
Announcements
     Baptisms, Confirmations, Marriage, Deaths     575
     Annual Council Meetings-January 28-February 2          576

NEW CHURCH LIFE
VOL. LXXI
JANUARY, 1951
No. 1
     DR WILLIAM WHITEHEAD

     I. Francis Bailey

     The Detroit periodical, Friends, for October, 1950, published an account, illustrated with six photographs, relating how a class of sixth grade boys and girls at Bywood School, in Upper Darby, Pa., learned local history by cleaning up the old cemetery and church site once occupied by the Upper Darby Society of the New Jerusalem.
     Removing the layers of weeds and leaves, listing the names on the gravestones, tracing present day street names back to original settlers of the township, sketching and mapping the cemetery, these children amazed their parents by becoming so interested in the project that they worked voluntarily over weekends. They even renovated the altar stone of the old church, whose thirty by fifty feet foundation is all that remains to outline the site. One of the photographs shows a massive granite memorial stone, unveiled thirty-five years ago by a little girl, Rosamond Kent, granddaughter of one of the early parishioners, at a "memorial service" held to honor the memory of this once important Society of the New Church. Among the names revealed by the gravestones are those of the Rev. Richard de Charms Sr., the great pioneer in the United States of the Academy movement, the Sellers, the Tysons, the Kents.
     But one memorial stone particularly was washed, patched, and reset on its foundation with solicitous care by the boys and girls.

The inscription on it read:

FRANCIS BAILEY
The First
American New Churchman
1784
The First
American Publisher
of the Writings of
EMANUEL SWEDENBORG
1787
A bright example of active love
and of doing good to others.

     Ednah C. Silver, in her charmingly discursive Sketches of the New Church in America, has described a visit to this peaceful spot, made on May 20, 1917, in company with Mr. Ezra Hyde Alden, during the General Convention of that year. She then took the occasion to revive the memory of this distinguished American New Churchman, the first to profit from the pioneer lectures of James Glen, in Bells Book Store, Philadelphia, in 1784, and the first publisher in America of a New Church work,-A Summary View of the Heavenly Doctrine of the New Jerusalem Church (1787).
     From the first New Church obituary of Mr. Bailey, published by his widow, Lydia R. Bailey, we extract the passages given below. These breathe the spirit of an almost incredible modesty when we compare them with the tributes paid to his Importance in the public life of Revolutionary days, as set forth In the Dictionary of American Biography (Vol. I: 494-5).
     "At Philadelphia, on the 1st day of November last, in the 73rd. year of his age, Mr. Francis Bailey, one of the first receivers of the doctrines, of the New Jerusalem in the United States. He was born at the seat of his father, Robert Bailey, in Sadsbury Township, Lancaster county, Pennsylvania, on the 3rd of September, 1744. Early in life he discovered an almost universal genius for mechanics, particularly manifested in the improvement of watches and repairing the works of clocks, mills, etc. He had also a considerable talent for engraving.

When arrived at a more mature age he became very desirous of acquiring the art of printing, but, not willing to apprentice himself, several years elapsed before he had an opportunity of gratifying his wishes. In 1771, he became acquainted with Peter Miller, a religious recluse and founder of the society at Ephrata, in Lancaster county, who was a man of science and learning A mutual friendship ensued, and on a visit of three weeks Mr. Bailey acquired a competent knowledge of the printing business.
     "In 1778, Mr. Bailey removed his family to Philadelphia, and was soon afterwards appointed printer to the State of Pennsylvania. At the same time he edited a daily paper, The Freeman's Journal, which was then supposed to be the best paper in circulation. In his religious profession he had been a strict Presbyterian and was one of the deacons, or elders, in the Second Presbyterian Church, in Pine Street, Philadelphia. In this profession he continued until the year 1784, in the spring of which Mr. James Glen, from Glasgow, in Scotland, arrived in Philadelphia. Mr. Glen, on his arrival, delivered several lectures on the doctrines, but leaving Philadelphia soon after, a number of books, sent from England for Mr. Glen, fell into the hands of Mr. Bailey, by the perusal of which be became an ardent recipient of the Truth.
     "In 1787, he published the Summary View, and distributed it gratis, as a kind of preface to the larger work which it was his intention to publish About this time, he determined to loose the ties that bound him to the Old Church, and accordingly sent in his resignation of church membership, which was much regretted by the heads of the church . . . great pains were taken by the heads of the church to dissuade him from publishing the writings; but he was so fully convinced of their truth that, in 1789, he issued proposals for publishing, by subscription, The True Christian Religion, and having obtained about fifty subscribers put it to the press.
     "Mr. Bailey was singularly calculated to win the affection and friendship of those with whom he associated. Firm both in his religious and political sentiments, yet not obtruding either on the notice of those around him; cheerful and facetious as a companion and possessed of a delicacy and refinement of feeling which might almost be termed romantic.
     "Through unforeseen vicissitudes, he was obliged to witness the entire loss of his once large property.

In this, and the many other trials he had to endure, he manifested a firmness and resignation not to be described. To use his own words: 'I never courted the smiles of fortune, and her frowns have no power to dismay me.' In his last illness, though at times suffering acute bodily pain, he was never heard to utter a complaint; but always answered the inquiries of his friends cheerfully, saying; 'I am gradually wearing away, but am well both in mind and body, not anxious to leave this world, but quite willing.'"(New Jerusalem Church Repository, 1817-18: p. 326.)

(EDITORIAL NOTE: This is the first of a series of twelve sketches to be contributed by Dr. Whitehead as he pauses at some of the forgotten pages of New Church history.)
CALL OF SWEDENBORG 1951

CALL OF SWEDENBORG Rev. F. E. GYLLENHAAL 1951

     A Talk to Children

     You know that the Lord created heaven and earth because He wanted people whom He could love and who would leave Him and one another. So when people became evil and no longer loved one another, and no longer loved Him, the Lord Himself came down on earth as a Baby that He might work as a Man among people and teach them to love one another and to love Him. But His love for them never changed, never grew less, and never stopped doing everything possible to make everyone an angel and happy for ever.
     Now when He was on earth the Lord called certain men to follow Him. Seeing two fishermen, "Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother," He said to them, "Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men." He said the same to James and John who also were fishermen. And although these four men then knew very little about the Man who called them, and did not know He was the Lord God of heaven and earth, they at once left their nets and ships and followed Him, not only that day, but for the rest of their lives.

And you know that as angels in heaven they are still following the Lord.
     What magic was there in the Lords voice that made men follow Him? All He said to Peter and Andrew was "Follow Me. and I will make you fishers of men." Do you hear or see any magic in these words? And you know there were many men who did not follow the Lord when He called them, as for example the rich young man. Perhaps you also know that the Lord was born on earth because almost everyone had stopped following Him and had turned a deaf ear to His calling them. He has always, since the days of Adam and Eve in the beautiful Garden of Eden, knocked on the door of every man's house, and called aloud to every man: but many, many people have refused to hear His voice and to open the door to Him.
     The truth is that only some people want to hear the Lord's voice. The disciples wanted to hear it, and they obeyed it at once. They left all they had, even their families, and followed the Lord.
     Now perhaps you think it would be much easier to hear the voice of a man you can see, and easier to follow him, than to hear and follow the voice of someone unseen; but this was not true of the hundreds of people who saw and heard the Lord, when He was on earth. For only a very few of those who even listened to Him afterwards left all and followed Him. How often do you hear your parents speaking to you, yet fail to do what they are telling you to do?
     The Lord calls to every man, woman, and child to come to His heaven. But He also calls to everyone to perform a use, that is, to do some special work. And so that we may know this and really understand it, He tells us in His Word of certain men whom He called to do very special work. Such men were Joseph, who was called by the Lord to feed many people during a seven years' famine; Moses, who was called by the Lord to lead a nation of slaves out of Egypt to a land of milk and honey promised them by the Lord; Samuel, who was called by the Lord to bring back a nation that was fast forgetting its Heavenly Father to the worship and love of Him.
     How do we know the Lord called these men? They have said so, or rather the Lord has told us so in His Word.

These men knew the Lord had called them and had prepared them from their infancy for their special work. Joseph knew it, when he said to his brothers, "Fear not; for am I in the place of God? But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive." Moses also knew it, when he wrote that the Lord had said unto him, "Come now, therefore, and I will send thee unto Pharaoh, that thou mayest bring forth my people the children of Israel out of Egypt." And the man Samuel knew it and wrote that the Lord called. "Samuel, Samuel," and he answered the Lord, "Speak, for Thy servant heareth."
     Now the Lord has told us of another man whom He called to do very special work. This man also was prepared from his infancy by the Lord, but he did not know until he was an old man that the Lord had chosen him for it and prepared him from his birth. When he was a baby, he had not heard the Lord calling him. Nor did he hear the Lord calling him when he was a boy, and when he was a young man. He did not know then that he was to do some very special work for the Lord. But when he was an old man, eighty-one years old, he wrote that he had been "called to a holy office by the Lord Himself," and that when he was only four years old, he had begun to think about God, salvation, and the spiritual affections of men, and several times revealed things at which his father and mother wondered, saying that angels must be speaking through him.
     This man, as you already know, was Emanuel Swedenborg. But do you know how the Lord called him, how he knew and was convinced that the Lord wanted him to do some very special work? Do you know that he heard the Lords voice speaking to him just as clearly as did the boy Samuel, when the Lord called to him, "Samuel, Samuel;" and that he saw the Lord Himself in person even more clearly than Moses saw the Lord at the burning bush?
     In a letter written when he was eighty-three years old, Swedenborg says that the Lord showed Himself in person to him in 1743, but he does not tell how the Lord appeared to him then. A year later, in 1744, the Lord appeared again to Swedenborg. This time He asked him if he had a certificate of health, and Swedenborg answered, "Lord, Thou knowest that better than I." Then the Lord told him to "try the spirits."

And then, in the middle of April, 1745, the Lord appeared to Swedenborg a third time, and this time He told Swedenborg that He who was appearing to him was the Lord God, the Creator and Redeemer of the world, that He had chosen Swedenborg to tell men the spiritual meaning of the Word, and that He Himself would tell him what to write on this subject. Swedenborg at once obeyed the Lords call. He stopped the work he was doing, not even finishing a book he was writing: and immediately began the work the Lord had told him to do. Many years later he wrote that an angel had told him the Lord had chosen him, because from youth he had been a spiritual fisherman.
Now there are many interesting and very unusual things about the third time the Lord appeared to Swedenborg and commissioned him to serve as revelator. Swedenborg was in London. He was eating his dinner in a private room in an inn. He was hungry, and he was alone in the room. When he had just about finished eating, he noticed that the room was growing dark, and soon the floor was covered with frogs, snakes, and other little insects and animals. Then the room got very dark. But suddenly it was light again, and he saw sitting in a corner a man who said. "Eat not so much." After this the room again got very dark. That night the same man appeared again, and then it was the man said He was the Lord, and gave Swedenborg his commission as the revelator.
Such was the call of Swedenborg. The Lord called him to do a most important work, and Swedenborg at once obeyed because he loved the Lord with his whole heart. He had done so all his life and he had shown that love to the Lord by always loving to learn the truth, and by working very hard. But after the Lord called him he worked even harder than before. He not only wrote many books for the Lord, books which are called The Writings, but he taught many thousands of angels new things about the Lord and His kingdom-things the Lord Himself taught Swedenborg. And when on earth he published The True Christian Religion, the last book of the Writings, the Lord told him to sign his name as EMANUEL SWEDENBORG. SERVANT OF THE LORD JESUS CHRIST. And truly he was a faithful servant and a spiritual fisherman.

LESSONS: Matthew 4: 18-25. Influx 20.

PILLAR OF CLOUD AND FIRE 1951

     A NEW YEAR ADDRESS

     When the children of Israel departed from Egypt they encamped at Succoth, and then halted again at Etham, on the edge of the wilderness. From there, according to the Word, "the Lord went before them by day in a pillar of cloud, to lead them the way; and by night in a pillar of fire, to give them light; to go by day and night." (Exodus 13: 21.) At Pi-hahiroth, the pillar stood between the host of Israel and the pursuing Egyptians, giving light to the former and covering the latter with a mantle of impenetrable darkness. (Exodus 14: 19. 20.) And the testimony continues that "He took not away the pillar of the cloud by day, nor the pillar of fire by night, from before the people." (Exodus 13: 22.) The fiery, cloudy pillar remained for forty years, until Israel came to the Jordan: after which the ark alone was their guide.
     This extraordinary manifestation of Providence was the "Shechinah." at once the Divine dwelling place with Israel and the symbol and proof of the Lord's continual presence, guidance, and protection. And we note, as of interest, the teaching that it was no ordinary cloud that appeared at Etham. When the Divine truth descends through heaven into the world,-it is said in the Writings,-from being pure it becomes more and more dense, and in ultimates appears as a cloud; and when the Divine good within shines through, the cloud is lighted from within so that it appears as a pillar of fire. So the Shechinah was not merely a symbol of the Lord's presence in Divine truth and good. It was an ultimate form of the Divine truth and good in which the Lord is, and was therefore an actual presence given throughout the years that were spent in the wilderness.
     According to the inspired record the pillar assumed three forms and rendered three distinct services to Israel. By day, it appeared as a pillar of cloud, going ahead to point out the way or standing by the tabernacle as a sign that the host was to remain at rest.

And indeed a guide was necessary, even if the direct road had been taken, and even more so when the journey was circuitous and the route not known beforehand. By night, it appeared as a pillar of fire to give light in every part of the camp, for the children of Israel did not travel during the hours of darkness. And when the host was on the march, the top of the cloud spread out and overshadowed them as they traversed the scorching, barren, thirsty desert, cooling the atmosphere and providing refreshment for the people and their cattle by its vapors. Thus the pillar was a guide, a light, and a protective and sustaining veil which never failed Israel for forty years in the wilderness.
But the guidance given was such that the children of Israel, on their part, were required to place their future entirely in the Lord's hands. Because of the very way they were led there was no time at which they could predict their further movements. These were solely at the direction of the Lord. When, and where, the pillar of cloud came to rest they made camp, not knowing if they would remain there for a night, a week, a month, or a year! And when the cloud rose from beside the tabernacle again they broke camp and prepared to resume their march: not knowing until the cloud pointed the way in what direction they were to go, and even then unaware how far they had to travel, or where their next station would be. Thus the leading was immediate: and it called for implicit obedience to, and absolute trust in, the Lord: and for that content in the present which is experienced by those who are satisfied to leave the future in the Lord's hands, confident that He will lead them, day by day, as is best for them.

It has now been revealed that Israel's wanderings in the wilderness signify the progress of the man of the church through regenerative temptations. The Egyptian bondage stands for man's adult life before regeneration begins, during which he is enslaved by evils and falsities. By the exodus is meant his deliverance from this state and the beginning of the Lord's leading toward the kingdom of heaven. His introduction into the Lord's kingdom, that is, the establishment of the church in his natural mind, is represented by Israel's entrance into the land of Canaan And the forty years in the wilderness are indicative of the spiritual temptations through which alone man can be regenerated.

The journeys themselves denote changes of state, and the encampments the ordering and arrangement of goods and truths that is made by the Lord at the end of every state.
     Every student of the Writings is aware that man undergoes continual changes of state, and that only therethrough can he be regenerated. After every victory in temptation he enters into a state of enlightenment. From the good that has been appropriated he has an interior perception of truth, of uses, and of how they are to be performed. But in due course that state comes to an end. As he returns to the proprium, as evil begins to be in excess over good, he is plunged into obscurity and again comes into temptation. But by resistance of evil therein he is further purified, and as a result of that purification he attains to greater enlightenment and can be given a still more interior perception of truth and of use. These alternating states are the days and nights of the spiritual Israelite in the wilderness, and without them there could be no regeneration because there would be no purification.
     Throughout these changes of state the presence of the Lord with the regenerating man is constant. Indeed it is taught that His inmost leading and government of man is effected through these mutations. The sequence, harmony, and consequences of these states are hidden from man. But they are under the continual view and guidance of the Lord, who regards them as a whole from man's infancy to his old age, and He changes them in part only as is best for the whole. Through them the Lord leads the regenerating man to everything conducive to eternal life; and as each state serves its use, which is known only to the Lord, He brings it to an end, and disposes and arranges it for the man's betterment,-an ordering that can be made only by the Lord. And this continual leading and arranging is what is signified by the fact that Israel marched and halted as the pillar of cloud indicated, and traveled in the direction, and for the distance, its movements dictated.
     We note, however, that the presence of the Lord, manifested in a pillar of cloud by day, was shown in the night by a pillar of fire.

By this is meant, we are instructed, that when the regenerating man is in a state of illustration, or of clear perception, his enlightenment is tempered by obscurity of truth as by a cloud: and that when he is in states of obscurity, the darkness of his understanding is tempered by enlightenment from good, fire symbolizing the good of love. Thus the presence of the Lord with the regenerating is perpetual. Life is given to them in each state, from the Divine love and with the precision of infinite wisdom. And as they progress by means of alternations of state, the Lord's presence is an overshadowing cloud, repressing the foul heat of the lusts that spring from unrealized falsities, and so protecting them from those lusts and sustaining them in their journey.
At first sight it may seem strange that man's illustration should have to be tempered, that he should have to be withheld, as it were, from too great an enlightenment. Yet in this we may see the tender mercy, the infinite solicitude, and the loving care of the Lord. At every stage, the regenerating man has only a certain capacity for truth. If he were introduced into spiritual truth beyond his ability to receive, the truth would seem like thick darkness, he would come into grave danger of profaning it; and the hitherto unrealized depths of evil within him revealed by its light would so paralyse and horrify him that he would be overwhelmed. For the overplus of truth could not be appropriated, and his evils would be greater than he could hear. But in the tender mercy of the Lord, who is infinitely aware of his capacity, his state, and his need, his enlightenment is so tempered that he sees only as much truth as he can receive: as much truth as will reveal the evil that must then be conquered, and in the power of which he is able to bear, resist, and overcome it. And this is what is signified by the Lord appearing in a pillar of cloud by day.
In states of temptation, however, man has no enlightenment. His mind is imprisoned by evils and his understanding is dim and obscure. The Lord is no longer present with him in Divine truth but in Divine good. Hence the teaching, that although man seems to be forsaken of God when in temptation the lord is more nearly present with him then than at any other time; for when man is affected by the influx of Divine good he is nearer to the Lord than when he is touched by truth. In these dark states there is no clear perception of truth.

But the Divine good is inmostly present; inspiring hope and confidence from trust in the Lord's providence, which are the forces of combat from within, and moving the man to affirm the truths he has previously seen and understood. This operation of the Divine good is what leads to resistance of evil, and thus to further purification and it is what is meant by the presence of the Lord in a pillar of fire by night, for the influx gives man to see that he must hold fast to the truth he has once acknowledged, and this is the light that darkness. Thus we see that the presence, mercy, and guidance of the Lord never cease or fail, but are given according to man's need.

Because it inaugurated and signified the beginning of a new life and a new state, the month in which the children of Israel departed from Egypt because, by Divine command, the first month of the year. In the mercy of the Lord we have been given to enter the first month of a new year; and in this year we shall undergo many changes of state, changes which for the most part will be deeply hidden from us, and upon which we shall scarcely reflect. If we are striving to follow the Lord in the regeneration it will be a year spent in the wilderness, and from time to time we shall be vaguely conscious of those major changes which occur when temptation causes distress of mind that cannot be assigned to any cause.
Yet, in the faith of the doctrine given, we may face the future without fear and with full confidence. For we may know that our states are under the Lord's constant view and guidance, and that if we are willing to follow His leading, they will be ordered and disposed for our betterment. We may know that in every state of enlightenment the spiritual truth of the Word will be accommodated to our perception, and so precisely adjusted to our state that it is adequate to our need and as much as we can bear. And we may know that when we do enter into temptation the Lord is present to supply the forces of resistance and give victory. For the presence of the Lord with the regenerating is constant. And if we are in the wilderness, the Lord will go before us in a pillar of cloud by day to lead the way, and by night in a pillar of fire to give light, until we tread the verge of Jordan. He will not take away the cloudy, fiery pillar from His people. Amen.

REVIEWS 1951

REVIEWS Editor 1951

     A NEW VERSION

RATIONAL PSYCHOLOGY. A Posthumous Work by Emanuel Swedenborg. Translated from the Latin by Norbert H. Rogers and Alfred Acton, and Edited by Alfred Acton. Philadelphia, Pa.: Swedenborg Scientific Association, 1950. Cloth; 8vo: pp. XII + 343 including Text. Appendix, and Index). Price, $3.50.

     This is a new translation of a work written by Swedenborg in 1742. For reasons stated in the Introduction by the Editor, the work, which in manuscript has no title, is now called Rational Psychology instead of The Soul, a Rational Psychology, the title given to the first English version by the Rev. Frank Sewall. The new edition also omits the draft notes on The Fibre previously regarded as belonging to the work, and opens with the fourteen chapters of the little work on Sensation, which Swedenborg adopted as the first part of the work, beginning his writing with chapter 15.
     To introduce the work thus again brought before the English reader to those who may not be familiar with it we attempt a brief description of its contents. Rational Psychology commences with a seriatim treatment of the five senses. by the opening of which man enters into life, and then discusses memory and the imagination. Memory is defined as the ability of the gland to change its shape and state, recollection as the reproduction of the change, and imagination as the simultaneous reproduction of many states under a general idea. It proceeds next to the pure intellectory,-which is not the soul but that which gives man perception of natural truths,-and then goes on to the human intellect; which Swedenborg defines as mixed, because it chooses between higher things and lower by a process of sensation, perception, thought, judgment, and conclusion.
     From the human intellect Swedenborg passes on to the commerce of soul and body and the harmonies and affections arising therefrom; and then turns to the animus or external mind, which he defines as the life that flows into sensations.

According to his doctrine, the animus is born from the pure intellector, and is at first its servant and that of the soul, but revolts and wishes to live its own life. This chapter contains many sections dealing with the loves of the animus, and leads to a consideration of the animus and the rational mind, and the formation and affections of the latter: for the loves of the animus are either adopted by the rational or are made to serve higher loves. The rational mind is said to be intermediate, to have the power of affirming or denying, and to be without loves of its own in order that it may be free.
     In the next two chapters Swedenborg enumerates and discusses the loves and affections of the mind-love of good and truth, conscience, etc.-and states his conclusions regarding the animus, the spiritual mind, and the rational mind. These are followed by a chapter on Free Decision, which Swedenborg says is the only property the rational mind can claim as its own, and another on the will and its liberty. Various qualities, such as prudence and sincerity, are discussed in the next group of chapters, and Swedenborg then treats of the loves of the sold,-love of God, love of the neighbor, and love of society; all of which come to man from the soul when man has acquired a knowledge of spiritual truths.
     With this is concluded the treatment of the actual subject of the work. The commerce of the various planes of the mind is considered, and the remaining chapters deal with the soul and its slate after death. Here are to be found some of the most interesting things in the work. Swedenborg puts forth his views as to what man loses by death, and as to the shape of the Spirit: and in two chapters on these subjects develops conceptions of heaven and hell which were then entirely new, but which foreshadow the teaching later given in the Writings. The last written chapter treats of Divine Providence and enters into the question of why men were not created angels immediately.
     For a more comprehensive description of the work, and a discussion of its place in the series of Swedenborg's philosophical writings, we refer the interested reader to an address by the scholarly Editor, entitled "Rational Psychology," and published in THE NEW PHILOSOPHY for July, 1950.

But the best reference is to the work itself. For the average person, Rational Psychology is, perhaps, the most readable and the most interesting of Swedenborg philosophical works, and the most easy to follow with comprehension. Read in the light of the Writings it illustrates and confirms many of the teachings given therein. Those already familiar with the work will welcome this new edition. Others may enter through it into an important realm of Swedenborg's thought and phase of his preparation. And all who take it up will find here a style, type face, and format making for easy and pleasurable reading.

BETTER KNOWN AS JOHNNY APPLESEED. By Mabel Leigh Hunt. Illustrated by James Daugherty. With a Foreword by Louis Bromfield. J. B. Lippincott Company. Philadelphia and New York, 1950. Cloth, pp. 212. Price, $2.50.

The story of John Chapman, better known as Johnny Appleseed,-evangelist and planter, man and legend-has inspired a considerable literature, both factual and apocryphal. It has been recorded in fable and poetry, fiction and art; and the eccentric but benevolent pioneer who "planted the New Church in the Ohio Valley along with the orchards" has been presented in film and play, radio and operetta, and even in ballet, as well as in the serious works of the scholars and the publications of the New Church press.
To this wealth of material Mrs. Hunt, herself a Midwest author and sensitive to the history and traditions of the region in which Johnny Appleseed spent his adult life, has contributed a highly readable book which is the result of long and conscientious research and is yet delightfully fresh. The book itself is the fulfillment of a long cherished purpose, and the authors deep feeling for the man is evident throughout. The few biographical facts known of Johnny Appleseed's life have been carefully preserved and the legends are attractively presented. In a series of nine stories, each named for a variety of apple which he might have planted, Johnny is followed westward through the years from the Youghiogheny to the Mississippi, against a background in which characters, period, and scene are vividly and graphically portrayed.

     This is no missionary publication, and the reader must not be disappointed to find in it scant reference to the Writings or to the New- Church. But Chapman's devotion to the Writings is faithfully portrayed, there are interesting sketches of some of the early New Church groups and leaders, and Mrs. Hunt has separated the man from the legend in a picture which shows considerable insight and understanding. The illustrations are well done and the typographical setting is excellent.
     THE EDITOR

     RECEIVED FOR REVIEW

HEMSLSCHE VERBORGENHEDEN (Arcana Coelestia). By Emanuel Swedenborg. Vol. VI, nos. 4422-5190, Genesis xxxiv-xl. The Hague: Swedenborg Genootschap (Society), 1950. Cloth, pp. 626.
CANADIAN NORTHWEST 1951

CANADIAN NORTHWEST Rev. KARL R. ALDEN 1951

     A Pastoral Visit

     June 21 to September 10, 1950

     Boothroyd's home in Duluth, Minnesota, saw the commencement of my work this summer. Mrs. R. B. Boothroyd and Mrs. Blanchard, who have been devoted to the doctrines for more than a decade, had asked to be baptized. The service was held in the beautiful living room of their home, with an altar made festive by many cut flowers, and was made impressive by the double baptism and the administration of the Holy Supper.

     At Emo, Ontario, I found a new daughter to be baptized, making a family of three girls for Floyd and Lillian Hatle. An unusually lengthy schedule made it impossible to spend more than a day with these hospitable people; yet it was filled with conversation, and a religious service at which the baby was baptized and the Holy Supper administered.

     A hundred-mile bus ride separated Emo from Kenora. However, the monotony of this trip was relieved by stopping for ten minutes at Young's Camp, where Susan Rempel is the postmistress

In Kenora I went at once to the home of Tommy Atkins and his wife (Ruth Rempel), where I found Mr. and Mrs. Fred Wilson (Alice Rempel) and Leon Rempel. Tommy, who had gone to meet me but mixed up the time, finally came in, and we sat in the kitchen chatting. "Well," said Ruth at last, "if we are going to do anything, we had better do it." "What do you mean?" asked Tom. "I think," said I, "that Ruth means you want the children baptized." "It's all right with me," said Tom.
     With, that I prepared the altar and gave the necessary instructions, and we had a triple baptism followed by a sermon on the use of that sacrament. Next day I had a Holy Supper service with the three Rempel girls. There were four babies under two years old present, yet they were so well behaved that the sphere was in no wise lessened. I preached on the subject of the Shunamnite woman and after the service answered their questions. Ruth and Tommy saw me off to the train.

     On the trip to Winnipeg I had an interesting experience. On entering the diner I spied a man who looked as though he might be a brother to my family physician. I sat down opposite him, and he recognized my presence with a friendly nod. In two minutes we had leaped the formalities and learned that he was a top executive in an insurance firm with headquarters in Winnipeg and that I was a Swedenborgian minister.
     "What are your distinctive doctrines?" he asked. "One God in one person who is the Lord Jesus Christ," I said following this up with the doctrines of Life, the Sacred Scripture, and the life after death. "As far as I am concerned," he said, "I am content to have life end with death. What is more wonderful than a dreamless sleep?" "Oh, yes," I ventured, "that is because it refreshes you for your work. As Shakespeare said, 'Sleep that knits up the ravell'd shave of care, The death of each day's life, sore labour's bath, Balm of hurt minds, great nature's second course. Chief nourisher in life's feast.' But whether you want annihilation at death or not, you will not get it." "Yes" he replied, "that's what worries me. We're such weak creatures. I think executives have to relax in a different way than the lethargic man who can relax by coming home, putting his feet up on a chair, and reading a book. I have to drive men. I am a bundle of nerves and energy and I've got to do something exciting to relax. Then follow the pangs of remorse. I recognize that there must have been a Creator, but why didn't He do a good job of it? Why didn't He make us strong and able to resist temptations?"
     "That's easy to understand," I replied. "If He had made us unable to do evil, He would have made us machines. We men can manufacture machines that will do just what we want them to do, but they never rise above being machines. Man is the image of God because he has rationality and freedom." "It's all so confusing," he objected. "No, it isn't," I countered. "There's a plan, and it's logical." "I can't get beyond the first page of the Bible" he continued. "That's because you are not looking for the right things in the Bible," I explained.

"You are looking for natural truth, but the Bible was written to give man spiritual truth."
     He sat quietly while I explained our system of correspondences and the idea of the Gorand Man. To say that he was not impressed would be wrong. We lingered long over our coffee I told him that he could get Swedenborg's Divine Love and Wisdom at any public library, and that if he was interested he should read this book. He told me the story of his life. Orphaned early, he had a sad childhood. Then came the fierce struggle for power, ending in worldly success and no faith in anything,-least of all in men! At least I brought him a refreshing new' viewpoint, and as we parted his last words were, "I'll get that book and read it."
     In Winnipeg I was met by Mary Parker, Anne Funk, and Mr. Erwin Reddekopp, one of the Convention lay preachers. I invited them to my room, where we spent a pleasant evening in conversation. I had long wanted to meet Mr. Reddekopp, who is a comparatively young man, so the opportunity for this early intimacy was welcome. Later we were to be together at a luncheon with Mrs. Parker and conduct a joint service at the home of J. J. Funk. The final supper I had in Winnipeg was at his house, and then we met again for a day at Boggy Creek. These contacts gave opportunity for earnest talks about the growth and welfare of the New Church, and I would like to express here the pleasure I felt in the fine work Mr. Reddekopp is doing throughout his territory. Everywhere I found increased activity and renewed devotion to the Church.

     Roblin is an overnight journey from Winnipeg. It was heartwarming to be met by the greater part of the Isaac Funk family. As the train arrives at six-thirty a.m., we drove to their farm, where a steaming hot breakfast awaited me. A touch of childish friendliness was manifested when, I went to my room and found a fresh bouquet of wild roses on my bureau. The Funk children give a fine example of what can be done with the correspondence Sunday School lessons. Isaac sets a regular time each Sunday, and the whole family joins in the service. In that way the lessons are covered regularly.
     On the first afternoon I had Sunday school with just the Funk children. Their affectionate behavior toward one another is delightful to see. I took the Daniel story and talked about the blessings God gives to those who pay attention to Him when they are not in trouble. After the service I took a four mile walk with two of the boys and two of the girls.
     That Sunday Mr. Reddekopp and I had arranged for a joint service and picnic at Boggy Creek. We decided to fix an altar and to start the service with the opening of the Word; so we got a large packing box for an altar, covered it with a fine table cloth, and moved the pulpit over to one side. I preached on the New Jerusalem coming down from God out of heaven. More than a hundred people were there. While we were having our lunch, which I ate with the Reddekopps and the Shellenbergs, a number of people arrived from Yorkton, thinking the service would be in the afternoon. They asked if we would conduct another service at three o'clock. We consented and again more than one hundred people attended.

After the service I met Justin Le Roque, the mighty hunter and his Indian wife. It seems that my little sermons have been going to them regularly over the years. The affection they showed me was deeply appreciated. Three of their daughters also attended the service.
     On the way back to Roblin we stopped at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Yakubowski, the parents of Ed and Dave Friesen's wives. Mr. Yakubowski has been reading Heaven and Hell in Polish. He is a Greek Catholic, but three of his daughters have now joined the New Church. We then returned to the Isaac Funk home, and after supper I led in family worship. Next morning I read from John 10, the parable of the Good Shepherd. Then, with the children facing me in a semi-circle, I just talked. They are lovely children and very responsive. Following the service we got out the song books. Each child would choose a song and I would play it while they sang. We kept this up for about an hour.
     They were quite cordial to me at Boggy Creek Frank Sawateky invited me to stay with him on my return the next day. My last day in Roblin was a busy one. Dave Friesen called about ten and took me to visit his son Harry's garage, and then to his son Ed's for lunch. Ed plays the guitar, and we had a fine musical time, His wife is one of the Yakubowski girls. Next we went to Dave Junior's home, down to Katy Burelle's for tea, then back to Dave's. After supper we drove to Isaac's for the service. There were thirty-two present.
     The following morning I had an early service with the Isaac Funk family, telling them the Goliath story with all its dramatic details. Then I went over to Pete Friesen's and took their picture. Dave and I left about eleven o'clock for San Clara stopping on the way to visit Gladys Friesen Middleton, who has twin boys and a baby. At noon we drove to Dave Klassen's, where the whole tribe was assembled with a few neighbors. Earl had a two week old baby he wanted me to baptize, so after church I instructed him and his wife in the baptismal service. I preached on the Shunammite woman, and administered the Holy Supper to ten adults. After the service they asked me to play for them, which I did until Frank arrived to take me to Boggy Creek. Supper at his home was followed by worship and an informal chat with the children on the meaning of the parable of the Good Shepherd. A problem much to the fore in this section was whether the soul of a stillborn baby is eternal. This led to the broader question of when does life become individual. I gave it as my opinion that the lungs must have breathed in order to complete the circle of life and thus make the soul individual.
     At the church next morning I found the people enthusiastic over having an altar, and promised them a copy of the Word to place upon it. Nearly everyone in Boggy Creek came to the service and there were about thirty present.

     Frank then took me to Benito, nearly thirty miles away. From there to Swan River is twenty-five miles of rather primitive railroad travel. I played my violin to a very appreciative audience. As one gray haired lady put it, "I wish you'd gotten on earlier." Mrs. Martha and Mrs. Askie were at the station with a car.

They whisked me off to Keith's house. He has married Margaret and has a home of his own, and as the piano is his we had to go there for music. I lost no time tuning the fiddle, and soon Keith and I were happily playing together. Before long in came Mary and George Curtis. Mr. Martin now took second violin and Mary, a good player, the piano. We played piece after piece, and the two hours sped so rapidly they were gone before we knew it. Meanwhile Margaret had prepared a lunch, and the last fifteen minutes of this day we spent in jolly conversation. Mrs. Martin reads all the sermons I send her and is beginning to be interested in the doctrines. She introduced me to all her new friends as a minister and seemed proud of the fact. They have invited me to spend a whole day with them next year so that we will have more time to talk.

     Next morning I arrived in Flin Flon, where Julius Hiebert took me to his hospitable home. I rejoiced in the fact that Inez, his wife, was feeling much better and was able to be home. The two boys, Marvin 12, and Gerald 10, belong to a baseball team called the Indians, which was to play the Wildcats in a return engagement that day. The man who had umpired the earlier game was afraid to take on this one, so I said I would. Trying to look as tough as possible, I took the pose seen in pictures of umpires and called the strikes in a loud voice as though the judgment of eternity had been made. No pop bottles were thrown at me, and the kids thanked me for doing the job. The Indians won, 19 to 18.
     My reception in Flin Flon was very friendly. I rejoiced at the opportunity of meeting again my old friends, Mr. and Mrs. Julitus Hiebert, Sr., who have built a house there. The Earl Lesters (Dora Hiebert) live one mile west of Julius Hiebert, and we decided to have our first service there. Just as we were ready to begin, in drove the Lesters, who had gone out to get flowers for the altar. There were seventeen present. I preached on the New Jerusalem coming down from heaven. After the service I went downtown with old Julius Hiebert, and when we got home had afternoon tea with the old couple. The romance of this trip was enhanced by the howling of coyotes in the bush at night. Their outbursts were answered by the dogs in town. The boys who went to the country for flowers saw a black bear.
     In the afternoon I went to the hospital to visit two of Ernest Funk's children. Thelma and little Ernest, both of whom were running high fevers, and had a rather heated conversation later with a member of the Jehovah's Witnesses sect. I talked with her for about an hour, when she left, and continued the discussion with my hostess. Here at Flin Flon I ran into Doug Derkson, who is the most accomplished guitar player I have yet met. He very kindly helped out with the music at our services. Altogether we had seven services in four days, with visits to the hospital and numerous pastoral calls in between. On Saturday we had a satisfying Holy Supper service at Earl Lester's. Only the adults came, and the sphere was attentive, quiet, and peaceful. I used the text, "Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of Man, and drink His blood, ye have no life in you." The Hieberts are good singers, and the music went well. I met the father and mother of Doug Derkson, Mr. and Mrs. Dave Derkson.

He attended four of my services and she was present at six. He is a lay preacher, and they are quite interested in our church.
     One evening I waited up for my host, Julius Hiehert, who worked from four until midnight. We commenced our service at two in the morning as that was the only way he could see the various pictures I had brought with me. The final service was held in a community hall-a rough, unpainted, wooden structure. A fuse had blown, and three more went before we succeeded in getting the lights to work. Doug. Derkson played a musical number and then a hymn. I had asked his father to read the lessons, and while he was reading some hoodlums came into the kitchen and started throwing things around. I foresaw trouble during my sermon, but Dalmar Funk came to the rescue. Taking an axe, he went out with such energy that the kids were scared off and did not come back again. The sermon which went well in Roblin went rather poorly here. Only about six New Church people came, and it would have been better to hold the service in a private home in our own sphere. Afterwards we returned to Julius' home and I played a last German hymn with the old couple. They celebrate their sixtieth wedding anniversary in November.

     I arrived in The Pas on July 10th, having learned too late that Ed Wiens had moved from his city house back to the farm. Earlier he had invited me to baptize his three week old baby, so I determined to find a taxi driver who would take me to the farm. Mr. Davis, whom I remembered as a friend of Ed's, agreed to drive me out,-a trip of eighteen miles over rough country which had been under water two years ago. They were surprised, but glad to see me. After some general conversation we set up an altar in the kitchen and had a service, at which I baptized their infant son. Ed and Elsie stood up for the child while the other three children and the taxi driver formed the congregation. A thunderstorm was beginning to gather, and as the whole eighteen miles had been driven over gumbo a rainstorm would have been fatal as far as returning to The Pas was concerned, but the service was concluded before rain began to fall. Elsie and Ed were sorry not to have entertained me and promised that next year I should sleep under their roof.
     On the way back I asked the driver if he knew anyone who played the piano. He said that his daughter was the only one he knew of and a meeting was arranged. She played pretty well. Mrs. Davis served lunch at 11 p.m., and at 12:45. Mr. Davis' Indian driver came in. Mr. Davis had to drive him out to the Indian reservation. He told us about his life in the woods and I wish I could get down the atmosphere of his words. Bears, timber wolves, caribou, moose, all were his familiar companions. He acts as a guide to hunters.

     My next stop was at Melford, Saskatchewan. Eunice Nickel Smith and her husband, Bill, drove sixty miles to meet me at the station. It had been raining during the night, but the gumbo roads were still passable; and Bill, who had been a bomber pilot during the war, now proved to be a good gumbo pilot, slithering along too fast to get stuck. This part of the country is a paradise for grain growers.

Here were the finest crops I had seen all summer. The region around Arborfield ships more than a million bushels of grain.
     Shortly after we got home Bill had to go over to the elevator. I went with him and he showed me its many interesting features. Later we returned home for lunch. Shortly before the meal Dr. Schmitt walked in. He is a character, the typical country doctor; a small man with keen blue eyes that sparkle, a lean face, bald head with a graying fringe about the temples. The meal was a lively one as the doctor was well read and had an interest in psychology, crops, world crises, and many other things. Bill went back to the elevator after lunch, and when the dishes were done we went to the church to prepare for a service. The doctor wanted us to go back with him and play with the piano. He had been a good fiddler in his day but had not touched it in years.
     Back at Eunice's we all sat around and talked while she prepared a cold supper. Here, too, was a new audience, and I could get off all my old jokes! During supper Bill's sister, Mary, came in. She plays the piano really well, and invited us to have the service at her house because she had a piano. After supper. Mary and the doctor and I went to her house and had a round of music. They invited four adult friends in to hear the service. I preached on the New Jerusalem coming down from God out of heaven. After church we had another round of music and then drove back to town. They had driven altogether 244 miles in order to entertain the minister for one day. When we said goodbye Bill said. "We'd like to have another service like that next year."

     On my way to Saskatoon I expected to meet Jake Epp in Rosthern, but as there was no one to meet me I boarded the train again and arrived in Saskatoon in time to spend a leisurely afternoon answering correspondence. At 5:30 p.m., I boarded a train which reaches Benton at a quarter of one in the morning. There I found Bill Evens waiting for me. The following evening we had a service at his house to which the Bill Juniors and Nelson Evens came. Next day I went over to Nelson Evens' where I conducted a service and administered the Holy Supper. The altar was beautifully decorated with flowers, something the family specializes in, and the sphere was delightful. The whole visit was a happy one. Madeline, young Bill's wife, took an active part in all the meetings and added considerably to the sphere of our congregation. In parting she said, "Mr. Alden, I liked your sermon, I was interested in your account of the Assembly, I enjoyed the pictures, and I hope you come back again next year." I should perhaps mention that my birthday fell during my visit to the Nelson Evens and that Kate surprised me with a handsome birthday cake.

     As my train left at four in the morning I spent the night in the hotel at Oven and returned to Saskatoon on my way to Broadview. Before leaving Saskatoon, however, I phoned to Mrs. Agatha Wiebe, a daughter of Julius Hiebert. I had been invited to conduct a service in her house in 1945, and she wanted to know why I had not arranged for a service again. "I didn't want to give the slightest impression that I am trying to cook up invitations for myself to preach in Saskatoon" was my reply. "I go only where I am invited."

She invited me to lunch, but as there was so little time I suggested that she come down to the hotel. She accepted, and after lunch I showed her my lantern slides. We had a frank and happy talk about the Convention and the General Church, and I suggested that we should make use of one another's talents and experience in missionary work and in education. Then she saw me off to my train.

     The trip from Saskatoon to Regina occupies six hours. The first hour I spent reacting the Arcana. Then I took out my fiddle for a little recreation. I had played only a few pieces when up rose the head of a monk who had taken the seat in front of mine. Turning, he asked, "Can you play, "Drink to Me only with Thine Eyes?" The tunes he picked were those of his childhood. I on my part was charmed with his cultured voice and evident classical education, and decided that I must have a talk with this gentleman. Finally I said, "I am a minister, too,-a Swedenborgian minister." "Isn't that funny?" spoke up a chap across the aisle, "I am a United Church theological student, and for the summer I have charge of the churches in three small towns."
     We sat down in seats facing each other. Father E. Raymond Lockyer, S.S.J.E. (Society of St. John the Evangelist), produced a bag of delicious Lambert cherries bestowed upon him by his last parishioners. We munched them and spoke of the call to the ministry. It appeared that he was an Anglican minister who, on entering the Order, had taken a threefold vow of celibacy, obedience to his superiors, and poverty. I dryly remarked that we don't have to take a vow of poverty in our ministry, and both the theological student and I went for him on celibacy. "Don't you think you are failing to use God's gifts?" asked the student. "How" I interposed, "would the world be populated if celibacy were the ideal?" "Celibacy is not for all, but only for a chosen few," was the answer. "There he some who have made themselves eunuchs for the kingdom of God." "How about those who are born eunuchs?" I asked. "What would that mean?" He had not thought of that, but went on to explain his vow of poverty, which also was not for everyone, but only for the few. His vow of obedience was limited to Canada. He then told of the discipline of the Order. The day commences with so many hours of silence, so that they can concentrate their thoughts on God's will, and also ends with a period of silence.
     "What distinction," said the theological student, "can you make between God and man?" "Oh" said I, "a discrete degree." "Aren't they one in Christ?" he asked. "My church says Christ is the only God. There are no other persons in the godhead," said I. Then the fat was in the fire. After I had argued against making one God of three persons, and Father Lockyer had taken refuge in the subtlety of the Greek mind as expressed in the Athanasian Creed, it was plain that further discussion would lead nowhere, so we drifted into the amenities. He was a great lover of music, and he ventured the remark that if young folks would sing together more often there would be less immorality.

     The ride from Regina to Broadview was a pleasant one. It is in a crack Canadian Pacific train over a comparatively smooth roadbed. In the second place, the coach had three more people in it than seats.

This made a game somewhat like "Pussy-in-the-corner." If you went to get a drink, someone took your seat. You in turn then kept a sharp watch for other drinkers and slipped into the first empty scat. But tragedy befell me. One of the players had put his hat where I thought I had left mine. In getting off the train I took his by mistake; his being about two years old, and slightly smaller, while mine was brand new. Furthermore it is an uncomfortable feeling to be wearing an unknown person's hat!
     I took my fiddle back to the smoking room, and a Jehovah's Witness asked, "Are you going to give us a tune?" "I would love to," I replied, and began to play. The Witness had a splendid voice and sang out lustily in such songs as "A Long, Long Trail" and "Pack up Your Troubles." We sang and played for an hour, encouraged by the hearty applause of the rest of the passengers, who frequently joined in the chorus. On these long trips people get so bored that they welcome any break in the monotony.
     As I stood on the platform of the train when we pulled into Broadview my heart was warmed by little boys' excited voices calling out, "There he is, there he is!" The Witness said, "Somebody knows you in this town." When the train came to a halt I was surrounded by Ross Larter and his four boys, now aged four to twenty. Then came the surprise of the hour. The old jalopy of former days had been replaced by a maroon, 1950 four-door Plymouth, which had been driven only five hundred miles. We were soon at Esther Middleton's, and who should be there but Bob Whitman and Erna! So we had a well attended service with all the folks except Bruce, a locomotive engineer, who was on duty. Then we drove to the Larter farm where a service was planned for that evening. Much attention was given to preparing a beautiful altar. We had a full attendance plus Thelma Callain who has been present at many of my services. She is a neighbor of Esther's. I conducted my work there with another service at Middleton's, and as usual got up to catch the four-thirty a.m., train to Secretan.

     As I pulled into the station, Henry and Margaret Rempel were there to greet it. It was a cordial meeting as I have known these two friends since my first visit. As it was Sunday we thought it best to hold the Holy Supper service that evening. All except Pete and Annie Rempel, who were out of town, were present. As usual, I stayed with Henry and Margaret and many hours were spent in theological discussion, the topic of particular interest being conjugial pairs or similitudes. The next evening we went down to Coderre for a service at Ike Loeppky's. The room was full and several neighbors came in. I preached on Daniel and after the service one of the neighbors said. "I don't see why you call it a 'new' church. There's nothing 'new' about that." "Yes, there is, I rejoined; and after we had argued the trinity, the spiritual world, life after death, marriage in heaven, and the second coming, and I had literally drowned him in doctrine, he had to admit that there was.

     (To be continued.)

NOTES AND COMMENTS 1951

Title Unspecified 1951

Appointment to the editorial chair has been accepted with full recognition of the responsibility involved, and from a desire to promote further the eminent uses NEW CHURCH LIFE has performed in the past. Naturally, it has led to reflection upon what those uses are.

As the official organ of the General Church, the LIFE evidently has the function of recording the thought, activities, and official acts of that body, and of serving its widespread membership as a medium of communication. But its primary use ha this regard is surely to propagate the principles and the spirit of the Academy and further the uses of the General Church, and by this we understand an unequivocal advocacy and zealous exposition of belief in the Heavenly Doctrine as the sole means for the establishment of the Church Specific as a distinct and distinctive organization, and in New Church education as the primary instrumentality through which that church will increase. In the discharge of this duty the LIFE stands ready to defend that which it supports and upholds, though never to launch an attack; and while presenting the doctrinal position of the General Church, it notices, reportorially, other general bodies of the New Church, and brings their views to the notice of its readers, as far as space permits. But it addresses itself to those who are affirmative to the Divine authority of the Writings, for its end is to foster the understanding and love of the doctrine and life of the New Church in those who desire to submit to the immediate government of the Lord in the Writings by entering perceptively into their teachings seeing the application of those teachings to their individual lives, and then striving to live according to them.
To this end, NEW CHURCH LIFE has sought to provide doctrinal leadership and to serve as a medium of pastoral instruction through sermons, articles, talks to children, and editorials. In so doing it may furnish constructive critical thought as to the state of the church and of the world, and indicate from the Writings the requisites for genuine progress. And it at once presents and preserves the doctrinal thought and the practices of the General Church from its inception. As a result of this use the LIFE has become a repository of serious studies of nearly every phase of the Writings, studies which are permanently at the disposal of the student.
But the terms of its purpose make NEW CHURCH LIFE more than a medium of instruction. Of necessity it is also a forum for the exchange of views and opinions on doctrinal and practical matters; for a church which would become truly rational-which would enter more and more interiorly into matters of doctrine and into the understanding of their application to life-must provide for a depth of vision and breadth of understanding by inviting the contributions of many minds to the things which concern it.

Thus there is a place in the pages of the LIFE, as in the Assemblies of the Church, for responsible debate of important issues within the General Church, and for the expression of varying views on matters of doctrine; as distinct, of course, from fruitless controversy, or the illumination by limelight of the lone furrow!
Our journal seeks to chronicle, survey, appraise, and promote New Church life in all its forms; to advocate and guard the Divine and spiritual things upon which that life is built; and to warn if danger threatens. And, finally, on the ultimate plane, in official reports and accounts of meetings, in biographical and historical sketches, in news notes and announcements and in photographs, it has become a store of information as to the uses and the members of the General Church.
Title Unspecified 1951

Title Unspecified 1951

Past issues of NEW CHURCH LIFE are a testimony in seventy volumes to the faithfulness with which these uses have been performed. Those volumes are the product of many and varied minds. The use has been sustained through the contributions of many writers. And the success with which it is continued, even expanded or perfected, will depend upon the cooperation of the writers in the Church and upon a widening of their circle. For this reason appeal is made for a generous flow of material-sermons, articles, talks to children, communications, news notes and historical items,-with special emphasis upon the desire to hear from the laymen of the Church as well as from the clergy. Every sincere student of the Writings receives from the Lord individual gifts of interior insight and understanding, and has a responsibility to share these spiritual treasures with others in the Church. There is need, of course, for confidence in the fairness and competence of editorial judgment, but potential contributors may be assured of the greatest freedom consistent with the status and purpose of NEW CHURCH LIFE. If the cooperation thus invited is given, and if readers feel free to offer suggestions and constructive criticism, this journal can continue to serve as the expanding organ of a growing Church.

ASSUMPTION OF MARY 1951

     Since the Vatican Council proclaimed, in 1870, the infallibility of the Pope, no new dogma had been announced by the Church of Rome. But on November 1, 1950, the Pontiff declared the doctrine of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary a dogma binding upon all Christians. Surrounded by the hierarchy of the Church, and before a dense throng of pilgrims, Pius XII, speaking ex cathedra in St. Peters Square, Rome, stated: "We pronounce, declare, and define to be a dogma revealed by God that the Immaculate Mother of God, Mary, ever virgin, when the course of her life on earth was finished, was taken up soul and body into heaven."
     The Pope's statement does not add a new doctrine to the faith of the Church. Belief in the Virgin's Assumption has long been nearly universal in the Church of Rome, and is celebrated in the Feast of the Assumption observed in August. Benedict XIV, who was head of the Church from 1740 to 1758, declared belief in the Assumption "a probable opinion which to deny were impious and blasphemous." In 1863, Isabella II, Queen of Spain, asked Pope Pius IX to rule belief in the Assumption part of Church dogma. And in 1946, the present Holy Father asked prelates in a pontifical circular to express their opinions. What the statement does is to set the seal of Papal infallibility upon a doctrine already held; thus making belief in it obligatory, under pain of excommunication, as a condition of salvation.
     Although this will cause no concern to a Church which claims to be, not the child, but the mother of the Bible, it cannot be too strongly emphasized that this doctrine is nowhere taught or implied in the Bible. The cult of Mary is not found in the Apostles' Creed. Belief in her bodily assumption was unknown in the Apostolic Church, and the assertion that it was rests insecurely upon a later tradition. In fact it was not until after the Council of Nicea, in 325 A.D., when the Christian Church was already consummated, that Mariolatry emerged as a feature of Roman practice. The date, place, and manner of Mary's death are unknown. And the Assumption is first mentioned in a sermon by St. John Damascene (circa 676), who said:

"St. Juvenal, Bishop of Jerusalem, at the Council of Chalcedlon (451), made known to the Emperor Marcian and Pulcheria, who desired to possess the body of the Mother of God, that Mary died in the presence of all the Apostles, but that her tomb, when opened, at the request of St. Thomas, was found empty; whereupon the Apostles concluded that the body was taken up to heaven."
     On such a slender basis of legend and shadowy assertion rests the doctrine now pronounced a dogma of the Church by the Roman Pontiff, who is believed to be infallible when he defines questions of faith since the Holy Ghost then speaks through him. It was to be expected that this latest Papal pronouncement would be the crowning event of Holy Year; and to those who followed the international Marian Congresses it will have occasioned no surprise. The cult of Mary, developed over some eight centuries, had reached the point where popular desire, sedulously fostered, demanded that her enthronement as Coeli Regina, Queen of Heaven, be formally ratified. But its significance will not be lost upon the New Church.
     In Catholic thought, Mary is exalted above all the saints. According to Roman theology she is our spiritual mother because she is the origin of our spiritual life, Christ being our brother: and as mankind was bound unto death by a virgin (Eve), so it is saved through a virgin (Mary). It is not without significance that the Roman Church presents Mary as the Mother of God and emphasizes the filial duty and affection of her Son. Mary is our most powerful intercessor with God, and by her bodily presence in heaven she can influence her obedient Son-"Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death." Whatever may be said about it, the effect of the Assumption is to make Mary a fourth person in the Godhead. And this ensures salvation, for the intercession of Christ is not enough by itself. As an English priest has said. "Christ and Mary guarantee fully bodily salvation."
     It is a doctrine of the Roman Church that all men will rise again with the bodies which they now bear about them. But Mary was conceived without sin,-a dogma announced in 1854,-in order that she might become the mother of the Lord; and as she conquered sin through her Immaculate Conception, she had no need to await the redemption of her body at the end of the world, but was translated bodily to heaven at her death, the first mortal to enter that kingdom.

Implicit in this, of course, is the assertion of glorification. And against this we must place the authoritative statement of the Writings, that The Lord alone rose again with the whole body, which does not take place with any man, for man rises again only as to the spirit." (Lord 35.)
If the Reformation gave rise to a Pauline church, it may be said that Rome has now become, de jure as well as de facto, a Marian church. The New Church will not be thrilled by such cryptic statements as that the answer to Communism is involved in the Assumption. Rather will it see in this latest dogma confirmation of the statement in the Writings, that "by them (the churches in Christendom) is meant the church with the Reformed or Evangelical, and not the Papists, since the Christian Church is not there; for where the church exists the Lord is adored and the Word is read whereas with the Papists they adore themselves instead of the Lord; they forbid the Word to be read by the people: and make the Pope's decree to be equal, yea, even above it." (HD 8.)
There is no need to cite here the teachings of the Writings concerning the invocation of the saints, or the testimony that those of them who are in heaven do not wish to be invoked. But what of Mary herself? For we must not confuse the submissive handmaid of the Lord with the glittering image of a goddess fashioned by a false religion. Let hers be the last worth, as spoken to Swedenborg in heaven and recorded by him in Divine revelation. "Once I was permitted to speak with Mary, the mother. She, on a time, passed by and appeared in heaven above my head, clothed in white raiment like silk; then stopping awhile she said, that she had been the mother of the Lord, for He was born of her; but that He, having become God, put off all the human which He had from her, and that therefore she worshipped Him as her God, and wished no one to acknowledge Him as her son, because the whole Divine is in Him." (TCR 102.)

IS THE NEW CHURCH CELESTIAL? 1951

IS THE NEW CHURCH CELESTIAL? HAROLD F. PITCAIRN 1951

Editor of NEW CHURCH LIFE:
     While this is not stated directly in the Writings, there are a number of considerations which strongly indicate that the answer is in the affirmative. Herewith are submitted some personal reflections leading to the conclusion that the New Church is a celestial church.
     Some New Church men have held that the celestial heaven from this earth is composed only of those who were of the Most Ancient Church; that the spiritual heaven from this earth is composed only of those who were of the Ancient Church; and that since the Lord's advent all those on this earth who are saved go to the natural heaven.
     It is true that those of the Most Ancient Church were of a celestial genius because their inherited will was not perverted, and that since the Fall no one is of this genius because everyone s inherited will is perverted. However, we think that genius refers to the inherited disposition and the mode by which men are regenerated, but it does not mean that since the Fall no one could go to the celestial heaven, and that since the Advent no one can go to a higher heaven than the natural heaven.
     This is indicated by the teaching that the essence of both the Ancient Church and the Primitive Christian Church was charity toward the neighbor, and there is the statement, "That by Jacob is here represented not only the Ancient Church but also the Primitive Church, that is, the Christian Church in its beginning, is because these are altogether the same as to internals, and differ only as to externals." (AC 4772.)
     In considering the nature of the New Church the following quotation is suggestive.     The spiritual man is from the natural, and the celestial man is from the rational. (AC 4585: 4.) We think that the nature of a church is determined by the nature of its revelation. The New Testament is a revelation to the moral, that is, the natural mind, whereas the Writings are a revelation to the rational mind.
     That men even today may go to the celestial heaven is taught in many places in the Writings, but for the sake of brevity only the following quotations are presented. "Those who imbibe the laws of life from the Word and live according to them, and who worship the Lord, become angels of the third heaven." (AC 826: 2.)

"As regards the perception of what is good and true in celestial and spiritual things, the interior angels have this perception from the Lord; the men of the Most Ancient Church had it, and the celestial, who are in love to the Lord, have it." (AC 2831: 2.) "This, too, is said of a new church to be established by the Lord; 'the mountain of Jehovah that will then be firm on the top of the mountains' means Zion, and signifies the celestial church, and love to the Lord with those who are of that church." (A. E. 433c: 19.) Obviously this last does not refer to the Most Ancient Church.
     More directly related to the New Church is the following: "This New Church is the Crown of all the Churches that have Hitherto Existed on the Earth." This is the title of a section in True Christian Religion beginning with no. 786, and it carries the implication that the New Church is superior even to the Most Ancient.
     This implication, and the title of this communication, may shock the sensibilities of New Church men because it is fully recognized that before the Fall the proprial inclinations of the men of the Most Ancient Church were to the Lord, whereas the inherited proprium of everyone today is completely inverted and inclines to the lowest hell.
     Certainly membership alone does not in the slightest degree indicate that the individual New Church man is celestial. Furthermore, we think it would be untenable to hold that all New Church men who are saved go to the celestial heaven. Also, we do not doubt that there are men and women who regenerate to the celestial degree who have not been members of the New Church while they lived in this natural world. It is important that we do not confuse the spiritual states of the members of the church with the church itself.
     Now in what respect can it be said that the New Church is superior to the Most Ancient Church? In TCR, 787, we read: "This New Church is the crown of all the churches that have hitherto existed on earth, because it is to worship the one visible God in whom is the invisible like the soul in the body. Thus, and not otherwise, is a conjunction of God with man possible because man is natural, and thinks naturally, and conjunction must exist in thought, and thus in his love's affection, and this is the case when he thinks of God as Man." And in no. 786 there is this startling statement: "The sole end of God's Divine love, when He created the world, was to conjoin man to Himself and Himself to man that He might dwell with him.

This truth the former churches did not possess; the Most Ancient Church, which preceded the flood, worshipping an invisible God with whom no conjunction is possible the Ancient Church which followed the flood did likewise."
     It hardly seems necessary to point out that wrong implications might be drawn from this number unless it is read in conjunction with other statements in the Writings. But it seems clear from this number that there can be a closer conjunction between the Lord and man since final revelation than there could have been before. Yet in no sense can it be said that the New Church is celestial because of the individuals who constitute it. It is frequently emphasized in the Writings that from himself man has nothing but evil and falsity, and that such good and truth as he may have come from the Lord alone. Men only constitute the church, but it is the Lord who makes the church.
     Now if the New Church is a celestial church, we think that this means that the Lord has established it so that men may be regenerated to the celestial degree, whatever their inherited genius may be; and with these thoughts in mind we submit that the New Church is a celestial church because of the nature of the Writings which are the Word specifically given to the New Church. The Writings reveal the Divine Human of the Lord in clarity and glory such as was never seen before, and therefore the time will come when He will be adored more completely and more interiorly than was possible before His second coming. "The church is a church from this, that the Lord is adored and that the Word is read." (AE 1069.) This submission is made in recognition of the teaching of AC 289 that the Most Ancient Church was the only one that was celestial, and was therefore beloved by the Lord more than any other. But apart from the fact that the verbs are in the past tense, it seems evident that the truth cannot be gleaned from a single statement, but from a comparison of a number of passages, such as those which are cited here.
     HAROLD F. PITCAIRN

1616 Walnut Street,
Philadelphia 3,
November 20, 1950

Church News 1951

     LONDON, ENGLAND

     Michael Church

     The last report from this Society, published in March, 1950, covered events up to the end of 1949 and recorded, among other things, that repairs to the building made necessary by war damage were to be completed, partly at the cost of the Society. The work has now been finished, and the Society has shown its capacity for hard saving by responding only to the call for additional funds. This major operation coincided with a major change in the life of the Society. As this is most important it will be recorded first.

     Change of Pastors.-Before our Pastor, the Rev. Martin Pryke, returned from the General Assembly our Secretary was informed that he had accepted a call to Durban, and that the Bishop had appointed the Rev. Kenneth O. Stroh, then at Detroit, to Michael Church with a view to his acceptance by the Society at a later date. None of us know Mr. Stroh, but the arrangement was accepted with full confidence in the Bishop, though not without some expression of regret at the sudden and unexpected departure of our Pastor.
     Mr. Pryke returned to England during the week ending July 22nd, just ahead of Mr. and Mrs. Stroh who arrived during the following week. In the meantime the Society had got in touch with other friends in the wide area covered by the Pastor of Michael Church, and by August 27th we were ready to bid farewell to Mr. Pryke and to beg his acceptance of a tangible memento of his stay among us.
     At a luncheon following the morning service, at which Mr. Pryke preached to us for the last time for some period, tributes were paid to him by representatives of the various groups connected with the church: for Michael Church Mr. V. R. Tilson; for the Finchley group by Mrs. Briscoe, the hostess of the group meetings; for the Chadwell Heath group by Mrs. Colebrook; for the Women's Guild by Miss Searle, Secretary and Treasurer; for the isolated members by Mr. Harold Jones; and for the young people by Mr. Peter Dyne, now also removed from us, to Canada. Mr. Stanley Wainscott, the Church Secretary, made the presentation of an encyclopedia, and coupled with his remarks special tributes from the friends in Paris and the Hague, who had so willingly associated themselves with the occasion. During the course of the program Geoffrey Howard, a veteran member of the boy's summer camp instituted by Mr. Pryke three summers before, presented a neat perpetual calendar as a token of thanks and appreciation from the boy campers; while Dr. Freda Griffith, Secretary of the Swedenborg Society, paid tribute to Mr. Pryke's association with and work of that institution and presented him with some of the Society's pocket editions of the Writings. Over one hundred people were present for the service, the congregation including some isolated members and visitors from the United States.
     It may be permitted here to quote from the report which the present writer provided for the "Newsletter" in England. "So came to an end the third pastorate of Michael Church and its extension to the wider pastoral care of the isolated in Great Britain and of the friends in Paris and The Hague.

During its course. Michael Church had recovered from the effects of war, the isolated had been more closely attached to the organized church-witness thereto being the large increase in attendance at Assemblies-our Continental friends had found the Channel less of a barrier; and, not least, there had been established the first beginnings toward the establishment of a high school for our children. These are solid results. The way of their achievement is hidden in the secret places of the hearts of those to whom Mr. Pryke had become a well loved friend, and in the response which he had made to the call of duty."

     A Welcome.-A month prior to the event just recorded, the Rev. Kenneth Stroh and his wife were welcomed at a Society meeting held after lunch on Sunday, July 30th. The service in the morning was conducted by Mr. Pryke and the sermon was delivered by Mr. Stroh. We thus saw the new Pastor introduced under the aegis of the Pastor who was leaving.
     A matter of coincidence deserves to receive permanence in the printed record. The occasion of the farewell luncheon on Mr. Pryke's departure was the last occasion on which the church hall was usable before the builders took over to complete repairs. The next time this building was in use for worship was the occasion of the Harvest Festival, on October 8th, by which time the new Pastor was becoming well known to us.

     Activities.-In the sphere of activities the Society has had a very busy year. Immediately after his return from the United States, Mr. Pryke officiated at the marriage of Miss Brenda Shepherd and Mr. Philip Waters, in the presence of a large congregation, and a week later solemnized the marriage of Miss Dora Innes and Mr. Albert Clarke. Mr. Stroh has administered the sacrament of Baptism on two occasions, once for the infant daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Burt, of Woodford Bridge, and later for the infant daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Keith Morley.
     The summer has also been memorable for the number of visitors to our Society. They have included Miss Creda Glenn, who spent some two weeks here during which she addressed the Women's Guild and made enquiries concerning the needs of our people for further aid from the friends in the United States. Opportunity was thus given to express in person, through her, the grateful thanks of the friends in England for the magnificent way in which the American friends had come to our help in the dark period of enforced austerity. Miss Hetty Engeltjes, of The Hague, Holland Mr. Frank Rose, from Bryn Athyn, and a student in the Theological School, Misses Berith and Winyss Acton, and Miss Beryl Briscoe, were all welcome visitors round about the time of the British Assembly. Miss Muriel Wells came a little later and stayed over a short period, being present at the Harvest Festival and a doctrinal class as well as on other occasions. More recently still we have been favored with visits from South Africans on the way from Durban to Detroit. The Rev. Norbert H. Rogers took with him to Detroit one of the families from his former Society, the Scott Forfars. Both families stayed in England for ten days and took turns between London and Colchester on the two Sundays of their stay. Mr. Rogers preached at Burton Road on October 29th, the day on which Nathan James Morley was baptized.

     Conclusion.-These notes must not conclude without recording one more event of special importance. Burton Road has been served well by its three former Pastors. The fourth and present one has brought to us an event which has not been equalled in the last fifty years. Mr. and Mrs. Stroh have had a son born to them in London, and the Society is delighted to welcome the newcomer. The last item is stop press. After a lapse of ten years, a set of iron gates and railings has been presented to the Society, and now awaits erection to replace those impounded by the authorities after the fall of France.

When they are in place we shall begin to feel that normality has been restored, and that Burton Read will begin to look less like a derelict establishment. These external improvements are, we hope, a fitting accompaniment to improvements we wish to see in other spheres.
     PERCY DAWSON

     DURBAN, NATAL

     After being our pastor for four years, the Rev. Norbert H. Rogers has returned with his wife and family to the United States, where he is to take pastoral charge of the General Church Circle in Detroit. It was most unfortunate that both Mr. and Mrs. Rogers were on the sick list for several weeks before their departure, but we are glad to see them on the road to recovery before they left, and it is to be hoped that the sea voyage will do the rest. Our special thanks are due Mr. Garth Pemberton, who so willingly and efficiently conducted the Sunday services during Mr. Rogers indisposition.
     On the 6th of September our new pastor, the Rev. Martin Pryke, arrived by sir from London. In addition to ministering to the Durban Society, Mr. Pryke is successor to Mr. Elphick as Superintendent of the South African Native Mission.
     There followed a busy three weeks before the Rogers were due to sail at the end of September. During this time two very enjoyable functions were held.
     Firstly, to welcome Mr. Pryke to Durban, the members and friends of the Society were invited to the Schuurman home. After Mr. Rogers' speech of introduction and welcome, and Mr. Pryke's reply, the evening was devoted to general conversation, refreshments, and a sing-song by the young people.
     Two weeks later a meeting to bid farewell to the Rogers was held at the home of Gordon and Winnie Cockerell. About eighty people were present to say good-bye to Norbert and Judy, as they were known to all of us. Mr. J. J. Forfar, as the senior member of the Society, presented to Mr. and Mrs. Rogers a pair of armchairs on our behalf. From the Woman's Guild Judy received two stools made of imbuia, a South Africa wood. Words of thanks for all they had done for us were addressed to them by Mr. Derick Lumsden, Mr. Bob Cowley and Mr. John Elphick, to which both Mr. and Mrs. Rogers made suitable response. Some humorous rhymes had been composed by Miss Sylvia Pemberton and Barbara Forfar, and these were received with hearty applause as they were sung to the music of popular tunes.
     Another feature of the evening was a presentation to the Society of a portrait of the late Rev. James Buss, the first pastor of the Durban Society (1903-1906.) This was given by Miss Daisy Buss, Mr. Leonard Buss and Mr. Wilfred Buss in memory of their father. The photograph portrait was accompanied by an illuminated address which had been given to him on his departure from London.
     A few days afterwards Mr. and Mrs. Rogers, with their five children,-Bruce Wendy, Ned, and the twins, Kingsley and Prescott,-sailed for England on their way to America, and a large crowd was at the docks to see them off. With the Rogers went the Scott Forfars, who have decided to make their home in Detroit. Thus we have ad to say farewell to our very good friends, the Rogers and the Forfars, whom we shall always remember with love and affection. "Our loss is Detroit's gain," as some have recently said. May all go well with them in their new surroundings! This is the wish of every one of us.
     And now Mr. Pryke is left to carry on with the double task of ministering to both the Europeans and the Natives in South Africa. And, speaking for all of us, I know he has our full support in this work.
     VIDA ELPHICK

     COLCHESTER, ENGLAND

     It is some months since news of this Society appeared in these pages, and although the summer is long past, perhaps a brief reference to some of the events might he allowed. The foremost among them was, of course, the 37th British Assembly, which was held here from August 5th to 7th. There was a record number of visitors and at the Sunday morning service the church was full to overflowing. All the meetings were well attended and although a thundershower threatened to spoil the only outdoor event, which was a garden party at Mr. and Mrs. Colley Pryke's home, it cleared before the end of the afternoon. The Monday evening social, which was held in a fine hall in the town, brought a very useful and enjoyable Assembly to a close.

     Presentations.-Although there are no weddings to report this year there was a Silver Wedding in June, that of our Pastor and his wife, the Rev. and Mrs. Alan Gill. At the New Church Day social. Mr. Norman Motum on behalf of the Colchester Society presented them with a silver bowl. After the drinking of a toast, to which Mr. Gill responded, their lovely two-tiered iced cake was shared around.
     Another presentation which took place the same evening was to Miss Muriel Gill, who was leaving shortly to take a course in the College at Bryn Athyn. This was a purse of money, and Mr. Aiwyne Appleton, in handing it to Miss Gill, gave a brief account of early New Church day schools in Colchester up to the present one, which was opened twenty-five years ago with Miss Gill as teacher. During these years many pupils have passed through the school, with varying numbers of our (two children; and although these were few sometimes, the prospect at the present time seems very bright, as we have in the Society quite a number of babies and young children coming along. While Miss Gill is away Miss Helene Howard is taking her place as teacher.
     Classes.-Doctrinal classes were resumed at the end of September. Bishop de Charms papers on "Influx" are being taken and there have been good attendances. The young people are having a useful series of classes on the doctrines of the church which are held in Mr. Gills home on Friday evenings.

     Visitors.-The Social Committee brought the date of the first social of the season forward] so that the Rev. Martin Pryke could be present before leaving for South Africa early in September. Mr. Pryke also conducted the service on two Sundays just previous to his departure.
     On October 22nd, the Rev. Norbert H. Rogers preached the sermon at the Sunday morning service. He and Mr. Rogers and their family stayed in Colchester about a week while en route from South Africa to the United States. They were able to visit several homes, and one of the events of the week was a children's social at which their children made a welcome addition to the usual numbers. The following Sunday we were pleased to welcome Mr. and Mrs. Scott Forfar and their son and daughter, who were also et route from South Africa to the United States.

     Sons.-The British Chapter of the Sons of the Academy held their annual meeting in Colchester on October 19th. Mr. Owen Pryke was elected President for the coming year, Mr. Donald Boozer, Secretary, and Mr. Eric Appleton, Treasurer.
     WINIFRED A. APPLETON

     WASHINGTON, D. C.

     As a newcomer, I will not attempt to cover the news since the last report, but will start with the beginning of the summer.
     Sons Meeting.-Church and class are discontinued during the summer months, but on two occasions the Philip Stebbings had members of the society down on their farm. The first was in July, when the men of the society met with Mr. Robert Synnestvedt, International President, and visiting Sons from Bryn Athyn, to discuss the uses of that organization with the idea that a Chapter will sometime he formed here.

The crowd arrived Saturday afternoon and had a meeting that evening, and the Rev. Morley D. Rich conducted service the following meeting. There were fishing swimming, and horseshoes between times, and delicious meals served by some of the women of the society.

     Shower.-The second occasion included most of the members of the society, Karl Doering, from Bryn Athyn, and the Ralph Allens, from Baltimore. Everyone brought their lunches and spent a very pleasant Sunday relaxing away from Washington's August heat. We swam, played baseball, and just sat around talking until the main event later in the afternoon, a shower for Ann Boatman who is starting school in Bryn Athyn this year. Three others from the society will continue their schooling in Bryn Athyn; Jimmy Boatman (Ann's older brother), and Marcia and Joel Trimble.

     Doctrinal Classes.-On September 16th, doctrinal classes were resumed. The society continues to be privileged to have Bishop Acton as its visiting Pastor. This year he is continuing his series of classes on Heaven and Hell; and in discussing in this first class the state of those who are just entering the world of spirits he made the other world seem a very near and real place.

     Annual Meeting.-The Annual Meeting was held following this first class. Mr. David Stebbing was reelected Treasurer. Mrs.
Fred Grant was reelected Secretary, and Mrs. Louis Carswell was drafted as news editor. Colonel and Mrs. William Kintner and their four children have rejoined the society and Mr. and Mrs. Louis Carswell and son are new members. As for some years, class will be held every third Saturday in the homes of members of the society, and service will be held the following morning in a room rented for the purpose.

     Bishop Acton's Fortieth Year.-On October 7th after the regular Saturday evening class we had a celebration in honor of Bishop Acton's fortieth year as visiting Pastor. The crowd was swelled by visitors from Bryn Athyn,-Mr. and Mrs. Vicent C. Odhner and Mrs. Winfred Hyatt,-and we were especially pleased to have Mrs. Acton with us. A silver plate was presented to Bishop Acton, after which there re reminiscences and remarks from everyone, starting with those who had been in the society longest and on down to the newest members. Bishop Acton then read a sort history of the society complied from NEW CHURCH LIFE news notes. All in all it was a very enjoyable evening, and we like to think we will be able to celebrate his fiftieth year with us.
     NATRI H. CARSWELL

     NORTH OHIO

     Last summer the North Ohio Group entered a new era, not without misgivings. Its long-time champion, the Rev. Norman H. Reuter, had left the field, and his place could not be filled at the present time. What was to be done? The answer, at least for the present, was found with little delay. A revised lay organization was established to handle the new situation, and facilities for religious instruction were procured. As fall came on the wheels began to turn, and the North Ohio Group was on the road again.

     Organization.-The new organization administers the joint activities of the Group (consisting of three major centers in Barberton, Cleveland, and Youngstown). Mr. Edmund Glenn of Barberton, is group chairman, and Messrs. Oliver Powell and Frank Norman, of Cleveland, are secretary and treasurer, respectively.
     Since joint activities are infrequent but each separate center conducts regular services and classes, each center elected a leader to guide its affairs;-Mr. Glenn for Barberton, Mr. Randolph Norris for Youngstown, and Mr. Benjamin Fuller for Cleveland.

     The new facilities for lay-conducted services are, of course, tape recorders which the Group purchased for the use of each of the three centers. Already each of the centers has heard several of the Assembly addresses and one or two church services. Recorded instruction seems destined to play a large part in filling the big gap left by Mr. Reuter's departure.
     To meet the needs of the young, three Barberton ladies have established weekly children's classes for the sixteen youngsters in that area. Mrs. Edmund Glenn handles the kindergarten and first grade group; Mrs. Chester Stroemple the second, third, and fourth grades; and Mrs. Ralph Brown the fifth to eighth grades.

     Youngstown.-The Youngstown center expects to meet weekly in the homes for service and class alternately with the tape recorder.
     Barberton will continue to use the administration building at 484 Newell Street for services the first Sunday in each month A community supper and class is held in the homes on the third Tuesday.
     Cleveland now claims the largest adult membership in the Group, having been joined by the Norman Bellingers, of Chicago, and more recently by the Fred Merrells (and twin daughters) from Springfield, Ohio, now of Painesville, near Cleveland. Their eighteen members and several other regular attendants no longer fit comfortably into the homes, so a very adequate and pleasant hall, at an east-side Y.M.C.A., is now used for services, which are held on the second Sunday of each month. Classes are still held in the homes on the fourth Friday of the month.

     Newsletter.-As an aid in keeping North Ohioans informed of their far- flung fellows' activities, and as an official schedule of events, the Group now publishes a monthly newsletter, thus carrying on a custom of the former Pastor.

     An Invitation.-All these activities are, of course, no fit substitute for the real thing. And while the group welcomes visits from any church friends, it extends a particularly warm welcome to any ministers who would like to visit the group this winter and minister to an assembly of the three centers and outlying posts. An eager and attentive audience is assured.
     HUGH GYLLENHAAL.

     HURSTVILLE, AUSTRALIA

     In the continued absence of a pastor all the uses of the society are still being maintained under the leadership of Mr. Lindthman Heldon, and although the members are few in number, a keen interest is taken on the whole in the affairs of the church.
     Doctrinal Classes.-In addition to the Sunday service and the Sunday School, at which attendances are fairly constant, a doctrinal class is held on three Thursdays in the month, the fourth being devoted to the study of Swedenborg's scientific works. The Women's Guild meets regularly, and the local Chapter of the Sons carries on its activities.
     Social Functions.-Since the Annual Meeting on September 10th, several social functions have been held by the society. The first was the Sons Open meeting, held at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Norman Heldon. This is an annual affair to which we look forward very much. As usual, business was cut down to a minimum, and a most interesting paper entitled "Uses in Heaven and in the World" was given by our Leader, after which there was a most active and varied discussion. Supper brought to a conclusion a very pleasant evening.
     The second was a Saturday afternoon picnic, sponsored by the Sons and held at the end of September. The main center of interest was a cricket match, in which most of the adults and the older children took part.

These afternoons, of which there have been several, provide an ideal means of getting the members of the society together, especially as the children can participate in the fun. A musical evening was held on the 7th of October, at which the children contributed several items. Humorous songs were given by Mr. T. R. Taylor, and recitations by Mr. N. Heldon. This was the last of the recent social affairs.

     Singing Practice.-Every Sunday evening since the Annual Meeting a number of the members have met at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Fred Fletcher to practise the music in the new Liturgy, which is now in use here. The singing has been greatly improved as a result.

     In conclusion, and also concerning Sundays, it is usual after each service to hear great appreciation expressed of the wonderful sermons by the various ministers of the Church we are privileged to hear. All are deeply grateful for the instruction and enjoyment received in this way
     ELIDA HUBBARD

     GLENVIEW, ILLINOIS

     Seems like these are times for breaking previously existing weather records. October in Glenview was about as usual,-Indian Summer came and went with its usual beautiful coloring of autumn leaves. But during the first few days of November we beat two records, one for heat and the other for cold,-from 82 degrees to zero in ten days! One change of minor importance in the affairs of the Immanuel Church has been the raising of the charge for Friday suppers from 50 cents to 60 cents. This was brought to a head by inviting several of the men to assist in washing dishes following the Friday doctrinal paper. For six people this is a three hour job. After a few evenings spent in the church kitchen, the extra dime being asked to defray the cost of dish washing was thought to be an excellent idea!
     During October and November three births, three baptisms, and four confirmations have taken place; all, of course, happy occasions,
     Early in October the Glenview members of Theta Alpha met at the home of Mrs. Charles Cole to hear a recording of an address given by the Rev. Erik Sandstrom at the Annual Meeting of Theta Alpha, held in Bryn Athyn during the General Assembly last June. To be able to listen to the actual voice of the person delivering the paper is a fine thing indeed. In this connection, a committee has recently been appointed to obtain the recordings of various papers, and these will be presented at a series of meetings starting early in 1951.
     At our semi-annual meeting, on October 20th, three members of our congregation signed the Immanuel Church roll, bringing our membership up to 200,-another record, incidentally. The Rev. Raymond Cranch stopped at Glenview for a few days in October, on his way home from the West Coast. At the monthly Sons meeting he read from portions of the book he is publishing. His talk was followed by a lively discussion involving politics, economics, and so on; as to how these subjects should be considered from a New Church viewpoint.

     The weekend of October 27-29 will long be remembered by the Immanuel Church Society. We had invited the Rev. Karl R. Alden to visit us. He accepted and, to our delight, brought his wife with him. For the benefit of those who have not had the pleasure of meeting Mr. Alden, here is a quick word picture. He is a jovial soul. He used to have a lot of red hair, which has been described as `fiery." Now he has less, but time has mellowed its shade. He is heavy set, but nimble. He is not young, but shows little of any signs of old age. He is withal a friendly man, and that is why people like him!
     After Friday supper (150 present) Mr. Alden spoke to us of the Trinity. In his usual delightful informal manner he explained the New Church concept of this subject, clearly and succinctly.

On the following evening he told us, for somewhat better than an hour, of his travels and adventures in the Canadian Northwest and the Western States while calling on the many isolated members of our Church. Apparently his use of a violin helps tremendously in his work, not only in services of worship but also, at times, in public conveyances; in fact, whenever he is of the opinion that his fellow passengers are in need of entertainment. However he did not suggest that a violin be considered standard equipment for traveling ministers. This entertaining talk was followed by the showing of numerous pictures of the groups visited and of the country through which he traveled. Light refreshments were then served, during which our guests had an opportunity to chat with their Glenview friends. At the service on Sunday morning Mr. Alden preached, and this brought to a close his visit with us. Much to our regret he had to leave on an early afternoon train for Bryn Athyn, Next time we shall try to keep him until Monday, thus giving us an opportunity for another meeting on Sunday evening.

     Early in November our Pastor, the Rev. Elmo C. Acton, was requested to attend a meeting of the Glenview Library Association. It appears that this group had some money they wished to dispose of, and Mr. Acton was presented with a check for $50.00 for the Immanuel Church library. On November 17th, the Women's Guild sponsored a bakery and variety sale. Many of our members bought good food and merchandise and a net profit of around $180.00 was realized. This money was added to the Immanuel Church Library Fund.
     At the November Theta Alpha meeting, Mr. Harold McQueen entertained the ladies with a talk on letter writing in which he endeavored to demonstrate that letters written from a New Church conception of freedom and use are likely to be effective. The speaker was gratified at the lively interest shown in his talk.
     Thanksgiving Day was observed in the usual manner, with a special service at 11:00 o'clock at which all children present brought forward offerings of fruit and listened to the Thanksgiving address given by our Pastor.
     Our Assistant Pastor, the Rev. Ormond Odhner, arrived home from his southern trip just a day' or so before Thanksgiving. At our Sunday service on November 26th he read from the letter of the Word and also from the Writings, all passages pointed to a spirit of thanksgiving and the Holy Supper. The sacrament of the Holy Supper was then administered.
     HAROLD P. MCQUEEN

     KITCHENER, ONTARIO

     Since our last report beautiful fall weather has given way to a real taste of winter. Thirty inches of snow fell on November 24, followed by rain and more snow. One gets the feeling that it will be long winter.

     Classes.-The Society's program of classes, meetings, and special social functions made October and November full months for everyone. The first series of doctrinal classes was on the subject of "Faith." Individual lectures on "Similitudes," "The Affirmative Approach," and "Man's Ruling Love" were also heard. The Women's Guild has enjoyed informal talks from the Pastor and the Sons have heard papers on "The Church Universal and the Church Specific."
     The High School Religion Class meets every Monday, usually at the Pastor's home,- for study of "The Golden Age." The older young people are finishing "The New Church in the New World" at their alternate Sunday night meetings; and a young married people's class, started this fall and meeting one Sunday evening a month, is planning to use Trobridge's "Life of Swedenborg" as a basis for its study. Until copies are procured this group is reading Bishop Willard D. Pendleton's lectures on "The Home and the Church" from the Pastoral Extension Pamphlets.

Theta Alpha is finishing reading Bishop de Charms' "Life of the Lord," and the Philosophy Club is continuing its study of Swedenborg's scientific works with the leading of the Principia.

     Socials.-The first social was on October 27th, when the High School young people entertained the Society at a Halloween costume party. There was a remarkably large attendance and nearly everyone was in costume, which was unusual but added greatly to the fun. So many clever costumes made judging difficult, but prizes for the best dressed went to George Schnarr Jr. as a cavalier and Evangeline Gill as a ballet dancer, and for the funniest costumes and best acting to Cecil James as an Indian and Betty Schnarr as a tomboy. Games, novelty dances, and ducking for apples were on the program, and during refreshments of doughnuts, coffee, and cider, Keith Niall entertained with a few songs from the Gay Nineties.
     The November social, on the 24th, might be called an Academy Dance. The committee was our Sons Stamp Plan boosters, Daniel Heinrichs, Stanley Hill, and Roger Kuhl. Red and white streamers crossed the ceiling, the red and white flag had a prominent spot, and posters made by the elementary school children decorated the walls. The Toronto young people had been invited for the occasion and twelve of them defied the snow storm to attend. Prizes for spot dances were Sons stamps. Academy songs were sung, including the Phi Alpha and Deka songs and the Interfrat Song, in Bryn Athyn style. Red sandwiches and white made eye-opening refreshments, and tasted good, too.

     Sons and Theta Alpha-When it comes to get-togethers the Sons of the Academy can't be beaten. On Saturday, November 4th, the Kitchener Chapter held a banquet to which the Detroit and Toronto Chapters were invited. Five Sons came from Detroit and twenty-four from Toronto. Mr. Peter Dyne, from England, came all the way from Ottawa to attend, and Mr. Erdman Heinrichs and son John from Dawson Creek, British Columbia, were present. The meal was prepared by three Kitchener cooks, Philip and Daniel Heinrichs and Stanley Hill. Mr. Harold Kuhl acted as toastmaster and three speeches were heard on "The Purpose of the Sons of the Academy." These were given by John Howard, of Detroit, Orville Carter, of Toronto, and Stanley Hill, of Kitchener. Toasts, songs, and entertainment were interspersed, and a spirited gathering at the home of Mr. George Schnarr followed the banquet.
     The ladies of Theta Alpha held their annual banquet on November 8th. Formal dresses and decorated tables gave a festive air to the happy gathering. Miss Rita Kuhl, Chapter President, was toastmistress. The entertainment committee chose three interesting papers-on the theme of education. Miss Laura Kuhl read, "The Academy Library: Its Purpose and Future," by Bruce Glenn; Mrs. Norman Reuter read "Education in all its Various Forms," by Ralph Klein; and Miss Betty Hill read "Teachers and Distinctive Education," by the Rev. David Simons. The lighter entertainment following the banquet consisted of a quiz, two humorous readings, and a telegram writing game. All the ladies enjoyed themselves thoroughly and at the same time strengthened their affection for the uses of Theta Alpha.

     The Rev. Norman H. Reuter made two pastoral visits to Detroit this fall, and the Rev. Henry Heinrichs preached in his absence. Mr. Heinrichs also preached twice in Toronto while the Rev. A. Wynne Acton was visiting the Montreal Circle.
     The school children spent a wonderful afternoon in the woods on October 18th, playing games and working up a fine appetite for the hot dogs, cocoa, grapes, and marshmallows served by the Theta Alpha picnic committee round an open fire.
     VIVIAN KUHL

     PITTSBURGH, PA.

     October was a busy but not very sensational month. The regular services of worship, children's services, classes and meetings were held and were well attended, demonstrating that the Society was interested in renewed activities. Subjects of timely interest, presented by the Pastor or by members of the group and then discussed by all, are being considered in the Young People's Class; gatherings have been held regularly in various homes to make use of the "Recording Library;" and the "P.T.A." has been active since our last report, keeping parents and teachers in close contact and cooperation.
     A most enjoyable dance was sponsored on October 6th by the social committee, Mr. and Mrs. Homer Schoenberger, Miss Miriam Smith, and Mr. Walter Williamson, and their able assistants. The school enjoyed a holiday over the Charter Day weekend, and those who remained at home had a spontaneous "consolation party" in the auditorium, Friday evening, October 13th, which was gay in spite of, or because of regrets, that we were not in Bryn Athyn.

     During the month of November we were privileged to have as visitors the Rev. W. Cairns Henderson, from Bryn Athyn, and the Rev. Henry Heinrichs, from Kitchener, Ontario. Mr. Henderson gave an address on `Reflection and Meditation" at a special Friday Supper on November 10th.
     It really was "special" aside from our guest, for the eighth grade girls, under the supervision of Mrs. Charles H. Ebert Jr., planned, prepared, and served the supper.
     Mr. Henderson met with the ladies of the Society on Saturday afternoon at the home of Mrs. Edwin T. Asplundh and gave an address on "The Things by which Men and Women are Governed." On Sunday evening he met with the Pittsburgh Chapter of the Sons of the Academy at the home of Mr. Theodore N. Glenn and read a paper entitled "The Development of the Rational Mind." Earlier in that day, he gave the address at the children's service and then preached at the adult service, his subject being "The Choice that Must be Made."
     The Rev. and Mrs. Henry Heinrichs and their daughter Barbara were welcome visitors. Mr. Heinrichs conducted the class following the Friday Supper on November 17th, and preached at the service of worship on November 19th. The day school enjoyed addresses from both these visitors, and also from our own Mr. Walter Schoenberger, who told them about the United Nations.

     Our Thanksgiving service was a combined one for adults and children. A predominance of the latter was most evident, and it is a delight to see so many youngsters and feel their sincerity in bearing their offerings of the harvest to the Lord. The lessons and the Pastor's address dealt with thanksgiving throughout the ages, the theme being "thanksgiving for liberation from damnation."
     Pittsburgh's "balmy fall weather" departed with a snow fall beginning early Friday morning, November 24th. Despite this, some thirty-five or forty hardy souls arrived at the auditorium to enjoy an evening of square dancing. Our social committee is versatile-we have to hand it to them!
     The snow, having begun to coat our grimy background, knew no bounds, and continued to fall to the depth of 28 inches (not drifted). This tied up traffic, communications, and all sorts of services on which we city dwellers depend. As a result the church service was cancelled, and the school had an extended Thanksgiving recess of one week. Friday Supper was called off for December 1st, but an informal class was held. As we go to press, the emergency is being met capably by everyone, and church services, schools, and businesses will be as usual in December, we hope!
     ELIZABETH R. DOERING

     DETROIT, MICHIGAN

     The first of the South African contingent to reach Detroit was Mr. Scott Forfar.

He arrived on November 14th, and the next evening was given an informal welcome at the home of Reynold and Betty Doering. A large number of our members turned out to greet Mr. Forfar, who responded by giving us an interesting account of the Durban Society, the South African Mission, and incidents connected with his visits to the London and Colchester Societies. He also brought us pleasing news of the Rev. and Mrs. Kenneth O. Stroh and their baby boy, born while he was in England. It was a great pleasure to get first-band news of our former Minister and his wife, for whom we will always have a warm spot in our hearts. Mr. Forfar remained here for several days as the guest of Norman and Eloise Synnestvedt, spending much of his time in a hunt for suitable living quarters for his family.

     Arrival of New Pastor.-It is a great pleasure to be able to announce the arrival of our new Pastor, the Rev. Norbert H. Rogers. Leaving his family in Bryn Athyn until a house could be found for them here, he came to Detroit on November 22nd to assume charge of our Circle and, in his spare time, help in the search for suitable living quarters.
     Mr. Rogers is a guest of the Norman Synnestvedts, who gave a welcoming party for him on the evening of the 25th, which, in spite of atrocious weather conditions, was well attended. The following morning Mr. Rogers conducted his initial service of worship in our meeting hall, preaching a most enlightening sermon on the subject of the Lord's mercy toward man; his text being, "What is man, that Thou art mindful of him? and the-son of man, that Thou visitest him?" (Psalm 8: 4.)

     Bazaar.-It so happened that our Women's Guild, of which Mrs. Betty Doering is president, had chosen this particular date for a bazaar and luncheon. The ladies, aided and abetted by some of our "Sons," put on a good show, and a sizeable sum of money was thereby added to our building fund. Thus Mr. Rogers' introduction to our membership found us at our liveliest. We trust he was not unduly alarmed, but as he was observed to take an active part in the various games we hope and believe that he had an enjoyable time.
     In connection with the bazaar, honorable mention should be given to Sons Reynold Doering, Fred Steen, and Norman Synnestvedt, who, in regulation chef's attire, cooked and served hamburgers, hot dogs, and coffee; to Walter Childs, Gordon Smith, and John Howard, who ran the games; and to Sanfrid Odhner for his clever on-the-spot crayon portraits, which were sold for the benefit of the building fund.

     Visitors.-Since our last list of Sunday guests was published we have been most happy to have the following New Church friends join in our worship: Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Synnestvedt, Mrs. Kenneth Synnestvedt, and Miss Helga Synnestvedt, from Bryn Athyn; Mr. and Mrs. Erwin Breuckman and their children, David and Richard, from Kitchener, Ontario; Mrs. Kenneth Ives and Miss Tanya Ives, from Port Huron, Mich.; Miss Lucy Jane Lindsay, from Pittsburgh; Mr. Bruce Scott, from Toronto; Mrs. Frank Day, from Glenview; Mr. and Mrs. Hyland Johns and Mr. Ray Synnestvedt, from Michigan State College, East Lansing.

     Late News.-We have just learned that Mr. Rogers has rented a house and will he bringing his family here in about ten days. The place is located in the country, about seven miles from the Ferndale Community building where our services are held, and with it go several acres of ground, which should please the Rogers children very much.
     Also our Pastor has received the good news that Mr. Scott Forfar has obtained a position in Detroit and will be coming here again in a few days to resume house hunting.

We are going to be very happy to have the Forfar family with us.
     And that is how it is with the Detroit Circle at this moment.
     WILLIAM W. WALKER

     THE CHURCH AT LARGE

     General Convention.-From The New Church News, published by the Massachusetts Association, we learn that the New Church Theological School, Cambridge, Mass., has an enrollment of five students. In addition to their theological studies, all of them are affiliated with other schools, and most of them have been assigned to special field work with churches in the Massachusetts Association. The Rev. William F. Wunsch, as instructor in theology, is an addition to the faculty. With him, the faculty consists of the Rev. Franklin H. Blackmer, president, Everett K. Bray, Charles W. Harvey, Antony Regamey, and Mr. Horace B. Blackmer.
     The New Church Messenger is printing an interesting series of articles on the history, order, organization, activities, and aims of the General Convention. The first of these, in the issue for November 4, 1950, in enumerating other bodies of the New Church, mentions "a sister organization of closely similar aims and beliefs, called The General Church of the New Jerusalem, whose beautiful cathedral and headquarters are located at Bryn Athyn, near Philadelphia, Pa."

     General Conference.-After seventeen years of distinguished service, the Rev. Eric A. Sutton, MA., B.D., has been obliged, through ill health, to resign from his position as Resident Principal of the New Church College. He will continue, however, as a lecturer. The Rev. Arthur Clapham, Editor of The New-Church Herald, accepted appointment as acting Resident Principal for one year.

     South African Mission (Conference).-A former President of Conference, the Rev. Brian Kingslake, has replaced the Rev. Edwin Fieldhouse as Superintendent of the New Church Mission and head of the Mooki Memorial College. Two or three theological students were expected to take up residence in September of last year. Mr. Kingslake had been in South Africa between 1928 and 1930, and was actively interested also in the West African Mission.

     "The New Church in Australia."-A major change in 1950 was the resignation of the Rev. Richard H. Teed from the pastorate of the Melbourne Society, which he had held since 1925. Mr. Teed removed to Albury, N.S.W., but is continuing as Editor of The New Age.
BENADE HALL CHAPEL 1951

BENADE HALL CHAPEL Editor 1951

Color Photo.-We would call attention to a remarkable feature of the photograph of the Chapel Chancel which was published as a frontispiece of the December issue of NEW CHURCH LIFE. The Ten Commandments in Hebrew and the Lord's Prayer in Greek are clearly legible under a magnifying glass. (Editor)

ACADEMY BOOK ROOM 1951

     Announcements

     OF THE BIBLE. By Elizabeth Yates. Illustrated by Norah S. Unwin. Simply told stories about some children in the Bible, such as Moses, Samuel, David, and others. The text adheres to the King James version. An attractive book. $2.00
     JESUS STORY. A Little New Testament, with illustrations, by Maud and Miska Petersham. A small book with the text taken from the King James version. Six full page colored illustrations and many others. $1.75

ANNUAL COUNCIL MEETINGS 1951

     BRYN ATHYN, PA., JANUARY 22-27, 1951

Monday, January 22.

     8:00 p.m.     Consistory.

Tuesday, January 23.

     10:00 a.m.     Council of the Clergy.
     3:30 p.m.     Council of the Clergy.

Wednesday, January 24.

     10:00 a.m.     Council of the Clergy.
     3:30 p.m.     Council of the Clergy.

Thursday, January 25.

     10:00 a.m.     Council of the Clergy.
     3:30 p.m.     Headmasters' Meeting.

Friday, January 26.

     10:00 a.m.     Council of the Clergy.
     3:30     p.m.     Board of Directors of the Corporations of the General Church.
     3:30     p.m.     Educational Council Committee. (Headmasters)
     7:00     p.m.     Supper.
     7:45     p.m.     Open Session of the Council of the Clergy.
               Address by the Rev. Hugo Lj. Odhner,

Saturday, January 27.

     10:00 a.m.     Joint Council of the General Church.
     3:30 p.m.     Corporation of the Academy of the New Church.

Sunday, January 28.

     11:00 a.m. Divine Worship.
MILITARY SERVICE COMMITTEE 1951

MILITARY SERVICE COMMITTEE WILLARD D. PENDLETON 1951

     As a matter of general interest I wish to report that the Military Service Committee has been reorganized under its former Chairman, Mrs. Philip C. Pendleton. Miss-Wren Hyatt has accepted appointment as Secretary-Treasurer, and other members will be added to the Committee as the need arises. The second year theological students are cooperating with the Committee and have undertaken the publication of the new "Communique."
     WILLARD D. PENDLETON,
          Assistant to the Bishop

RICH MAN AND LAZARUS 1951

RICH MAN AND LAZARUS Rev. HUGO LJ. ODHNER 1951

NEW CHURCH LIFE
VOL. LXXI
FEBRUARY, 1951
No. 2
     "If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead." (Luke 16: 31.)

     Perhaps no more severe contrast could be drawn than is (lone in this parable. Here was the "certain rich man, clothed in purple and fine linen," indulging his palate every day. There was laid the beggar, full of sores, at his gate-wishing for the crumbs, and with the dogs his only understanding friends.
     The Lord was speaking in front of the Pharisees. The Pharisees were self-styled representatives of the Jewish church. And therefore the Lord related to them the parable of the rich man and Lazarus.
     For the Jewish church was like the rich man, singled out as no other nation by an open Divine favor. In their Word-in Moses and the prophets-were stored potential spiritual riches, of which they were the sole guardians and dispensers. But in their pride of race they turned their religion into a show-a pageantry of national self-seeking. They became a mere representation of a church-caring only for their own tribal welfare. They were "clothed in the purple and fine linen" of spiritual life, for they had a superficial knowledge of the goods and truths of the Word; and they "fared sumptuously," for they had a natural delight in the possession of their revelation which they studied with the vanity of a racial superiority. (SS 30, AC 9231.)

     And all about them-at their very doors-were the gentiles, held aside by that Jewish exclusiveness which wished to keep the promised favors of Jehovah to themselves; gentiles, shunned with contempt, yet sorely in need of someone to lead them out of the horrors of polytheism.
     The application of the parable does not stop with the Jews. Indeed, if the Jews were rich ha their possession of the Old Testament Word, how much more sumptuous fare is not provided, how much purer the linen and more royal the purple, in the churches to which God speaks more openly? to which are shown, not only the way of external reformation, but the interior paths of regenerate life?
     The general explanation of the parable given in the Writings, is, therefore, that the rich man represents those in the church who have the Word, and from it the knowledge of goods and truths: and that by the poor man are signified those-also within the reach of the church-"who are in little good by reason of their ignorance of the truth, and yet desire to be instructed." (AC 9231.)
     Wealth increases usefulness. Knowledge of spiritual goods and truths expands the field of spiritual use, the capacity for clothing spiritual good! it increases man's spiritual responsibilities-and the effectiveness of his influence among men-for good or for ill.
     Here we face a wider question of Divine justice. For even in spiritual capacities men are unequal! It is such inequalities in spiritual opportunities for instruction and progress in this world that are pictured in the parable. The poor man stands for those who are in ignorance, yet desire to learn from those within the church who have abundance; he stands for "the poor in spirit" who are blessed because they shall inherit the kingdom of heaven. Only those-in each generation here on earth-who hunger for spiritual truths, who recognize themselves as "poor," as needy, and are avid for the food of spiritual life, and realize the utter insufficiency of their spiritual usefulness; only these can carry forward the real uses of the church. And these cannot be judged by their outward abilities, or intellectual capacities, or by the amount of their knowledge: but by the way in which they are interiorly affected by truths.
     It is upon such that the hope of the New Church depends. And therefore the beggar who desired to be filled with the crumbs that fell from the rich man's table, was named "Lazarus" by the Lord.

For Lazarus, the brother of Mary and Martha, was one whom, it is said, the Lord loved; who, indeed, at the Lords bidding, came back from the dead; and, later, sat at the Lords table. By him was represented a remnant raised up from the midst of a dead and buried church, a nucleus from which a new church might be resuscitated!
     The beggar Lazarus has the same representation. He stands for those who are in a gentile state, who are conscious of spiritual poverty. Such may indeed be wise, and well-instructed: they may be born within the church; or they may-as gentiles-die without knowledge of the Word and its hidden riches. But, in every case, they hunger for the truths which teach and lead to spiritual uses. It is only from such, who are in the affection of truth, that the New Church can grow, in both worlds.
     Children are in the state of gentiles. They are in but little good, because of ignorance. Relatively to them, adults are rich, or intelligent and wise, and bear towards them the responsibility of giving them spiritual food, suitably adapted to their lesser capacities. By education and wise training, those capacities for good can be increased in children, and their affection of truth aroused. We should not-as did apparently the glutton of the parable-deny the needs of any, whether children or adults, who are in the gentile state of spiritual poverty. And this responsibility is shared by all who count themselves of the church and pray that the kingdom of God may come!
     For all things are relative. What is poverty to one, might be wealth to another. There is none so simple, that he may not be wise to some others. In human life, every man takes his turn in being the rich man who dispenses benefits, and the poor beggar who humbly longs for the crusts by which to support life. All men are dependent together, and the needs of none are ever completely filled. We ask for charity, one from another. We ask to understand some deep problem of life; and if another should hold the answer, yet, when it is given it may seem to us as a crust-a superficial formula, the essence of which vanishes in the giving, because we are not in a state to understand. If we are wise, and humble, even those crumbs of truth and charity may serve our life's need at the time.
     Truly there is much spiritual wealth in the church, where the Word of Divine revelation is read, and understood and loved.

The church is arrayed in robes of purple, in garments of pure linen. "Put on thy beautiful garments, O Jerusalem, the holy city!" It is rich. Its uses are ever enlarging, its new light is ever in the dawning! Yet should the time come that it despises those who need its help, it would become like the man of the parable, at whose gate was laid the beggar, full of sores; with none but the dogs to show him mercy. The "beggar"-we read-signified such as "desire to learn a few truths from those within the church who had an abundance: the "dogs" which licked his sores are those outside the church who are in good though not in genuine good of truth; "licking the sores meaning to heal them in such way as they can." (AC 9231.)
     The church that would leave its children and its needy to be administered to by the fickle caresses of a natural good which adheres to all manner of falsities, is in the state of faith alone. And let us note that the Lord's parable proceeds to picture what this state is in its interiors.
     In the natural sense, it is merely told what happened to the rich man and to Lazarus, after death. Lazarus was borne by angels into heaven to become the bosom friend of Abraham. The rich man was buried with pomp and circumstance but awoke in hell. Yet in the spiritual sense, we see here a revelation of the internal state of a consummated church-a church neglectful of its spiritual uses: we see it as it appears in the spiritual world after its judgment.
     Those who are evil, yet possess the truths of doctrine, and have perverted these to impede a genuine repentance and to favor the loves of self and the world, and have closed their ears to self-examination; these in the other life are vastated. They are by degrees deprived of the truths of faith, and appear, in the light of heaven, to be enveloped ha flames-the fires of evil loves. The torment of hell is largely this, that the devils cannot sustain the phantasies of their life's love. For they are deprived of the power to pervert new truths. They enter into their own falsities the falsities of their evil loves. But no longer can they feed upon truths; that is, they cannot in their final state pretend good affection or talk as if they believed truths or learn new truths. This deprives them of power, and thus of delight.
     Thus out of hell came that call to Abraham, "Send Lazarus that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue!"

But the water of truth could not be conveyed: it would perish in the great gulf between heaven and hell.
     And so the parable continues: "Send him, them, to my fathers house. For I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them" But Abraham rejoins: "If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one rose from the dead."
     In every degenerate church-after the faith of charity has perished-there has come this cry for a sensual proof of the afterlife; for open intercourse with spirits, or for some other perceptible leading supposedly by "the Holy Spirit," or for an immediate assurance of personal salvation. It may seem as if this cry came from earth, from the five brethren that survive. But it comes in reality out of the midst of hell. It is the demand of the once rich man who never put his faith to work; and who thus disguises his complaints against the Divine justice which- he claims-never explained the consequences of evil-doing. Why should not every man be a revelator? Why should not evil be forcibly stopped by the full sight of the consequences or by the visible appearing of a spirit who would denounce every wicked thought?
     If such interference from the spirit-world could achieve man's free repentance, no doubt the Lord would bring it to pass. But such is man at this day and on this globe, that even a Lazarus come back from the dead could do no more than arouse man's selfish dread of penalty, and shut in his evils behind a wall of temporary fears. The shunning of the intention to do evil can commence only in rational freedom. It will not do merely to frighten the natural affections into hiding! It is not enough, to overawe the thoughts and petrify them into a short acquiescence!
     Yet the voice of this temptation speaks at times within every man. It comes as a remorse of evil, prompted by the discomfort of its own chagrin, yet unwilling to admit to its faults. It takes many different forms: it is a demand for an external confirmation, or a miraculous assurance an insistence on man's part that faith be procured more cheaply, without sacrifice to one's proprial pride, or that it be given blindly, extorted without rational consent; a feeling that an emotional contrition should be sufficient to save one from one's past evils, without the longer way of repentance and spiritual usefulness.
     But to such demands on the part of men the answer of the Lord is, "They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them."

The only approach to the rational freedom in which the seed of spiritual repentance can be planted is by way of instruction from the Word. Man can indeed be held from external evils by various outside pressures. But these cannot change his ruling love. They cannot convert the comfortable faith of self-love into the faith of Lazarus, the poor in spirit.
     Moses and the prophets speak differently to different men. Some are only reached by a dim contorted echo of their voices. But in the Writings the truth resounds in its richest tones, distinct and unequivocal. There our reason may see-as never men did before-the great gulf between good and evil, between the heaven which is contained within the humble love of truth and the hell to which the pride of self-intelligence inevitably draws.
     In these Writings are disclosed those arcana of the after-life which that other Lazarus-the brother of Mary and Martha, though he rose from the dead, was not able to tell. For the Writings speak to every man without any threat to his freedom, and from them we may draw the water of life freely according to our several needs and abilities, and according to our love of the truth. Amen.

LESSONS:     Isaiah 8: 16-22. Luke 16: 19-31. AC 8717.
FORGOTTEN PAGES OF NEW CHURCH HISTORY 1951

FORGOTTEN PAGES OF NEW CHURCH HISTORY Rev. WILLIAM WHITEHEAD 1951

2. General Alexander Mouravieff

Evidences of the reception of the Heavenly Doctrine in Russia exist from the 18th century. In 1780. M. Djunkovskoy, a high official in Moscow, with his two sons, received the Doctrines. In 1783, two young Russians read Heaven and Hell with enthusiasm and organized a reading group in Moscow to which books were forwarded from London as often as they could be smuggled in. Between 1784 and 1792, an imperial councillor and director of the Department of the Economy of the State and of Public Works, Stephen Djunkovskay, received the Doctrines and translated Divine Love and Wisdom into Russian (published at Karlsruhe, 1864).

In 1802, we hear of receivers resident at St. Petersburg importing the Writings from Paris. In 1806, a councillor, Demitrius Alexeist, whose estate was near Ecatherinoslaw, wrote through the Russian ambassador in London ordering many of the Writings, with "every late publication relative to the New Church." In 1814, a Russian noble in one of the interior provinces ordered all obtainable Latin editions: and in 1815, a councillor, Demetrius Alexieff, subscribed for six copies of the Apocalypse Explained, and wished the Rev. James Hodson to become his house-chaplain.
     But it is not until 1857 that we begin to hear of a remarkable New Churchman, General Alexander Mouraveiff, brother of the heroic conqueror of Kars in the Crimean War. On the testimony of Mr. William Mather, who visited Russia in 1863, General Mouraveiff was a leading member of New Church receivers in Moscow. "They were mostly persons of high position, highly intellectual, of most courteous manners, and advanced in the spiritual life. Their zeal and earnestness for the church, considering their restrictions, was most exemplary."
     General Mouravieff, of Moscow, began to study Hebrew and Greek at the age of 44 in order to translate the Word into Russian. He had completed the Gospels and the Apocalypse, and had obtained permission from the Emperor to publish this work in Moscow. More than any other Russian he aided the Emperor in procuring the emancipation of the serfs, to which many of the nobles had shown opposition. Their Christian names were the same, and there was a saying that, had there not been two Alexander Nicolaiffs, the emancipation of the serfs would not have taken place.
     The Rev. Dr. Bayley, a prominent English New Church man, in reporting on a visit to Russia made during 1866, said: This General had, in early life, two persons employed in writing out copies of the smaller works of the New Church, particularly the Doctrine of Life, and sent them as presents to his friends. The result was that a large number of noblemen, dotted here and there in the empire, have become receivers of the doctrines of the New Church.

Besides this, that noble man felt, from the doctrines of the New Church, that it was wrong for serfdom, that half-slavery, to exist in Russia, He advocated its abolition, and many other reforms; and did it so strongly and strenuously that, in 1826, the government, which at that time did not like to be disturbed, was afraid that it might lead to a revolution, and send him to Siberia. (This was in the reign of Nicolas I, 1825-55.) He was banished there for nine years to keep him quiet. Though there, he still endeavored to keep up amongst his friends the knowledge of what was true and good. In 1835 he was permitted to come back again and was, after a little time, appointed to a post of considerable dignity. He got the favor of the government, and was further promoted; and at length, when the present Emperor came to the throne (Alexander II, 1855-81), this noble man being known to him, he was taken to a great extent into his friendship.
"He induced the Emperor to consider doing away with serfdom, and at length was placed at the head of a committee to arrange the matter. The result was that proper laws were prepared: laws not only for making the people free all over the land, to the number of 23 millions, but also constituting each head of a family a landowner. Half of the land that a nobleman or landowner possessed was divided among his former serfs at a small rent. Thus each man was made into a little farmer, owning from ten to thirty acres. They were simply to give yearly nine roubles per acre until the year 1872, when the land would become their own entirely. From that time to this, they have been advancing in every way.
"The chief part, under Divine Providence, in bringing forward this glorious change for the better was enacted by a few New Church men, with General Mouravieff at their head. Besides this, since 1861, there have been a thousand schools founded in Russia. Trial by jury has also been instituted. Before that time, any serf who had offended his master was thrown down and beaten with a sort of whip called a knout, just at the master's will. There is a commission for bringing forward good laws, of which a New Church man is the active person; another New Church man in St. Petersburg is one of the judges.

"On the conclusion of nay stay in Moscow, my dear Russian New Church friends accompanied me to the railway station, situate about four English miles from the city, and took an affectionate farewell. As a last token of the esteem they were so good as to accord, and their attachment to the sacred principles we obey in common, they presented me with the Greek New Testament of General Alexander Mouravieff, the great and good husband, brother, friend, and friend of his country and mankind, whose memory they hold so dear." (INTELLECTUAL REPOSITORY, 1867, p. 5.)

General Mouravieff died on December 18th, 1863, aged 71. (Memoir and obituary in INTELLECTUAL REPOSITORY, 1865.) In the light of the grave issues facing the world today, we find ourselves reflecting deeply on how mysterious are the ways of that Divine Providence which enabled this noble Russian to perform the use of bringing the beginnings of freedom to the common people of Russia!
OUR PSALMODY 1951

OUR PSALMODY BESSE E. SMITH 1951

For over fifty years the Psalmody has been a part of our services of Divine worship, and this steady use of the work testifies to the hold that these sacred songs have upon the affections of our people. It is timely to consider how we can perpetuate the knowledge and use of them, and how we can make them known to the smaller groups and circles of the General Church by making recordings. There is in the Academy Library a recording of Psalm XXI which could be played on a phonograph: better still, recordings of the Psalms can be made on the tape or wire recorder.
From the earliest days of the New Church, near the close of the eighteenth century, the desire for music of our own was expressed, and some beginning was made in this direction, But it remained for Mr. Charles James Whittington, of London, to be so impressed with the internal sense of the Psalms that he devoted his leisure to composing music that would effectively express it,-music that could be sung by choirs and congregations.

     In the later years of the nineteenth century, a number of our ministers were engaged in making a new English translation of the Psalms from the original Hebrew. The translators were Bishop W. F. Pendleton, the Revs. C. Th. Odhner, Enoch S. Price, E. J. F. Schreck, and Alfred Acton. The suggestion was made that the translations be made available to Mr. Whittington, that he might compose the music for some of them. He had already set to music three short passages from the Word, and these were brought to this country by the Rev. F. C. Bostock in 1891. They are familiar to us,-"The Voice of One," "How Good are Thy Tents," and "Arise, O Lord, into Thy Rest." Mr. Whittington studied the new translations of the Psalms, and the first he set to music were Psalms II and VIII.
     During the years 1892-1898 the new musical settings were sent to this country in installments, and were established by the Academy Book Room in the form of sheet music or fascicles, which were kept together in binders for use in the services of worship in Philadelphia. Chicago, and other centers of the General Church. (NEW CHURCH LIFE, 1893, p. 65.)
     How eagerly the fascicles were awaited! In Philadelphia, as soon as a new one arrived, word would be sent to all in the society to convene that evening at the home of Mr. Robert M. Glenn, who conducted the practices of the new music. As there were few telephones in those days, the message was carried to the homes by the young people. It was the same in the communities of Bryn Athyn and Glenview, which began at that time. Old and young would gather for practice, repeating the music many times, liking it more and more, no matter how difficult. The music served to impress the meaning of the words on their minds, as all looked forward to the singing of the new Psalm at the next Sunday service.
     It was not until 1898 that the bound volume as we know it was published as A Psalmody for the New Church. (See NEW CHURCH LIFE, 1898, p. 90.)
     That year, Psalm XVIII was sung in its entirety at a sacred concert during the Second General Assembly, held in Glenview. I was present on that occasion. It was my first hearing of the Whittington music, ala d I was deeply moved. The sphere was overwhelming to a newcomer. To one with years of training in the music of the former church, it was evident that this was entirely different.

The stress was on the meaning of the words, and there was no repetition of words to conform to a musical formula. Here was a simplicity and directness of musical line that shaped it to the glorious words of the Psalm.
     Psalm XVIII is 23 pages in length, but it has been sung divided into three parts, the first part ending on page 66, the second ending at the top of page 75. When used in a service the three parts can be sung after the three Lessons. The themes are beautiful, and are well-adapted to the meaning of the words.
     The Psalmody contains the first fifty Psalms, Psalm CL, and forty shorter passages from the Word. Two are in Greek words from Luke and the Apocalypse; two are in Hebrew; six are short passages from the Psalms in English; and three are from the Prophets. In addition, there are thirteen in English from the Apocalypse, and ten from Matthew and John. Several of these short pieces have been reprinted in our Liturgy.
     Mr. Whittington also wrote music for Psalms LI to LVI, which are available in booklet form. It is quite likely that these have been sung by our societies in England, but I have never heard them here.

     How did Mr. Whittington come to write all of this music? He was not a professional musician, but a business man. Yet he was a thorough student and lover of music, and he was inspired by his study of the inner meaning of the Psalms as revealed in the Writings. He was familiar with the best music, and England has always been a great country for choral singing. In the days of Henry VIII and Queen Elizabeth, a gentleman having company for dinner would later pass around the parts of a song and a set of viols among his guests; if you did not share in the music, you were not considered to have the education of a gentleman. Both Handel and Haydn wrote much of their music for London audiences. The first performance of "The Messiah" was in London in 1741; and Haydn's "The Creation" was composed for London musicians and audiences. To the present time, oratorios and other choruses are sung much more in Britain than in this country.
     It is probable that Mr. Whittington was familiar with Bach's "St. Matthew Passion," although Bach was not as well-known fifty years ago as he is now, owing to the difficulties of the music; and there were no phonographs until the present century.

But Mr. Whittington has often come to my mind as I listened to Bach's chorus. "All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned everyone to his own way." The music so perfectly pictures, "We have gone astray." but with many repetitions of the words. Then there is an entire change in the music, a new theme, minor and slow, with the words. "The Lord hath laid on Himself the iniquity of us all." We feel that Bach was a mighty composer and a truly religious man.
     The first remarkable thing that Mr. Whittington did was to originate a new form of music that would enable him to express the meaning of the Psalms in singable music. The creation of a new art-form was necessary, first, because the music must change as the thought to be expressed entered another phase: secondly, because repetitions of words were to be avoided.
     Psalm II was one of the first that Mr. Whittington composed, and it is interesting to see how the music is divided into sections in relation to the spiritual meaning. It begins with a spirited unison passage dealing with those who are against the Lord: `Why are the nations tumultuous, and the peoples meditating vanity? The kings of the earth stand together, and the rulers consult together, against the Lord, and against His Anointed." Then follows a harmonized portion of the music, with change of measure and key, as the words treat of separation from the evil ones: "Let us tear off their bonds, and let us cast away from us their cords." Then a short unison passage follows, rising in pitch like a declamation. Then a lovely new theme, in four-part harmony, tells of the Lord's establishing the Church. Again a short declamatory unison, on the dispersal of evil. The final harmonic passage suggests a return to the first theme, but closes in a major key, calling on all to worship the Divine Human. The variety in the music reflects the internal thought of the words; yet one part follows another, blending quite readily. This Psalm has always been a favorite with boys and girls of high-school age.
     Only in the 23rd Psalm, "The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want," is a single musical theme employed throughout. This Psalm is short, being but two pages ha length, and the reiteration of the same theme has an oriental and pastoral quality that is suited to the words.

     There is a great variety in the music of the Psalmody, and this variety of rhythm, measure and key is pleasing, and makes for a smooth delivery of the words. Mr. Whittington did not "write down" to the abilities of the singers, but he looked to the musical culture of the future.
     While the larger part of the music is in four-part harmony we also find two-part and three-part harmony, much variety in measure and rhythm, men singing alone, women singing alone, and the two groups answering one another. Answering or antiphonal singing and speaking is one of the oldest forms of worship, as illustrated in the Word where Miriam and the women answered when Moses sang, Sing ye to the Lord, for He hath triumphed gloriously; the horse and his rider hath He thrown into the sea." (Exodus 15: 21; see I Samuel 18: 7, and AC 8340.)
     In the music of the Psalmody there are often decided changes of tempo which are called for by the subject of the words. Psalm IX, for example, opens with a rapid tempo as a joyous expression of thanksgiving, "I will confess the Lord with my whole heart." But with the words, "The Lord is a refuge for the bruised," the tempo of the music is much slower. To the singer this is a grateful change, and it draws attention to the change of theme in the words. Later the quick movement returns to the theme of thanksgiving.
     We are told that Mr. Whittington often conducted singing practice, and that he liked the people to sing rapidly. Perhaps he used faster tempos than are marked, just as we are apt to do. Many composers have changed their tempos after hearing their music. Sometimes the tempos in the slower passages seem too slow for us. For years I have marked in one copy of the Psalmody the tempos at which the various Psalms are sung in our churches. When we fail to observe the changes of tempo in a Psalm, we lose much of the beauty and expressiveness of the music.
     An earlier writer states that Mr. Whittington wrote the music of Psalm XLV before he undertook to write what we have in the Psalmody. And this 45th Psalm is one of his finest works. Some think it is too long for use in a service, but it only appears so because the organ accompaniment is so elaborate that there are only three lines of words to a page. Yet to sing this Psalm takes just six minutes. The accompaniment is a fine piece of writing, but so difficult that it requires an organist of superb skill.

It really needs an orchestra, as the composer indicated.
     At one time, in a discussion of hymns with Mr. Whittington, someone said that we need hymns to the Lord, not about the Lord. Perhaps that is why Psalm XLV is such a great favorite, for it sings to the Lord. It has not been taught often to the students in the Academy schools, because the Psalms that are most often used must first be taught. But the 45th Psalm was most rewarding when it was taught. Only recently a former student told me that he first began to be aware of the Psalms, and to like them, when we studied Psalm XLV, because they were told that they must sing the solo part beautifully, as they were singing to the Lord. "Beautiful art Thou above the sons of men!"
     Mr. Whittington's music is beautiful and original, expressing a wide range of feeling-humiliation, exaltation, glorification. Should you occasionally hear what seems like an echo of other composers, do not let it disturb you. The greatest composers made their beginnings where their predecessors left off. Bach's music was the pinnacle of a long era of contrapuntal music. Haydn was the forerunner of the classic school of harmony; yet his early compositions reflect the Hungarian folk song and dance. Haydn taught both Mozart and Beethoven, and their early works are much like his. He lived a long life, and it has often been said that the music Haydn wrote in his later years was much influenced by Mozart's compositions.
     How original must a composer be in his musical compositions? Have all the good tunes been written? Did the great composers ever borrow a theme? Let me mention a brief theme that has been used many times, and yet those who used it have never been accused of plagiarism in so doing. It is first found in an old Spanish folk song; then in a lovely aria, "Plaisir d'amour," by Martini, 18th century. Beethoven based upon it the lovely Larghetto of his Second Symphony. It is the beginning of one of the Schumann lieder, "Kennst du das land." Mendelssohn placed it in one of his Songs Without Words; in modern times we find it in the "Merry Widow Waltz" and in the hymn "Lead Kindly Light." These compositions are quite different in every other way, but they all begin with these same four notes, the rhythm making the chief difference.

     Many who read these lines have heard the large and splendid organ in the Wanamaker store in Philadelphia. But how many have heard our Psalms played on that organ, which sounds so wonderful in that great space, reaching up twelve stories? When the organ was completed, Dr. Morgan, then considered the finest organist in this country, came to dedicate it. The Rev. Enoch S. Price gave Dr. Morgan a copy of our Psalmody. I happened to meet Mr. and Mrs. Price on a balcony in the store, and he told me that we would hear one of the Psalms presently. Then we heard the music of Psalm XXIV peal out. How glorious it sounded! I made an effort to be there as often as possible, for Dr. Morgan played twice daily for a few weeks. It seems that he played five of the Psalms, among them XLV and XLVII. He assured Mr. Price that this was great music, and that he was delighted to play it. He said: "Mr. Whittington is an inspired writer. He has given a great gift to mankind."

     Certainly we should honor the composer who gave us this distinctive music, contributing so much to the beauty and meaning of our services of worship. Singing the Psalms together builds a strong bond between the individuals of a group, and strengthens their will to work together for the upbuilding of our Church. As time goes on we shall have other composers who will add to our distinctive music for worship.
     Most of all, we need to practice this music, and we should learn more of the Psalms; we sing a few of them too often, when there are others we would enjoy singing. Bishop W. F. Pendleton, in his later years, said that the Psalms must be taught continuously in the Boys Academy and the Girls Seminary; otherwise they will be lost to the Church in this country. Years ago the schools learned a part of Psalm XXXI for a pageant. When the senior class of the following year had returned, they insisted on learning to sing the whole of that Psalm. But I have never heard it since, though it is beautiful, with a variety of themes most expressive of the words.
     Long ago a choir in Bryn Athyn sang the 50th Psalm, the long passages for bass solo being sung by Dr. Hugo Lj. Odhner, who was then a theological student. This Psalm is one of the finest in the whole Psalmody. Just try the last page on your piano, and you will agree with me. But it must be sung faster than marked.

A good way for a congregation to learn a Psalm is to have the choir learn it first, and then sing it while the others listen with book in hand. Even in the elementary schools two Psalms could be taught, the 3rd and the 15th. I once taught some children to sing Psalm XV, and they loved it.

     After I have said so much about this great gift to the Church, it seems fitting to add a brief biography of the man, which I have gleaned from the earlier issues of NEW CHURCH LIFE.
     Mr. Charles James Whittington was born at Manchester. England. in 1847. He was instructed in the Heavenly Doctrines by his father. His first musical composition of which we have record was a double chant composed at ten years of age, and it was printed in the British Tune Book. He began his business life at the age of sixteen as a clerk in the London Stock Exchange. As a member of the Exchange from 1876 he prospered greatly, and was held in highest esteem in the financial world.
     He became a member of the New Church under the Rev. Rudolph L. Tafel, pastor of the Camden Road Society. After his marriage he lived at Surbiton, and the union was blest with nine sons and three daughters. He had a fine organ in his home, and the members of the family played various instruments. When he had composed the music for a Psalm, they and their friends would play and sing it. He is represented in our Liturgy by four short passages in the Offices, six doxologies, and two hymns, as well as the six anthems previously printed in the Psalmody.
     Mr. Whittington built the Burton Road church, and sold it to the Society for a nominal sum. This is now the home of Michael Church. In his later years (1926) he wrote a book entitled A Brief Introduction to the Theological Writings of Emanuel Swedenborg, Servant of the Lord Jesus Christ, reviewed in NEW CHURCH LIFE, 1927, p. 104. He purchased the copy of the Brief Exposition upon which Swedenborg wrote by command: "Hic Liber est Adventus Domini" (This Book is the Advent of the Lord), and presented it to the British Museum for safe-keeping in perpetuity. (See NEW CHURCH LIFE, 1913, p. 597; 1946, p. 561.)
     There is record of an Academy Supper at the home of Mr. Whittington where education was discussed.

There was talk of the need for hymns,-lyric verse in praise of the Lord as well as the words of Scripture. The spirit of the Letter can be variously expressed. Poetry, like music, is an expression of the affection of truth. We need hymns to the Lord, not only about the Lord. The Academy Color Song was introduced on that occasion. This, and "Our Glorious Church,' are two songs by Mr. Whittington in our Social Song Book.
     We close by recalling a notable occasion when Mr. Whittington was honored for the music he had given to the Church.
     At a Minister's Meeting held in London in 1894, much was said in appreciation of the new music. For a social gathering on August 9th the room was decorated with flags and banners. Bishop W. F. Pendleton spoke as follows:
     "The worship must be an expression of the state of the church. When there is a new state of the church, there must be a new worship to express this state. With a new state of the church, we rejoice in a new music. When we first began to think of the new worship, we thought we should have to depend upon the old music, and we lamented that fact, but still accepted it as a fact in the Divine Providence. But when, in the Lord's providence, Mr. Bostock came to America, bringing some new pieces of music with him. I well remember the effect upon my mind when I heard them. It took form in words to this effect: There is worship in this music. This new music, like all good gifts, is from the Lord, and we are grateful to the Lord for it. And we are grateful to his instrument. The Lord operates through instrumentalities to do His work. It is right that we should be grateful. Gratitude is an essential of charity. We felt gratitude for this music, and we wish tonight to give expression to that gratitude. Mr. Whittington has been doing this work with delight, and gladly, for the church; he has not desired any return except the consciousness that the work is a good and useful work. But it is right for us to go further than that it is right for us to express to him in some form the affection that is aroused in us for the work he is doing; and some have taken a step to do that."
     Bishop Pendleton here unveiled a loving cup of beautiful design, decorated with a seven-stringed lyre, with laurel branches and grape vines.

It bore the inscription: E caelo auditunt est suavissimum melos. (From heaven was heard a most sweet melody. CL 55.)
     Bishop Pendleton continued: "If our brother Whittington will please rise, I should like to say a word to him. This cup, nay brother, is the effect of a spontaneous movement of the church in America and in this country; and it is the expression of the gratitude of the church to the Lord, and to you as His instrument, for the work you have been doing for the church in giving it this beautiful music,-music that rejoices our hearts, stirs our affections for the truths of the church, and affects us as no other music. I know you are thankful to the Lord that you are able to do this work well and thoroughly. You are doing this work well, and we wish, in the name of the church in America and this country, to give you this cup as an ultimate expression of our gratitude. May the Lord's blessing be upon you! May heaven bless you and yours in this world and in the life to come!"
     Mr. Whittington, who had been greeted with cheers on rising, and had been embraced by Bishop Pendleton, replied: "You must not expect me to say very much at this time. Certainly I did not know what I had done exactly, that Mr. Pendleton says so much about this music. It now appears what it was to lead to: and although it is perfectly true that I am sufficiently rewarded by the appreciation of my brethren in the church of the music which it has been a great delight for me to write, still I cannot do otherwise than gratefully accept your expression of charity toward me in this gift, which I shall value very highly, and all the more that it has been presented on such a pleasant occasion as this."
     Among other speakers were the Revs N. D. Pendleton, F. E. Waelchli, Edward S. Hyatt, E. J. E. Schreck, T. F. Robinson, and R. J. Tilson. And the Rev. E. C. Bostock spoke of the great use that the singing of the Lord's Word to such beautiful music was in the schools,-a use that we might find the most far-reaching of all, for it had played an important part in the implantation of remains. (NEW CHURCH LIFE, 1894, p. 137. See 1928, pp. 1 and 35, where a photograph of Mr. and Mrs. Whittington in 1920 is published.)

ORIGIN AND NATURE OF EVIL 1951

ORIGIN AND NATURE OF EVIL Rev. BJORN A. H. BOYESEN 1951

     One of the most difficult things for the human mind to understand is the origin and nature of evil. It is written in the prophet Isaiah: "I form the light, and create darkness; I make peace, and create evil; I the Lord do all these things." (45: 7.) And yet, somehow, the human mind does not believe that these words are to be taken exactly as they sound. We are accustomed to think of the Lord as the origin only of good, and cannot believe that evil may be from the same source. And, moreover, the overwhelming testimony of the Sacred Scripture seems to be entirely in agreement with this our feeling.
     The Lord God is everywhere described as a Heavenly Father of infinite love and kindness; and He Himself asserted when He was in the world that "a good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things, and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things" (Matthew 12: 35); saving also, "Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and every city or house divided against itself shall not stand . . . He that is not with Me is against Me, and he that gathereth not with Me scattereth abroad" (Ibid., 12: 25, 30). Moreover, we are instructed, in His own most beautiful prayer, to turn to Him and plead, "Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil." And we are thereby assured that the Lord's operation is altogether against evil; and that, for this reason, whenever evil is ascribed to Him, it is only a matter of appearance.
     Yet, on the other hand, the fact remains that evil is indeed an actual thing in the world. We have all experienced it, and we have all seen something of it, even in our own hearts. The truth is that temptations could not occur if evil did not exist. In the Greek original of the Lord's Prayer the word which we translate as "temptation" conveys the idea of an attack by some evil force: and the Writings teach openly that temptations are nothing else than attacks from evil spirits, satans, and devils, who excite and inflame the evils in our minds.

     About the actuality of evil in the world there can thus be no doubt. We are all aware of it, and if we are to believe the Sacred Scripture and the Writings we must believe also that it exists as an actual thing in the world after death. But if that be so, if evil is indeed an actual thing, and if God did not create it, from whence did it come, and what is its peculiar nature?
     We believe that the best answer to this question lies in the realization that evil is, in its essence, entirely a property of the human mind. The Writings indeed admit that the Lord provided for the possibility of its origin from the beginning. But they insist also that the possibility of evil is one thing and its actuality quite another. Without the possibility of evil, we are taught, man could have no sense of responsibility, and without this there could be no imputation of either good or evil. Neither hell, nor even heaven, could be established as a result of man's own choice. Heaven itself would thus not appear as if our own; and without this appearance there could be no complete and genuine happiness.
     If we thus recognize, as is the inescapable truth, that evil was in the beginning a mere possibility and in no sense an actual thing, not even a latent force, we must also conclude that the most ancient people were not subject to temptations in the same way as we are. A power which might arise, but which as yet has not even formulated its intentions or gathered its forces, cannot launch an attack. It is not as yet an active urge, nor even a tendency. The fact is that it does not even as yet exist.
     The most ancient people indeed realized that evil might arise and even had some idea as to how it might arise. They saw the possibility of evil. But they also knew that evil would not be a real thing in itself. In fact, they recognized perfectly well that only the Lord's good can be called a real and actual thing: and that even good becomes only an appearance of good when it is ascribed to man. For man is, at best, only an image and likeness of God; and images and likenesses are nothing but appearances, to whom, moreover, only appearances can be ascribed.

But we should note carefully that it does not therefore follow that appearances are nothing. On the contrary, they are exactly what they say they are, namely, various manners and modes whereby the Lord's good appears; and the fact is that manners or modes are not nothing. It is indeed true that they are relatively as nothing when compared with the Lord Himself or the good that is from Him. But in relation to each other they are actual enough. They have, in fact, as much of reality as any created thing can possibly possess as of itself. They are real and actual qualifications which are, moreover, infilled with substance from the Divine, and they therefore become as real subjects or things. But the inner truth nevertheless remains that their substance continues to be the Lord's good, and that only its qualifications can be ascribed to the creature as his own. Consequently the good and the evil that are thus imputed to man are only of this latter kind. They are both mere qualifications, and they are absolutely nothing else. But in order that man may have a sense of responsibility they are so closely associated with the substance that they seem to inhere in it. For this reason man may seem to himself to be self-creative and self-directed, so far as others do not interfere with him from without. He seems to be entirely free, internally or spiritually, if not always externally; and capable of deciding his inmost nature. If he wills, he may even confirm the appearance that he himself is the Divine. Of course he does not have to do this, for he may also realize the truth.
What, then, is the logical consequence of this teaching? The truth is that evil is not the opposite of the Lords good. There is nothing in existence which is directly opposed to the Lord. If there were, we should have to concede that there is a personal devil who is co-infinite and co-eternal with the Lord Himself, and who is equal to Him in power and majesty. And this is patently an absurd doctrine. It is dualism, which is a belief in two gods, one of whom is good and the other evil, and whose powers cancel each other because they are equal. This would amount, in effect, to the negation of each god, since neither can prevail, and thus to the denial of any supreme God. And if the existence of creation is still believed in, this admission is equivalent to the doctrine that nature is its own creator, and therefore its own god; or, as dualism teaches, that all the evil things in nature were created by the evil god.

In the last analysis, dualism, atheism, materialism, and polytheism are all the same, and differ not at all from pantheism or idealism: for whether their devotees recognize it or not, they are all a complete denial of God and of creation itself.
     The only possible alternative to these doctrines is belief in one God, who is both the creator and preserver of the universe, and from whom there is nothing but good. And this tenet, we submit, is the same as the teaching that evil has another origin than the Lord, and that it is not the opposite of His good. If it were, the end of creation could not be achieved.
     Evil is therefore the opposite only of human good; and since that good is only an appearance, evil also is only an appearance. It can exist only as a matter of relation to man's good, and is, indeed, only such a relation. But as noted already, this does not therefore mean that it is nothing. On the contrary, it has exactly as much appearance of reality as man's good has: and has, in fact, arisen from man's acceptance of the appearance of good for good itself, whereby the truth which the Lord had accommodated to man's understanding was turned into falsity, and thus the appearance of good into evil. And it was this evil that became the direct opposite of human, but not of Divine good.
     It should therefore be perfectly obvious that evil had an altogether human origin. While its possibility was indeed provided by the Lord from the beginning, its actual appearance resulted from man's abuse of the powers with which the Lord endowed him. The difference between human evil and human good is that good, even as an appearance, is actually in agreement with the Lord's good, and is therefore still the Lord's, and is only imputed to man as if it were his; whereas evil is an appearance which is in every respect only from man, even though it sometimes seems to be from the Lord. To the childlike and to the wicked it even seems to be the Lords opposition to Himself; and it is according to this appearance that the Word speaks when it says: "I form the light, and create darkness; I make peace, and create evil; I the Lord do all these things." But this is only an appearance, for there is absolutely nothing that can directly oppose the Lord. All that evil can do is to combat His presentation of Himself.

We may thus return to the teaching previously stated, that whereas evil was in the beginning only a mere possibility, and not even a latent force, the most ancient people were not subject to temptations as we are. If we are to retain the definition that temptations are attacks by actual evil spirits, then temptations could not possibly occur before men had created the appearances of evil and imputed them to themselves. A power which within the realm of possibilities might arise, but which had not as yet arisen, could not launch an actual attack. In the Golden Age, therefore, evil was neither an urge nor even a tendency. The only actual influence on man's mind at that time was the appearance of the Lord's good, whereby man was inspired by the Lord to receive from Him the affections of good and truth. The only prompting which then existed was the voice of the Lord's revelation calling on man to refrain from the creation of evil appearances.
Nor has the Lord's activity undergone any essential change since that time. It is perfectly true that since men originated evil by confirming the appearance of self-life they are now also subject to actual influences from hell, calling upon them to confirm the evils of the race before them and to form additional evils of their own. Nevertheless, these new forces, which do cause temptations, have not in the least altered the Lords essential effort. The work of His love is still exactly the same as in the most ancient days. The appearances of good, and thus His revelations, may in some measure have been modified to cope more successfully with man's growing evils. But the whole purpose of the Word is still to inspire man with the desire to receive from the Lord the affections of good and truth; and the voice of His revelation still urges us to refrain from the origination and confirmation of evil. Thus today, as in ages past, the Lord does not lead us into temptation, but delivers us from evil. His arms are still stretched out toward us in infinite love, to lead and guide us in the ways of peace.

CANADIAN NORTHWEST 1951

CANADIAN NORTHWEST Rev. KARL R. ALDEN 1951

     A Pastoral Visit

     (Continued from the January Issue.)

     After leaving Secretan I got off the train at Swift Current, where I took to the air for the first time this summer. It was really lovely and there was a thrill in every landing and every take-off. I was met at the Edmonton airport by Dr. and Mrs. Madill who have been my hospitable hosts ever since I first visited there. The following day I visited Mrs. Norbury, who has been bedridden with a nervous breakdown for a year. She had somewhat recovered, and we spent a delightful hour playing her compositions together. She said. "I knew you would call," and I surely felt complimented.
     Now I must mention my lunch with the Rev. Peter Peters and the service in Edmonton. I called Mr. Peters right after breakfast and asked him to be my guest at the hotel. Erwin Reddekopp had written him about my visit to Winnipeg and our joint service there, and we had a frank and free discussion of the Church in general and my work in Canada in particular. I stressed the fact that our interest should be in the growth of the Lord's church, regardless of human organizations. My invitation to have a joint service was accepted. He conducted the service and I played the hymns and preached the sermon. The congregation was adult and completely receptive After the service Mr. Robinson, an Englishman, presented me with the offering, making at the same time a complimentary speech. All spoke to me and thanked me for the message.

     After the service I boarded a plane for Gorand Prairie. It looked as if we might be delayed, for the first large drops of a thundershower began to fall just as we took off. But the pilot soon flew around and above the storm and then the air was as smooth as glass. The plane landed at 12:10 am., and as no one was there to meet me I went to the downtown York Hotel, only to find there were no rooms. Then I phoned Ed Lemky, who runs a service station and learned that he had left for the airport ten minutes before. Early in the morning John and Ed Lemky located me at the hotel, and we enjoyed blaming each other for what had happened. It was three o'clock by the time we got to John's house, and we sat up until a quarter to four talking of this and that.
     There was a warm atmosphere of cordiality among the Gorand Prairie people, but I missed Walt and Maud who were in Calgary. The first day I called on Art Patterson and his family (Eva Lemky). The men were sawing poplar logs, seven men working together being needed to handle the big logs, and when they were through they came into the house.

It is fun to be taken into the hearts of these strong, rugged men. One of them played the saxaphone, and we played together. When I left he shook hands warmly and said he hoped we would meet again. So wonderful is the spell of music that we seemed to be old pals.
     At nine o'clock that evening we had a service at Mother Lemky's, at which I preached on the New Jerusalem. We decided to end our Gorand Prairie assembly with a banquet. The women prepared a gorgeous supper, after which we had a church service. Then we gathered round the long and festive board for toasts to the Church and some songs. I was in what might be called the ideal situation for a toastmaster. I had to write all the songs, call on all the speakers, and make all the speeches. After a toast to the Church responded to by "First in Our Hearts," I borrowed Mr. Robert Caldwell's old song, "The New Church Forever, the New Church for Me," and wrote a chorus for Gorand Prairie and verses for each member. The chorus went:

"Gorand Prairie forever, Gorand Prairie for me.
The place of all places where I like to be,
Where New Churchmen harvest their crops every year.
And live a grand life that is free from all fear

     I arrived in Dawson Creek only to find no one to meet me. The poignancy of my lonely situation was enhanced by observing a wife standing on the platform with a little boy of three. A man came up, and she literally leaped into his arms. Evidently he had been gone a long time l At last I took a taxi, called on the four Miller girls, and then visited Mrs. Shearer and arranged for a meeting at her house. About that time, Fred Heinrichs met me in a brand new Dodge. We drove out to his house, and that evening had a service there at the farm which the Shearers attended.

     The following day I had planned to go out to Gorand Birch to visit Grady Moore, Mike Kerchuk, and Alvin Nelson. Fred Heinrichs kindly drove me out in his new car, and Mrs. Heinrichs and the children came along. When we arrived, who should be waiting there but Grady with his team and a hay rack. He had provisions and was planning to take me to his cabin for a bachelors' holiday. However, I told him that I wanted very much to visit a lumber camp, and suggested that he return to the camp, thirteen miles away, and I would join him as soon as I had seen the other bachelors. After a pleasant two hours with Mike, Alvin, and Slim Martin, Fred drove me to Fugle's lumber camp. We passed Grady a mile from the camp. By the time he arrived I had been comfortably housed in the cabin of Bill Fugle, son of the boss. As soon as Grady got into camp I went with him to the barn to unharness and feed his horses. He is a sweet, gentle man, kind and loving to his horses. Everywhere he went he was followed by his four faithful dogs, who obviously thought him about the finest thing in human nature.
     Supper was eaten with the lumberjacks who were very silent because a minister was present. Afterwards Grady and I took a walk through the forest, following the logging trail.

The trees are from ninety to one hundred feet high, and Grady, a real nature lover, bemoaned the necessity of cutting down such beautiful things as trees. We took about a three mile walk into the forest. The setting sun, whose rays came through the trees, cast long, long shadows like the "thoughts of youth." "Man," said Grady, "is represented by a tree. "Yes," I said, "The many branches correspond to his reaching perceptions." "The cycle of life, from seed to tree to seed and back again" was Grady's comment. We talked of the wonderful freedom for use that the comparison provided.
     As the shadows gathered and deepened, we returned to the camp and to the home of Bill Fugle. There I played my violin. At the end of the second piece Bill said, "I'll have to get some others to hear this." So he went out and returned with his father and mother, his brother Bud and his wife, and his sister Thelma and her husband. I played until it was quite dark and then put on the lantern pictures. First I showed the pictures of Grady and his father, then our family, the Benade Hall fire together with the new school building and the schools, and on to pictures of people I had visited, taking time to tell the quainter stories. They proved to be a fine audience, laughing at all my jokes and funny experiences. Sometime I must write an essay on the joy of talking to new audiences who have never before heard any of your jokes.
     Later, while I was sitting writing, Bill Fugle came in and out of a clear sky said, "The boys have been talking it over and asked me to find out if you would conduct a religious service for them." "Indeed I will," I answered. "It will be a genuine pleasure." That is the first time I have been asked by perfect strangers to preach for them, and I consider it a high privilege. No sooner had I committed myself than a horn honked, and who should be there but my old friend Marshall Miller, who had driven from Dawson Creek to find me. I invited him to shy and have service with the lumberjacks, but press of business made this impossible. So I promised to return to Dawson Creek early next morning so that we could have a visit before he hart to return to Hudson Hope.
     Kay, Bill Fugle's wife, was a great help. I had not brought any of my songs, and she produced a typewriter and some carbon paper and then dictated while I typed out the songs so that there would be enough for those at the service. I made Out the simplest of services, but was determined that it should be our service. Something on which Kay put her finest inn teas funnel for an altar, and there I placed the Word. After that I devoted myself to the children in the camp, ten under the age of six. By this time I had won their hearts with the magic of the violin. I had them singing various songs, and then told them the story of the Tar-baby. One little boy, Brad, said, "Why don't you play at my house?" He was Thelma's son, so I promptly followed him to his house and continued to play for the children there.
     Every lumberjack in camp attended the service as well as Mrs. Shepherd, the cook, and all the bosses. The children went to bed and were wonderfully well behaved. For my text I chose John, 16: 12, "I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot hear them now." First I said that since we had never worshipped together before I wanted them to know how we did it.

"We rise when we open the Word because we believe that wherever the Word is open that room becomes a temple of God.' I explained Also I instructed them in kneeling facing the Word. We commenced by singing one verse of "Nearer, my God, to Thee," and this was followed by a prayer, the lessons, and another hymn. Then I launched into my sermon with these words, "I do not hope to convert any of you men, but I do want you to know why a minister from Philadelphia would come all the way up here to give one of his members the Holy Supper." Then I went into a full but simple explanation, first of the trinity and the life after death, and finally of the doctrine of correspondences.
     Usually the people are silent about the sermons, but here six men and several women told me they had enjoyed this one. The attention had been excellent. Old Mr. Fugle said, "I don't want you to think that I am a suspicious character, but I was interested in your saying that you did not expect to convert anyone. Most ministers that come in here wrap their arms around my neck and hug me, and ask, 'Are you saved, Mr. Fugle?' When you said you had no hope of converting me you disarmed me and I listened. The cook came up and said she had to raise three of her daughter's children and wanted to know if she could send them to Bryn Athyn, and at what age and cost.
     I received a cordial invitation to spend a week with them next year, and was asked to send them literature and any sermons that I might write. I felt that a deeper impression had been made on these people than on any other group of strangers that I have ever spoken to. The fart that they asked roe to preach put the psychological advantage in my hands. They were duly impressed with the slides, which were shown to them after the service.
     Next morning I was awakened at five by the bang of a 30-30 deer rifle. It turned out to be only one of the lumberjacks shooting to scare off Grady's dogs. As I came over to breakfast I heard one of them say, "There are too many dogs in this camp!"

     Bill and Kay Fugle drove Grady and me to Dawson Creek. We stopped Mike Ryan, the mail man, on the way and I took his picture, which turned out to be a beautiful shot. After an hour's chat with them at the hotel I went over to Marshall Miller's. There I met the whole family, and then had lunch with Marshall and Jean at Marjory Peters' house. Toward the end of the afternoon I went back to the hotel. Grady stayed with me there and we had quite a chummy time. After making ourselves at home we went to Mr. and Mrs. George Shearer's for supper, where we had a service and a showing of the pictures later. Fred Heinrichs came next morning to take me to the farm but came too early. I still had studying to do on my sermon, so I sent Grady out with him and John Peters. They amused themselves until two o'clock and Grady enjoyed it to the full. Then we all had lunch together. It was one of the few times he had gone out to lunch with a group of New Church men. We got out to the Heinrichs farm at three-thirty.
     "Lena," said I, "we want lots of flowers. This is a very special service, for George Shearer has just asked me to baptize him and his son Billy, and to confirm Mary, his wife. This will be followed by the Holy Supper. So, you see, we can't get too many flowers."

I appointed Mrs. Peter Peters as head of the flower committee. She in turn got the little girls to help, and the altar was beautiful when they were finished. Meanwhile I went over the service with Lena, who was acting as pianist for the occasion Marjorie Peters had gone to Hudson Hope with her father, but we were delighted to welcome John, her husband, as well as his brother and his wife. "Now my husband and I and son are all one faith." was Mary's remark at the end of the service. This is the kind of experience that makes the trip so satisfying.

     That night I traveled to Fort St. John, from whence I left early next morning by plane for Vancouver. There I was met by Gwen Craigie and her two children, David and Faith, who lost no time in taking me over to their home. In the afternoon I visited John Peters' sister, who had just had a serious operation, in the general hospital. Then I looked up Arthura Bond, who is married and with her husband runs a bakery. After supper at Craigies', Margaret and Elden Fairburn joined us. Lady Daniel, and Mr. and Mrs. Joe Pritchett, came in later, and we had a service together, followed by a brief account of the Nineteenth General Assembly. Afterwards they drove me to the boat which was to take me to Victoria, on the island of Vancouver.

     I had told Fred Frazee not to meet me, as I did not wish to get up as soon as the boat docked. Fred and Olive Frazee proved to be the only Church members present in Victoria, but their warm-hearted friendship made up for the lack of numbers. Three delightful days were spent with them. The first evening. Mr. Arthur Robinson, a friend of Fred's, joined us at the service. On the last day we had lunch together and they saw me off on the bus to Nanaimo, where I spent a day and an evening with the William Harms family. They lost their house by fire last Christmas, but their neighbors had been wonderful to them and a more beautiful house of modern construction stood in the place of the former one. After supper Linda, age fourteen, took me over to see if Evelyn Rolfson would play the guitar for the service as she had done two years before. The guitar was hanging on the cabin wall, and it did not take too long to persuade her to come. She has a beautiful natural voice and her singing also was an addition to the service.

     I left Nanaimo that afternoon and was once more met by my genial hostess, Gwen Craigie. There were three days to spend in Vancouver, and I took time to call on the Rev. John Zacharias, Mrs. Jacob Hiehert, Jake Friesen, and Helen Kisuk (nee Hiehert). We had a service at the Pritchett's home, at which the eighteen month old baby of Helen Kisuk was baptized. The following day was Sunday, so we determined to have church at eleven o'clock. It was at Joe Pritchett's house, and Ceri played the piano while Joe sang an interlude. Alec Craigie went over and brought Jake Friesen, who had been shot in a bear hunt and was convalescing in Vancouver.
     This service was followed by a dinner which we may well call the Vancouver Assembly Banquet.

The Fairburns had come in from Mission City, and after dinner we had half an hour of music before it was time to depart for their home, where I had agreed to have another service and baptize their baby. The service was held in the living room of their lovely new house, at Mission City with just the family present, and was solemn and impressive. Next day we got up early and journeyed to the real Indian Mission from which the town gets its name.

     That noon I boarded the train for Kamloops, where I was met, in a drizzling rain, by Leslie McLean. "Have you any engagement for tonight?" was his first question. "Not a thing," I replied. "Fine," he said. "My minister brother is at the house and I want you to meet him. He just dropped in today." So we went first to the hotel. Then, armed with fiddle music and my beautiful copy of the Bible, we drove to his house. It was full of guests, to whom I was presently introduced. First I insisted upon playing a few pieces, and then after about twenty minutes the brother and I began to chat.
     He had said that he had to leave in half an hour, and I saw that he was so set in his ideas that it was no use trying to convert him in such a short time. Leslie was much disappointed at that as he had wanted to see a battle After his brother had left at nine thirty, and Joy had put the children to bed-two boys of their own and two girls belonging to the brother-I said to Leslie, "I saw that your brother holds as true the things that I hate. If we had had time really to discuss them, I would gladly have exchanged views. But as the time was so short I felt it was futile to contradict him." He agreed that that was right, but still felt disappointed.
     When his wife came in I played a few more pieces, and at ten-thirty suggested that they call a taxi for me. Both said, "Must you hurry off?" When I explained that I just didn't want to keep them up too late. Joy asked me to have a cup of tea or coffee with them. I accepted, and then Leslie and I got out our copies of the Bible and began a real talk.
     Said he, "You don't know what you did to me that first night we met five years ago. You completely convinced me of the unity of God and the falsity of the idea of three persons. I went on to finish my theological course, but knew I could not be satisfied with the doctrines I was taught. I went out one summer and preached in the Pentecostal Church, but Joy called me back for the baby. I never returned to preaching. The real reason was that I did not want to go back. My whole scheme of theology had been altered by reading and studying The True Christian Religion. I had been brought up in such a strict religious home that, I realized, I had not been thinking for myself. The first thing I had to do was to try to think for myself. I know now I can never get rid of all those early remains. They are part of me, part of the way the clay has been molded. Now I no longer think I know all the answers. Who am I to tell all the world? I got a job in the land office, and now I feel I think too much to be a minister."
     "That's rather hard on me," I ventured. "Well. I would have had to start in some other ministry. Then I might find again that I could not believe it all," he replied.

He then described what his present convictions were: God is love; the Logos or Divine Word was Jesus Christ, the only God, who always was; man's life must evermore become perfect love. "Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect." I stayed until 12.30 a.m. As he brought forth each point of his new faith I told him how much of it was New Church and wherein it differed.
     The following morning I went up to see Mr. A. G. McDonald. He did not look a day older than the last time I saw him, two years ago. I had two hours with him and then went back to Leslie's for lunch, after which I returned to Mr. McDonald's for two hours in the afternoon He was terribly upset to hear of Bishop de Charms illness. I entertained Leslie and Joy at supper in the hotel. We had a very interesting conversation until it was time for my train. One of the parting things Leslie said was, "I had no idea how much Swedenborg had influenced my thinking."
     When we got to the station, what a thrill! There were the Craigies, four strong. Alec had some business in Kamloops in connection with opening a new branch of the Imperial Bank, and he took that means for us to have one more contact. It was not without a deep sense of regret that I said goodbye to all these warm friends.
     The train pulled into Revelstoke at two a.m. Fortunately I had a reservation at the hotel. About midnight, on the way down from Kamloops, there had been a general demand by the passengers of the car that I play some music. With such an affirmative audience the task was most enjoyable. About one o'clock I put my fiddle away and slept until we arrived.
     I was just about to leave Revelstoke when who should appear but Leonard Fisk. He told me that Ernie was in town rounding up the lumberjacks to take them back to camp. As they were going by bus I decided to cancel my train trip and go with them, which gave me a fine visit with these splendid young men. At Arrowhead I boarded the S.S. Minto and was gratified to find that Captain Esterbrook and Mate Manning both remembered me as the "fiddling parson." Most of my time was spent in the wheelhouse, where I met various distinguished guests; among them the member of Parliament for these forty thousand square miles, and the wife of another skipper.

     Just after we docked at Nakusp, Norma Funk came on board and said hello. I knew she was working here and had written to ask if I could take her to a movie that night. Bert Toews, who was working on use boat as coal passer, said he would join us, and it proved to be a very pleasant party. We stopped in for ice cream afterwards. Norma joined us on the boat and returned home with us to Renata the next day After breakfast the following morning I got a fine colored photograph of all the officers: Captain Esterbrook, Mate Manning, Purser Jack Edmonds, and Engineer Laurence Exton.

     We were met at the boat by a number of Renata people and I was taken to Abe Harms', where I was to stay. Alma (Mrs. Harms) has been a Sunday School teacher there for some five years and after she and I had an earnest conversation about the problem of bubble-gum in Sunday School, work in Renata began in earnest.

We had Sunday School that afternoon from three to four-thirty, and orchestra practice from four-thirty to six; the orchestra consisting of Henry Funk, playing bass on the violin, Agatha Friesen playing alto, and myself playing soprano. We worked hard and the music was very helpful in lending spirit and color to the service. Gorandma Harms came over, having heard me practising scales. She said to Alma, "Why does a man who can play like Mr. Alden still have to practice?"
     The five days in Renata passed all too rapidly. However the Sunday School picnic proved a fitting climax to a happy stay. The final Sunday was a busy one. We had church at Gorandma Harms' for the adults, and at three o'clock the children came for children's service. There were twenty children present, and the orchestra played the hymns. In the evening I showed them my lantern slides. My boat left next morning at eleven forty-five, and the whole congregation came down to the lakeside for a wonderful picnic. Men, women and children all turned up, and we had a gay and friendly time, enhanced by roasted weiners, songs, pop, and the general joyousness of outdoor life.

     When I got on board the Minto I found that the railroad strike had been called for the following day, so I merely said hello to Mrs. Peter Letkemann, who had come down to the boat to meet me at Robson West, and I was forced to abandon my call on Mr. and Mrs. Tonkin at Cranbrook. Instead I took the bus from Trail to Spokane and had a wonderful time. After we passed through immigration and customs and settled down, I found myself in one of the rear seats where smoking is allowed. So I suggested a little singing to liven up the trip and soon had the whole bus singing "Pack up Your Troubles," "Swane River," and the like. We played and sang for about two hours, and when we got to Spokane several of the passengers said to me, "Gee, you made that trip pass fast."
     As soon as we arrived at Spokane I got in touch with Mr. William Hansen. We then contacted his brother Carith and asked him to come over that evening. Carith plays the violin and William the piano. After a pleasant musical evening I parted from Carith affectionately and he invited me to have lunch with him the following day at the Chamber of Commerce. It was in 1944, seven summers ago, that I first met these New Church men, and they agreed with me that it seemed just like last summer. We had a very interesting lunch at the Chamber of Commerce and heard the president speak.
     Carith said he wanted very much to have a service and suggested that we hold it at Kobberoes'. They welcomed the suggestion. Those attending were Bill and Helen Hansen, Carith and Alice, Carl Sorenson, and Mr. and Mrs. Kobberoe. There was an excellent sphere. The quiet administration of the Holy Supper to that dignified, earnest group made a profound impression on me. William Hansen played the music. After the service I showed pictures for an hour and then they served refreshments.

     After three days I flew to Walla Walla, where I was entertained by Miss Antonia Pribilsky and her two nieces, Marian and Carol Johns.

In the evening a number of relatives and friends came its to supper, and there were nine present at the service. Antonia told me how her father came into the church. He was a barber and a great reader One day he purchased a compendium of Swedenborg at the secondhand book store He was interested in it and showed it to his minister. "Don't react that stuff Swedenborg was crazy, advised the pastor. So Mr. Pribilsky laid aside the book some years later they had moved to Idaho, and due to an epidemic were shut up in their homestead for quite a while. When he had read every other brink in the house he turned at last to Swedenborg, and read literally until three a.m. reading bits here and there aloud to his wife. Soon he was a thorough convert, and then it was that they moved back to Spokane. There he became acquainted with Mr. Emil Hansen, the father of William and Carith. They began having a reading class together, which resulted in the New Church circle that is there now.

     The next day Miss Pribilsky and Coral drove me down the beautiful Columbia Highway to Portland, a gay and jolly ride. Without too much difficulty we found the home of Mr. and Mrs. Henry Mellman (Sylvia Synnestvedt) where a cordial welcome awaited us.
     Next day I went over the service with Dorothy West, who had agreed to have it at her house. Alexander Iungerich had called and asked me to baptize his baby. The whole service was quite thrilling. Dorothy is an old pupil of Mrs. Bessie Smith, an excellent pianist with a lovely instrument. I made ten copies of the words of the five hymns we used and she played "The Holy City" for an interlude. We had magnificent flowers, and in addition to the Holy Supper vessels, Sylvia furnished a silver bowl for the baptism. Those present were Mr. and Mrs. Homer West, Alexander and Dorothy Iungerich and their three children, Ethel Westacott White, Mr. Westacott, and Sylvia and Hank Mellman. Alexander lives at Brownsville and had to drive seventy-five miles to have his six day old baby baptized The following day Miss Pribilsky and Carol Johns joined the Mellmans for a happy picnic at the foot of Mount Hood.

     The Mellman family drove me to the airport on August 27th, and I boarded a plane for San Francisco. It was a DC-6, and we flew at 16,000 feet. The ride was very exhilarating, and among other things we flew over Mount Shasta and looked down into the deep crater, which must have been more than a mile wide. The plan arrived on time, and Frank and Lottie Muller met me at the downtown office of United Airlines. It was good to see Lottie again. She had been a member of my Chancel Guild in Toronto more than a quarter of a century ago.
     After dinner we had a service at Mullers. There were five present, the others being Lottie's brother, Will Caldwell, and Mr. and Mrs. Martin Beebe (Jane Kintner). It was the first time they had ever had singing, and although there were only five of them present they loved it. After supper and the dishes were done, I showed them my pictures, waxing enthusiastic over our faculty and giving them a good Academy pep talk.

     Jane and Martin took me out next day to visit the home my son Robert had occupied while he was in San Francisco. It was good to have an opportunity to get to know them a little better. That night I went out with Jerry Bundsen and spent the evening at his home, conducting a service at which his father and mother and his brother were present. The following day Fergus Joy met me at the train when I returned from Bundsens, and together we went up to Caldwell's. He drove us down to the boat, for we had determined to take the two-and-a-half hour trip around the harbor. We regretted that business demands made it impossible for Fergus to accompany us, but it was good to see him for a short time. The man who advertised the cruise called it "sophisticated," but we were unable to discover why. However, it was a wonderful trip. There are probably few harbors to compare with San Francisco. We saw the Golden Gate Bridge, and Alcatraz, and got back to Lottie's just in time to catch the Lark,-crack train for Los Angeles.

     Arrived there, I went at once to the home of Bill and Jane (Umberger) Schroeder, where Jane's genial entertaining reminded me of her gracious mother. We had been invited to have dinner that evening with the Rev. and Mrs. Henry Boef at the Mona Lisa, a very fine restaurant, and after this dinner I conducted a service in Mr. Boef's church. The following people were present: Ruth Davis, John Potts, Don and Ruth (Barry) Zuber, Bill and Jane Sehroeder, Mr. Frazier, Buddy and Madge Davis, and Henry and Virginia Boef.
     On the second day of nay visit I went to the home of Emil and Evelyn Stroh, at Ontario, where there was an engaging visit with these old friends. About four in the afternoon I took the train to Riverside and contacted Mr. and Mrs. Lawson Cooper and their two children. We spent the evening in quiet conversation but did not have a service.

     Next day I took the nine p.m. train from Los Angeles for Tucson, Arizona. I thought I would see what the club car was like, but there was no fun there. Each person sat reading, and sipping his drink, and no one spoke to me or to anyone else; so at ten o'clock I got my fiddle and headed for the coaches and some adventure. I had to pass through the dining car, and there the waiters,-about seven colored men,-asked me for a tune. They all had the true negro love of music, and sat in rapture as I played to them for about an hour. Then I went forward to one of the coaches and some men in the men's room hailed me in. One, a very cultured Scotsman, said he had been a professional violinist, but had had an accident which crippled his right hand. This traveler, who had known Fritz Kriesler personally, examined my violin with great care and pronounced it a fine instrument. He wanted me to play for him all kinds of fine classical music, and I obliged him as much as I could. There was also an Italian who called his children in to be inspired by the music. The Scotsman told me his name, and when he asked for mine I held up the tag on my violin, "Rev. K. R. Alden." "Frankly," he said, "I am an atheist." He asked me about Swedenborg and said he was going to call on me in Tucson. He and his wife lived in Phoenix. That concluded my nocturnal adventure.

     The next morning I had the pleasure of having Mrs. Frederick K. Steiner, wife of the preeldeni of the Poenix Symphony Orchestra Association, introduced herself to me In her husband's name she very kindly offered me a job playing in the orchestra!
     My daughter-in-law, Helen, met me at the station. Two services were held in Tucson, the first being at the home of Guy and Helen, where the Holy Supper was administered. The second meeting was at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Robert Carlson (Barbara Gyllenhaal). Mr. Carlson is an accomplished violinist and consented to play the hymns for the service. I gave a fifteen minute talk on the New Jerusalem descending from God out of heaven, which was followed later by a talk on New Church education illustrated with the pictures of the school and the Benade Hall fire.
     My stay in Tucson included a day with my son Guy in Mexico. We arrived at the border at three p.m. crossed without any fuss, and entered a little town. All the kids were jabbering at us its Spanish as we went along the streets. There is apparently no middle class there, just the very rich the very poor, and they are a merry people. As we passed a school the recess bell sounded and the kids came piling out into the school yard to play. I wanted to get a picture of them, but did not know they were so superstitious. To my surprise they ran away from the camera as though it had been a shotgun. Then a crowed began to gather, and while I was taking their picture some boys sneaked up from behind and threw handfuls of dust on my hair and down my neck. This proved the basis for much discomfort during the rest of the day.
     We visited the silver bazaar and purchased some trinkets and an Indian Mexican chair. However, after about two hours of visiting, I had seen enough of this part of Mexico. On the way home Guy stopped the car, put it into reverse, went back about a hundred feet, and stopped. There in the road was a large tarantula, with a leg spread of six inches.

     The rest of my stay in Tucson was taken up with social visiting at the various homes, which was most enjoyable. From there I took the traits to Fort Worth, where I met some old friends and pupils. The first service held there was at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Robert Pollock. On Sunday, which was the next day, we held the service at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Tom Politick. Dr. and Mrs. C. E. Doering had arrived by train from Bryn Athyn the night before, and it was my privilege to have them at the service which was attended by almost one hundred per cent of the Fort Worth Circle. As my plane for Philadelphia left at 12:40 it did not give me much time for social contact after church. However, I left Fort Worth with a feeling of the warmest friendship toward the group there, and my only regret was that the stay had to be so short.
     On the way home I passed through a severe thunder and lightning storm just north of Knoxville. This delayed the plane somewhat. It was with a feeling of wonderful happiness that I greeted my wife and family at the Philadelphia airport after being gone eighty-two days.

NOTES AND REVIEWS 1951

NEW CHURCH LIFE
Office of Publication, Lancaster, Pa.

Published Monthly By

THE GENERAL CHURCH OF THE NEW JERUSALEM
BRYN ATHYN, PA.

Editor               Rev. W. Cairns Henderson, Bryn Athyn, Pa.
Business Manager          Mr. H. Hyatt, Bryn Athyn, Pa.

All literary contributions should be sent to the Editor. Subscription, change of address, and business communications, should be sent to the Business Manager. Notifications of address change should be received by the 15th of each month.

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     THE CHURCH AND SWEDENBORG

     The General Church is distinguished from other bodies in the New Church by its estimate of the status of the Writings. It accepts their own testimony that they were written by the Lord, and are in no sense the works of Swedenborg but the very Word of God. Yet from the beginning, the spirit of loyalty to this concept-which gave birth to the Academy and to the General Church,-has inspired a more profound, scholarly, and accurate study and appraisal of Swedenborg's life and own works than has arisen anywhere else; and there is no other body of the Church in which the affectionate remembrance of him is so fully sustained, or in which he is held in more grateful love and high honor. This may seem to be inconsistent, so it might be useful to consider as his birth anniversary has just recurred the reasons why it has come to pass.
     Swedenborg's office was to receive with his understanding the Heavenly Doctrine of the New Church and to make it public by the press; and the testimony is, that he did not receive anything relating to the doctrines of the Church except from the Lord alone.

Thus the Writings are not Swedenborg's works, for they are not the understanding of the Word at which he arrived by reading, study, and reflection. Nor are they the product of his fallible attempt to express a revelation made to him. They are a Divine revelation given through Swedenborg, and written by the Lord through him as an instrument; for while he indeed had to analyse, reflect upon what he heard and saw, and then formulate it in natural language as if of himself, his thoughts were so guided by the Lord that the doctrines could not have been written in any other words than those which were finally used.
     Thus it is clear that the New Church is not "Swedenborgian," except in the special sense in which Swedenborg himself defined the term as "the worship of the Lord our Savior." The teachings it was established to promulgate are not Swedenborg's but the Lord's. Nor was Swedenborg the founder of the New Church. Spiritually, of course, it was established by the Lord; naturally it was not organized until some years after his death. And it is not to Swedenborg that we look, either for the truth or as man's example. Yet the fact remains that we study his life and works, hold him in love and honor, and delight in sustaining the affectionate remembrance of him. There are many reasons why we may do so, and of these at least a few may be noted here.
     It is well known among us that the Divine Providence cannot be seen in, or before, the events in which it operates, but only after they have occurred; and in the case of Swedenborg, the Divine Providence can be seen in retrospect more clearly than in that of any other man because it has been revealed by the Lord Himself. Swedenborg was given to testify that all things of his life prior to the opening of his spiritual sight had been governed by the Lord; and that from 1710 until 1744, he was being prepared by the Lord to teach spiritual things naturally and rationally by being introduced into the natural sciences, and by the love of investigating and teaching natural truths, and afterwards, spiritual truths rationally. And as we study his life and his own writings, we can see more clearly than in the case of any other man the secret Divine leading which prepares for spiritual uses.
     As we read and reflect upon the story of his life, we can see how he was prepared in arcane ways for his office.

We can see how he was prepared by the exacting discipline of the sciences to observe accurately and to criticize his own observations, by his studies in philosophy to analyse rationally what he had observed, by the truly simple life of a good Christian to think wisely about the results of his analyses, and by hard-won humility to submit his will to the Word and the leading of the Lord. And as we study his scientific and philosophical writings, we see another side of his preparation. We see how the Lord, by leading him first to investigate nature as if by his own efforts, and then to labor in the field of philosophy, so formed his mind that it could receive Divine inspiration. And that is, or should be, the supreme reason why we study Swedenborg: not that we may collect information about a man, but that we may see manifested in his life the wonders of the Lord's providence, and be moved to love more deeply the Lord who alone could work those wonders.
Yet while the gratitude evoked by the name and memory of Swedenborg should be directed to the Lord who raised up and prepared His servant, and then gave him to perform his use, there is a place in the church for gratitude to Swedenborg himself. His part was that of an instrument in the hands of the Lord. But he was a human instrument; a man endowed with freedom like others, and having legitimate loves, ambitions, and desires. Although his consent was foreseen by the Lord, it was necessary that he should choose freely to perform his use; that he should be ready to submit his life to the Lord's will and call, and to follow the Divine leading. And if we consider this we cannot but feel gratitude to the man: especially when we remember that at an age when most men are contemplating retirement he laid aside the work his own inclinations bade him follow, and in which he was just beginning to achieve fame: and that not only was he unaware just what his use was to be, but that he was also required to stiffer more than any other man. Furthermore, we must remember that while he was directly inspired, he had to work hard and as if of himself in setting forth the Heavenly Doctrine; and this, too, will surely call forth gratitude when we consider the magnitude of the task, and how justly and faithfully it was performed.
There is reason, then, why we should feel gratitude for Swedenborg and gratitude to him. And it is quite fitting also that he should receive the affection of the church. Truly to love the neighbor is not to love the person, but those spiritual qualities which are in him from the Lord, and especially to love the use in the performance of which those qualities are employed.

And in the case of Swedenborg we can do just this thing-supported by the testimony of the Writings,-more certainly than in the case of any other man. For we find in him that content with a place of use and a modest competence, that desire to be of service and yet be self-effacing, which spring from the worship of the Lord and the love of use. We find in him an implicit trust in the Lord in the face of grave uncertainty as to the state to which he was being led; and a serene confidence in spiritual danger and suffering-even in temptations so severe that without special protection he must have succumbed or become insane.
     In Swedenborg we find also a true humility Although his outward life was blameless, he sincerely acknowledged himself to be a sinner and the least worthy of all. Intellectually he attained to the same humility; for we are told in the Writings of his perception that what he knew, understood, and was wise in was as a drop to the ocean compared with what he did not know and understand. It was for this reason that he could be given, as the Writings say he was, that spiritual love of truth which consists in loving it for its own sake. And, finally, we find in him an unquenchable zeal, a tireless energy, and a thoroughgoing industry, employed successively for the advancement of his country, the good of mankind, and the glory of God.
     These are all qualities for which, as they existed in Swedenborg, we may properly feel a sincere affection. For in loving them we are loving the Lord, from whom they came, and a response which was Divinely inspired and empowered although humanly used; and we will not be moved to real appreciation of his character unless we have some love of the truths contained in the Writings. In the highest sense, the love we feel for Swedenborg is not a personal affection but the love of his use, the love of the interior truth of the Writings which it was his use to present before men.
     So in sustaining the affectionate remembrance of Emanuel Swedenborg we are actually keeping alive in the church the affection of love to the Lord. The revelation is the Lord's, and it is to Him that our gratitude and love go forth on account of it. Yet we may, without transgressing any Divine law, be grateful to the man who submitted willingly to his call, and for twenty-seven years discharged justly and faithfully the arduous duties of his high office. We may also love him and cherish his memory.

For what we love is not the man himself, who was born into evils as are all other men, but the spiritual qualities he appropriated through resistance of evil and manifested in his life. In loving these we truly love the neighbor because we love what is from the Lord And in so doing. we love the Lord Himself who, as revealed through Swedenborg, will prepare and inspire men to see Him in the Word and in nature, and to love Him as the one only God of heaven and earth.
There is, then, no contradiction between our intense interest in, and high regard for, Emanuel Swedenborg and our conception of the Writings given through him as the Word of the Lord for the New Church. When we gather again every year to pay tribute to his memory, the affection from which we do so may be that of love to the Lord and for "Our Glorious Church."
"IN THIS WILL I BE CONFIDENT" 1951

"IN THIS WILL I BE CONFIDENT" 1951

More than one country in which the General Church is established has reintroduced compulsory' military service, expanded its scope, or extended its duration. Unless the world picture brightens considerably we may soon be called upon for total mobilization. The immediate result of this situation is that more and more young men in the Church now engaged in preparing for their chosen occupations face great uncertainty as to their future. Not only does it seem inevitable that the completion of their studies must be postponed but there is also nothing definite as to how long the delay will be, or even, in some cases, as to when it will begin. Will they be drafted? When will they be called up for training? May they hope to be granted deferment until some part of their work has been finished?
These are troublesome questions which will be answered only as the future becomes present. It will not be surprising if they induce a feeling of living on borrowed time which makes concentrated effort increasingly difficult. And if they should result in a spirit of restlessness, and a momentary wonder as to the possible futility of continuing with a program perhaps soon to be interrupted, no one with imagination will cavil, but will quickly feel an understanding sympathy.

     We cannot foresee the future. Whether the world is again to experience a total global war is unknown to us. But we are engaged, increasingly, in preparation for active defense in the event that such a war should be thrust upon us by the forces of aggression. And because of this, the one thing which appears certain is that more and more young men in the Church, and perhaps young women also, must face an interruption of life as they know it: a break of uncertain duration in the continuity of the program they have mapped] out for themselves, war, or preparation for war, always involves just this; an interruption of what we call, with stark realism or sardonic humor normal living."
     Fortunately however, there need be no interruption in that which is most vital in our lives-in the day-by day endeavor to enter into the life of spiritual charity which is New Church life. Much else must be sacrificed to' the exigencies of war: but although the external difficulties are undoubtedly increased, there is no need to feel that we must stop being New Church men until the conflict is over, and it would be dangerous to entertain the feeling. We cite the Heavenly Doctrine when we say that "wars which have for their end the defense of one's country and the church are not inconsistent with charity" (TCR 407e); and we believe that this statement applies also to preparation to defend if necessary those freedoms without which social and spiritual order cannot be preserved.
     The guiding doctrine here is the teaching that "every man who looks to the Lord, and shuns evils as sins, if he sincerely, justly, and faithfully does the work of his office and employment, becomes a form of charity." This is given as a chapter heading in the little work, The Doctrine a] Charity; and to make clear that a man may become a form of charity in any occupation that is of use and need, and that the occupations of the armed forces are included, the same chapter, in nos. 164-166, enumerates the things in which charity consists with a commander-in-chief, the officers under his command, and the private soldier.
     Induction into the armed forces involves separation from civilian occupations and, in most cases, from the physical environment of the Church. But charity is a spiritual affection which may be expressed through one occupation as through another. The real environment of the Church is spiritual; its ultimate, while desirable, is not indispensable.

And a man may discharge his duties in the service from precisely the same motive as that which animated his pursuit of his studies in college or his performance of his peace time occupation, without any loss of quality. It is no exaggeration to say that a man may exercise as much charity behind a bomb-sight as behind a teller's wicket, on the bridge of a destroyer as in a law office, in a tank as in a store, on war construction as in an industrial plant. Whatever else we may have to give up until the present conflict is over, a total effort does not require that anyone need give up temporarily being a New Church man or woman. As far as that is concerned, we are simply presented with a new environment in which to look to the Lord and shun evils as sins, and a different occupation to perform sincerely, justly, and faithfully
The teaching of the Writings that "the wars which take place in this world are ruled by the Divine providence" (DP 251) indicates that in war, as in peace, there is a stream of providence into which men may enter, or against which they may react. What the Lords providence does is to present men with opportunities, and although the means may change the opportunity is not thereby taken away. These things are quite well known in the Church, but it may not be amiss to recall them at a time when grave uncertainty is causing so much confused thinking in the world and leading so many to a sense of futility. We would not depreciate the sacrifices that max' have to be made,-the hopes deferred, the plans indefinitely postponed. But whatever else is uncertain, in this we may be confident: that in the occupations of war, as of peace, men may become forms of spiritual charity; and the Lord and His kingdom may be served on land, on the sea, and in the air as well as in the organized activities of the Church and in the pursuits of peace.
VERSION OF LIMITED APPEAL 1951

VERSION OF LIMITED APPEAL 1951

HEMELSCHE VERBORGENHEDEN (Arcana Coelestia). By Emanuel Swedenborg. Vol. VI, nos. 4422-5100, Genesis xxxiv-xl. The Hague: Swedenborg Genootschap (Society), 1950. Cloth, 626 pages.

A copy of this sixth volume of the
Dutch translation of Arcana Coelestia came to hand recently.

The first four volumes appeared at regular intervals between 1926 and 1929: but Volume V, published in 1941, was not received until four years later, a delay no doubt entirely due to the war.
     Prior to 1920, translations of the Writings into Dutch were made chiefly by Mr. Gerrit Barger, and his work has been described as a faithful rendering of the original into clear, readable Dutch.
     The first volume of the work under review was translated by Mr. Zelling, the Rev. Ernst Pfeiffer entering later as consultant, and the first four volumes were regarded as creditable except for occasional peculiar usages. In the case of the volume before us, there is no indication as to whose work the translation is. The present reviewer has no Dutch, but two opinions have been sought and it seems evident that we have here a further specimen of the style that has become peculiar to the Swedenborg Genootschap. The main principle of translation apparently still is that there is a Divine order in the word sequence of the Latin of the Writings and that this order is to be carried over even at a sacrifice of the literal meaning of the original text, a violation of the rules of Dutch syntax, and the expense of good style and usage. An outmoded spelling is retained, and we are informed that the version bears no resemblance to good Dutch literary style.
     One can only wonder with an earlier reviewer of some of its productions, the Rev. E. E. Iungerich, why the Swedenborg Genootschap does not concentrate on encouraging its members to learn to read the Writings in the original, instead of attempting to create a new Dutch language and thus persisting in putting forth the Writings "in a tongue not understandled of the people." And we must join with other reviewers in protesting against the appearance of the portrait of a lady on the front cover. The fact that the model can be readily identified is not the point at issue, but that any illustration upon a book of Divine revelation is surely objectionable.
     It may safely be said that such translations will have only a limited appeal, and will do little to commend the Writings to the educated men and women of Holland. And if the Swedenborg Genootschap cannot change its principles of translation it is to be hoped that someone else will arise who combines with sound Latinity the desire and ability to render the original faithfully into good literary Dutch.

HOW EASILY TRACED? 1951

HOW EASILY TRACED? RICHARD R. GLADISH 1951

     Editor of NEW CHURCH LIFE:

     A recent editorial in a contemporary journal notes that the late George Bernard Shaw referred to Swedenborg at least twice in his writings, and informs us that Shaw told an agent of the Swedenborg Society at a book exhibit that he had all of Swedenborg's Writings and that in his opinion it was Heaven and Hell which was most likely to attract the average reader. The article then says: "The influence on Shaw of the Seer of the North is easily traced in their scripts. (The scripts are Joan of Arc and Adventure of the Black Girl in Search of God.)
     It would be interesting to see some evidence from the works mentioned, or any other by Shaw, which the writer believes shows signs of Swedenborg's influence. It is interesting to hear that Shaw possessed a complete set of the Writings, but the references to Swedenborg which occur in the prefaces to Joan of Arc and Androcics and the Lion are practically interchangeable stereotypes in which Swedenborg's name is included in a short list of "seers of visions and hearers of revelations." It is true that one scene in Man and Superman is set in hell, but there is nothing to show that it is anything but the traditional hell presided over by a master satirist in clowning mood.
     In the office in which I write there are, among other things, a set of the Encyclopedia Britannica, a set of the Writings, several books of poetry, and a stack of New Yorkers. If it were of interest to anyone to try to trace from my library my theological and philosophical interests, and the works that have most significance in my life, a superficial study might disclose that I had been most greatly influenced by the Encyclopedia because that takes up most room in cubic inches. Or, if I hadn't thrown out a bunch of New Yorkers recently it would be possible to show that this periodical had influenced me slightly more than the Writings.
     There is another way to find out the extent of the influence of any given system on a man's mind and life, and that is to examine what he has written and said.

If this is done, the real degree of influence to which he would admit publicly becomes apparent.
     An examination of a considerable segment of Shaw's writings shows that he is indeed much preoccupied with religion, and with the major problems of life and conduct. However, there is no evidence, to this writer's mind, that he is influenced any more by Swedenborg doctrines or thinking than I am by the Encyclopedia or the New Yorker. He is influenced by the New Testament, and vitally interested in the teachings of the Lord; but he picks and chooses pretty cautiously in the Gospels. He says, and we applaud: "There has never been a more monstrous limitation perpetrated than the imposition of the limitations of Paul's soul upon the soul of Jesus." (Preface, Androcles and the Lion.) But he also says that the New Testament tells two stories about Jesus; the first of the Atonement, which Shaw rejects, and the second: "the story of a prophet who after expressing several interesting opinions as to practical conduct . . . lost his head: believed himself to be a crude, legendary form of God." (Ibid.) The accounts of the resurrection, the parthenogenetic birth, and the more incredible miracles are rejected as inventions; and such episodes as the conversation with the devil are classed with similar conversation recorded by St. Dunstan, Luther, Bunyan, Swedenborg, and Blake.
     Shaw has penetrated to several realities of the Christian religion and rejected some of its stupid falsities, but if the Writings were among the means whereby he attained his convictions he has, I should judge, taken extraordinary pains to conceal the influence.
     If it becomes of interest to anyone to find out more exactly what his attitude to the Writings was, something might perhaps be gleaned from conversations with his friends and associates in England, and I for one would be mildly interested in the results of such an investigation. Yet the man's work speaks loudly and directly enough for one to get a reasonably fair idea. If Shaw was interested in Swedenborg it was a minor interest, and quite on the outer fringes of his consciousness. It takes large amounts of faith, hope, and charity, these three, to reach any other conclusion.
     RICHARD R. GLADISH
Bryn Athyn, Pa.
December 29, 1950

Church News 1951

Church News Various 1951

     FORT WORTH, TEXAS

     It is with a certain amount of regret that I write this report as it will be the last one over my signature. In a group as small as ours, it is only right that the few jobs there are should be shared by all, so after three years as corresponding secretary I feel it is time for someone else to be "heard from." However, I want to thank everybody for their kind help and advice, especially the Rev. W. B. Caldwell and the many members of the Sound Recording Committee to whom I have had to write.

     Rev. and Mrs. C. E. Doering.-During Mr. Alden's visit the Rev. and Mrs. C. E. Doering arrived for a stay of six months. Need we state that to have a resident minister lot that length of time is a blessing almost unknown to the isolated? Dr. Doering has been conducting our Sunday services and is giving us two classes a month. To date these classes have been on New Church education-a subject on which Dr. Doering knows whereof he speaks. I am sure that our circle is gaining much spiritually from having two such fine people in its midst.

     Pastoral Visit.-In September we welcomed the Rev. K. R. Alden on his first visit to our Circle. Your scribe, who had never met him, simply scanned the airport for a violin case, and then addressed the gentleman sitting next to it. We were right! Mr. Alden told us many stories of his adventures, and during his visit showed us some good movies of the new Benade Hall. We had a wonderful sermon on the vision of the New Jerusalem descending out of heaven from God seen by John and described in the book of Revelation, and another excellent sermon on the Holy Supper. We attempted to record this on tape, but due to incomplete erasure of a previous recording the result was not deemed clear enough for library use.
     For social entertaining of our guest we had a group supper at the George Fuller home, at which Mr. Alden regaled us with some impromptu poetry pertaining to all the members. It need scarcely be added that a visit from Mr. Alden is a musical one. At all the meetings a dozen or so feeble voices rang out to the accompaniment of the fiddle.

     Seasonal.-We in Texas have enjoyed a beautiful summer and fall, but at present writing are having a slight chill which will no doubt abate in a day or two. We read with much head wagging of our northern cousins suffering a deluge of snow.
     While at this writing Christmas is still in the anticipatory stage, at the reading thereof it will be past. So to each and all of you we extend a belated but sincere seasonal greeting. The world now seems dark, but surely ii all men everywhere could but truly have the Lord in their heart we could really have peace on earth."
     RAYE POLLOCK

     DETROIT, MICHIGAN

     We are now able to give more definite information about how our members from South Africa are faring in their new environment. Both the Rogers and Forfar families finally located and were able to lease suitable living quarters. Our new Pastor and his family, after much delay and confusion, got possession of the house mentioned in our last report, and the Forfar family has moved into its new home.

     In spite of the strain connected with house hunting and the work of getting settled, Mr. Rogers has conducted services for us regularly during what must have been a trying time for him. This we have all appreciated very much indeed. In fact, as soon as our new Pastor arrived in Detroit all our activities were resumed, and they are all running smoothly under his very efficient leadership.
     Mr. Scott Forfar, we are happy to report, is now connected with one of Detroit's largest and most reputable bakeries. This concern is just completing a large new plant, where his skill as an expert baker will make him a most valuable executive.

     Christmas.-The Rev. Norbert Rogers conducted two Christmas services for us. The first was especially for children, of whom we were surprised and delighted to have the record number of 21 under 12 years of age. The five children of our Pastor and his wife helped to give us this ratifying total, and there were several young visitors. At this service the music consisted mainly of familiar carols, and in place of a sermon Mr. Rogers gave a talk to the children, explaining that the real happiness and joy of Christmas spring from states of the angels which are communicated to those who read and reflect on the story of the Lord's birth and also endeavor to live according to His commandments. Avery flue lesson, useful for children and adults alike.
     Following this service a real Christmas dinner was served, at the conclusion of which there was a short program of entertainment and a distribution of gifts to the children by the Pastor. Then came the big moment when Santa Claus appeared in the person of Bruce Elder, with much cheerful banter and a bag of candy for each child. Lusty carol singing brought our Christmas festivities to a close.
     New Year.-At the service on Sunday morning. December 314 our Pastor's text was: But as many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name (John 1: 12.) The sermon stressed the necessity of man's cooperation with the Lord in the process of coming into conjunction with Him. The Lord alone actually conjoins, but man must reciprocate by learning and living according to the truths of doctrine revealed in the Writings. Mr. Rogers also explained how the Holy Supper, worthily entered into actually serves as a means of conjunction with the Lord. This was a fitting introduction to the administration of the Holy Supper which followed, and at which there were 29 communicants. At this service we were pleased to have with us a visitor from the Sharon Church, Chicago, Miss Irene Lindgren.
     Following their custom of many years standing, Mr. and Mrs. Norman Synnestvedt invited the entire Detroit Circle to greet the Near Year at their home. On this occasion a record crowd of 39 attended, and as it's always fair weather when New Church friends get together, a most enjoyable evening resulted.
     After the arrival of the New Year had been suitably celebrated with much noise and exchange of friendly good wishes, a toast was offered to the Church. This was responded to by our Pastor in an appropriate little, speech, at the conclusion of which he proposed a toast to our former Minister and his wife, now in London. This was responded to with heartfelt enthusiasm. Our new members from South Africa received an ovation when a toast was proposed to them, and then followed a rousing toast to our host and hostess, after which the festivities were continued. By the time the last guest had left for home, the New Year, with what it may bring of good or ill, had been very thoroughly welcomed.
     WILLIAM W. WALKER

     THE CHURCH AT LARGE

     General Convention.-The Rev. Immanuel Tafel, former pastor in St. Paul, and General Pastor of the Illinois Association, now serving the Kenwood parish, has also been appointed resident director of the Swedenborg Philosophical Center, in Chicago.
     The Boston Chapter of the Swedenborg Fellowship, in making plans for its Swedenborg birthday celebration in January, announced that it hoped to secure as speaker Signe Toksvig, author of the biography, "Swedenborg-Scientist and Mystic."
     A news item in The New Church Messenger reports that another milestone in the work of the New Church in Germany was reached on November 5, when, on a visit of the Genital Pastor, the Rev. Adolf L. Goerwitz, of Zurich, a Sunday service, was held in Frankfurt for the first time. The service was held in the home of Dr. Arthur Prochaska, and the Holy Supper was administered to thirteen communicants.
     In a letter to the Editor of The Messenger, Mr. L. Eric Wethey refers to the famous Colonial Town at Williamsburg, Va., and suggests a "Swedenborg Village" as a means of interesting and instructing people about Swedenborg, his life and times, his work and his teachings.

     "The New Church in Australia."-The Sydney Society of the New Church, which has been under lay leadership since its formation in 1875, is seeking the services of a minister for a minimum period of three years.
     We learn from The New Age that in conformity with Minute 32 of the General Conference a copy of The Life of the Lord by Bishop George de Charms, has been forwarded to each Society in the Association for use in its Sunday School.

     "The Lord's New Church Which is Nova Hierosolyma."-The Rev. Durban Odhner expects to leave with his family for South Africa in the middle of February. He will assist the Rev. Philip N. Odhner in his society in Durban and in the Theological School of the Naive Mission. Mr. Odhner states that the Society in Durban has seventeen members but that other people are actively interested.

     Swedenborg Foundation.-At a meeting of the Board of Directors held on December 11, 1950, the Rev. Karl R. Alden was elected a Life Member of the Swedenborg Foundation, and was also elected a member of the Board of Directors to Serve until the next Annual Meeting in May, in place of Judge Allen M. Stearne, resigned.
CATHEDRAL BOOK ROOM 1951

CATHEDRAL BOOK ROOM 1951

The Word of the Lord. New Church Canon. Full Morocco. $7.50.
The Tabernacle of Israel. By George de Charms Mimeographed and bound in spring back binder. Illustrated with 15 photographs, $6.50. Without photographs, $3.50.
The Cathedral Church of Bryn Athyn. A Handbook. 25 cents.
What is Swedenborgianism? By William R. Coopoer. 10 cents.

MILITARY SERVICE COMMITTEE 1951

MILITARY SERVICE COMMITTEE DORIS PENDLETON 1951

     Announcements

     Bishop Willard D. Pendleton announced last month in NEW CHURCH LIFE the reorganization of the Military Service Committee. At this time the committee is temporary and flexible because of the confused state of the world situation. However, the hope is to meet our members need of help and affection from the Church as far as possible. With this in mind, we hope to receive many useful suggestions from those who have served before.
     The first monthly issue of the "Communique," bearing a message from Bishop Pendleton, was sent out in December. We would appreciate more cooperation in the matter of information regarding names and addresses of persons in the services. Miss Wren Hyatt, Bryn Athyn, Pa., is the Secretary.
     DORIS PENDLETON.
          Chairman

MARY OF MAGDALA 1951

MARY OF MAGDALA WILLARD D. PENDLETON 1951

NEW CHURCH LIFE
VOL. LXXI
MARCH, 1951
No. 3
     "The first day of the week cometh Mary Magdalene early, when it was yet dark, unto the sepulchre." (John 20: 1.)

     According to tradition it was Mary Magdalene who sought the Lord in the house of Simon the Pharisee and washed His feet with her tears. If this be so then it was she of whom He said, "Her sins, which are many, are forgiven; for she loved much." We know not whether she was that woman, but we know that like that woman her sins were many, for it is twice recorded in Scripture that she was possessed of seven devils. Her condition was grievous. None, save the Lord, could cure her infirmity. In commanding the evil spirits to come out of her the Lord redeemed her mind. Her gratitude was such that from that day forth she followed Him. Like the woman who sought Him in the house of Simon the Pharisee, she loved much. He was her Rabboni-her beloved Master; He for whom she willingly forsook all in order that she might serve Him. In her devotion she was faithful, even to the end. It was she who with the other women stood by His cross; and it was she who while the disciples hid "for fear of the Jews" went out to the sepulchre while it was yet dark. Truly, she loved much; had this not been so she could not have served as a representative of that exalted affection which is known as the love of truth.
     In this she was like, yet at the same time unlike that other Mary, who bore the Divine seed. They were alike in that they both loved Him; they were unlike in that one was a virgin daughter of her people, a woman who in the purity of her heart spake unto the angel, saying, "Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word." (Luke 1: 38.)

In her innocence her heart was free from duplicity and deceit. Of all women, she alone could serve as the matrix of the Divine seed. In her representative capacity, therefore, Mary of Nazareth stands forth in Scripture as that virginal affection of truth whereby the Lord is born in the heart of man. Were it not for Mary of Nazareth-that childlike state of innocence-no mortal could ever be saved. Hence the significance of childhood, that celestial state of life wherein man is imbued with those exalted affections called "remains." Of these affections the Divine matrix is formed. No other medium can serve as the mode of the Divine descent. In Mary of Nazareth, therefore, is the hope and salvation of her people.
This virginal affection of truth, however, although it alone can serve as the medium of the Divine descent, is not equal to the conflict of life. Thus it was that whereas Mary of Nazareth bore him, it was Mary of Magdala who went out to the sepulchre on that first Easter morning. She, of all women, was chosen as the witness of the resurrection. Like Mary the Lord's mother, she too represents the affection of truth, but her love for her Master was not inspired by a state of virginal innocence; rather did it arise from a profound sense of need. The distinction is important: the one is a love which does not know the meaning of evil; the other is a love that is conscious of sin. There is a world of difference between these two affections-a life-time of conflict and temptation. Nevertheless, it is the same love; the distinction is one of state.

In reflecting upon the distinction between these two states we note that whereas one is characterized by an uplifting of the spirit, the other is founded in grief. It was Mary of Nazareth who said, "My soul doth magnify the Lord, and my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Savior." It was Mary Magdalene who stood outside the sepulchre weeping, because they had taken away her Lord, and she knew not where they had laid Him. (John 20: 13.) In every new beginning there is joy, but the reception of truth brings with it the perception of evil resident in self-life. Herein the spirit is brought low and the representation passes from Mary of Nazareth to Mary of Magdala.

The one is a virgin affection, pure and innocent; the other is the sorrowing woman, yet a woman who in her sorrow is drawn to the Lord. She had need of Him-urgent need. He alone could sustain her. Thus it was that even in death, when to all appearances He was lost to her forever, she sought Him, sorrowing.
     We say she sought Him, yet according to the testimony of Scripture she had prepared sweet spices for His burial. In itself this seems to be evidence that Mary believed that this was the end. Faithful to the tradition of her people she went to the tomb in order that she might perform the last rites, yet in her heart there was hope-a hope which she did not comprehend. Bear in mind that from the day of her cure Mary had followed the Lord: time and again she had heard Him speak of the things which were to come to pass. At the time she had not understood His words, but surely in this hour she was mindful of those things. She did not know what it was that she expected, but unlike the disciples she had not lost hope.
     The spiritual affection of truth is the one constant factor in the life of regeneration. Our faith is a fragile thing. In time of temptation it gives way to the fears that evil induces. Thus it was that the disciples, although they professed Him, hid behind closed doors. The faith which they represent is not equal to the doubts which arise in temptation. Were it not for Mary-that spiritual affection of truth, that love which is engendered in childhood and strengthened in the successive trials of later life-no man could resist the implication of doubt. Like Peter we would deny Him, not once, but thrice. It is Mary of Magdala who is the support of the spirit. She it is who seeks the Lord among the dead in the dark hour of the night. Like the disciples, she too is fearful, but her need is great, and in her heart there is hope.
     It was therefore with a mingled feeling of hope and fear that Mary went out to the sepulchre. Finding the stone rolled away she dared not look within. In agony of spirit she turned away from the door and stood outside the sepulchre weeping. In her grief she knew that sense of abandonment which is the portion of every penitent heart. When in temptation man believes himself to be forsaken. Yet despite the appearance of abandonment man is not alone.

100

It is true "He is not here." We will not find Him among the empty sepulchres of former states, for "He is risen." Even as the angels said unto Mary, "Why seek ye the living among the dead?" (Luke 24: 5.) It was here that Mary had erred. Confused by grief she had sought the Lord among the dead, but as He Himself had said, "God is not the God of the dead, but of the living." (Matthew 22: 32.)
It is a common saying among men that "Love is blind." This is true in states of temptation. By reason of evil our fears are accentuated and we lack rational perspective. The Word which He has spoken is not forgotten, but its meaning is not comprehended. We seek Him among the appearances of former states, but He is not there. We do not realize that these past states have been "weighed in the balance and have been found wanting." No man can turn back. The life of regeneration is a spiritual progression, a gradual intromission into more interior states of life. Time and again we would return to the past, but the affections of former states cannot sustain the spirit; they are not equal to the need of the moment. If we would find Him we must look for Him among the living-among those new states into which we are introduced by way of temptation. Temptation is not the end-this is only the appearance; it is the sign of a new beginning. In spiritual conflict man's life is purified, ancient illusions are dissipated and our loves are cleansed of their impurities. New life, new vision is given, and man is resurrected from the dead.

This is the meaning of the resurrection. In rising from the tomb on the third day the Lord gave evidence of His Divinity. By virtue of this supreme miracle He established the Divine promise from the beginning-the oath which He sware to our fathers-that from that day and to all eternity He would rise again in the hearts of men after each successive temptation. Indeed, in all temptation it is as if He were dead. This is the appearance, induced by the hells. He Himself, in that last fearful hour, cried out, saying, "My God, why hast thou forsaken me?" In this we, too, bear His cross. In moments of extremity we, too, are afflicted. In greater or less degree, depending upon the severity of the temptation, we too, know the meaning of that sense of failure which seems to mark the end.

101

Yet in apparent failure lies the seed of victory. Each end involves within itself a new beginning.
     In this renewal of spiritual life the promise of the resurrection is fulfilled. As the Lord said. "And I if I he lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me." (John 12: 32.) He spake of His love-of that Infinite love which would draw all men unto Him in His kingdom in the heavens. For "As a father pitieth his children, so the Lord pitieth them that fear Him." (Psalm 103: 13.) Thus it is that as each successive state of life leans to its fall, a new state is provided by the Lord. It is the resurrection of the spirit-the elevation of the mind into a more interior perception of truth.
     According to the record in John, Mary Magdalene had not yet looked into the sepulchre, but finding the stone rolled away she sought Simon Peter and John. In her grief she stood outside while these disciples entering in found the linen clothes lying in the place where the body of the Lord had lain. Not comprehending, these disciples returned to their home. "But Mary stood without and as she wept, she stooped down, and looked into the sepulchre, and seeth two angels in white sitting, the one at the head, and the other at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain. And they say unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? She saith unto them, Because they have taken away my Lord, and I know not where they have laid Him." (John 20: 11-43.) And they said, "Why seek ye the living among the dead? He is not here, but is risen." (Luke 24: 5, 6.)
     It is a notable fact that the first and the last of the Lord's life on earth was revealed by the angels. It was to Mary of Nazareth that the Angel Gabriel was sent from God to announce the Divine birth; it was to Mary of Magdala that the angels revealed His resurrection from the dead. This is the high and holy service which the heavens render to man. Through them comes that illustration by which the earth-bound mind of man is enabled to see the Divine Human of the Lord. Yet this first perception is not so much a thing of the understanding; it is a perception of love.
     It is only as a state progresses that the truth seen is submitted to the understanding. Then it is that man comes into the conflict of temptation, that doubts arise, and the perception is obscured by fallacies arising from the loves of self and the world.

102

Yet through it all there is one abiding affection, one love, which although it suffers much, does not yield.
This love, which is represented by Mary Magdalene, is the spiritual affection of truth. Were it not for this love the church would not exist, except as an empty form, a whited sepulchre, a habitation of the dead. For life is love, and where there is no love there is no life. Influx is according to reception, and reception is determined by the sense of need. In ordinary states of life man is not conscious of his need; but when doubts arise, when he is caught in the conflict of spiritual temptation, his sense of need is great. When faith fails we know that the Lord alone can deliver us. Yet we know not where they laid Him. To all appearances He has been taken away. It is only an appearance, however, for in reality the Lord is intimately present. In time of temptation He draws nearer to man than in any other state. This is because when man is in temptation his need is the greatest.
Thus it was that in turning away from the door of the sepulchre Mary saw one standing before her. Because of the tears which dimmed her sight she did not know Him. "Supposing Him to be the gardener she saith unto Him, Sir, if thou have borne Him away, tell me where thou hast laid Him, and I will take Him away." (John 20: 15.) In states of extreme grief the sight of man's spirit is blinded by emotional stress. We perceive the truth, yet we do not comprehend it. The sorrow of the moment is all-consuming, and we are not aware of who it is that stands before us. Then it was that the Lord said unto her, "Mary." In that instant she knew Him. He had called her by name and she knew it was He from the sound of His voice. It is the same with all men who love Him-in the sound of His voice, in the Word which He has spoken, we know Him. It was enough-in the mention of her name Mary was assured. Unlike the disciples, she did not require some tangible evidence of His Divinity. Love does not reason. In itself it is sensitive of the presence of the one who is loved. With one word she acknowledged Him, for she said unto Him, "Rabboni, which is to say, Master." This one word involved all. Hereby she identified Him as the One whom she had known and loved.

103

He was her Master, the Lord Jesus Christ, who in His resurrection from the dead was now revealed as the God of heaven and earth.
     In her acknowledgment of the Lord's Divinity. Mary was faithful to her representation. It is love, not faith, which is the first witness of the glorification. Did we not love the Lord we would not believe. Our faith could not, of itself, resist the implication of doubt. The spiritual affection of truth, however, is a simple woman of Israel who knows nothing of subtly or deceit. To her the implication of doubt has no appeal-indeed it is a severe affliction. Like that other Mary, she is innocent-not innocent in the sense that she knows not the meaning of evil, for her sin is before her; but innocent in that she is willing to be led by the Lord. Of such is the kingdom of heaven. Amen.
LESSONS:     Luke 7: 31-50. John 20: 1-18. AC 6221.
MUSIC:     Revised Liturgy, Hymns, pages 548, 551, 557.
PRAYERS:     Revised Liturgy, nos. 81, 87.
WHY THE LORD ALLOWED HIMSELF TO BE CRUCIFIED 1951

WHY THE LORD ALLOWED HIMSELF TO BE CRUCIFIED GEORGE DE CHARMS 1951

     An Easter Talk to Children

     The Lord came into the world to save all men from the power of hell. He wills to save everyone, and to bring everyone into heaven. But this He can do only for those who love Him.
     We all have to learn how to love the Lord. When you are babies you do not know who the Lord is, and so you cannot love Him. But as you grow older you are taught about the Lord. You are told that He is your Heavenly Father who loves you, who protects you, who provides for all your needs, and showers you with blessings, every hour and every day. You are taught to thank Him for these gifts, morning and evening, and at each meal. You are taught that you must show your gratitude and love by learning and keeping the commandments of the Word. And so you think that you love the Lord.

104

     No doubt you do. Yet it is quite possible to love the Lord merely for the sake of yourself. It is possible to love Him because He gives you what you want. And when He does not give you what you want, it is possible to think that the Lord has forsaken you, or that His power to help you has been taken away by His enemies.
     So it was with the Lord's disciples. They thought that they loved the Lord, and indeed they did. But there was something of selfishness within this love that spoiled it. And if they were to come into heaven, this selfishness had to be removed. They loved the Lord because they thought that He would set them free from the yoke of Rome; because they thought He would become a great general and lead the Jews in battle to triumph over their enemies because they thought He would become the most powerful king in the world, collecting tribute from all other nations; and because they thought that the Jewish people would become rich, and that they themselves would enjoy wealth and honor above all others.
     The Lord spoke to them of heaven, and urged them to "seek first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness" promising that if they did this, "All these (other) things would be added unto them." But they were so intent upon the things of earth, the things they wanted for themselves, that they did not realize the meaning of His words. They thought only of a kingdom on the earth.
     When, therefore, the Lord was betrayed by Judas, arrested and condemned by Caiaphas the high-priest, and delivered by Pilate to be crucified, they could not understand why this should be permitted. Even to the last they hoped that the Lord would do a great miracle such as would convince even His enemies of His Divine power and would bring all men to worship Him. So when they saw the Lord die upon the cross, their hopes of earthly power died with Him. They knew not what to think. They could only stand afar off and watch in fear and wonder, and in deepest sorrow. Yet this was the only way in which their love of the Lord could be cleansed from what was selfish.
     When they saw the empty tomb, when they beheld the Lord alive, and knew that all the hatred of His enemies had been powerless to do Him harm, then for the first time did they see Him truly, and know that His kingdom was not of this world.

105

Then did they realize what He meant by seeking first the kingdom of God and His righteousness; seeking to serve the Lord, and to do His will, without thinking of themselves, but thinking only of how they might bring happiness to others.
     We also must learn that lesson. For we, too, begin by loving the Lord because we think He will give us what we want. And when He does not give us the things we long for, when He takes away from us the things that seem to give us most joy and happiness, we do not understand. It seems as if the Lord did not love us, or as if He was unable to help us because the devils of hell had power to prevent Him from doing so. It may even seem as though the Lord we loved had been put to death.
     Evil spirits do hate the Lord and try to kill Him. But they cannot harm Him in the least. If we let them, however, they can kill our love for Him, and in so doing make us evil like themselves.
     The disciples did not know how to love the Lord, but still they loved Him as well as they could. And even when the Lord had been crucified they went on loving Him. Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of the Lord, and Salome, and other women who had followed Him, prepared spices to anoint His body. And early in the morning, the first day of the week, they came while it was yet dark, and found the stone rolled away. And looking in, they saw that the sepulchre was empty. Then an angel told them that the Lord had risen.
     Later the Lord Himself appeared to them, spoke with them, and told them that He would be with them always, if they would love Him and do His will. And great was their joy. Now they began to understand that the Lord was the God of heaven and earth, who had not come to establish a kingdom in this world, but to show men the way to heaven. They began to understand that to love the Lord truly they must forget themselves, and think only of how they might bring happiness to others. In this they found a new and wonderful Joy. And this is the joy of Easter.
     So is it also with all of us. We must learn how to love the Lord. And that we may do so the Lord permits us to lose the things we want. He may permit us to fail, to suffer temptations so severe that we too may begin to think that He has forsaken us. But when this comes to pass, we too must bring spices to the sepulchre.

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That is, we must not allow our disappointment or our sorrow to take away our love of the Lord. We must go on trying to obey His Word and keep His law, even when we have no hope of getting anything for ourselves; doing this because we know that it is right, and because we love the Lord and wish to do His will.
Then will we come to see that the Lord has not forsaken us that He has been watching over us all the time, that He has allowed these trials to come upon us in order that whatever is selfish may be removed from our hearts. If we do this, the Lord will conquer the evil spirits who are trying to turn us away from Him. He will give us a new joy, a new blessing, far greater than any we have known before. And this is the real joy of Easter.
FORGOTTEN PAGES OF NEW CHURCH HISTORY 1951

FORGOTTEN PAGES OF NEW CHURCH HISTORY Rev. WILLIAM WHITEHEAD 1951

     3. Heinrich Heine in 1851

     As early as 1873, it was made known in the New Church that the great lyric poet and leader of the "Young Germany" movement of the thirties, Heinrich Heine (1797-1856), had become affirmatively acquainted with the Writings during the later years of his life. (INTELLECTUAL REPOSITORY, 1873, p. 276.) But for some unknown reason, contrary to the plain evidence of Heine's own writings biographers often insist that he successively favored Catholicism, Paganism, Protestantism, Atheism, and Saint-Simonism, but finally returned to the Judaism of his parents. This is clearly a superficial reading of his mind-a mind admittedly as strange, baffling, and provocative as it was intuitive and brilliant. Yet no reporter has ever mirrored his own generation as vividly as Heine, and it seems strange that his religious convictions should have been so blurred, distorted, or ignored by even his warmest admirers.
     The truth is, that although he gave political support to Protestantism,-he called Luther's "A Mighty Fortress is our God" the "Marseillaise of the Reformation."-it was because of his passion for liberty and his love of the German nation.

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In fact, on March 18, 1854, he wrote to Alexandre Dumas: "When I was in Prussia and Berlin, like many of my friends. I would have been glad to free myself from every ecclesiastical tie, if the authorities had not forbidden any man who did not profess any of the positive religions privileged by the State to stay in Prussia or Berlin." In his will, dated November 13, 1851, he wrote: "Although I belong to the Lutheran confession by the act of baptism, I do not desire that the ministers of that Church should be invited to my burial; and I object to any other sort of priest officiating at my funeral." However in 1888, Dr. Garth Wilkinson furnished to THE NEW CHURCH MAGAZINE, p. 80, a manuscript translation of what was said to be the "Concluding Note" to Heines Romanzero, from which the editor quoted the following:
     "But calm thyself: we shall meet again in a better world, where also I intend to write better books for thee. I assume that my health, too, shall improve there, and that Swedenborg has not deceived me. He tells, with great confidence, that in the other world we shall quietly continue to carry on the old doings, just as we did in this world; that we there preserve our individuality unaltered; and that death produces no disturbance worth speaking of in our organic development. Swedenborg is a downright honest chap; and trustworthy are his revelations concerning the other world, where he saw with his own eyes the persons who had played a distinguished part on our earth. . . . So, for example, our dear Dr. Martin Luther has remained by his doctrine of grace, on which be had written down during three hundred years daily the same mouldy arguments.'
     We now know that during the last years of his life-years of half-blindness, paralysis, and exile,-Heine wrote a considerable quantity of material for his memoirs, including an introduction to so-called "Confessions." What became of this final work, which he guarded jealously even from his own family, seems to be one of the mysteries of literature (see Lewis Brown's That Man Heine, N. Y., 1927, p. 399). However, we have selected the following extracts from various letters to his friends, written in the early fifties. (See Heinrich Heine's Memoirs: From His Works, Letters, and Conversations. English trans., London, 1910, 2 vols.)
     "Do not believe the rumors going about that I have become a pious lambkin.

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The religious upheaval that has taken place in me is purely spiritual, more an act of my thought than of holy feeling, and my sick body has very little to do with it. . . I have come by great, exalted, and terrible thoughts; but they were thoughts, flashes of light, and not the phosphorescent vapors of spasms of faith." (June 1, 1850.)
     "Yes, I have made my peace with the creation and the Creator to the great distress of my enlightened friends, who reproached me with this backsliding into the old superstitions, as they preferred to call my return to God. I was overcome by divine homesickness and was driven by it through woods and valleys, over the most dizzy mountain paths of dialectics. On my way I found the God of the Pantheists, but I had no use for him because he is not really a God; for the Pantheists are only Atheists ashamed, who are less afraid of the thing than the shadow which it casts on the wall-its name."
     "In theology I was guilty of retrogression for I returned to the old superstition of a personal God. It cannot be hushed up as many of my enlightened and well-meaning friends have attempted to do. But I must expressly contradict the rumor that my retrogression led me to the steps of any church or to its bosom. No, my religious convictions and opinions have remained free from any church: I was neither lured by the chime of bells nor dazzled by altar candles." (September 30, 1850.)
     "The gentle reader will easily perceive why I was no longer happy in my work on the Hegelian philosophy. . . . I saw that the thinnest soup of Christian charity must be more life-giving for famishing humanity than the grey mess of cobwebs of Hegelian dialectics. . . On a quiet winters evening, when a good fire was burning in my chimney, I made use of my opportunity and threw my manuscript on the Hegelian philosophy into the glowing coals. The burning pages flew up the chimney with a strange crackling."
     "Thank God. I was rid of them! Oh, if I could only destroy everything that I have published about German philosophy in the same way. I owe the resurrection of my religious feeling to the Bible, that holy bock; and it was for me as much a source of health as an occasion for pious admiration. Strange, after having passed the whole of my life in gliding about the dancing floors of philosophy, and abandoning myself to all the orgies of the intellect, and dallying with systems without ever being satisfied, I have suddenly arrived at the same point of view as Uncle Tom; taking my stand on the Bible, and kneeling beside my black brother in the same act of devotion.

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I who used to quote Homer now quote the Bible, like Uncle Tom. Indeed I owe much to the Bible. . . It aroused the religious feeling in me again; and this rebirth of religious feeling satisfied the poet, who can dispense with positive dogmas of faith far more easily than other men. . . . The symbolism of heaven and earth is disclosed to his mind; he has no need, therefore, of the key to a church." (March 18, 1834.)
REVIEW OF THE DUTCH POSITION 1951

REVIEW OF THE DUTCH POSITION JAMES PENDLETON 1951

     (A student in the College of the Academy of the New Church. Read to the College Gymnasium, Dec. 7, 1950.)

     In recent months a few of the younger General Church people in and around Bryn Athyn have been attending doctrinal discussions on the system of belief known to us as the "Dutch Position." They felt that the only way to reach a true understanding of that Church was to get the facts from its own clergy. But before we go into the subject, let us examine the record for the background of this movement.
     In 1929, an article was published entitled, "From the Internal Sense of the Word." This was the first printed statement of the new doctrine. By 1933, the controversial issues raised by the new position had become so numerous that almost the entire meeting time of the Council of the Clergy for that year was spent in consideration of them.
     Because no settlement was reached, and because of a desire to protect the Church from upheaval, Bishop N. D. Pendleton requested that the matter be allowed to rest; this with a hope that time might bring a greater measure of understanding. Both sides agreed to this, and nothing further on that subject was written or referred to in the official organ of the Church, though Dc Hemelsche Leer, voice of the new movement, continued publication. In December, 1935, Bishop Pendleton felt that the situation had eased enough for him to recall the Rev. Theodore Pitcairn to duty as an Assistant Pastor of the Bryn Athyn Church.

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     But two months later a letter, bitterly denouncing the government and policies of the General Church, was written and sent out by the Rev. Albert Bjorck, despite Bishop Pendleton's request that it should not be circulated. Although this letter was not approved by the leaders of the Hague Movement, and was indeed repudiated by them, it was of such a nature that a stirring up of the temporarily dormant question was inevitable.
     When it was seen that further doctrinal discussion would be fruitless, The Rev. Ernst Pfeiffer requested that he be allowed to set up an independent diocese in Holland-a church body in no way under the jurisdiction of the General Church. Those who believed in the new doctrine would remain members of the General Church, but could also become members of the new diocese, irrespective of their geographical location, and receive its ministrations.
     Since, to Bishop de Charms, the new doctrine was fundamentally opposed to the basic teachings of the Writings as understood by the General Church, and the proposed arrangement would be contrary to the order of that Church, the request was denied. Mr. Pfeiffer more and more vehemently denounced and denied the authority of the government of the General Church; stating finally that he no longer felt himself in sympathy with that body, or able to cooperate with it, and that he recognized a separation as inevitable. His statements and actions were regarded as insubordination against the form and order of the General Church and Mr. Pfeiffer's separation was effected by Bishop de Charms on April 16, 1937
     However, let us remember this point. Mr. Pfeiffer was separated from the General Church because he would not acknowledge its government, not because of doctrinal differences; and the others who left the General Church at that time did so entirely of their own volition. It might be useful to state here that one minister who had professed belief in the Dutch Position remained, and still is, an active minister in the General Church.
     It has been said recently that the Dutch Position has changed in some of its doctrinal concepts since the separation. Let us examine the two following statements to try to determine whether this is true. The first was made, in 1937, by Bishop Alfred Acton as to the fundamental belief of the Hague movement, and reads:

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     "1) The letter of the Writings so deeply veils the internal sense that the internal sense can be drawn out solely in the same way in which it is drawn from the Old and New Testaments.
     "2) That the Doctrine of the Church is Divine and is of Divine authority."
     The second statement is quoted from a letter written, in 1947, by the Rev. Theodore Pitcairn in answer to a request for information, and is as follows:
     "1) The Writings of Emanuel Swedenborg are the Word of the Lord, or the Third Testament, and the Doctrine of the Sacred Scripture applies to them fully. (Which means that the term, 'Word,' applies to them without reserve or difference.)
     "2) The Church and the man of the Church are to draw doctrine from the literal sense of the Latin Word by means of the Genuine Doctrine, by enlightenment from the Lord, and by means of correspondences. And the Doctrine is to be confirmed by the sense of the letter of the Latin Word.
     "3) The Genuine Doctrine which is made in the Church from the Lord is of Divine origin and essence."
     To me, these two quotations have the same meaning, namely; that "true doctrine" can be derived only from the spiritual sense of the Writings,-which is uncovered by the same process as that used in connection with the Old and New Testaments,-and that doctrine so derived is of, and from, the Divine.
     It is true that the proponents of the Hague Position have said that they do not mean the same as we do by the term "Divine. But if there is no way of telling by the context which meaning is intended, and there does not seem to be, it is difficult to see any excuse for giving a new meaning to a term so important in theology.
     On the other hand, the belief of the General Church concerning the Writings has always been that their plain statements are to be regarded as the sole Divinely authoritative doctrine of the church. It is believed that the truths in the Writings are Divine. But as soon as man begins to formulate his understanding of them, the expression of those truths is fallible, and is limited by the very fact that it was according to his understanding that he chose certain truths and stated them in applicable terms.
     It can be seen that the fundamental premises of the Dutch Position and the General Church are opposed to each other; and in an argument or discussion it is essential to keep the premises constantly in mind, for it is upon fundamentals that the rest of the discussion is based.

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Also, when a rule is laid down as a guide to action or conduct it is necessary that we examine it carefully; and to do this we must have regard to its implications, and to the effect it will have when it is actually applied. To the majority of the ministers of the General Church the rules of the Dutch Position were a threat to the authority of the Writings. The claim that man must have a perceptive light in order to see the spiritual sense of the Writings and arrive at genuine doctrine was seen by most General Church men as placing man over the Writings.
     Then, too, the General Church could not accept the idea that any derived doctrine is Divine. This also seemed to make man s understanding of the Writings at least equal to the Writings themselves. To the ministers of the General Church, the Dutch Position had made the Writings fit a man-made, or at most a humanly-derived doctrine, instead of making derived doctrine come from what is stated in the Writings.
     This, of course, was denied, which is quite permissible. But as far as can be ascertained from accounts of discussions at the meetings of the Council of the Clergy, the leaders of the Hague Movement would say, whenever a fundamental conclusion was drawn, that they agreed with the General Church on that point but the General Church did not understand. One instance may be cited of the seeming contradictions that were encountered by the General Church in its endeavors to discover the beliefs of the new movement.
     It was stated many times by the Hague Group, both verbally and in print, that doctrine has authority in itself "apart from the letter." Yet in a discussion at a meeting of the Council of the Clergy Mr. Pfeiffer said: "If doctrines are put forth before the Church a man can read and study it . . . but the essential thing which he has to do is to go to the Word himself, and see whether such a doctrine agrees with the very letter of the Third Testament." This is, of course, the belief of the General Church, and it seems to be opposite to the statement preceding it.
     Now there is in the General Church an acknowledgment that in the Writings there are interior degrees of truth; interior senses not to be obtained; however, by correspondences, but to be seen as man is more and more enlightened by the Lord.

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And let us remember that the Hague Group knew the beliefs of the General Church in respect to the "internal sense" and "enlightenment." We should not try to say that there is really no difference. They insisted, and still insist, that there is.
     It is right that we should want to see both sides of the question in order to discover the truth and make a rational choice. But can we do this by argument with those who hold the Dutch Position? It does not seem so. As one man of about thirty who had attended a talk about the position by one of their ministers said: "I would have believed almost everything said if one of our ministers hadn't been there." The reason is that the explanations of their position are so involved in complicated theological concepts that most New Church men can scarcely comprehend them, let alone examine them critically for errors. As Bishop N. D. Pendleton remarked: "Our friends have gone into fields so vague that no loyal New Church man can follow.
     In closing, I would like to stress four points. Firstly, we must not overestimate ourselves. Youth and young manhood is quite susceptible to the belief that it really sees things better and differently than anyone else has ever seen them before. Overassurance is a sign of both limited knowledge and immaturity. Secondly, in arbitration or discussion we must have regard constantly to the fundamentals. Everything else is elaboration. And to regard fundamentals truly includes discerning implications and results. Thirdly, what has the Church founded on the Dutch Position produced? Its formula is supposed to show the men of that Church a discretely interior degree of truth, but it has not revealed a single acceptable example.
     And, fourthly, having been brought up in the General Church we owe something to it, if only for the education we have received. Before we go off on a bold adventure to seek the truth outside, let us first see what our own Church teaches. Let us first learn the teachings of the General Church, and compare them with the plain statements of the Writings, before we go elsewhere: and above all, let us give our loyalty to those plain statements. This is not a plea for blind, historical faith, but a recognition that we are still young.

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LORD'S TEMPTATIONS 1951

LORD'S TEMPTATIONS Rev. BJORN A. H. BOYESEN 1951

     It is a doctrine of the New Church that the Lord Jesus Christ came into the world to glorify His Human and to redeem the human race. The Writings teach that these were two different and entirely distinct things; for glorification was the process whereby the Lord's Human was made Divine in itself, and redemption is the process by which His Human subsequently delivers the human race. Thus one pertains to the Lord Himself, the other to His relation to mankind.
     But the Writings teach also that while these two things must be recognized as entirely distinct they must, nevertheless, not be completely separated. For while the glorification was not redemption itself, it was yet its prerequisite, and may even be called its beginning. And this beginning was fulfilled by the passion of the cross, which was the last temptation endured by the Lord; by victory in which the Human was glorified and became the one omnipotent Divine Savior and Redeemer of mankind.
     The Writings here state that the Lord underwent temptations. How is this to be understood? Can the Divine indeed be tempted? And if so, were His temptations of the same nature as man's? Were they, too, a state of indecision; or choice between good and evil, and between truth and falsity? And were they attended by the same kind of mind-rending agony as men experience in this state? only much worse than we can conceive of in His case. Did the Lord indeed doubt His ability or will to withstand the assaults of hell? Did He doubt His own Divinity? Or were the Lord's temptations not real temptations as we usually think of them? Did they, perhaps, not involve any doubt concerning Himself, but take the form only of a deep grief over the fallen state of mankind? Were they, perhaps, only a sorrow over others, but so profound that it shook His inmost soul more grievously than any personal temptation can do?

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     These questions are not easy to answer. They have concerned the old Christianity for many ages, without any solution being found, and even in the New Church a true understanding will require much study and thought.
     Of course those so-called Christians who regard the Lord as no more than a mere man have seen no difficulty. They refer to His temptations in the wilderness, to the agony in Gethsemane when He prayed that the cup of the passion might pass from Him, and especially to His cry on the cross. "My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken Me?" as unmistakable evidence that He was no more than a mere man a man of unusual will power and courage, perhaps, but nevertheless subject to every normal human weakness, including at least momentary despair. They explain that if He was Divine. He was so in no different sense than other hymns; and suggest that His redemptive work was therefore done by no special act peculiar to Him, but consisted in several outstanding human examples, the purpose of which was to encourage still more men to do the same. As further evidence they refer to the fact that others have had the will power and courage to suffer crucifixion rather than give up their convictions. And those who thus conclude that there is no real distinction between the Divine and the merely human, and who therefore do not really acknowledge a Divine, have no difficulty in believing that the Lord was tempted exactly as are other men. By the same token, they do not recognize any special efficacy in His redemption. And for this reason we doubt if they have sufficient cause to call themselves Christians.
     Others in the Christian Church who say that they believe in the Lord's Divinity as a mark of distinction between Him and others have often asserted that He could not possibly be tempted as are other men, that He could not doubt His Divine power. They insist, quite rightly, that the Divine is altogether beyond such temptations. To them, therefore, the Lord's temptations, as described in the Sacred Scripture, did not concern Himself but were rather an infinite grief over mankind's fallen condition. To them they were but an evidence of His Divine mercy and compassion.
     There is much that may seem commendable in this last viewpoint.

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Nor is it altogether incorrect. The Writings admit that the grief and sorrow which the Lord often displayed were evidence of His concern for the human race, and were, indeed, a substantial part of all His temptations. But they also assert that mere compassion does not answer sufficiently to all the facts of the case. Though infinitely great, it does not explain why the Lord was tempted by a devil. It may seem sufficient cause why His sweat became as great drops of blond when He prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane. But it shows no reason why He prayed that the cup of the passion might pass from Him. Least of all can mere sadness over others, even though Divine, be the cause of His cry from the cross.
     Those Christians who say that they acknowledge the Lord's Divinity interpret these words as evidence that, by His own choice. He was left alone by His Divine Father abandoned to the hatred of His enemies. By this explanation these people also imply the existence of more than one Divine person, and thereby destroy the concept of Divinity; and the Writings note that their difficulty lies in the fact that they regard the passion of the cross as redemption itself while in reality it was only the last means whereby the Lords Human became the Redeemer. Because it requires the existence of more than one Divine person the Writings even say that this concept is a fundamental error of the church, which has destroyed it until nothing remains.
     In fact it defeats its own purpose. Swedenborg declares with sound logic, that as long as belief in three persons persists it amounts to a belief in three gods, which is exactly the same as a belief in no god. Nor does the teaching that they possess one and the same essence alter the situation. This only makes them agree by unanimous but nevertheless individual consent; and as long as they are regarded as separate persons they are still as many separate gods. And belief in many gods is belief in no god.
     Thus those who say that they believe in the Lord as distinguished from other men by His Divinity, but at the same time regard the passion of the cross as redemption itself, are either deluding themselves or lying. It was so in Swedenborg's time. He declares that his contemporaries fervently asserted that they recognized only one God, because only one Divine essence, and he had to show them that they actually believed in three; at which those who did so from ignorance were amazed and were easily converted, while those who claimed Divinity for themselves became angry but at last admitted that he was right.

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The latter were thus no different from those who actually denied the Lords Divinity. Nor have we reason to believe that it is any different today. Ii we acknowledge the Writings to be the Lord's Word we should do so wisely by being very careful before we assert that they speak only of the time when they were written.
     But to return to the question immediately before us: how do the Writings explain that the Lord was the one God of heaven and earth, but was nevertheless able to be tempted? Can the Divine indeed be tempted by weakness or evil, or were His temptations only an expression of His infinite grief over the human race?
     We believe that the answer to this question is to found in the teaching that the passion of the cross was only a means whereby the Lord fully glorified His Human, but was not redemption itself. The glorification was a process whereby the Divine and the Human were united, or whereby the Human was made Divine. And this implies that before the glorification was completed there was a distinction, indeed a considerable difference, between the Lord's Divine and Human natures. The truth is that prior to the passion of the cross the Lord's Human was not Divine, and it became so only by means of this most remarkable of all events which event was a temptation.
     It was not a temptation of the Divine, which was the Lord's infinite soul, for it is true that the Divine cannot possibly be tempted. This soul, which is what is meant by the "Father, is beyond all evil and falsity, and is therefore utterly beyond all temptation. It was the Lord's human nature which He derived in part from Mary, and, we are inclined to believe, in part from the angel Gabriel, which was tempted. While it is indeed true that it contained within it all the celestial and spiritual remains which the Divine had preserved in the human race from the beginning, it is also true that these Divine things had been limited by angelic weaknesses since the creation, and overlaid with hereditary evils since the fall. Before evil arose, man's angelic disposition, which he received immediately from the Lord and cultivated as of himself, was sufficiently powerful to effect his regeneration.

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It was not only a sufficient tendency to reception of Divine good and truth but was also the only means which the Lord needed to present His saving revelations to mankind.
Before the evils of the human race had grown too strong, the angelic mind served as a means of presenting the Divine. As long as the understanding and speech of inspired angels could strike a responsive chord in human hearts, the Lord's possession of such angels as spoke His Word was enough for the redemption of mankind. And because these angels were the only means whereby the Lord appeared before His birth it is especially they who are meant in the Old Testament by the Hebrew word, "Elohim," which is a plural term meaning "gods." But this name refers also to all those celestial and spiritual remains in men's hearts without which we could not hear the words of the angels, and thus be regenerated And the term "El" or "God' in the singular is reserved for the one "Angel of Jehovah" who, as the ambassador of the entire celestial heaven, represented in ancient times all these Divine remains in their complex. This angel was not only the only God who was then known; in reality he was the only "Son of God from eternity" before the Lord Himself was born on earth. But this was merely an adopted Human which was as it were Divine. It was strong, but not omnipotent; and when human evils became too subtle, and human falsities too ingenious, it could no longer deliver men. When the celestial desire for good and the spiritual longing for truth had almost perished from the earth there was need that the Lord should come Himself and make the Human in Himself Divine.
And here is a marvellous thing, that He came as that very same Human which was no longer sufficient; that He came on earth not only as that Human but also by means of it, and finally even to it. Before celestial and spiritual remains had entirely lost their power in the human race He sent His angel on a few last visits to the remnant. The angel was sent to Mary and to Joseph, and by means of this angel the Lord infused His own soul into the womb of a virgin. Thereby was conceived,-whether from the angel or from Mary, but probably through both-that same angelic mind, that same Human Divine from eternity, which was now at the brink of disaster. And this was the Human which the Lord glorified.

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     This was the Human which could he tempted. It was the same human from the Lord which all men had originally received as sufficient for their salvation but which, by the time of the Lord's advent into the world, had been entirely repudiated by the major portion of mankind. It was the same human which, in the Jewish Church, had entirely yielded to the power of hell that had falsified His Word, spat upon Him, scourged Him, and finally crucified Him And even to the Lord's disciples and nearest friends it was so confused with hereditary and actual evils and falsities that they, too, forsook Him in the moment of His worst agony.
     In previous temptations at least the angels of heaven had remained at His service, ministering to Him lest He dash His foot against a stone. But this time even they left Him alone. And so it was that in the passion of the cross the Lord's Human fought, entirely alone, against all the accumulated evils of the human race, and even against the weaknesses of heaven. It is no wonder that He cried: "My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken Me?" This cry was no doubt loaded with almost infinite grief and sorrow over the cowardice of men and the weakness of the angels. It was undoubtedly filled with an almost unlimited fear that even though He would do all, the human race might yet not avail itself of His proffered redemption. The worst temptation of all lay in the fact that His own inherited human inclined to the same failure. And, certainly, as derived from Mary or from the angel, it did fail. It was exactly what had failed before He came, and it was only natural that it should fail again in this supreme test.
     In fact, it had to fail Him. For it was only as the human evils and the angelic weaknesses which had limited His Divine in heaven were removed from Him that His own Divine Human, as born from His own Divine soul, could stand forth in omnipotent glory. Indeed it was only as the Divinity of His former human was denied that the glorified Human could be actually born; the Human which was one with the Divine love that is above the heavens. So it is that His human cry of despair was also the shout of victory. The now powerless "god" of the past forsook Him that the one true God might rise into infinite power.

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RECREATION 1951

RECREATION Rev. W. CAIRNS HENDERSON 1951

     An Address to Young People

     Among the laws of life for the spiritual man revealed in the Writings is this: that all the pleasures of the body and of the senses in which there is genuine good, that is, an end of use, are given to the spiritual man to sustain his mind. As food? is to the body, so are such pleasures to the mind,-the means by which the Lord restores its affections and thoughts, and recreates its spiritual substances. Such pleasures are given to the regenerated man by the Lord to enjoy, and are therefore not denied to those who are being regenerated. Indeed they are actually among the things by, and in which the Lord is present with the spiritual man in charity, to bless him with eternal life.
     When the Arcana Coelestia, which expounds this law, was written this was a new and startling doctrine! The Christian Church had taught that the pleasures of this world are so entirely opposed to spiritual life that those who would enter in at the strait gate must renounce them at its gloomy portals, and thereafter walk the narrow way wrapped in a sombre piety which frowned on the simplest joys. A man might indulge in the pleasures of this life if he wished but the world, the flesh, and the devil were so indissolubly connected that to do so was to choose hell rather than heaven. But this, the Writings say, is utterly wrong It is wrong to reject all pleasures, with the idea that heaven will be earned thereby, for they are denied to no one. And what is meant in the Word by renouncing pleasures they continue, is to esteem them as nothing in comparison with the Lord, and the life of the world as nothing in comparison with heaven.
     It is true that the Writings flay unsparingly those who live merely for pleasure, caring only for themselves and the world and nothing for the Divine. Such men and women are said to be pests and burdens, bestial and unclean, and their final lot is in hell.

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But the very nature of the statement shows that their end is what condemns them, not the pleasures in which they have indulged. For pleasures are not causes but ultimate effects: and no pleasure ever exists in the body except from an interior affection and this from one still more interior which is the use and end. Thus all pleasures are such as are the interior and inmost affections within them. Those who love honors more than anything else, we are told, turn from their employments with loathing if these are not granted, and give themselves up entirely to pleasures. Those who are animated by the greed of gain are still moved by it in their recreations. And those who work only because they must,-those for whom life begins when work finishes at the end of the day, regard recreations as the only use, and work as an unfortunate but necessary means to that end.
These are all affections in which the loves of self and the world,- heavenly by creation, become infernal, because there is no desire to serve the Lord and the neighbor but only to gratify one's self by means of the world. Yet there can be another end in pleasures, an end which makes them an integral part of the life of spiritual charity in which the Lord is present with man. There can be an affection in which the loves of self and the world discharge the function they were created, as loves of the natural, to perform-that of serving the spiritual mind. This end exists with the regenerate, and is being established with all who are regenerating.
Spiritual charity consists in the performance of a use to the Lord and the neighbor, and a man's use is done by the way in which he discharges the duties of his employment. In every employment, the Writings say, there is an affection that strains the mind and keeps it intent on its work or study. And if this affection be not relaxed from time to time, it becomes dull and its desire flags, as salt that has lost its savor, or as a bow loses the power derived from its elasticity unless it is unbent. This happens if the mind is kept from day to day in the same affections and thoughts without any variation. And because this would result in an actual loss of ability to perform uses,-and in the formation of a one-sided character, unappreciative of the relation of uses and of human obligations-it is a part of the life of charity to relax, revive, and restore the affection of use by proper diversions.

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     But in this case, the end or purpose of recreation is that which is given by the true-meaning of the word,-recreation. The mind, at rest, indeed descends to lower mental planes, or into the body, and there seeks pleasures which correspond to its state. But the end is to find delight and enjoyment and refreshment in worldly pleasures that the mind may be renewed, and may return to a state to serve the Lord and the neighbor. This is what is inmostly regarded, even though the man may not be consciously aware of it. And when this end is within, pleasures are not opposed to spiritual life, but correspond to it, because by means of them man is able to perform the goods of charity and to live content from a healthy mind in a healthy body.
     Everyone whose thought has been formed by the Writings knows that there is no happiness in mere rest from work; that rest from activity is only for the sake of re-creation, in order that there may be a more eager return to the activity of life. And he does not make his recreation consist in mere idleness, knowing that in this the faculties of the mind become torpid. As the body is relaxed after holding an intent pose by slackening strained muscles and contracting others which have been at ease, so the mind is recreated, not by a cessation of affection, but by diversion. In ultimate effect, recreations are different employments of brain, eye, and hand. But in reality they are diversions of the affection from which everyone engages in his work, and for this reason each affection has its appropriate diversions. One man's work will be another man's pastime; but the man who claims that his work is his hobby is usually covering up for his onesidedness.
     Proper recreations therefore vary, and for our guidance they are enumerated in the Writings at considerable length. But all recreations which have within them the affection of charity have this in common, that they are diversions for the sake of the re-creation of that affection. The affection of use remains interiorly within the pleasure of the diversion, and is gradually renewed while it is thus resting. Because it is a diversion of charity the Lord is inmostly present in it, flowing in through heaven to impart new strength. And when the affection of use is thus renewed, it manifests itself by a longing to end the recreation and return to one's work; or to prepare for the duties of the following day,-if only by seeking a sufficient allowance of sleep!

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Charity is the affection of willing well to the neighbor, and of doing good to him from such well wishing. As the body must be renewed daily by food, so must this affection be restored periodically by recreations which have an end of use. And as this end is of charity, the Lord is present in it to renew, as He then can in no other way, the affection of use itself.
So it is entirely proper to vary our occupations in different ways, both alone and in company with others. Yet it is well to remember that recreation is food for the mind only when it has in view a more eager return to the activities of our life. Such a realization will dictate a moderate indulgence in diversion, a wise choice of pastimes, and a wholesome awareness of the need to subordinate recreations to certain other things outside the orbit of our actual calling which are of greater importance. The fact that the Heavenly Doctrine vindicates man's right to the pleasures of the body and of the senses does not justify a pendulum swing to the extreme of making every night and early morning a time for social gaiety, or even of doing so too frequently! Such overindulgence, injurious both to health and to usefulness, and destroying man's capacity to enjoy the reasonable amount of social pleasure which really restores mind and body, is not recreation. Nor is any undue prolonging of diversions which deprives mind and body of needed physical rest; for among recreations, rest should not be overlooked or underestimated.
A wise man will not choose pastimes which do not differ sufficiently from the duties of his calling, or which overtax his mental or physical capacities. He will not so prolong his periods of enjoyment that he is actually unfit for the religious or secular duties of the following day, even if he succeeds in making a token appearance. Only a cynic would assert that cautionary thought for the task of the morrow is merely a sign of increasing age. It may also be a mark of wisdom. Nor will a wise man place too high a premium on leisure. For he knows that there are spirits in the gross sphere of the sensuous whose influx continually prompts man to indulge his natural inclinations and live only for himself and the world, and that the only way to escape them is to think of eternal life, which is the life of uses. And, guided by that knowledge, he will not place the uses of recreation before those higher uses which the Lord effects through the organized church; for he knows that it is through the uses of the church that the Lord inspires the affection of spiritual use, without which man's work is as nothing and his diversions merely selfish.

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There are many problems connected with recreation and with its proper relation to other things: problems which are individual, and in which the individual can be led to a proper solution only by perception from the love of use and by rational reflection. But when diversions are regarded for the sake of use, wisely chosen, moderately used, and kept in their rightful place, man reacts with the Divine purpose in their giving. And in so doing he remains, in all his pastimes, in the life of spiritual charity within which the Lord is present.
LETTER AND THE SPIRIT 1951

LETTER AND THE SPIRIT 1951

"Think not that I am come to destroy the law and the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill." (Matthew 5: 17.)

"In chapters 20-23, the laws, judgments, and statements that were promulgated from Mount Sinai have been treated of, and it has been shown what they contain in the internal sense, thus how they are perceived in heaven namely, most according to the literal sense, but according to the spiritual sense, which is not apparent in the letter, but still is within it. One who does not know how this is may indeed suppose that the Word as to its literal sense is thus annihilated, because in heaven no attention is paid to it. But be it known that the literal sense of the Word is by no means thereby annihilated, but is indeed rather confirmed: and that each word has weight, and is holy, from the spiritual sense which is within; because the literal sense is the basis and support on which the spiritual sense rests, and with which it coheres in the closest conjunction. (Arcana Coelestia, no. 9349.)

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CONTEMPORARY VIEW 1951

"Among the needs of the Church is the pressing need for a postive presentation of Swedenborg's teachings. By "positive" is meant an exposition of those conceptions and teachings that are not occasioned by or dependent on the orthodox tradition. Too large a portion of Swedenborg's writings is devoted to the flogging of dead horses: to expounding his deviation from doctrines that no intelligent person believes any more or that are cherished by people completely out of reach of the New Church. This is not intended as a criticism of what Swedenborg accomplished in the eighteenth century it is a criticism of the ecclesiastical habit of re-presenting long-winded and rather pointless arguments, taken without revision from the Writings, against theological positions that most of our contemporaries, especially new inquirers, never heard of in the first place. There is no doubt that an important core of positive material exists. This has been abundantly admitted by outside scholars who have been patient enough to winnow it out-for themselves. The point acquires pertinence from an attempt to investigate Swedenborg's doctrine Of the resurrection in relation to the promulgation of a new dogma by the Roman Catholic Church. It is disconcerting to encounter in the concordance reference after reference explaining that people would not believe in a resurrection at all unless they were permitted to believe, in a bodily resurrection. In the twentieth century, any other kind of resurrection is easier to accept than the bodily kind-by people who will entertain the idea at all. Why must we continue to go round the Robin Hood's barn of first disproving something that would not otherwise even be thought of?"

Editorial: THE NEW CHRISTIANITY, Autumn, 1950

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LOVE OF HEAVEN 1951

LOVE OF HEAVEN Editor 1951

NEW CHURCH LIFE
Office of Publication, Lancaster, Pa.

Published Monthly By

THE GENERAL CHURCH OF THE NEW JERUSALEM
BRYN ATHYN, PA.

Editor               Rev. W. Cairns Henderson, Bryn Athyn, Pa.
Business Manager          Mr. H. Hyatt, Bryn Athyn, Pa.

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$3.00 a year to any address, payable in advance. Single copy, 30 cents.
     There is no more beautiful picture in the Writings than that which portrays the life of heaven. In it, the angels are seen basking in perpetual spring. They dwell in gracious homes, beautifully appointed, and set in lovely surroundings unmarred [iv the presence of anything ugly, noisome or unclean. All their legitimate wants are supplied by the Lord without stint. Each is engaged in an absorbing task in which he forgets himself utterly; not to earn his daily bread, but because it is the work for which Ibis mind most fits him, which above all he most wants to do, and in the performance of which he most truly and fully lives.
     In their societies, dwelling among those only who are likeminded with themselves, and with whom they most want to be, we see the angels living a full, well balanced, and gracious life, in which work, worship, social intercourse, and recreation each has its rightful place and its proper use and value. And we see them living a peaceful and happy life, in communities which are untroubled by friction, incompatibility, jealousy, envy, or unlawful desire; a life based upon mutual love, in which affection, respect, and admiration for and appreciation of one another's uses are expressed in sincere courtesy and good will, and in which conjugial love makes possible a truly chaste love between the sexes.

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No anxiety, solicitude, or dissatisfaction mark their days; for they are satisfied with their lot and content in God, and trust implicitly in that unfailing providence in the stream of which they are held.
     With this most affecting picture before them, there must be very few, if any, within the church who do not feel a longing to enter heaven whenever they reflect upon it, and to become participants in this lovely life; the more so as it is frequently and painfully made obvious how very different life on this earth often is. Yet while this picture is of the greatest value in awakening a love of heaven,-and for this reason has been revealed by the Lord in the Writings,-we must be careful that the affections it arouses are not directed to it alone; be careful that we do not rest content with the picture itself, and use it merely as the basis of a dream in which we seek escape from an often unhappy and frustrating and unsatisfying world.
     For the truth is, that the things just mentioned do not make heaven at all! They are either external representations of the inward states of the angels, or results thereof and products of their uses. Again and again we are told that the angels enjoy but do not set their hearts upon them; that their delight is not in these outward things, but in the internal things which they represent. It is those internal things that really make heaven and its life. And unless they are what we, too, really love, we do not truly love heaven or desire to go there. Furthermore unless we love them sincerely and permanently, the external things that in certain states make so strong an appeal to our emotions would give us neither happiness nor satisfaction, but would eventually become most distasteful and, indeed, hateful.
     The inner world of our own mind is more real to us than anything extrinsic which is not in harmony with it, and external surroundings and circumstances do not produce a corresponding internal state or give satisfaction where one is lacking. This fact is illustrated daily in earthly life. The most beautiful day will bring no happiness to a man who is sick with fear or crazed with anxiety. The most lovely scenery gives no satisfaction to one who is obsessed with anger, contempt, hatred, and lust for revenge upon his enemies. The most ideal situation and surroundings hold no joy for one who is discontented with his lot and whose hopes and ambitions find no expression in that environment, but crave a different setting.

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And the most pleasing and kindly society would not be appreciated for long by one who was secretly not in accord with its ideals and standards. He would first become bored by such companionship, and then hostile to it; and would transfer his enmity to his associates, hating them for their unfailing kindness and despising them for a patience and gentleness mistaken for weakness.
Now all this is undoubtedly true of the life after death. Because the Lord in His mercy opens heaven to all, and denies it to none, all, even the evil and those who are not prepared are free to enter if they wish. And again and again, we read of certain spirits who were finally convinced that they would at once come into the happiness of heaven if only they were admitted among the angels, and who were therefore introduced into some angelic society: only to find that they could not endure the beauties of which they had dreamed, because their inner life was not in harmony with that of heaven. It may be remembered, also, that when certain spirits were invited to second three days in an angelic society, they were furnished with the garments of that society as soon as they arrived and that when they put off those garments at the end of their visit they were filled with a desire to depart, despite the many beautiful things they had seen and the profound effect these things had upon them at the time. (CL 25.)
All this shows that the love of heaven that causes a man really to want to go there is not merely a desire far its external features, beautiful as these are, but love of its life And what is the life of heaven? It is nothing less than the life of spiritual uses. It is the life that consists in seeking and finding complete forgetfulness of self in the unselfish performance of uses to the neighbor, and in looking for no other reward than the happiness which is inherent in such service. It is the life of wishing only well to others, of thinking nothing but good of them, of saving and doing only what is sincere, just, kind, helpful, and comforting; the life that desires no more than the satisfaction of its legitimate needs: the life that is entirely free from greed of gain and lust for power: the life that regards as abomination anything unchaste, hypocritical, deceitful, and untruthful; the life that is centered in the Lord and His precepts.

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     It is this life that makes heaven. In our prayers, and our hymns, we speak and sing of our earnest desire to go to heaven, and it is right that we should do so. But unless it is this life that we have in mind, as the object of our love when we do so, we are self deceived. The heaven for which we are striving is an imaginary one of our own construction; a state of perfection for ourselves because everything we dislike has no place in it not a state of happiness for others because we shall have ceased to do evil! Now this is important for two reasons. In the first place, we can surely see that there is little use in cherishing a hope that we may go to heaven if the life we really love is a different one from that of heaven; for in that case we are actually looking for salvation by faith alone, and would find that heaven would give us no true and lasting happiness or satisfaction. And, in the second place, we may surely see also that if we do not love the life of heaven now and do not even want to love it, it is futile to imagine that we shall suddenly find ourselves able and willing to do so when we pass through the gates of death into the other life.
     As to the life that really makes it, heaven is not something unattainable here below that can be experienced only after the death of the body. On the contrary, the joys of heaven, the beauties and wonders with which the angels are surrounded, can be experienced after death by those only who have attained to its life while still on earth. The Lord said to the Jews; "The kingdom of heaven is within you." (Luke 17: 21.) And in the Writings He instructs us that "he is received who receives heaven in himself in the world." (HH 420.) While heaven is, in the Lord's mercy, open to all, none can remain in it except those who have received the kingdom of heaven into themselves. And so it is that the life of heaven is not to be loved as something we hope to attain in a dim and far distant future, when our life on earth shall be over. It is something to be loved, sought, and lived, here and now.
     So the question we must surely ask ourselves is this; Do we love the life itself of heaven, or are we only attracted by the outward beauties and amenities of angelic life in contradistinction to the ugliness and sordidness which are never entirely escapable in this world? And if we feel that it is the life of heaven itself that arouses our affections we may then ask ourselves; "Do we want that life here and now?"

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Do we desire it only in some idealized future society in a heaven patterned to our requirements, or right here in, for instance, our own society of the church on earth, where we may have to make drastic changes in our own life to bring this about? Do we want it sufficiently to be willing to learn, patiently and humbly, from the Writings just how it may be attained, to seek out in ourselves everything that is opposed to it, and to fight against and shun those things, even though in so doing we shall be denying ourselves?
If we are prepared sincerely to do all these things, it is an indication that we have been deeply affected by the realities that truly make heaven, and have experienced the interior affection of truth. The Lord could bring everyone into the external environment of heaven, and under the conditions that obtains there. But where there was no love of the inner life of heaven, these would only become loathsome, even as to the Jews became the manna that fell as bread from heaven. They would not reflect the inner life, would not express the love of the heart and the thought of the mind, and so would cause distress, pain, and anguish. There are none so deluded, or so destined to a sad awakening, as those who suppose that mere introduction into the environment of heaven is intromission into its joys, or that given ideal surroundings they could change the pattern of their lives overnight. The truth is that those only are received permanently into heaven after death who have received heaven into themselves in the world.
PEACE 1951

PEACE Editor 1951

"Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you; not as the world giveth, give I unto you." (John 14: 27.)

"Peace has in it confidence in the Lord, that He directs all things and provides all things, and that He leads to a good end. When a man is in this faith he is in peace for he then fears nothing, and no solicitude about things to come disquiets him. A man comes into this state in proportion as he comes into love to the Lord." (Arcana Coelestia, no. 8455.)

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Church News 1951

Church News Various 1951

     CHICAGO, ILLINOIS

     Sharon Church

     Sharon Church reopened on September 10th, after having been closed for five weeks as usual during the summer. It is always pleasant to have all our activities resumed.

     Services and Classes.-Shortly after the opening, on September 24th, the Rev. Harold C. Cranch was sick, but fortunately his uncle, the Rev. Raymond G. Cranch, was visiting and he took over the Sunday service. He has preached for us in the past and we were glad to hear him again.
     Our first supper for the season was on Wednesday, October 4th. Our Pastor began a series of classes on the meaning and importance of church ritual. In our services, Mr. Cranch provides for the children by giving a talk especially for them after the First Lesson, after which they leave for their Sunday School classes. There are three groups of these classes, with different teachers taking turns, so that no one has to miss all the services. Mrs. Harold Cranch, Mrs. Frank Guinn, and Miss Volita Wells take the youngest group. Mrs. Tom Cowood, Mrs. Noel McQueen, and Mrs. Charles Lindrooth take the middle group; and Mr. Charles Lindrooth, Mr. Irving Anderson, Mr. Robert Riefstahl, and Mr. Robert Gladish take the oldest group. Mrs. Clara Lyons is the supervisor, and she acts as a substitute teacher for any group. This is very satisfactory as it means that a change can be made with the least possible disturbance.

     Semi-Annual Meeting.-This meeting was held on October 25th after the Wednesday supper. Mr. Cranch brought out the interesting fact that our teaching material is as fine as that available in any other Sunday School in Chicago. He is constantly on the look-out, both here and in other cities he visits, for the best that is put out by the other churches, and has in his collection over 5000 slides that are available for use in the school.

     Social.-Early in November the Ladies Auxiliary met at the home of Mrs. Frank Guinn. Besides enjoying the delicious refreshments she served we had a surprise baby shower for Mrs. Harold Anderson, and she really was surprised.
     We are going to have more social activities this year and have already made a good start. Early in October we had a Canasta party. Not many turned up, but those who did had such a good time that we decided to have another soon. Mrs. Schroder invited us to her apartment for the next one, and provided the refreshments. Many New Church people have had the pleasure of enjoying the products of her culinary art. There were five tables of Canasta, and each player paid 50 cents for the privilege of playing. We also held what might be called a miniature bazaar. Those who wanted to brought baked goods or fancy work. The profits for the evening came to over $47.00, so we felt that as well as a delightful time we had a good donation for the Sunday School fund or any other activity that was in need of support.

     Thanksgiving.-We have tried to do our part in providing material for the isolated on the tape-recording program.

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Several recordings of our services have been made and sent to the committee in Bryn Athyn and after the Thanksgiving service many expressed the wish that it, too, had been recorded. Mr. Cranch made a cover for the special Thanksgiving service pamphlet, illustrating the thanksgivings of Biblical times. His story of their customs was artistically and graphically told, and illustrated with miniature vessels such as were used in those days. He spoke of their bringing baskets of fruits, which the children had done at the beginning of the service; and showed, from the customs of Biblical days, how we today should show our thanks. We did not have a Thanksgiving dinner, and this cut down the usual attendance as many from outlying districts come and bring their children if they do not have to face a long trip home before they can serve dinner.

     Christmas.-On the first Sunday in December, Mr. Cranch began a series of sermons in preparation for Christmas. The first of these showed the extensive historical evidence for the incarnation, the spiritual and natural reasons for the Lord's coming, and the way in which the prophecies became more and more specific and delineated every event. The second sermon showed the preparation made in the world, and in us, by these prophecies; preparation culminating in the birth and life of John the Baptist. It also pointed out that in providence, the Jews were scattered over the ancient world, carrying a knowledge of the Word to all people, and forming centers which could be evangelized by the first missionaries in each country.
     For the adults, the climax came on the Sunday before Christmas with the administration of the Holy Supper. As Mr. Cranch expressed it: "This is especially appropriate during the advent season for it is the inmost act of worship, acknowledging the Lord's Divinity and that He is the Savior of all men." On that Sunday a sermon on the virgin birth was delivered. This subject was continued, and illustrated from the Arcing story of Abram, in the service following the Christmas festival As the advent was the beginning of a new state of the church, so was it made here the introduction to the New Year.
     The festival service for adults and children held on Christmas Eve was well attended. Despite many absent through sickness, or away visiting relatives over the holidays, over ninety people sing the beloved carols and entered into the service with joy. The two large representations were made by the Pastor. One showed the Wise Men approaching Jerusalem; the other, the shepherds worshipping at the manger. At the close of the service gifts were distributed to about thirty children of the congregation, and a turkey dinner was served to the sixty-six who were able to stay and enjoy it.
     VIOLITA WELLS

     LOS ANGELES, CALIF.

     Although it has not been heard from for some time, the Los Angeles area group has been carrying on all its usual activities under the gracious and able guidance of the Rev. Henry Boef. It is unfortunate that so many eager people are unable to attend except on special occasions-these Western distances! But except for Labor Day and the New Year weekend, when Mr. Boef has found it best not to try to have services, we have our regular Sunday meetings; alternating morning worship and Sunday School with evening worship and class.

     Classes.-Last March, Mr. Boef gave a series of five Wednesday night classes on the life and preparation of Swedenborg for his great use as a revelator and on the fundamental doctrines of the Church. These were given primarily for some newcomers who had not the background given ha- New Church education, and very much appreciated not only by them but also by the other members of the group who were able to attend.
     During the spring and fall the Sunday evening classes were on conjugial love.

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This series was interrupted by one class on "Different Nations in the Spiritual World"; a subject which was very interesting at this time when we have close association with so many of them on the natural plane.

     Visits.-In August we had our usual short but satisfying visit from the Rev. Harold C. Cranch. Then just two weeks later, there was an unexpected but very enjoyable visit from the Rev. Karl R. Alden. Unfortunately Mr. Alden came at the time of year when many of us are on vacation, so there were only a few present to meet with him.

     Festivals.-Our Easter service was preceded by the regular Good Friday evening service, which included the administration of the Holy Supper. All records for attendance were broken on Easter Sunday, there being 44 adults and t6 children present. This service was followed by one of our enjoyable buffet dinners.
     On December 17th, at 4:00 p.m. Mr. Boef held a very lovely Christmas service for the children, which was followed by a group supper and the singing of Christmas songs. Then, on the 24th, there was a beautiful Christmas service for all. During all these festivities we missed the Edward Davis family, who moved to Seattle, Washington, in November.

     So ends 1950. And I am sure we all thank Mr. Boef for the fine manner in which he has cared for the spiritual needs of this flock during the year. Mrs. Bust should certainly be included in that; for it is she who attends to the music, the flowers, the coffee pot, and many other things which help so much to maintain our enjoyment and peace at 520 So. Kingsley Drive.
     RUTH A. DAVIS

     DETROIT, MICHIGAN

     This is by way of being a postscript to our last report. In casting about for items of news we forgot the most important one-the birth of a son to our esteemed members, Mr. and Mrs. Alfred H. Schoenberger. This happy event occurred on Christmas Day, giving the parents and our Circle the finest kind of Christmas present. The little fellow has been named Mark Frederiek. He is the Schoenbergers' third child, and the fourth child born to members of the Detroit Circle during 1950; the others having been to the John Howards, the Gordon Smiths, and the Sanfrid Odhners.
     With a total of 20 or more children under twelve, the need for school facilities becomes more and inure evident. Our new Pastor, with five children of his own, realizes this need, and we feel confident that something is going to be done about it soon.
     It gives us very great pleasure to announce the addition to our membership of two popular young people from Pittsburgh, Mr. and Mrs. Lee Horigan. Lee has accepted a position as metallurgist with the United Bronze Company of Detroit and he arrived here on January 22nd, His wife, Flora May (nee Thomas) will join him as soon as suitable living quarters can be found. We feel confident that they are going to enjoy being affiliated with our warm-hearted group. They will find many opportunities to serve the uses of the Church by joining in our various activities, and we extend to them a warm a ad affectionate welcome.
     WILLIAM W. WALKER

     STOCKHOLM, SWEDEN

     On December 13th the Young People's Club celebrated Lucia Day by giving a party to the Society. Lucia, traditionally symbolizing the return of light, was personified by Mrs. Gunnar Baeckstrom. Gunner himself, and his brother Hugo, were "star-boys" her attendants. Lucia was hailed in a speech by the Rev. Erik Sandstrom, who directed attention to the return of spiritual light through the Writings. The rest of the program was less serious and quite entertaining in a humorous way.

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     Christmas and New Year. Ordinarily we have two services on Christmas Day, one before sunrise and one at the usual hour; but this year we had two ordinary services, one on Christmas Eve and the other on Christmas Day, our two ministers taking one service each. The service on Christmas Day opened with a procession of the two classes of Sunday School children who sang as they carried flowers and candles up to the altar. The children also provided a beautiful interlude in the course of the service, singing "Glory to God in the highest!"
     New Year's Eve, which fell on a Sunday, and New Year's Day, saw many members in bed, victims of the influenza epidemic. As Mr. Sandstrom was away on a pastoral visit to Jonkoping, Dr. Baeckstrom carried both services. The quarterly administration of the Holy Supper has been postponed until February because of the epidemic.

     Swedenborg Birthday.-Swedenborg's birthday was celebrated on January 28th. After service we gathered at a restaurant close to our worship hall. In a large, cheerful room a long table and a shorter one had been placed together in the shape of the letter T and decorated with red streamers, red and white tulips, and burning candles. Dr. and Mrs. Baeckstrom had both looked forward to attending the party, Mrs. Baeckstrom having now recovered from a serious operation, but they were prevented from doing so by the sudden illness of their son, Hugo.
     The Rev. Erik Sandstrom presided and greeted as an honored guest Mr. Swedenborg, the present heath of the Swedenborg family and a relative of one of our members. Mrs. Von Axelson. Refreshments were served, and Mr. Sandstrom then made a speech in commemoration of the great philosopher who looked upon himself only as a tool in the hands of the Lord. He pointed out that we do not honor the man but celebrate the accomplishment of the Divine work he had been chosen to perform. After this speech the assembly joined in singing a hymn, and Mr. Sandstrom then sang as a solo a song written by the late Mr. Alfred Stroh for the use of the little New Church circle started over here some forty years ago. Mr. Sandstrom had found a copy of the song book Mr. Stroh had compiled for the benefit of those early Academicians in Sweden.
     Later two of the members of the Young People's Club were asked to read the papers they had prepared. Harald Sandstrom, belonging to the Junior Group, talked on Swedenborg's early youth; and one of the Senior Group, Mr. Alvar Bengtsson, made a speech treating of Swedenborg's accomplishments in science before his spiritual eyes were opened. That part of the program was appreciated very much because we especially like our young people to take an active part in the social life of the society.
     After some more singing Mr. Sandstrom made an interesting statement on the strong influence exerted by Swedenborg on two of the early romantic poets in Swedish literature. He then recited "A Vision," written by one of them, Atterbom. It was Swedenborg's description of a married couple from the third heaven,-well known to us from Conjugial Love,-retold in poetic language.
     Before breaking up we decided unanimously to send greetings to the Baeckstroms and also to Miss Nordenskiold, who has not been able to be with us for over a year on account of her illness. We miss her greatly. Finally, Mr. Sandstrom expressed the gratitude of all present to Mrs. Allberg for the pleasant arrangements she had made.
     SENTA CENTERVALL

     KITCHENER, ONTARIO

     Christmas.-The Christmas season is always one of the busiest and happiest times of the year, especially in a small Society where all the special activities require the cooperation of nearly everyone on committees large and small.

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     The tableaux committee, headed by Mr. Rud Schnarr, was both large and ambitious this year. New scenery was made, new costumes and properties gathered, and a choir formed. The tableaux were shown on Sunday evening, December 17th, and the subjects of the eleven scenes presented were:
Adam and Eve biding from the Lord in Eden, and then leaving the garden, the blessing of Judah by Jacob, Balaam's prophecy of the advent, the Annunciation, the meeting of Mary and Elisabeth, the Nativity, the shepherds in the field, Simeon in the temple, the adoration of the Wise Men, and the open Word on a golden altar with a beautiful crown above. A reading from the Word, and music, accompanied each scene.
     The school children had a party on the Friday afternoon before Christmas at which they entertained their parents and friends with a play, rhythm band music, and a dance. A present for each child was found under the Christmas tree and the children presented gifts to their teachers. The party ended with refreshments and carol singing.
     The children's service on Christmas Eve followed the traditional pattern, and nearly every member of the Society turned out to enjoy the happy sphere of celebrating Christmas with the children. The representations were on either side of the chancel which was decorated with greens and candles. Some of the hymns sung were old favorites from the Hymnal that had not been used for quite a few years.
     Christmas morning dawned bright and clear, with new sparkling snow to greet us. At eleven o'clock the Christmas service was held, the Pastor preaching on the text: "And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped Him in swaddling clothes, and laid Him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn. Special music added to the quality of the service, for the choir sang "It Came Upon the Midnight Clear," and the "Hallelujah Chorus" was played at the close.
     One of the social events following Christmas was an Open House at the home of the Rev. and Mrs. Norman Reuter on December 27th.

     New Year.-The Society welcomed 1951 at a wonderful party on New Years Eve. The decorations were colorful and glittering, the atmosphere was happy and gay, the supper at 10:30 was ever so good, the greetings at midnight were hearty, and the dance tunes were favorites. It was just one of those parties you wouldn't mind having over again sometime.

     Society-School Meeting.-A Society-School meeting was held in place of doctrinal class on January 19th. The purpose of the meeting was to place before the Society the challenge of maintaining and increasing the standard of New Church education in our school despite its diminished enrollment because of the part such education must play in the future development of the Church as well as in the present day education of our children. Following opening remarks by Mr. Reuter two papers were heard from the teachers. Miss Rita Kuhl spoke on teaching the First Grade, and Miss Nancy Stroh on the compensating advantages of a small school. Both papers were delightful to hear and brought comment from the audience.

     Swedenborg's Birthday.-From all reports the children had a wonderful time at their Swedenborg's Birthday Party. Under the supervision of the teachers they played games for about two hours before noon. Luncheon was then served and was followed by speeches and songs. The four First and Third Grade pupils each recited one of Swedenborg's "Rules of Life," and told what it meant. Then the Fifth and Sixth Grade pupils read papers on Swedenborg-his childhood, his preparation, and things seen and heard by him in the spiritual world.

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     A banquet was held in the evening, with a large company enjoying the fine meal prepared by Mrs. Gus Woelfle, Mrs. Fred Down, Miss Alberta Stroh, and Mrs. Maggie Walker. The program introduced to us a new phase in church activities-the tape recorder. Mr. Reuter brought his machine with him last summer but could not use it because of our twenty-five cycle electricity. However, he found a man who has a transformer on his car, and who was willing to park outside one of the church windows for the evening, so we had the pleasure of hearing a very fine talk by Bishop Acton on "The Relation of Swedenborg's Scientific Works to the Writings." The remainder of the evening was spent in dancing.

     A Shower.-Late in January, the Society belch a surprise shower for Mr. and Mrs. Scott Havey. Scott married Miss Ruth Voll, of Kitchener, on December 16th. They were bringing records to what they thought was a young people's party when they walked into their shower. They received many lovely gifts, and everyone enjoyed the party.
     VIVIAN KUHL

     NEW YORK

     A Joint Celebration

     A rare event occurred on January 28, 1951, when societies of the General Convention and the General Church met together in celebration of the 263rd anniversary of Swedenborg's birth. At the invitation of the New York Society of the Convention, both adults and children of that Society met in their commodious and tastefully decorated church building with the New York Society and North Jersey Circle of the General Church, and all enjoyed the unique occasion.
     The celebration began with Divine Worship at 11:00 AM. The Rev. Dr. Arthur Wilde, Pastor of the New York Convention Society, officiated, and preached on the 21st chapter of Revelation to a congregation of about 125 adults and children. His sermon expounded three fundamental points which the Writings make clear: the concept of the Lord as the God of the universe, in whom there is a Divine Trinity: the Worth of God founded on Divine wisdom and the building of a New Church in the hearts of men, a direct outgrowth of the Second Coming revealed to Swedenborg.
     Immediately following the service, the Word being closed, Dr. Wilde, speaking from the lower steps of the church, referred to this happy gathering together of members of the General Church and of Convention in a common use, and called to mind the teachings concerning the proper exercises of charity. He then turned the program over to the members of the General Church introducing Mr. Leon Rhodes as the master of ceremonies.
     Mr. Rhodes voiced the general feeling of appreciation and happiness in the occasion on the part of the General Church members present, and spoke of the fact that these celebrations are primarily to honor the as-of-self labor and rationality in Swedenborg in the revelation as well as to reflect upon the miracle of his Divine inspiration. He then introduced Mr. Francis Frost, of the North Jersey Circle, who showed from historical documents that, just as now, people had been anxious about the life and growth of the New Church. Yet the New Church has survived and progressed, and that is what we should remember when we become concerned about it.
     The principle speaker was then introduced, the Rev. Morley D. Rich, Pastor of the New York and North Jersey members of the General Church and, incidentally, your reporter. After voicing his own pleasure and sense of privilege in the occasion, Mr. Rich reminded the audience of the description of the holy city, New Jerusalem which had been read as a lesson in the service. It seemed significant, he said, that in each of the four walls of the city are set three different cites, which represent various knowledges of good and truth and might therefore be compared to the various ways of life and also to the different organizations of the New Church.

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     Each organization of the New Church has its own distinctive uses, and the essence of charity for each is the performance of those uses faithfully, sincerely and justly. In so far as that essence is attained, there will he a spirit of charity breathed forth through that activity from each to all. But it is also significant that within the walls is one eternal city; and this city is ultimated in the doctrines and beliefs which are common to all the organizations of the New Church: the doctrines of the Lord, of the Second Coming, of the shunning of evils, and of the Divine inspiration of Emanuel Swedenborg, who was not only the "servant of the Lord," but also a truly great personage in his own right.
     Mr. Rich then spoke on the operations of the Divine Providence, showing that the whole circle of creation and revelation manifests the purpose of the Divine love and wisdom from the beginning-that of producing an instrument by whom a final and crowning revelation of God-Man might be made-and tracing the evidence of this cycle in Swedenborg preparation. In concluding his half-hour address Mr. Rich noted that all creation and revelation were given primarily that we might show forth the Lord's mercy in the morning and His "truth in the night."

     The congregation then adjourned upstairs to the parish hall, where a luncheon was served by the combined efforts of a committee of ladies and the children of both groups.
     During the luncheon it was mentioned that this was a date close also to the birthday of Dr. Wilde, who is now eighty-one years of age. A birthday cake was ushered in to the singing of "Happy Birthday to You," after which the General Church members, led by their Pastor, sang "Here's to Our Friend."
     MORLEY D. RICH

     TORONTO, CANADA

     "Procrastination is the thief of time." It is amazing how quickly the news notes get into arrears! And then it is most difficult to catch up.
     On October 28th there was a very colorful and gay Hallowe'en Party in the Olivet assembly hall, with the guests arriving in elaborate costumes to find an even more elaborately decorated ball. It was, of course, a success as this type of function usually goes with a swing. The Misses Katherine Barber and Stephanie Starkey and Messrs. Frank Longstaff and Donald Barber, with Harry Coy as MC., were congratulated on the happy evening enjoyed. There were many prizes, and those for costumes went to Mrs. A. W. Acton as a Flying Saucer, Mr. Keith Frazee as a Caveman, Miss Joan Parker as a Coohie, and Mr. Frank Jean-marie as a Tramp.
     The children held their Hallowe'en Party on the correct date. The small folk always love to dress up, so they all arrived in the true Halloween spirit. After many games had been played, a supper, spread on a pumpkin decorated table, was given added spice by a brightly colored balloon for each guest. Theta Alpha sponsored this event, which was convened by Mrs. Joseph Knight, assisted by Mrs. Orville Carter and Mrs. Keith Frazee.
     On November 24th a joint meeting of the Sons was held in Kitchener with 65 gentlemen in attendance, 24 of whom were from Toronto A most interesting and enlightening evening, and the most cordial of hosts, were reported.

     It was on a Sunday morning in November, at the close of the service, that the presentation of a very lovely number board was made to the Olivet Society. This board was given ha Bishop Acton, his wife, and their sons and daughters, to honor the memory of Miss Roberta Carswell. It was disappointing not to have Bishop Acton and his family present, but his words were read and the gift accepted by our Pastor, who expressed the appreciation the Olivet Society feels of this remembrance.

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     November 17th found the Society playing Bridge and Canasta at the invitation of the Ladies' Circle. This proved to be an enjoyable evening, although the games were of the "conversational" variety. Prizes were won by the Rev. Wynne Acton, Mrs. Thomas Bradfiehd, and Miss Edith Carter, but the work end was performed by Mrs. Lenore Bellinger and Mrs. Robert Raymond.
     It was called a "double feature" when Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Knight opened their home, 56 DeVere Gardens, to all their friends on November 25th to have a visit with Mr. and Mrs. Alec Craigie, of Vancouver, who were in town for an all too short visit. It was an informal and sociable affair, with everyone doing just what he was in the mood to do.
     Skipping into December, we recall that on the 3rd, the Toronto Society had the privilege of hearing a fine sermon by the Rev. Henry Heinrichs, of Kitchener, on the text: "If thou will be perfect, go sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven; and come and follow me." (Matt. 19: 21.) This was the weekend that our Pastor visited the Montreal Circle.
     About this time the Kitchener Society invited our young people to join them in a gay dance. In spite of one of the few stormy winter days we have had they accepted, and thoroughly enjoyed the "Sons of the Academy Stamps" dance.
     December 4th was the date of the Ladies' Circle Christmas Meeting, which was held at the home of Lenore Bellinger with Ethel Raymond as co-hostess. This is the evening when they sing carols and generally get into the festive mood. Ella Brown entertained with readings from Dickens' "Christmas Carol."
     Miss Edina Carswell, assisted by Corona and Mary Rose, held a charming Open House on December 15th. A large number of friends joined in this pleasant evening. The high light came when carol singers seers heard through the large picture window, and the guests looked out on a lovely scene. The garden had been floodlighted to give a moonlight effect, shining din a group of our young people singing the ever lovely Christmas carols. A week earlier the Forward-Sons had held their Turkey Dinner, to which 33 gentlemen gave hearty attention.

     There was a great deal of Christmas this year. Our Pastor led us to it with some impressive sermons in December. The Tableaux were shown on Christmas Eve to a large audience, with Mr. and Mrs. J. Knight in charge. The scenes portrayed were, the child Samuel hearing the voice of the Lord, the meeting of Mary and Elisabeth, Mary and Joseph before the tax collector, the Nativity with the arrival of the shepherds, and the presentation in the temple with the arrival of Anna the prophetess and all had simple dignity, brightness of color, and grace of line. Later, parties were the order of the night, the largest being at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Reginald Anderson, where many gathered to usher in Christmas Day with a toast to the Church.
     The Christmas morning service was most impressive, with favorite hymns, a beautifully decorated chancel,-the work of the entire Chancel Guild,-and a sermon which brought us some small realization of the manifestation of the Lord's gifts to man. Nor can we fail to mention the lovely music arranged and played by Mrs. Clara Sargeant. An effective representation was on view, constructed by Mr. and Mrs. Charles White.
     The Christmas Party for the children, under the auspices of the Ladies' Circle, was most successfully held on December 27th. This is for the very little ones, and they were treated to a puppet show performed by the Longstaff Puppeteers, which both children and adults, much enjoyed.

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     With New Year's Eve on Sunday night, and our church in the city, it was thought best not to have a dance; so we gathered in a few homes to greet 1951 with much food, fun, and frivolity. It seems that all of these parties were highly successful.
     At the Forward-Sons January meeting Mr. Neil Carmichael gave a stimulating paper on "The Brain," after which the 24 gentlemen present enjoyed the excellent supper prepared by Mr. Thomas Fountain. Another Open House was held on January 7th, when Mr. and Mrs. Sydney Parker welcomed many guests to view their pleasant new home. Their five daughters did much to make the occasion a happy one, and many good wishes were extended for the coming years.
     A long list of friends have come from various places, and quite a few of our own members have gone a-visiting. Two new babies have arrived to add to our numbers, both box's; one the son of James and Maud Swaim, the other the son of Orville and Emily Carter. It was with regret that we bade adieu to Harry and Ethne Coy, while wishing them happiness us their new venture in Bryn Athyn, and with happiness that we gathered at the home of Mr. and Mrs. R. S. Anderson to congratulate their daughter, Helen, and Leslie Percival on their engagement.
     However, there have also been shadows. It is some time since Mr. and Mrs. C. W. Longley have been able to join in the activities of the Society, but there are many who remember them with pleasure and wish to extend sincere sympathy to Mr. Longley in the death of his wife.

     Obituary.-We find it difficult to write of our good friend Ernest Zorn, and crave indulgence to quote from our local "Chatterbox."
     "With a deep sense of loss we learn of the passing into the spiritual world of our dear friend, Ernest Zorn, when he suffered a coronary thrombosis on January 20th. It is difficult to realize that we shall no longer receive his genuine friendly greeting. Ernest was a cousin of Gwen Craigie, and came into the Lord's New Church through her, and about the same time became engaged to Ruby Smith, who was also instrumental in showing him the truths to be learned and loved in the Writings. It was some time hater that his so active mind conceived the idea of producing a bi-weekly news sheet on the activities of the Society, which resulted in his publishing the first issue of "Chatter-box." He continued this use regularly for a year and a half, when business took him and his wife, Ruby, to Montreal to reside, and become helpful members of the New Church Circle there. In 1942, Mr. and Mrs. Zorn, with their two small daughters, again took up residence in Toronto, where they have remained to perform many uses.
     "Ernest was, at one time or another, a member of nearly all the various committees, and gained a reputation for sagacity. He was particularly noted also for his ability to act as a master of ceremonies at our social functions. On matters of principle he stood firm in his convictions and acted accordingly, endeavoring to live in accordance with the knowledges he had gained from the doctrines of the Church. His genius for business brought him into high regard in the advertising and publishing world, through none but his own efforts. He was widely travelled, and had the ability to bring back with him from the various New Church people whom he met abroad the messages and news he gathered in a vivid and interesting manner. He had, too, a keen appreciation of and pleasure in symphonic music.
     "Ernest's deep love of his wife and daughters was the central theme of his life, and to them, in this hour of loss, we would record the sincere sympathy and desire to be of help which has been expressed personally by all of their many friends."
     VERA CRAIGIE

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     THE CHURCH AT LARGE

     General Convention.-From The New Church Messenger we learn that the 1951 meeting of the General Convention is expected to be held in Philadelphia.
     The same issue of The Messenger notes that the Rev. Klass L. Peters, Pastor of the Convention Society in Indianapolis, assisted in conducting the Union Thanksgiving Service held in the Second Presbyterian Church, and that New Church members attended.
     Another item in our contemporary describes an interesting program of evangelism sponsored by the Massachusetts' mission board and carried on through weekly classes at the Y. W. C. A., Boston, by the Rev. Julian H. Kendig and Mr. William B. King, a theological student. The results of three years work have encouraged the board to extend the program. Meetings have been started in two other centers, a correspondence course of 12 lessons is being prepared at the Theological School, and new classes have been formed at the Theological School on three afternoons and one evening a week.
     Urbana Junior College celebrated its centennial last year, the occasion being marked, among other things, by the issue of commemorative programs and a handsome brochure containing a brief history of the institution. Founded as Urbana University, and chartered in 1850, the institution was the outgrowth of plans made in 1849 by the Rev. J. P. Stuart and Col. John H. James. Through the years many changes were made in the type of education offered, and in 1931 the title "Urbana University" was discarded in favor of "Urbana Junior College." Today, attendance has dropped to between 35 and 40 students. Fewer and fewer New Church families are supporting the institution and the majority of the students come from Urbana and vicinity. The business program has been expanded recently and an adult education program begun.

     General Conference.-We learn from The New-Church Herald that two Societies in England celebrated important anniversaries last year. Early in October, the Chester Society marked its Golden Jubilee with an extended program of special events and later in the same month the Kensington, London, Society celebrated its Silver Jubilee in its present building with a week of special services and meetings. In connection with the latter it was recalled that at the dedication of the building the sermon was preached by the Rev. E. J. E. Schreck. The Kensington Society, of course, goes much further back and numbers among its Pastors the Revs. Jonathan Bayley, Thomas Child, and James F. Buss.

     Europe.-Last fall, more than one hundred people gathered to celebrate the fiftieth anniversary of the New Church Society in Berlin, Germany, with a service and a special meeting. According to an account published in The Messenger, the Society, constituted in October, 1900, under the leadership of the Rev. Fedor Goerwitz, reached the peak of its development in 1928, by which time it became the center of the Near Church in Germany, its minister serving groups ha five other places, The Society was dissolved by the Gestapo in 1941, its property confiscated and never returned, but was reconstituted in 1949. The Rev. Erich L. G. Reissner, minister since 1920, reported that the work is progressing although the Society is much hampered by external conditions.
     A short article in The New-Church Herald describes interestingly a visit to the Rev. Alfred G. Regamey, minister of the French-speaking Societies at Lausanne, Geneva, and Vevey, Switzerland.

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It appears that Geneva and Lausanne have an equal number of services conducted by the minister, and that there is regular interest in weekday lectures on the doctrines. Vevey, the smallest group, has only occasional services; but weekday lectures are eagerly attended by many of the members, some of whom also attend the services in Lausanne, which is not far distant.

     The New Christianity.-An editorial note in the current issue of this quarterly announces the termination with this number of the editorship of the Rev. William F. Wunsch. In addition to his pastoral duties in Washington, D. C., Mr. Wunsch was recently appointed to the faculty of the New-Church Theological School. For the present the Editorial Board as a whole is undertaking to publish the quarterly under the chairmanship of Dr. Waldo C. Peebles, who heads the German Department at Boston University and is chairman of the church committee of the Boston New Church Society.

     GENERAL CHURCH

     On February 1, 1951 the following gentlemen, second year students in the Theological School, were accepted as Authorized Candidates for the priesthood: Messrs. Geoffrey Childs Jr., David Holm, Dandridge Pendleton, and Frank Rose.
     WILLARD D. PENDLETON,
          Assistant to the Bishop

     COUNCIL OF THE CLERGY

     At the third session of the Annual Council Meetings, held on Wednesday, January 24 1951, the following Resolution was unanimously adopted:

"WHEREAS the Bishop of the General Church has given to the Right Reverend Willard D. Pendleton full authority to act as his representative in the uses of government of the General Church pending his return to active duty, BE IT RESOLVED that this meeting of the Council of the Clergy express our complete confidence in Bishop Pendleton's leadership and our desire to cooperate with him."

     The Joint Council, meeting on Saturday, January 27, formally expressed itself as being in full accord with the above Resolution.
     W. CAIRNS HENDERSON.
          Secretary of the Council of the Clergy

     MILITARY SERVICE COMMITTEE

     Since our first brief report was prepared for NEW CHURCH LIFE Mrs. Donald Merrell, of Bryn Athyn, has been added to the committee; the second issue of The Communique has been put out; and the Rev. Hugo Lj. Odhner's New Year sermon has been mailed. The booklet Day Unto Day was sent out with the December issue of The Communique, and other New Church periodicals will be included in the material sent out in the near future.
     At present there are thirty-four names on our list, all from the United States and Canada. Individual letters are being written to these thirty-four to establish personal contact and prepare the way for further correspondence. Because of the indefiniteness of the world situation the committee is still working on a modest scale. The Communique and all other material is being mimeographed, and there is a vast quantity of literature already in print from which to draw for the present.
     The committee still hopes to improve its work greatly through suggestions and advice from the experienced veterans of World War II, and still asks for cooperation in sending in names and addresses and address changes so that its list can be kept up-to-date.
     DORIS G. PENDLETON.
          Chairman

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     STOCKHOLM, SWEDEN

     The Rev. Erik Sandstrom, Assistant to the Pastor of the Stockholm Society since 1934, was formally recognized as Assistant Pastor of the Stockholm Society in the latter part of 1950.

     ACADEMY SCHOOLS

     The Degree of BACHELOR OF ARTS was conferred on Daniel Bruce McQueen on Tuesday, February 6, 1951, at a brief ceremony held in the Benade Hall Chapel. Mr. McQueen, a reservist in the U.S.M.C., had been granted deferment until the end of the First Semester to complete his course.
GRAIN OF MUSTARD SEED 1951

GRAIN OF MUSTARD SEED 1951

"It shall now be told how spiritual affection is acquired. It is not acquired by faith alone, which is faith separated from charity, for such faith is merely a thought-faith with nothing of action in it; and charity as it is separated from it is also separated from affection, which is the man himself: and for this reason it is dissipated after death like a thing of air. But spiritual affection is acquired by shunning evils because they are sins, which is done by means of combat against them. The evils that man must shun are all set forth in the Decalogue. So far as man fights against them because they are sins he becomes a spiritual affection, and thus he performs uses from spiritual life. By means of combats against evils those things that possess ones interiors are dispersed; and these, as has been said above, with some appear fiery, with some dusky and with some livid. In this way one's spiritual mind is opened, through which the Lord enters into his natural mind and arranges it for performing spiritual uses which appear like natural uses. To these and to no others is it granted by the Lord to love Him above all things and the neighbor as one's self. If a man by means of combat against evils as sins has acquired anything spiritual in the world, be it ever so small, he is saved, and afterwards his uses grow like a grain of mustard seed into a tree." (Divine Love, wii: 5.)

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CATHEDRAL BOOK ROOM 1951

Announcements

The Word of the Lord. New Church Canon. Full Morocco. $7.50.
The Tabernacle of Israel. By George de Charms. Mimeographed and bound in spring back binder. Illustrated with 15 photographs, $6.50. Without photographs, $3.50.
The Cathedral Church of Bryn Athyn. A Handbook. 25 cents. What is Swedenborgianism? By William R. Cooper. 10 cents.

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LABORERS IN THE ELEVENTH HOUR 1951

LABORERS IN THE ELEVENTH HOUR Rev. JOAO DE MENDONCA LIMA 1951

NEW CHURCH LIFE
VOL. LXXI
APRIL, 1951
No. 4
     "So the last shall be first, and the first last: for many be called, but few chosen." (Matthew 20: 16.)

     Man is now born with an evil will and with hereditary tendencies to evil; for he is the fruit of a family tree built up of more or less evil ancestors who have passed down to him inclinations to their evils. For confirmation of this truth we may turn to children. From an early age, many of them are egotistic and rebellious. They want everything for themselves, do not willingly share with others, and have to be punished repeatedly for misdemeanors. They lie to cover their misdeeds, and take without scruple what does not belong to them. Some delight in ill-treating animals; others are stubborn and overbearing, and seek to lord it over their friends. Thus their upbringing involves a constant struggle against wayward tendencies, which are offset only by the air of innocence with which the Lord surrounds them for their protection.
     At the beginning of their lives the Lord keeps children within the sphere of celestial angels, thereby preventing the approach of those evil spirits to whom their hereditary evils correspond. As a result, those evil tendencies remain, to a large extent, quiescent. Those which come out cannot be appropriated. And the child has a sweetly appealing look of tranquil innocence from the celestial influences by which the Lord shields him from harm.
     It is in this period, during the first seven years of life, that the Lord insinuates celestial remains.

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These are states of love and kindness, states very loving and pure, which are stored up through association with celestial angels and through the love of parents. Later, between the ages of seven and fourteen, when the child begins to make use of his power of reasoning and the desire to learn is aroused, the Lord implants spiritual remains in his mind; taking advantage of his instinctive curiosity and the companionship and friendliness that grow up between comrades in school and at play. These remains consist in feelings of love for others and a knowledge of good and truth from the letter of the Word. In the course of the following period, roughly from fourteen to twenty-one years of age, natural remains are implanted; and these consist in obedience to law and order and recognition of the call of duty.
     In the first years of life the infant is guarded by angels of the celestial heaven. But as the child grows, these angels are replaced, successively, by those of the spiritual and the natural heavens; and when manhood is reached with the opening of the rational, the guardian angels withdraw, and the man associates to himself such spirits as make one with his life and faith. Hereditary tendencies now start to draw man toward evil, so that in his life he begins to confirm and make his own those pernicious traits which used to be mere inclinations for which he was not responsible.
     The existence of these hereditary tendencies to evil is just what makes it so much easier to lead a bad life than a good one. To do good we must strive against the force of heredity which seeks to plunge us into evil; to tread the sinful path we need only yield to this force. Indeed the attraction that wickedness has for us may well be likened to the pull exerted by gravity upon all bodies on the surface of the globe so that they tend to fall ever lower. For under the stress of heredity we are urged to cast ourselves deeper and deeper into evil. And were the Lord not to support us when we no longer enjoy the protection vouchsafed to us during our childhood through the angels there would be no possibility of salvation in the present state of the human race.

     It is by the remains He has stored up within us that the Lord succours us. Because of them, it is not only evil spirits who are in communication with us. Those states of good and truth with which the Lord has endowed us enable good spirits and angels to draw nigh; and through them we receive a spiritual influx which balances the influx emanating from hell through the evil spirits who dwell, as it were, in our hereditary evils.

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And this state of spiritual balance in which we are maintained constantly by the Lord is the means whereby we are ensured absolute freedom of choice between good and evil, and between truth and falsity.
     By awakening our remains from time to time the Lord enables us to draw a comparison between the good states thereby revealed to us and the evil moods which come from our heredity. And this awakening of remains proceeds in inverse order to their implantation. First it is natural remains that begin to stir, arousing in us the feeling of duty to be done and of obedience to be rendered to the truth we have learned in the letter of the Word. By their means we may proceed to the reform of our conduct, removing evils from our outward life.
     At this stage, however, man obeys truth not from love toward the neighbor or to the Lord but because he is convinced that such is his duty. There is a good deal of egotism left. His feeling of duty is mixed with no little pride, and with much self love and presumption which incline him to ascribe merit to himself. Possessing much knowledge gathered from the letter of the Word, and endeavoring to apply it to his conduct, he considers himself superior to his fellows and he is too severe in his criticism of the faults of others, while viewing his own defects with complacency.
     But if we persist in applying truth to life the Lord proceeds, little by little, to awaken spiritual remains: and it is then that regeneration truly begins. This period therefore marks the beginning of spiritual temptations, of tremendous conflicts against our evil affections: and we enter upon a long series of alternations of good and evil states. Our wicked passions are not to be easily overcome. The evil spirits who spur them on profit by all our moments of weakness and inattention to gather strength and induce us to do evil. Thus it is that we often fall back into evil habits from which we had thought ourselves delivered. After each of these relapses the Lord awakens new remains that bring us to see the ugliness of the wrongdoing into which we sank, and then the battlefield of the mind is the scene of fierce combat between the good and the evil influences that reach us through the spirits with whom we are unconsciously associated.

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     These spiritual conflicts, which are called temptations, are felt only in the form of states of depression and anxiety, of a deep-seated uneasiness that we cannot explain because we are unaware of its causes. This period is nearly always a long one, and nowadays it is seldom completed in this world. The man who does succeed in completing it is inspired by faith in spiritual troth and by charity or love toward his fellow men. No one can attain this stage of regeneration, however, without a knowledge of the spiritual truths contained in the internal sense of the Word and taught in the Heavenly Doctrine of the New Church.
     If we persist in the study and application of those truths, there will come a moment when the Lord can begin to awaken our celestial remains-those that we received in the first place And with the awakening of these remains we start upon the third phase of our regeneration. In this state we are moved, not by the sentiment of duty-as in the natural state-nor only by love of our fellow men, as in the spiritual. We are moved by love to the Lord, and from that by love toward the neighbor.
     The celestial man comprehends the love of the Lord for His creatures and ardently desires to return that love. He knows that the supreme purpose of the Lord's love is to bring happiness to all men, that He has created them all for eternal bliss in His heavenly kingdom. He knows also that in pursuing this end the Lord makes use of angels and men, using them as instruments for promoting the happiness of mankind. And, knowing all this, the celestial man strives to be a serviceable instrument in the hands of the Lord, and in everything he does tries to cooperate with Him in the task of redeeming mankind.
     Unfortunately, in the present state of humanity-as the Writings state-there are very few men whose regeneration advances to this point. In fact, the higher heavens-the celestial and the spiritual,-are now increased almost exclusively from among those who have died in infancy. Those who die as children are brought up and educated by the angels, and on becoming adults are admitted to one of the heavens, according to their genius. But the great majority of adults who enter heaven have to complete their regeneration in the world of spirits since, for the most part, they have but laid the foundation here.

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     Many, however, have not even consented to do this much, and arrive in the world of spirits without having made any good or truth a part of their lives. These are lost beyond recall, and entrance into hell will be their ultimate fate. For when a man dies he is no longer in freedom of choice, but is established in the choice he has made, and no evil spirit would wish to change his state.
     Thus it is foolish to think that one who has crossed over to the other world without ever having felt the desire to struggle against his wicked impulses would be likely to want to alter his way of living simply because he has passed into the spiritual life. For he takes with him all the feelings and thoughts he had on earth; and since he never wished to gainsay them, but preferred the gross and turpid lusts of evil to the pure and refined delights of good, he will find no inducement to change-the more so as he will discover that he has much more liberty to gratify those lusts. Here he felt the restraint of education, of social precepts, of the need to keep up a reputation, and of the heavy hand of authority; all of which tended to prevent him from giving free rein to his wicked passions. But there no such external compulsion exists, and he is left at liberty to do just as he likes, provided he does not injure others or take away their freedom.

     The natural remains that awaken and begin to act within us are meant, in the parable of the laborers in the vineyard, by those who were hired at the first hour; and their state, puffed up by egotism and conceit, which did not allow them to understand why those hired about the eleventh hour had earned as much as they, symbolizes man's state at the beginning of regeneration.
     The wages of the man who is regenerated are the pleasure that he feels in doing good and applying truth. In each state of regeneration we receive the full remuneration due to it, and that is the highest pleasure it can vouchsafe to us. Thus, spiritually speaking, the wages of those who become regenerate are the same for all, for whatever the stage we reach, we shall receive the maximum of bliss that is compatible with it.
     The remains of the spiritual stage are represented by the laborers hired about the third, sixth, and ninth hours. These numbers are all multiples of three, and therefore represent states of truth or faith and consequently of charity, for the number three signifies a complete system of truth which carries us forward to the exercise of charity.

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And the work of these laborers stands for the various stages of regeneration to the spiritual degree.
     But the laborers hired at the eleventh hour represent the celestial remains which are implanted in the first years of infancy and which are awakened by the Lord last of all. It is only when man has become spiritual that the time is ripe for arousing the remains of early infancy, whereby he may be regenerated to the celestial degree. And it is by these remains that, little by little, love to the Lord is developed in the human heart. Although they are the last to be awakened, they carry man furthest along the road of regeneration: and the reward of those who reach this goal is the fullness of celestial bliss.

     In the process of regeneration the Lord works from inmost to outmost, implanting, without our being aware of it, first celestial, then spiritual, and finally natural remains. But when we decide to undertake the work of regeneration we have to travel in a reverse way. We are led by the Lord, first by natural then by spiritual, and finally by celestial remains. Thus we see that the last remains to be implanted in us are the first to serve in the process of our regeneration, and the first are the last to be made use of; wherefore the Lord says, in the final verse of the parable. "So the last shall be first, and the first last; for many be called, but few chosen."
     In the ladder that Jacob saw in a dream, with the angels ascending and descending on it, we have another representation of this. The ascending angels represent the truths of the Word which, introduced into our memory, gradually ascend to the rational, and from it into the will. When this has taken place. the truths that were received in the beginning as mere knowledges are transformed into principles of living which are rationally understood and loved; and they then descend into the natural mind to reform our life. Thus the descending angels represent those truths coming down; and the Lord stood above the ladder because He effects the entire process of regeneration, causing the knowledges committed to the memory to become living principles. Ascending as the "first" they descend as the "last" to accomplish our spiritual redemption.
     The Lord concludes the parable by saving: "for many be called, but few chosen."

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The called" are all those who receive a knowledge of the truth; the truth that calls us to do good, ascending by the inner ladder of our mind to the summit of our love for the very truth. The "chosen" are those who have chosen the good which truth teaches. Only those in whom the truth, having reached their will and love, descends to their external man to be applied to life can be so called. Many are called because the truth extends to many men; few are chosen, for in comparison with the number of those who receive a knowledge of truth there are not many who apply its teaching to their lives.
In the process of regeneration we are first called by the truth and finally chosen by the good which is acquired in applying the truth to life. When this takes place, good assumes in our mind the prior place that at the beginning was assigned to truth. The latter was the first to come into play, calling us to regeneration. But afterwards it became the last, in making way for the good by which we are really chosen for heaven. "So the last shall be first, and the first last; for many be called, but few chosen" Amen.

LESSONS: Genesis 28: 10-17. Matthew 20: 1-16.
FORGOTTEN PAGES OF NEW CHURCH HISTORY 1951

FORGOTTEN PAGES OF NEW CHURCH HISTORY Rev. WILLIAM WHITEHEAD 1951

     IV. Two Attempted "New Church" Utopias

     It is a suggestive fact that New Churchmen, in various attempts to found distinctive, New Church "communities" have rarely been interested in the materialistic concepts of Marxian "communism," but have often been intrigued, and misled, by the vague spiritual-moral concepts to be found in the early life of primitive Christianity, or in such writings as those of Charles Fourier and Count Saint-Simon. Two examples may be of present interest.
     1) One hundred years ago, in January, 1851, a group of three men was commissioned by the Rev. Wilhelm Diekhoner's society in St. Louis, to find a suitable place in the new prairie lands of Iowa for a singular colony to be known as the Jasper Colony.

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The story of this colony was presented in considerable detail nearly seventeen years ago, by Charles A. Hawley, Ph.D., of the University of Iowa. From him we learn that the apostle of this attempt at a "Christian communistic society" was Wilhelm Diekhoner himself As a boy in Germany he had become interested in the teachings of Swedenborg through the translations of Immanuel Tafel. "As a young man he determined to come to America, since he was convinced that freedom of ideas no longer could be enjoyed in Germany. In due course of time he reached St. Louis, where he established himself as a cobbler. Everyone who came to his shop heard something about the Bible and the writings of the great master, Emanuel Swedenborg, before he left. Diekhoner was a man of intense conviction. Even before he left Germany he had read and thought deeply on the economic and social questions of the time. In St. Lotus he at once found large numbers who shared his views. . . . With Diekhoner it was the Bible which supplied the basis of his reforms."
     He believed the New Church had displaced all other institutions. What he wanted was a place where he might plant a colony, as so many were doing, to prove in actual life both the precepts of the Bible and the teachings of Swedenborg. Finally he heard about the fertile fields in Iowa. He began to talk about this to all who came to his shop during the week and to his reading circle on Sunday. In vivid detail he pictured what a united, consecrated band of men and women might do in that wilderness paradise. At last some were convinced and began to plan during the winter of 1850 what they might do.
     This group of German families in St. Lotus received the favorable report of their advance group "as a part of Divine Providence, and at once prepared to take possession" of land in what is now Iowa county. Erecting a community house in 1851, they brought with them Tafel's translations of Swedenborg's Writings.
     "Taking its pattern from the life of the early Christians, the colony began as a communistic organization. But as in many similar settlements of the period, communism proved unworkable. Each family soon began to desire to own its own farm. Iowa county was one of the most fertile parts of Iowa, and the land was cheap. In 1853, at a general meeting of the colony, it was voted to give up communism and to reorganize. The land was accordingly divided; and each family thereafter had its own farm." (NEW CHURCH REVIEW. 1934, pp. 193-208.)

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     2) However, some six years before the launching of the "Jasper Colony" in Iowa, another community had been born and died in Illinois. This had a quite distinct orientation, though it too attempted to ultimate the doctrines of the New Church.
     The Rev. John Randolph Hibbard, one of the founders of the Academy, in his valuable and vivid series of articles entitled "Reminiscences of a Pioneer," written during 1883-1885, writes from personal experience of an attempt made in 1845 to establish a Fourieristic community, or "phalanx," at Canton, Illinois. He says: ". . . At this time the members of the Canton society were much exercised upon the subject of social and economic Organization. Mr. John F. Randolph, a leading member of the Church in Canton, and President of the Illinois Association, had become imbued with the principles of Charles Fourier, as set forth in the pamphlet upon that subject by Albert Brisbane;" and "from his conversation and influence nearly all the members of the society had become affected by them. When I arrived they were holding frequent meetings for the discussion of the question, shall we form ourselves into a 'Fourier Phalanx'?
     "Before the spring of 1845 they had pretty generally agreed to try the experiment. Mr. Randolph owned a well improved farm of three or four hundred acres a few miles from the village, and this he proposed to put into the stock company to serve as the common farm. On this farm besides the dwelling house occupied by the family were several log cabins, and a large double log building erected for a mill. This was taken down and removed to a place convenient for the farm and at the edge of a beautiful grove. To this spacious two story log building as a center were added a long one story shed in the rear, which should serve for a kitchen and wash room. Board shanties were added stretching out upon either side, one or two for each family. From its peculiar structure and appearance, this temporary house for the twelve or fifteen families was called 'The Bird.' To this most of the families belonging to the Church in Canton moved in the early spring of 1845, divided themselves into 'groups' and 'series,' and began work. One 'series' attended to the farm. Another went to making brick from a clay bank a few rods from the 'Bird,' with which to build a 'phalansterie.'

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The women in like manner divided their work among themselves some cooking, some washing, some sewing, and some as chambermaids, keeping the several apartments of the Bird' in order. The children, of which there were a goodly number, were for several hours of each day given in charge of Mrs. Hibbard, who used one of the cabins near as a school room.
"Early in the season Mr. Randolph died, and by the time the summer crops were gathered, the kiln of 150.000 bricks burned, and the corn ripe, all were satisfied that the attempt to better either their temporal or spiritual condition by following the plan proposed by Fourier and Brisbane, though modified by a slight infusion of New-Church ideas half understood, was a failure, and they were ready to dissolve, break up, and return to their former homes, or seek new ones. The bricks were sold to pay back money invested by non-resident stock holders, the crops, corn, stock, and louse property were divided as justly as possible among the members, the farm returned to the Randolph family, and the Bird' folded its wings and disappeared."
Mr. Hibbard draws the conclusion: "The utter failure of all these efforts but shows the folly of man's own intelligence, and adds another to the many warnings that the wisdom of the Lord is the only wisdom, and His wax' as revealed by himself the only way by which human society can be restored to the order that will give to all plenty and peace." (NEW JERUSALEM MESSENGER. 1884. pp. 81. 95.)
DWELLING IN THE TENTS OF SHEM 1951

DWELLING IN THE TENTS OF SHEM 1951

"And he shall dwell in the tents of Shem." (Genesis 9: 27)

"When a man feels or perceives in himself that he has good thoughts concerning the Lord and that he has good thoughts concerning the neighbor, and desires to perform kind offices for him, not for the sake of any gain or honor for himself; and when he feels that he has pity for anyone who is in trouble, and still more for one who is in error in respect to the doctrine of faith; then he may know that he dwells in the tents of Shem, that is, that he has internal things in him through which the Lord is working." (Arcana Coelestia, 1102)

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ANNUAL COUNCIL MEETINGS 1951

ANNUAL COUNCIL MEETINGS W. CAIRNS HENDERSON 1951

     COUNCIL OF THE CLERGY

     The Annual Meetings of the Council of the Clergy of the General Church of the New Jerusalem were held in the Council Hall of the Bryn Athyn Cathedral-Church, January 23-26, 1951. In the enforced absence of Bishop de Charms through illness, the Rt. Rev. Willard D. Pendleton presided.
     In addition to Bishop Pendleton there were present fourteen members of the pastoral degree and one member of the ministerial degree, namely; Rev. Messrs. A. Wynne Acton, Elmo C. Acton, Karl R. Alden, Bjorn A. H. Boyesen, Harold C. Cranch, F. E. Gyllenhaal, W. Cairns Henderson, Hugo Lj. Odhner, Ormond Odhner, Norman H. Reuter, Morley D. Rich, Norbert H. Rogers, David R. Simons, William Whitehead; and Raymond G. Cranch;-a total of sixteen. Candidate Louis B. King was present by invitation.

     A meeting of the Bishop's Consistory was held on Monday evening, January 22nd, with Bishop Pendleton presiding. The Council, in accordance with its usual custom, held six regular sessions, four in the morning and two in the afternoon, one open session, and one joint session with the Board of Directors of the General Church. During the week, Bishop Pendleton met with the Pastors of Societies in attendance and with the Principals of local schools, and there was also a meeting of the Educational Council Committee, at which Bishop Pendleton presided.

     In opening the meetings, Bishop Pendleton spoke about the illness of the Bishop of the General Church, stating that there was every reason to feel encouraged and to look for Bishop de Charms' return to the full responsibility of office in the summer, and remarked on the problems that might arise out of the world situation. A letter from Bishop de Charms was read in which the Council was advised that Bishop Pendleton has full authority to act on behalf of the Bishop of the General Church, both during the Annual Meetings and in every situation pending the return of the Bishop to active duty.

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The Council acted upon this letter at a later session by unanimously adopting a resolution expressing complete confidence in Bishop Pendleton's leadership and the desire to cooperate with him. (See NEW CHURCH LIFE, March 1951, p. 141.)

     During the week, reports were presented by the Secretary of the Council of the Clergy, the Secretary of the General Church, the Editor of NEW CHURCH LIFE, the Sound Recording Committee, and the Committee on republishing "New Church Sermons." These were discussed and received, and it was resolved that the proposals made by the Committee on "New Church Sermons" be transmitted to the Board of Directors of the General Church with a recommendation that they be given serious consideration.

     Two major addresses and one short paper were heard at the regular sessions. The Rev. Ormond Odhner presented a paper entitled. "Creation for Specific Heavenly Uses." The Rev. Harold C. Cranch submitted the outline of a "New Church Orientation Course in the Modern World." And the Rev. Raymond G. Cranch addressed himself in a shorter paper to the question: "What Should the New Church Teach in Regard to Justice on the Economic and Civil Plane?" In addition, the Program Committee provided, at two sessions a series of three short addresses planned to promote discussion of certain aspects of the pastoral use. The Rev. Bjorn A. H. Boyesen spoke on separate adult and children's services; the pastoral relation of priest and people was taken up by the Rev. Norman H. Reuter; and the Rev. Elmo C. Acton considered methods of effecting pastoral changes. A short discussion of "The Rite of Confirmation:
Its Purpose" was introduced by Bishop Willard D. Pendleton, who raised also the question of the procedure to be followed in extending and accepting invitations to preach in other Societies and Circles of the Church.

     Several resolutions were passed during the sessions. The Bishop was again asked to appoint a committee to prepare a program for two sessions of the next Annual Meetings, and was asked also to appoint a Committee on NEW CHURCH LIFE, a Committee on Ecclesiastical Garments, and a Committee on Free Literature for Applicants; all of these committees to report at the next Annual Meetings.

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The Secretary was instructed to send a message of affectionate greeting to Bishop de Charms, and to thank the committees of ladies who so kindly and graciously served refreshments during the morning recesses.

     At the final session, the following MEMORIAL RESOLUTIONS were presented, and were adopted by rising votes:
     We the Clergy of the General Church of the New Jerusalem in Annual Council assembled, commemorate the passing into the spiritual world of Frederick William Elphick in April 1950; and we wish to record our deep appreciation of his zealous and faithful work for twenty-five years as Superintendent of the South African Mission. Born in England in 1883, he served his country well during the war of 1914-1918, and the Church in England until his removal to South Africa. Later, after two years in the Theological School of the Academy of the New Church, he returned to South Africa to superintend the Native Mission and to train natives for the New Church ministry. We believe that he has now entered into the interior of the uses which he was active in promoting while on earth. And we wish a copy of this memorial to be sent to Mrs. Elphick and her family as an expression of our sympathy.
     As the Rev. Henry Leonardos has been called to higher uses in the spiritual world, the Clergy of the General Church of the New Jerusalem, in Annual Council assembled, wish to record their deep appreciation of his long and faithful service in the New Church in Brazil. Although he was stationed in a distant field, his work is well known through the reports of it in NEW CHURCH LIFE. And we wish a copy of this commemoration to be sent to Mrs. Leonardos and her family as an expression of our sympathy.
     At a later meeting of the Joint Council of the General Church, that body, by rising vote, associated itself with the above sentiments.

     The Open Session of the Council was held on Friday, January 26, following the usual Friday Supper of the Bryn Athyn Church. Bishop Pendleton presided, and the address was given by the Rev. Hugo Lj. Odhner, who spoke on The Human Essence of the Lord." This address, which is to be published, was discussed appreciatively and in a general way by several speakers.

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     Although the various social gatherings held are not actually a part of the Annual Council Meetings they are delightful occasions, and it has become customary to mention them in this report. Members of the Joint Council and their wives were entertained by Mr. and Mrs. Harold F. Pitcairn at a dinner party on the Tuesday evening. The following evening there was an equally happy gathering of the Clergy in the home of Dr. and Mrs. Hugo Lj. Odhner, at which the subject of "Sunday Observance in the New Church" was discussed after dinner. And in Glencairn Mr. Raymond Pitcairn was host at two luncheon parties for members of the Joint Council, while Mr. and Mrs. Kesneil Acton entertained most hospitably after the Open Session.
     W. CAIRNS HENDERSON,
          Secretary, Council of the Clergy.
JOINT COUNCIL 1951

JOINT COUNCIL Various 1951

     JANUARY 27, 1951

     The fifty-seventh regular joint meeting of the Council of the Clergy and the Board of Directors of the General Church of the New Jerusalem was convened by the Rt. Rev. Willard D. Pendleton at 10 a.m., January 27, 1951, in the Council Chamber of the Bryn Athyn Church. The following members attended:

     OF THE CLERGY: The Rt. Rev. W. D. Pendleton; The Rev. Messrs. A. W. Acton, E. C. Acton, K. R. Alden, B. A. H. Boyesen, H. C. Cranch, F. E. Gyllenhaal, W. C. Henderson, H. L. Odhner (Seer.), N. H. Reuter, M. D. Rich, N. H. Rogers, D. R. Simons, R. G. Cranch; and Candidate L. B. King. (15)
     OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS: Messrs. D. E. Acton, K. C. Acton. E. T. Asplundh, Lester Asplundh, G. E. Blackman, E. C. Bostock, G. S. Childs, R. W. Childs, E. H. Davis, Q. F. Ebert, T. N. Glenn, Hubert Hyatt, P. C. Pendleton, H. F. Pitcairn Raymond Pitcairn, Arthur Synnestvedt. (16)

     1. After prayers, and the reading of a portion of Isaiah 40, Bishop Pendleton, presiding, called for the MINUTES of the 56th regular Joint Council meeting; and these were approved as printed in the NEW CHURCH LIFE. 1950, pp. 160-164.
     2. The Secretary of the COUNCIL OF THE CLERGY submitted his Report which was read in part and accepted. (See page 167.)

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     3. The Report of the SECRETARY OF THE GENERAL CHURCH was submitted, accepted, and filed. (See page 164.)
     4. The Reports of the Secretary of the CORPORATIONS OF THE GENERAL CHURCH were read and accepted. (See pages 173, 174.)
     5. The Council by rising votes, associated itself with the MEMORIAL RESOLUTIONS already passed by the Council of the Clergy, in memory of our late brothers, the Rev. Frederick William Elphick, of Durban, and the Rev. Henry Leonardos, of Rio de Janeiro. (See page 157.)
     6. The Council, by rising vote, passed the following Resolution in memory of our late member Mr. Paul Synnestvedt:

     Resolved, that this Council inscribe upon its Minutes a testimony of our affection and esteem for our colleague. Paul Synnestvedt, who last spring, at the age of eighty years, was transferred to the field of his eternal uses. From the time of his school days, he has been active in promoting the uses of the New Church and has given of his sage counsel in the hoards and lay committees of the Church. His large family and many descendants, all active within the Church, testify of his devotion to its principles. He will be missed by us not only because of his outstanding legal knowledge and his warm love of the Church, but as a kind friend and genial associate, a lover of freedom and of the civic good.

     7. Mr. Geoffrey S. Childs, commenting on the Report of the Council of the Clergy, noted the disproportion between the number of Betrothals and the number of Marriages performed. (See page 168.) He expressed concern lest the distinctive Betrothal service fall into disuse, and wondered if more general instruction might not be needed.
     It was explained by Bishop Pendleton that our young people, when educated in the Church, do not as a rule neglect to ask for this rite. But our ministers are called upon to travel far and minister to many who are not so well instructed. The discussion also brought out that there were cases of remarriage and of mixed marriages when the rite was not called for. The Rev. N. H. Reuter confirmed that often there was no opportunity to give instruction to isolated couples and it was not then wise to insist on the ceremony.
     8. The question was raised by the Rev. B. A. H. Boyesen whether the statistics of a society for its own fiscal year, which often ended in September, could not be used for the annual reports. It was explained that this would suffice for the purpose.
     9. The following letter was then read from the Rt. Rev. George de Charms, Bishop of the General Church:

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The Council of the Clergy and
the Joint Council of the General Church:

Dear Friends:
     It is with keen regret that I find myself again unable this year to take part in the Annual Council Meetings. I am most anxious, however, that the vital uses of the Church should suffer neither injury nor delay because of my absence.
     As always at these sessions, important questions must be answered, and decisive action with reference to them must be taken. In this matter there must be complete freedom if the true welfare of the Church is to be served.
     For this reason I wish to make it clear that Bishop Pendleton has full authority to act on behalf of the Bishop of the General Church, to provide for the initiative and the leadership so essential to uninterrupted progress, both during the Annual Meetings and in every situation pending my return to active duty. As my representative. Bishop Pendleton has my unreserved confidence, and I am sure that he enjoys in equal measure the confidence of the Church. I bespeak for him, therefore, the cooperation of the Council of the Clergy and the Joint Council in all their deliberations.
     I am glad to say that while I am still unable to assume my share of responsibility, my health is now steadily improving, and I have every reason to hope that within the next few months my strength will be fully restored.
     Meanwhile I wish to express profound gratitude to all those who have so ably and so willingly carried the burdens I have been compelled to drop. Knowing how well the work would be done I have felt no anxiety for the welfare of the Church or of the Academy. My only anxiety has been due to the realization that others have been called upon to do so much extra work on my behalf.
     I shall be with you in spirit during the coming sessions, knowing that the Lord will guide your counsels and lead His Church, as He has done so mercifully in the past.
     With affectionate greetings,
          GEORGE DE CHARMS.

     10. On motion of Mr. Raymond Pitcairn, the meeting, b rising rote, instructed the Secretary to send a letter to the Bishop conveying our deep affection and profound hopes for his complete recovery, and our deep appreciation of the provisions he made for the continuance of the work of his office.
     11. The Secretary of the Council of the Clergy, the Rev. W. C. Henderson, then read a Resolution passed by that body: after which, Mr. R. W. Childs moved the following Resolution, which was seconded by the Rev. A. W. Acton and passed unanimously by rising vote:

     WHEREAS, the Council of the Clergy of the General Church of the New Jerusalem, at a session held on January 24, 1951, adopted the following preamble and resolution:

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     "Whereas the Bishop of the General Church has given to the Rt. Rev. Willard D. Pendleton full authority to act as his representative in the uses of government of the General Church pending his return to active duty:
     "Be if resolved that this meeting of the Council of the Clergy express our complete confidence in Bishop Pendleton's leadership and our desire to cooperate with him."

     Now therefore BE IT RESOLVED, that this Joint Council of the General Church of the New Jerusalem is in full accord with the foregoing preamble and resolution of the Council of the Clergy and hereby recognizes the Right Reverend Willard D. Pendleton as having full authority to act as the representative of Bishop de Charms in the uses of government of the General Church of the New Jerusalem pending Bishop de Charms' return to active duty.

     Bishop Pendleton then told the meeting that Bishop de Charms, on the day of his first attack last July, had called him to act in his stead in the affairs of the General Church. Early in December the Bishop had returned to his office, only to suffer a severe relapse. It now seemed reasonably certain that summer would find him ready to resume some of the work. Bishop Pendleton expressed appreciation for the assistance given him by the Bishop's Consistory and others. No occasion had arisen for any critical decision, yet many new decisions have had to be made, consistent with former policies.
     12. The TREASURER OF THE GENERAL CHURCH, Mr. Hubert Hyatt, gave an informal report. (His full Report is printed on pp. 175-182.) In reply to questions he gave a list of societies which were at present self-supporting.
     Mr. Philip C. Pendleton, speaking for the COMMITTEE ON MINISTERIAL SALARIES, said that the Committee needed more information and pleaded that ministers he not reticent about answering the questionnaire of the Committee. It was quite aware of the present inflationary trend. He reported that some societies had asked to be excused from some of their obligations.
     13. The Report of the Treasurer was accepted.
     14. The Secretary read the Report from the MILITARY SERVICE COMMITTEE. (See page 185.)
     Copies of the December "Communique" were exhibited. Bishop Pendleton noted that all were mindful of the work of Mrs. P. C. Pendleton during World War II. She had now again responded to what appears to be a paramount need, to keep in contact with our young people who are being called into the armed services.

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Personal letters were especially called for, and experience had shown that women served more effectively than men on such a committee. The work was organized on a temporary basis, and Mrs. Doris Pendleton was needed to start it off right. Although an unusually busy woman, being organist of the Bryn Athyn Church and mother of a family, she had consented with the hope of being relieved later. Mr. P. C. Pendleton cheerfully offered his wife's services. (Laughter.) On motion, the Report was gratefully received.
     15. The EDITOR OF NEW CHURCH LIFE, the Rev. W. Cairns Henderson, read his Report (see page 182) which, on motion, was accepted.
     It was noted that a stock of each issue of the LIFE was being reserved for making up Sets for the future, but Mr. Hyatt, the Business Manager, wished to encourage those who have old copies, especially of the early years, to send them on to him to increase the stock.
     16.     Bishop Pendleton introduced the subject of the SOUTH AFRICAN MISSION. The death of the Rev. F. W. Elphick last spring, and the change of Pastors in the Durban Society, as well as the illness of the Bishop which occurred only a week before he intended to leave with Mr. E. C. Bostock for a visit in South Africa, had delayed and complicated the settlement of some Mission affairs. Mr. Bostock had spent generously of time and thought and effort, and Mr. Hyatt had helped immeasurably. Mr. Pryke's long letters had been amazingly complete and he had done outstanding work in measuring up the situation in a preliminary way; but the difficulty was increased by the fact that the Mission field and the Board of Directors were geographically far apart.
     Mr. E. C. Bostock reported that according to Mr. Pryke's most recent letters the farm at Kent Manor in Zululand has now been purchased for a Mission station. Mr. Pryke plans to conduct a summer course for native ministers and leaders in Durban. It is felt desirable to buy a lot near Durban for a native church and school. There are indications that some native societies may become substantially self-supporting. Mr. Pryke hopes for a visit from Bishop Pendleton and Mr. Bostock.

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     The verbal report was received with thanks.
     17. The Rev. Harold C. Cranch gave a report on behalf of the COMMITTEE ON NEW CHURCH SERMONS (see page 184), of which he was Chairman and which included the Rev. Messrs. E. C. Acton, K. R. Alden, O. de C. Odhner, and N. H. Reuter.
     Mr. Hubert Hyatt said that his experience with the personnel of the committee gave assurance that the program would be most useful to the Church and be an improvement on the former efforts in that line. Copies of the old NEW CHURCH SERMONS were still in demand and a stock was still available for applicants.
     Mr. Geoffrey S. Childs was delighted with the proposals. He had been amply supplied with sermons and classes by Mrs. Mildred Pitcairn's excellent mimeograph service, but recognized in the new plan a wider use. His plea was that not too small type he used.
     Mr. Harold F. Pitcairn felt that the study behind this program was impressive and done by qualified men. He believed that we should go ahead with it.
     It was unanimously voted that the plan be referred to the Board of Directors for favorable consideration.
     18. The Rev. Morley D. Rich gave the report of the COMMITTEE ON SOUND RECORDINGS. (See page 183.)
     Bishop Pendleton regarded the work of this committee as an outstanding and highly useful service, providing a mode of communication different from that of the written word and supplementary to it. It has brought a presence of our priesthood to our people in distant places. The work has been a labor of love, and the building up of a library of recordings is notable, involving voluntary work by a number of people. The work is of growing proportions and has tremendous possibilities. It is one of the many signs that the General Church is a living church.
     19. After a resolution of thanks to the Bryn Athyn Women's Guild for refreshments provided at the session, the meeting adjourned at 12.35 p.m.
     HUGO LJ. ODHNER,
          Secretary.

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ANNUAL REPORTS 1951

ANNUAL REPORTS Various 1951

     SECRETARY OF THE GENERAL CHURCH

     The net increase of our membership during the year 1950 was 57 persons. 79 new names were added to the roll. 17 deaths were reported, and 5 resignations were received. At the year's end the General Church had 2625 members, of whom 1567 reside in the United States and 1058* in other countries.
     Membership, Jan. 1, 1950               2568
          (U.S.A.-1530, Other countries-1038)
     New Members (Certificates nos. 3975-4053)          79
          (U.S.A.-46, Other countries-33)
     Deaths (U.S.A.-7. Other countries-10)     17
     Resignations (U.S.A.-2, Other countries-3)
          Losses          22
          Net gain in membership               57
     Membership on Jan. 1, 1951               2625
          (U.S.A.-1567, Other countries-1058)
     * Figures for the U.S.A. are given separately because required for U. S. government statistics.

     SOUTH AFRICAN NATIVE MISSION

     The new Superintendent, the Rev. Martin Pryke reports a baptized membership in our Mission of 412 adults, 99 young people, and 280 children. The adult membership is distributed as follows: Durban area. 36: Zululand, 121 other places in Natal, 104; Transvaal, 125; Cape Province, 11 Basutoland, 15.

     NEW MEMBERS

     January 1, 1950 to December 31, 1950

     A. THE UNITED STATES

     Sacramento, California
Mr. Philip Coleman Pendleton

     Gainesville, Florida
Mr. Jack Harold Fehon

     Chicago, Illinois
Mr. Walter C. Crow
Mrs. W. C. (Gretchen Zimmerman) Crow

     Clinton, Illinois
Mrs. John (Nellie Estelle Porter) McIntyre

     Glenview, Illinois
Miss Odah Louise Barry
Mrs. Winifred Irvina Stevens Eschwege
Mr. Benjamin Benade McQueen
Mr. John Ralph Synnestvedt
Mr. Douglas Neville Wright

165

     Rockford, Illinois
Mrs. Pierre (Ailene Badollet) Vinet

     Dearborn, Michigan
Mr. Richard Lowell Doering

     Duluth, Minnesoea
Mrs. Adelbert (Elaine Rolf) Blanchard
Mrs. Russell Bryan (Elsie Caroline Rolf) Boothroyd

     Exeter, New Hampshire
Mrs. Dandridge MacFarlan (Charlotte Ellen Davis) Cole

     Assembly Point, Lake George, New York
Mr. John Alden Beals

     Bryn Athyn, Pennsylvania
Mrs. Alfred Gareth (Elsa Asplundh) Acton
Miss Ersa Marie Alden
Mr. Richard Bostock
Mr. Dandridge Malcolm Kuhl David
Mr. Raymond Brewster David
Miss Beatrice Kathleen Evens
Mr. George Theodore Glebe
Miss Gloria Amaryllis Hubscher, now Mrs. K. R. Alden, Jr.
Miss Emily Leonard, now Mrs. John Alden Beals
Mrs. Mae Mathilda Soneson Linquist
Miss Vera Pitcairn
Mr. Donal Richard Price
Mrs. Richard Barrie (Marie Louise Odhner) Roschman
Miss Jane Smith
Mr. Allan Cadwallader Soderberg
Mr. Ray Synnestvedt
Miss Genevieve Madeleine Vinet
Mr. Jan Hugo Weiss

     Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Mrs. Bryndon C. (Jeanne Stead) Heath
Miss Jeanette Elizabeth Humm
Mrs. Weston L. (Marilyn Ann Reeves) Smith

     Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Miss Ruth Brown
Miss Mary Anne Doering
Miss Lucy Jane Lindsay
Miss Rita Smith

     Columbus, Ohio
Miss Helen Van Zant

     Hamilton, Ohio
Mr. Kenneth Igler Latta
Mrs. K. I. (Joan Cleveland) Latta

     Urbana, Ohio
Miss Barbara Boal Barnitz

     Cottage Grove, Wisconsin
Mr. Alfred Frank Mergen

     B. CANADA

     Dawson Creek, British Columbia
Mr. George John Shearer
Mrs. G. J. (Mary Bergen) Shearer

     Kitchener, Ontario
Mr. Daniel Winthrop Heinrichs
Miss Elizabeth Hill
Mr. Stanley Douglas Hill
Mrs. Edward Joseph (Vera Jane Bond) Kunkel
Mr. Allen Albert Charles Peirce
Mr. Frederick Laurier Schnarr
Miss Marion Joyce Schnarr

     Toronto, Ontario
Mr. Thomas Malcolm Bradfield
Mr. Harry Coy
Miss Flora Ethne Ridgway, now Mrs. Harry Coy
Miss Gladys Alethea Starkey
Miss Stephanie Joyce Starkey

     C. SOUTH AMERICA

     Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Mr. Sergio Leonardos Hamann

     D. GERMANY

     Frankfurt am Main
Mr. Gerhard Felix Emmanuel Prochaska

     E. ENGLAND

     Bristol
Mr. Walter Ernest Lewin
Mrs. W. F. (Kate Cooper) Lewin

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     Colchester, Essex
Miss Thelma Elizabeth Pike
Miss Rosemary Susan Wyncoll

     Seven Kings, Essex
Mr. John Roy Warwick

     Shenfield, Essex
Mr. Philip Andrew Waters

     Enfield, Middlesex
Miss Brenda Shepherd

     Carshalton, Surrey
Mr. Peter John Dyne

     London
Miss Pamela Dale
Miss Mary Ann Lewin
Miss Helen Mary Teed

     F. SWEDEN

     Mofalla

Capt. Nils Daniel Goranfelt
Mrs. N. D. (Edla Maria Gustafson) Goranfelt

     Stockholm
Mr. John Alvar Bengtsson

     Jamserum
Mr. Abel Johansson

     Stureby
Mr. Karl Herma Rosengren

     G. SOUTH AFRICA

     P.O. Cavendish, Natal
Miss Laura Alice Isobel Lumsden

     DEATHS

     Reported during 1953

Baillond, Mme. Marie Louise Delhotal, Paris, France; information incomplete.
Blythe, Mr. Samuel, July 28, 1950, Epsom, Surrey, England.
Carswell, Miss Roberta Martha, Nov. 11, 1950, Toronto, Ontario.
Davis, Mrs. Selina Mary, Aug. 15, 1950, Bryn Athyn, Penna.
Elphick, Rev. Frederick William, Apr. 2, 1950, Durban, Natal.
Goranfelt, Mrs. Nils Daniel (Edla Maria Gustafson), Sept. 17, 1950, Mofalla, Sweden.
Heaton, Mrs. George Bender (Mary Clara Roehner), Dec. 23, 1950, Bryn Athyn, Penna.
Kertcher, Mrs. Agnes (Schierholtz), Feb. 4, 1950, Kitchener, Ontario.
Kitzelman, Mr. Burwuod George, Sept. 15, 1950, Glenview, Ill.
Kuhl, Mr. George S., May 4, 1950, Kitchener, Ontario.
Leonardos, Rev. Henry, July 19, 1950, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Lundborg, Mr. George Aron, Aug. 3,1950, San Diego, Calif.
Riefstahl, Mrs. Louis V. (Amy Synnestvedt), Nov. 14, 1949, Chicago, Ill.
Roschman, Mrs. Eugene W. L. (Constance Irene Spence), Nov. 12, 1949, Toronto, Ont.
Sandels, Mrs. Alexandra Emma Maria (Lindstrom), Sept. 11, 1949, Stockholm, Sweden.
Savage, Mr. Matthew, May 5, 1943, Azusa, Calif. (Delayed report.)
Synnestvedt, Mr. Paul, March 1, 1950, Bryn Athyn, Penna.

     RESIGNATIONS
Cockerell, Miss Alma, Durban, Natal.
Cockerell, Miss Carol, Durban, Natal.

167

Cockerell, Mrs. J. D'Arcy, Durban, Natal.
Cranch, Mr. Eugene Thompson, New Rochelle, N. Y.
Shoemaker, Mrs. Donald H., Valencia, Penna.

     THE CALENDAR OF DAILY READINGS

     In order to ascertain whether it is advisable to continue issuing our yearly Calendar of "Daily Readings from the Sacred Scripture and the Heavenly Doctrine," which is designed to encourage our members to initiate individual reading, a questionnaire was sent out to some 1500 recipients. So far, 332 returns have been received, indicating that 135 persons follow the Calendar Readings and 14 intend to do so. 175 do not use the Calendar (some mentioning other reading that they prefer), but of these 53 believe it should be continued, which 101 do not believe it is needed. 6 find the print too small or have other physical reasons for not using it.

     The indications are sufficient, in our view, to continue regarding the Calendar as a proper project; and many notes have been received which also express a wish for the resumption of regular "Notes on the Calendar Readings," such as were once published serially in NEW CHURCH LIFE.
     Respectfully submitted,
          HUGO LJ. ODHNER.
               Secretary.

     COUNCIL OF THE CLERGY

     January 1, 1950 to January 1, 1951

     MEMBERSHIP

     During the year two members of the Council, the Rev. F. W. Elphick and the Rev. Henry Leonardos, passed into the spiritual world. There were no resignations, and no ordinations into the first degree. The total membership of the Council is therefore now thirty-three, a decrease of two.
     This total is made up of three priests of the Episcopal degree, twenty-eight of the Pastoral degree, and two of the Ministerial degree, there having been two ordinations into the Pastoral degree in June, 1950. It should be noted, however, that ten members of the Council are retired or engaged in secular work, and that although some in both of these categories assist from time to time in the work of the Church, the active membership is twenty-three.
     There is also one Authorized Candidate in the Theological School of the Academy; one priest of the Pastoral degree in the British Guiana Mission; and nine priests of the Pastoral degree and three of the Ministerial degree in the South African Mission. The Societies at The Hague, Paris, and in Australia continue to be served by Authorized Leaders. A list of the Clergy of the General Church and its Missions appears in NEW CHURCH LIFE for December, 1950, pp. 600-603.

168

     STATISTICS

     Statistics concerning the SACRAMENTS AND RITES of the Church administered during 1950, compiled from 25 reports received up to January 31, 1950, together with the final though still incomplete figures for 1949, are as follows:

                              1950     1949
Baptisms                         137     101     (+36)
Holy Supper: Administrations          162     147     (+15)
     Communicants               4135     2900     (+1235)
Confessions of Faith               32     42     (-10)
Betrothals                         26     20     (+6)
Marriages                         35     33     (+2)
Funeral Services                    21     26     (-5)
Ordinations                         2     0     (+2)
Dedications (Homes)               11     5     (+6)

     As well as the Home Dedications mentioned there is reported the dedication of the new Benade Hall. Not included in the above figures were one Blessing of a marriage; and, in the South African Mission. 88 Baptisms. 17 Confessions of Faith, 5 Marriages, 26 Funeral Services, 30 administrations of the Holy Supper, and 2 Dedications.
     The great difference in the number of Communicants is probably due to the facts that the figures for 1949 are incomplete and that there were two administrations of the Holy Supper at the Nineteenth General Assembly.

     REPORTS OF THE MEMBERS OF THE CLERGY

     The RT. Rev. George de Charms, Bishop of the General Church of the New Jerusalem, Pastor of the Bryn Athyn Church, and President of the Academy of the New Church, reports as follows:

     ORDINATIONS: On June 19, 1950, the Rev. David Restyn Simons and the Rev. Kenneth Oliver Stroh were ordained into the second degree of the priesthood.

     PASTORAL CHANGES: The Rev. Wm. Cairns Henderson resigned as Pastor of the Carmel Church, Kitchener, Canada, on March 3, 1950. In May 1950, the Board of Directors of the General Church approved his appointment as Editor of NEW CHURCH LIFE, (subject to confirmation by the General Assembly in June 1950); also in May 1950 the Board of Directors of the Academy approved his appointment as part-time teacher on the staff of the Academy; both of these appointments to be effective as of September 1950.
     The Rev. Norman H. Reuter resigned as Pastor of the Akron Circle, and as Visiting Pastor to the isolated in Ohio and to the Circle in Erie, Penna., in order to accept a unanimous call to the Carmel Church, Kitchener, Canada, which was given on April 14, 1950. Mr. Reuter assumed his new duties in July 1950.
     The Rev. Martin Pryke resigned as Pastor of the Michael Church, London, England, in order to accept a unanimous call to the pastorate of the Durban Society in South Africa.

169

Mr. Pryke also accepted appointment as Superintendent of the General Church Mission in South Africa.
     The Rev. Kenneth O. Stroh accepted appointment as Pastor of the Michael Church, London, England. Mr. Stroh had been serving in Detroit, Michigan, as an assistant to the Rev. Norman H. Reuter.
     The Rev. Norbert H. Rogers resigned as Pastor of the Durban Society in South Africa in order to accept appointment as Resident Pastor of the Detroit Circle and Visiting Pastor of the North Ohio territory.

     EPISCOPAL VISITS: Because of a proposed extended trip to South Africa covering the summer and fall of 1950, no District Assemblies were held; but owing to my unexpected illness the trip to South Africa had to be cancelled.
     However, on April 14-16 I visited the Carmel Church in Kitchener, Canada, where I preached and presided at a special meeting of the Society; also I visited the Detroit Circle, May 27-28, where I preached and presided at a special meeting of that Circle.

     MISCELLANEOUS: I presided at the Nineteenth General Assembly of the General Church, held in Bryn Athyn from June 15-19, 1950; also I presided at the meetings of the Executive Committee (now the Board of Directors) of the General Church.

     PASTOR OF THE BRYN ATHYN CHURCH

     As Pastor of the Bryn Athyn Church I preached once, and gave a series of nine doctrinal lectures.
     Up to July 12th. I conducted services and presided over the meetings of the Board of Trustees, the Pastors Council, and the Bryn Athyn Society.

     PRESIDENT OF THE ACADEMY OF THE NEW CHURCH

     As President of the Academy of the New Church I have presided at the meetings of the Corporation, the Board of Directors, the General Faculty, the President's Council, and the Faculty of the Theological School-up to July 12th.

     Since July 12th, the uses of the General Church the Academy, and the Bryn Athyn Society have been ably carried on in my absence. Bishop Pendleton has taken charge of the affairs of the General Church and of the Academy; and Dr. Odhner has had full charge as Pastor of the Bryn Athyn Society. I wish to express grateful appreciation of their assistance, and that of others who have taken over some part of the work usually carried by myself.

     The Rt. Rev. Willard D. Pendleton served as Assistant to the Bishop of the General Church and as Executive Vice President of the Academy of the New Church. In the absence of Bishop de Charms he presided over the meetings of the Corporation and the Board of Directors of the General Church, and the meetings of the Consistory, and over the meetings of the Corporation and Board of Directors of the Academy.

170

In the General Church and in the Academy he acted in behalf of Bishop de Charms in all matters of administration and he officiated at the dedication of the new Benade Hall.

     The Rt. Rev. Alfred Acton continued to serve as a member of the Bishop's Consistory, Visiting Pastor of the Washington Society, and Dean of the Theological School. He mentions a celebration, on October 7, 1950, to commemorate the completion of the fortieth year of his Washington pastorate.

     Rev. A. Wynne Acton has continued to serve as Pastor of the Olivet Church, Toronto, and Headmaster of the Olivet Day School and as Visiting Pastor of the Montreal Circle.

     Rev. Elmo C. Acton reports that in addition to his duties as Pastor of the Immanuel Church, Glenview, and Headmaster of the Immanuel Church School he visited the Urbana group once and the Cleveland-Barberton area once.

     Rev. Karl R. Alden, Visiting Pastor to the Canadian Northwest and a Teacher in the Academy Schools, preached once in Bryn Athyn, Cleveland, and Glenview. An account of his work in the Canadian Northwest is contained in New CHURCH LIFE for January and February. 1951, pp. 16-24, 72-82.

     Rev. Gustaf Baeckstrom, Pastor of Nva Kyrkans Forsamling, Stockholm, and Visiting Pastor of Den Nye Kirkes Menighet, Oslo, is still serving as Editor of NOVA ECCLESIA and as Manager of the Book Room in Stockholm. He made one visit to Oslo, Gothenburg, and Jonkoping, conducting a Holy Supper service and a doctrinal class in each of these places; and visited isolated people in Malmkoping, Strangnas, Kristinehamn, Vaxjo, and Jamserum, administering the Holy Supper in all these places except the last, where a new receiver was baptized.

     Rev. Bjorn A. H. Boyesen, in addition to his regular duties as Pastor of the Pittsburgh Society and Headmaster of the Pittsburgh New Church School, conducted 13 children's services at Mr. Alexander H. Lindsay's farm near Freeport, Pa.

     Rev. W. B. Caldwell was engaged as Editor of NEW CHURCH LIFE until his retirement from that office at the end of the year.

     Rev. E. R. Cronlund, engaged in secular work, preached twice in Bryn Athyn and assisted in the Nineteenth of June service.

     Rev. C. E. Doering was engaged as an Instructor in the Academy of the New Church until his retirement in June. In September he moved to Fort Worth, Texas, for the winter, and at the request of the Circle there has conducted service every Sunday, doctrinal class twice a month, and a class for children in religion once a week.

     Rev. Alan Gill, in addition to his duties as Pastor of the Colchester Society, and Headmaster of the local school, presided at the Thirty-seventh British Assembly and at the West Country Gathering at Taunton; acted as Chairman of the British Finance Committee; and replaced the Rev. Martin Pryke as Chairman of the Committee on Education in Great Britain and as Editor of the "News-Letter."

171

He also preached six times at Michael Church, London, and twice at Finchlcy.

     Rev. Frederick E. Gyllenhaal, Director of the General Church Religion Lessons and Pastor-in-charge of the Children's Services in Bryn Athyn, edited the PARENT TEACHER JOURNAL and preached 10 times and gave 30 talks to children in Bryn Athyn. At the end of June he was relieved of his work in teaching Religion in the Bryn Athyn Elementary School to devote more time to producing and distributing the Religion Lessons. However he gave a series of lectures in the college and another series in the Theological School.

     Rev. Henry Heinrichs, although engaged in secular work, preached five times in Kitchener, three times in Toronto, and once in Pittsburgh, where he also gave a doctrinal class.

     Rev. W. Cairns Henderson acted as Pastor of Carmel Church, Kitchener, and Principal of the Carmel Church School during the first part of the year and was later engaged as Editor of NEW CHURCH LIFE and as an Instructor in Religion in the Academy of the New Church. In addition to his regular duties he preached once in Toronto, Montreal, and Pittsburgh, gave two doctrinal classes to the Philadelphia Society, and in Bryn Athyn preached once and gave the talk at the children's Christmas Service. In the Academy he gave one course in Theology and one in Religion.

     Rev. Hugo Lj. Odhner, Secretary of the General Church, Assistant Pastor of the Bryn Athyn Church, and Professor of Theology in the Academy of the New Church, preached 16 times in Bryn Athyn, gave 12 general doctrinal classes, addressed the Elementary School once, had charge of the Cathedral Guilds, and in the absence of Bishop de Charms presided at the annual meeting of the Society and at various other meetings. He preached at two other places, gave two public addresses, and prepared the Calendar of Daily Readings. In the Academy he taught courses in Theology, Philosophy, and Religion in the Theological School, the College, and the Senior Class of the Seminary.

     Rev. Ormond Odhner reports that he has been engaged as Visiting Pastor in the Chicago District and the Southern States and as Assistant Pastor of the Immanuel Church, Glenview.

     Rev. Martin Pryke was engaged as Pastor of Michael Church. London, and Visiting Pastor in Great Britain, France, and Holland until July 31st, 1950. From September 1st he was engaged as Pastor of the Durban Society and Superintendent of the South African Mission. Since arriving in South Africa he has continued the normal work of the Durban Society while visiting all the native ministers in Natal and the Transvaal.

     Rev. Norman H. Reuter was engaged as Visiting Pastor in Ohio and nearby territory until July 15th, and thereafter as Pastor of the Carmel Church Kitchener, Ontario.

172

He maintained general supervision of the Detroit Circle until the arrival of the Rev. Norbert Rogers, making visits there in September and October, and preached twice in Toronto and once each in Bryn Athyn and Glenview.

     Rev. Morley D. Rich, Pastor of the Advent Church, Philadelphia, and Visiting Pastor to the New York Society, the North Jersey and Baltimore Circles, and Richmond, Va., in the course of his regular duties conducted 60 services, 100 doctrinal classes, 30 meetings, and 30 children's talks, classes, and services. He continued to serve as Chairman of the General Church Sound Recording Committee and as Secretary of the Educational Council.

     Rev. Norbert H. Rogers served as Pastor of the Durban Society until September, and from November as Pastor of the Detroit Circle. While en route to the United States he preached in London and Colchester, England.

     Rev. Erik Sandstrom, Assistant to the Pastor of the Stockholm Society, and Visiting Pastor of the Jonkoping and Gothenburg Circles, was recognized as Assistant Pastor of the Stockholm Society during the year. He made four visits to Jonkoping, one to Gothenburg, two to Oslo, and, by special invitation, two to Copenhagen. During the summer he preached once in Bryn Athyn, Kitchener, and Pittsburgh.

     Rev. David R. Simons, Principal of the Bryn Athyn Elementary School and Assistant to the Pastor of the Bryn Athyn Church, preached eleven times, conducted two children's services, and gave eighteen young people's classes in Bryn Athyn.

     Rev. Kenneth O. Stroh was engaged first as Assistant to the Pastor of the Ohio district and resident Minister to the Detroit Circle and later as Pastor of Michael Church, London, and Visiting Pastor to the isolated in Great Britain and to the Societies at Paris and The Hague. In addition to his duties in London he made one visit to the north of England, and has been appointed Chairman of the New Church Club.

     Rev. William Whitehead was engaged as Head of the History Department in the Academy of the New Church and as Professor of History and Political Science. In addition to his regular duties he preached once in Bryn Athyn, and during most of the summer worked on the second volume of the "Annals of the New Church."

     Rev. Raymond G. Cranch, engaged in secular work, preached once each at Erie, Pa., Chicago, Tucson, and Glenview, and gave one doctrinal class at Erie and Tucson.
     Respectfully submitted.
          W. CAIRNS HENDERSON,
               Secretary.

173

     GENERAL CHURCH OF THE NEW JERUSALEM

     (A Corporation of Pennsylvania)

REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF THE CORPORATION AND THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS
TO THE JOINT COUNCIL FOR THE YEAR 1950

     During the year 1950, one hundred sixty-seven new members joined the Corporation and there were two deaths. The total membership at the end of the year was one hundred seventy-two (172). In addition there are twenty-three new registrations which will become effective this year.
     Those who died during the year were:

Paul Synnestvedt
Frederick William Elphick.

     I will not report the names of the new members for it would be mainly a roster of the members of the Illinois Corporation. The new members of the Illinois Corporation reported today have also joined the Pennsylvania Corporation, and since these new members represent the real gain in membership. I refer you to that report. (See page 174.) There are also twenty-eight members of the Illinois Corporation who have not registered as members of the Pennsylvania Corporation.
     There was one meeting of the Corporation during the year, held on June 16. 1950 during the Assembly. At that meeting the Board of Directors of 30 members was elected and certain amendments to the By-Laws were adopted. Except for the report of the Nominating Committee the meeting was of a routine nature.
     Four meetings of the Board of Directors were held. The transfer of assets from the Illinois Corporation to the Pennsylvania Corporation was formally approved at the meeting of February 3, and the Pennsylvania Corporation began active conduct of the lay affairs of the Church. Subjects considered during the year were: the Assembly program, ministerial salaries, the Pension Plan, pastoral changes, amendments to the By-Laws, and the South African Mission. In connection with the South African Mission there were some real estate transactions, about which Mr. E. C. Bostock will report, which required considerable attention.
     Respectfully submitted.

          EDWARD H. DAVIS,
               Secretary.

174

     THE GENERAL CHURCH OF THE NEW JERUSALEM

     (A Corporation of Illinois)

     REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF THE CORPORATION AND THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE TO THE JOINT COUNCIL. FOR THE YEAR 1950

     During the year 1950, twenty-six new members joined the Corporation. There were two deaths and two resignations, making a net gain in membership of twenty-two. The total membership at the end of the year was two hundred (200). I have also received twenty-two new registrations which will become effective next month.
     The new members, listed in order of registration, are:

Leonard E. Gyllenhaal
Kent Hyatt
Robert M. Brown
Tore Loven
James Forfar
George C. Starkey
Warren F. David
Robert I. Coulter
George C. Doering
Donald G. Gladish
Harold A. Lindrooth
A. J. Appleton
Philip G. Cooper
Fred M. Grant
Charles P. Gyllenhaal
James F. Junge
Cedric F. Lee
Charles M. Lindrooth
Addison F. Lyman
Lachlan Pitcairn
Michael Pitcairn
E. Bruce Glenn
Winfred S. Hyatt
Keneth A. Simons
Rey W. Cooper
Robert G. Glenn

Those who died during the year were:

Paul Synnestvedt
Frederick W. Elphick

Those who resigned were:

     Eugene T. Cranch
     William B. Caldwell

175

     There was one meeting of the Corporation during the year. That was the meeting held June 16, 1950, during the Assembly. At that meeting certain amendments to the By-Laws were adopted and 30 members were elected to the Executive Committee. Under a change in the By-Laws, ten members were elected for a term of three years, ten for a term of two years, and ten for a term of one year.
     Four meetings of the Executive Committee were held. The business transacted at these meetings was of a purely formal nature since the Pennsylvania Corporation is now fully organized and is the active organization in the conduct of the lay affairs of the Church. The Illinois Corporation is kept alive to eliminate possible legal difficulties in the case of gifts or bequests made to the Corporation.
     Respectfully submitted,
          EDWARD H. DAVIS.
               Secretary.

     TREASURER OF THE GENERAL CHURCH

     Report for 1950

     Today, 27 days after the end of the year, it is as yet too early to appraise the year 1950 as to the Treasury of either the General Church or of the Academy. Much remains to be done before any proper Reports can be made.
     Treasury activities during 1950 have been considerably more numerous and varied than previously. Some of them, and also some of the non-routine causes thereof, are reflected in the following.
     During the past six months the illness of Bishop de Charms has prevented consultation with him. The hope for his early recovery is unanimous and fervent. All join in extending affectionate good wishes to him.
     During the last half of 1950 there were five pastoral changes: 1) Rev. W. Cairns Henderson from Kitchener to Bryn Athyn; 2) Rev. Martin Pryke from London to Durban; 3) Rev. Norman H. Reuter from Barberton to Kitchener; 4) Rev. Norbert H. Rogers from Durban to Detroit; 5) Rev. Kenneth O. Stroh from Detroit to London, Four of these five moves resulted in rather difficult housing problems, three of them not yet solved, and present an argument in favor of a celibate clergy.
     The death, April 2, 1950, of the Rev. Frederick W. Elphick, who had been Superintendent of the South African Mission; the appointment of the Rev. Norbert H. Rogers as temporary Acting Superintendent; and the appointment of the Rev. Martin Pryke as Superintendent, which appointment became effective September 1, 1950, necessitated an unusually large volume of correspondence regarding financial arrangements. A new South African Mission Budget was compiled and has been adopted. The sale of the Mission real estate at Ladybrand, and a purchase of real estate for the Mission at Kent Manor, have been arranged. Also a purchase of real estate for the Mission in the vicinity of Durban is now under consideration.

176

     Regarding the General Assembly of 1950, it is noted that, apart from the assistance given towards the attendance of the Rev. Martin Pryke and the Rev. Erik Sandstrom, from overseas, the cost of the Assembly to the General Church proved to be 84.11 less than nothing because of an especially generous contribution received for the purpose.
     In the Academy Treasury, some of the unusual items for 1950 were: 1) Completion, furnishing, and occupation of Benade Hall, including the ironing out of innumerable wrinkles, the ironing not yet being completed; 2) Substantial completion of the renovation of Floors 2 and 3 of Stuart Hall, Floor 4 having been renovated in 1949; 3) Planning the renovation of Glenn Hall and the Dining Hall; 4) Planning the refurnishing of the two Dormitories; 5) Replacing the equipment for receiving electricity which had become inadequate, and which is now receiving at 4000 volts in place of 110/220 volts as previously; and. 6) Planning a new building for the Maintenance Department and also for storage purposes, it having been suggested that this building be named "Gyllenhaal" as distinguished from Benade, De Charms, Glenn Hall. etc.
     Progress was made in 1950 toward both improving and simplifying the necessarily voluminous accounting procedures of the General Church and the Academy. Some years ago, Group Investments were established for each. The bulk of the investments were placed therein and put in the custody of the Fidelity- Philadelphia Trust Co. This solved a number of problems, the most prominent of which is in providing suitably for the first time for the investment of our numerous small Trust Funds. These small funds are now provided with a diversification of investments equal to that of our largest fund. Auditors are about to be employed by both the General Church and the Academy. Their employment also will lead toward improvement in accounting procedures. Accounting transactions are continually increasing in volume and variety; as likewise is the necessary correspondence. This, together with other factors, is necessitating a staff increase. It would be fortunate for the two Treasuries it at least a few of our bright young women would have themselves trained for office work instead of for teaching, especially if. at least for a few years after they became sufficiently experienced to be really useful, they would refrain from allowing themselves to wander into matrimonial entanglements.
     Contributions, both large and small, continue to be received, and the number of contributors is believed to be increasing. Contributions of both capital and for current expenditure are enabling the General Church and the Academy to meet the rising cost of living with some adequacy. The investment policy is enabling both to meet at least some portion of the increasing tide of inflation. Both, for the moment, may be said to be financially prosperous to a reasonably satisfactory degree.

     MINISTERIAL SALARY PLAN

     This Plan, by Resolution of the Board of Directors, April 2, 1948, went into effect January 1, 1948, and therefore has now been in operation for three years. By Resolution of the Board of Directors, February 3. 1950. the Plan was amended, effective January 1, 1950, and again, October 14. 1950, was amended, effective January 1, 1951.

177

     For the year 1951, and subsequently, the Plan, as amended to date, provides for: 1) A minimum Church income in the U.S.A. to each active minister of 52,000 if unmarried, or of 52.750 if married, both plus a yearly increment of
$100 for a period of 20 years; 2) A minimum elsewhere than in the U.S.A., depending on the economic circumstances of the locality, as compared with those of the U.S.A.; and, 3) The Plan's implementation by the General Church, provided funds for the purpose are available.
     For the years 1945 and 1949, the Plan provided for the yearly increment of 5100 for a period of only 15 years; and for the years 1945 to 1950, the initial minimum Church income for a married minister was only $2500.
     Attention is directed to the fact that the Plan provides for income minima, not maxima. Its purpose is to provide floors, not ceilings.
     The General Church, to date, has had sufficient funds available with which to implement the Plan where General Church implementation was needed. This has resulted from the favorable response of our Societies to the Plan, which generally has been recognized as highly desirable for the welfare and growth of our Church. It is generally recognized also that the complete financial independence of each of our Societies is highly desirable for the same welfare and growth. The financial dependence of any Society on the General Church is something to be avoided wherever and whenever avoidance is in any way practical.
     However, the four housing situations above mentioned are presently complicating the problem of preserving the respective financial responsibilities of the General Church and of the Societies involved.
     Another problem is to determine reasonably satisfactory salary minima in countries other than the U.S.A. Controlled currency exchange values, standards of living variations, widely differing income tax structures, etc., tend toward crystallizing opinion to the effect that no formulae are applicable and that each case must be considered on its own merits.
     For the years 1948 and 1949, questionnaires were sent to a number of our active ministers in order that the Plan could be administered. For the year 1950, it is intended to send questionnaires to a larger number, so that there may be no doubt as to the Plan being in effective operation throughout the Church. Although the replies of ministers thereto should be made on a strictly voluntary basis, it is obviously both advisable and useful that replies be received from all to whom the questionnaire is sent. Moreover, if any active minister fails to receive but wishes to submit a questionnaire, a request to the Treasurer will receive prompt attention.

     PENSION PLANS

     The Pension Plans of the General Church and the Academy are substantially identical as to terms and in their operation. That of the Academy became effective July 1, 1946, and that of the General Church became effective June 1, 1947, for the General Church itself and for its Societies, in accordance with the tabulation below. The two organizations cooperate in administration, with the services of an employee to both being regarded as cumulative, and with Pension costs shared by both on the basis of the length of service to each by the employee.

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     Those eligible as beneficiaries are all the employees of the General Church and of the Academy, plus the ministers and teachers of all General Church Societies and other Groups.
     To the Pension Funds of both the General Church and the Academy is added, respectively, 10% of all salaries paid by them. To the Pension Fund of the General Church are also added the contributions for the purpose of all Societies and other Groups which voluntarily participate in the Plan, the intention being that each and every Society or other Group contribute, respectively, 10% of the salaries paid to its ministers and teachers. The salaries are those paid in cash and/or otherwise, including offertories and all other considerations for services rendered.
     By means of the two Pension Funds, the two Pension Plans are administered by the Treasurer as directed by the two Pension Committees which are appointed by the two Boards of Directors of the General Church and the Academy, respectively.
     A pension is payable to any eligible employee who becomes either incapacitated or 65 years of age, whichever is the earlier, and provided a minimum of 10 years of service has been rendered.
     Employment may he continued after the age of 65 by mutual agreement between employee and employer. In the event of such continued employment, the pension terms recently have been amended; December 1, 1950, by the Academy, and January 26, 1951, by the General Church. Previously, it was the terms which would have applied at age 65 which were applied nit retirement. Now, those terms apply which apply when retirement occurs.
     The yearly pension amount is computed on the basis of the number of years of service rendered, and is a percentage of the average of the yearly salary received during those five years in which the salary was maximum in amount, those five years not necessarily being continuous. For 10 years of service the percentage is twenty, and for each additional year the percentage is one, provided the total percentage does not exceed fifty, which is the maximum considered under the Plans,
     For example: assume the average salary per year during the five highest paid years is $3,600, the number of years of service prior to age 65 is 30, and retirement occurs at age 75. Prior to the recent abovementioned amendment of the Plans, the yearly pension amount, beginning at age 75, would have been 40% of $3,600, or $1,440. Now it is 50% of $3,600, or $1800.
     The Plans provide, in addition to the foregoing for 1) Variations from the terms thereof on recommendation of the Pension Committee approved by the Board of Directors; 2) Amendment or suspension thereof by the Board of Directors; 3) Use, as may be decreed proper by the Board of Directors, of the Pension Fund, either in whole or in part, for other than pension purposes; 4) Reduction of a pension amount, at the discretion of the Pension Committee, by the amount of Social Security and/or other benefits granted by the government; and, 5) Non-extension of the Plans to the dependents of a deceased employee; all respectively as to each of the two organizations.

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     General Church Pension Fund

Net Worth 12/31/1949     $128,400
Income 1949               6,200
Pensions 1949 (Nine)     5,700

Additions to Pension Fund in
     accordance with the Pension Plan
     1947                                        $ 2,846.84
     1948                                        11,095.74
     1949                                        10918.30
     1950     (Excluding addition by General Church)      8,257.85
                                             $33,118.73
     1951 to 1/24/1951                              361.95
                                             $33,480.68

     There follows a list of the 20 Societies or other Groups who enjoy the continuous or regular services of Pastors, plus the General Church, and opposite each is given the period covered by its contribution, three of the Societies as yet having found it impractical to contribute the entire 10%; the total of the contributions being $33,480.68, as above. It is highly desirable that the four Societies which have not done so hitherto should begin participating as soon as possible. It can he noted that, of the 16 participating Societies, 11 began about June 1947, 3 in 1948, and 2 in 1949. Also it can be noted that 12 are substantially up-to-date with their contributions, 2 are in arrears for about one year, and one for about two and a half years.

Country     Society or Other Group
Canada     1. Kitchener                    Jan.     1948-Dec.     1948
          2. Toronto                         May     1947-Dec.     1950

England     3. British Finance Committee          June     1947-Nov.     1950
          4. Colchester                    June     1947-Dec.     1950
          5. London                         June     1947-Sep.     1950

Sweden     6. Stockholm                    July     1947-Dec.     1950

South Africa 7. Durban                         Oct.     1949-Sep.     1950

U.S.A.     8. Baltimore                    -     -     -     -
          9. Bryn Athyn                    June     1947-Dec.     1950
          10. Chicago                         Jan.     1948-Sep.     1950
          11. Detroit                         July     1947-Dec.     1949
          12. Erie                         Jan.     1948-Dec.     1949
          13. Glenview                    June     1047-Dec.     1950
          14. New Jersey, Northern          -     -     -     -
          15. New York, N. Y.               Oct.     1949-Sep.     1950
          16. Ohio, Northern               May     1947-June     1950

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          17. Ohio Southern                    May     1947-June     1948
          18. Philadelphia                    -     -     -     -
          19. Pittsburgh                    May     1947-Dec.     1950
          20. Washington, D. C.               -     -     -     -
General Church                              June     1947-Dec.     1949

     Academic Pension Fund

Net Worth 6/30/1950                    $265,600
Income 1949-50                         16,300
Pensions 1949/50 (Fourteen)               16,800

Additions to Pension Fund in
accordance with the Pension Plan
     1946/47     $13,557.20
     1947/48      13,844.51
     1948/49      15,047.21
     1949/50      15,736.39

                    Average
                         Per Year
     4 years               $14,546     58,185.31
     1/2 year to 12/31/50      17,096     8,548.44
     4 1/2 years                14,83O     66,733.44

     CHURCH CONTRIBUTIONS COMMITTEES

     For a brief but fairly adequate presentation of this subject and the implications thereof, reference is made to NEW CHURCH LIFE, for September 1950, pp. 435-441, and for a shorter presentation to New CHURCH LIFE for April 1950, pp. 179-181.
     It is the purpose that in every center of our Church there shall be organized a Church Contributions Committee, a CCC.
     It is the intent that in each center the organization be undertaken voluntarily and that the CCC of that center, with respect to all other centers, be autonomous.
     The intent also is that the CCC, in and for its own center, disseminate and emphasize certain facts. Among these are: 1) In our Church there are three and only three organizations which are essential thereto, namely, the General Church, the Academy, and the Society; 2) The essential uses of our Church are performed by means of these three organizations; 3) No one of these three can operate without cooperation from the other two; 4) No two of them can be useful without the other one; and, 5) Therefore it is, for us, plainly a matter of duty that the work of each of the three organizations be supported by the periodical monetary contributions of each and every one of us.

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     It is also the intent that the CCC, in and for its own center, exert its influence in several directions. Among these are: 1) Regarding the most useful proportions in which contributions in general may be allocated among the three organizations; 2) Regarding the amount of the contributions which can be made available, as compared with the uses and needs of each of the three organizations; and, 3) Making the relationship between our three essential Church organizations, and the uses and needs of each, matters of common knowledge.
     In each of the two numerically largest of our Societies there is now a CCC which is fully organized and operating. That in Bryn Athyn has achieved good results over a period of several years. That in Glenview was organized in 1950, the membership consisting of Warren A. Reuter, Chairman, Alan B. Fuller, and Edwin Burnham. The work of the CCC of Glenview to date promises substantial benefits to follow.
     The CCC of Chicago has been organized with Robert L. Riefstahl as Chairman, and is expected to begin operations during 1951. The CCC of Kitchener is expected to be reorganized and to commence operating in 1951.
     Elsewhere, the work of soliciting and receiving contributions for the General Church and, in some cases, for the Academy, is in the hands of individuals, no CCC having as yet been organized. It is a pleasure to mention the useful and highly appreciated work which is being done by each of the following on behalf of the Treasuries of the General Church and the Academy:

Australia               Frederick W. Fletcher
Colchester               Mrs. Edward G. T. Boozer
Detroit               Norman Synnestvedt
Great Britain          Owen Pryke
Kitchener               G. Harold Kuhl
Ohio, Northern          Franklin P. Norman
Pittsburgh               John J. Schoenberger
South Africa          Robert W. Cowley
Sweden and Norway          Nils E. Loven
Toronto               E. John U. Parker
Washington, D. C.          David H. Stebbing

     A number of these have been active in this work for very many years and it is hoped they will continue indefinitely. However, it is also hoped that eventually each of them will be replaced by a CCC because it is clear that, in each of our centers, the solicitation of contributions for our three essential Church organizations should come from a single source. Between the uses of these three organizations there is not the slightest competition. Because their uses have only one end in view there can he nothing but cooperation among the organizations. Their uses cannot be performed except by cooperation. Therefore there should not be the slightest competition in the solicitation of contributions by means of which to carry on their uses. Indeed it is wrong that there should be any competition in this, or any appearance thereof. The proper operation of a CCC does away with the possibility of any and all improper competition regarding something about which there should be nothing else than a most friendly and cooperative rivalry for the greatest excellence in the performance of an unrivalled use.

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     It is advocated with neither insistence nor impatience, but with conviction as to usefulness, that in every organized Group of our Church there be formed a Church Contributions Committee. The Treasurer of the General Church and the Academy, on request, will always be happy to assist in this direction, at any place and at any time.
     Respectfully submitted,
          HUBERT HYATT.
               Treasurer.

     EDITOR OF "NEW CHURCH LIFE"

     With only one issue of NEW CHURCH LIFE published since the change of Editors was effected, there is evident reason to look to the future rather than to the past. I would therefore submit the "Introductory Statement" which appears in the Editorial Department of the January issue, on pages 25-27, as the substance of my report and invite the comment of this Council thereon.
     No major changes in policy are considered necessary or desirable, nor are any such changes under consideration An attempt will he made, however, to reserve space for series of short featured articles, such as the series of sketches being contributed this year by the Rev. William Whitehead, and to continue mentioning events of interest or significance in other bodies of the Church.
     Two matters under careful consideration at present are: 1) a type page increase from 24 x 40 picas to 28 x 44 picas, with a resulting paper margin decrease, with a view to increasing the contents without adding to the number of pages in each issue; 2) the occasional devotion of an entire issue to some particular subject.
     The opinions of members of this Council on the following matters would be appreciated: 1) the advisability of publishing series of doctrinal articles; 2) the feasibility of printing the annual reports in a supplementary issue instead of in the April number; 3) the value of issuing the entire proceedings of General Assemblies in a single journal printed as a supplement; and, 4) the desirability of presenting extended doctrinal studies in a quarterly or hi-annual supplement. It is realized that three of these matters would involve increased costs, which would have to be considered in the proper quarters, but it is only discussion of uses that is invited here,
     Every effort will be made to maintain a balance between presentation of the best doctrinal thought of the Church and matters of general interest and practical application, In this regard, appeal is made for an abundant stream of varied material; and it will be appreciated if pastors will cooperate by being on the lookout for suitable papers read by laymen at society functions and meetings.

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     Circulation.-Final figures for 1950 are not yet available, but figures supplied by the Business Manager, under date of November 15, show a net gain of 11 paid subscribers in 1950, increasing the total from 750 to 761. Our total circulation is shown in the following tabulation:
                                                  1949     1950
Paid subscribers                                        750     764
Free to our Ministers, to Public Libraries,
     New Church Book Rooms, Exchanges, etc.               127     128

     Total                                             877     889

     Respectfully submitted.
          W. CAIRNS HENDERSON.
               Editor.

     SOUND RECORDINGS COMMITTEE

     The present members of this committee are: The Rev. Morley D. Rich, Chairman; Messrs. Kenneth Synnestvedt. George Woodard, Ralph McClarren. Edwin Asplundh, Robert Genzlinger, Edward Cranch, F. Glebe, Carl Synnestvedt. Mrs. George Woodard and Mrs. Kenneth Synnestvedt. Mrs. John Finkledey is giving much valuable clerical assistance; and Messrs. William Alden. Jr., Keneth Simons, Winfred Smith, and Evan Synnestvedt have also done a great deal in the past few months.
     During the year since the last report of this committee was prepared for the Joint Council we have more or less deliberately not availed ourselves of all the means of advertizing available in the General Church. The committee felt it desirable not to expand this use too rapidly, or out of proportion to the other uses of the Church.
     Despite this, the field and its demands have expanded amazingly, virtually without parallel in the subsidiary organizations of the General Church. In part, this has been due to three factors: 1) the new and unusually effective medium of communication, i.e., tape-recorders; 2) the character and organization of the committee; and, 31 the generous gifts and contributions of special donors and of users.
     The 250 recordings we now have in our library include services, doctrinal classes, special events, and the entire 1950 General Assembly, exclusive of discussion of addresses. In addition, we are now receiving a substantial number of recordings from other centers of the Church: Madison, Wis., Glenview, Pittsburgh, Detroit, Tucson, Ariz., Fort Worth, Texas, and Chicago; something which the committee has sought from the beginning.
     Because of this increase of recordings from centers other than Bryn Athyn, and for reasons of cost, the time is rapidly approaching when we shall have to become more selective as to the material which we place in our library. With that in view, we have already been forced to curtail the number of records which we are making in Bryn Athyn.

184

     Last year at this time there were a total of 26 recorders in use in 15 different localities. At present there are 54 recorders in use in 26 different localities, as follows: Saginaw, Mich., Tucson, Ariz., Madison, Wis., Duluth, Minn., Fort Worth, Texas, Portland, Ore., Detroit, Albuquerque, N. M., Urbana, O., New Orleans La., Great Bear Lake, Minn., Youngstown, O., Cleveland. O., Tarentum, Pa., Pittsburgh, Glenview, New York, Yeagertown, Pa., Durban, South Africa, Houston, Texas, Sacramento, Calif., Bryn Athyn, London, Washington, D. C., Freeport, Pa., and four in the hands of visiting pastors.
     To give a general idea of costs and contributions in this project, annual expenses have been approximating $2300.00, exclusive of equipment purchases and sales. Last year, something over $500.00 of this total was offset by rental-contributions from users of the service, the remainder being provided by interested donors. It is anticipated that running expenses for the coming year will he approximately 83000.00, one-third of which, the committee reasonably hopes, will be met by rental-contributions.
     The attention of readers is called to the CATALOG of our library which is published as a Supplement to this issue of NEW CHURCH LIFE A good idea of the diversity and quantity of these records can he gained from this complete listing.
     Respectfully submitted.
          MORLEY D. RICH,
               Chairman and Editor.

     COMMITTEE ON "NEW CHURCH SERMONS"

     The Committee recommends to the Joint Council that the publication of New CHURCH SERMONS should be undertaken with two specific aims: 1) To supply material for services in groups, circles, and among isolated receivers; 2) to supply home-reacting material to develop and unify thought in the Church.
     The material for services should: a) be published well in advance, to be in the hands of ministers and leaders at least a month before it is distributed generally, and he available to missions also; b) provide festival sermons for the proper times-Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter, and the Nineteenth of June; c) include series-studies of doctrine and of the letter of the Word, as is done in societies under a pastor, and be aimed at a general state rather than random instruction; d) have a lesson from the Writings printed with each sermon and a basic ritual on the cover.
     In order to serve as reading material, sermons should be selected for subject- matter, to introduce and establish essential principles of life; for example, why it is necessary to acknowledge the Lord as God. The sermon service should be provided in graded cycles of five years, beginning with simpler statements of doctrine and leading into series studies. In the fourth and fifth years the sermons would be more representative of those given in our more established societies. The grading would be done by subject-matter, not watered down, and short explanations of unfamiliar words could be included in brackets. This material would provide literature to follow up the graduate work of the "Religion Lessons."

185

It would introduce the students to the full life of the Church. The publication should be sent to everyone who requests it. The first few copies should be sent to our entire mailing list, and form cards be enclosed to be returned by those who wish continuance of the service. Advertisements of the service should be placed in NEW CHURCH LIFE, THE JOURNAL OF EDUCATION, THE BULLETIN, and the PARENT-TEACHER JOURNAL.
     Certain general points need to be kept in mind. This service should not overlap the uses of any other General Church publications. The sermons should he published in monthly booklets, providing for every week in the year, except that NEW CHURCH Life is relied on for one sermon a month. Extra copies would be printed for binding into volumes, and special material could be bound into pamphlets when needed. This would provide a library of exegetical material for the use of our ministers and provide students with explanations of puzzling texts. Every copy should advertize NEW CHURCH LIFE and other publications that are especially recommended for the isolated. Old sermons may be reprinted if thought useful to include in a series. Each booklet should have a separate cover, attractive and more durable than the inside pages, and should be pocket size. The support of the use by free-will offerings ought to be stressed.
     It is also recommended that a board of not more than three editors should be appointed by the Bishop, and that secretarial assistance should be provided. It is estimated that the total cost for the first year would be about $2000.00, if postage be included.
     This type of service is greatly needed to provide pastoral guidance for the development of our outlying districts. It would supplement the one or two visits paid yearly and make them productive of benefit throughout the year. Some support toward this program would come from money already appropriated for a similar use. Experience in Chicago has been that a similar local service was not only fully supported but resulted in additional funds for the general treasury of the society. In addition, it has been found after consultation with representatives of the Military Service Committee that the material proposed in our program could be used by them extensively, which might result in additional support. The proposed plan seems to be the most effective way by which we could provide pastoral guidance for a great proportion of our Church membership, and it would be far cheaper than any other program we could devise.
     Respectfully submitted.

          HAROLD C. CRANCH.
               Chairman.

     MILITARY SERVICE COMMITTEE

     Bishop Willard D. Pendleton has reorganized the General Church Military Service Committee on a temporary basis. The members are: Mrs. Philip Pendleton. Chairman, Miss Wren Hyatt. Secretary-Treasurer, Mrs. Donald Merrell, Mr. Frank Rose, Editor of the "Communique," and Messrs. Geoffrey Childs, Jr., David Holm, and Dandridge Pendleton.

186

     At present there are 34 names on the list, all from the United States and Canada.
     Because of the indefiniteness of the world situation the work of the Committee is flexible and modest. The price of printing is out of proportion to the need, so the "Communique" and new material is being mimeographed. There is a vast amount of literature already printed from which to draw for the present. The General Church has allotted a sum of money to the Committee, which is part of a balance turned over to the Church in 1946. Of course, contributions will be solicited if the situation persists.
     The first issue of the "Communique" was published in December sod mailed in time for Christmas, together with the booklet, Day Unto Day. Dr. Odhner's New Year sermon was in the mail four days after he delivered it in Bryn Athyn. The second "Communique" is out, and arrangements will soon be completed to make this publication available to the public. Other Church periodicals will be sent by the Committee, but our policy on this point is not entirely settled. Individual letters are being written to everyone din our list to establish a personal contact and facilitate further correspondence.
     It is hoped that some phases of the work will be improved greatly through the suggestions and advice of the experienced veterans of World War II.

     Respectfully submitted,

          DORIS G. PENDLETON.

               Chairman.
MARRIAGE IN HEAVEN 1951

MARRIAGE IN HEAVEN 1951

"For in the resurrection they neither marry, nor are given in marriage, but are as the angels." (Matthew 22: 30)
"Marriages in heaven are not like marriages on earth. In heaven nuptials are spiritual, and cannot properly be called nuptials, but conjunctions of minds from the conjunction of good and truth. But on earth there are nuptials because these are not of the spirit only but also of the flesh. And as there are no nuptials in heaven, consorts there are not called husband and wife: but from the angelic idea of the joining of two minds into one each consort calls the other by a name signifying one's own, mutually and reciprocally. This shows how the Lord's words in regard to marrying and giving in marriage are to be understood." (HH 382b)

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OF HUMAN INFLUENCE 1951

OF HUMAN INFLUENCE Editor 1951

NEW CHURCH LIFE
Office of Publication Lancaster, Pa.
Published Monthly By

THE GENERAL CHURCH OF THE NEW JERUSALEM
BRYN ATHYN, PA.

Editor      Rev. W. Cairns Henderson, Bryn Athyn, Pa.
Business Manager      Mr. H. Hyatt, Bryn Athyn Pa.

All literary contributions should be sent to the Editor. Subscriptions, change of address, and business communications, should be sent to the Business Manager. Notifications of address changes should be received by the 15th of the month.

TERMS OF SUBSCRIPTION
$3.00 a year to any address, payable in advance. Single copy, 30 cents.
     There must be few men who have never been asked to use their influence with someone who have never wondered how much influence they have on certain others, or who have not tried to think of someone whose influence with another might be sought to achieve an objective. The employment of influence is so general, so constant, that we may well ask: How far may a man legitimately try to influence another, and what kind of influence may properly be sought or granted?
     It would seem to be evident that while a man may rightly have influence with another he should not wish to have influence over him! In common practice, influence is brought to bear to obtain a favor, acceptance of a viewpoint, a change of opinion, modification of policy, or alteration of conduct, when it is seen or feared that the intrinsic merit of the proposal does not carry sufficient weight with another to ensure its acceptance. And no New Church man would deny that it is wrong to misuse the regard, affection, or love in which one is held by another to gain acceptance of something to which his rational judgment does not consent.
     We may safely say, then, that no human influence is legitimate which encroaches on the liberty and rationality of another; and that a dominating, binding, persuasive, or inciting influence is an evil thing.

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Of course, no good man would deliberately exert such an influence, or wish to impose his will or understanding on another. His wish is that others shall be led by the Lord, not by himself; and he desires that others shall speak and act of themselves from their understanding of the Writings, not from him and from his understanding. Indeed it may be said that personal influence is always a dangerous thing that there is safety only in desiring that others shall be influenced, or affected, only by the truth itself.
Nevertheless we believe there is a kind of influence that is proper, and we would describe it in this way. When our regard for the integrity, judgment, wisdom, and good will of another causes us to feel,-freely and willingly,-that his differing from us is good ground for reexamining and reconsidering a decision; and when we do that in the light of the Word, submitting his arguments also to that light to the best of our ability; there, we would say, is a proper influence, and the only kind that should be sought and used, or granted. In this there is neither compulsion nor submission but a reexercise of freedom and rationality; and although one man has influenced another to reconsideration the final decision is not his, but that of the man who reconsiders. This leads to another, related question, namely, by what means may New Church people seek to lead or influence others in business, for the achievement of results? That question we would like to discuss another time.
NEW CHURCH, CELESTIAL AND SPIRITUAL 1951

NEW CHURCH, CELESTIAL AND SPIRITUAL FELIX ELPHICK 1951

Editor of NEW CHURCH LIFE:
It would be of interest if it were possible to know the reaction of your readers to the communication entitled "Is the New Church Celestial?" (NEW CHURCH LIFE, January 1951, pp. 31-33.) If some agreed with the affirmative conclusion it seems to me they would do so on other grounds than those given by your correspondent.
When it comes to the supporting argument and use of quotation I found myself continually, though unwillingly, parting company, due, evidently, to a different general idea of the terms "Word" and "Church." One missed that clear distinction between them in some of your correspondent's remarks. Nevertheless I feel he did a good service in calling attention to the two main uses of the term celestial; which removes the error of supposing that the New Church is, and can only he, spiritual.

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     Before the fall, the celestial was the celestial of an integer will. In this sense the Most Ancient Church was "the only one celestial." After the fall, on account of the destroyed voluntary, the celestial is by insinuation into a new intellectual.
     We are told that the Most Ancient Church was spiritual before it was celestial. The same. I believe, is true of the New Church if in both cases we are considering the men of those churches, knowing, as we do, that there is no such thing as an abstract church not involving men.
     If in our thought of the church we sometimes call to remembrance the statement, "he who separates the Lord, heaven, and the church is not in the truth," we should the better understand the described qualities of the New Church. Take, for instance, the description given in Apocalypse Revealed, Chapter 7, where the numbered tribes are classified, and it is said "that in the Lord's New Heaven and New Church there will be only the celestial and the spiritual."
     Here Judah is the first of the numbered tribes, signifying "celestial love which is love to the Lord . . . the all in the rest as their head, as a universal entering into all things that follow, collecting, qualifying, and affecting them." (AR 350) Then follows Reuben as celestial wisdom, the inseparable consort of this love.
     FELIX ELPHICK.
21 Wayne Road,
Beckenham, Kent, England
February 4, 1951
THETA ALPHA: AN INVITATION 1951

THETA ALPHA: AN INVITATION ALICE HENDERSON GLENN 1951

     Women who are members of The General Church of the New Jerusalem and who are interested in New Church education are cordially invited to join Theta Alpha. Those who wish to do so may write to the Secretary, Mrs. Joel Pitcairn, Huntingdon Valley, Pa., for a copy of the "Purposes" and an application card.
     ALICE HENDERSON GLENN
          President.

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Church News 1951

Church News Various 1951

     COLCHESTER, ENGLAND

     Christmas tableaux were shown at the church on Saturday evening. December 16th, and there was quite a large audience, including the children. Our Pastor, the Rev Alan Gill, introduced each scene with a reading from the Word, and each was followed by a musical interlude. A hidden quartet sang hymns and chants, organ music was provided by Mrs. John Cooper, and there was a solo by Miss Eisid Gill. In their order the tableaux were: "The Annunciation," "No Room in the Inn," "The Nativity Scene," "The Star Appearing to the Wise Men," "Herod's Instructions to the Wise Men," "Presentation of Gifts by the Wise Men," "Joseph Warned in a Dream," and "The Flight into Egypt." Mr. Gill read a Christmas message from Bishop and Mrs. de Charms, and the program concluded with the singing of carols.
     The last two doctrinal classes in December were devoted to the Christmas story from the book "The Life of the Lord," by Bishop de Charms. At the service on Christmas Day a special offering was made and Mr. Gill gave an address to the children.

     The children's Christmas party was held on January 4th. They had a lovely tea as well as gifts from the Christmas tree, and the committee worked very hard to give them a good time. Just before closing for the holidays the school children gave two plays. One, "Cinderella," was in mime, and the other was 'King Arthur." Both plays were very well performed.
     As the last day of 1950 fell on a Sunday we had our New Year's Eve Social on Saturday, December 30th. It was therefore not possible to have the usual midnight service. Mr. Gill presided at the first part of the program and gave an address, and there were toasts to "The Church," "The Old Year," and "The New Year." Games and dances occupied the remaining time.
     Another December event which took place early in the month was the annual Sale of Work. There was a good show of articles for sale, also a Lucky Dip, and several popular competitions. Besides the Sale of Work Committee, nearly everyone in the Society had contributed in one way or another, and the sum of L65 for church uses was the result.

     Swedenborg's birthday was celebrated on February 3rd. It was a delightful occasion as the formal part of the program was in the hands of the young people, with John Gill as toastmaster. Three readings on the life Of Swedenborg were given. Miss Helene Howard read a character sketch to show how Swedenborg benefitted from rich hereditary endowments: Miss Thelma Pike read parts of Samuel Sandels' "Eulogium on Swedenborg"; and Miss Gillian Wyncoll read Swedenborg autobiography from a letter by him to the Rev. Thomas Hartley. All the readings, which were very interesting, were followed by toasts and songs. The rest of the evening was spent playing games and dancing, and the 44th Psalm was sung at the close.
     We were glad to welcome thirteen visitors for the celebration and at the Sunday service the following morning. At that service the infant daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Donald Boozer was baptized, the Rev. Alan Gill officiating.
     WINIFRED APPLETON.

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     NEW YORK

     In such a large city as New York one would expect to find a good sized group of New Church people. But it works the other way, and we are one of the smallest groups in the General Church at the present time. Anyone in his right mind would not choose a large metropolitan city to make his home, but a place where be is free from hustle and bustle and the impersonal attitude of the city toward him and his friends. However those of us who live here like the city very much. We are comparatively happy souls, and we recommend it for a year or two, just for the pleasant experience of being a member of this unique little Society. With the exception of two or three couples we are single business people. A good part of our time is spent in the workshop, and we manage to see each other only at one of the functions of the Society.
     Concerned in making our living, and completely surrounded by material things, we find it of great necessity and importance to function as a group in which we can partake of the spiritual food so essential for all of us. It is a blessing to have the spiritual guidance so ably provided for us by our Pastor, the Rev. Morley D. Rich, of Philadelphia. And it is a consolation for us in New York to be able to attend a church service or doctrinal class and with our tape recorder listen to the fine sermons, classes, and addresses given by our leaders in the Church. We look forward to these meetings together, and we share in the deep feeling of comfort and peace each of them brings to us in these most troubled times.
     Since     we are smaller this year than for some time our main problem is finding places to hold our meetings. We now have only two homes in which we can gather to worship the Lord.
     The Society would not be true to form if we did not make some changes in our new fiscal year, which began in September. Our schedule has now been changed so that Mr. Rich need make only one trip each month to this part of the world, thus visiting Nets Jersey and New York at the same time although each group meets separately. His schedule is now as follows. Doctrinal class is held in New York the Friday evening before the first Sunday in the month, and in New Jersey on the Saturday evening. Then, on the Sunday, the New Jersey Circle has service in the morning sod the New York Society in the afternoon. On the third Sunday of every month, instead of our supper and doctrinal class, we now gather in one of the two homes for a light supper followed by an address on our tape recorder. Our Pastor, of course, is not present at these meetings.
     Our joint celebration of Swedenborg's birthday with the New York Society of the Convention and our own North Jersey Circle has already been reported by the Rev. Morley D. Rich. (NEW CHURCH LIFE, March 1951, page 136.)
     Mr. and Ms. Leon Rhodes, and Penny noel Peter, left us early in January to live in Philadelphia, which, needless to say, was quite a blow to us. We wish to extend to them our very best wishes for happiness noel success in their new home, and we hope they will not forget us when they visit New York. Two recent arrivals are Miss Mary Alice Carswell, from Bryn Athyn, and Miss Shirley Barger. We would like to see many more new faces, permanently.
     J. B. K.

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LORD'S HUMAN ESSENCE 1951

LORD'S HUMAN ESSENCE Rev. HUGO LJ. ODHNER 1951

     Announcements

No. 5

NEW CHURCH LIFE
VOL. LXXI
MAY, 1951
     (Delivered to the Open Session of the Council of the Clergy. Bryn Athyn, Pa., January 26, 1951.)

     The fundamental doctrine of the New Church is that God is one in essence and in person. (AR 42, TCR 166-168, Lord 54, AE 1109: 2, etc.) 'When mention is made in the Word of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, what is meant is not three Divine persons but one; and this one is the Lord Jesus Christ, whose Divine soul is sometimes called 'the Father,' whose Divine body manifested in the world is called 'the Son.' and whose Divine operation or activity is called 'the Holy Spirit.' These three are not three essences, but one Divine essence.
     But what is meant by the essence of God? The essence of a thing is that in which its real character consists: the attributes which make a thing to be what it is. These attributes, which constitute the essence of a thing, may be many. They are then called its essentials. The essentials which make up the essence of a man are his soul, his body, and his operations. Similarly the essentials of the one Divine person are a soul, a body, and consequent operation.
     The attributes which constitute the essence of God are sometimes said to be Divine love and Divine wisdom, which in Him make a one. But there is also a different sense attached to the word essence: The Greek word is ousia, which means substance, or the subject to which the attributes belong. The Writings therefore sometimes use the expression, 'essence or substance,' as if the two words meant the same thing.
     Christian theologians often claim that three persons can be called one God if you grant that the three have one essence or the same substance.

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This evasion is making a meaningless play with metaphysical terms. For would three human persons be "one" by reason of being made of the same human substance? (Ath Cr. 108, 168. 169, 183) The truth is that the Divine essence, being infinite, cannot be divided among distinct 'persons' with different offices. For three persons can actually never have the same identical substance. If they do, they are only one person. Hence the Writings lay down the firm doctrine that God is one both in essence and in person.

     The Second Essence.-Lest we should stick in mere terms-substituting these for ideas-it might be well to call attention to a certain exceptional passage where Swedenborg seemingly speaks of several Divine "essences" I quote from the Spiritual Diary, n. 4847:
     "When I spoke with angels I perceived from their inflowing idea that there never could have been a Divine creating all things, unless it were a One-not divided into three equal essences but into three successive essences, which are the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and these in one Person. It was also perceived that the Divine itself, which is the first essence, was Man in endeavor (conatit) or in becoming (fieri); whence it was as it were Man, thus Man reflexively; and that the second essence is Man born and essentially from the first; and the third essence in succession is Man proceeding, which is the whole heaven; and-if it is named-it may be called the Holy Spirit, since it is from the Lord there and in the Church thence."
     And in an Index to a lost treatise on Marriage, we find the entry:
"There is influx from the secondary Divine essence that is round about the Lord, in the Sun in the midst of which He is." (2d Index. s.v. Influx)
     In both these passages, the word 'essence' is simply used as synonymous with 'essential,' and does not modify the general doctrine. And moreover, in appearance, the Lord in His Human, or as "Man born," presents as it were a different, or "second" essence. This-on first assumption-was not Divine: but it became Divine, and could therefore be referred to as a Divine essence. There is also a statement in the Arcana (n. 3061) that after the glorification, "the Divine Human came forth an essence by itself (per se) which fills the universal heaven." The context, however, displays the meaning that the Divine was no longer dependent on the angelic heavens for
its representation as Human, but was now Divinely Human by itself, a one with the Divine itself. (Cf AC 6000)

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     The Divine Essence and the Human Essence.-The general teaching is that in the Lord incarnate there were two essences-the Divine essence, which was the Father, and the Human essence, which is called the Son. And it is said that the Human essence "came forth from the Divine essence when the Lord made it also Divine." The inference here is that it was not Divine at first, and so did not come forth from the Divine until glorified. (AC 3023)
     The doctrine variously shows that the Divine essence and the Human essence were reciprocally united, so that the Human essence also became Jehovah and had life in Se. Before this unition with the Divine essence, the Human essence was signified by 'the Son of Man.' (AC 1607) The 'Son of Man spiritually signifies the truth of the church from the Word. (NQ 1) As the Son of Man, the Lord advanced by degrees toward the Divine essence and successively glorified His Human essence: and could sustain temptations. (AC 1661) But as the Son of God, His Human was Divine from conception, and was the Divine truth proceeding from the Divine good as a son from a father. He was thus born, the Son of God. (AC 7499; AE 1025: 3, 1069: 2)
     Relative to the Lord's Human essence, this proceeding Divine truth was the seed from the Father from which the Human was conceived, and which gave to Jesus Christ His Divine soul. (Can Tr., iv 4) It is therefore said that "the Lord possessed all truth previous to His instruction." (AC 1469) This Divine truth, being the form of Divine good, could not be tempted. (AC 2513: 5) And indeed the Son of God was in no need to be glorified, because it was already in unity with the Father and perfect from conception. But the Lord did say, 'The hour is come that the Son of man should be glorified.' (John 12: 23)
     The Lord's external man, or His Human essence, is indeed called 'the Son of God'; but only so far as the Human had been united with the Divine; which took place successively. The Divine truth proceeding from the Divine good was felt in the Lord's Human as the good of His rational-as the love which He had from birth as His very life. It is therefore explained that the rational as to good was from His very Divine by conception and that He "begat it from the Divine itself" while as to truth it was procured as with other men, and raised into the rational and there conjoined with good. (AC 3161)

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And hence we find the general statement that the "Son of God" was the Lord as to good in the Human Divine. (AC 2813: 5, 2159)
     The Human essence includes both the Son of God and the Son of Man, since neither was possible except by a Divine incarnation. Therefore we read, "He assumed the Human essence itself actually by birth." (AC 1990) The Lord's Human was conceived of Jehovah the Father and born of the virgin Mary. (Lord 19) Before this conception and birth, there was nothing that could be called 'the Son of God.' Before this birth from a human mother, the title Son of man' was applied impersonally to all the prophets, to signify the doctrine of the Church which they taught from the Word.
     Mary the mother, in one sense represents the church or that responsive or reciprocal affection in the church which receives truth Divine. But it was because such an affection was actually lacking, that the Lord came-not out of the Word as doctrine, or to men s minds, as formerly-but actually as Man born, or by the assumption of the ultimate substances of nature and by forming a body of His own in the unresisting realm of Mary's womb. Thus He might approach men on the plane of their own senses. Thus He might Himself draw from the Scripture the doctrine of love and faith which men had failed to find therein: and so become the Son of Man.

     The Material Body.-He fashioned this body in His own image, and He was the soul of it, everywhere present in it. The material substance of it was of His own creation, and He was present in the least constituents thereof, maintaining them in their functional perfection, which no man can alter. The form of the body as a whole- the human form with its representation of all the uses of the Gorand Man of heaven-was derived from His own Divine life. It was fashioned as a vessel, an organ receptive of life. It was not life in itself: it was not God. Yet, by virtue of its infinite soul, it could he called the Son of God.
     Note, that the body consisted of created matter-material substances which were the ultimate determinations and products of prior degrees of substances, ranging to the inmosts of nature: and that these primes of nature were but points of energy which were produced and held in form by substances of a higher order, which the Writings call 'spiritual.'

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These spiritual substances also have their discrete degrees, and are eventually forms of the one universal substance of creation which is identified with the 'primitives of the spiritual sun. (DLW 302, 310; TCR 280: 8, 75; P 6) All these created entities were involved in the matter which composed the assumed body of our Lord, and were in the order of His creation. utterly obedient to His will. In the last analysis, they were creations from His own Divine substance-the substance of Love itself. "Without Him was not anything made that was made." He was the creative Word which was in the beginning. And now this Word was to be made flesh and become the Last even as He was the First-to reveal His glory, the glory of the Only begotten of the Father!
In what sense was this material body His body? Was it included in what has been named His Human essence, the essence that was to be made Divine? The teaching is given that "the Human itself . . . consists of the rational, . . . of the natural, . . . and also of the body which . . . serves the Divine . . . The Lord came into the world that He might make the whole Human in Himself Divine." (AC 3737) But how far could it also be said that this body, this ultimate human, was "from the mother"?

Body and Heredity.-It must be recognized that matter is in itself unpervertible, and yet it is ordered into forms of use, both good and evil. The inner substances of the body are thus built into tissues which display and mirror the character of a man and are employed in the activities of his natural mind. The fibre paths of his brain and especially the vital 'forms contained in the cortical glands and the vital fluids streaming from them to vivify the bloodstream, are inwardly fashioned to receive life according to man's choice--life transmitted through heaven or through hell. This is particularly true of that substance from the inmosts of nature which is retained after death as a 'limbus.' (TCR 103: DLW 257: DP 220; D Wis viii e) This conveys man's paternal heredity which is such that it cannot be expunged to eternity; as may be seen from the fact that the sex of a child is determined by the male seed. Maternal heredity is more external.

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The Lord's heredity from Mary the mother was external; yet it contained all the tendencies to evil that marked the Jewish race, and therefore it attracted the influx of all the hells, even the most direful.
     It is generally accepted that the hereditary formation that is present in the first egg cell is transmitted to all the cells of the adult body, even to cells that form after the mother is no longer the source of nourishment. The Writings tell that the maternal heredity is a corporeal something which can be dispersed when a man is being regenerated. It is spoken of as something 'infirm,' as a vitiation by nature. (Ath Cr. 192; AC 1414, 3304) With the Lord, the domestic or natural goods from the mother were contaminated with evil inwardly. (AC 3578)
     It is plain that what constitutes maternal heredity is not the actual material substance-for this is constantly received from the world-but the forms into which these substances are ordered, forms receptive of life and responsive either to the influx of heaven or to that of hell. The Lord-as to the inmosts of His Human-was, because of His paternal inheritance, in the very order of creation; and as the Son of God, His body as to its external form was also in the image of God, or in the human form. The "maternal human" which was to be put off was therefore properly only the pervert forms imposed upon a limited field of His organic body. Even with man, whose paternal heredity is evil, the evil lodges only in the natural mind, while his body and soul can be maintained by the Lord in the order of creation.
     Because the Lord's body was not totally corrupt, but one defiled or contaminated so as to invite evil into the natural mind which (while it was in process of formation) was dependent for its forms of reaction on that body; therefore the body itself which was essentially from God, and the imposed hereditary infirmities from Mary, and the parts of the Lord's finite mind which were being built up by truths from the Word, are often taken all together and called the Lord's Human essence, or, in short, the Lord's assumed Human. In a general sense, the Lord came on earth to assume the Human and unite it to Himself. "The outer man, or the body itself, is from the mother." "The external which the Lord received from the mother was to be united with the Divine or with Jehovah." (AC 1815, cp. AC 3061; SS 99e)

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"The Lord came into the world that even to ultimates, that is, even to flesh and bones, He might assume the Human and glorify it, that is, make it Divine. That the Lord put on such a Human and took it with Him into heaven, is known in the church from this, that He left nothing of His body in the sepulchre . . . By making even these ultimates Divine, He put Himself into the Divine power of governing all things from firsts through ultimates." (AE 41) In several places it is shown that the Lord, after His resurrection, appeared to the disciples "as to the body which He had in the world" (De Dom. 14), and that He "rose as to the whole body which He had in the world' and thus took from the sepulchre "the natural human itself, from the firsts to the lasts thereof." (TCR 109)

Preparation of the Human Essence.-It is of course obvious that the Human of His birth had to be prepared for such a unition with the Divine. Not only was the Human at birth defiled by hereditary evils, but it was also outwardly material and a finite vessel of life. And the Lord, after glorification, was infinite. The doctrine therefore states that "He had indeed taken a body or human from the mother but this He put off in the world, and put on a Human from the Father." (AE 1108: 2) "What was born of Mary the Lord expelled from His own Divine; thence He assumed a Human corresponding to the Divine . . . Hence He was not only conceived but born of Jehovah." (Ath Cr. 150) 'In the sepulchre, and thus by death, the Lord rejected all the human from the mother and dissipated it." (Ibid. 162)
It is clear, then, that the Lord put off all that which was from Mary. This He did by stages and degrees, by a process of purification, and finally in the tomb. Not only the hereditary impress itself had to be wiped out-which the Lord could have done in a moment if that had been according to order: but the states invoked in that heredity had to be explored and their roots in all the hells disclosed and judged. And that could be done only by retaining those hereditary structures until the Lord's natural mind could be built up on the basis of an experience with their perverse reactions. The Lord's mind was instructed in truth Divine from the Word. Yet as each degree of the mind was infilled and activated-the sensual, the scientific, the imaginative, and the first rational-the perverse tendencies of the hereditary basis came into new focus, and new hells were combated, new evils and falsities judged.

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     Not until this had been fully accomplished could the Human essence be altogether freed from its organic perversions, or from the infirmities of the Mary-human. But in the meantime the Lord's glorification proceeded as to the first of two stages. His Human was first made "holy," that is, the embodiment of truth Divine. This was done by fulfilling the Scripture and by the purification and ordering of all the planes of His mind. But the second stage took place when He made His Human the Divine Esse or Jehovah, or when from Divine truth He became Divine good. (AC 4559. cf 6716: 4. 7014)

     The "Human Divine."-Here we meet with the expression, "the Human Divine." (AC 2809-2824) For the Lord's Human, before full glorification, became a finite form correspondent to the Divine yet enveloped in human frailties and appearances. Truths from the Word consisted then in sensual and rational appearances of truth which were holy yet subject to temptation. 'Truth Divine in the Human Divine" is particularly meant by the 'Son of Man.' In this state, the Lord combated the hells, even to despair, and from His own power began to unite His Human essence with the Divine. The goods and truths from which He fought in His childhood were "not altogether Divine," but are called apparent goods and apparent truths. (AC 1661) Yet it was by truths and goods acquired by Himself as man born that He could be conjoined with the good from the Divine that was connate in Him. (AC 4644)
     The purification and ordering of the Human Divine or the Human essence had to precede glorification. With the Lord as with all men, the 'human' begins in the rational and descends from it. The Lord first glorified His rational and made it Divine, and the glorification then proceeded to the natural and corporeal. (AC 1729, 2083) This implied that the spiritual organics of His mind, and even the physical organics on which sensation and motion depend, had to be cleansed from inherited disorders.
     Of this we read, "With the Lord, after He had expelled the hereditary evils and so had purified the organic things of His Human essence, these too received life, so that the Lord who was already life in regard to His internal man, became life as to His external man also." (AC 1603, cf 3318e, 6872)

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'When the Lord's Human was made Divine, it was no longer an organ of life, or a recipient. but was life itself, such as that of Jehovah Himself.' (AC 2658, 5256) On the other hand, "the body of Christ, so far as it was from the substance of the mother, was not life in se, but a recipient of life." (Canons, Redr., ix)

Making the Body Correspondent.-In preparing His physical Human for full glorification, the Lord did not reject the sensuals, or their corporeal recipients which constitute the body, but the opinions and desires from them. (AC 5078, 5094) His body became a likeness of the soul by becoming utterly correspondent. (HH 316) For there is a succession of correspondences from the Divine down to the ultimate natural (AC 5131), thus to the very organs of the body. (AC 4523) The Arcana treatment of the glorification is mostly concerned with how the Lord restored this correspondence in all the degrees of His Human essence. "With Him alone was there a most perfect correspondence of all things of the body with the Divine, yea, an infinitely perfect correspondence, giving rise to a union of corporeal things with Divine celestial things and of sensual things with Divine spiritual things, and thus He was the Perfect Man and the only Man." (AC 1414)
What disturbs this correspondence and upsets the order of influx, is evil. Matter itself is not evil. Yet evil adheres to nature; for though it is spiritual, it arises only in the natural. (DLW 345, 260) It is therefore explained how the Lord could expel the maternal human which is defined as "the infirm which adheres to nature." This was evil, and in correspondence with hell. "When this is expelled, then succeed those things which are concordant with the Divine and in correspondence with it. For the body is not anything but a correspondence of the soul or spirit of man. . . But the Lord, whose soul was the Divine itself, made His body correspondent with the Divine itself in Him, and thus above heaven. But evil with man cannot be expelled but is removed. Because he is not life in se, but is only a recipient of the Divine, therefore man, as to the body, dies. But the Lord from the Divine in Him expelled the evil which was from the mother wherefore He rose with the whole body.

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He retained the infirm while He was in the world, because in no other way could He be tempted, least of all on the cross: there all the maternal was expelled." (Ath Cr. 192)

     The Maternal 'Nature' not Transmuted.-This teaching about the glorification of the Lord's body is in several places treated of in connection with a comparison between the "Athanasian Creed' and the New Church doctrine. The creed attempts to establish the personal unity of the Divine essence and the human nature within Christ, yet wards off the idea that the Divine essence is actually commixed with the "nature" derived from Mary. "He is not two, but one Christ," the creed declares; "one not by conversion of the Divine essence into the human, but by a taking of the human essence into the Divine; one altogether, not by confusion of essence but by unity of Person." And Swedenborg-with the proviso that here only the maternal heredity be understood by the "human essence"-approves this idea that the Lord "did not transmute the human nature from the mother into the Divine essence, nor commix it with it: for the human nature cannot be transmuted into Divine essence or be commixed with it." (Lord 35) "That human," he adds, "was not converted into the Divine, nor mixed together with it, but put off, and the Human Divine assumed in its stead." (Lord 59) "Our doctrine," he states, is "that the Divine took on the Human, that is, united itself to it, as the soul unites itself to its body." (Lord 35) Elsewhere he explains that "the soul does not change itself into body, nor so mingle itself with body as to become body, but it takes a body to itself." (AE 1108e)
     In the Arcana it is shown that "the body is nothing but an organ derived from its beginnings" in the brain, and becomes such as one's love is, even as to the recipient forms. "Nevertheless with man the previous forms are not destroyed but only removed: while with the Lord the previous forms, which were from the maternal, were completely destroyed and extirpated, and Divine forms received in their place. For the Divine love does not agree with any but a Divine form; all other forms it absolutely: casts out: hence it is that the Lord, when glorified was no longer the son of Mary." (AC 6872e)

     Rejection of the Finite.-In a broad sense, the birth from Mary was accountable for more than the hereditary evils which she transmitted and which were extirpated.

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It was due to human birth that the Divine assumed a material form, with material limitations of space and time; and thus the developing mind of the Lord put on a finite nature and progressed by successive spiritual states. The doctrine therefore shows that the Divine soul, since it is infinite, "could not have done otherwise than reject the finite from the mother and put on the infinite from the Father, thus the Divine." (J post. 129) The Lord thus put off the maternal human "which was like that of other men, and thus material," and put on a Human from the Father so that after His resurrection His body was not now material but Divine-substantial. "It follows that His Human substance or essence is as His Divine." (Lord 35) Indeed, the Human essence is in absolute union, or identity, with the Divine essence. We must not think of the Lord as now being "a material man like another man, retaining like properties of the flesh." (AR 504) We must think of His person from His essence, and of His essence as Divine. (AR 611:7)
     With reference to the Lord it is therefore stated: "The Divine love itself which was the Esse of His life, formed the body after its likeness, thus to its reception, even so far that all (the organs) should be forms of Divine love, and, when the body was made Divine, they are Divine love. Nothing there is closed, as in finite things, but all things are formed to the idea of an infinite heaven. (SD 4845)
     The Lord's body-after it had been purified from the Mary-impress which was dispersed, expelled, extirpated and destroyed, and after it had become correspondent with the Divine-was made Divine. The "human nature" or quality from the mother was not transmuted into Divine essence. (Lord 35) Nor did the soul change itself into body. (AE 1108e) Still the Human substance or essence was made Divine, taken into the Divine. It became omnipresent, omniscient, infinite. With the Lord all is Jehovah, all is infinite. In His body, which is "above heaven," there is nothing "closed as in finites." nothing of space or time as in matter. He had put off all material qualities.

     Resurrection of the Whole Body-Now it would be easy, here, to say, 'Yes, His material body was dissipated or expelled the matter of the body was dispersed back into nature or into the atmospheres outside the sepulchre(!); leaving a Divine body which was from the Father.'

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One phrase, in the Doctrine of the Lord, n. 35, which we have already cited, seems, upon first reading, to support some such meaning. But the emphasis of doctrine-expressed in scores of passages-is to a different effect: viz., that "His natural body, by glorification, was made Divine." "He rose from the sepulchre with His whole body which He had in the world; nor did He leave anything in the sepulchre; consequently He took thence with Him the natural human itself from the firsts to the lasts of it." (TCR 109)
     The testimony, in varying words, is simple, direct, and too plentiful to cite in full: "Whereas the Lord's Human was glorified, that is, was made Divine, therefore He rose again on the third day after death with the whole body which is not the case with any man, for a man rises again only as to the spirit but not as to the body. That man might know, and no one doubt, that the Lord rose again with the whole body, He not only said it by the angels who were in the sepulchre, but also showed Himself in His Human body before the disciples, saying to them . . . 'A spirit hath not flesh and bones as ye see me have. And when He had said this, He showed them His hands and His feet . . .' Since His body was not now material but Divine-substantial, He therefore came in to the disciples while the doors were shut . . . and after He had been seen. He became invisible." (Lord 35: 9)
     "The Lord made the natural man in Himself Divine, in order that He . . . might thus enter with men even into their natural man and might teach and lead it from the Word. For He rose with His whole natural or external man and did not leave anything of it in the sepulchre; . . . and He ate and drank with His disciples of natural food and in their sight." (Inv. 56, Lord 35: 9e)
     But perhaps 'flesh' and 'bones'-in this connection-is to be taken only in a spiritual sense? Perhaps the natural organism was dispersed as to its substance and in such a way that it could still be said that He left nothing in the sepulchre? If this occurs to us, let us read again: "A man's soul from a human father is a recipient of life, but the Lord's soul from the Father Jehovah is life itself . . . The difference is as between the human and the Divine, and the finite and the infinite, or the create and the uncreate . . . It could not be otherwise than that His body should become like His soul, after He had rejected that of the body which He had taken from the mother; and that therefore He rose as to His whole body, nor did He leave anything of it in the sepulchre as is the case with every other man who rises only as to his spirit and never as to his material body . . .

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The Divine itself as it is in itself, which is infinite, could not have done otherwise than reject the finite which was from the mother and put on the infinite from the Father." (J. post. 129, cf SD 5244)
     The Lord rejected 'that of the body' which was taken from the mother. He also rejected the finite. But this was not a rejection of the body, for the whole of the body was made Divine by 'putting on the infinite. What was glorified included that plane of substance which man calls the 'material body.' And in the same treatise it is explained that He glorified the whole body, so that "that of the body which with those who are born of human parents is rejected and putrefied, was with Him glorified and made Divine and He rose with this, leaving nothing in the sepulchre. . . "     (J post. 87)*
     * Other passages about the glorification of the Lords whole body are-AC 10044, 10125, 10252, 10825 5078, SD 5934, HH 316, AE 581: 12, 112: 2, DLW 221, CJ 75.

     Matter and Divine Substance.-Many questions may here properly arise. How could the material substance of the organic body become no longer material, no longer finite, but Divine substantial or infinite? no longer a vessel of life, but life itself?
     The truth does not depend on whether we understand such a process or not. We understand so little, even of natural forces like light or electricity, or gravitation, but we accept their effects which we can repeatedly observe and check. But the Divine acts of first creation, incarnation, and glorification, cannot be sensually confirmed, nor can they be repeated. "No man hath ascended up to heaven but He that came down from heaven, the Son of man who is in heaven."
     The process by which the Lord "finited His infinity" and out of His own substance, fashioned the finite substance of the universe, is by virtue of its nature beyond man's intelligence to follow. Yet the essence of natural substance, or matter, is understood better at this day than some fifty years ago when it was thought to consist of crude atomic building-blocks. It is now known that it is a form of energy-a field of motion.

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And New Church men are able to know that this motion has a spiritual cause and has no reality except for the continuous creative activity of God.
     If that is so, there should be no obstacle to our accepting in simple faith that the bonds of space and time and the limitations of creative endeavor which held the substance of the Lord's assumed Human in the form of a material body could be released to make it return to the Father of all life, the Creator of all things; yet return with a power never before possessed: the power of its revealed Divine Humanity, by which it makes possible for man to see His God as to His Divine essence of love and wisdom.
     It may be questioned what use would be served by the dissolution of the bonds of finition in the Lord's bodily substance so that "nothing there is closed, as in finite things." (SD 4845) The day may come when we can see this more clearly. It is probable that the Divine Natural must have something to do with the union of the cosmic and immediate presence of the Divine in the ultimates of nature with His personal presence as God-Man. He came to be given all power in heaven and in earth.
     It might justly be asked, Why should the Lord disown the substance of His body? The natural body receives an influx from God mediately by the natural world. (Infi 8) And "each and all things subsist by influx from the Lord, not only mediately through the spiritual world but also immediately both in mediates and in ultimates." (AC 6056e) "Apart from the mediation of man, a Divine influx persists into the world and also into the things that are of the world with man, but not into his rational." (HH 112)
     Even before the Advent, we are then shown, "the Divine, which had infilled all spaces without space, penetrated even to the ultimates of nature." This was the cosmic presence of God. "But before the assumption of the Human there was a Divine influx into the natural degree mediately through the angelic heavens, but after the assumption (it was) immediate from Himself.". (DLW 233) This was His "personal presence," by which He was revealed as Man, yet before incarnation by "a representative Human." (NQ 6, 2) The Divine from eternity had two infinite degrees "actually." These are what is called the 'Father,' 'the Divine Human from eternity'; but by conception and birth from the virgin the Lord "super-induced" a third infinite degree-the Divine Natural-through a nature similar to human nature.

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"Thus He could put off a nature which in itself is dead and yet a receptacle of the Divine, and put on the Divine." (DLW 234)
The merging and unition of the cosmic influx of the Divine with the inflowing Divine life from the Father-a unition possible only in the Lord Jesus Christ-was the crowning act in the glorification of the Human Essence. The form of created nature is the most ultimate form of truth Divine. This-we conceive-was glorified and made infinite and united to the Divine good descending from the Divine soul: "'not by conversion of the Divine Essence into the Human, but by taking of the Human Essence into the Divine.' . . . The soul does not change itself into body nor so mingle itself with body as to become body, but it takes a body to itself." (AE 1108:2)
DIVINE GOVERNMENT 1951

DIVINE GOVERNMENT Rev. ORMOND ODHNER 1951

     (An Invitation to the Holy Supper.)

     "Come unto Me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you, and learn of Me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For My yoke is easy, and My burden is light." (Matthew 11: 28-30)

     The Lord Jesus Christ is the one and only God. He alone rules heaven and earth. He alone is king of angels and men, and His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom. Of His government there shall be no end, and this for one special reason: because it is a government of absolute freedom, and that which is inseminated in freedom endures forever.
     The Lord's government is a government of absolute freedom. The early chapters of heaven and Hell teach that He is the God of heaven and earth, and that He rules heaven because-and note this,-the angels receive from Him the good of love and the truth of faith. "To 'rule heaven and earth,'" we read, "is to receive from the Lord every good which is of love and every truth which is of faith, thus all intelligence and wisdom, and in consequence all happiness, in a word, eternal life." (HH 5)

208

     "To rule . . . is to receive." Divine government is by reception. Such a rule, such a government, is almost beyond mortal imagining; although, in the last analysis, every orderly government is by reception, since under it no governor rules his subjects unless they receive his government; and an imposed government is not received although it may be endured. But in these days of tyranny, oppression, and denial of personal rights, the Lord's rule scarcely seems like government at all. For Him to rule our lives is for us to receive from Him genuine love and faith, wisdom and intelligence, happiness and life eternal. No wonder it is said that to be led by the Lord, to submit to His rule, is freedom itself. For in this there is no tyranny, no autocratic dictatorship, no oppression; only peace and happiness, and absolute freedom to do the heart's desire.
     He rules our lives by our receiving from Him love to the Lord and charity toward the neighbor. He governs our hearts and minds by our taking from Him intelligence in understanding what is true and wisdom in choosing what is good. We take His yoke upon us when we take from Him genuine happiness and life eternal. There is no easier yoke, no lighter burden, no freer government. It gives those who come under it joy and delight, and rest unto their souls. And to submit to His rule is as easy as it is to partake of the sacrament of the Holy Supper: for that correspondential ritual indeed represents such government-taking for one's self from the Lord intelligence in understanding what is true and wisdom in choosing what is good.
     His government, and His alone, is a government of absolute freedom, for under it man can do anything and everything he then wants to do. The government of hell, on the other hand, although it looks like freedom on the surface, is actually, as the Writings say, nothing but slavery. Nowhere in the universe can the man who is governed by hell do what he wants to do. Every law of heaven and earth and hell restrains him. For him there is less and less freedom, every year and in every act, until at last in hell there is none left at all. Worse still, the powers of hell that incite him are tyrannical, insatiable, harsh, and cruel.

209

They drive him on relentlessly, and allow him no lasting satisfaction whatever.
     The government of hell is slavery indeed, and it is out of this harsh and cruel slavery that the Lord invites all those who have come to feel burdened with the weight of sin; all those who are laboring against hell in temptation. To all such He says: "Come unto Me . . . and I will give you rest . . . learn of Me . . . and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light." Submit to His government, is His assurance, and He will remove from all contact with evil and dissatisfaction, and give instead the happiness of eternal life.
     Come to Him! Reach out and take! Eat and drink, and make your own the intelligence and wisdom in understanding what is true and choosing what is good that you need and really want in your own life! Take these from Him! That is the invitation of the Lord in the Word and in the Holy Supper. "With desire I have desired to eat this passover with you." (Luke 22: 15)
     This is His rule, His government of angels and men-that they shall receive from Him the flesh and blood of eternal life. Therefore He invites men to receive from Him the love of the Lord that He alone can give, for this is the bread of life; to receive from Him that charity toward the neighbor which He alone can give, for this is the wine. And if these are received, the promise is, every self-frustrating love of evil and every self-confining misconception of truth will be taken away: spiritual slavery to the forces of evil and insanity will end: the absolute freedom of the Lord's government will be experienced: and man will be able to do everything he wishes to do, for he will actually wish to do only that which the laws of order allow.
     His is no tyranny. His is a government of freedom. For He Himself is meek and lowly in heart. His only desire to rule our lives is that He may serve us and give us eternal life and delight; and it was for this cause alone that He was born on earth and glorified His Human. The evils of humanity-those evils in their absolute fulness their greatest possible fulness-were threatening to prevent reception of His love and wisdom: and He came and made a way to renew His government, to make it possible again for men to receive His love and wisdom according as they willed to do so.

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     From His infinite love, but as a Man on earth, He procured for Himself unlimited intelligence in understanding what is true in life, unlimited wisdom in choosing what is good. He removed from that intelligence and wisdom every evil and falsity, every misconception and finition; and made them infinite, Divine, and eternal. And He did this for one purpose only: that to each and every man forever, no matter what the circumstances of his life or the problem before him, He could impart enough understanding of what is true, enough wisdom in choosing what is good, to free him from the bondage of hell and impart to him the gift of eternal life.
     These He gives to every man who acknowledges Him as God, who shuns his own evils as sins against Him, who performs uses that are goods to his neighbor, and who reads Divine revelation for the sake of the uses of life. And these are the bread and the wine of the Holy Supper: not the natural bread and wine, for there is nothing holy in them, but rather the Divine flesh and the Divine blood of His Divine Human mind-His wisdom and His intelligence. His love and His faith: for these are the bread and the wine of everlasting life. To receive these is the only yoke and burden He lays upon those who come under His government: bread and wine to revive, and give rest to the soul.
     Come unto Him, therefore, in His holy communion. Come forward, reach out and take, eat and drink, and make your own the intelligence in understanding what is true, the wisdom in choosing what is good, that He has prepared for you. By His birth on earth, by His growth into a Divine Man, by His victories in temptations, and by His glorification, He has made them eternally available for all men in all walks of life. But it is for us, His creatures, freely to receive them. Come, therefore. "and gather yourselves together unto the supper of the great God." (Revelation 19: 17.)
     Come unto Him, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and He will give you rest. Take His yoke upon you, and learn of Him: for He is meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For His yoke is easy, and His burden is light. Amen.

LESSONS:     John 17. Arcana Coelestia, 905.
MUSIC:     Revised Liturgy, Hymns, pages 430, 459, 476.
PRAYERS:     Revised Liturgy, nos. 81, 51.

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SOME FACTS, FIGURES, AND REFLECTIONS ON MISSIONARY WORK 1951

SOME FACTS, FIGURES, AND REFLECTIONS ON MISSIONARY WORK WILLIAM R. COOPER 1951

     From time to time we hear discussions of the place which missionary work should take in our activities and as to the best method of carrying it on. It might be of interest to some of the readers of NEW CHURCH LIFE, especially to those who live removed from Bryn Athyn in other centers of the Church, to hear something of what has been done here in the past, making use of the unique opportunity in that field presented by the erection of the Cathedral.
     This project, resulting as it did in one of the most beautiful ecclesiastical buildings in this country, had the unforeseen and unexpected result of focussing the attention of the artistic and architectural world upon Bryn Athyn. It is remarkable how widely the news of this venture spread, without the slightest intention or planning on our part, and how many visitors it attracted; beginning long before the main building was ready for use, and increasing steadily in the most astounding fashion as the years went on. This flow of visitors slowed down considerably during the depression period in the early 1930s, and again during the gasoline shortage period of World War II, and it has not again equalled the volume of the middle and late 1920s.
     These visitors posed a problem for us which we had not anticipated. Many of them were not satisfied just to study the artistic features of the building but wanted to know something about the principles behind the movement. "What is this Swedenborgian Church which builds such a wonderful building?" they asked. "What does it stand for?" "How does it differ from the churches around it?"
     Immediately after the dedication of the main building in 1919 we organized a missionary committee of those interested in meeting and giving information to inquirers. A certain number of these enthusiastic young missionaries, many of whom had been doing this work informally while the building was under construction, were on hand at the Cathedral every Sunday afternoon, constituting themselves guides to the visitors, frequently entering into discussions, and, it must be admitted, sometimes into arguments about the doctrines.

212

     The time came, a few years later, when it was necessary in self defense to reserve the Cathedral on Sundays for purposes of worship and to admit sightseers only during the week. This action was made necessary by serious interference with our services on the part of many of our visitors, who were lacking in reverence and in respect for the building as a place of worship. The Book Room. however, was kept open on Sunday afternoons for the dissemination of information and the sale of literature.
     In addition to being the first New Church Cathedral in the world, the Bryn Athyn Cathedral-Church soon established a reputation as one of the most beautiful buildings, architecturally, in this hemisphere. As a result of this it has become a mecca for artists and architects from all over the country, and frequently from abroad. The art and architectural departments in some of the universities and colleges make a practice of bringing their students to visit it as the finest example of its kind in this part of the world. It attracts also a great many clubs and organizations of various kinds which come in groups of from a dozen to several hundred people. And besides all these organized groups, literally millions of casual visitors have come to see the Cathedral since it has become known. Many of them naturally have little or no appreciation of art or architecture. They come, perhaps, because it is one of the things to do, and maybe in the same spirit in which they would visit a country fair or the Zoo!
     I have been enabled to have personal contact and conversation with hundreds of thousands of these visitors; talking sometimes to an individual or a couple, sometimes to a small group or to one numbering a hundred or more. In the early days I no doubt discussed and argued with the most enthusiastic of our young missionaries, but after more than thirty years experience I have established a definite policy of discussing doctrine only in response to a question or a request to do so. Otherwise there is talk only of the building and related topics. This does not mean that there is any dearth of opportunities to spread a knowledge of the Writings.

213

Very few days pass without a single request for information on the doctrines, and it is an unending source of satisfaction to be in a position to respond to these requests.
     There are, of course, many types of missionary work, and there may be differences of opinion as to what is fitting. To me it seems vital that our efforts be at all times in keeping with the dignity of the Cathedral and the General Church. It would be difficult to imagine anything more distressing or inappropriate than the Billy Sunday type of missionary work which is current today in so many quarters. And I believe it to be important that we avoid an apologetic attitude. Every single doctrine of the New Church is new; and we should never seek to compromise this, but to show in as direct and straightforward a manner as possible, wherein we differ from the old churches. As long as Samuel thought it was Eli who was talking to him he learned nothing. But when, at Eli's direction, he said "Speak, Lord for Thy servant heareth," the Lord instructed him. And as long as the members of the New Church believe that Swedenborg is speaking to them they will have little understanding of the truth. But when they go to the Writings, saying in their hearts, "Speak, Lord, for Thy servant heareth," understanding will be given. And it is my feeling that all our missionary work should be done in the light of this conviction.
     And what have we in Bryn Athyn done in the field of missionary work? In addition to holding regular Sunday morning services all the year round, to which the public is cordially invited, we established the Cathedral Book Room in 1926 for the dissemination of information and the sale of New Church literature. This Book Room is set up in the base of the Michael Tower, adjacent to the porte-cochere in the Choir Building, and is so placed that all visitors who enter the Cathedral pass through it. Here we have displayed in a beautiful carved repository a complete set of the Writings; and many of Swedenborg's scientific and philosophical works, together with much collateral literature, are also on view.
     To date we have sold there approximately 60,000 pieces of literature and well over 50,000 picture postcards of the Cathedral. Incidentally, the cash receipts for all this amounted to nearly $16,000.00. The following list shows, in descending order, the items which have proved to be the ten best sellers in the Cathedral Book Room:

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                                        Copies Sold          Period

The Cathedral-Church of Bryn Athyn               16,807          25 years
Life of Emanuel Swedenborg (3 authors)          6,569               25     "
The Church of the New Jerusalem (Cooper)          5,005               14     "
What is "Swedenborgianism"?                    2,954               6     "
Heaven and Hell                              2,088               25     "
Love and Marriage (Quotations from Writings)     1,413               14     "
New Jerusalem and Its Heavenly Doctrine          783               25     "
Four Doctrines                              694               25     "
Divine Love and Wisdom                         618               25     "
Our Children in the Other Life (Giles)          426               23     "

     In a sustained effort to interest the public in the New Church we organized several years ago a series of Sunday afternoon missionary services in the Cathedral. These services, which were continued for seven years, were extensively advertized in all the local newspapers as well as in the most important Philadelphia papers, and every thing was done to attract as many people as possible. The series began in the summer of 1925 with eight services being held on consecutive Sundays. For the next four years one was held every Sunday afternoon from Easter to Thanksgiving. And in 1930 and 1931 we held a series of five services in the middle of the summer.
     Here is a digest of the statistics compiled regarding these services:
Year     Number     Average     Average     Gorand          Gorand          Percentage
     Of          Total          Number of     Total          Total          of
     Services     Attendance     Strangers     Attendance     Strangers     Strangers
1925     8          341          255          2731          2043          75%
1926     25          101          66          2537          1662          65%
1927     28          152          111          4253          3112          73%
1928     29          147          113          4265          3267          77%
1929     28          95          68          2648          1909          72%
1930     5          108          70          538          349          65%
1931     5          148          81          738          404          53%
                                   17,710     12,746

     The largest attendance at any one of these missionary services during the entire seven years was 481, and on another occasion there were 440 strangers in a total attendance of 471. This was during the first year, and the subject of the sermon on this latter occasion was "Marriage."

215

Of all those making up the total of 12,746 strangers who attended these missionary services during those seven years only one person that I know of was baptized into the New Church as a result of them. And that one dropped away after a short time, and to the best of my knowledge has shown no further interest in the Church. Twenty-six years after we started these services, and nineteen years after we discontinued them, there is not one person to whom we can point who is an active member of the New Church today as a result of them, as far as we know.
     Referring to another statistical record, however, we find that since the dedication of the Cathedral the sacrament of baptism has been administered in Bryn Athyn 1044 times. This figure includes 207 adult baptisms, 98 men and 109 women; and an analysis of the record in the Cathedral register brings out the following interesting information regarding them:

                                        Men          Women
Those who became interested through being
attached to the Cathedral building staff          7          6
Those who became interested by being attracted
first by the Cathedral building               9          12
Those baptized in order that they might
enter the Academy Schools                    12          13
Those who came from the General Convention
but had not received New Church baptism there     4          4
Attracted by the Sunday afternoon missionary
services (but subsequently mislaid!)          1
Interested by association with a New Church
Friend                                   17          17
Interested by seeking marriage with a
New Church man or woman                         38          50
Source of original interest not yet traced     10          76
                                        98          109

     These figures seem to lend considerable support to the findings of C. W. Barron, who reported some years ago that most people were originally interested in the New Church by "conversation with a friend." During the period in which these 207 adults were baptized, 837 infants and children entered the Church by baptism in Bryn Athyn.
     The above facts and figures seem to suggest rather forcibly that our children make a far more profitable field for missionary work than the outsiders.

216

This does not necessarily mean that missionary work should not be done among those who are not of the New Church, so far as the men and the means to carry it on are readily available. But it does seem to suggest that it would be very poor policy to sacrifice the education of our children in the Church in order to attempt, with our very limited facilities, to evangelize a world that knows little, and apparently cares less, about spiritual things.
FORGOTTEN PAGES OF NEW CHURCH HISTORY 1951

FORGOTTEN PAGES OF NEW CHURCH HISTORY Rev. WILLIAM WHITEHEAD 1951

     5. A New Church Chaplain in the Civil War

     The only New Church chaplain in the Civil War was a former German Lutheran minister who, together with the Rev. F. W. Tuerk, was converted, in 1851, through lectures given in Pittsburgh by a German Mr. Adolph Kirchner, an uncle of the Rev. E. J. E. Schreck, a former editor of NEW CHURCH LIFE. This was the Rev. Arthur O. Brickman, one of the most successful and vigorous missionary pastors in the annals of our Church.
     Tried for 'Swedenborgian heresy" by the Lutheran Synod, at Chambersburg, Pa., on February 8, 1854, he made a brilliant doctrinal defence of his new belief, and came out openly for the New Church. Drawing large audiences wherever he went, he made converts all over large portions of the United States and Canada. In Baltimore, Allentown and elsewhere, he performed highly successful pastoral duties. For thirty years he edited and published the German New Church Journal of America, BOTE DER NEUEN KIRCHE.
     His vigorous commanding presence, intellectual ability and sincerity and a gift of meeting all sorts and conditions of men, seem to have made a lasting impression on the generation of early Academy men and women who knew him. Singularly enough, his life and work are represented in the past files of NEW CHURCH LIFE only by a single-paragraph obituary note (1886, p. 17).
     Among many interesting things about his unique personality which seem to have been forgotten, is the fact that he was the only official New Church chaplain in the Civil War.

217

From letters which he sent to the old NEW JERUSALEM MESSENGER, during the dark days of 1864 and 1865, we have selected the paragraphs which follow.
From Headquarters, Third Maryland Veteran Volunteers, near Petersburg, Va., June 24 1864, he writes to the Rev. J. P. Stuart: "I am embracing these few moments to address you from the trenches, under a shower of balls from the rebel sharpshooters in front. My regiment went through all the heavy battles in the Wilderness, at Spottsylvania Court House, Cold Harbor, and here before Petersburg, to this day. The loss in dead and wounded in my regiment is fearful; we have been literally cut to pieces, and a petition from the officers has just come back, approved by General Grant, to the effect that our regiment be consolidated, and the surplus of officers be mustered out. . . . I have been in a great many dangers of life, and had many narrow escapes from being killed by shot and shells. The carnage is beyond description, and I cannot see for my part that this kind of warfare can last long. I have not seen a MESSENGER since the end of March, and I long very much after spiritual food and bodily rest."
Under date of March 21st, 1865, he writes: "Towards the end of October, the Ninth Corps was moved from the left to its former position in the centre, and my Battalion occupies the same spot which it gained by those terrible charges last June, occupying the same breastworks opposite Cemetery Hill . . . This is perhaps the most dangerous position on the whole line, being under the cross fire of five rebel forts and several mortar beds. . . . On Sunday both parties usually abstain from firing upon each other, and as often as the weather would permit, I addressed the men and distributed among them such reading material as the United States Christian Commission furnishes. All sects, even the Jews, have somebody here circulating their religious tenets, although the Christian Commission seems to circulate no Jewish. Roman Catholic, Unitarian, or Universalist papers. I should have been glad to circulate New Church tracts, books and papers, but I had none, except what you sent me in MESSENGERS once a week. . . . I obtained a full chapel tent for the use of the Brigade, in which there is now no other chaplain but myself. . . . Since this chapel tent (which is the nearest of chapels to the front, and much exposed. minnie balls having pierced it several times, and smashed our stove pipe) has been pitched, worship is kept every evening of the week, by myself and some delegates of the Christian Commission.

218

I lecture and preach, and try to do my best in cooperating with these delegates. They have never interfered with my work. They know that I am a Swedenborgian, and they know also well enough that they have no right to oppose me. I teach the New Church truths fearlessly, openly, and boldly, but never attack any sectarian doctrines. My preaching is positive; I show what is true, and use the common sciences, and above all the letter of the Word, to demonstrate and illustrate the truths of the New Christian Church. My audience is usually large, and well interspersed with officers of high and subordinate ranks. The interest in my sermons and lectures, all of which I deliver without any manuscript before me, has constantly increased, and not a day is passing by but somebody calls upon me, asking for information about the New Church and her doctrines.
     "By request, I delivered two lectures in the chapel of the Sixth New Hampshire, on The Soul; its Form and future Destiny: and on Character and its Development. The house was crowded on both occasions; a Brigade band played some choice pieces of music, and the pulpit was decorated with flags. Many staff officers from Division and Brigade headquarters were present . . . A few months ago the chaplains of the Ninth Army Corps were organized into a body of chaplains, called the Association of Chaplains of the Ninth Army Corps. The chaplains of the Corps are under the supervision of this body, and they communicate with the Secretary of War, and other high officials, in reference to the efficiency of the chaplaincy. I was made president of this body, and have acted as such ever since. . . . May the Lord soon give us an honorable peace. I long to see the time when I can again be with the people of my church, and give all my labor and all my life to the missionary field of the same:
     On August 4, 1865, Chaplain Brickman was presented with a gold medal, by the non-commissioned officers and enlisted men of the Third Maryland Battalion Veteran Volunteers, "as a token of their esteem and friendship for you as a gentleman and an officer." In the accompanying address the following sentences will indicate the attitude of the soldiers towards their chaplain:
     "You were the soldier's friend. . . . You were with them, sharing their dangers and privations in the front and teaching them the way to immortality and bliss.
     "The wounded on the battle-ground, in the field hospitals, and the dying, found in you a kind brother, and a man.

219

In ministering to their comfort, soothing their pains, bandaging their wounds, and speaking words of consolation, you were to them a messenger from their best friend-Our Father in Heaven. Whilst thus by acts of love you taught them the sweetest of all lessons-to love each other, you enriched their intellects with Divine lessons of truth which were both pleasant and instructive.
     "We were rejoiced to know that your services were so highly appreciated without the limits of our command, when as President of Chaplains of the Ninth Army Corps you extended your instructive lectures along the line in front of Petersburg.
     "Now that this war is over, and our country free and united, we are about to go to our welcome homes. In bidding each other a final adieu, we all wish you the enjoyment of a happy home and God's richest blessings for yourself and family. Accept this medal and wear it in remembrance of the Ninth Army Corps: our Battalion; of battles in which we faced the same dangers as comrades, and as a token of our esteem and gratitude for you as our Chaplain.
     May we profit by the teachings you have so earnestly striven to impress upon our hearts, and hope to feel that your efforts in our behalf during the rebellion war have resulted to our eternal welfare."
PROBLEM PASSAGES IN THE WRITINGS 1951

PROBLEM PASSAGES IN THE WRITINGS LEON S. RHODES 1951

The Affirmative Approach

Scattered throughout the Writings we find a variety of passages which, in their strict letter, cannot but give rise to a question as to how an intelligent man of the church is to understand the wordings which we know contain Divine truths revealed through Swedenborg. This need not imply that those who experience difficulty in accepting the literal wording of certain statements in the Writings doubt their inspiration; for let us first agree that we speak of members of the New Church in the sense that they fully accept the Writings as the Divinely inspired crowning revelation, the very Word of the Lord in His Second Coming.

220

     Nevertheless, we encounter statements, and many cases of wording, which require a definite attitude as to how they are to be understood. There is no trespassing on the basic spiritual truths expressed, but these cannot be entirely separated from the actual wordings used by Swedenborg to convey to man all that can be of use for the maximum understanding of ineffable truth. The alleged "shortcomings" in expressing the inner truths include, of course, the well known "problem" passages: That insects come into being spontaneously rather than hatch from eggs (DLW 341): that the fetus is incapable of movement before birth (DLW 401): that the sun and stars do not move (SS 95); that oil and water mix if salt is added (AC 10300); and statements that involve a misused word, as that ivory comes from camels (AE 1146), and one in which "internal" is used where "external" is meant (AC 1200). And there are also references to examples which are not scientifically demonstrable, or which seem incompatible with modern knowledge, such as certain teachings about the earths in the universe.
     Less obviously, but in a similar way, doubt as to the authority of the revelation may arise from the fact that the earthly author re-wrote, revised, edited, and corrected his manuscripts, as well as from the fact that some planned works were not written or finished or published by Swedenborg. It may also be legitimate to wonder about the fact that Swedenborg was chained to the thinking and customs of his time; bound to the scientific knowledge of his day as well as limited to the social customs and theological attitudes of the age and areas in which he wrote. His expressions of abstract truths as well as of the practical rules of life were colored by his environment and formulated in accordance with his particular intellectual abilities.
     In many ways, the stilted style of the Writings, or certain phrasings and reasoning processes, seem to detract from the quality that we would associate with inspired, authoritative revelation. At times Swedenborg pleads and struggles to express an idea, or admits that a truth is beyond expression. At times he is repetitious, or seems ponderous. He spends undue time developing ideas that are already acceptable, and at other times seems to race ahead by saving "thus it is evident" while we still struggle to grasp a point.

221

It might be felt that in spite of the volume of the teachings there are blank spots that can be filled in only by reapplying truths taught elsewhere in the Writings or by inferring teachings from indirect references. And, finally, we have all experienced times when we cannot find a clear answer to what we consider a vital question. These are legitimate questions on which the man of the church must be satisfied, as well as questions that must be answered as new members are introduced to the Writings. If the answer is an apology the Church is weakened. But need we feel that the Writings are anything less than the full and complete revelation whereby the Second Corning was accomplished and the Lord's true church established among men?
It is not for an intellectual church to ignore these apparent deficiencies in the Writings. The Writings themselves point out that it is not rational faith to accept truth blindly without understanding or application. Nor should any New Church man slide over these problems; pretending they do not exist, saying "they don't bother me," or assuming that they have no meaning. Nor is it allowable to say that these are errors or mistakes that can be eliminated or corrected. We do not answer the questions by seeking for some "internal sense" or reinterpretation of the Writings. And perhaps the most common but least orderly approach to these problems is to invent ingenious devices for making errors acceptable-trick reasoning, retranslating, adding or subtracting words.
In order to become a rational church we must see the Writings in their entirety with a firm, clear faith in their true use, a rational acceptance of the actual way in which they may be believed to be truly "the Word of God." The Doctrine of the Sacred Scripture indicates, in no. 51, that the church has a responsibility for formulating doctrine in order that the man of the church can safely interpret the Word; and rational thinking indicates that the church may point the way to a true, wholesome, logical approach to the Writings, so that instead of being distressed by any style or wordings which seem to detract from their authority the Writings may be an even greater source of inspiration, instruction, and guidance. Such a "doctrine" as to the use of the Writings will not evade the fact that they came through a human instrument, but will point out that this means was employed by the Lord in order to bring about the fullest use of revelation.

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     We may first observe that there are two wonderful aspects of this revelation which at first seem to be weaknesses, but which, in truth, add to its lustre. The first is that although the Writings are clear, forceful, complete, and speak with authority, yet there is a surprising latitude for interpretation, room for inexhaustible subtleties of understanding and application, and absence of either specific commands or of revealed facts so rigid as to deprive man of freedom. The second is that they were given through a human instrumentality with definite limitations, accommodated to Swedenborg's particular qualifications, and taking form and flavor from his rational mind as well as from his environment.
     Had the Writings been written by a flaming finger, by mystic means, or given in a state of inspired trance, and were they so obviously perfect in their wording and content as to be beyond the ability of a human mind, then they themselves would deny man freedom. Given through a rational human mind they manifest the potential rational understanding of their truths-a direct promise of the capabilities of the human intellect to receive illustration. There is implied not only the ability to "enter intellectually into the arcana of faith." but a responsibility for rational preparation for the reception of truth. As Swedenborg was prepared to receive truth by inspiration and by conscious effort on his part, so the man of the church must be prepared by the Lord and must learn in order to see the truths now made known.
     We wonder at the degree of preparation in the sciences that was useful in preparing Swedenborg to become the revelator, the tremendous skill and knowledge he acquired in order to be qualified to serve as the means whereby Divine truth could flow into the ultimates of revelation. Rather then, than feel regret that he was not better prepared-what marvellous illustrations of spiritual principles could be expressed in modern concepts of science such as radio and atomic energy-or that he was limited by the customs and thinking of his time, nice as it might be to have specific teachings about life brought up to date, the man of the church may see that there is yet work to be done. The church is not merely the passive recipient of truth, but the living reactive organism for further development of the truths now made known.

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     This does not mean that the church or its members are to "go beyond" or "rise above" the Writings. But they are to develop the truths in accord with new knowledges, and the Writings give the way in which this can be done without danger of profanation. In the Arcana is the teaching that if faith is true, exploration of scientifics does not introduce falsity (see AC 2568 et al); and in Conversations with Angels, no. 16, it is said that the truths of the sense of the letter of the Word may be turned hither and thither by the man who is in truths of doctrine and in the good of life.
     It is because the Writings were given through a prepared rational, but limited mind, that the prepared and limited rational mind of the New Church can develop the final church. The very human qualities of the Writings, rather than being limitations or shortcomings, are proof that here is spiritual truth presented in such a manner that the man of the church can, and should develop the doctrines, and accommodate the truths revealed to states, times, loves, and specific problems. A revelation by a finger of fire would allow no freedom and impose no responsibility on the church. A revelation "perfect" down to the last jot and tittle would serve an external church, but would rob an intellectual church of the freedom and rationality which alone can eventually make it a willing, understanding receptacle of the love and wisdom of the Lord.
     It is only in this way that we can see the Writings as the final and crowning revelation-perfect in its imperfection, never outdated or incomplete. In this way the Writings are the foundation; and influx continues as the Lord through the Writings themselves, through the spiritual world, through science, through nature, and through the enlargement of man's rational faculty, can cause the New Church to grow and increase so that this Church may be the true guardian and champion of the final coming of the Lord.
     The alphabet, the building blocks, the formulae, and signposts, the map, have, by Divine mercy, been given to man. With care, in humility, by constant prayer and application, and in accordance with the instructions clearly given in the Word itself, we may help build our church to be more than a passive receptacle-a reactive, living church, translating those truths into life in such a way that the church, even as Swedenborg, may become the "servant of the Lord."

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NOTES AND REVIEWS 1951

NEW CHURCH LIFE
Office of Publication, Lancaster, Pa.
Published Monthly By

THE GENERAL CHURCH OF THE NEW JERUSALEM
BRYN ATHYN. PA.

Editor     Rev. W. Cairns Henderson, Bryn Athyn, Pa.
Business Manager     Mr. H. Hyatt, Bryn Athyn, Pa.

All literary contributions should be sent to the Editor. Subscriptions, change of address, and business communications, should be sent to the Business Manager. Notifications of address changes should be received by the 15th of the month.

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$3.00 a year to any address, payable in advance. Single copy, 30 cents.
     "A CONTEMPORARY VIEW"

     Under this heading, the March issue printed an extract from THE NEW CHRISTIANITY devoted to the thesis that "Too large a portion of Swedenborg's writings is devoted to the flogging of dead horses; to expounding his deviation from doctrines that no intelligent person believes any more." (p. 125) This was done in accordance with the policy mentioned earlier of bringing to the notice of readers the views of other general bodies of the Church. (NEW CHURCH LIFE, January, 1951, p. 26) Editorial insertion of informative material in this journal does not imply that the material reflects the views of the General Church; and it was felt that such a statement could safely stand by itself in the official organ of the Church, which is known to be addressed to those who are affirmative to the Divine authority of the Writings. However, a word of comment may not be out of place at this later date.
     In one sense the simile is apt, since we are told that a "dead horse" signifies "no understanding of the truth in the Word." (TCR 623) But in another sense it is misleading and entirely unrealistic.

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Spiritually, the horses are very dead indeed; but this does not mean, unfortunately, that their neighings and prancings are forever stilled. Anyone who is in touch with the contemporary Christian pulpit knows that as long as a fundamentalist remains, the drumming of their unghostly hoofbeats will be heard every Sunday. However, this not the real point at issue.
That point-a very obvious one-is that only those who regard the Heavenly Doctrine as "Swedenborg's writings" and as containing "his (Swedenborg's) deviations," or anything else, would advance the view that the Writings contain only a core of positive material which the human intellect must separate from its swathings of dead and useless material. Such a view is, we submit, incompatible with the belief that the Writings are a Divine revelation. We join with THE NEW CHRISTIANITY in urging the need for a positive presentation. But we believe the need will be met, not by presenting "Swedenborg's writings" as dated works which must be streamlined to fit imagined conditions; but by proclaiming them as the Word of the Lord in His Second Coming, Divinely accommodated to every actual state and need, and neither to be added to nor subtracted from by any body of men.
IS THE NEW CHURCH CELESTIAL? 1951

IS THE NEW CHURCH CELESTIAL? 1951

This question was raised by a correspondent in the January issue (pp. 31-33), and was discussed further in a letter printed last month (pp. 188, 189). We do not wish to enter here into an extended study, but simply to draw attention to the fact that the term "celestial" is used in the Writings in various ways.
In what may be called the "historical" series, the term, celestial, refers, with one exception, to the Most Ancient Heaven and Church; spiritual, to the Ancient Churches and the heaven therefrom; and natural, to the New Christian Heaven and Church. (HD 4; AR 876) The teaching that men are of the celestial or the spiritual disposition (HH 333), that is, are affected primarily by good or by truth, indicates a second usage. And the doctrine which defines the celestial as those who are in the good of love to the Lord, the spiritual as those in the good of charity, and the natural as those in the good of faith (AC 4286) involves a third meaning of the term.

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     It may be said that the first usage refers to the mode of regeneration, the second to the disposition that is to be regenerated, and the third to the degree of regeneration that is attained. With regard to the first, there is in the Writings a little known teaching to the effect that the celestial genius persisted with some after the fall, and may even have remained to this day. (See AC 640: 2, 4447, 4448, 4454; LJ 46; SD 5518; J post 119) With this exception, however, all men since the fall have been of the spiritual genius; that is, they have had a separate will and understanding, and are regenerated through a mediate revelation and by the implantation of good in the understanding. (AC 5113, 8521)
     As to the mode of regeneration, therefore, the New Church is spiritual, not celestial (AC 5113), for its members are regenerated by the Lord through the Heavenly Doctrine and by the implantation of a new will in the understanding. And in the historical series, the heaven to which New Church men and women go is the Natural Heaven. But that heaven contains both those who are celestial and those who are spiritual in disposition, in the secondary use of the term; and it is itself of three degrees, having within it those who are in the good of love, those who are in the good of charity, and those who are in the good of faith. (AR 876)
     The men of the New Church can therefore regenerate to the celestial, the spiritual, or the natural degree, according to their disposition and to whether they enter into the internal or the external thereof; but by this is meant the celestial, the spiritual, and the natural within the Natural Heaven, However it may he noted that this heaven is not inferior to the ancient heavens, but may even be called superior; for it is the natural the interior and exterior things of which are enlightened simultaneously by the Divine Human of the Lord.
     We would say, then, that the New Church may be called celestial, in so far as it may be characterized by its inmost, for in it there will be developed a love to the Lord such as was never possible before. But although it includes those of a celestial disposition, it is not of the celestial genius as that term is used in the Writings (See AC 5113), but, as a whole, is celestial and spiritual; for the internal and external of these make the three degrees of which the New Heaven and the New Church consist.

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"AND WITHOUT THORN" 1951

     FULL HOUSE. By Don Rose. Drawings by Jo Metzer. J. B. Lippincott Company, Philadelphia and New York, 1951. Cloth, pp. 256. Price, $3.00.
     Dean Inge was once introduced to an audience as "less a pillar of the church than two columns of the Evening Standard." For many years now, Don Rose has combined active support of the Church with the duties of a working member of the press; and in this lightly handled book, written in a style familiar to those who follow his daily column in the Philadelphia Bulletin, he unfolds entertainingly the story of the twelve Roses and how they grew up. The book embraces in lively fashion the rich variety of topics that might be expected from its complex and increasing subject, and underlines as it progresses the appropriateness of its title.
     Those who know the Rose family, and who enjoy being taken behind the scenes, will be fascinated by the wealth of hitherto undisclosed background material which is here made available for the taking. And those who begin to read without having met them will feel, as they close the book, that they have become well acquainted with a group of charming and versatile people. The final sentence sums it up well. "Years ago we wanted something, and had no clear idea what it was, how to get it, or where to find it. But this is it."
RECEIVED FOR REVIEW 1951

RECEIVED FOR REVIEW 1951

MR. CHARLES JAMES WHITTINGTON WINIFRED WHITTINGTON 1951

Editor of NEW CHURCH LIFE:

It has naturally give me much pleasure to read the article on "Our Psalmody" in this month's number of NEW CHURCH LIFE. (February, 1951, pp. 57-66.)

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It is evidently written by a musician, and I should like to thank Mrs. Smith for it.
     Perhaps you will allow me to make some small corrections and additions. As to originality, I well remember my father saying, "I am not concerned to be original." He meant that his chief concern was to provide appropriate music for the words. He considered it remarkable that the translation given to him, which might be considered uncouth in comparison with the Authorized Version, lent itself more easily to musical expression.
     My father had no formal education in music, either theoretical or practical. His mother taught him "his notes;" but beyond this, the music of the great masters, especially Bach's great organ music, was his chief source of instruction. He did in later life buy some books on Theory, but I doubt if he gained much beyond what he knew already.
     We never lived in Surbiton. On their marriage my parents took a small house on the outskirts of North London. As the family, and London, increased in size, and my father's business prospered, they moved further out; and afterwards into Kent and then into Surrey. After World War I most of the family were married, and greatly increased taxes made drastic retrenchment necessary. My younger sister and myself went with my parents to live in Sidmouth, where they both died.
     Before that move our house was burgled, and to my father's great regret, and that of us all, the beautiful loving cup was stolen, among much besides.
     WINIFRED WHITTINGTON.

Cross Cottage,
Whitechureb Canonicorum,
Bridport, Dorset, England,
February 16, 1951
ACADEMY BOOK ROOM 1951

ACADEMY BOOK ROOM 1951

Topics from the Writings. By W. F. Pendleton. Fire-damaged copies, priced according to condition from 50 cents to $1.50.

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Church News 1951

Church News Various 1951

     GLENVIEW, ILLINOIS

     This is a quarterly report of the affairs of the Immanuel Church Society covering the period from December to February. The long delay in sending in news notes was occasioned by the indisposition (the profession called it infectious mononucleosis) of the signer of this record. For the benefit of those who prefer not to browse in homeopathic fields it may he of interest to state that several doses of small "sugar" pills administered by (New Church) Dr. Donald Gladish effected a complete cure!
     During this three-month period our numbers have increased and the parents of our seven new babies are patiently waiting for fair weather when they will be able to show their offspring the beauties of the Park-and Park Lane. One engagement, two confirmations, and four baptisms will eventually be written into the "Announcements" columns of NEW CHURCH LIFE. And three new houses have been dedicated-the homes of Robert F. Leeper, Stuart M. Murdoch, and Raymond Kuhn.

     Christmas.-Last December our Christmas program was preceded by a society meeting, held Thursday evening. December 21st, to which the children were invited. Our Pastor, the Rev. Elmo Acton, spoke about the birth of the Lord and also of the need for our preparing our minds for the celebration of this important event. On the following Sunday our regular service was followed by the Holy Supper, and in the afternoon of the same day the children attended their Christmas service. As usual, the adults were present, and the second half of the service was held in the assembly hall, where tableaux were shown. This was followed hr the giving of presents to the children. The celebration for the adults was held on the morning of Christmas Day.
     We have so many homes now that it is difficult for one band of carolers to sing at all of them on Christmas Eve. So two groups divided up the area in order that those in every one of the homes could enjoy this delightful Yuletide custom.

     A Wedding.-The marriage of Mr. Allan Soderberg and Miss Dolores Burnham, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Edwin Burnham, was solemnized on Saturday evening. December 23rd, the Rev. Elmo Acton officiating. The church and chancel were decorated with Christmas greens and poinsettias and were softly lighted by many tall white candies. The bride wore a gown of white lace over satin and a simple finger-tip veil with halo of twisted white satin decorated with pearls, and carried a bouquet of white gardenias. Miss Phyllis Burnham, maid-of-honor, and Miss Ann Pleat, bridesmaid, wore gowns of light blue satin and carried bouquets of American Beauty roses. Mr. Alfred Umberger served the groom as best man and the ushers were the Messrs. Ralph Synnestvedt, Jr., and David Burnham of Glenview, Howard Peterson of Connecticut, and Charles Lewald of Chicago.

     New Year.-A gay New Year's party was declared by those who attended to be a very enjoyable occasion. Games, stunts, refreshments, and dancing continued until a late hour.

230

     Meetings.-At the December Sons meeting, Harold McQueen lectured on the subject of business letter writing. From the discussion which followed it was gathered that his talk had been listened to with somewhat of interest. Mr. Sydney E. Lee reviewed, at the January meeting, the textbook entitled "Unity in Creation." by the Rev. David R. Simons. This, it is hoped, is the first of many textbooks to be written by New Church men; something which has been sorely needed for many years. On February 7th, we held a Society Educational Meeting at which Mr. Lee presented a paper entitled "Swedenborg's Key: The Place of Philosophy in the New Age."
     At our February Men's Assembly meeting the Rev. Elmo Acton read a paper on Patriotism and War, a most enlightening presentation of a subject treated from the viewpoint of the Writings. School vacation lasted from December 22nd to January 8th, and ever since then things have been back in full swing. The Philosophy Group meets at Mr. Henry Maynard's home on Monday evenings; Women's Guild. Single Young Folks, and Young Married Folks attend their respective meetings; and of course Friday suppers and classes continue as they have since the memory of man runneth not to the contrary. Starting February 28th, all those interested are invited to attend a series of tape recordings of the meetings of the last General Assembly. Especially for those who were not able to attend the Assembly these occasions will doubtless prove to be most enjoyable.

     Bishop Acton's Visit.-For several years now. Bishop Acton has visited us around the time of Swedenborg's birthday. We always look forward to his coming with keen anticipation. This year, on Friday evening, February 16th, the Bishop talked to us about Swedenborg being in both worlds at the same time. He spoke eloquently of this unique experience and also pointed out that for many years the Lord had been preparing him for it The Bishop's talk, as usual, was divided into two sections divided in the middle by an intermission; something which is always welcome, no matter how interesting a lecturer may' be On the following Sunday' Bishop Acton preached at the morning service.
     Bishop Acton arrived in Glenview on Thursday, February 15th, and that evening the "Philosophers" were invited to meet with him at the home of Mr. Oswald Asplundh. It was a pleasure to listen to him chatting informally on a variety of subjects, from spontaneous generation to the effect of whiskey on worms-the last mentioned subject being discussed during the latter part of the evening when refreshments were being served and matters if a lighter nature were being discussed.

     Miscellaneous.-The Immanuel Church Boys' Club has again instituted a series of movies as well as the collecting of newspapers, both of which projects are helping to raise money to defray the expenses of next summer's camping trip.
     On a certain Thursday evening about a year ago Mr. and Mrs. Charles Cole, Sr., invited the 8th and 9th Grade children to their home to listen to good music. Mr. Cole has a splendid collection of records. The invitation was a weekly one and by this time our children have heard much of the finest music on records.
     Chairs have a habit of wearing out, breaking down, and sometimes going entirely to pieces. This was the experience we were having with our chairs, some of which dated back to the day's when the Society first moved to Glenview. Suddenly, several weeks ago, 250 brand new metal folding chairs put in an appearance. They are solid and very comfortable. It appears that certain members of the Board of Finance took the matter in hand and procured these chairs at reasonable cost, and we have now been invited to pay for them.

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     In Appreciation.-Some men expect to be praised for their work; other men do not! We of the Immanuel Church are fortunate that our two ministers, the Revs. Elmo Acton and Ormond Odhner, belong quite definitely to the latter group. For this reason your reporter has seldom tossed verbal bouquets in the direction of either of the above mentioned gentlemen. However it could be that the time has again arrived to put into words our feeling of deep gratitude for the splendid work being done in the way of guiding the destinies of our Society. We are experiencing a leadership which is both firm and friendly; firm in that the instruction in both school and society meetings is based squarely on the Writings, and friendly in that we are left in freedom to apply the truths presented, each according to his own conscience.
     HAROLD P. MCQUEEN.

     TUCSON, ARIZONA

     Since our last report we have had a rather full schedule. Because of this, no one has kept notes and we have fallen behind with our reports. This, however, will bring us up to date and we will endeavor to report every three months from now on.

     Ministerial Visits.-Last September, the Rev. K. R. Alden visited his son and daughter-in-law, Mr. and Mrs. Guy S. Alden, for five days. Mr. Alden conducted a service in their home, which was followed by some pictures of his recent trip through the Canadian Northwest and an informal talk. Later in the week he conducted a class at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Robert Carlson, which was followed by more slides of his trip and pictures of the new Benade Hall. Everyone entered into the spirit of real fellowship as we sang the old familiar Church songs with Mr. Alden and Bob Carlson accompanying on their fiddles.
     Then, early in October, the Rev. Raymond G. Cranch stopped by on his way home from California. Where he had officiated at the marriage of his daughter. Mr. Cranch held service at the home of the Wilsons. Later, to complete a really fine day, we all attended a picnic at one of our parks. During this visit there was also a class at the Carlsons, which was enlightening to everyone and the evening Mr. Cranch left we all attended a social at the Wilsons. These extra visits from two of our ministers meant so much to our Circle.

     Christmas.-The next event was our Christmas party and pageant and party for the children at the home of Dr. and Mrs. Waddell. With Mrs. Irma Waddell in charge it was quite the best we have ever had. Two adults representing Mary and Joseph and eleven children took part, and Guy Alden read passages from the Word as the children, in costume, took their places round "The Babe in the Manger." They made a very lovely and impressive pageant. Gifts and refreshments followed for the nineteen adults and twelve children attending.
     Mrs. Boggess and Mrs. Ann Finkeldey arrived in time to acid to the festive occasion. They were guests also at a New Year's Eve party which was held at the Wilsons.

     Services and Classes.-January started off with every one feeling very church-minded, and as a result all services and classes were well attended. Beginning on January 5th, classes have been held in different homes every second Friday, and since January 12th a church service every second Sunday. At present we are listening to a series of classes by the Rev. K. R. Alden which we are enjoying very much. The service on January 28th included a Swedenborg's birthday talk by Candidate Louis King, and afterwards there was an informal talk by Carl Asplundh followed by toasts to the Church and to Swedenborg. It was a very festive occasion for us.

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     Personal.-On January 12th there was a luncheon and baby shower for Helen Alden given by Mrs. Carlson and Mrs. Waddell at Mrs. Carlson's home. The luncheon was both colorful and delicious and Helen received lovely baby gifts. Around this time, Helena Junge was married to Cline Schweikert at Douglas, Arizona. Several people from Tucson attended and Miss Janet Lindrooth held a lovely' reception after the afternoon ceremony' at her apartment.
     Word has been received that Lt. Tom Waddell had been wounded fighting in Korea, had been removed to Japan, and had talked to his wife and said that he was recovering. Bruce Wilson has been accepted for Officer Candidate School and left on February 19th for Fort Ord, California.
     This has been an active winter in the life of our small but vigorous circle in Tucson, and we close by mentioning a gain and a loss. A son was born to Mr. and Mrs. Guy Alden on February 19th. He is named Peter MacBeth Alden, and everyone is enjoying their happiness. But we are more than sorry to have lost Walter and Marion Hartter and their daughter Martha, who have moved, temporarily, we fervently hope, to Springfield, Illinois.
     ELAINE S. WILSON.

     PITTSBURGH

     Christmas.-A great many things have occurred here since we last appeared in the pages of NEW CHURCH LIFE. First and foremost, we spent a very happy and pleasant holiday season, and we send belated greetings to our many friends throughout the Church.
     The Christmas Tableaux Service was held on Sunday afternoon, December 24th, in the auditorium. Mr. and Mrs. Bert Nemitz are to be highly complimented on the excellent production. This year four scenes were presented: 1) The Annunciation; 21 Zacharias and Elisabeth; 3) The Shepherds; 41 The Wise Men and the Star. After this service gifts were presented to the children.
     The service on Christmas morning was for adults and children. The theme of the Pastor's address was the three methods of worship. We welcomed many visitors during this holiday time and a number of our members journeyed to Bryn Athyn and other places. The Danse Noel on Friday evening, December 29th, was a gala affair. Mr. and Mrs. Joseph A. Thomas, Miss Mary Anne Doering, and Mr. Kenneth Blair were the capable and ingenious committee; and Marty Schramm's orchestra, which is always gay and peppy, really outdid itself.

     Swedenborg's Birthday.-The children celebrated Swedenborg birthday with a holiday from studies and a supper, sponsored by the Pittsburgh Chapter of Theta Alpha, held the evening of January 29th. Willard Thomas was an excellent toastmaster.
     However the adults postponed their celebration of this occasion until Bishop Acton was able to be present, on February 12th, on which date a supper was held. Mr. Daric E. Acton was the toastmaster, and Bishop Acton was presented by Mr. Charles H. Ebert, Sr., who gave a resume of his accomplishments in theology, Swedenborgiana, and other fields. To review' the address would be presumptuous on my part. Suffice it to say that Swedenborg's life and preparation were reviewed as falling into five periods. Our Pastor, the Rev. Bjorn Boyesen, brought the evening to a close with a fine tribute to the uses performed by Bishop Acton and his son Daric, and we all joined in singing "Our Glorious Church."

     Other Events.-The quarterly administration of the Holy Supper was held on January 7th, All the regular classes and meetings have been held, and several evenings have been devoted to the hearing of tape recordings.

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     An interesting and entertaining Library Frolic was staged by the library committee on Friday evening. January 26th, in the auditorium and netted a tidy sum to carry on the uses of the library. Members of the International Sons of the Academy Executive Committee gathered here on Friday evening, February 2nd, for meetings which lasted over the weekend. Mr. Theodore N. Glenn entertained the Executive Committee and the Pittsburgh Chapter at his home on Saturday evening.
     Our Pastor attended the Ministers Meetings in Bryn Athyn and was accompanied home by Miss Laura Gladish and Mr. Carl Gunther, who had a week of practice teaching in the school.
     ELIZABETH R. DOERING.

     TORONTO, CANADA

     Swedenborg's Birthday.-In Toronto the children of the Olivet Society celebrated the birth of Emanuel Swedenborg on January 29th by having a supper party in the assembly hall. Games preceded the formal banquet, for which the tables were suitably decorated in blue and yellow. After a satisfying meal some of the children gave papers on various phases of Swedenborg's life, and there was a quiz program with prizes for correct answers. Mrs. Ray Orr, Mrs. Hubert Raymond, Mrs. Robert Scott, and Mrs. Healdon Starkey prepared this party on behalf of Theta Alpha.
     The adult commemoration was held at the Wednesday Supper on January 31st, when, after a delicious supper prepared by Mrs. George Baker, Mrs. Thomas Fountain, and Mrs. Ron Smith, Ivan Scott gave an outstanding paper on Swedenborg's proposals for a new system of reckoning. Ivan used the blackboard to demonstrate the idea which Swedenborg, as a young man, had conceived to be a simpler method of counting. The audience, however, while fascinated by the presentation of the subject, did not appear to be convinced of its simplicity. Mr. Sydney Parker read an interesting excerpt from Swedenborg's letters, and our Pastor gave a fine paper on the terminology used by Emanuel Swedenborg. Later in the evening Canasta and bridge filled in the time until light refreshments were served.

     Services.-On January 25th an evening service of worship, attended by a large congregation, was held in place of the usual Sunday morning service. Somehow an evening service has a most tranquil and serene sphere. Our Pastor spoke, in the same tone, on the treasures of heaven which are to be found in the Lord's Word.
     It was on Sunday, February 4th, during the morning service that we had the privilege of witnessing a triple baptism, when Mr. and Mrs. James Swalm (Maud Currie) and their infant son. James Hugh, were baptized, the Rev. A. Wynne Acton officiating. It was an inspiring service throughout, with our Pastor preaching a suitable sermon. Afterwards the members and friends of the congregation were invited to the home of Mrs. Clara Swalm, and over eighty people gathered there for an enjoyable hour, toasting and singing to the Church, the new members, and various birthdays and anniversaries.
     The following Sunday. February 11th, the sacrament of Baptism was again administered. This time it was Mrs. Arthur Fountain (Loretta Ahern) who thus entered through the gate leading to the Lord's New Church. and again our Pastor officiated. Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Fountain afterwards opened their hospitable doors to the congregation, so once more we toasted and sang to the many occasions which can be thought of at such times. Arthur is at present receiving medical attention at Sunnybrook Hospital but was able to be present, which was a great delight to all.

     Meetings.-The Forward-Sons not only had a good supper spread before them on February 9th, but also had a particularly large gathering, there being thirty-two gentlemen present.

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Mr. Ron Smith's paper, "This is Our Language," drew many favorable comments from the listeners and evidently brought forth other people's ideas on the subject.
     Theta Alpha held a pleasant meeting at the home of the President, Ruby Zorn, welcoming Elaine Smith as a new member and Nora Norman as a visitor from Cleveland. The Ladies' Circle met this month in the assembly hall, with Mrs. Pete Bevan and Mrs. Tom Bradfield as hostesses; and in a "homey" setting of lamps and silver services the Rev. Wynne Acton gave an interesting paper on "The Religious Instruction of the Pre-School Child at Church and in the Home."

     Valentine Dance.-Anyone who felt "done out" of the New Year party had occasion to make up that loss on February 16th, when the Social Committee undertook to remedy the situation, and succeeded! A few pre-party parties brought the guests,-ninety-two paid admissions and some special guests, all in evening dress-in festive mood and ready to dance. The hall matched their gaiety in true Valentine spirit, and the large broken heart which encased the orchestra was the only broken or bent heart present. The rest were beating to three quarter time or hopping to a polka tempo.
     There was a wonderful floor show put on by the boys which had to be seen to be believed and which created much laughter. The crowning of the Queen of Hearts was a new and exciting feature. Every guest cast a ballot during the first part of the evening, and the Pastor drew from a hat a slip of paper bearing the name of one of the six ladies who had received the greatest number of votes. Miss Marion Swalm, attired in white with touches of red, proved to be the Queen, and with her partner she led a Gorand March after being crowned with a floral crown. After supper, dancing was resumed at the same temp) as before. It was a great pleasure to have sixteen of our Kitchener friends present to join in this frolic. The committee to be thanked consisted of Mr. and Mrs. Ron Smith, the Misses Frances Raymond and Stephanie Starley, and Mr. Ernest Watt.

     Personal.-On February 23rd. Mrs. Ernest Raymond and Mrs. Pete Bevan held a lovely and useful shower at the home of Mrs. A. Wynne Acton for Miss Margaret Hudson, who is to be married to Mr. Ivan Scott on March 24th, it was Margaret's first shower, and a complete surprise to her. With great pleasure we can report two very new potential members: the daughter of Sgt. Major and Mrs. William Chisholm (Stella Campbell), and the son of Neil and Marie Carmichael.

     Obituary.-On January 24th, Mr. Arnold Thompson passed into the spiritual world after a long and painful illness. The following, written by Edith Knight, is quoted from "Chatterbox." "Mr. and Mrs. Thompson and their four children came to this country from Birmingham. England, where they were members of the Wretham Road Society of the General Conference, in 1911, but it was not until about 1923 that they joined the Olivet Society' after becoming members of the General Church. Of their three daughters and son, Beatrice, Dorothy, Nora, and Leslie, Nora is perhaps the best known to the Toronto Society. She has three children, Joan Alden. Jack, and Dennis, all of whom are connected with the Church. In all, Mr. Thompson leaves eleven grandchildren, and three great grandchildren. His six grandsons acted as pallbearers, Jack MacDonald coming from Bryn Athyn for this purpose. After his retirement from the business world "Gorandpa" Thompson taught manual training to the day school boys. The Thompson's hospitable home and the New Church gatherings there will long be a pleasant memory for many of us. To Mrs. Thompson and her family our sincere sympathy is extended."
     VERA CRAIGIE.

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DURBAN, NATAL

     Society Activities.-The activities of the Durban Society have been carried on as usual under our new Pastor, the Rev. Martin Pryke. In December, Kainon School closed for the summer holidays. A short service in the afternoon was followed by a play, very ably acted by the small pupils, which testified to the talent and bird work of the teacher and producer, Miss Sylvia Pemberton. The new school year began at the end of January, and the pupils of Kainon School are now once more hard at work.
     It may be of interest to note that there was not one failure among all our young people who wrote public examinations in both school and college last year. All these students are to be congratulated heartily on their success.
     As so much time has elapsed it would hardly be of interest to go into detail about the Christmas season. Let it suffice to say that a happy sphere prevailed at the celebrations of the Lord's advent; which included a patty for the youngsters, a carol evening at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Neville Edley, the children's Christmas service, the tableaux, and the exceptionally well attended Holy Supper service on Christmas Eve and the service on Christmas Day.
     The summer months of January and February have passed by quietly without much activity. Combined services for the adults and the children have been held at 9:00 a.m., every Sunday, with a series of sermons dealing with the Ten Commandments. It has been the custom to meet after church on Sunday at one of the homes for morning tea, and these have proved to be very pleasant social gatherings. With the approach of the cooler weather in March, the usual classes and meetings are being resumed, and it is expected that we shall soon have a full weekly calendar again.
     A few days before Christmas Mr. and Mrs. W. G. Lowe left on a visit to England and the Continent. From news received they are very much enjoying their trip. They are expected to arrive back towards the end of the month.

     A Wedding.-One Monday evening in January, at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Maurice Howson (Sheila Braby), a shower was given to Miss Audrey Carne, the prospective brine of Mr. R. W. Cowley, who is known to us all as Bob. The couple were married in the church on the following Thursday morning. Mr. Pryke officiating. The ceremony took place quietly, with a small number of intimate friends and relations attending, and was followed by an informal reception at one of the nearby hotels which those present were invited to attend.

     Community Plan.-An important development in the history of the Durban Society has taken place recently. After a series of special meetings of the Society it has been decided to purchase a site of approximately ten acres at Westville, about eight miles from the center of Durban. For various reasons it was deemed advisable to make a move from the present site within the next few years. It is proposed eventually to build a church on the new property, and members of the Society are purchasing adjacent plots of land with a view to establishing a New Church community.
     VIDA ELPHICK.

     DETROIT, MICHIGAN

     Lingering winter continues to defy the calendar, and nowhere will warm spring weather be more welcome than among the members of our Circle, for winter "flu" has brought us more sickness than ever before in our history. Scarcely a family has not had one or more members down with the prevailing epidemic, and the attendance at services and other meetings has declined proportionately. Now your reporter has become a victim, with the result that he has missed several services and classes and finds it necessary to refer to the Circle's monthly calendar to see what has been going on.

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     Activities in March.-Fortunately our Pastor has been able to keep going himself, and all meetings scheduled for March have been held. The calendar shows our activities to have included four services of worship; one of these a special Easter service with the administration of the Holy Supper, followed by our regular monthly dinner which was made more festive in honor of the day.
     Other meetings have included four evening doctrinal classes, the last of which, held on Good Friday, was devoted by Mr. Rogers to the subject of the Crucifixion. Five children's classes have been held at the homes of members on Friday afternoons. This is a new activity for our Circle, originated and conducted by Mr. Rogers, who also gives private instruction one afternoon a week to one of our young ladies who hopes to enter the Girls' Seminary at Bryn Athyn in September.
     As a final flourish to a busy month we find scheduled for the 31st an intriguing event designated as "Fun Night," and to be held at the home of Norman and Eloise Synnestvedt. Health permitting, we hope to attend that affair.

     A Tribute.-A word of thanks and praise is due Mrs. Leo Bradin (Freda Cook) for so faithfully providing piano music for our services during the illness of this reporter, who usually shares that responsibility with her. Being a busy' housewife, with a husband and two children to look after, it cannot always be easy' for Freda to devote the time to this useful service. We are very grateful to her.
     The Church owes much to its many willing workers, always ready to devote their time and talents to any duty' or responsibility that presents itself. Detroit has always been blest with its full quota of devoted workers who put the needs of the Church before their own comfort or convenience. Much of our Circle's success and growth must be attributed to them.

     Easter.-While unable to attend the Faster service, we hear that the attendance was a very gratifying 62, and that the 15 children present flee) in during the singing of the processional hymn, each bearing a gift of flowers which were received by the Pastor at the altar.
     It was a pleasure to have with us on Easter Sunday Mr. and Mrs. Edwin Asplundh, who were here on a visit to their daughter, Miss Ann Pendleton, a student in the University of Michigan.
     WILLIAM W. WALKER.

     KITCHENER, ONTARIO

     February was a month of coughs, colds, and flu, but March brought happier things. Four engagements were announced, causing quite a stir of excitement in the Society. The only sad note was that all four of the boys live out of town, which means that we will probably be losing four girls in the near future. On March 3rd. Mrs. Edward Hill announced the engagement of her daughter, Elizabeth, to Mr. Philip Horigan, son of Mr. and Mrs. Walter Horigan of Pittsburgh. Mr. and Mrs. Fred Stroh announced, on March 11th, the engagement of their daughter, Audrey, to Mr. Adrian Carley of Toronto. Then, over the Easter weekend, Mr. and Mrs. Maurice Schnarr announced the engagement of their daughter, Marion, to Mr. Leigh Bellinger, son of Mrs. Alfred Bellinger of Kitchener. The fourth happy couple are Miss Janet Hasen, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Alfred Hasen, and Mr. Pierre R. Vinet, son of Mr. and Mrs. Pierre Vinet of Rockford, Illinois.
     Society affairs rolled along with the usual regularity. The Toronto Society sent us an invitation to their Valentine Dance on February 16th. Quite a few accepted and reported that they had a most enjoyable time. Our own February social took the form of a Court Whist party.

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High score winners were Mrs. John Kuhl and John Hasen, second prizes went to Marion Schnarr and Fred Hasen, while low score prizes were won by Mrs. Clarence Schnarr and Denis Kuhl. Refreshments were served and informal dancing followed. Our active social committee has arranged nearly all the parties this year. The committee consists of Vanny Gill, Janet Hasen, Betty Hill, Donald Glebe, Daniel Heinrichs, Roger Kuhl, and Keith Niall.

     The Easter services were very lovely this year. On the evening of Good Friday the story of the crucifixion was read and the Holy Supper was administered. The children had a special service of their own on Easter morning to which they brought an offering of flowers. The chancel looked particularly lovely for the adult service, with bright spring flowers in the foreground and ferns and lilies in the background. The flowers made a cheerful contrast to the wintry weather outside. The service was one of rejoicing, and the sermon gave the Lord's promise of life eternal which was assured by His resurrection.
     A very happy Easter dance was held on the Saturday of Easter weekend. Pretty pastel decorations, graceful evening dresses, numerous corsages, lots of visitors, and the new engagements, added up to make a very festive affair. For entertainment we heard two beautiful violin solos played by Miss Marilyn Stroh, accompanied by her father, Mr. Nathaniel Stroh. Miss Vanny Gill and Miss Audrey Stroh made a charming duet of the popular "Mocking Bird Hill," and the old favorite, "Easter Parade," was sung by Miss Vanny Gill and Mr. Keith Niall; after which four of the boys demonstrated possibilities, but not probabilities, we hope, in women's fashions. Dancing was resumed after this hilarious number, and the social committee scored another success in parties.

     Over the weekend of April 1st our Pastor, the Rev. Norman H. Reuter, and Mrs. Reuter went to Toronto where Mr. Reuter preached. The service in Kitchener on that Sunday was conducted by the Rev. Henry Heinrichs. Mr. Reuter was to have visited the Montreal Circle in February, but on account of flu among the Montreal members the visit was cancelled.
     The guest speaker at the March meeting of the Kitchener Sons was Capt. Wayne Doering, who talked about Japan. Wayne and Jane, and daughter Susan, were spending two weeks in Kitchener.
     On the evening of April 1st the Society pleasantly fooled Miss Elsie Evens and her fiance, Mr. Arthur Hill of Kitchener, when they surprised them with a shower of lovely gifts at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Harold Kuhl. Elsie is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. John Evens, and Arthur is recently from England. The wedding it to take place on April 7th.
     VIVIAN KUHL.

     GENERAL CHURCH

     The following arrangements have been concluded for the summer training of Authorized Candidates. Mr. Geoffrey S. Childs, Jr., will go to Glenview, Illinois; Mr. B. David Holm to Bryn Athyn, and Detroit, Mich.; Mr. Dandridge Pendleton to Pittsburgh, Pa.; and Mr. Frank S. Rose to Kitchener and Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

     OBITUARY

     Rev. F. Hadson Rose

     The Rev. F. Hodson Rose, of Crossens, England, passed into the spiritual world on March 30th, 1951. He was born of New Church parents, and his ancestry in the Church went back nearly as far as the Church itself,-to the time of Robert Hindmarsh. After working for some years as an accountant in London he married Miss Mary Searle, of Somerset, and moved to Street, a little village in that County, where he continued as a bookkeeper and accountant for several years.

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     Ever since he had been old enough to have an ambition Mr. Rose had longed to serve in the priesthood of the New Church. In 1919 he saw a chance to fulfil this ambition and went to Bryn Athyn to study in the Theological School. But after two years of study it became apparent that there was no pastorate open for him, so he left the Theological School and began working in the Academy Book Room. Two years later the General Conference in England called him back to his country to serve, first as a leader, and later as a priest in the Conference.
     Mr. Rose ministered to the Melbourne, Derbyshire, Braclford, Manchester, and Southport Societies, and also visited some of the other Conference Societies in the North of England. For several years he presided over the North of England New Church House, a society for publishing and promulgating the doctrines of the New Church. He had been sixty-three years of age when be was ordained into the priesthood, and a few years before he passed into the spiritual world he retired, having devoted many years of his life to the work of the New Church in England.
     Even in his old age. Mr. Rose could be seen out walking in the streets of Crossen, where he was known and loved by the children. He had a warm heart and a quick wit. Gentle with people and children, he was forceful and uncompromising in his defense of the New Church. His pamphlet, "The New Church and its Doctrines: An Appeal for Rational Consideration," has been very popular in England and in other parts of the world.
     This strength of character and keen sense of humor were still with him just before his death, although his eyes were growing dim and his heart was beginning to fail. Mr. Rose passed away in his 89th year. He is survived by two daughters, Vera, in England, and Olive (Mrs. Arthur Wells), of Bryn Athyn, and by his son, Donald Frank, also of Bryn Athyn.
     FRANK S. ROSE.

     THE CHURCH AT LARGE

     General Convention-The 128th session will be held in Philadelphia, June 18-24, when Convention meets on invitation of the Pennsylvania Association. Beginning with sessions of the Council of Ministers and auxiliary bodies until Thursday, Convention itself goes into session on Friday morning and ends on Sunday evening with communion and ordinations. The principal speaker at the Friday Mission Night will be the Rev Adolph L. Goerwitz, of Zurich, general pastor in Europe.
     From THE NEW-CHURCH MESSENGER we learn that the Frankford Society is rejoicing in the completion of its new Sunday School building, connecting with the church. Its dedication is planned for the meeting of the General Convention in June.
     The same periodical contains, in the Easter issue, a short article on Dr. E. T. Westrup, president of the Commercial Academy in Monterrey, N.L., Mexico, who has served for many years as a volunteer New Church missionary in an almost entirely Roman Catholic community. Dr. Westrup edits a monthly bulletin, La Via de Paz, printed in Spanish, which contains Sunday School lessons.
     Also reported in THE MESSENGER is the fact that Convention's Building Fund has granted the Georgetown, British Guiana, Society a loan which will enable it to proceed with construction of its new mission church there.

     General Conference.-The Rev. Edgar C. Howe, formerly minister at Wretham Road, Birmingham, England, has become pastor of the Accrington Group of societies.
     THE New CHURCH HERALD reports that Purley Chase, home of the Summer School, is to be sold at an early date unless the Conference Council can be satisfied that it can be used for the purposes for which it was bequeathed, and the Charity Commissioners assured that Conference funds will not be jeopardized by the property being retained.

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The Summer School for Sunday School teachers was established in 1925 by the late Rev. E. J. E. Schreck.
Europe.-The Church in French-speaking Switzerland has inaugurated a Sunday School by correspondence for the numerous New Church children scattered throughout that area even as far as Morocco. The Rev. Alfred Regamey, Lausanne, is in charge of the work.

South African Mission (Conference).-Reporting on the 35th Conference, which was held at Tamposstad, January 23-28, the Superintendent, the Rev. Brian Kingslake, states that the statistical table shows 130 societies and groups, with a membership of 4,138 adults and 1,094 juniors. To minister to this membership there are 25 ordained Ministers, 3 Evangelists, 105 Recognized Lay Preachers, and 82 Lay Preachers on Trial. The Mission owns 15 church buildings and 3 others are in course of construction or reconstruction. There are 7 Sunday Schools and 4 Day Schools.
SWEDENBORG SCIENTIFIC ASSOCIATION 1951

SWEDENBORG SCIENTIFIC ASSOCIATION WILFRED HOWARD 1951

     Announcements
     The Fifty-fourth Annual Meeting of the Swedenborg Scientific Association will be held in Benade Hall. Bryn Athyn, Pa., on Wednesday, May 23, 1951, at 8:00 p.m.
     Reports.
     Election of officers.
     Annual Address by the Rev. Hugo Lj. Odhner, D.Th.
          WILFRED HOWARD.
               Secretary.
ACADEMY OF the NEW CHURCH 1951

ACADEMY OF the NEW CHURCH E. BRUCE GLENN 1951

     The Annual Joint Meeting of the Corporation and Faculty of the Academy of the New Church will be held in the Benade Hall Auditorium, Bryn Athyn, Pa., on Saturday, June 2, 1951, at 8:00 p.m.
     After reports by officers of the Academy Schools, and the discussion thereof, Miss Margaret Wilde will deliver an address.
     The public is cordially invited to attend.
          E. BRUCE GLENN,
               Secretary.
APPENDIX FOR OUR TIMES 1951

APPENDIX FOR OUR TIMES 1951

"By way of Appendix I may relate what follows. There was a numerous crowd of spirits about me that was heard like something devoid of order flowing. They were complaining that everything was going to destruction; for in that crowd nothing appeared consociated, and this made them fear destruction. They also supposed that it would be total, as is the case when such things happen. But in the midst of them I perceived a soft sound, angelically sweet, saying nothing in it that was out of order. Angelic choirs were there within, and the crowd of spirits devoid of order was without. This angelic strain continued a long time; and I was told that by it was represented how the Lord rules confused and disorderly things which are without from what is peaceful in the midst, by which the disorderly things in the circumference are brought back into order, each from the error of its own nature." (Arcana Coelestia, no. 5396)

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LORD'S KINGDOM 1951

LORD'S KINGDOM Rev. HAROLD C. CRANCH 1951

NEW CHURCH LIFE
VOL. LXXI
JUNE, 1951
No. 6
     A New Church Day Talk to Children

     The Lord knows everything that will happen, long before men can know anything about it. So He knew everything that would happen to His church from the very beginning. He knew that it would have to grow before men could really understand Him, know all about heaven and be able to live truly useful lives. For the church grows, just as a child grows into a man or a woman. But the Lord wanted men to know that the time would come when His kingdom would be firmly established, when they could see and understand Him. So He taught this in a wonderful vision that was given to King Nebuchadnezzar many years ago.
     The Israelites had been conquered by the Babylonians and many of them had been taken into captivity. Among them was Daniel. Now Daniel was a good man. He always served the Lord and prayed that His kingdom might come. Because he was willing to obey, the Lord was with him; and the Lord gave him wisdom, and brought him to a position of great power under the king of Babylon.
     So when Nebuchadnezzar was given a vision by the Lord, Daniel was the only one who could tell him what it meant. And he told the king that the great image with the head of gold, the breast and arms of silver, the belly of brass, the legs of iron, and the feet of iron mixed with clay, stood for all the kingdoms that had been, and would he, on earth. The first kingdoms were good, but after a time men would turn away from their God and would destroy the truth, mixing with it their false ideas, as the iron was mixed with clay in the feet of the great image.

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Then the Lord would establish His kingdom with men. He would give them new truth so that they could be prepared for the life of heaven, and that truth would destroy their falsities. This truth was meant by the stone which was cut out from the mountain without hands, which struck the image at its feet and destroyed it, and which grew until it filled the earth.
     This vision told how all the former churches would come to an end as the new Divine truth was received in the hearts and minds of men, forming a new church which would cover the whole earth. So it taught about the New Church. The reason this Church had to be given was that men no longer knew their God. They had the impossible idea that there are three Divine persons. They taught that men could go to heaven, no matter how they had lived, if only they had faith. They supposed that they could enjoy heaven by just going into it without any preparation. And they thought that the dead will lie in the grave until some wonderful day when the Lord will send the angel Gabriel to blow his trumpet, when they will rise and walk around again on the earth, and live in their bodies forever.
     In the Word the Lord teaches that these things are not true. He teaches that He is the one only God. He teaches that men should live good lives according to His commandments, for only by obeying them can they be prepared for heaven. He shows that the evil would not feel happiness in heaven, but would hate the angels and want to escape. And He teaches that when men die they go at once into the spiritual world, and find their places in heaven or hell according to whether they have lived good lives or evil ones.
     So these were false ideas the church had, things not taught in the Word but made up by men. They are the clay mixed with the iron that made the feet of the image. And that is why the stone cut out without human hands hit the image at its feet and destroyed it. Now the stone of Divine truth was at first received by only a few people. Yet these were enough to make the beginning of the Lord's kingdom in the world; and that kingdom, once begun, can never come to an end, for the Divine truth is mighty and will always prevail over its enemies. And so, in the vision, the stone grew larger and larger until it covered all the earth. The Lord who sees all things knows that the New Church will grow and last forever.

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     Because the Lord knows all things He knew when men would need the new truth to destroy their falsities and show them again the way to heaven. So when the time was ready He prepared Emanuel Swedenborg to learn those truths from Him while he was reading the Word and when he was in the spiritual world. Through Swedenborg He gave men a new part of the Word which explained clearly all those things which had been mysteries. These new teachings were the stone of Divine truth which was given to destroy the image. Swedenborg published them on earth to establish the New Church; and in heaven the disciples who had followed the Lord on earth rejoiced that now the Lord could be worshipped in a new Christian Church, and the kingdom for which good Christians had prayed would at last be established. So then the Lord called together these disciples, who had established the first Christian Church. And He sent them forth throughout the entire spiritual world to help to build His New Church; to teach that His spiritual kingdom was now being established and would last forever. So they went forth teaching. "The Lord God Jesus Christ reigns, whose kingdom shall be for ever and ever.
     Now the Lord's kingdom is where the Lord reigns as King. This was already true of the heavens, for all the angels worship Him. It was true in the world of nature, for He had created the world and it obeyed His laws. But the message of the disciples refers to the hearts and minds of men on earth. For our heart and mind form a kingdom, and before we learn to obey the Lord's laws that kingdom is ruled by selfishness. But in our church, and from parents and teachers, we learn about the Lord and His wonderful kingdom. We learn to love Him, and we want Him to rule us. We find that the only way to happiness is to obey His commandments.
     The first thing we must do is to want the Lord to rule us. Then we must learn His laws. When we obey them we become part of His kingdom. This is not always easy, for selfishness stands in the way, and we must fight against our evils. Only the Lord's kingdom can bring an end to all warfare and unhappiness. So we must do our part to help to establish His kingdom in the world. A beginning has been made. That is why the disciples were sent out to say. "The Lord God Jesus Christ reigns." And if we are wise and good we will open our hearts to the Lord and become part of His kingdom, part of His New Church.

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Then we can do our part, and teach the new truth that the world needs; so that on earth as in heaven men everywhere will hear the glad message: "The Lord God Jesus Christ reigneth, whose kingdom shall endure forever," so that men can dwell together in eternal peace and happiness.

LESSONS: Daniel 2: 26-34. True Christian Religion, no. 791.
REVELATION OF JESUS CHRIST 1951

REVELATION OF JESUS CHRIST Rev. ELMO C. ACTON 1951

     "The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto Him." (Revelation 1: 1.)

     The Book of Revelation is addressed specifically to the New Church which is the Holy City, New Jerusalem. Its opening words declare the essential doctrine upon which that Church is founded; the doctrine that the Lord Jesus Christ is the one only God of heaven and earth, in whom is the Divine Trinity of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Every word of the book, in its inmost meaning, reveals some aspect of this fundamental of all truths,-the Divinity of the Lord Jesus Christ. Only in Him can the infinite God of the universe be known and worshipped; for He is God visible in Human form, the form which in the Writings is called "the Divine Human."
     As the soul of a man may be known only through the peculiar form of his mind and body, so the infinite God can be known only though His own Divine Human form; that form which He assumed by birth into the world and which, during life in the world, He glorified or made Divine. The Lord Jesus Christ is the name of the Divine Human form in which God dwells. In it, and not out of it. He may be known, worshipped, and loved. This is the general signification of the words of the text, "The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto Him"; and this is the truth the New Church is to declare and establish that the closing words of the Apocalypse may be fulfilled: "The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with you all."
     Among many of the learned of the Christian world the existence of God as a supreme power or intellect is admitted as a possibility; but the idea of God as a Divine Man is almost universally denied, and those who believe that the Lord Jesus Christ is the one only God are regarded as credulous and stupid.

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Even in the churches founded upon the teachings of the Lord Jesus Christ He is regarded only as a human manifestation of God, partly Divine, partly human. The New Church alone in the whole world declares the sole Divinity of the Lord Jesus Christ. It alone declares the truth that the God of the universe is now visible in that Human form which He assumed in time and glorified; that He now stands forth to view in this Divine Human form, the name of which is the Lord God Jesus Christ. "Jesus," meaning Savior, stands for His infinite love; and "Christ," meaning King, for His infinite wisdom. This name, then, is the most holy of those by which God is known.
But many ask: "Why is it necessary to acknowledge Jesus Christ as God?" Is it not sufficient to acknowledge a God? Is it not enough to acknowledge God as a Man? Can we not worship God as He reveals Himself in the beauties of His creation? Is it not sufficient to stand in awe and wonder, admiring the marvels of nature? These and many like questions arise in the natural mind when it is faced with apparently insurmountable difficulties, presented by natural reasoning, to the acknowledgment of Jesus Christ as God.
In answering these and like questions it must first be seen that the finite cannot grasp or comprehend the Infinite. It is impossible for a finite mind to rise above the limits of its finiteness. Men cannot conceive of the Infinite such as it is in itself, but the Infinite can accommodate its infinity to the comprehension of the finite. It can, as it were, finite itself, and present itself to view. It can take on the forms of the finite and present itself in those forms, and through them reveal its qualities. But any forms which the finite takes on from itself, and by them strives to conceive of the Infinite, are limited, and can reveal to man only the human and finite qualities which assumed the original forms. The infinite God, therefore, can be seen only in those finite forms which He Himself assumes. Only through them can His infinite qualities he revealed. Here is the prime necessity for acknowledging and worshipping God in that specific form in which He presents Himself. In any other form man can only see and admire the human and finite qualities which originally created it.

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     To understand the necessity of acknowledging the Lord Jesus Christ as God we must see that all man's thought requires an ultimate, material, spatial form upon which it may rest. We cannot have purely abstract thought, thought abstracted or totally withdrawn from the objects of ultimate nature. Every interior idea of the human mind rests finally upon some material spatial image which has entered from the world through the senses. For while all thought inflows from God through the spiritual world, it yet cannot come to man in the form of ideas or conscious thought until it meets the images of the world entering through the senses. And the thought in every case is limited and circumscribed by the quality and the quantity of the sensual images imposed.
     While truth in itself is infinite and without space and time, yet. as it exists in many it is limited by the images in which it presents itself. If we create out of the substances of our own ideas the image In which we conceive of God, we limit our conception of Him by the merely human qualities which conjure up the image. Hence the necessity that God Himself should form in the ultimates of nature the image of Himself through which we may know Him. As the Word says: "He who acknowledges God, and does not at the same time acknowledge the Divine in His Human, does not acknowledge the Lord, since His Divine is in His Human and not out of it: for the Divine is in its Human as the soul in the body: consequently to think of the Lord's Human and not at the same time of His Divine is like thinking of man abstractedly from his soul or life, which is not thinking of man." (AE 10)
     God, by birth upon earth, accommodated His infinity to human comprehension and also established an ultimate image of Himself in the forms of nature. By life upon earth, and by the process of glorification, He made that form Divine. He made it a form of His infinite qualities, a body of Divine truth in which we may see His Divine love. In the Divine Human, the Lord Jesus Christ, the infinite God of the universe, is presented to view. For by the process of glorification God not only accommodated His infinite love and wisdom but also created the ultimate image in which they may be seen.
     All influx is according to reception. All man's interior thoughts and ideas are limited by the quality of the images of nature through which they are presented and in which they are terminated.

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But in the Divine Human God has presented Himself in a form which, while taken from nature, is not limited by nature; for by glorification He made that form Divine even to its ultimates, so that it contains and is the infinite body of the Lord's Divine truth from His Divine love. In any other form He is invisible, for the Lord can dwell with man only in that which is His own: and in the acknowledgment of the Lord Jesus Christ we take on the ultimate image of God as given by Himself, which is His as to essence and form.
This acknowledgment, then, is the first of the New Church. It is the rock upon which the Church is founded. But it is not enough to assume and acknowledge the ultimate Divine Human form of the Lord Jesus Christ. The qualities which make that Divine Human form must also he received. The glorified Lord, not the Lord as presented to view in the body taken on from Mary, must he acknowledged as God. And that glorified body is the whole body of Divine truth as foretold in the Apocalypse and actually presented in the Word of the Second Coming. The Writings are the Divine Human of the Lord. They are the Lord risen and glorified. And unless our ideas of God are taken from them, we cannot but create a God in our own frail image. Thus it may be seen that the acknowledgment of the Lord Jesus Christ as God is not a static, dead profession, but a living and eternal truth; for as we increase our knowledge of the truths of the Word, continuously and discretely, we come more and more fully into the acknowledgment of the Lord as God. As He assumed a finite form in the ultimates of nature, and by glorification recreated that form into a Divinely human one, so our first sensual image of the Lord Jesus Christ as God must be glorified by infilling it with the Divine goods and truths of the Word in all its manifestations.
This is involved in the very names of the Lord, "Jesus" and "Christ." The name "Jesus" signifies the Divine good, and the name "Christ" the Divine truth, so that we do not acknowledge Jesus Christ as God unless we know and acknowledge the Divine good and truth of the Word. The Lord as Christ is acknowledged as God when we read the Word and learn its truths, and the Lord as Jesus is acknowledged as God when we live according to its truths. Unless we know God in this way our acknowledgment of the Lord Jesus Christ is a mere lip service, the worship of an image without a living soul.

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This was made manifest through experience in the other world, where those who had not acknowledged the supreme Divinity of Jesus Christ in a life according to His teachings could not pronounce His name.
     "The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto Him." How holy, how full of meaning these words should be to a New Church man! The common use of these names in the so-called Christian world, and imitations of them as expletives and oaths, is a result of the internal denial of the Divinity of the Lord Jesus Christ. How can the New Church man who knows the truths signified by the name, Christ, and who through a life according to those truths is in some reception of the good signified by the name, Jesus, use them in a profane and vain way? How carefully a man, even if he is only in the beginning of professing the Lord Jesus Christ as God, should guard against profaning these names with his lips, lest the spirit of profanation itself take possession of his thought and love. There is power in ultimates, and there is power for good in refusing to allow the lips and the external of thought to enter into profanation. By it the way is kept open for the influx of the holy of the Lord's names from within; and external order is preserved, and the way kept open for the formation of internal holiness.
     To the New Church man, then, the name of God, the Lord Jesus Christ, the Divine Human, should be holy in the lips, holy in the thought, and holy in the loves, that the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ may be with us all. Amen.

LESSONS:     Revelation 1: 1-9. True Christian Religion, 297.
MUSIC:     New Liturgy, pages 478, 479, 476.
PRAYERS:     New Liturgy, nos. 93, 116.
CROWN OF ALL THE CHURCHES 1951

CROWN OF ALL THE CHURCHES 1951

"As we have now one God in the church, who is God Man and Man God, this church is called the crown of all the churches." (Invitation to the New Church, no. 53)

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CREATION FOR SPECIFIC HEAVENLY USES 1951

CREATION FOR SPECIFIC HEAVENLY USES Rev. ORMOND ODHNER 1951

     (Delivered to the Council of the Clergy, January 23, 1951.)

     Until recently, I was of the opinion that the Writings taught that each man born was Divinely predestinated to a specific use or place in the Gorand Man of heaven, and that man's freedom was limited to a choice of the motive from which he would perform that use for which he was created. I had never decided, however, whether I favored the opinion held by some, that his choice was between one specific degree of heaven and the exact opposite of that in hell, or the other, that it was among the six degrees, three heavenly and three infernal, that enter into every spiritual use. (Cf. LJ 27) I even believed that this factor of Divinely predestinated use specifically controlled every birth; those men being born whose births were willed by the Lord because of the needs and uses of heaven.
     In spite of the difficulties this theory entailed,-and it is a theory, a "derived" doctrine-it seemed the only obvious conclusion to be drawn from Divine Providence, nos. 67-69, 203, and 333, especially. Further, it seemed a rational idea, synthesizing many different teachings of the Writings. Still further, nearly everyone who heard it seemed to derive comfort from it. But in the last year, however, I have come to an entirely different conclusion; one based, primarily, on exactly the same passages. My belief now is this. The Lord does not create men for specific heavenly uses, but creates all men simply for heaven in general, and probably for the highest heaven. (Cf. AC 9940, 1799) Man's particular place or use in heaven is determined entirely by human free choice or rejection of the Lord's will. The Lord, however, foresees man's free choices; not simply what man would freely choose if left to himself, but how far, with Divine aid, each man can be led in absolute freedom into or toward something better.
     Now the Lord alone knows the composition of the Gorand Man, its needs and uses.

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He foresees what useful place in the Gorand Man each willing man can be led to in freedom,-what useful place He can get the man to want to enter, what useful place he can be prepared for. And because He foresees this He also provides it. Divine Providence is government toward that end. Man's specific place in the Gorand Man, then, is not a thing of Divine predestination but rather of foresight. It is Divinely foreseen, and therefore Divinely provided. The Lord, that is, foresees into what useful, needed place in heaven each willing man can be led in freedom; and because He foresees this, He provides that it shall be so.
     With this theory before you, let me quote the passages from Divine Providence mentioned. Nos. 67-69 are from the section: "Looking to what is infinite and eternal in the formation of the angelic heaven, that it may be before the Lord as one man, which is an image of Himself, is the inmost of the Divine Providence."
     "It is the continual aim of the Divine Providence that man may become a heaven in form and consequently an image of the Lord, and since this is effected by means of the affection of good and truth, that he may become such an affection.* This, therefore, is the continual aim of the Divine Providence. But its inmost is that man may be in this or that place in heaven, or in this or that place in the Divine heavenly man. This is accomplished, however, only with those whom the Lord can lead to heaven And as the Lord foresees this, He also provides continually** that man may become such; for thereby everyone who permits himself to be led to heaven is prepared for his own place in heaven." (DP 67)
     * The previous passage, note well, taught that every such affection is, in itself, in human form.
     ** Note: "Because the Lord foresees this, He also provides continually that man may become such.
     "Heaven is divided into as many societies as there are organs, viscera, and members in a man, and in these no part can be in any place but its own. Consequently, as angels are such parts in the Divine heavenly man . . . it follows that the man who permits himself to be led to heaven is continually prepared by the Lord for his own place. . . . Into this place every man-angel is inscribed after leaving the world. This is the inmost of the Divine Providence respecting heaven." (Ibid 68)

     Number 69 teaches that every evil man is prepared for his own place in hell, opposite to "a certain place in heaven." Note that it does not say, opposite to "his place in heaven," but only, opposite to "a certain place in heaven."
     Number 203 is from the section: "By means of His Divine Providence the Lord combines the affections of the whole human race into one form, which is the human."

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It reads, in part:

     "Since, therefore, every man lives for ever after death, and is allotted a place according to his life,* either in heaven or in hell, and since both heaven and hell must exist in a form that will act as a one, as said before, and since no one can be allotted in that form any place but his own, it follows that . . each one, from infancy even to the end of his life, is led by the Lord in the least particulars, and his place foreseen and at the same time provided."* (DP 203)
     * Italics by O.O.

     Number 333 is from the section: "The operation of the Divine Providence for the salvation of man begins at his birth and continues until the end of his life and afterwards to eternity."* It is:
     * Is there any teaching that Providence, in regard to a man, begins before his birth? (O.O.)

     "The Lord sees what man is, and foresees what he wills to be, thus what he will be; and that he may be a man and therefore immortal the freedom of his will cannot be taken away. . . . Consequently the Lord foresees man's state after death, and provides for it from his birth even until the end of his life. With the evil, the Lord provides by permitting evils and continually withdrawing from evils; while with the good He provides by leading to good . . . Unless this were done unceasingly from everyone's birth until the end of his life, neither heaven nor hell would continue to exist, for without that foresight, and providence together neither heaven nor hell would be anything but confusion.
     The Lord from foresight has provided everyone his place." (DP 333)

     The Lord from foresight has provided everyone his place; not from predestination, but from foresight of how man will use his freedom. He provides what He foresees. He provides that which He sees that man in his freedom wills; or, rather, He provides that which He foresees He can eventually lead man freely to desire. "The providence of the Lord," we read, "has been conjoined with foresight, and the one is impossible without the other." (AC 6489) Again: "These two (providence and foresight) are conjoined together because the Lord provides what He foresees." (AC 6951) Human freedom cannot be taken away. The Lord does not just provide; He provides what He foresees that man in his freedom will desire, or can be led to desire.
     To sum up: I now believe that the Lord foresees what needed use in the Gorand Man each willing man, in absolute freedom, but at Divine inspiration, can be led to choose. He foresees this, and foreseeing it, He provides it.

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     Divine Foresight.-Certain other subjects bearing on this must now be considered. The first of these is foresight. Some New Church men believe that Divine foresight and human freedom are incompatible. Knowing that the Writings ever teach human freedom, they simply say that we do not yet understand what the Writings mean by foresight, and practically deny specific Divine foresight of particular events. Again, they do this because they know that the Lord's wisdom is not composed of particular, separate, finite knowledges.
     But if the Writings teach human freedom they just as clearly teach Divine foresight of all events. To me, it has long been perfectly clear that the Lord's foresight of man's free choices does not negate the fact that they are perfectly free. Even we can foresee the free choices of our fellow men in some instances. And although the Lord's wisdom is not composed of particulars, He yet is intimately aware of every' particular, past, present, and future. Let me quote a few passages teaching infinite and eternal Divine foresight.

     "Nothing is permitted but what must have been foreseen" (SD 1955. "The Lord foresees the form . . . in which man, from freedom, wills to arrange his life; but He determines for him, from other considerations, and so foresees the form, and permits him to go hither and thither, so that the moments of his life appear like scattered pebbles. But the Lord then sees whether he fills up the space between them; He sees what is lacking, and where; and then, continually, what is next in order, after a hundred or a thousand years" (SD min 4692). "All things which were going to happen to (Charles XII in life, and after death, were foreseen and provided for" (SD 4704). "The life of every man is foreseen by the Lord, as to how long he will live, and in what manner" (SD 5002).
     "All things, even to the least with man, are foreseen by the Lord, and are provided for his future state to eternity" (AC 2672). "A man who is capable of being regenerated,-for the Lord foresees, and since He foresees. He also provides for this" (AC 3658). "The Lord foresaw from eternity what the human race would be, and what would be the quality of each member of it . . . The Lord foresaw from eternity what would be man's quality, and what it would he to eternity" (AC 3854). "All things both in general and in particular are foreseen by the Lord, even what they will be to eternity" (AC 4136). "Providence has regard to the state in its succession to eternity, which cannot be provided for unless foreseen" (AC 5195). "(This) spirit was reduced to the state of his infancy, and the Lord showed the angels what his quality had been at that time, and also what was the then foreseen quality of his future life" (AC 6484).

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     The Origin of Variety.-Let us now consider the origin of variety, variety apparently being necessary that all the uses of the Gorand Man may be filled. In his non-canonical work, Rational Psychology, Swedenborg almost, but not quite, made God responsible for evil. He does not say that God caused evil, but that seeing it coming, and having the power to stop it, He yet did not because He foresaw that it would be of use in producing necessary variety. The idea is that He could have stopped Adam from sinning, even as He did stop Abraham from sacrificing Isaac. We read: "It was providence that he could sin, and foreknowledge that he would sin and that from this, as from its principle, would then come the result that souls would be mutually distinguished from each other; that every variety of soul could exist which was at all possible: and that thus would be obtained the end of creation that is the kingdom of God." (no. 555)
     With all this pre-revelation teaching we can agree, except with the idea that God could have stopped evil and did not. However, even the Writings themselves contain a modicum of this idea, as in DP 326, which teaches that in the Gorand Man there must be such external things as skin, bones, etc., as well as the internal organs of more noble quality, and then says: "The heavenly man . . . in order that all these things may be in it, cannot be composed of men of a single religion, but of men of many religions." The idea implied here, however, that it was of direct Divine will that there should be other churches besides the true church, is at variance with the general tenor of the Writings, as I understand it now.
     Little is really taught about the origin of variety. There is no variety in the Infinite, but there are infinite things in it: all of which, however, are distinctly one. Variety arises in ultimates, but is an image of the infinity of things, that are distinctly one in the Infinite. Nor are there particular, varying streams of Divine influx going forth from the Lord to produce variety. All things go forth from the Lord as a one.
     The variety of inanimate things, I believe, could have arisen, according to Divine laws of order, simply from the geographical and physical motions that govern the universe. Without sin, variety among men would be much less than now, but I doubt if anything essential would be lacking. Geography tends to produce variety among men.

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So does the fact that no two men, being distinct entites, can ever see anything exactly alike. These two things alone would produce much variety over a few million years.
     Even more variety would arise from differences in time of conception. Children born at different times in the same family have quite distinct personalities, though it is just possible that this may have to do with their parents' changing state of regeneration. Yet non-identical twins are often strikingly different. And if a father's soul reproduces itself in a male seed when he is thinking that a thing is true, and in a female seed when he is thinking that it is true that a thing is good (cf. CL 220), then the particular thing he is thinking about, and the affection that impels the thought, must also have great influence upon the heredity implanted in the individual seed produced at that moment.

     Divine Predestination or Human Free Choice? Let us see now if the factors determining man's place in the Gorand Man are of Divine predestination or if they arise from human free choices. At the outset, however, let me state my belief that everything is in Providence in the sense that it is governed by Providence, but that only those things are of Providence which come from the Lord, albeit through man's free choices.
     Every man is, of course, predestined to heaven; it is of his own free choice if he does not go there. Why should not this apply also to his particular place in heaven or hell, even as it is said, "Every man is allotted a place according to his life either in heaven or in hell." (DP 203) It is the way man lives according to his religion that determines his lot. So-called native talents-some term it "Divine endowment," a phrase not used in the Writings-in themselves have almost nothing to do with it. Many leaders of the church on earth, we are told, are servants in the other life because they acted from meritorious loves, while many of the simple on earth become the wisest in heaven. Louis XIV is now a prince in heaven, it is true; but Charles XII is now no kind of a leader of men at all, but leads instead a horribly solitary existence. Probably, however, the love from which one uses his talents determines whether he will continue to use them after death.

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     The uses of heaven find correspondence in the uses of earthly occupations, but they are of an entirely different essence, even as the spiritual world is of a different essence from the natural, and entirely different factors go into preparation for them. Thus it is said that in heaven there are no preachers from the celestial kingdom (HH 225), and the whole of the celestial or highest heaven is of the celestial kingdom. But should that bar those who love to preach from seeking regeneration to the celestial degree? It would hardly be disorderly, but in the celestial heaven they would not desire to be preachers. To illustrate again the difference between the spiritual and the natural we may consider environment. Here I dislike flat, barren, stony ground; but if I do not apply my doctrinal knowledges to life I will seek such an environment after death.
     Indisputably different men are born with specific and different talents as to both body and mind. This is especially illustrated with geniuses and artists, but to some extent it applies to all men. Certain basic traits of character are also inborn;-cheerfulness, intelligence, charitableness, or the opposites. And such things obviously influence a man's eternal, spiritual character, and therefore his place in the Gorand Man as well. But influence is not determination. The man born with sufficient talents to become a genius may be too wilfully lazy ever to become one, and I do not know of any teaching that in hell he is forced to become a genius! Again, he may be motivated to genius by evil loves; and in such case he is no more a genius after death than are Charles XII and the evil primates of the church.
     Now the Gorand Man is divided into "provinces" corresponding to the various provialces of the human body. It is the uses that are correspondent. Each man's spiritual use, that is, determines what province he will enter; and his spiritual use, I repeat, is not a matter of Divine predestination, but is the result of human free choices, either for or against what the Lord provides.
     Among the most noble provinces in the Gorand Man is that of the organs of generation. And it is said that it is men on earth who were preeminently in genuine conjugial love who fill that province or use. (Mar. 100, 101) Is it according to any revealed law that the Lord wills one man more of any Divine blessing than another? Yet conjugial love is chief among all Divine blessings. Is not such an idea contrary to the universal law that all Divine love and blessings go forth equally to all, the degree of their reception being limited only by human freedom?

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I posit that the Lord could not possibly will one man more conjugial love than another; yet it is that one factor which determines entrance into the province of the organs of generation in the Gorand Man.
     Consider other instances. Those are in the cerebellum of the Gorand Man who "had delighted and who had loved in every way and with utmost pains to make the life of others delightful" (AC 1977). In the ear are those "willing and obedient" (AC 2542); in the feet those who on earth were natural, the more gross of them being in the soles of the feet (AC 4403); and in the ventricles of the brain those who had been distinguished from others by "a constant desire and longing to come into heaven" (AC 4049.) Are such things matters of Divine predestination, of Divine creation, or of human freedom and human free choice?
     I have so far been very careful not to say that man's particular place in heaven is the result of his free choices alone. It is not. The basic character man is born with certainly has a tremendous influence upon his eternal place. It can, of course, be modified, but it cannot be utterly supplanted; and obviously the individual has no more choice of it than he has in his sex, time of birth, nationality, civilization, and so on. Possibly this is what has led to the use of the term "Divine endowment."
     This innate character is often credited with being the determining factor as to place in the Gorand Man. True it is that some inert scent destined from birth to be "kidney spirits:" loving to explore others, to discover their faults, to amend, and even to chastise. But is this basic inborn character really of direct Divine will and provision?
     It is said of the heathen: "It has been provided by the Lord that those who could not be reached by the Gospel, but only by a religion, should also be able to have a place in the Gorand Man . . . constituting those parts which are called skins, membranes, cartilages, and bones." (DP 254) They cannot gain much of genuine spiritual life, but they can still be made use of in heaven. In the skin. for example, they can serve to test the quality of that immense throng which daily presses for entrance into the body proper of the Gorand Man. (AC 5553)
     It is because they had not the Word on earth that they are limited to the externals of the Gorand Man.

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Surely this is not a matter of inmost Divine will and predestination? Yet it is this that determines their place. Whence comes it? From the free choices of their ancestors and their ancestors' associates, which took them further and further away from the truth, both geographically and spiritually. The result is a heathen race whose members, having had nothing to do with their heathen estate, can, if good, constitute only the skin, etc., of the Gorand Man. I believe that further investigation will show nearly all such things to be the result of human free choices; free choices for, or too often against, what the Lord provides.
     Some would object that this takes away individual freedom. But does not every mistaken or evil choice of one man somewhat limit the freedom of others? Does not every such choice you make have such an effect upon your descendants?
     The best possible use the Lord can make of the heathen is in the skin, etc. The Lord therefore provides that they can have such a place; and, the Writings say, "It matters not whether they are in joy like that of the angels of the highest heaven; for everyone who comes into heaven enters into the highest joy of his heart; he can bear no higher joy, for he would be suffocated thereby." (DP 254) The passage goes on to compare it with a peasant's joy in pork and beer, a king's joy in costly dishes and noble wines. You and I can never gain entrance to the superlatively high heaven of the Most Ancients, yet none of us feels cheated at this. We prefer our pork and beer! Man's place in heaven is determined by his own free choices, by the free choices of his ancestors, and of his and their associates.

     Providence Governs Man's Free Choices.-Providence, however, governs man's free choices; and Providence, from foresight, leads man to the best possible state he can be led to choose in freedom. The Lord foresees man's free choices, but He also foresees what man would freely choose if left to himself; and still more, what man, with Divine influence, aid, and restraint, can be led to choose in freedom. And the whole of Divine Providence is directed toward just exactly that.
     The Lord, that is, not only foresees man s use of his freedom. He also leads man's freedom itself. This is illustrated in parental leadership.

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The father not only sees what his child now is and foresees what his child would therefore become, if left to himself: he also foresees what better thing the child can be led to choose in freedom. And to that the father leads. Here we would note parenthetically that the father may supply such leading through a spanking, for spankings do not take away freedom. So, too, the Lord may lead us through suffering to will something better; not causing the suffering itself, but permitting it for that end. Men sometimes confuse the meaning of freedom. Like naughty children of mortal parents they seem to want to "keep the Lord guessing," as it were, as to what they will choose next. Or they sometimes insist upon the potential freedom to do any possible evil, while never actually intending to do any such thing at all.
That the Lord leads freedom we are taught in the following:

"As the Lord foresaw from eternity what would he man's quality, and what it would be to eternity, it is evident that His Providence is in the veriest singulars . . . and governs and bends the man to such a quality; and this by a continual management of his freedom" (AC 3854). "The Lord's foreseeing is seeing from eternity to eternity that the case is so but the Lord's providing is His directing that it be so; and is the bending of man's freedom to good, in so far as He foresees that man will suffer himself to be bent in freedom" (AC 3569: 4.
"Unless man were reduced into order moderately, and by degrees, through the leading of his freedom, he would instantly expire" (AC 5854). "The Divine continually rules and bends man's freedom" (AC 7003).

Every man's place in the Gorand Man, then, is determined by human free choices; but also, and especially, by the Lord's leading, bending, moderating, and managing his free choices, so that he will freely choose the best possible place in the Gorand Man for which he can be fitted. We read: "The Lord foresees the form, viz., that in which man, from freedom, wills (to arrange his life); but He determines for him, from other considerations, and so foresees the form, and permits him to go hither and thither, so that the moments of his life appear as scattered pebbles. But the Lord then sees whether he fills up that space between them; He sees what is lacking, and where; and then, continually, what is next in order, after a hundred or a thousand years." (SD min 4692) The "other considerations" from which the Lord determines the form into which man can arrange his life are, I suggest, His infinite knowledge of the nature and requirements of the various uses of the Gorand Man, plus His Divine foresight as to how far into which of these uses each willing man can be led in freedom through a continual Divine management of his freedom.

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Divine Providence is government that this shall come about.
     And every good man can be absorbed into a useful place in the Gorand Man. He is made an angel, not by anything of his own, but by receiving from the Lord out of heaven an affection of good and truth. It is this alone that moulds him into an angel. Every such affection is, in itself, in the human form, and being such can therefore be absorbed into the human form of the Gorand Man.

     Conclusions.-The specific births of men, I therefore conclude, are not Divinely predestinated because of the needs and uses of heaven. Heaven can never become overcrowded. The more in any society or use, the more perfect it becomes. We tell our people that the Lord will provide for all children born to them, and this is true.
     Consider the total number of human seeds created by the Lord each year. The figure is astronomical. Yet each of these seeds contains a full human soul; and each, surely, has been created for one purpose only,-to be conceived and to bring forth a man who will become an angel. "What is superfluous does not take away use, but causes uses to persist." (DLW 331)
     Consider again the sad but obvious fact that human free choices of evil origin drastically limit the number of children born. This is not Divine will. Nor are illegitimate births predestinated, yet the number of them is surprisingly high. And can it be said that childless marriages are such by Divine purpose? Medical science is now greatly reducing the number of such marriages.
     Indeed, the strongest teaching I know of that specific births are of direct provision is found in Apocalypse Explained, 431a, where we read: "Because a representative church was to be instituted with the sons of Jacob, it was provided by the Lord that his sons should be twelve in number." I could suggest only, in answer, that many factors governing the peculiar, representative Israelitish Church do not apply under ordinary circumstances.

     About Those Who Go to Hell.-In conclusion, a few thoughts about those who go to hell. The Lord foresees who these will be, and He leads them, too, but not to heaven.

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He leads them to the highest possible place in hell to which He can lead them in freedom. Yet even here His Divine love finds some satisfaction; for His purpose is to give to every man as much of Himself, of His blessing, as that man, in freedom, will take.
FORGOTTEN PAGES OF NEW CHURCH HISTORY 1951

FORGOTTEN PAGES OF NEW CHURCH HISTORY Rev. WILLIAM WHITEHEAD 1951

     6. REMEMBER "NEW CHURCH DAY"

     The significance of the event which took place in the spiritual world, on June the Nineteenth, 1770, is stressed by the fact that it is treated of no less than three times in The True Christian Religion, as follows:
     "It is worthy of remembrance, that the Lord, some months ago, called together His twelve disciples, now angels, and sent them forth into all the spiritual world, with the command that they should there preach the gospel anew, since the church which was established by the Lord through them, has at this day become so fully consummated, that scarcely any remains of it are left; and that this has come to pass, because they divided the Divine Trinity into three persons, each one of them being God and Lord; and that thence a sort of frenzy has gone forth into the whole of theology, and thus into the church, which, from the Lord's Name, is called Christian. . . . The naturalism which reigns at this day is from no other source." (n. 4)
     "To show that the Divine Trinity is conjoined in the Lord is the principal object of this work. Here I will add this news: that some months since, the twelve apostles were called together by the Lord, and sent forth into all the spiritual world, as before they were into the natural world, with the command that they should preach this gospel; and then every apostle had his province assigned him: which command, also, they are executing with all zeal and industry." (n. 108)
     "A MEMORANDUM.

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After this work was finished the Lord called together His twelve disciples who followed Him in the world; and the next day He sent them all forth into the whole Spiritual World to preach the Gospel that the LORD GOD JESUS CHRIST reigns, whose kingdom shall be for ages of ages, according to the prediction by Daniel (vii. 13, 14), and in the Apocalypse (xi. 15); and that blessed are they who come unto the marriage supper of the Lamb (Apoc. xix. 9). This took place on the nineteenth day of June, in the year 1770. This is what is meant by these words of the Lord: 'He will send His angels, and they shall gather together His elect from one end of the heavens even to the other.' (Matt. xxiv. 31)" (n. 791)
     Swedenborg's completion of the first draft of The True Christian Religion, in Stockholm, on the above date, unquestionably signalizes the real beginning of the New Church in the spiritual world. And it is a striking feature of the above passages that the New Church thus begun can only be established on the living and sincere acknowledgment, in words and deeds, that (1) the old "Christian' Church has been fully consummated as to its doctrine, worship and spiritual life; and (2) that the Lord God Jesus Christ has made His Second Coming in the revelation of Himself in the Writings of the New Church.
     Herein lies the chief reason for the marked observance of the Nineteenth day of June, as "The New Jerusalem Day," or "New Church Day," by the men and women of the Academy movement from its beginning. It was not merely that the formal organization of "The Academy of the New Church" happened to occur on June 19, 1876 (and we are assured that this was not formally planned); but the fundamental principles of our Church body are inextricably interwoven with Swedenborg's revelation of what happened in the spiritual world on this "Day of Days" in the calendar of the New Church.
     It is true that this festival of the Church had been observed at various times, in various places, in the earlier days of the New Church; but the records show that its observance was usually by individual ministers or societies of the Conference in England, or of the General Convention in America; and there was no habitual, consistent celebration of the Church's birthday by the general bodies. The festival seems to have been tacitly left to freedom of choice by individual ministers or congregations. And it must be admitted that there are long stretches of time during which the Day seemed to be entirely forgotten.

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     However the dedication service of the very first New Church Temple in the world, at Birmingham, England, was deliberately held on June 19, 1791, by the Revs. James Hindmarsh and Joseph Proud. And the well known "Swedenborg Society," of London, England, instituted in 1810, consciously chose June the Nineteenth to be the fixed anniversary day of the society; and this practice was continued until 1841.
     It must also be acknowledged that its observance within the Academy movement was progressive; and it took time to establish the annual custom which is now almost second nature to the members of the General Church. In 1885, we learn of five societies who celebrated the day in "various modes;" and in 1888, and again in 1894, we are told that its celebration is "becoming more general."
(NEW CHURCH LIFE, 1885, p. 112; 1888, p. 140: 1894. p. 144) But with the beginning of the twentieth century, the Nineteenth of June seems to have been definitely established with our people as one of the fixed festivals of the Church, marked by special discourses, assemblies, banquets, tableaux, and various other modes of emphasis.
     Throughout the literature of the Church we find, every now and then, a nostalgic note of desire to return to the early states of faith and charity such as clearly prevailed in the early days of the New Church in America and England. For example, in NEW CHURCH LIFE, for 1894, p. 144, we find the editor commenting on a strong plea by the Bradford Society (England) for the observance of "the New Church Day," as follows: "It would thus seem that in the Church at large there is a growing recognition of the spiritual importance of observing this day of days. May we not look forward to the time when all true-hearted disciples of the Lord in His Second Advent, throughout the world, will unite on that day, in thanksgiving and glorification of the Lord for the establishment of the crown of all Churches? May not this become one powerful means of developing the distinctiveness of the New Church, and of uniting all Newchurchmen into one common, spiritual choir?"
     Six years earlier, the editor of the same journal put the matter still more pointedly: "One of the cheering signs of the times is the increasing number of different New Church societies and bodies of various kinds that are making the Nineteenth day of June a festal day.

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The more the better. The day is in the choicest part of summer. The event it commemorates is peculiarly New Church. It would be well-perhaps more far-reaching than any of us would suppose-for the Church to act in concert and harmony one day in the year." (1888, p. 140)
SOME REFLECTIONS ON ATOMIC ENERGY AND THE ATOM 1951

SOME REFLECTIONS ON ATOMIC ENERGY AND THE ATOM WILFRED HOWARD 1951

The tendency to ascribe to Swedenborg many of the so-called inventions of our mechanical age is well known to all. At different times, and by different writers, he has been accused of inventing the airplane, the submarine, and the machine gun-to mention a few of the more destructive. He has suggested the possibility of flying to the moon and stated the fundamental principles underlying our modern radar. That this tendency can be carried too far is, I think, obvious; for, given sufficient material, it would he easy for learned scholars and enlightened psychologists to establish the thesis that Swedenborg not only predicted the fall of churches and civilizations but also invented or suggested the means for their destruction!
I would therefore question the value of establishing too closely any connection between Swedenborg and the atomic bomb, and suggest that New Church men should at least be willing to let Einstein take the credit. In justice to Swedenborg, however, this does not, of course, preclude the possibility of an awareness on his part that the bomb was possible. With his keen perception of the nature and structure of matter, as illustrated in his earlier works, and possessed as he was of mechanical abilities of the highest order, we can imagine that he must often have pondered on the destructive potentialities the matters of the earth contain. But knowing, as he did so well, the state of the Christian world, and the true nature of the heart of man, he carefully avoided any suggestion that might lead to destructive application on man's part.

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     In order to obtain a rational conception of atomic energy it is well to proceed from the known to the unknown. Let us attempt, therefore, to obtain some basic understanding of the relation between matter and energy, by reviewing briefly some of the well known fundamental laws of Chemistry.
     Chemistry is essentially a study of the interplay between the substances and matters of the earth and the forces operating upon them, and as we so often hear, the science of Chemistry has developed an almost indefinite number of combinations and recombinations, both natural and synthetic, of the substances and matters of the earth. The exact nature of the resultant compounds is well known or understood in most cases, but the nature of the forces producing these changes is still largely beyond our knowledge. Forces operating on matter to produce a structural or intramolecular change all come within the realm of Chemistry; but forces operating on matter without changing the form or substance, such as the force of magnetism on iron come within the realm of Physics.
     From the time of Democritus, the concept of atoms or least particles has always been held in some form or other. He conceived of these atoms as a never ending rain of indivisible solid particles which were the prime substances, or building blocks, of the earth. The work of Dalton early in the 19th century established the theory, with modifications, on a scientific plane, and we are all more or less familiar with the 92 elements and the atoms, or least portions, of these elements.
     Atoms, however, are not the quiescent particles of Democritus or Dalton. Modern research has shown them to be in a state of perpetual motion, and their speeds are tremendous; ranging, at normal temperatures, from 5,000 to 25,000 feet per second. This motion is due to their energy or heat content, and it is well established that should substances be reduced to absolute zero (- 273 C.), they would completely disintegrate or lose all cohesive power.
     The molecule, or little structure, as the word implies, is a combination or union of two or more atoms forming a compound of which the molecule is the individual unit. The number of such compounds is limited only by the number of permutations and combinations possible with 92 elements. For instance, it is known that there are over 500,000 organic compounds containing carbon.

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There are at least 700,000 different molecules known to exist; and it is these molecules, and their dissociation and rearrangement, that constitute our normal source of energy, as distinct from an abnormal source which flows from the disintegration of atoms.
     In considering instances of molecular energy relationships, however, it is important to realize that none of the original substances are lost or destroyed. The atoms with which we start are all there. They have simply been changed around or rearranged, and heat has been evolved in the process. If that process is reversed, we must, of course, give back the amounts of heat generated before action will take place. We have, therefore, what are called Exothermal and Endothermal reactions, and in all cases they exemplify the law of the conservation of energy
     In the case of explosive reactions we have in addition a change in volume, where the solid or liquid is changed directly into gaseous compounds. It is easily computed, for example, that one quart of liquid gasoline will change into 690 quarts of gaseous compound, and that at combustion temperature of 1900 F., these compounds, under Charles' Law, must occupy from 4 to 5 times the original volume; so that our quart of gasoline will eventually have to occupy approximately 2,800 times its original volume. This change must be made in a fraction of a second, whence the power of explosions; but here again no substance has been lost.
     Another illustration of chemical change and heat reaction is the human organism itself. Chemists have long marvelled at the complexity of the digestive system. The process of molecular disintegration and rearrangement that we call digestion is one of the most complex known to science. In spite of the appearance, no matter is ever lost, no element destroyed. Nothing more takes place than a finely balanced series of oxidation and reduction reactions with their accompanying heats of formation; and, fortunately for us, this process is marvellously quiescent.

     We have cited the above simple and well known facts of molecular disintegration or rearrangement and their consequent heat reactions as background, and to enable us to visualize with some degree of clearness the remarkable heat or energy reactions that follow atomic disintegration.

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For in harmony with Swedenborg's well known law, that nature is the same in greatests and in leasts, we find that just as all molecular disturbances of chemistry have their corresponding heat relations, so in far greater measure atomic disturbance or disintegration follows the same law, and this in what seems to be an abnormal degree. It is as if nature jealously guards against any attempt to change its molecular or atomic equilibrium, and that any disturbance on the part of man of the forces that control or preserve this equilibrium is fraught with danger.
     The distinction between molecular and atomic disintegration and the resultant energy releases is of prime importance. For the first time, scientists are beginning to understand the source of the enormous energy of the sun. In the past, attempts were mostly made on the plane of molecular and normal oxidation reactions, and from computations made on this plane it was easily demonstrated that the sun should have been consumed many centuries ago. Now, however, with our knowledge of atomic structure and disintegration, it is possible to state with a degree of certainty that the process of solar emission is not one of normal molecular combustion but is the conversion of atomic mass into atomic energy, in precisely the same manner as it occurs in the atomic bomb. It is for this reason that the sun, in spite of scientific theory and calculation of the highest order, has persistently refused an early death or to reduce its girth to the calculated and accepted value.
     At this point we are led to inquire into the nature of the atom and its energy. Its nature has been variously defined. Essentially the atom is the focal point at which the world of material substances or matters begins. In itself it is a unit of potential or compressed energy, or a series of bound up knots in the ether, as Sir Oliver Lodge has stated it. Or we can define it as a series of electrical forces maintained in a balanced state of equilibrium which, when dissociated, cease to be matter and return with an outpouring of enormous quantities of heat energy to the ether. And we can think of it as the point, or points, in the series of creation where, by virtue of a state of equilibrium, motion ceases and matters at rest begin; or as substances made out of the ether by motion which can return by motion to the ether when dissociated.
     Thus there is a two-faced aspect of the atom that makes it difficult to describe.

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From the chemical viewpoint it is decidedly matter and the beginning of all material substances, compounds, and matters of the earth; having mass, weight, and all the properties known to matter. But when we study its internal structure, or the properties of which it is composed, then we must define it, not as substance in the accepted sense of the term, but as a little universe of energy of a sun and planet-like structure, consisting of a central core or nucleus with its neutrons and protons surrounded by a planetary system of electrons. The atoms of the various elements are nothing but variations of the same theme, and all matter is thus reduced to a complex balance of electrical forces; or, as we are so often told, matter is nothing more than a form of condensed electricity.
It would take too long to discuss the manner in which this concept came into being, or to attempt a recital of the experimental evidence that, since the first discovery of radio-activity by Becquerel, in 1896, has with slowly increasing momentum brought us to our present knowledge. However, in comparing the energy or heat reactions of the molecule with those of the atom we may note that the highest temperatures obtainable by normal molecular disintegration are around 3,0000 C., while a temperature of 20,000,000 C., is reached in the atomic reaction of the plutonium bomb. From the viewpoint of the quantity of energy released, an explosion of a T.N.T. molecule will give S electron volts of energy, as compared with 200,000,000 E.V. which flows from the splitting of a uranium nucleus.
At this point let us attempt to view the creation of matter from two aspects; first, from the facts and discoveries of science as we know them, and second, from the general or universal principles of Swedenborg's philosophy. According to Sir James Jeans, the ingredients of matter are nothing more than electrons and protons, and in so calling them we are simply attaching names to certain measurable quantities of positive and negative electricity. It is obvious from all that we know of protons, electrons, neutrons, positrons, and all the other accepted terms that we use to describe known forces within the atom that they can in no sense be considered as stuff or material in the accepted sense of the word. It is safe to say that at no future time will we be able to purchase a pound of negatively electrified corpuscles, for instance, no matter how corpuscular we imagine them to be. The matters of the earth begin with the atoms of the elements, never before them.

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Prior to this we have no substances or matters in themselves but only the forces that created them; and any series of names we attach to these forces can be considered only as an attempt to describe them.
     That this is so will, I think, be made clear by quoting from Dr. P. W. Bridgman's recent book, REFLECTIONS OF A PHYSICIST. In the chapter dealing with elements in the flux of present day Physics he asks the following questions. "Does a photon have independent existence in empty space? To what extent does a photon have identity? What experimental method is there of detecting the motion of a single photon? Are experiments on single electrons possible? Can a stationary electron be detected? What is the evidence that an electron has any independent existence in empty space?"
     In asking these and other like questions Dr. Bridgman is not, of course, questioning the fact that the atom is the focal point of the enormous energies that create it. He is simply asking some questions in regard to our concepts of what the internal structure and the forces of the atom may be. And this at once leads us to ask, What do we mean by forces? We can give the usual textbook definitions, but they will not help us. What sort of concept or idea can we have when we speak of the force of electricity, for example? If we think of this force as producing motion, then to this motion we must at once attach the idea of something being moved; for to our finite concepts motion without something being moved becomes, for the most part, meaningless. We must therefore postulate a particle, a medium, an ether or an atmosphere of some sort, if we are to think
at all; and if our experiments show that this force moves at a rate of 186,000 miles per second, then at once we think of it as moving in, or by virtue of, this particle or atmosphere.
     As all our experiments prove that the forces of the atom are electrical in nature we are forced to believe that the medium which carries this force, namely, the ether, must be the prime or underlying substance of all atomic structure. What this substance is in itself we do not know. It does not seem to be material in our atomic sense. Sir Oliver Lodge states that it is "manifestly the vehicle or substratum underlying electricity, magnetism, light, gravitation, and cohesion. But though it is the seat of all electric forces, and indeed the sole transmitter of force, ether is not electricity any more than it is matter.

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Undoubtedly it has electrical and magnetic properties, and is the vehicle of gravitation and light. It welds the planets into a solar system. It unites the parts of the atom, and it holds the atoms together. It is the seat of prodigious energies, energies beyond anything as yet accessible to man." (ETHER AND REALITY, page 174)

     If the purpose of this paper were to discuss Swedenborg and the atom, the task could be ended speedily with the statement that there is no such thing as a Swedenborg atom. Any attempt at a comparison of our present theories and concepts with those of Swedenborg's elements, salts, and particles, such as are contained in his Chemistry for instance, will, I believe, prove of little more than historical value. Many such studies have been made in the past, and correlations attempted. But the scientific works of Swedenborg are largely philosophical in character, dealing mainly with the contemplation of first principles or causes rather than the mere citation of the scientific facts of his day, and it is to these principles that we look for any attempted explanation of phenomena.
     The derivation of matter from a one only substance is a central philosophic concept in all of Swedenborg's works on creation. Thus he says in his Corpuscular Philosophy in Brie!: "There is a first substance of the world, with others in their order similar to it. There are four auras of the world following one another in succession. The particles composing these are the determinants of things, and are proper to the circumfluent world." (no. 1) And in the Principia we read: "With respect to the Elements, the series is as follows: The first or most universal element. The second or Magnetic Element. The third Element, or the Ether. The fourth Element, or the Air. The fifth product similar to the Elements, or Aqueous Vapor; where we finally show that in every drop of water is contained every single thing which had hitherto existed from the first Simple, as also the whole genus of Finites, Actives, and Elementaries; consequently that in a single drop of water is latent the whole Elementary world both visible and invisible." (Preface)
     One could quote at tedious length on the same point. Swedenborg held not only that there is one only substance but also that the higher you go in the scale of created substances the more active they become.

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In his Miscellaneous Observations he says: `If the motion of the air be taken as 1, the motion of the ether will be 810,000 times greater, and in the higher atmospheres the vibrations will be yet more numerous." (Page 90) Taking the speed ratios of the air and the ether as we know them, Swedenborg is about .92 of one percent off, which is a remarkably close guess on his part. Again, in his Tremulation, he states: "A tremulation will move quickly in air; in the ether much more swiftly; in the solar substance it moves from the sun to us in an instant; in the very finest atmosphere there is probably no time which can correspond to the undulation." (Page 3)
     That we can see both of these principles well illustrated in atomic and molecular disintegration is, I think, obvious. The energy releases of atomic disintegration are so enormously higher than our normal molecular heat reactions that a discrete degree of difference is at once suggested, and we realize that the forces needed to bind the atoms must be enormous. Swedenborg in his Principia devotes many chapters to a description of how, from a pure and total motion in the first natural point, by a series of binding vortical motions, matter is finally created. And this is illustrated in his concept that in the water particle all the pre-existing creative forces are present, which well portrays his principle, that sustentation is a perpetual creation; for these creative forces or influxes must be ever present for the substances of the earth to continue in existence.

     Since the forces that control the atom are electrical in nature, and are therefore controlled by the ether of science, or the third Aura of Swedenborg, there are serious implications for us in the statement now so often made: that science has proved that there is no ether, or that the ether is only a figment of the imagination. This statement challenges so many of our beliefs that we cannot conclude this paper without a brief review of this problem, as we see it.
     The problem began with the Michelson-Morley experiments and Einstein's interpretation of them; and from the study of certain aspects of Einstein's work, at least that portion of it which relates to the denial of the ether, it would seem that the philosophies of Einstein and Swedenborg can never meet.

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The atmospheres and ethers denied by Einstein are basic not only to the philosophical works of Swedenborg but also to the Writings themselves, and it is not necessary for me to quote from Divine Love and Wisdom to prove this point.
     It is generally conceded that the conception of Einstein's work was due largely to the failure of experimental science to detect an ether drift, or the motion of the earth through the ether of space. Curiously enough, the conception of Swedenborg does not require such an ether drift, as the ether, being an earth atmosphere, travels with the earth in the same manner as does the air. Those accepting the philosophy of Swedenborg would never have expected such an ether drift, and the failure to detect it can only be interpreted as a piece of scientific evidence supporting his theory.
     The search for such an ether drift has continued to occupy for many years the brains and talents of the world's most famous scientists, but always with negative results, so that the conclusion was finally reached by some that as there was no drift there was probably no ether. Thus Sir James Jeans, after reviewing the history of research on the influence of the earth's motion through the ether and the speed of its motion through the ether, concludes as follows: `We have seen how all experimental efforts to detect an ether have failed, and in so doing have added confirmation to the hypothesis of relativity, that no ether exists. Every single experiment ever performed has, so far as we know, decided in favor of the relativity hypothesis. In this way the hypothesis of a mechanical ether was dethroned, and the principle of relativity set to reign in its stead." (THE MYSTERIOUS UNIVERSE, page 105)

     The distinction between the stationary ether of modern science and the non-stationary ether of Swedenborg, in view of the Michelson-Morley experiments, is important. For in his Principia, Swedenborg shows at length that the ether travels with the earth (II., 200, 201); and the ether which these experiments have dethroned, according to Jeans, is therefore not the ether of Swedenborg but the ether of science, which is conceived of as a single, stationary, omnipresent ether. One has only to apply the concept of the light-bearing or third Aura of Swedenborg's Principia to realize how completely experimental evidence supports his contention that this particular atmosphere or ether is carried with the earth's motion.

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In fact it is hardly a biassed statement that had science, in the above mentioned experimental research, set itself the task of proving Swedenborg's theories in regard to the third Aura, it could hardly have done so more successfully. This was not its object. Yet the results of these experiments have led, with some at least, to conclusions almost identical with those of Swedenborg; conclusions resting not upon hypothesis but on the scientific evidence of the facts themselves. Others have chosen the alternative interpretation that no ether exists.
We are naturally led to wonder why it should be difficult for scientists to accept the evidence and therefore assume that the ether does travel with the earth, as the experiments seem to prove. The difficulty rests in the fact that the Michelson-Morley experiments can only be considered as a negative proof of Swedenborg's ether. Any close study of Swedenborg's Principia treatment of the ether, with his conception of it as an earth atmosphere, shows that it should come within the range of experimental phenomena, and that it should be possible to devise some positive means of detecting its presence. With the tremendous advances now being made in the field of electronics, and with the means of investigating the nature and structure of matter becoming more penetrating almost from day to day, we have reason to hope that in the not too distant future some means of positive identification will be established.
REVIEW 1951

REVIEW Editor 1951

THE NEW CONVENTION SERVICE BOOK

An outstanding event of the 127th annual session of the General Convention, held in June, 1930, was the announcement that the revised BOOK OF WORSHIP had been completed. Issued by the New Church Board of Publication, New York, the new service book is the result of long and earnest labor by a distinguished committee consisting of: Rev. Louis G. Hoeck, Chairman, Mr. Horace B. Blackmer, Rev. Everett K. Bray, Rev. Frederic R. Crownfield, Rev. David P. Johnson, Dr. Rollo F. Maitland, and the Rev. Messrs. Antony Regamey, Paul Sperry, Richard H. Tafel, and Charles W. Harvey, Secretary.

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     Although the BOOK OF WORSHIP was not sent to us for review, we feel that its appearance should be noticed in these pages and that some description of its form and contents and comment on certain features, will be of interest. The edition before us now brings into one volume of 674 pages the liturgical material and hymns used by the General Convention. Instead of the General Offices with which we are familiar there is an Order of Worship, followed by alternates emphasizing the spirit of praise and simpler orders of service to meet special needs. The four Orders of Worship thus provided are followed by Responses and Chants, Selections from the Word for Chanting or Reading, Responsive Services, and Anthems. The number of Responsive Services, which are similar to our Antiphons, has been increased, but selections from the Psalms and other parts of the Word have been reduced in number.
     All the forms for the celebration of the sacraments and rites, which come next, have been revised. The Order for the Holy Supper is complete in itself, although it may be used in connection with the Morning Service, and is taken entirely from the Word, instruction from the Writings taking the place of the sermon. In the case of Baptism and the rites of the Church the effort, according to the committee, has been for a less formal, more sympathetic approach. This section is followed by Church Calendars, Collects and Scriptures, a collection of prayers arranged under 13 headings, the Faith and Aims of the New Church, and a collection of some 400 hymns, also arranged under headings.
     In its structure the BOOK OF WORSHIP shows the influence of the Book of Common Prayer. The plan of worship and instruction is based on "The Christian Year," which "through the arrangement of its Sundays and other festivals is intended to keep us in constant remembrance of the life and teachings of our Lord" (p. 210). The Sundays in Advent, Christmas Day. Epiphany, the Sundays after Advent, The Transfiguration, Lent, Holy Week, Easter Day, the Sundays after Easter, Ascension Day, Pentecost, and the Sundays after Pentecost, are all included in the Church Calendar. But a change has now been made, in that the Sundays following the Nineteenth of June now form a new season named "Holy City."
     To illustrate the idea behind the Church Calendar we quote the following: "THE FOUR SUNDAYS IN ADVENT, i.e., before Christmas, invite our inner preparation to celebrate worthily our Lords coming in the limitations of our nature, and emphasize the necessity of a new birth of the spirit for all of us and for his church."

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As we have already noted, there is a set of Collects and Scriptures for every Sunday and festival in the Christian Year. Thus, for example, the first Sundays in Pentecost are devoted, respectively, to The Unity of the Church, The Ministry of Teaching, the Ministry of Healing, Charity, and Faith. There is no doubt that the congregation whose pastor follows the Christian Year in selecting subjects for his sermons can receive a full, varied, and balanced diet of instruction.
     The least satisfying part of the book is, in our opinion, the collection of hymns, which is said to be made up in roughly equal parts of old and new selections. There are many noble hymns in the collection, but there are also some which are exceedingly sentimental, and others which stress a personal approach to the Lord very different from the one indicated by the teaching of the Writings that we are to think of the Lord from His essence and of His person from His essence. One scarcely expects to find in a New Church hymn book such hymns as "What a Friend We have in Jesus,' and "Jesus is My best of Friends." Nor does one expect to see so many hymns stressing the cross and the blood. "Rock of Ages," "O sacred head sore wounded," and "When I survey the wondrous cross" strike a jarring note which is not silenced by "In the cross of Christ I glory" or "Beneath the cross of Jesus I fain would take my stand;" and the dissonance is not softened by the hymn which asks, "Have we no tears to shed for Him?"
     It is somewhat of a shock to find the Lord addressed in one hymn as, "0 Master of the callous hand;" and in yet another as, "O Master-workman of the race, Thou Man of Galilee" and "O Carpenter of Nazareth!" And in one instance we fail entirely to follow the compilers. The hymn in question begins, "Faith of our fathers! living still, In spite of dungeon, fire, and sword." Surely this can refer only to the faith of the consummated Christian Church? For as far as we know, the New Church has not as yet furnished martyrs of persecution by "dungeon, fire, and sword."
     We note, as a matter of interest, that the "Order for the Solemnization of Marriage" nowhere mentions conjugial love and that there is no intimation in it that a true marriage continues after death to eternity.

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The man and woman are asked: "Wilt thou love, honor, and comfort . . . as long as ye both shall live?" (p. 181) And the blessing pronounced over the married pair concludes, that "ye may so live together in this life that in the world to come ye may have life everlasting." (p. 182) Those who wish to read the full truth into the service may do so, but for a reason which it would be of some interest to discover that truth is not openly stated. It is interesting to note also that baptism is into "the Lord's Church on earth" (p. 177), which is defined as "the Christian Church made new" (p. 176); and that ordination is into "the Christian ministry" (p. 197), although the candidate is required to declare allegiance to the Lord, and "faith in his divine Word and in the heavenly doctrines of the New Jerusalem, as unfolded in the writings of Emanuel Swedenborg" (p. 195). There is, of course, no Rite of Betrothal, but there is a Rite of installation which embodies an idea that we believe may be of great value in initiating the pastoral relation.
Finally we would raise two questions. In view of the fact that this book has been prepared by a committee of the General Convention, and will, presumably, be used only by that body, is it correct to state on the title page that it is "Prepared for the use of the Church of the New Jerusalem"? The second question is related. On pages 260-261, there is a lengthy statement entitled "Concerning the Faith and Aims of the New Church," concerning which the Secretary of the Book of Worship Committee is reported to have said:
"This has been most carefully composed and revised by the Committee. . . . It tries faithfully to express our Convention attitude." (NEW CHURCH MESSENGER, 1950, p. 218) We have no doubt that it does. But we have no doubt, either, that it would not be accepted by the General Church. And this raises the question whether it is proper for a general body of the church to issue officially as the "Faith and Aims of the New Church" a statement which avowedly expresses its own attitude, and which it must well know will not be acceptable to another general body of the New Church.
THE EDITOR.

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NOTES AND REVIEWS 1951

NEW CHURCH LIFE
Office of Publication, Lancaster, Pa
Published Monthly By

THE GENERAL CHURCH OF THE NEW JERUSALEM
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     THE MEANING OF A LIBERAL POLICY

     Elsewhere in this issue we print a communication which expresses surprise at the publication of Mr. James Pendleton's, A Review of the Dutch Position," in view of "an increasingly friendly and liberal policy toward other New Church bodies." The letter itself will be answered fully next month. For the present we wish only to comment briefly on the meaning of a liberal policy.
     We believe that the appearance of the article objected to need occasion no surprise if what is meant by a liberal policy is properly understood. Although liberality examines views contrary to its own, and tries to judge them on its own merits, it is not indecisive. It neither blinds itself to truth as it sees it nor sacrifices principle to sympathy. It is not a mark of friendliness or of liberality to ignore other bodies of the Church, to suppress differences, or to speak only when one can approve. Rather does it belong to these qualities to face differences courageously and frankly, to make the nature and ground of divergence clear, and to place one's reaction beyond doubt.
     When this is done dispassionately, and freedom to reply is given as readily as freedom of expression, we believe there is a liberal policy. And it is that policy which this journal intends to follow editorially.

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SABBATH OBSERVANCE IN THE NEW CHURCH 1951

     It is generally agreed among us that the new wine of the Heavenly Doctrine cannot be contained in the old wineskins of the former dispensation, but that new, distinct and distinctive customs and practices must be developed to express the life of the Church. Such modes cannot be artificial or factitious. They may not be imposed from the top down; but must arise gradually and spontaneously as a result of active thought and desire, and be freely accepted, through patient study of the Writings and the love of being led by them. And the principle should be acknowledged even where we cannot as yet see clearly the forms in which it may be ultimated.
     Among the problems it must surely be admitted have not as yet been solved is that of a distinct and distinctive New Church observance of the sabbath. The basic doctrine itself is clear. When the Lord had come into the world, the Writings say, Sunday became "a day for instruction in Divine things, and thus also a day of rest from labors, and of meditation on matters pertaining- to salvation and eternal life, and also a day for the exercise of love towards the neighbor" (TCR 301).
     These are the uses of the sabbath: and the use itself for the sake of which they were ordained is that, by intelligently entering into them, men and women may he initiated into the sabbath state of the heavens, and so be moved to come permanently into that state. Provision for instruction in Divine things is made in the public worship of our societies and circles and in the instrumentalities developed for the use of the isolated. But when we think of the other uses mentioned may we feel satisfied that we have devized and follow practices which make Sunday peculiarly "the Lord's Day." and which are conducive to the performance of all the uses of the sabbath?
     May we feel that Sunday ends at noon, or should the whole day be given to the Lord? What are the customs we should desire to make our own on this day? What provisions should we make for meditation? How exercise love toward the neighbor? There are many things to be considered; for example, the differences between what the Church may provide or sponsor and what may be done by individuals. The pages of NEW CHURCH LIFE will be open to communications on this subject.

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COMMENCEMENT 1951

     Every year the month of June has deep and lasting significance for certain young men and women. In it they take a decisive step from one main division of life into another, finishing their formal education and taking their place in the work of the world. In the United States the ceremony of conferring Degrees and Diplomas is known as "Commencement," presumably because it marks for the graduates the commencement of that life for which they have been preparing in high school or college; and it may be supposed that in many cases a life work has been chosen before graduation day.
     Whether that is so or the graduate is still uncertain, the young New Church man and woman may have a distinct approach in choosing an occupation, as in so many other things. We may confidently expect that their choice will not be influenced by social snobbery, love of ease, reluctance to take responsibility, or that panting for security which causes men to anticipate a pension from the first time the clock is punched. We may also believe they will not simply seek the opening which promises the most or the easiest money, the position of greatest respect or authority, or the office which carries the highest prestige. And we may feel certain that they will not be attracted mainly, or only, by power, glamor, or glory. Yet even granted all this it is still possible to miss the most essential thing.
     To the New Church the Lord has revealed the doctrine of use, and in the light of that doctrine we may see that it is not enough to ask, What would I most like to do and find the greatest satisfaction in doing? Nor is it enough to invent some need of society which we think we can meet, or to enter some field of endeavor from an honest but sentimental desire to serve humanity in a way that is as yet vague. Every man and woman has from the Lord certain talents, certain abilities, which are to be held in trust in order that a use may be performed, first in this world and then in His kingdom after death. And we suggest that the vital questions to be answered are rather these. Is what I would most like to do the most useful thing I can do? What abilities do I seem to possess? And, having regard to the real needs of society, in what kind of occupation can those abilities be most fully utilized for the benefit of others? For in this there is a looking to others, to use.

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There are, of course, men and women who seem to be prevented from following an occupation in which they can use all or some of their abilities. Some appear to drift into occupations, to come into them through some seemingly chance happening, or to be forced by the exigencies of their situation. But much frustration can be avoided if we realize that occupation is not use but the instrumentality through which use is performed, and that a man or woman can be prepared for an eternal use in heaven through any legitimate occupation that is of use and need. And much restlessness may be escaped if it is realized that many a man has entered an occupation with little or no affection, from a mixed or even unworthy motive, and through a long life in it has ended with a deep, abiding love.
RITE OF BETROTHAL 1951

RITE OF BETROTHAL 1951

It is well known in the church that by regeneration the Lord unites the will and understanding in a heavenly marriage in which they become one as to use. But it is not so well realized that there are actually two, successive conjunctions. The internal mind is first regenerated by the conjunction of the good and truth within it, and then, by the descent of the purified internal into it, the external mind is regenerated through the conjunction of the good and truth in it. Because it is effected on the ultimate plane of the mind, this second union is the heavenly marriage itself. The first conjunction is solely in the internal mind. But it initiates, prepares for, and makes possible the second union which is the heavenly marriage itself, and for this reason it is meant in the Word by "betrothal."
The heavenly marriage is represented in the marriages of men and women. For this reason a ceremony of betrothal before marriage existed in the Ancient Church, which was in representative worship. This ancient ritual had a twofold signification. As a symbol, it stood for the first regenerative conjunction which is of the internal mind alone, the subsequent marriage representing the second conjunction which is that of the internal mind with the external. And with reference to those who were betrothed the rite signified the agreement of dispositions or minds which precedes the conjunction of marriage.

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It stood for the interior union of spirits and minds which must needs come first if marriage is to be made pure and holy by the descent into, and conjunction with ultimates, of an internal that has been purified by the Lord.
     This ancient ceremony was carried over into the Jewish Church, though shorn of spiritual significance as far as the Jews were concerned; and the early Christian Church had, for a time, something very like our rite of betrothal. But with only one exception, as tar as we know, this was soon merged with the marriage service; and the very phrase, a betrothed pair, now means, when it is used at all, an engaged couple. It was not until a hundred years after the establishment of the New Church on earth, when the distinctiveness of the teaching of the Writings about marriage was at last seen, that the ancient rite of betrothal was restored by the Academy; and this was done in a spirit of loyalty to the plain teachings of the Heavenly Doctrine.
     Betrothal is not the same as an engagement, and in its representation and uses it is distinct from the marriage that follows An engagement is a private declaration of consent, and promise to marry. But betrothal is a religious ceremony in which an engaged couple come before the Lord, as represented by a priest, to confirm and establish that they have pledged their love and plighted their faith, to invoke the Lord's blessing on their marriage, and to ask that He may prepare them for a conjugial union. And the Writings expressly state that consent, which is the essential of marriage, ought to be confirmed and established by such a solemn ceremony. Indeed they reveal that in heaven also there are betrothals, at which a priest officiates, because the progressions of conjugial love proceed in order for the sake of their influx into effective love, which begins from the wedding. (CL 301, 21)
     All the laws given in the Writings are of Divine wisdom from infinite love; so given that those who are touched by spiritual affections will obey them freely from perception and love of their uses. And the Writings which say that there ought to be betrothals also give weighty reasons for so teaching. The rite of betrothal should be observed, they say, in order that the souls of the engaged couple may incline toward each other, and the universal love of the sex be determined to one; that the interior affections of each may therefore be revealed to the other and brought into conjunction, and their spirits thus enter into marriage and be more and more consociated; and that as a result of this internal conjunction being effected before marriage, conjugial love may progress regularly from its initiament to the nuptial flame. (CL 301)

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     These are the reasons for betrothal-that there may be a marriage of the spirit before that of the body, and that thus there may be preparation for conjugial love. And the doctrine shows why a marriage of the spirit ought to precede by expounding a universal law which should be clearly understood since it involves the fundamental reason for betrothal.
     Conjugial love, this law is, ascends and descends. It rises upward from its first heat towards the souls of the pair, with an endeavor to bring them into conjunction, and then descends toward the body, in which it clothes itself. The vital principle here is this. In its descent the quality of marriage love is determined by the height to which it has first ascended. If the love with a man and woman ascends towards their souls with an endeavor to conjoin them, it descends chaste and is pure even in ultimates. But if it does not rise above its first plane it descends as an unchaste love; for the lower parts of the mind cleave to the body, but the higher region separates itself from them. (CL 302) If we reflect upon this we may surely see how important it is that a marriage of the spirit should be effected first; and see also how powerfully the rite of betrothal can serve to effect that marriage, raising the affections as it does to the ideal of a conjugial union, and inviting influx from the New Heaven, which is in conjugial love from the Lord.
     This is the idea which explains the need for and the use of betrothal; that there must be an elevation of heart and mind in the betrothal state before there can be a descent of purified love which yields perception of the spiritual purpose and responsibilities of marriage and looks to the ideal of an eternal union. Of course it must be realized that the rite has no magical efficacy. Its use is performed only in the case of those who, in the interiors of their minds, are devoted to the ideal of a chaste and eternal union with one, who are resolved to shun all that opposes it, and who look to the Lord as the only source of that union. And it must be seen clearly as what it is; a marriage of the spirit only, an internal union of minds apart from the body which precedes the ultimate union of marriage.

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     In this there is a great use, the use of making an engaged couple a bride and bridegroom (CL 301), of introducing them into a state which lasts until the wedding and prepares for a conjugial union where there is a common love of the same truths and a common striving for the same good. But if we reflect further we may see that there is another, if less obvious use,-a use to the Church itself. Betrothal is peculiar to the General Church. It is the only distinctively New Church ceremony among our sacraments and rites: all the others are held in common with the Christian Church, although they are given a new meaning and use. And it is right that it should be so, for betrothal is the most significant representative we have of the doctrine of conjugial love. It expresses the fundamental difference between that doctrine and the view of marriage held by the Old Church.
     The churches of Christendom teach that marriage is only for life in this world: a union of the body only which dissolves with its death, and which is ordained on account of man's sensual nature and for the sake of procreation. But the Writings teach that true marriage is an eternal union, and that it is of the spirit and only from the spirit in the body. They insist that when there is a true union in the spirit marriage is holy in all its degrees, even the most ultimate. And the rite of betrothal-providing for a marriage of the spirit before that of the body, so that the latter may be from the spirit in the body,-is the acknowledgment in ultimates of this truth that has been revealed.
     This rite exalts the idea of marriage as a spiritual union, an elevation of the spirits of a man and woman as preparation for an orderly descent of the spirit after marriage. Its regular use in the Church, from heartfelt conviction, is a living recognition of the truth that marriage is a Divine institution and that its holiness comes from the presence of the Lord in it. It is a living expression of faith that conjugial love is from the Lord and is the most holy of all loves. The Christian world is being vastated with regard to marriage. And a spiritual love of the rite of betrothal, from understanding and love of its uses, is one of the means by which the Lord will still further separate the New Church from the Old, and bestow upon it the gift of conjugial love.

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DUTCH POSITION: A REPLY 1951

DUTCH POSITION: A REPLY CLARENCE HOTSON 1951

Editor of NEW CHURCH LIFE:

     As a friend of the General Church, though not a member, I have noted with pleasure some recent evidence in NEW CHURCH LIFE of an increasingly friendly and liberal policy toward other New Church bodies. I was all the more surprised, therefore, at the article in the March, 1951, issue entitled "A Review of the Dutch Position," by James Pendleton, a student in the College of the Academy of the New Church. The article is not a review of the Hague Position, which it barely states, but goes into personalities and tends to revive the feelings roused by the controversy of the '30s and the events of March and April, 1937. Must these things be raked up again just because a group of General Church young people want to find out for themselves what the Nova Hierosolyma church believes, and go to one of its ministers to learn, and then to the Writings to see if it is taught there?
     It may be inevitable that some reference be made to the controversy of the '30s. If so, it should be accurate and well documented. The article says: "By 1933, the controversial issues raised by the new position had become so numerous that almost the entire meeting time of the Council of the Clergy for that year was spent in consideration of them." Though several phases of the new position were touched on, the meeting time of the Council was taken up almost entirely with the single charge by the majority of the clergy that the Hague or Dutch position was, or necessarily implied, that man is Divine or can become Divine, and the contention by the Hague or Dutch representatives that they taught no such thing but instead taught, as do the Writings, that good and truth are the Lord with man, and that these are Divine.
     "Nothing further on that subject was written or referred to in the official organ of the Church, though DR HEMELSCHE LEER, voice of the new movement, continued publication." In its context, this states that between some time in 1933 and February. 1936, there was no discussion of the Hague position in NEW CHURCH LIFE. The fact is, that almost the entire May, 1934, issue of NEW CHURCH LIFE is devoted to the renewed attack, led off by Bishop N. D. Pendleton's paper "The Divine Within Men and Angels" (Jan. 3, 1934), by the majority of the clergy on what they insisted was the Dutch position, namely, that man is, or can become Divine, and the denials and refutations of this charge by the Hague defenders.

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     "When it was seen that further doctrinal discussion would be fruitless, the Rev. Ernst Pfeiffer requested that he be allowed to set up an independent diocese in Holland-a church body in no way under the jurisdiction of the General Church." The author entirely neglects to mention a most significant change in the tactics of the majority. Led by the Rt. Rev. George de Charms, they made the discovery, apparently early in 1937, that good and truth after reception in man are not the Lord with man, but are specially created by the Lord and are human in the sense of non-Divine. (See NEW CHURCH LIFE, June, 1937, reporting the Council meetings and the Bishop's doctrinal classes on this subject. April 23rd and 30th, 1937.) It seems to me that it was only after this doctrine was proclaimed and apparently acquiesced in by the General Church clergy at large that Mr. Pfeiffer acknowledged an irreconcilable doctrinal difference between the General Church majority and the Hague minority and proposed a separate diocese for the church in Holland, for which proposal, so far as the record shows, he was expelled.
     "Mr. Pfeiffer more and more vehemently denounced and denied the authority of the government of the General Church; stating finally that he no longer felt himself in sympathy with that body, or able to cooperate with it, and that he recognized a separation as inevitable." If such personalities are deemed necessary, direct quotes should be used and reference should be made to the source or documentary proof that Mr. Pfeiffer said these things, if such proof exists. No ones unsupported assertion is sufficient.
     If the General Church wants to go into the events of the controversy, it is time a competent body of New Church investigators and students of New Church history made a thorough inquiry into all the facts connected with it, and published their findings for the information of all New Church men and others who may be interested. All organizations, especially if they have a precious heritage of high ideals, treasured truths, and lofty principles, must entrust certain powers to chosen individuals, who must act for the organization when they think an emergency exists which threatens what they conceive to be the welfare of the organization.

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The rest of the membership must, during such real or supposed emergency, support their official representatives in whatever action these deem necessary. But as soon as the emergency has passed, the executive action so taken should be investigated by competent, unbiased, and disinterested persons, and the facts brought out and published for the benefit of all concerned. Such investigation and publication are most necessary for the morale of the organization. The fact that the world is full of organizations incapable of self-examination or facing the truth about themselves is no reason why general bodies of the New Church should join them.
In 1933 and 1934 I was greatly impressed by the candor and wisdom of the General Church in publishing the discussions in the Council of the Clergy in NEW CHURCH LIFE. Let us hope that this policy will guide the General Church in the future and that a committee headed by the Rev. W. Cairns Henderson and including, let us say tentatively, the Rev. Morley Rich, the Rev. Harold Cranch, Mr. Otho Heilman, Professors Edward Allen and Wilfred Howard, and Messrs. Eldric Klein and Andrew Klein, may represent the General Church in this investigation. To these I would add Harvey Lechner, Esq., and Charles J. Kintner, of the Nova Hierosolyma church, and two outside scholars, Frederic B. Crownfield, Ph.D., former Convention minister and teacher of church history in the New-Church Theological School, and Marguerite B. Block, Ph.D., author of "The New Church in the New World" I venture to name these persons without consulting them because of my respect for their qualifications, which include the fact that they took no active part in the events they are to investigate, and my sense of the need for their services to get and publish the facts. Had such a critical history existed as I suggest these persons should undertake to write, I am sure no such misleading article as Mr. Pendleton's would have appeared in NEW CHURCH LIFE.
CLARENCE HOTSON, PH.D.

Bethayres, Pa.
March 31, 1951
ACADEMY BOOK ROOM 1951

ACADEMY BOOK ROOM 1951

Topics from the Writings. By W. F. Pendleton. Fire-damaged copies, priced according to condition from 50 cents to $1.50.

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Church News 1951

     DETROIT, MICHIGAN

     At our service on April 15th we were happy to have with us the following out-of-town visitors: Mrs. Alvin Nelson of Glenview; and Mr. and Mrs. Oliver Smith and Mr. and Mrs. Willard Smith of Bryn Athyn. We value greatly these visits of friends from other centers of the Church. They not only add to the sphere of worship but make us realize that we have the support of the whole Church in our efforts to advance from the "Circle" stage to Society status.
     Thanks to the generosity of Mrs. Geoffrey S. Childs and the work of our Women's Guild the altar has undergone quite a transformation. The former red drape, which was quite narrow, has been replaced by a handsome cloth-of-gold hanging, a decided improvement Also a pair of very fine tall brass candlesticks now flank the Word. These, we understand, were procured by Mrs. Childs after quite a hunt through various shops in New York City.

     A Visit.-Our service on Sunday, April 22nd, must be recorded as a special event, for we had with us the Rev. Elmo C. Acton who, with his wife, was spending the weekend at the home of the Forfars, friends from South African days. Mr. Acton kindly accepted our invitation to preach, our Pastor conducting the service. Taking as his text Exodus 17: 12, which deals with the upholding of Moses' hands as Israel fought with Amalek, Mr. Acton preached a powerful and enlightening sermon on "The Falsities of Interior Evil." We were indeed glad to hear it, and later in the afternoon, following our monthly dinner. Mr. Acton received our warm and sincere thanks. It was a great pleasure to have this visit from Mr. and Mrs. Acton and we hope they may find it convenient to come again soon.

     Personal.-We have just learned that Candidate David Holm is to conduct three services for us this summer. He has been a frequent visitor to Detroit and is well liked by all of us. If he comes as scheduled he will arrive in time to take part in our New Church Day celebration, which will take the form of a banquet served in our Community Center meeting hall in the evening of June 17.
     Miss Madeline R. (Lynn) Mitchell, who has been attending our services for quite some time, was baptized into the New Church by the Rev. Norbert H. Rogers on February 24th. On April 28th. Miss Mitchell and Corporal Owen Birchman were united in marriage by the Rev. Norbert H. Rogers at the home of the bride, in a ceremony attended only by members of the immediate families. After a brief furlough Owen rejoined his battalion at Fort Eustis, Va., from where it is anticipated that he may be sent overseas. The very warmest congratulations and affectionate good wishes of our entire Circle are extended to Owen and Lynn.

     Obituary.-Mrs. Hannah Owens, mother of Mrs. Reynold Doering, passed into the spiritual world on April 16th, at the age of 80. A memorial service was conducted by Mr. Rogers on April 19th, after which the body was taken to Scranton, Pa., for burial. Since coming to Detroit with the Doerings, Mrs. Owens has endeared herself to us all with her sweet, friendly disposition. While her health did not permit her to attend services very often, it was always a great pleasure to have her with us or to meet her at the Doering home. We all loved Gorandma Owens and will miss her very much.
     WILLIAM W. WALKER.

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ACADEMY OF THE NEW CHURCH 1951

ACADEMY OF THE NEW CHURCH E. BRUCE GLENN 1951

     Announcements
     The Annual Joint Meeting of the Corporation and Faculty of the Academy of the New Church will be held in the Benade Hall Auditorium, Bryn Athyn, Pa., on Saturday, June 2, 1951, at 8:00 p.m.
     After reports by officers of the Academy Schools, and the discussion thereof, Miss Margaret Wilde will deliver an address. Subject: "The Well Dressed Feminine Mind."
     The public is cordially invited to attend.
          E. BRUCE GLENN,
               Secretary.
WESTERN STATES 1951

WESTERN STATES WILLARD D. PENDLETON 1951

     In order to relieve the Rev. Harold C. Cranch, Candidate Louis B. King has accepted appointment to visit the Circles of the General Church in the Western States after his ordination this summer. His trip will include the dates from June 20th to August 18th.
     WILLARD D. PENDLETON.
          Representative of the Bishop.
CANADIAN NORTHWEST 1951

CANADIAN NORTHWEST 1951

During the summer the Rev. Karl R. Alden will again make his trip through the Canadian Northwest. He will leave Bryn Athyn on June 16th, and return on August 18th, in time for the meetings of the Educational Council.
BRITISH ASSEMBLY 1951

BRITISH ASSEMBLY 1951

The Thirty-eighth British Assembly of the General Church of the New Jerusalem will be held on Saturday, Sunday, and Monday, August 4th to 6th, 1951, the Rev. Alan Gill presiding. The sessions and services will he held at the Bonnington Hotel, Southampton Row, London, W.C. 1.
All members and friends of the General Church are cordially invited to attend.
SONS OF THE ACADEMY 1951

SONS OF THE ACADEMY ROY ROSE 1951

     The Annual Meetings of the Sons of the Academy will be held on Friday. June 22nd, and Saturday, June 23rd, 1951, at the Carmel Church, Kitchener, Ontario, Canada.
     All men interested in New Church education are cordially invited to attend. For reservations and accommodations write: Mr. Murray E. Hill, 234 Mary Street, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada.

Program:

Friday. Address by Academy Representative. (Prof. R. R. Gladish)
Saturday. Reports and business. Election of officers.
Saturday evening. Banquet. (Ladies invited.)
     Roy ROSE,
          Secretary.
FRIENDSHIP 1951

FRIENDSHIP Rev. DAVID R. SIMONS 1951

NEW CHURCH LIFE
VOL. LXXI
JULY, 1951
No. 7
     "Ye are My friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you. Henceforth I call you not servants, for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of My Father I have made known unto you." (John 15: 14, 15)

     Expressing His infinite love and mercy towards the whole human race, the Lord came on earth and extended Divine friendship to all mankind. Infinitely wise and powerful, He accommodated Himself to finite comprehension. So completely was this done, so hidden was the reality that this man, Jesus Christ, was God Himself, that for the most part He was unrecognized, unacclaimed, and unworshipped. "He was in the world, and the world was made by Him, and the world knew Him not. He came unto His own, and His own received Him not." (John 1: 10, 11) Yet the purpose for which He came among men was that they might come to see and know Him, and thus be set free from the forces of evil.
     He came as a Man among men in order that all who were servants of sin might know the truth, and that "the truth might make them free. (John 8: 32) The Lord God of heaven and earth became flesh so as to introduce mankind into a new relationship with Himself. He whom men could no longer approach drew near to them and this not as a God of command and punishment, of terrible anger and mighty vengeance, but as one who calls His disciples, friends, though no man may so name Him. For He said: "Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of My Father I have made known unto you."

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The Lord said: "Henceforth I call you not servants"; indicating that those in the former, Jewish Church, had been servants. Indeed it was because the Jew's were internally servants of sin, were completely dominated by the loves of self and the world, that they had to be forced and driven externally by commands and punishments.- by captivities, disasters, threats, and miracles,-into an outward order that could serve at least to represent a church. (AC 4208) Although it is said in the Old Testament that "the Lord spake unto Moses . . . as a man speaketh unto his friends" (Exodus 33: 11), and also. "Jacob whom I have chosen, the seed of Abraham My friend" (Isaiah 41: 8), there was no such relationship between the Lord and that Church. For while they acknowledged Jehovah as their God, this was merely a nominal confession in which He was thought of as just another god such as the gentiles around them worshipped; for they were idolaters at heart and their religion was merely a superstition. (Coro. 51) They had no interior ideas about their God or their religion, nor did they desire to have any. (AC 4208) Thus it was that the Jew's were servants in a double sense: servants of sin, and servants in relation to the Lord since there was nothing of the sharing of ideals and ideas that makes friends between them and their God.

Friendship is a bond between men that is an outward manifestation of love. It is a bond which implies reciprocation-the sharing of thoughts and ambitions, of ideas and intentions. It involves giving and receiving, confidence and trust, and free, intelligent cooperation between persons. When one party takes without giving, betrays and violates the confidence and trust, and no longer shares or cooperates, the friendship is at an end. And the quality of friendship is determined by the love from which it springs, for love is the inner sustaining force that brings and holds men together. Spiritual heat alone can conjoin friend with friend. Yet, like its earthly counterpart, it not only warms, expands, renews, heals, and promotes life; it can also sear and burn, deface and destroy. Love, like fire, can vivify or consume. (AC 4906) This is why friendship, which is the outward expression of love, can be the manifestation of the mutual love of heaven or a tool in selfish hands, even an end in itself.

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"Friendship is not charity," we are taught, "and still less is politeness charity-these are degrees below charity; and the more they derive from charity the more sincere they are." (AC 1158: 2)
     But on what basis are we to contract our friendships? What friendships are we to foster, and which are we to avoid? The Lord Himself answers these questions, both in the New Testament and in the Writings. For although He is in a very real sense the Friend of all mankind, even calling the wicked "friend" and so addressing the man who came to the feast without a wedding garment (Matthew 22: 12), He limits His friendship, as it were. He stipulates the requirements of true friendship. "Ye are My friends," He says. On what condition? "If ye do whatsoever I command you." "I have called you friends." Why? For all things that I have heard of My Father I have made known unto you. Evidently, then, the foundation of true friendship is doing good from a knowledge of truth.

     In the Writings the Lord describes every possible type and degree of friendship, from the inmost friendship between conjugial partners to seeming friendships between those who inwardly burn with hatred toward one another. True and useful friendships are shown always to have something of the basic elements taught in the New Testament, while those dangerous and false friendships which are to be avoided do not.
     The universal test of friendship in the Writings is its use. What use does it serve? Thus friendships between those in the same business, profession, or situation in life, that contribute to some use are to be fostered. New Church men are not to stand aloof externally from the world of men, because they have the knowledge and ability to live internally a life that is distinct and new. We are taught that external friendships may be formed with anyone, "even with a clown who makes jests at the table of a duke" (TCR 446). For such friendships belong to civil life (SD 4524), and are allowable because "no one can explore the interiors of the mind of those with whom he associates or deals" (TCR 449), and because it is not necessary to do so. External friendships, including the social obligations which are necessary to maintain them, are good and desirable as long as they are for the sake of uses.

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In the degree in which anyone performs uses he can be befriended, for he is doing the Lord's commandments.
     Yet such friendships must be limited!. They should not be entered into any more deeply than the use demands, for to do so is dangerous spiritually. External friendships may be formed with anyone, but we are warned to guard against "a friendship of love with anyone indiscriminately" (TCR 449). New Church men can love the skill, efficiency, and knowledge of their friends in the world!, and may even respect them for their efforts to live what they believe to be the truth; but they are not to form interior friendships based on personality which ignore the quality of a man's religion, his internal standards and ambitions. For when the person apart from his internal quality is loved, the good can be linked spiritually to the evil and dragged by them into hell, where they stiffer terrible things before they can be released and elevated into heaven. (TCR 449)
     Interior friendship must he based on ideas and purposes gained from the Word and a mutual desire to express them in life. There will necessarily be a wide variety of such friendships, ranging from the mere fact that one has taken on the responsibilities of a New Church man by Baptism and Confirmation to what is called the "friendship of friendship" of conjugial love. But such relationships can be eternal because the uses they serve are eternal.
     There is in the church, however, the constant danger that we may place person and personality before uses, and that friendships will become an end in themselves. Concerning this we are taught: "There are very many societies in the other life that are called societies of friendship. They are composed of those who in the life of the body preferred to every other delight that of conversation, and who loved those with whom they conversed, not caring whether they were good or evil provided they were entertaining; and thus who were not friends to good or to truth . . . Wherever they come they take delight away from others . . . and make it their own . . . and as they are on this account troublesome and injurious to those who are in good, they are therefore kept away by the Lord, lest they' should come near to the heavenly societies. From this it was given me to know how much injury friendship occasions man as to his spiritual life if the person and not good is regarded; everyone may indeed be friendly to another, but still he should be most friendly to what is good." (AC 4804)

293

When one regards a friend from good, that is, from what he does and thinks that is in keeping with Divine truths, then there can be a mutual giving and receiving of good, and thus mutual love. Mutual love and friendship are distinguished in the Writings in that "mutual love regards the good which is in a man, and because it is directed to good, it is directed to him who is in good; but friendship regards the man; and this also is mutual love when it regards the man from good, or for the sake of good; but when it does not regard him from good or for the sake of good, but for the sake of self, which it calls good, then friendship is not mutual love, but approaches the love of self" (AC 3875: 5). These statements make clear that good or use is the neighbor that is to be loved and made a friend, and that our friendships must not be formed on merely personal grounds. We should look instead to the quality of affection and thought that make the real man. This does not, as might appear, involve internal judgments, for the Lord alone knows the human heart. But it does involve discrimination: not based on an absolute judgment such as. "You are such in internals, and therefore you will be saved or condemned," but on the conditional judgment taught in the Writings: "If in internals you are such as you appear in externals you will he saved or you will be condemned." (CL 523: 2) It is on this basis that internal friendships should be built, cultivated, and maintained.

It is a curious fact that although the basis of friendship between the Lord and man is plainly stated in the New Testament the Christian Church did not long adhere to it. The person of the one God, Jesus Christ, was divided into three persons; and the pearl of great price, the truth that God is one, was reduced to powder. The person of Christ apart from His teaching, and apart from any effort to apply it in life, became the object of adoration and worship. Salvation became a matter of the personal intercession of the Son of God with His Father-as if the Father had neither the qualities of love or mercy towards the human race, but only towards His own Son. In devising such false beliefs men themselves broke the bond of friendship with their Lord. They betrayed the confidence placed in them. They ceased to cooperate by keeping His commandments and teaching the truths He had shown them from the Father-from His infinite soul, the Divine love.

294

By withholding the Word they made it impossible for men to know the truth and thus be free. By teaching faith alone they made it unnecessary for men to do all the things commanded them. Whereas the god of the Jews was a national deity, the god of the Christians became a personal agent; a means to power, self-righteousness, and unearned salvation. It became imperative, therefore, that the Lord should come again and reestablish His friendship with men. And this He did, yet not in person, since this was provided for at His first advent, but in the Word. "This second coming," we are told, "is not a coming in person, but in the Word which is from Him, and is Himself." (TCR 776)
At this day, because the Lord has come again, a new relationship with Him is possible, and from this a new relation among men. This new relation is to be based on angelic love to the Lord, of which we learn: "In heaven loving the Lord does not mean loving Hi in with respect to His person, but it means loving the good that is from Him . . . and to love good is to will good and do it from love." (HH 15) It is said further: "By loving the Lord is not meant loving Him as a person, for by such love only man is not conjoined with heaven, but by love of Divine good and Divine truth, which are the Lord in heaven and in the church." (AE 1099: 3) And again: "Loving the Lord as a person and not loving uses is loving the Lord from ones self, which is not loving." (Love, xiii) The reason the Lord or one's fellow man must not be loved from person is that everyone who thinks of God or the neighbor only from person, and not from essence, that is, from his qualities, thinks materially; but to think from essence to person, from qualities and attributes concerning person, is orderly and right. (AR 611) The truth is, that he who thinks of God from person infuses his own ideas into God, and in so doing fashions God in the image of man. Whereas he who thinks of God from God's essence, from the qualities and attributes God Himself reveals in His Word, thinks from the truth, and the Lord can form his mind into an image and likeness of that truth.
It was this formation of the mind of man into an image and likeness of Himself that the Lord made possible by' coming to mankind and revealing Himself as their Friend And this He did not only in the New Testament but in the Writings as well.

295

Indeed, in the Heavenly Doctrine He completely and fully manifests all things of the Divine love. Through the Writings He shares His inner qualities, purposes, and modes of operation with His church, so that men need no longer be servants of ignorance and sin, but can enter into an intelligent cooperation with Him. As friends, men are shown the inner workings of the human spirit and the eternal uses which the Lord provides so that man, as of himself, may enter into the joy of his Lord.
     "Ye are my friends," the Lord said in the New Testament. "But, my friend,' He says in the Writings, "go to the God of the Word, and thus to the Word itself, and so enter through the door into the sheepfold, that is, into the church, and you will be enlightened." (TCR 177) And again: "Do thou, therefore, my friend, go to the Lord, and shun evils as sins, and reject faith alone; and then your understanding will be opened, and you will see wonderful things and be affected by them." (AR 914) Amen.

LESSONS:     Isaiah 41: 1-9. John 15: 12-27. TCR 446, 448, 449.
MUSIC:     New Liturgy, pages 446, 504, 459.
PRAYERS:     New Liturgy, nos. 26, 85.
HADES OF THE ANCIENTS 1951

HADES OF THE ANCIENTS Rev. HUGO LJ. ODHNER 1951

The Hebrew Scripture contains no definite teachings concerning the after life. This seems the more strange since the Egyptians had well developed conceptions of heaven, still preserved in their sacred books, and legends about the abode of the dead were found also among the Babylonians. But the literal sense of the Word was written in adaptation to the Jewish mind, in terms of the concepts which men had of the soul and its fate after death; and any real understanding of the entire spiritual world could not be conveyed in such terms.
Yet the Lord did not condemn the idea which the Jews held, because that idea was basic to a real truth; that is, it gave a symbolic picture of that region of the spiritual world, or that spiritual state, with which the Jews and the corrupted nations of the ancient world were most closely associated.

296

     For before the coming of the Lord the way to heaven was closed. The spiritual church of the ancients had perished, and mankind was steeped in superstition and ignorance and cruelty. The teachings of the primeval world had been forgotten in the struggle of nations and castes for preeminence and possessions. The idea of the One God, the God of mercy and truth, had become lost in the worship of His representatives and representations: in the worship of hosts of deities, in the deification of kings, in the fear of demons, in idolatry before stocks and stones. Fear had captivated men's spirits. Falsities and phantasies such as that the Divine abode in men as their inner selves or that God could be cajoled and flattered with external rites and sacrifices, or that men by magical procedures could attain to eternal salvation, had undermined the spiritual sanity of most nations-and in the case of the Jews, reduced them into utter ignorance of eternal life.
     For such reasons the way to heaven was obstructed. When men passed into the spiritual world by' death they became the prey of evil spirits, myriads of whom congregated in the world of spirits and set up their dominions of phantasy. For the only power which could break the hold of these perverse spirits was the Divine truth: the law of charity, the sight of the one Lord God as a Heavenly Father, a God of love. This sight of God as the Divine Human could alone put to shame the pretenses of the evil and judge them in spiritual light, so that their persuasive influence would wane. Until the truth concerning God and concerning His commandments, His way of life-the only way to human happiness-should be revealed, the souls of men could not find their way to any true heavens, but would pass under the yoke of "false heavens," and be reduced to that spiritual serfdom which is described, in the Hebrew text, by SHEOL, and, in the Greek, by HADES.
     In the English Bible, SHEOL, is translated "hell," but in the Writings it is described as "the lower earth." And indeed it so appears. For the spiritual world is different from the world of nature. All things there are spiritual. The light, the heat, the substances of the soil, the abodes, the angels and spirits the objects seen-all are spiritual.

297

Though they are indistinguishably similar to the corresponding things seen on earth, yet these spiritual things-as may be seen from the testimony of prophetic visions-appear in their spiritual relationships. What is true of human minds on earth, and of their relations, is felt in that world as a tangible reality. A mental superiority is actually represented as an external fact. Thus, among spiritual beings, there are superior and inferior worlds: worlds apparently separate and distinct, yet influencing each other in various ways by influx. The three heavens, representing more and more interior planes of thought and affection, so distinct that each is a world of its own, based on a distinct general love, appear visually separate and indeed one above the other. So also the three hells; while the intermediate world of spirits, which is a world ordered on the less permanent basis of natural affections, is also a plane by itself. The heavens appear as if above this plane, the hells in their order below.
     This general spiritual fact was the origin of the concept of the ancients that the universe consisted of successive concentric spheres, the physical earth of men being the intermediate. For the ancients had confused the natural and the spiritual worlds.
     When evil spirits take possession of the world of spirits, those who are simple, whether good or evil, are put under the control and influence of the more persuasive, ambitious, unscrupulous, clever, and powerful minds. And this mental captivity causes the simpler spirits to become submerged or relegated to a "lower earth," a state of inferiority and helplessness; not only in human fact, but in actual appearance.
     Shall we regard this as phantastic? as incredible? Or shall we admit that this creation of "lower earths" is but a constant human occurrence? Can we be blind to the fact that "dark ages" have in the past repeatedly come upon the world, wherein the falsities which men have impressed upon the Church of God have enslaved human minds and taken away their heritage of freedom by imposing fears of damnation? Can we ignore the existence of periods in which the popular imagination has been captivated by some wave of thought, or some enticing philosophy which gripped men's mind in a vise of materialistic delusion or in a sweep of false security? Have we not seen whole nations submerged into a "lower earth" and kept there by lies about false heavens on earth; lies which by repetition become hypnotic and remove the will to resist?

298

     Again and again, men's spirits are thrust into such "lower earths" against their real desire. Every' faithless church, every false doctrine, creates an underworld of fear and misunderstanding: a "valley of the shadow of death" wherein thought is no longer free and one s will is broken, and life seems futile because one's spirit is infested from all sides by opposing forces.
     Such infestation is to be distinguished from temptation. In temptation man has anguish of conscience. Infestations reveal falsities, prepare man to rebel against his illusion so that he may become vastated of them. In the lower earth of the after life the spirits are under a special secret protection, and angels come to them at times to strengthen them. But it is also a place of vastation, where the faith in falsities is by degrees broken by bitter experiences. Spirits who rely upon their meritorious record of good works, or who are under the delusion that they are saved by faith alone, or by oral confession, are there taught to distrust their former judgment. We are also told about spirits who from rashness and importance had done evil things, neglecting to be cautioned by their own principles of religion, so that they might have known better! Such saints are held in the lower earth in a state of obscurity and tedium, living an almost thoughtless life, as if only half awake; and as a part of their vastation are brought by degrees into a forgetfulness of their earthly shortcomings and fallacies. Swedenborg suggests that the ancients,-and even those who, like the Greeks, had only secondhand knowledge of the Ancient Church-alluded to such spirits when they spoke of Lethe, the river of oblivion, of which the departed drank ere they could enter the Elysian Fields. (SD 1773)
     Spiritually, those in SHEOL or HADES, or in the "lower earth," were asleep, because under the spell of worldly passions and natural cares. Some were inwardly wicked. But many were salvable. Their spiritual minds were not closed but were dormant, unaroused, and those they were sometimes called "the dead." Only spiritual truth-the truth of spiritual charity,-could resuscitate them and raise them into heavenly life and cause spiritual flesh to grow upon their bones. Only a Divine Redeemer could restore a true order out of the chaos in the world of spirits; a Redeemer such as most of the ancient nations had indeed longed for, and expressed in their legends of Osiris and Hercules and Baldur and Mithra.

299

     But the Jews were unique in maintaining, and through the prophets clarifying, the hope of a Messiah And amongst the Jews He came, and lived, and at their hands He suffered the death of HADES. He descended into SHEOL, into the lower earths of the spiritual world, and preached liberty to the captives. He rose "the first-begotten of the dead," leading captivity captive, and holding the keys of death and of HADES.
     In spiritual appearance, this redemption of the lower earth was like a corporeal resurrection, such as had been pictured by the Pharisees,-an emergence from the underworld, the pit, the grave. If, in the light of the Writings, we read the Word and the spiritual story of antiquity of which it forms the central part, we can see prophecy in the making; see the laws of judgment as universal, repeated in every age. We shall come to understand the pathos of the ancient gentiles, who strove so futilely to avert the shades of Hangs with magic of their own making' or who prayed their god for long life; fearing the day when they must be gathered unto their fathers, and must go, moaning, into the underworld.
     We shall see the great need for the Lord's redeeming work, perpetuated by a revelation of spiritual truth and by the promise or a church of eternal youth. We shall see the constant need of new redemptions from the spheres of persuasion which, again and again, usurp dominion over our natural minds. And we shall know that in every age the redemption is not of human power, but that it is the Lord alone who can cause Death and Hades to release their prey.
ARE CONJUGIAL PAIRS PROVIDED FROM CREATION? 1951

ARE CONJUGIAL PAIRS PROVIDED FROM CREATION? Rev. ELMO C. ACTON 1951

On this subject our thought is that, for the preservation of human freedom in marriage, the Lord creates and provides a number of men and women of corresponding genius and type, called "similitudes," any two of whom can attain in marriage the eternal blessing of conjugial love.

300

For it seems that freedom in choosing one's conjugial partner, in order that it may be real freedom, demands the providing of a number of individuals between any two of whom conjugial love can be attained.
     The Divine Providence always acts in application to man's freedom, and we believe that the creation of a specific man for a specific woman would destroy this essential principle of the Divine Providence. Without this provision of similitudes the importance of orderly seeking on the part of the man, and accepting on the part of the woman, which precedes and prepares for marriage would vanish and the process be a formality, for in it freedom would not be a reality but an empty appearance.
     One teaching from which some have concluded that one man is destined for one woman from creation, or from birth, is the following: "There are marriages in the heavens the same as on earth, but in the heavens the marriages are of like with like (similium cum similibus); for man is born to act from the understanding, but woman from affection, and the understanding with man is the understanding of truth and good, and the affection with woman is the affection of truth and good; and as all understanding derives its life from affection the two there are joined together, as the affection which belongs to the will is joined with the corresponding thought which belongs to the understanding. The understanding" is different with everyone as the truths that constitute the understanding are different . . . Now because two different affections cannot correspond to one understanding, in heaven one man never has and never can have more than one wife." (AE 710: 25)
     From this and many other numbers containing similar teaching some have concluded that there can be only' one man for one woman from creation. It is certainly true that for every truth there is a corresponding good, and conversely. But an individual man or woman is highly composite and complex, even as to each thing of the understanding and as to each affection; and this compositeness and complexity is indefinitely increased by the number of forms called the understanding and the will, or affection. A man cannot be reduced to a single truth, and a woman cannot be reduced to one affection.
     At birth a man is a highly complex being, for in his soul are contained potentially all the natural, spiritual, and celestial states he can acquire to eternity.

301

Each individual, therefore, is capable of developing along an indefinite number of lines: and while we may say that his use is predestined, yet the phase of it he will develop into and become a form of is again indefinite; for the particular external form of his use is not predestined, but comes into existence in application to his freedom. Now it is according to the phase of his use which he develops that he becomes a form of wisdom; and it is the same with woman as to affection in its application to the form of the understanding with the husband. There is, then, an indefinite number of similitudes with men and with women, and the conjunction with the conjugial partner is according to human freedom in application to regeneration. Hence there is not one man born for one woman, except in the sense that the absolute conjunction into one flesh which is called conjugial love can be accomplished only between one man and one woman. This is the most general reason for the position here taken, that specific conjugial pairs are not born.
The question arises from two apparently conflicting teachings in the work entitled Conjugial Love. The first is that one man is born for one woman; the second is that given in the section on similitudes, which teaches that there are similitudes provided by the Lord and dissimilitudes, and that similitudes can attain conjugial love while dissimilitudes cannot. There must, however, he no doubt that the Lord provides a conjugial partner for everyone born into the world. Every man who goes to heaven is provided by the Lord with a conjugial partner. This is universally taught in the Writings.
There are, so far as we know, only two passages which speak of conjugial pairs being born, namely, Conjugial Love nos. 229 and 316. These are parallel passages and they both describe how conjugial partners are provided by the Lord in the heavens. The first passage is under the heading: "THE LORD PROVIDES SIMILITUDES FOR THOSE WHO DESIRE TRULY CONJUGIAL Love: AND IF THEY DO NOT EXIST ON EARTH HE PROVIDES THEM IN THE HEAVENS"; and it tells how they are provided in the heavens. The second passage occurs in a Memorable Relation and is quoted from the words of a "wise man" who in opening his talk said: "The Divine Providence of the Lord respecting marriages, and in marriages, in the heavens." Only no. 316 is here quoted.

302

     "The Divine Providence of the Lord respecting marriages, and in marriages, in the heavens is in things most single and thence in things most universal, because all the felicities of heaven spring from the delights of conjugial love, as sweet waters from the sweet vein of a fountain. And on that account it is therefore provided by the Lord that conjugial pairs be born, and that they be continually educated for marriage, the boy and the girl being ignorant of it: and that after the completed time, the then marriageable virgin and the youth then fit for the nuptials, somewhere, as if by fate, meet and see each other; and then instantly as by some instinct they know that they are mates, and from a kind of dictate think within themselves, the youth 'she is mine' and the virgin that 'he is mine.' And after this thought has been sealed for some time in the minds of both they deliberately address each other and are betrothed. It is said, as if by fate, and, as if by instinct; but the meaning is, by Divine Providence, because this when it is not known appears so. (CL 316)
     It is true that it is said in these passages that conjugial pairs are born, and that on coming together each recognizes the other as his or her conjugial partner. But at the same time it is said that this is the way in which the Lord provides conjugial love for man after death. At the time of death, whether in infancy or in adult life, the particular form of the understanding, or of the affection corresponding to it, is permanently determined. If death has occurred in infancy, time is needled for full development into adult life, and therefore the meeting of the partner is delayed; but after the partner has been met it can he seen how the Lord from birth led and provided for the marriage and the conjugial love in it. But this cannot he said of the marriages of this earth; although after the marriage has developed into conjugial love the steps by which the two have been led may be seen in retrospect; and after death, or even in certain states in this life, they too might say, in general speech, that they were born for each other.
     In the Writings there is also given the well known teaching concerning similitudes, and we believe it is in this teaching that it may be seen how the Lord provides for conjugial love in marriages on earth. The teaching concerning similitudes is given the distinction of separate headings in the chapter on "Universals Concerning Marriage" in Conjugial Love, while the teaching that partners are born for each other is incidental to the general subject in each instance.

303

We quote the teaching about similitudes.
     "THERE ARE VARIOUS SIMILITUDES AND VARIOUS DISSIMILITUDES WITH MARRIED PARTNERS, AS WELL INTERNAL AS EXTERNAL. It is well known that there are similitudes between married partners and that there are dissimilitudes, and that the external appear but not the internal, except to the partners themselves after living together for a time, and by indications to others. But to enumerate each so as to recognize them would be vain, for the mention and description of their variety would fill many paces. Similitudes may in part be deduced and inferred from the dissimilitudes on account of which conjugial love passes off into cold . . . Similitudes and dissimilitudes in general take their rise from connate inclinations, varied by education, companionships, and imbibed persuasions.
     "VARIOUS SIMILITUDES CAN BE CONJOINED, BUT NOT WITH DISSIMILITUDES. The varieties of similitudes are very numerous, and are more or less distinct. And yet those which differ can in time be conjoined by mutual offices, by civilities, by abstinence from things unchaste, by the common love of infants and the care of children, and above all by conformity in the things of the church. For by means of the things of the church a conjunction is effected of similitudes differing inwardly, but by the other means there is effected only a conjunction of those similitudes which differ outwardly. But with dissimilitudes no conjunction can be effected because they are antipathetic.
     "THE LORD PROVIDES SIMILITUDES FOR THOSE WHO DESIRE TRULY CONJUGIAL LOVE; AND IF THEY DO NOT EXIST ON EARTH HE PROVIDES THEM IN THE HEAVENS." (CL 227-229 Italics in CL 227-229 by ECA.) In the First Index to the missing work on Marriage it is said: "For those who go to the Lord, and who have a desire for love truly conjugial, a conjugial similitude is provided by Him."
     Where it is said that conjugial pairs are born we take it to mean that for every man and woman born into the world the Lord provides a similitude with whom he or she can receive conjugial love through the life of regeneration, and that if such a similitude is not given on earth the provision is made in the other world. If this were not the interpretation, what would become of the man or woman if his or her partner refused to regenerate and thus to receive conjugial love?

304

Would the one follow the other into hell, and thus suffer eternal damnation for a disorder or evil of early life? Or would he or she be compelled to accept a less ideal union? This in itself seems to be conclusive.
LOYALTY 1951

LOYALTY RICHARD R. GLADISH 1951

     What is involved in being a loyal New Church man? Does it mean that we should support and praise everything that is done by other New Church men, that we are bound to endorse with enthusiasm everything that may be done in the name of the Church, and that when a decision has to be made between an individual New Church man and someone outside the Church we must always favor our fellow member? Or is it not rather true that we do not have to be loyal to people to be New Church men and women: that it is our responsibility to be loyal to the Church, and not to the Church as an organization only, but to the truth and the uses of the Church?
     Let us consider the word loyalty. What does it mean? The dictionary tells us that it come from the French word, loi, meaning "law." We take it to mean, faithful to the lawful government: and in this sense it is precisely used in the reference, loyalty oaths, now current in these United States. In common usage we say that we have a duty to be faithful to a friend.-due-ty. It is his due. Loyalty is recognition of a debt that we owe to another. That is the ultimate reason why the Mosaic Law commanded that a magistrate should not accept a gift; for he would then have to owe a loyalty to a possible litigant, which would tend to make him prejudge the case, and make him a prejudiced official. In this there is recognition of a higher loyalty, namely, loyalty to truth.
     In a complex society each of us can recognize a host of loyalties, because the benefits we receive come from so many different sources and every acceptance on our part creates a measure of debt, and thus a degree of loyalty. We have a loyalty to home and family; and though we may pass lightly over this debt, home is still the place where "when you go there, they have to take you in," as Robert Frost has wryly said.

305

We have loyalties to nation and state, to county, city, and community. We have loyalties to school and club and class, to business and civic interests, to sports, to friends and neighbors. And even residence in a neighborhood is supposed automatically to imply certain loyalties. Baseball fans who live in Brooklyn are assumed to be loyal to the Dodgers.
     What, then, if loyalties are divided: if we are torn between duty to sister and parent, school and class, or, as in civil war, between state and nation or faction and family? And if there seems to be a necessity to judge between friendship and duty to the Lord are we able to accept His saying: "He that loveth father and mother more than Me is not worthy of Me"?
     Sometimes a perception deep within us makes the decision, as it did when Huck Finn was about to surrender Jim to the slave hunters. Jim, nearing freedom, talks happily of his plans, including the stealing of his own children, if he cannot buy them from their present owner. Huck is shocked. "Here was this nigger, who I had as good as helped to run away, coming right out flatfooted and saving he would steal his children-children that belonged to a man I didn't even know: a man that hadn't ever done me no harm." So he decides to hand Jim over. But just as he is about to betray Jim's hiding place, he finds that he cannot do it. Loyalty to natural law, to charity, prevails over loyalty to an evil, man-made decree.
     And should it not he so with us, that loyalty to the truth should triumph over any lesser loyalty? A true set of values is what is needed. The Writings provide us with such values. The truth as we see it therein is our law, and our loyalty is surely to that body of truth which the Lord has revealed in the Writings. We must judge friends and foes, men and women inside and outside of the Church. by that; and by that truth we should judge all acts and words. So if you say, "There are lots of nice people in the Old Church," I can answer in this way: "Yes, I have known some of them. But I have thrown in my lot with the New Church and that is my most important neighbor. Whoever aids the New Church is my friend, and I am his. If and when acquaintances or strangers outside the Church and the New Church they are my friends. And if New Church people fail to aid the Church they cease to be my friends in the measure of their failure, though I must consider well before deciding that what they do does not aid the Church."

306

     Our loyalty is not to any man, or to any organization as such,-but to the Divine will. The lives of each of us should be a march to that old crusaders' cry, "Deus vult!-God wills it!" We believe that the Divine will is to establish the New Church on earth as in the heavens, and we should surely be always on guard to make certain that our loyalty serves that end.
     Among ourselves there will often be differences as to what course to follow. And it must be evident that at such times no blind loyalty to a person or an organization should obscure our responsibility to the truth, or reliance be placed in a blind loyalty to traditional ideas which are backed more by proprial loves than by the Writings. Different views need not divide us as long as we have confidence in the sincerity and reasonableness of our fellows. That is an essential premise for our thinking, and it is precisely what we ask of others.
     May we not apply here what the Writings say about spheres? "Be it known that in so far as these spheres derive anything from the Lord, so far they conjoin; but in so far as they derive it from the angel's proprium, so far they disjoin. From this it is evident that the Lord alone conjoins." (AC 9606e)
     Have you ever had the experience of differing rat her violently with someone over a policy that affects a common interest, such as the Church or school, and afterwards feeling somewhat estranged from that former friend? And have you, perhaps, brooded over this difference until a phrase slipped into your mind, such as "First be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift"? And have you then reflected. "Well, our friendship was a happy thing when it was blooming. After all, he has the same interests at heart as I have. We just have different ways of serving our mutual interest. I will go to him and speak in friendship, examine his proposal, and ask him to examine mine, in the light of our common interest."?
     Is not this the type of concession we ought to make in favor of institutions such as Church or school, which represent the best embodiment of truth that we have been able to devise? Can we not, ought we not to assume that our friends who serve the use of administering the affairs of these organizations are both sincere and reasonable?

307

Ought we not to suspend adverse judgments until all the facts are in? And then, if we feel that a mistake has been made, ought we not to call that mistake to the attention of the responsible person in an orderly fashion, and in a fashion which reaffirms the fact that we are, after all, both working for the same end? Differences so settled bind us closer together. It is the proprium which makes cleavage.
Our highest loyalty is to the truth. But let us not pass too quickly over another high loyalty; loyalty to the truth forthstanding in, and as, an institution, which is a general truth in physical and organized form-the good of that truth as men have seen it.
REVIEW 1951

REVIEW Editor 1951

THE TRUE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. By Emanuel Swedenborg. Swedenborg Society Standard Edition. Translated by William C. Dick. The Swedenborg Society Incorporated, London, 1950. Cloth. pp. 972 (including Preface by the Translator, Indexes, Textual and Critical Notes, and Notes on Proper Names).

The True Christian Religion, published at Amsterdam in 1771, was first translated into English at London, ten years later. It is natural that a number of editions and new translations of this work, "containing the universal theology of the New Church." should have been offered since then to the English-speaking world. We are advised that the printing of the present edition was begun in October, 1947, when the printer gave a warning that it might take three years, and that the actual printing was finished in three years and three months, the sheets being ready just before Christmas, 1950.
We have no information as to when the translation itself was begun. But there is something inspiring in the thought that, probably in the midst of war, and certainly in the chaotic early post-war period, one of the most purposive and constructive of all uses-the translation and further dissemination of the Writings,-went quietly on, despite all the difficulties in the way. On this the Swedenborg Society, the Translator, and his Consultant, are to be warmly congratulated.

308

     From the standpoint of English, this new edition is very readable and show's several improvements on the earlier translations published by the Swedenborg Society in its general format. The type face and size used are quite legible, and there are several features which make for easier reading. Thus the long paragraphs of the original, consisting of large complex sentences leading to a conclusion stated at the end, are broken up into several paragraphs in English, with the various ideas in simple sentences connected by fewer link-words. This is a major improvement, and there are others which are no less welcome.
     The practice of printing page numbers at the bottom and the paragraph numbers at the top of the page is continued, but the paragraph numbers in the body of the text are printed in bold type, and a space is left between the original paragraphs. The subheadings which occur early in most of the chapters are indented and printed in roman as a table, instead of being placed in the body of the number in italics, and are indented and printed in small capitals where they occur in the text, which makes them clear and easy to find. Quotations from the Bible are printed in small roman, in indented paragraphs, instead of being italicized and included in the body of the number; and where a close rendering of Swedenborg's version differs from the Authorized (King James) Version both are given with the Authorized Version added in brackets. Numbers indicating the subdivisions used in the SWEDENBORG CONCORDANCE are again set in the margin, but in large type and within square brackets, which makes them much easier to find. The footnotes, models of brevity, are added with a rare restraint and a nice sense of judgment which gives full credit for intelligence to the reader, and are interesting and informative.
     These are all welcome improvements on the earlier English editions. However, we feel that some of them could be carried still further. Spaces between the paragraphs into which the original numbers have been divided, smaller than those between the original paragraphs, would make for still easier reading by providing breaks in what is sometimes a solid page. Outlines, such as the one occurring in no. 344, are not distinguished clearly enough from chapter subheadings and break the continuity of the text. And the readability of Scripture quotations would be improved if spaces were inserted between them wherever there is a long series.

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Punctuation has been brought up to date in several respects but the system of capitalization employed is not entirely in accord with good modern usage, at least in this country.

     Our main interest, however, is in the ideals and aims of a translator and the extent to which they appear to have been attained and achieved. In the past there have been two schools of New Church translators: one aiming at a faithful rendition of the Latin, the other at a translation into contemporary English free from the distinctive terms peculiar to the Writings. The translator of the volume under review is definitely not of the latter school, yet does not seem to belong entirely to the former. For while his predominant aim has been to present the work in standard English, he has retained distinctive Latin terms in the text and has endeavored by the free use of notes to enable the reader to refer directly to the original. In other words, he seems to have had equally in mind the inquirer, the average New Church reader, and the student.
     The ideals of the translator are most fairly stated in his own words. "To secure an adequate translation the translator has been concerned:

1) To approach as closely as possible the meaning of each word and phrase intended by the author;
2) To render that meaning by the nearest equivalents which English usage permits;
3) And to arrange and weld together these equivalents so that the whole might convey the content intended by the author as fully and as faithfully as the original." (Preface, p. iv)

     These are sound principles which cannot be too highly commended. But it is almost inevitable that differences of opinion should arise; and it appears to us that, in several instances, the translation does not "convey the content intended by the author as fully and as faithfully as the original." Only a few examples can be cited here, and all italics are by the reviewer.
     In no. 2, the translation reads: "The Faith of the New Heaven and the New Church, in its General Form, is this." Later in the same number we find: "This is said to be the general form of the faith, and faith in its general form enters into all its particulars."

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In the three places where the translation has "general" the Latin is "universalia" which means universal. "General" and "universal" are not the same thing; and as the Writings clearly and consistently distinguish universals, generals, and particulars, the content intended by the author is not here expressed as fully and as faithfully as in the original. Further, in the same number is the phrase: "The Lord from eternity, who is Jehovah, came into the world that He might subdue the hells." The Latin here is "ut subjugaret," rendered to subjugate in the older editions. It is true that "subjugate" is now rare in English; but a careful comparison seems to indicate that it conveys more fully what the author intended than does `subdue" and that there would be good ground for retaining it.
The particulars of faith on man's part (no. 3) conclude: "But he should believe that they are from the Lord acting with him and through him."" Acting" has no equivalent in the Latin, which is "a Domino apud illum et per illum"; literally, from the Lord with him and by means of him, and so translated in the older editions; and the Writings point out that the Lord does not act through man, but man acts of himself from the Lord. Perhaps the least happy translation, however, is that of "existere" by "existing." (no. 23, et al.) In modern English, "existing" carries the general idea of "being alive" or simply "being," the latter the translation of "esse" adopted here. There is thus a certain ambiguity which may confuse the reader who is unfamiliar with the terminology of the Writings. But that is not all. "Existere" does not mean "to exist" in the ordinary use of that word, but rather "to stand forth"; a Latin use which is entirely lost in its English equivalent but which is clear and striking in its reference to the Divine in the Writings. We submit that it would be preferable to make it our own word in the English of the Writings; calling it "the Divine existere," or at worst, "the Divine forth-standing."
Two other instances must suffice here. The heading of no. 30 is translated: "God, since the world was created, is in space apart from space, and in time apart from time." The Latin word here translated "apart from" is "absque," which means without; not in the sense of out-with, but as denoting a defect. "In space apart from space" is perilously close to a contradiction in terms. But "in space without space," i.e., within the extense of space but without spatial attributes-parts, displacement, dimension, etc.,-seems to convey more nearly the meaning intended; and this is the translation used in most of the other editions.

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Finally, in no. 103, we read: "With those who come into heaven this substance is beneath and the spiritual is above; but with those who come into hell this substance is above, and the spiritual beneath." The reference here is to the "limbus," and the Latin word rendered "substance" is, in each instance, "limbus" which means a border. The term may be translated by other words which are synonyms of "border," but it does not mean "substance" and so to translate it is to chance its meaning.

These are specific instances, but there are two principles about which we would register a difference of opinion. We do not agree with the principle set forth in the Preface (p. iv), that English usage does not favor the Latin employment of the adjective as a substantive, but prefers that an appropriate substantive be addled. The translator qualifies his argument by stating that "when the addition of such a substantive would appear to limit unduly the application of the word, the adjectival form in English is used as the substantive to indicate the comprehensive use of the term, as spirituale, the spiritual." And there would seem to be no reason why we should not refer to "the will," "the understanding" or "the rational" without adding "principle," "faculty," or "mind." Much has been written about the need to develop a distinctive terminology in the New Church. It has been noted that every special field builds up a technical vocabulary, which does not deter the inquirer. English is not so inflexible a language that adjustments cannot readily be made in its use. The most important thing is a common understanding of Swedenborg meaning of the term; and we should encourage rather than seek to hinder the development of distinctive terms of which "proprium" and "conjugial" are examples. Incidentally, the present work offers little opportunity to apply this principle, as compared with, say, The Divine Love and Wisdom.
The idea of a distinctive terminology in the works of the Writings applies also to the translator's retention of Latin words in the text. Is there any reason why certain planes of the mind should not be referred to as "the mens" and "the animus" rather than "mind (mens)" and "mind (animus)"?

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"Mens" and "animus" are far clearer to a reasonably well instructed New Church man than "mind"; and for the benefit of other readers the terms can be defined in a footnote, as is done in any case in no. 739:4. The same is true of "cognition" and "scientific," for which English offers only "knowledge." Exactness of terminology is achieved in the Writings, and distinctive ideas expressed in distinctive terms should not be sacrificed for the sake of conformity with current English usage or rendering of words.

     The TEXTUAL, CRITICAL, AND EXPLANATORY NOTES, a new feature, are excellent: terse but complete, and never unnecessary. Quotation of the original Latin in bold type is particularly useful for the student.
     The translator is to be congratulated also on the inclusion of NOTES ON PROPER NAMES, which were lacking in earlier editions. The True Christian Religion is studied with classical and historical allusions and with references to philosophers, theologians, and obscure sects; and these notes, informative but succinct, say just enough to make these allusions intelligible.
     Another new feature, and further evidence of the diligence and industry of the translator, is the TABLE OF REPEATED PASSAGES. This is of considerable value to the serious student, especially in the case of the Memorabilia. Passages in quotation marks in the original edition are listed separately in this table.
     The INDEX OF PASSAGES FROM THE SACRED SCRIPTURES appears to be the same as in the previous edition. Bat we have here another example of the translator's desire to spare no pains in placing everything needful at the disposal of the reader, in that the numbers are in italics where the Authorized, or King James Version, differs from a close translation of Swedenborg's Latin. We would suggest that in future editions this Index should be entitled "Index of Passages from the Bible": for the Writings use "Sacred Scripture" as a synonym for the Word and this Index includes references also to the noncanonical books of the Bible.
     The SUBJECT INDEX has been reduced by approximately one-third. The making of such an index poses many problems and it is difficult to appraise justly, especially when the principle employed is not clear.

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Many unnecessary entries have been eliminated: but we would venture to suggest that the listing of Holy Spirit and Holy Supper under "S" as "Spirit, the Holy" and "Supper, the Holy" smacks of pedantry. The average reader, failing to find them under "H," will simply conclude that they are not listed and will look no further.

We have reviewed this edition at some length because of the nature of the work itself and the importance of a new translation of it. At the close of the Preface, the translator expresses his indebtedness to the Rev. E. A. Sutton, MA., B.D., "for the meticulous care which he exercised as Consultant to ensure that no point in the original should remain unnoticed, and that no pains should be spared in the endeavor to present a translation as worthy as the original deserves. Although we have differed from him on certain principles and points of translation, we feel that the English-speaking New Church is indebted to the translator on the same grounds And in spite of certain defects, we feel also that this translation is to be welcomed: for the many improvements it contains, for the ideals which inspired it, and for the thoroughgoing industry with which those ideals were pursued.
THE EDITOR.
LOVE OF COUNTRY 1951

LOVE OF COUNTRY 1951

"Our country is more the neighbor than a society, because it is like a parent; for there the man has been born: it nourishes him, and protects him from harm. Our country is to be benefited from love, according to its necessities, which chiefly regard its sustenance, its civil life, and its spiritual life. He who loves his country, and from good will benefits it, in the other life loves the Lord kingdom: for there the Lord's kingdom is his country And he who loves the Lord's kingdom loves the Lord, because the Lord is the all in all of His kingdom; for what is properly called 'the Lord's kingdom' is the good and truth from the Lord in those who are in it." (Arcana Coelestia, no. 6821)

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FORGOTTEN PAGES OF NEW CHURCH HISTORY 1951

FORGOTTEN PAGES OF NEW CHURCH HISTORY Rev. WILLIAM WHITEHEAD 1951

     7. The Prayer of the Revolution

     Despite Carl Van Doren's severe strictures on the conduct of the Rev. Jacob Duche, rector of Christ Church and St. Peter's in Philadelphia (see his SECRET HISTORY OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION, 1941, pp. 3Q-43), New Church men can find much to interest them in the character of this former Episcopal clergyman who, in the strange ways of Providence, became a receiver of the Heavenly Doctrine while an exile in London.
     He was born in Philadelphia in 1737. His grandfather was a Huguenot who fled from France "with thirteen children and a large family Bible" on the occasion of the revocation of the Edict of Nantes by Louis XIV. Jacob's father became a quite wealthy and prominent Philadelphian, which enabled his son to become the very first graduate of the "College of Philadelphia," today known as the University of Pennsylvania. Sent to England for his education as an Episcopal minister, he returned in 1759, and at length was made rector of the "United Episcopal Churches of Philadelphia. Gifted with eloquence and literary ability he also served as "Professor of Oratory" at the College from which he had graduated. He married Elizabeth Hopkinson, the sister of Francis Hopkinson, one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence.
     When the first Continental Congress, meeting in Carpenters' Hall. Philadelphia, in September, 1774, felt the need for Divine guidance in those dark, adventurous days, it was natural that the best known clergyman of the city should be requested to open the third session with prayer. Duche's extemporaneous prayer proved to be prophetic of the spirit which blazed forth at Lexington and Concord in the following year. From the original records we copy it, as follows:

315

     "O Lord, our Heavenly Father, high and mighty King of Kings and Lord of Lords, who dost from Thy throne behold all the dwellers of the earth, and reignest with power supreme and uncontrollable over the kingdoms, empires, and governments, look down in mercy, we beseech Thee, on these American States, who have fled to Thee from the rod of the oppressor and thrown themselves on Thy gracious protection. Desiring to be henceforth dependent only on Thee, to Thee have they appealed for the righteousness of their cause: to Thee do they now look up for that countenance and support which Thou alone canst give.
     "Take them, therefore, Heavenly Father, under Thy gracious care, and give them council and valor in the field. Defeat the malicious designs of our adversaries, convince them of the unrighteousness 01 their cause; and if they still persist in their sanguinary purpose 0 let the voice of Thy unerring justice, sounding in their hearts, constrain them to drop the weapons of war in their unnerved hands in the day of battle. Be Thou present, 0 God of wisdom, and direct the councils of this honorable assembly; enable them to settle things on the best and surest foundation, that the scene of blood be speedily closed: that order, harmony, and peace may be restored, and truth and justice, religion and piety, prevail and flourish among the people. Preserve the health of their bodies and the vigor of their minds; shower down on them and the millions they represent such temporal blessings as Thou seest expedient for them in this world, and crown them with everlasting glory in the world to come. Amen."
     From the testimony of men present at this scene, we gather that the sphere created by this prayer made an indelible and overpowering impression. A famous engraving was made to commemorate the occasion. Indeed, Mr. Duche was appointed Chaplain of Congress by John Hancock on July 5, 1776, and held that position until October 17, when he resigned on the plea of ill health.
     Yet this man, endowed with great intuition, learning, and piety, faltered in his resolution as the bloody chapters of the American Revolution began to unfold. In 1777, he wrote a long and persuasive letter to General George Washington, urging him to adopt a policy of appeasement toward the British government and to drop the idea of separation from the mother country. Washington, losing for once his habitual patience, promptly called him a "detestable parricide" and turned over his letter to the Second Congress-a very different body from the gossip which had heard his memorable prayer.

316

He was at once exiled to England and all his property was confiscated, only enough money being left to send his wife and children after him. Most American historians have execrated his memory; and, like Van Doron, have denounced his "famous, foolish attempt" at peace as "the most egregious instance of loyalist snobbery."
As to what took place in his mind and heart we have no convincing evidence. Whether his famous letter was the result of pressure by his Bishop, the Bishop of London, or was born of his abhorrence for bloodshed or his distaste for the baser elements to be found in the ranks of the revolutionists, we shall probably never know. But his punishment was separation from the Land that he loved. In London he obtained the chaplinacy of the "Asylum for Female Orphans" at Lambeth. And here he became acquainted with the Writings of Swedenborg, and seems at once to have accepted them joyously as a Divine revelation and to have joined with others in the first organized society of New Church men in the world! The Academy Library contains interesting volumes of the sermons which he preached during this period.
But his heart was still in Philadelphia, and he was permitted, in 1792, to come back to the city in which his prayer had been hearth, and answered. And when he died in 1798, he had the felicity of knowing that his daughter, Esther Duche, had been happily married the previous year to one of his own converts, time Rev. William Hill. So far as we know, this is the first recorded marriage of a New Church couple in the world.
VITAL CONCLUSION 1951

VITAL CONCLUSION 1951

"Therefore, kind reader, look into yourself, and search out one or other of your evils, and from a principle of religion remove it; for if you do so for any other reason or end, you will only succeed in concealing them from the world." (True Christian Religion, no. 566)

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NOTES AND REVIEWS 1951

NEW CHURCH LIFE
Office of Publication, Lancaster, Pa.
Published Monthly By

THE GENERAL CHURCH OF THE NEW JERUSALEM
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     CONJUGIAL PAIRS

     There is no doubt among us that the Lord wills to provide a conjugial partner for every man and woman born into the world. Nor is there any question that such a consort is given, in the life after death if not here on earth, to all who are regenerated by the Lord. But the teaching as to the manner in which this is effected leaves room for varying interpretations and thus for a difference of understanding.
     In this issue we print an article by the Rev. Elmo C. Acton, "Are Conjugial Pairs Provided from Creation?," which expresses one view of the subject. This article is published for two reasons: for its able statement of the conclusion reached by the writer and of the reasons on which it is based; and with the hope that others whose studies have led them to a different conclusion may present their findings in these pages.
FAIR CRITICISM AND DEFAMATION 1951

FAIR CRITICISM AND DEFAMATION 1951

It is written in the Word, Thou shalt not revile the gods nor curse the ruler of thy people" (Exodus 22: 28); and in the Writings it is said: "There ought to be obedience to the king according to the laws of the realm, nor should he be injured by any means, either by deeds or words" (HD 325).

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These Divine teachings are of practical import daily to New Church men and women, and they may usefully be considered at a time when so many governments are under fire, both at home and abroad, in the countries wherein the Church has been established,
     Most of us live in democracies in which the supporters of a party elect the government to office. Many of us also belong to a party and may therefore find ourselves in political opposition to the government of the day. That we are susceptible to the criticism of men in public office, ranging from the legitimate to the scurrilous, permitted in the free press of a world which is taut always clear as to the distinction between liberty and license, And these facts raise several important questions. What kind of criticism may we properly make as New Church people? What criticism should we, or should we not, take pleasure in hearing and repeating? When may we acquiesce, and when should we be aroused to a blazing moral indignation?
     The Writings nowhere inculcate an uncritical acceptance of human authority. With all other guardians of civil liberties, New Church men would resist as the first threat of totalitarianism the doctrine that all, or any, criticism of the government in power or one of its officers is subversive or treasonable. There is much teaching in the Writings to the effect that the civil and natural life of men may, and should be judged for the maintenance of freedom and the preservation of uses. But not all judgment are spiritually defensible even judgments on those planes,
     Right thinking men everywhere deplore the whispering and the smear campaign; and by none should it be more execrated than the New Church, which knows from doctrine that to destroy a matins usefulness by taking away his good name is a breach of the commandment: "Thou shalt not kill." (TCR 309) Unfounded or vicious criticism, words which would be actionable under the law of libel or slander, relentless baiting of public figures, and opinions which do not reflect fair judgement of individual actions but the automatic response of a contemptuous prejudice, are worlds apart from constructive criticism and from the spirit of true charity. And in a world in which the sphere of such things is so strong, we will probably do well to take heed that we do not, unthinkingly, "follow a multitude to do evil."

319

Offices cannot be entirely separated from men. We may say that, of course, we have a high regard for the office. But that assertion is surely open to some doubt if we welcome, and pass on with pleasure, whatever reflects to the discredit of the holder of office. It would seem clear from the Writings that we may criticize constructively a man's performance in office, question policy, and withhold honor when it is undeserved; but that we are not entitled to impugn the motives and character of the man, or to heap dishonor upon him. If he is unworthy he will do that himself: and where there is unfitness, it will surely cause sorrow rather than pleasure, when there is a true respect for office itself.
MARRIAGE WITHIN THE CHURCH 1951

MARRIAGE WITHIN THE CHURCH 1951

When the Lord declared Himself to be the bread of life as He taught in the synagogue at Capernaum, many of His disciples said: "This is an hard saying; who can hear it?" And it is recorded that "from that time many of His disciples went back, and walked no more with Him." (John 6: 60, 66) In the Writings we are told that: "The faith of the New Church cannot by any means be together with the faith of the former church, and if they are together, such a collision and conflict will take place that everything of the church with man will perish." (BE 102) And this teaching is generally accepted among us as showing the need for a distinct and distinctive church. Yet, to some, the realization that it applies to marriage is a "hard saying"; and their first reaction is to ask: "Who can hear it?".
The doctrine itself is most explicitly stated in these words: "Those who have been born within the church, and from infancy have been imbued with the principles of the truth of the church, ought not to contract marriages with those who are outside of the church, and have thus been imbued with such things as are not of the church" (AC 8998). This is the Divine law, and the reason is: "that there is no conjunction between them in the spiritual world, for everyone in that world is in consociation according to his good and the truth thence derived: and as there is no conjunction between such in the spiritual world, neither ought there to be any conjunction on earth." (Ibid.)

320

"Regarded in themselves," the teaching continues, "marriages are conjunctions of dispositions and of minds, the spiritual life of which is from the truths and goods of faith and of charity." (Ibid.)
     Therefore it is said elsewhere: "Nor can conjugial love exist between two partners belonging to different religions, because the truth of the one does not agree with the good of the other; and two unlike and discordant kinds of good and truth cannot make two minds one; and in consequence the love of such does not have its origin in anything spiritual. If they live together in harmony it is solely on natural grounds' (HH 378) And the angelic view of mixed marriages is disclosed in the statement that "marriages on earth between those who are of a different religion are accounted in heaven as heinous, and still more so marriages between those who are of the church and those who are outside of the church" (AC 8998).
     There can surely be no doubt as to the plain meaning of these teachings. It is indeed said that "conjugial love can exist only with those who are of the Christian Church" (CL 337). But by this is evidently meant the true Christian, or New Church, in both its specific and universal forums. For the so-called Christian Church is that former church, the faith of which cannot by any means be together with that of the New Church. Spiritually it is dead, and it is not undergoing any permeation by the spirit of a new age. And when we have regard to the conditions for reception of conjugial love, it is evident that they cannot be met by that church. To say that certain individuals outside the Church are better than some within it, while probably true, is merely to becloud the issue. Nor does it help to say that a couple brought up in the organized church may not have the church within them. The latter may not be in a state to receive the conjugial, but those whim are in the faith of the former church cannot be.
     Now this doctrine has not been devised by the Lord to limit or frustrate His creatures. It is not a punitive statute, but a law of order, disclosed in infinite wisdom from infinite love and concern for the true happiness of men and women. For we are told that the first three causes of internal cold in marriage are the rejection of religion by both partners, the fact that one has religion while the other has not, and the fact that one has a different religion from the other. (CL 234)

321

"The conjugial is nothing else than that truth which can be conjoined with good, and that good which can be conjoined with truth" (AC 3942). And if the partners are of different religions good cannot be conjoined with its own corresponding truth; for the wife is the good of her husband's truth, and he is the truth of the wife's good. Hence out of the two souls there cannot be made one soul" (CL 242). Having disclosed the dangers from which He would withhold them, however, the Lord leaves men and women in absolute freedom to marry whomsoever they please, provided there be no legal impediment to their union. But those who hope and look for an eternal union of souls and minds will surely give heed to the warning sounded in these teachings.
However, it may be asked if the doctrine means that a New Church man or woman should never marry someone who is outside the Church. We think it does not. Let this not be misunderstood. We do not mean that marriage outside the Church should be encouraged or preferred, or even that it should be regarded as a matter of little importance; nor have we any fear that these things are likely to come to pass. Two things seem to be clear. The young people of the Church should look within the Church for a partner of their choice, and hope to find one there rather than outside it. And when a person is confirmed in the falsities of the former church, or in no religion-atheism, agnosticism, or even modern deism-we may be certain that no union of souls and minds which survives the death of the body will result from marriage.
But love sometimes comes unexpectedly and unsought; and there are many people in the Christian world, ignorant of the truth of the Writings but not interiorly confirmed in the falsities of the former church, of whom the Lord says: "He that is not against us is on our part." The record shows that some of our most loyal and devoted members have come into the Church through marriage, either before or after the marriage itself. And the doctrine teaches that not all marriages between persons of different religions are doomed to spiritual failure. We are instructed that even internal cold can be dissipated, if one partner has a true religion and the other receives a religion agreeing with it. (CL 241)

322

And in another passage which speaks of "unlawful conjunctions," that is, conjunctions which are not made from conjugial affection but from some other affection, such as that of beatify, we read: "In the beginning these conjunctions are unlawful . . . Nevertheless a lawful conjunction may afterwards be effected from them as means, which takes place when the minds are conjoined." (AC 9182: 3) This teaching, be it noted, may apply also to marriages between persons both of whom are members of the Church.
     There will always be those who think secretly that they can cheat the laws of Providence, or who hope blindly for special dispensations, if not for miracles. And so it might be well for all young people to recognize, while they have rationality and liberty to do so, the emptiness and accumulating misery of marriage for one who has some use for the things of the Church with a person who is hostile to them, or in which a wretched agreement to differ must be implemented by heavy and careful silence about the things which are most dear to the heart. When a man or woman is not opposed or indifferent to the Church, and is even affirmative, there would seem to be no reason why marriage should not be entered into. It might be asked, of course, whether it would not be better to wait until the person of one's choice had entered the Church? But that is for them to decide: and the priest or layman who would advise a young person in this situation must have tender and careful regard for their state and freedom, avoiding any suggestion of highhandedness or dictation,
     Two things may be said in conclusion. The principles taught in the Writings should never be compromised. But when a fellow member marries outside the Church, our attitude should not be one of censure of him or of hostility to the partner of his choice, but one of good will and of warm welcome to a new couple we hope will yet be in the Church. And if the other comes into the Church, no hurting distinctions should be made thereafter. The social consciousness which counts worth and distinction in terms of duration of tenure has no place in the Lord's New' Church. The doctrine of marriage within the Church is not intended to convey any idea of personal superiority or inferiority, but is given for the preservation of the conjugial, upon which the hope of the Church rests.
     And those within the Church who marry will realize that certificates of membership and the solemnization of their union by a priest of the Church does not make a New Church marriage.

323

Their union is not an end, but a beginning. They have from the Lord the ability to receive conjugial love here on earth And only in the measure that they look to Him, and together follow Him in the regeneration, entering into good and truth by living the life of charity and faith, do they receive the blessing which they sought when they came before the Lord in the marriage ceremony. For conjugial love is simply the regenerate love of a new will directed to one of the sex; a love effecting a union of souls and minds, and yielding "a blessed life on earth, and eternal life together in heaven."
DR. HOTSON'S LETTER 1951

DR. HOTSON'S LETTER 1951

     Last month we printed a letter from Dr, Clarence Hotson, in which exception was taken to Mr. James Pendleton's "A Review of the Dutch Position" (pp. 283-285). In so far as the letter touched on editorial policy it was commented on in these pages (p. 276). A detailed answer to the points made by Dr. Hotson here follows.
     Whether the article is a review of the Dutch Position, is accurate, and actually states the position, is a matter on which we do not expect to find agreement. However, the article was net written, or accepted for publication, "because a group of General Church young people want to find out for themselves what the Nova Hierosolyma church believes," but as expressing the reaction of one young person who went to considerable pains to do so and as therefore being of interest to the members of the General Church, the official organ of which this journal is. And Mr. Pendleton's status, and the occasion on which the article was given as a paper, were carefully stated in a footnote in order to establish a framework of reference for the reader who did not know him.
     The fact that the article was not documented by the writer is probably due to the specific purpose for which it was prepared, to be delivered before the College Gymnasium. But we agree that it should have been documented for publication, and point out that this is not Mr. Pendleton's fault but an editorial omission. However, we would take issue with our correspondent on another point.
     Dr. Hotson deplores the fact that the article "goes into personalities."

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This cry has been raised so often, and the proponents of the Hague have expressed such a strong desire that we should exclude personalities that it seems to be time for a little clear thinking about this matter. There is a vital but easily overlooked distinction between persons and personalities. The Dutch Position is not an abstraction, is not only a doctrine, but is also a movement. And doctrine and history are so interwoven that they can scarcely be separated. For the fact is that views are expressed, statements made, and actions taken by persons. To refer to what persons said and did, which can be verified from the record, is not to introduce personalities. That is done only when the motives, character, integrity, and sincerity of the persons concerned are impugned, or when a discussion becomes abusive.
Whether the meeting time of the Council of the Clergy in 1933 was spent in considering the issues raised by the new position or whether the Council merely touched on certain phases and devoted most of its time to a single charge which the Hague group denied was any part of their teaching, is probably a matter on which we have little hope of reaching an agreement. It is a matter of approach and interpretation. The record is there to be examined, and we are quite satisfied to allow Dr. Hotson to disagree with the article on this point. The same may be said of his contention that the statement, "nothing further on that subject was written or referred to in the official organ of the Church," states in its context that "between some time in 1933, and February, 1936, there was no discussion of the Hague position in NEW CHURCH LIFE." The context does not say how long the period of silence lasted, but it would be possible to take it in this way. However it might be noted that the only things which appeared in NEW CHURCH LIFE during the period mentioned were the paper by Bishop N. D. Pendleton referred to by Dr. Hotson, which ax-as given to the Council of the Clergy in 1934, together with the discussion thereof, and a review of a pamphlet by the Rev. Albert Bjorck.
Dr. Hotson's petition that all discussions of the Dutch Position should be free from personalities would be more entitled to succeed if he came into court with clean hands. He apparently accepts the accuracy of Mr. Pendleton's statement as to Mr. Pfeiffer's reason for requesting an independent diocese, but continues: "The another author neglects to mention a most significant change in the tactics of the majority.

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Led by the Rt. Rev. George de Charms, they made the discovery, apparently early in 1937, that good and truth after reception in man are not the Lord with man, but are specially created by the Lord and are human in the sense of non-Divine," This can surely mean only one of two things. Either the majority was providentially led to discover a truth which controverts the Dutch Position, or, as a matter of strategy, it deliberately fabricated a doctrine in order to give the semblance of Divine authority for its opposition. We cannot believe that Dr. Hotson inclines to the former view, and the latter involves a most objectionable personality; for it impugns the honesty, sincerity, and doctrinal integrity of the men referred to. Furthermore, the onus of proof rests with Dr. Hotson. By his own requirements, the charge that the General Church "discovered" a new doctrine should be supported by well documented evidence.
Suppose, however, that the onus of proof were on the General Church. After considerable research we have not been able to find in NEW CHURCH LIFE, prior to 1930, any statement of the doctrine we are alleged to have "discovered" early in 1937. But what of it? Nowhere in what I have written during the past seventeen years will I be found to have taught that the earth revolves round the sun. If someone were to revive the old geocentric theory I would certainly do so. But to say that I had conveniently, and as a matter of strategy, "discovered" the heliocentric system would be, to say the least, an ill-advised assumption. The fact is, that in the opinion of the General Church the truth regarding good and truth with man is so plainly stated, and so generally understood, that there was no need to emphasize it until it was called in question.
Dr. Hotson continues that, in his view, it was only after this doctrine was "proclaimed and apparently acquiesced in" that Mr. Pfeiffer proposed a separate diocese. This is stated as opinion, but as such it is not evidence; and it is not supported by the direct quotes or references to source or documentary proof on which Dr. Hotson himself insists. But are direct quotes always necessary? In a review it is quite legitimate to summarize a series of events or statements. And although the adverb "vehemently" might be questioned, we can imagine no more severe denunciation and denial than Mr. Pfeiffer's statement, that "the organization and administration of the General Church had separated itself from the Lord." (DOCUMENTS CONCERNING THE SEPARATION OF THE REV. ERNST PEFIFFER. p. 14)

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     We agree that general bodies of the Church, like individuals, should be capable of self examination, and note with interest Dr. Hotson proposal for a committee. But self examination is not effected by bringing in a fact-finding committee, or on the basis of a critical history, but in the light of the Word. We doubt if such a committee could, and would, bring in a unanimous report. Still more do we doubt the need for such a report, although it would be convenient to have all the recorded facts between the covers of a single volume. But the record is available to all who wish to study it. In the pages of NEW CHURCH LIFE, the DOCUMENTS CONCERNING THE SEPARATION OF THE REV. ERNST PFEIFFER, the Fascicles of DE HEMELSCHE LEER, and the serial THE CRISES IN THE GENERAL CHURCH edited by the Rev. Theodore Pitcairn and others, the facts are fully stated. Those who wish may go to them, as did Mr. Pendleton to produce an article which, in our opinion, is not misleading.
     But there is more than an irreconcilable doctrinal difference. The Hague group will not accept as accurate any appraisal of the facts which does not concede that they were misunderstood from beginning to end, and that they were opposed for things they do not teach; any more than some Germans will ever accept as correct any appreciation of the two World Wars which concludes that Germany was defeated militarily in the field. Their sincerity is not to be questioned; but this shows a serious difference, and a Church which is instructed not to put its trust in councils or to make doctrine by legislation can scarcely look to a committee however competent and disinterested, to produce an authoritative report
     Finally, readers of NEW CHURCH LIFE need have no apprehension that the controversy of the '30s is being reopened in these pages. Mr. Pendleton's article was accepted for its merit and its interest to the members of the General Church. Dr. Hotson's letter, the only one on the subject received in several months, was published as promptly as possible. And with this answer to his letter the correspondence is closed.

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Church News 1951

Church News Various 1951

     TORONTO, CANADA

     Easter.-The beauty of innocence was personified for the Palm Sunday congregation at the beginning of the service when the little children, dressed in dainty colors, and carrying lovely spring flowers as their offering to the Lord, walked down the aisle. The happy sphere continued through the service.
     On Good Friday a special evening service was held, donna which our Pastor read two extra lessons in place of a sermon, thus giving the congregation the complete story of the Crucifixion, Suitable music was interspersed. The sphere was quiet, calm, and serene, as only in these evening services it can be; and the chancel, adorned with candles and calla lilies, was lovely in its simple dignity.
     Easter Sunday broke reasonably fine and the morning service, centring in the Sacrament of the Supper, was well attended. The Rev. A. Wynne Acton preached a fine sermon on "The Flesh and Blood of the Glorified Human."

     Classes.-On April 11th, in place of a doctrinal class, our Pastor gave a special address on the giving of religious instruction to little children. This was particularly well attended, the younger parents making a special effort to be present, and Mr. Acton's paper proved to be of vital interest. On the following Wednesday a new series of doctrinal classes began wish a treatise on the love of ruling from the love of self.

     Meetings.-The Semi-Annual Meeting of the Society was held on April 4th, and glided through with smooth optimisim.
     April 14th was the date on which the now famous Ladies Night of the Forward-Sons was held. This year the delicious supper was prepared by Messrs. Philip Bellinger and Ron Smith aided by a number of able assistants. The tables were daintily and decorated with spring flowers, and the guests did full justice to the appetizing meal. The program began with a toast to "The Church," most ably proposed by the Rev. A. Wynne Acton, after which Mr. Thomas Bradfield rose to propose a toast to "The Academy." This was his debut as a speaker in our midst, and it was most inspiring to hear a comparatively new-comer speak so understandingly and appreciatively of the efforts made by the Academy towards New Church education. We shall assuredly look forward to hearing more after dinner speeches from this source. Mr. Thomas Fountain offered a toast to "The Ladies" in humorous vein, and gave us a picture of the Jane Austin type far removed from the feminine guests present.
     The tables were cleared by the gentlemen only, and we heard a most enlightening address from Mr. John White on precious gems, which was brought to a climax by the showing of some fascinating screen pictures of the development of various gems. During this latter part of the evening Mr. White was inundated with questions, all of which he has answered, thereby displaying an amazing fund of knowledge on the subject.
     The Ladies' Circle meeting for April was held at the house of Mrs. Willima Collett, with a special speaker, Mrs. Jerrine Kinton.

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Mrs. Kinton gave an interesting, and at times humorous lecture, on the making of illustrated maps, with particular reference to Ontario.

     Mr. Reuter's Visit.-While our Pastor, accompanied by Mrs. Acton, paid a visit to Cleveland, the Rev. Norman Reuter and his wife came to Toronto, and we were privileged to hear an inspiring sermon on "Spiritual Courage" preached by Mr. Reuter. These visitors were the guests of Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Knight, who entertained in their honor on Sunday afternoon. We all enjoyed their good companionship.

     A Wedding.-On the Saturday afternoon before Easter members and friends were invited to attend the marriage of Mr. Ivan Scott and Miss Margaret Hudson, which took place in St. Anne's Anglican Church, Margaret was a sweet and particularly natural bride, and both she and Ivan were most evidently happy. At the reception following she ceremony Mr. Acton made some very appropriate remarks in extending our hearty good wishes to the bride and groom,
     That same evening a Shower was held at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Knight for Mrs. Kay Synnestvedt (Doreen Scott), who was in town to attend her brother's wedding. Since it was Saturday night the ladies could hardly be expected to have a party without their husbands. So all were gathered together, the gentlemen contenting themselves with bridge in the recreation room while the ladies exclaimed appropriately over the lovely gifts in the living room. Afterwards Mr. Pete Bevan showed some interesting moves, and then the sixty-two guests enjoyed ample refreshments provided by the Ladies' Circle, under whose auspices the Shower was given.

     Personal.-There has been a gratifying number of baptisms recently, the latest of which were those of Allan Richard, the new son of Mr. and Mrs. Orville Carter, and Mrs. Neil Carmichael and her two small sons. The latter three were baptized as the home of Mr. and Mrs. Neil Carmichael, who cordially invited the members and friends of the Society to be present at the happy occasion.
     We cannot keep up with the Kitchener Society in the matter of engagements, but we are happy to welcome in our midst Miss Mildred McDonald, whose engagement to Mr. Harald Carter has been announced.
     It is with regret that we record the passing into the spiritual world of Mr. Adrian Van Pasassen and Master Peter Snyder, though in such cases our distress is outweighed by the consolation that suffering has ceased for them. "Van," as he was affectionately called, led an interesting and colorful life as a staunch New Church man but of late he had been in ill health, and it is easy to picture him joyfully reunited wish his wife. Peter was the five year old son of Margaret and the late Horace Snyder. He was never in good health at any time during his short life, and to know that he will be educated by the angels of heaven mitigates to a considerable degree the grief of parting. Nevertheless our sincere sympathy is extended to Margaret.
     We have had a wonderfully happy influx of visitors lately, so many that we cannot tell you of each one. Also many of our own folks have been traveling around, and these interchanges of friendly visits do much to link various societies, making life a pleasant affair. However, we are much concerned at the present time over the serious ill health of our good and much needed friend, Dr. W. A. McFall.
     VERA CRAIGIE.

     GLENVIEW, ILLINOIS

     Spring-This year, spring arrived in Glenview on April 28th (temperature 70), just over five weeks behind the date shown on the calendar. Early flowers blossoming, trees and shrubs sprouting, the birds returning, green lawns, cleanup parties, infants being wheeled on the smooth sidewalks of Park Lane and the undulating lanes of Park Drive-all these things we have been looking forward to with keen anticipation.

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They are definite signs that another long, hard winter is at an end, and everybody feel happy about it!
     We have several ladies of advanced age in Glenview, and one of the interesting things about them is that they still "get around"! They attend meetings and church services, always arriving on time and take an active interest in everything that goes on. Such a person is Miss Sophie Falk (Aunt Sophie, if you please). On Saturday, March 3, Aunt Sophie celebrated her 90th birthday and the Society sent her a suitable greeting. For many many years one of her uses towards New Church education has been the telling of stories to young children. This is evidently done most lovingly, and in a manner most interesting to the children. Many others around here still remember Aunt Sophie's "Story Hour."

     Easter.-The observance of Palm Sunday, Good Friday, and Easter Sunday was, as usual, ably handled by our Pastor and Assistant Pastor, the Revs. Elmo Acton and Ormond Odhner. At the 9.30 service on Easter Sunday the children brought offerings of flowers, and at the adult service which followed at eleven o'clock the Holy Supper was administered.

     Other Events.-At our March Society-School Meeting, Miss Helen Maynard addressed us on the subject: "Some Aspects of the Science Curriculum" Miss Maynard's inn a experience in New Chords education enabled her to write an enlightening paper and she made the evening a most interesting one.
     One of the several happy events which occurred during March was the arrival of the Rev. Bjorn Boyesen, in company with Miss Lois Nelson. We had been informed previously of their engagement, and a few days later the society was invited to meet this new couple at the home of Lois' mother, Mrs. Alvin E. Nelson. The Rev. Elmo Acton, in proposing suitable toasts, spoke most appreciatively of the work Lois has done, and is doing, in the way of New Church education. Mr. Boyesen spoke in response, and all in all it was a very happy occasion. Mr. Boyesen gave a class on the Friday evening and preached the sermon at the following Sunday morning service.
     Some of us had heard rumors that Mr. Mark Bostock of Bryn Athyn was good at the piano. We discovered that these rumors were well founded when Mark paid a visit to Glenview and was persuaded to put on a concert for us. The room was crowded and the applause was spontaneous. We listened to two hours of classical music, played by a young man who struck us as being modest as well as talented.
     A concert given by the Immanuel Church Orchestra in the early part of April, under the supervision of Mr. Jesse Stevens, was also well attended. Once again we were impressed with Mr. Stevens' ability to interest young children in the playing of various musical instruments.
     An indoor carnival at which many articles of all kinds, including bakery goods, were placed on sale netted $477.00 for our chair fund. Entertainment for the evening was square dancing, this old pastime seemingly becoming more popular every year.
     The group which meets weekly to listen to recordings has just completed the papers and speeches given at the last General Assembly. These recordings are very much appreciated, especially by those of us who were unable to attend the Assembly.
     Three births, four baptisms, and two engagements have taken place during the last two months. And finally we record the passing into the spiritual world of Mrs. Harvey W. Farrington, on April 7th.

     Obituary.-Born of New Church parents, Irene Bellinger resided in Berlin (Kitchener), Ontario, Canada, and later attended the Academy School in Philadelphia.

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Her family moved to Bryn Athyn, and it was there that she married Dr. Harvey Farrington, some 52 years ago. Shortly after their marriage they moved to Glenview, staying there for a few years, and then moved to Chicago where they lived for over 35 years, staunch members of the Sharon Church. About 10 years ago they built a snug little home on Park Lane in Glenview and became members of the Immanuel Church.
     On April 10, 1949, they celebrated their Golden Wedding and received the felicitations of their massy friends in the Sharon and Immanuel Churches, Shortly after this happy event, failing health confused Mrs. Farrington to her home. She enjoyed the visits of her friends during this period of illness, always glad to hear the news of the Church she had so faithfully and lovingly served. The stalwart New Churchmanship of her husband stood him in good stead during the trying months preceding her death; no complaining, no impatience, but a calm, simple trust in Providence.
     HAROLD P. MCQUEEN.

     PORTLAND, OREGON

     Because of the great distances to be traveled, and the fact that most of us are tied down with small children who have a way of breaking out in measles or something at she wrong time, we have found it very difficult to get together. However, we have managed seven recorded services and classes since our last news notes of September, 1950.
     There were held about once a month, January excepted; three at the Mellmans' home in Portland, Oreg., two at Sterling Smith's in Oakville, Wash., and one each at Ethel White's in Salem, Oreg., and Alexander Iungerich's in Brownsville, Oreg., the average attendance being 13. The plan which we are following for these services, and which seems most satisfactory for our present set-up, is to have the service at 11:00 a.m., followed by lunch prepared by the ladies and a class in the afternoon.
     Our last service was by far the best both in attendance and enthusiasm. The new and larger home of the Mellmans may have helped, or it may have been the lovely flowers brought by Miss Iler and Ethel White, the new white alter cloth, or a combination of things. Unfortunately our social hour was brought to a rapid and premature close because we had to get Florence Smith on her bus to Oakville by 4:00 p.m.
     Mr. Frank Schull and Mr. Ed Sewell, friends of the Rev. Henry Boef, have joined our group. For the next two months we plan is service at Salem on June 17th, and an assembly in Oakville, Wash., with the Rev. Karl R. Alden on July 8th. We hope that we may receive a visit also from the Rev. Louis B. King this summer.
     We would like at this time to extend an invitation to any of our New Church friends who are coming out west to visit us. The Mellmans now boast of a guest room. Just drop a card, Route 1, Box 127c West Linn, Oreg., or phone Oreg, City 7700.
     SILVIA MELLMAN.

     PITTSBURGH, PA.

     It is high time that Pittsburgh doings appear again in the Church News columns of NEW CHURCH LIFE. Since our last report was written, many things of interest have occurred.

     Easter.-On Palm Sunday the Pastor delivered an Easter sermon. The Good Friday service was held in the evening, the Rev. Charles E. Doering giving the address, which consisted of selections from the Writings on the internal meaning of the Holy Supper, and assisting in the administration of the Sacrament of the Supper. The sphere was impressive.
     As is customary for festival services here the Easter morning service was for adults and children. The children bearing their gifts of flowers, and the processional hymn, "March on to Victory" sung by the congregation and the children were must appealing. Dr. Doering read the lessons and the address was given by the Pastor.

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     After the service, as we were exchanging Easter greetings outside the church, "Uncle Walter" Faulkner called us to attention and read a notice from Mrs. Alvin Nelson announcing the engagement of her daughter, Lois, to the Rev. Bjorn A. H. Boyesen. This announcement was received with a burst of applause. We were then invited to the auditorium, where we toasted the happy couple and wished them godspeed on their flight to Glenview far the spring vacation, and much happiness and good luck for the future.
     Dr. Doering conducted the service of worship on Sunday, April 1st, his subject being: "The Lord Alone has the Keys of Hell and of Death." It took many of us back to our school days in Bryn Athyn to have Dr. Doering on the chancel, where he opened our days, and eyes, at the morning worship services. This we will not soon forget, and we are grateful to have had this opportunity.

     The Day School.-The children have given several entertainments to their parents and friends; grades and individual pupils participating in songs, dances, and poems, correlated with what they have been learning in the various subjects. The parents are agreed, I think, that these programs have helped in giving the children poise and planting the subjects more firmly in their minds. Spring recess began on March 23rd, and classes were resumed on April 2nd. All enjoyed the looked for holiday.
     It was a pleasant surprise to have Miss Anne Pleat's engagement to Mr. Robert H. Blair announced at the close of the Friday Supper on April 6th. All expressed their good wishes for much happiness. The parents, it is true, felt some concern as to who would teach their children next year with all this matrimony afoot l For Miss Sally Pendleton is leaving us in June to be married, and Miss Lois and Miss Anne are both engaged. However, it is comforting to learn, at this time of writing, that all is well. Miss Lois will remain as head teacher and Miss Anne will return for the first semester, We will feel the loss of Miss Sally very much Her able and devoted work since she has been a teacher in the school is sincerely appreciated. At this time may we welcome Miss Karen Synnestvedt and Mr. Carl Gunther to the faculty for next year, also Miss Joan Kuhl, who will take Miss Anne's place in February.

     The Social Program.-The social committee, Mr. and Mrs. Homer Schoenherger, Miss Miriam Smith, and Mr. Walter Williamson, have provided a good and varied program for old and young this year. There was a formal St. Patrick's Day dance ass March 16th, which was a great success, and they scored another hit with a formal dance on May 12th, the theme being "Alice in Wonderland." There were favor dances, and a band of "local talent" added zest during the serving of refreshments.
     Mrs. Daric E. Acton and Mrs. Charles H. Ebert, Jr., were hostesses at a unique and delightful shower for Miss Sally Pendleton at the home of Mrs. Acton on April 12th, which enabled the Society to express more concretely its feelings for her and her fiance, Mr. John Rose.

     Guests.-Many guests have been received and welcomed but space does nor permit mentioning sill, although we were glad to see them. It was a pleasure and privilege to have the Rev. and Mrs. Charles E. Doering, accompanied by Mr. Karl W. Doering, spend some time in Pittsburgh on their return from Fort Worth, Texas, where they had spent the winter, The Rev. and Mrs. Karl R Alden were here to visit their new grandson,-Mr. and Mrs. Gideon Alden's fourth child and first son, and Mr. and Mrs. John Alden's third child and second son. At this time Mr. Alden preached in our church, and officiated at the baptism of his grandson at Gideon's home in Freeport. The Rev. Morley D. Rich visited us on his way to attend the Sons Executive Committee meeting in Cleveland, and gave the doctrinal class for that week.

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     We neglected to mention that we heartily welcomed Miss Zoe Iungerich in October, her first visit to Pittsburgh since her sojourn in Hawaii. It was an equal pleasure to have her with us again in April. On both wishes she favored us by playing the organ at the Sunday service. Needless to say the Music Committee is happy to have her come to Pittsburgh. Mr. Richard R. Gladish, Principal of the Boys' Academy, was our guest on Sunday, May 6th. He met with the ladies of the Society at the house of Mrs. Charles H. Ebert, Sr., on Sunday afternoon; and that evening the Pittsburgh's Chapter of the Sons of the Academy was entertained at the home of Mr. Daric E. Acton and heard Mr. Gladish speak on "The Principles of Discipline in the High School."
     Messrs. Dandridge Pendleton and Carl Gunther, and the Missses Joy, Claire, and Karen Synnestvedt arrived from Bryn Athyn for the weekend on May 18th. Candidate Pendleton conducted the children's service on the 20th, and assisted and preached at the adult service, his text being: "Judge not, that ye be not judged." We anticipate having Mr. Pendleton with us for the summer months.

     Meetings.-The Semi-Annual Meeting of the Society was held in the auditorium following the last Friday Supper of the season, on May 15th. The regular meetings of the Women's Guild, Theta Alpha and Sons Chapters, Young People's, and doctrinal classes as well as an interesting series of meetings to hear tape recordings, were held. It can readily be seen from the foregoing that there has been little idle time in the Pittsburgh Society.
     ELIZABETH R. DOERING.

     KITCHENER, ONTARIO

     A Wedding.-Early in April the Society was invited to the wedding of Miss Elsie Evens, eldest daughter of Mr. and Mrs. John Evens, and Mr. Arthur Hill of Kitchener. They were married by the Rev. Norman H. Reuter at the lovely evening service. The bride was dressed in white satin with a floor length veil, and carried a bouquet of gardenias and red roses. Mrs. William Evens, sister-in-law of the bride, was matron of honor, and Miss Myrtle Evens was bridesmaid for her sister. They were gowned in yellow and blue net dresses. Mr. Gerald Dick of Kitchener was best man.
     The reception was held in the assembly room at the church, with Mr. Reuter as toastmaster. Mr. John Kuhl proposed the toast to the bride and groom. The opening of wedding gifts, and dancing, followed the speeches. The bride and groom visited in Bryn Athyn on their wedding trip and are now residing in Kitchener.

     Society-School Meeting.-The second Society-School Meeting of the year was held after Friday Supper on April 20th. The aim of the meeting, as previously, was to familiarize the Society with the distinctive nature of New Church education and the importance of adult understanding and appreciation of the system. Mr. Reuter opened the meeting with a talk which stressed the difference between New Church education and other systems. Miss Rita Kuhl then outlined the aims of the Social Studies course throughout the grades, and Miss Nancy Stroh gave a similar paper on the Natural Science course.

     Mr. Acton's Visit.-Mr. Reuter visited the Montreal Civic on April 26th, and the Rev. Henry Heinrichs preached in Kitchener. The last Friday Supper, on May 18th saw a large turn out of 65 people, six of whom were from Toronto and included the Rev. and Mrs. A. Wynne Acton. Beautiful bouquets of apple blossom, tulips, and forsythia decorated the room.

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The last attempt for the season to improve the singing was made, after which Mr. Acton gave a very interesting lecture on the "Ancient Manuscripts of the Bible." His talk dealt particularly with the witness of archeological discoveries, the authenticity of the text of the Bible, and the history of the various manuscripts which have been discovered.

     Social Events.-A lively moneymaking social was sponsored by the Women's Guild on April 27th. The event began with a supper. Delicious cold cuts were supplied by J. M. Schneider Limited; the ladies donated everything else, including a large choice of pies, necessary for a good meal; and children and all were invited, making a large crowd. After supper, a representative of J. M, Schneider showed three movies, one on Schneider's meats, of course, and all very enjoyable. Booths appeared after the movies, and money was exchanged for mysterious packages which held almost anything the donor was not interested in keeping,-a feeling frequently shared by the purchaser. Dart throwing and pitching pennies caused much fun, and the hungry could purchase candy, popcorn, lemonade, ice cream, and coffee, When pockets ran dry and prizes gave out, the Women's Guild was $55.00 richer and the money was turned over to the Executive Committee.
     The Society held an informal picnic on the church grounds on May 24th. The weather was fine and the usual sports were enjoyed. Fireworks brightened the evening. The following night the Social Committee, with Roger Kuhl as M.C., arranged a square dancing party, Mr. and Mrs. Erwin Breuckman supplied some of the records and helped with the instruction, so that several new dances were mastered by the young people, who thoroughly enjoyed the fun. A novel game supplied for a breath catching intermission consisted of identifying silhouettes of the whole Society. They had been made twelve years ago for Mr. and Mrs. Reuter and proved quite amusing, as hair lines and styles change and children grow up its twelve years. It was found that noses change least. Doughnuts and coffee provided another pleasant interval,
     Another social occasion for the Society took place on Sunday afternoons, May 20th, when everyone was invited to the Evens' farm to celebrate Mr. John Evens' 74th birthday. The weather was ideal, the orchards were in full blossom, and the mosquitoes had not arrived, About seventy-five people enjoyed refreshments on the lawn while cameras clicked.
     Me, and Mrs. Hears' Heinrichs had the pleasure of announcing the engagement of their daughter Barbara to Mr. Roger Smith, son of Mr. and Mrs. Winford Smith of Bryn Athyn.

     Work Nights.-Under the enthusiastic organization of Robert G. Schnarr, much repair work was done in the church building during the winter months. With the coming of spring, efforts were diverted to the grounds, under the management of Daniel Heinrichs.
     VIVIAN KUHL.

     SWEDENBORG SCIENTIFIC ASSOCIATION

     The 54th Annual Meeting of the Swedenborg Scientific Association was held at Bryn Athyn on Thursday evening, May 24, 1951, with an attendance of 95, which included 56 members of the Association.
     Officers foe the ensuing year were elected as follows: President: Prof. Edward F. Allen; Board of Directors: Messes, Alfred Acton, Randolph W. Childs, Charles S. Cole, Charles F. Doering, Wilfred Howard, Hugo Lj. Odhner, Joel Pitcairn, Leonard I. Tafel, and Miss Beryl Briscoe.
     Officers later elected by the Board were: Vice-President, Dr. Charles E. Doering; Literary Editor, Dr. Alfred Acton; Treasurer, Miss Beryl G, Briscoe; Secretary, Mr. Wilfred Howard.
     The Treasurer reported a balance in the general account of $697,58.

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During the year, 169 copies of the new edition of Rational Psychology' have been sold. The total number of books sold during the year was 229. The present membership of the Association is now 283,
     Action of the Board of Directors was reported in regard to a gift of 100 unbound sets of the new translation of Rational Psychology to the Swedenborg Society of London, which is unable to purchase the same owing to government restrictions. A letter of appreciation of the action of the Board from Mrs. Freda G. Griffith. Secretary of the Swedenborg Society, was read,
     Mr. Randolph W. Childs presented to the meeting a number of amendments to the By-laws of the Association and affirmative action was taken.

     The Annual Address was delivered by the Rev. Hugo Lj. Odhner, who spoke on the subject of "Christian Wolff and Swedenborg." In the address, Dr. Odhner traced Swedenborg's various references, from 1715 to 1770, to Wolff and his philosophical opinions. He noted that Swedenborg, in 1734, took to heart Wolff's criticisms of the "mathematical point," and revised the Principia chapter on the "first natural point" to accord with Wolff's idea of a metaphysical ens.
     Wolff's dualistic departure from Leibnitz was noted, as well as the severe criticisms which Swedenborg directed against their theory of Preestablished Harmony, and against the postulate that the soul was a "simple substance." Swedenborg's Psychologica was cited to show that he at first had entertained a theory of Physical Influx, which later matured into a system of Coestablished Harmony; while the Writings finally present the system of Spiritual Influx, which is made possible by revealed knowledge of the spiritual world. Swedenborg was shown as having utilized, even in the Writings, many of Wolff philosophical maxims and definitions.

     THE ACADEMY OF THE NEW CHURCH

     Joint Meeting

     Miss Margaret Wilde delivered the main address at the Annual Joint Meeting of the Corporation and Faculty of the Academy, on June 2nd, in the auditorium of Benade Hall. Her subject, "The Well Dressed Feminine Mind," was treated both wisely and wittily.

     After noting the principle, based on doctrine and enunciated early in Academy history, of the distinctive importance of the feminine use, Miss Wilde stated that leadership in developing this principle into practice lies primarily with the women themselves. She offered several stimulating suggestions for providing closer connection between classroom theory and its practical application to the life of a New Church woman. Among these suggestions were larger inclusion in the Seminary of the so-called minor arts of home decoration and clothing, practical care of children (perhaps during Sunday worship), dramatic arts, study of New Church social life and its distinctiveness, and greater bodily discipline to achieve poise and control.
     Miss Wilde, who teaches history and Latin in the Girls' Seminary, even went so far as to suggest the inclusion of women on the Board of Directors. To this thought a Board member replied in the discussions that 1) the Board does not determine educational policy, and 2) it is subject to plenty of feminine influence anyway!

     The address, heard by about 200 persons, was preceded by reports from the Executive Vice President, the Dean of Schools and the Secretary of the Corporation. Bishop W. D. Pendleton, as chairman, read excerpts from other administrative reports, which were highlighted by tributes to retiring Faculty members Miss Vida Gyllenhaal Miss Freda Pendleton.
     All reports, as well as the address and discussion, will be printed in the September issue of THE JOURNAL OF EDUCATION.
     E. BRUCE GLENN.

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EDUCATIONAL COUNCIL 1951

EDUCATIONAL COUNCIL WILLARD D. PENDLETON 1951

     Announcements

     The Annual Meetings of the Educational Council of the General Church of the New Jerusalem will be held in Bryn Athyn, Pa,, from Monday, August 20th, to Friday, August 24th, inclusive.
     WILLARD D. PENDLETON,
          Representative of the Bishop.
BRITISH ASSEMBLY 1951

BRITISH ASSEMBLY 1951

The Thirty-eighth British Assembly of the General Church of the New Jerusalem will he held on Saturday, Sunday, and Monday, August 4th to 5th, 1951, the Rev. Alan Gill presiding. The sessions and services will be held at the Bonnington Hotel, Southampton Row, London, W.C. 1.
All members and friends of the General Church are cordially invited to attend.
ON A SILVER WEDDING DAY 1951

ON A SILVER WEDDING DAY 1951

With fondest recollections, we
     Now pledge a cup without alloy.
For on the clouds of Time we see
     The silver fringe of peace and joy.

On these two friends, to us so dear,
May blessings e'er the heavens bestow!
May love and wisdom banish fear
     And fill their lives with friendship's glow!

(To be sung to the verse: "Old College Chum.")
WANTED 1951

WANTED 1951

Will anyone having for sale a copy of "The Growth of the Mind" by Bishop de Charms, please communicate with Miss Beryl Howard, Bryn Athyn, Pa.

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DELIGHT OF CONJUNCTION WITH THE LORD 1951

DELIGHT OF CONJUNCTION WITH THE LORD Rev. ERIK SANDSTROM 1951

VOL. LXXI

No. 8

NEW CHURCH LIFE AUGUST, 1951
     "O taste and see that the Lord is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in Him." (Psalm 34: 8.)

     These simple words have a celestial appeal. They teach the lesson that happiness and delight are inherent in good from the Lord, and are released, instantly and spontaneously, as soon as good is received. They also voice the longing of the Divine love to bestow its gifts upon man: "O taste and see that the Lord is good. The spirit here shines through the letter, and there is no need to search intellectually for the essential meaning of the words. The need is only to enter into the implications of that meaning.
     Divine truth is too often thought of as harsh and rigid, and even distasteful; as something that draws uncomfortably close to our secret thoughts and impulses, something that is demanding and insistent, something that we would like to shake off but cannot. Therefore truth is sometimes so represented in the Word; as by the "seven golden vials full of the wrath of God" which were poured out upon the earth, and which contained seven plagues (Revelation 15: 7, 8). These vials and their plagues were the truths and good by which the Lord at His second coming disclosed the evils and falsities of the former church (AR 657, 672); the same truths and goods which later built the holy city, New Jerusalem. Similarly, truth is called an "adversary" in the admonition: "Agree with thine adversary quickly, whiles thou art in the way with him" (Matthew 5: 25).

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And again, truth is often compared to a sword; as when the Lord says: "Think not that I am come to send peace on earth; I am not come to send peace, but a sword" (Matthew 10: 34); and as when the Lord in His second advent is portrayed as a man of war, riding upon a white horse and having the name, "The Word of God"; and out of His mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it He should smite the nations" (Revelation 19: 11-15).
Truth is zealous, or, rather, the Divine love operating through truth is zealous. It has something holy and not to be violated to protect; and this holy thing is so beautiful, so perfect, so necessary for human happiness, that there can be no compromise. The Lord has created heaven and earth in the image of love and wisdom; that is, in the image of the spirit of giving, which is love, and of the art of giving, which is wisdom. Such is the order of creation. And although it may be resisted or denied it cannot be changed. The opening of the will and the thought to this order makes for peace, for the cessation of conflict; but resistance to it causes a clash. For the order of God can neither recede nor deny itself. It will resist when opposed; not for the sake of battle, but to protect the laws of human happiness, the holy ends of the Divine love. And only when the battle has been won does it enter into its rest, the sabbath after the days of labor.

We sometimes believe that our existence can be separated from Divine order because we love better another order of life, one in which we can have our own way. Hell itself is built on the fallacy that man can escape the order of God. But although we can imagine ourselves being happy and content even when our ends, thoughts, and doings are contrary to order; and although hell constantly exists on this assumption; no one can be happy and content as long as the Divine order of life is his "adversary." He tries to hide away and to cover over; he strives to persuade himself. But he only heals the hurt slightly, "saying, Peace, peace; when there is no peace" (Jeremiah 6: 14). There is no happiness except in the spirit of giving, and knowing the art of giving; giving from heart to heart, from soul to soul. That is, there is no happiness except in conjunction. This is what is meant when it is said in the Writings that certain new-comers in the world of spirits were permitted to search for another heaven than that of the Lord, but found none.

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     The order of the Lord is omnipresent, and man may only comply with or resist it. He cannot substitute another order for it. The shadow may persuade itself that it is something, but let the light turn upon it and it vanishes. Hell, and the state of hell in man, may continue to imagine that it has discovered an order of its own; but no imagining will ever destroy the fact. The Lord will still have "the keys of hell and of death" (Revelation 1: 18). Or, as the Psalmist says: "If I ascend up into heaven, Thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, Thou art there. If I say, Surely the darkness shall cover me; even the night shall be light about me. Yea, the darkness hideth not from Thee; but the night shineth as the day: the darkness and the light are both alike to Thee. I will praise Thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are Thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well" (Psalm 139: 8, 11, 12, 14).
     The truth of the Lord is the same, whether it hurts or heals. There is but one Divine law. The difference is in man. If there is disorder within him, truth will hurt; and the pains of conscience are such a hurt. But if he loves to give, loves to be of use, and has busied himself in the art of use, then the order of God will flow in as into its own, and will find rest. There will be no hurt, but peace.
     But we live in a world of appearances, and we love appearances and would have them to be truths. When we are unhappy and discontented, we find apparent causes in circumstances and put the blame on them, whereas the blame lies with the disorder within us. For the Lord is operating secretly to restore order, and it is the unwillingness of our state to yield that is sensed by us as unhappiness and discontent. It is as with a physical ailment. When we feel bodily pain the reason is that something which does not properly belong to the kingdom of the soul has entered in, and has disturbed the harmony of all things that makes our body function as a one, and the soul is operating to restore the order of its kingdom. Pain is not our ailment. Pain is nothing but a warning, given in order that we may know that the harmony of the body has been disrupted and may cooperate in restoring it.
     It is true that there is an unhappiness which is not caused by disorder within us.

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But this is exterior, and it does not reach into the internal state of peace and trust which is at the same time hidden away and stored up in the inner recesses of the mind. Such unhappiness is felt when the love of the heart is repelled by others, or when our desire to do good is misunderstood and twisted so as to bring about failure. But in such cases the love itself is not changed, nor is its inherent peace. An internal state of serenity is preserved in the midst of a state of sorrow imposed from without, because that state is not inwardly received. As the glorified Human of the Lord was above and beyond temptations, but not so the Mary-human, so the regenerate state of man can suffer no harm, can feel no internal suffering, although the external state is always subject to disturbance.
We ought to know that there is a sense in which man can attain to a state of invulnerability, a state in which nothing can upset his inner peace or deceive his perception. Then, if a man shall smite him on the right cheek, he may safely "turn to him the other also." And if any man will sue him at the law, and take away his coat, he may let him have his cloak also. And whosoever shall compel him to go a mile, he shall go with him twain (Matthew 5: 39-41). This is the state of regeneration, in which evil influence and false persuasion can no more enter than a spirit of hell can breathe the air of heaven. It is the invulnerable state: a state of nonresistance of evil which has for its protection the presence of the Lord. "O taste and see that the Lord is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in Him."

The whole doctrine of punishment and reward is clearly involved in our text. For it is manifest that the Divine order is peace itself and happiness itself, and that conjunction with the Lord therefore contains its own reward, which is perceived as internal delight. And it is evident, likewise, that resistance against this order immediately brings about an inner, self-invited clash, which is sensed as undelight or punishment. But our understanding of this doctrine is blurred by the worldly appearance that evil is sometimes rewarded, and good punished. Let us reflect therefore, that external success is not necessarily any retard at all, though it may be part of it: and that temporal difficulties, hardships, or sufferings do not really involve interior punishment unless they deprive us of our trust and peace in the Lord. This is not mere reasoning but actual fact.

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For there is no other heaven than that of the Lord, and we cannot experience happiness apart from Him. Creation is not made that way, and we cannot change its order.
     In an active state of evil our imagination may blunt our sensation of an inner feeling of anxiety, a gnawing fear lest we lose what we have, an impatient desire for more of what this world can give, a nervous chase for excitement and variety ending constantly in disappointment. But although imagination may dull the perceptions these things are being sensed. They are the punishments that inhere in evil, and are as instantaneous as the state of evil itself. And there is no escape from this punishment because there is no escape from self.
     In the other life, this internal and essential punishment is ultimated in a correspondential external environment. But as just indicated, this is not always so in the natural world. The outward glamor and the praise of men which may overlay a state of fear and dissatisfaction are permitted by the Lord for the sake of freedom, and sometimes for the sake of worldly use. Yet it would be foolish to mistake a man's environment for his happiness or reward. For is a man s happiness ever outside of him? Is it not one with his state; with what he feels and perceives within himself?
     External difficulties may obstruct the flow of internal peace. But if that internal peace is there, nothing can take it away. The Lord says: "Behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me. to give every man according as his work shall be" (Revelation 22: 12). This is not a promise for a distant future. The Lord is not bound by time. If the Lord comes to man-to his will and understanding,-then His reward is with Him at once. Indeed the Lord is the reward.
     Even knowing this, however, it is still possible that our natural man will, from time to time, insist upon its own definition of good. For the natural man has its appetites and desires, and whatever is in agreement with them it calls good. But the things which are agreeable to the natural man,-the man whose mental life is separated from the love of use and the wisdom of use-are not good in themselves. Only the Creator of heaven and earth has the true definition of what is good. We are no creators. We cannot produce a new reality, different from that of the Lord, and having its own laws.

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We can give free rein to our imagination, can apparently hide away from the Lord. But we cannot create good; we may only receive it as a gift coming from the Lord.

     The True Christian Religion tells us that the essence of the Lord's love consists of three things; namely, "to love others outside itself, to desire to be one with them, and to make them happy from itself" (TCR 43). This is the love that speaks in the text: "O taste and see that the Lord is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in Him."
     Let us therefore reflect on the "why" of truth. Let us not regard it as an "adversary," or make it such; even if we sometimes associate it with chastisement. Truth has been given for no other reason than that good is in it and is nowhere else. Few things are more important in the life of regeneration than that we should observe and know that we are interiorly happy when we obey the order of God, and that real unhappiness can be experienced only when that order is ruled out of our hearts. Conjunction with the Lord is its own interior delight, and the absence of this delight is the absence of conjunction. The Lord has now come again to reveal the glory and power of His Divine order. He comes this in the Heavenly Doctrine, in the Writings of the New Church. He comes in these Writings, and His reward is in them. Let men "taste and see." Amen.

LESSONS: Psalm 34: 1-10. Revelation 22: 1-14. Conjugial Love, 461.
MUSIC:     New Liturgy, pages 457, 455, 507.
PRAYERS:     New Liturgy, nos. 50, 104.
LORD'S INTERCESSION 1951

LORD'S INTERCESSION 1951

"The Lord's intercession for the human race was during His abode in the world, and indeed during His state of humiliation, for in that state He spoke with Jehovah as with another, but in the state of glorification, when the Human essence became united with the Divine essence, and was also made Jehovah, He does not intercede, but shows mercy, and from His Divine succours and saves. Mercy itself is intercession." (Arcana Coelestia, 2250)

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FEAR 1951

FEAR PHILIP C. PENDLETON 1951

     Academy Commencement Address

     JUNE 15, 1951

     I have decided to speak to you on a subject with which all of you are familiar. That subject is Fear. I have chosen this topic because today fear rules the world. Perhaps there has never been a time when the race has been so confused and insecure, so apprehensive and frustrated.
     At the outset, one thing should be made clear. We are not speaking of fear of the Lord; for this is not fear at all, but love. It is written in Apocalypse Revealed, no. 527: "The reason why 'to fear' here signifies to love is because everyone who loves also fears to do evil to him whom he loves. Genuine love is not given without that fear. Therefore he who loves the Lord fears to do evil, because evils are contrary to Him, being contrary to His Divine laws in the Word, which are from Him and are thus Himself." This fear is often called "holy fear"; and with the good, as was stated above, it is love. But with the evil it is the fear of hell.
     It is said that the fear of hell has nothing of love in it. This is because it is a form of the fear of punishment. But this fear, evil though it is, can have good effects. With some men it is the beginning of reformation, since it does reduce externals to a state of order which permits the insinuation of love to the Lord in the man. Moreover, with some evil men it is the means by which they are kept within bounds; for otherwise they would plunge into lusts of every kind, and their last state would be worse than their first. Likewise, the fear of punishment is a protection to the good, since by it the internally evil are constrained to behave as civil and moral men.
     This fear of punishment takes another form, which operates upon the ever increasing number of evil men who have no belief in a life after death and therefore cannot be restrained by the fear of hell.

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This fear is what the Writings call the fear of the loss of honors, reputation, and gain. In the world of today, it is probably the most powerful single external force operating for the preservation of society. Were it removed, there would result a state of insanity which would approximate that which prevails in the hells. It is only in the world of spirits that this fear can safely be removed, and then only for the purpose of separating the good from the evil. We have but to remember the parable of the tares and the wheat to understand this.

     But there is another form of fear of which I wish to speak because it is so widespread, so destructive, and seemingly so useless. This fear is fear of the future. To say that it is widespread is an understatement. It would be more accurate to say that it is universal. Millions of people cower under it most of their adult lives. Other millions suffer from recurring visitations of varying frequency and duration. Probably no man could say with honesty that he has never been its victim.
     This fear is destructive because all who have experienced it know how it can paralyze the mind, and even, at times, the body. It destroys the resources upon which we must rely to meet the problems of life-our reason, our courage, and our confidence. It renders us as helpless as the insect into whose body has been injected the deadly poison of the spider. Fear of the future is a thief, because it steals our manhood and our self reliance. Fear of the future is a murderer, because it kills our conscience, our determination, and our trust in the Lord and His Divine Providence.
     It has numberless faces and assumes myriad forms. It may appear as a dread of death; yet death comes only in the Lord's own time, and what is death but the voice of our loving Father calling us. His children, home? It is found in the threat of war and in the panic caused by the thought of the atomic bomb. It lies thinly veiled in the deep concern with which one man contemplates becoming incapacitated, or another thinks of the possible loss of employment. It is found in the fear of a young girl that she may never find her conjugial partner, or of a young man that he may never find his use. All students experience it in connection with approaching examination periods.

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Every man sitting on this platform has faced it time and again, and our struggle with it will not cease so long as we remain on this earth. Indeed, we can say that all mankind knows it, whenever unreasoning concern is felt for the morrow.
     One of the most subtle guises in which this fear masquerades is the fear of being afraid. We can, if we will, cope with a particular fear, because either we can bring it out into the light of truth and realize that it is a figment of our imagination, or if what we fear does come to pass we usually find that it is not nearly as bad as we had anticipated. But the fear of being afraid is so elusive, so intangible, that we can hardly come to grips with it. We often delude ourselves into thinking that it is not fear at all, but courage. An evil that is not recognized cannot be overcome. So, too, is it with this fear.
     Fear of the future no matter what form it takes, is groundless. We know, as New Church men, that the Lord rules what we call "the future." We know that our lives, our welfare, and our very souls, are in His hands. We know of His tender love for the whole human race and of His continual effort to lead us in the path which shall bring us to His heavenly kingdom.
     Why, then, do we permit this fear to prey upon us, knowing that it is not only foolish but wrong to do so? The reason is that as long as we live we are earth-bound, chained here by our evil heritage and our own inability to distinguish clearly between the spiritual and the natural. It is only with great difficulty that we in this world can approximate to some small degree the state of the angels, and this but for fleeting moments. Nevertheless, the truth remains that the Lord rules all things even to leasts, though it is so often veiled from our mortal eyes. This truth must be kept in our hearts; for if we cherish it there throughout our lives and struggle to obey its voice, we will, from time to time, be granted brief glimpses of it which can serve to sustain us through those dark hours which must come to all men, and which no man can escape.
     The only thing in this whole world which we really need to fear is the evil which lurks within our own hearts. For here alone is that which can destroy us and cast us into the bottomless pit from whence there is no return. The Lord Himself said while on earth: "Fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell" (Matthew 10: 28).

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By these words, as you know, is meant that evil which we have made our own.

To you who leave these dedicated walls today, I say: Be of good cheer. Resolve within yourselves that with the Lord's help you will cast out fear of the future and learn to trust in His Providence. Go your several ways with courage, and in the spirit of the Lord's counsel to His disciples when He sent them forth to preach the gospel, saying: "Be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves" (Matthew 10: 16). Do this, and no matter what difficulties, what heart-breaks, and what evil you may encounter, you will some day find that crown of life which is the end and aim d)f all creation. And as you go, carry with you those words of hope and trust which were uttered by the prophet-king of Israel so many centuries ago: "Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death. I will fear no evil: for Thou art with me."
WORSHIP AND PIETY 1951

WORSHIP AND PIETY 1951

"True worship consists in the performance of uses. He who believes that serving the Lord consists solely in frequenting a place of worship, in hearing preaching there, and in praying, and that this is sufficient, is much mistaken. The very worship of the Lord consists in performing uses and during man's life in the world uses consist in everyone's discharging aright his duty in his station, thus from the heart being of service to his country, to societies, and to the neighbor, in dealing sincerely with his fellow, and in performing kind offices with prudence, in accordance with each person's character. These uses are chiefly the works of charity, and are those whereby the Lord is chiefly worshiped. Frequenting a place of worship, hearing sermons, and saying prayers, are also necessary; but without the above uses they avail nothing, because they are not of the life, but teach what the life must be." (Arcana Coelestia, no. 7038)

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CHURCH AND DOCTRINE 1951

CHURCH AND DOCTRINE Rev. ARTHUR CLAPHAM 1951

      (From an Editorial in THE NEW-CHURCH HERALD, June 9, 1951.)

New-Church people should have nothing to do with that dull, lifeless, wishy-washy attitude of mind that thinks it can do without doctrine, and does not want doctrine, and will not teach doctrine, and. in fact, tries to get on without doctrine. Why, the Lord Himself has revealed the Heavenly Doctrines of the New Church for our use and our delight, that we may learn them and live by them, and that we may teach them to our young people and our older people, so that they too may glory in those Doctrines and have firm ground on which to set their feet. There is something wrong with people who say they don't want doctrine. They are running away from life, and from its responsibilities. They are trying to live by "faith alone methods, refusing to learn what faith requires of them-for that is what doctrine teaches-and preferring to rest in vague piety and "good works" of their own devising.
     If there is really any Society of the New Church that thinks it "does not want doctrine" (and we cannot believe that there really is) let it consider seriously whether it wants to live by the teaching of the Lord in His Second Advent or simply by its own constantly varying ideas. There cannot surely be any doubt of the answer.
     Of course we want doctrine. We cannot do without it. We want more and more of it, more and more understanding of it, more and more teaching of it. The New Church glories in the Doctrines revealed by the Lord, and has nothing else in which to glory And we must teach those Heavenly Doctrines without ceasing; teach them to the visitor within our gates, teach them to the young people of our Societies, teach them, so far as their minds will allow, to the children in our Schools. Above all we must learn them ourselves so that we may live according to them and be able to teach them. Of course we want doctrine.

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DIVINE PROVIDENCE AND THE STILLBORN 1951

DIVINE PROVIDENCE AND THE STILLBORN Rev. ORMOND ODHNER 1951

     Almost all Christians believe that the occurrence of miscarriages and still-births is in the merciful providence of the Lord. But because of the nature of their religion it is almost inevitable that this shall remain a blind belief; a "mystery of faith," a thing to be accepted though not understood. In the light of the Heavenly Doctrine, however, man may at last penetrate this "mystery," may enter into it intellectually, and may actually see in such happenings the Lord's Divine Human itself.

     A certain school of thought in the General Church, comparatively small, believes in the immortality of stillborn children: some placing the supposed beginning of eternal individuality at conception, others at the "quickening." Were this theory correct, the grief of the New Church husband and wife who undergo the heart-rending experience of "losing a child" would be greatly assuaged. For an angel would have been created, an angel whom they could meet after death.
     With this theory, however, we cannot agree. But we do not wish to enter into the argument here, except to quote briefly from The Divine Wisdom and to refer the reader to a careful consideration of that work itself. (Published with The Divine Love to make a separate volume, it is found also at the end of the sixth volume of the Apocalypse Explained.)
     "Will and understanding," we read, "do not begin until the lungs are opened, and this does not take place until after birth . . . without the cooperation of the understanding and the will man has no life of his own. . . . One's own life is the life of the will and of the understanding, while the life of the infant is the life of commencing will and commencing understanding; from this only do the sensitive and the motor life in the body exist; and this life is not possible from the beating of the heart alone, but is possible from the conjunction of this with the respiration of the lungs. . . .

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Nothing of the life of the will and nothing of the life of the understanding is present in the foetus" (Wis. III: 5). Later in the same work it is said: "There is and there can be no angel or spirit that was not born a man in the world" (Ibid., VIII).
     Our own belief on the subject, then, is that a child acquires no eternal individuality until he takes his first breath after birth; and that unless he does that he never becomes a spirit or angel. Rather do his natural and spiritual forms alike both return into their component parts, leaving no individual human receptacle to receive life from the Lord.

     And now, what of miscarriages and still-births? They are, of course, "in Providence." Everyone believes that. But how, and why, is it so? Are they a form of punishment? Do they indicate a Divine change of mind, as it were: the Lord deciding that, after all, it was not good that these children should be born? Or is the Lord powerless to bring these particular conceptions to the birth?
     The idea that they are punishments Divinely inflicted upon the prospective parents is not only horrible,-making God a monster,-but is also inconsistent with the whole tenor of the Writings. The Lord never punishes anyone, and there is no retributive Divine justice. (See AC 245, 2447, 9033, et al.) The Lord loves all men, and wills all men nothing but blessings.
     It is true that punishments are often "blessings in disguise," since by means of them man's proprial will may be curbed (AC 9982); and it is the proprium which prevents reception of true Divine blessings. It is for this reason that the Lord permits punishments, even though He does not will them. Evil punishes itself. Every evil has its own punishment inscribed upon it (AC 9033). And in addition to the heinous evil of abortion, certain other evils can, under particular circumstances, cause miscarriages and still-births.
     Such cases, however, are very rare exceptions to the rule, and laws cannot be formulated for, or upon, exceptions. Usually the expectant mother, desiring her child, behaves herself accordingly.

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For her, then-and she is the usual case,-the miscarriage can in no wise be called a punishment. And we believe, furthermore, that the discovery of the true Divine purpose in the conception and gestation of children who will be stillborn shows that the miscarriage or stillbirth is in no sense a punishment, save in the rare instances to which allusion has been made.
     But to return to our questions. Are miscarriages and still-births indicative of a Divine change of mind, as it were; the Lord deciding that, after all, it was not good for these children to be born? The very word "infinite," the only adjective that may he applied to God, rules out this possibility. "Infinite" means, without limits. The Infinite, therefore, cannot change, for change implies limitation-differences between one limited state and another. In all that it does, Providence looks to what is infinite and eternal. Such is its every purpose: and it imputes a mortal lack of wisdom to the omniscient God to say that He would at one moment "decide" that a thing should happen, and then "change His mind" a little later.
     It is hard,-nay, almost impossible-for a mortal mind to comprehend that the Divine mind is not susceptible to change. But such is the case. "My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways, saith the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts" (Isaiah 55: 8, 9). The occurrence of miscarriages and still-births cannot possibly mean, then, that the Lord has "changed His mind"; deciding that, after all, these children should not be born. Rather must we conclude that although He brought about those conceptions, and provided for their gestation, He foresaw from the beginning in His Divine omniscience that they would not come to living birth.
     Are they, then, evidences of a Divine inability to bring these particular children to birth and eternal life? We could as well ask: "Is the omnipotent God not really omnipotent?" The Divine is able to do anything and everything that is according to order And yet, admittedly, it is in this particular regard that misunderstanding may arise as to the reason for miscarriages and still-births; misunderstanding which can be cleared away, however, by a patient, thoughtful study of the teaching of the Writings.

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     Every New Church parent knows, without argument, that it is the Lord, the omnipotent God, who brings about every conception, who cares for every gestation, and who brings every child to the birth. In literal fact, "children are an heritage of the Lord" (Psalm 127: 3). Every birth, with all that precedes it, is a miracle: no less Divine, no less awe-inspiring, because it is a common occurrence. It is a miracle wrought by the hand of God. And we cannot say that the omnipotent God is powerful in some instances, powerless in others.
     The eternal purpose of Providence is that there shall be a heaven from the human race. To effect this, to give the angels the happiness of use, the Lord provides that the spiritual world shall flow into the natural, there to work out correspondent effects. Thus the life of every good and useful plant and animal inflows from the Lord through the angels. Thus also everything in life that is good and according to order is effected by means of a general influx through the heavens; and this applies to the physical world, the physical body, and the human mind as well.
     The Lord, of course, did not create hell. He did, however, give men the freedom which men themselves perverted to make hell; and even in the devils He preserves this freedom, that they may continue to be men. Now the whole spiritual world must rest upon and flow into the natural world, and there is here meant hell as well as heaven. Unless it were possible for hell to flow into the natural world, there to produce evil and disorderly effects corresponding to its own evil nature, hell would be annihilated.
     This is the origin of all accidents or misfortunes, and also of diseases. (We here use the term "disease" in a very wide sense to include any bodily disorder or malfunctioning.) The influx of hell into the natural world, then, and into the physical body, is the sole origin of all misfortune and disease. This cannot be prevented, but the fact that it cannot does not mean that there is any Divine lack of power. In a sense, indeed, even this is of Divine provision; and most certainly it is governed by the universal law, that the Lord permits no evil to happen unless it can be turned to good for all concerned (SD 401).
     But although disease originated in hell it now strikes men irrespective of their spiritual state. This is ever to be remembered, for it was just there that Mrs. Eddy went wrong in her "Christian Science" teachings; making each man's personal and conscious spiritual state responsible for the "errors," the specific diseases and sicknesses and misfortunes that infested him from hell.

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     Miscarriages and still-births are, of course, related to misfortunes and also to disease; the term "disease" being used here again in its widest sense to include any bodily disorder or malfunctioning. In themselves, therefore, they are things arising from the general influx of hell rather than from the direct and inmost will of the Lord. Yet this is by no means indicative of any lack of Divine omnipotence; no more so than is the occurrence of any misfortune, disease, or accident. These things come to pass according to the omnipotent laws of Divine order; laws of Divine love and wisdom which, although of necessity they permit evils, yet permit only those evils to happen which can be turned to good for all concerned. Or, as it is said, evil spirits are not permitted to bring about even "the slightest thing" which "does not conduce to the good of many, thus to the good of the universe, and consequently of all" (SD 401).

     Miscarriages and still-births, then, are not Divinely inflicted punishments. They are not indicative of a Divine "change of mind." And they are not evidence of a lack of Divine omnipotence. With these negative aspects of the case now ruled out, is it possible to discern any real Divine purpose in these events-any positive purpose of Divine blessing? That is, can we actually see how they "conduce to the good of many, thus to the good of the universe, and consequently of all"? It is sincerely believed that we can.
     Any husband and wife who have experienced the expectation of parenthood know that this expectation builds up between them, and in each of them individually, a host of new states that are dependent upon that specific condition; states of joy, hope, love, tenderness, and care, and of sincere efforts toward mutual understanding and helpfulness. The Divine miracle of procreation almost miraculously gifts the couple with at least the beginnings of such states: and if these states are confirmed by each of them individually, they take root, grow, flourish, and produce their fruits.
     Now what is the fruit of these states that the Lord gives to prospective parents during the gestation of their child? Truly it is a good fruit, and much to be desired.

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It is the building of new and eternal bonds between the husband and wife, and the strengthening of such bonds as already exist. In each of their minds, actual new creations are effected; no less real, no less eternal, because they are not physical and material things. They are real creations, eternal creations, and by means of them husband and wife are brought closer together in a truly conjugial and eternal union.
     And is not the attainment of such an eternal, truly conjugial union the deepest prayer of every responsible New Church couple? Nay, though they know not its name, it is the deepest wish of every sincere couple outside the New Church. The desire for children is also sincere, of course; but it does not equal in depth and intensity the desire to be united in a true and eternal marriage.
     These states, these eternal creations which are built up in, and between, husband and wife during the expectation of parenthood,- and which, in most of us, can never be built up so effectively in any other way,-are of almost unlimited use in producing the conjugial marriage. And if they do that, are they not real Divine blessings? Are they not a Divine answer to our inmost prayers to the Lord?
     Let us say that, for one reason or another, it is not in Providence that a certain marriage shall be blessed with a child, or that the Lord foresees that a conception occurring at this time will not come to living birth. And the Lord does foresee all things. Yet it is in Providence that a husband and wife shall have built up in them those states of life which will bring them further into an eternal marriage, -those states that come in such full measure with the expectation of parenthood. In Providence, therefore, a conception occurs, and is followed by at least a partial gestation. That is, Providence permits it, even foreseeing the natural outcome, because of the tremendous and direct good that can thus come into the lives of the husband and wife, and, through them, to all other men.
     Then comes the sorrow, the anguish, the bitterness of miscarriage or still-birth; and for the moment, no Divine blessing is discernible. The mind is inundated with thoughts that it has all been a painful waste of time and energy, a thing without rhyme or reason, a thwarting of one's deepest wishes. But these are natural reactions, and we have been told that Bishop Benade used to say of everything natural: "Natural-and therefore wrong." The truth is,-though only the healing of time may bring it to view-that Divine blessings have been given through this process which, in this instance, could have had no other outcome.

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The states of love and joy, care and tenderness, mutual understanding and helpfulness,-these are Divine blessings which have helped to unite the husband and wife in an eternal, truly conjugial marriage. And that, not the bearing of children, is really their inmost desire.
Truly these states may be compared with the spiritual "children" of heavenly marriages. They do not grow up, get married, and leave home, as do physical children. Eternal and spiritual creations, they remain in husband and wife forever, if they permit; and by means of them is given that most precious pearl of life, conjugial love.

No man hath seen God at any time, with the eyes of his body. But the "only-begotten Son," the Divine truth, reveals Him to the eyes of that spirit which wishes to see. To see the Lord's love taking form or effect by means of His Divine wisdom is to see the Divine Human God, for love and wisdom are the essential human form. And with the aid of the Divine truth now revealed in the Writings we can see behind miscarriages and still-births-those sad and apparently useless and inexplicable happenings-the working of the one and only God; His love, acting by means of His wisdom, to endow husband and wife with the highest gift that mortals can receive-an eternal marriage of love truly conjugial.
ORDINATION 1951

ORDINATION Louis B. KING 1951

     JUNE 19, 1951

     DECLARATION OF FAITH AND PURPOSE

     I believe that God is one in essence and in person, that His essence is Divine love and wisdom, and that He is the Lord Jesus Christ; Creator, Redeemer, and Savior,-the one Divine man in whom dwells the trinity of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Born of the Virgin Mary, the Lord put on the human from the mother, and by successive steps put off this human and put on a Human from the Divine within Him, which is the Divine Human and is the Son of God.
     I believe the inspired books of the Old Testament and the New Testament, and the Writings, to be the Word of God and the Divine truth itself, which is the sole medium of conjunction between God and man.

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The Writings are the spiritual sense of the Sacred Scriptures. They are the Lord in His Second Coming as the Spirit of truth, and as such, their plain teachings are the essential Word-the one and authoritative Divine doctrine for the New Church.
     I believe that when the body dies, the spirit or essential man lives on to eternity. If his life was one of charity from faith in the Lord, and according to the teachings of Divine revelation, he enters heaven; but he who rejects the Lord's commands condemns himself to hell and spiritual death.
     I believe that so long as there is a true church on earth where the Lord is known and His will is done, all men who live a good life are saved.
     I believe that the Writings prescribe the distinct organization of the New Church on earth to correspond with the New Church established by the Lord in heaven. And I also believe that the Writings clearly indicate the necessity of New Church education for the preservation and growth of the church.
     I believe that the life of the church is founded upon love truly conjugial and that the work entitled, Conjugial Love, is, in its entirety, the Word of the Lord, directed and applied to living states in the church for the establishment and preservation of heavenly marriage.
     I believe that the priesthood is the Divinely appointed means of the establishment of the church among men and for communicating the Holy Spirit to man. It is the duty of the priest to conduct Divine worship, to serve as a governor in the spiritual affairs of the church, and to lead men to the good of life by teaching the spiritual truths of the Word
     In presenting myself for ordination, I declare my intention of serving the Lord faithfully, sincerely, and justly in the administration of those Divine things which He has provided for the salvation of human souls. And may the Lord grant me the will and the power to shun all inclination to abuse my office, or in any way to use the power of Divine truth for the advancement of self. It is my earnest prayer that the love of the priestly use may enlighten me to see the needs of the church, and the Divine wisdom inflow with the means for their satisfaction; and this that my life maybe of genuine service to the Lord in the further establishment of His kingdom on earth.
     Louis B. KING.

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FORGOTTEN PAGES OF NEW CHURCH HISTORY 1951

FORGOTTEN PAGES OF NEW CHURCH HISTORY Rev. WILLIAM WHITEHEAD 1951

     8. Wilson versus Carlile

     On February 4,1851, in England, one of the most gifted debaters and champions of the doctrines of the New Church ever recorded in our annals passed into the spiritual world. Born in 1788, at Failsworth, near Manchester, England, Thomas Wilson was taught reading, writing and arithmetic by his father in such time as could be spared from the family pursuits of farming and silk weaving.
     Like his father and his three older brothers, Thomas early developed a power of vigorous reasoning and shrewd intuition At the age of sixteen, some of his young companions put him in touch with the writings of Thomas Paine; and although his father had become a follower of Wesley, we are told that Paine's ideas of religion were the first that Thomas had ever read, "excepting perhaps the Bible, of which he seems to have had no certain knowledge." Passionately he studied Paine, forgetting food and sleep; and very soon the five male members of the family were digesting and debating the new infidel views which were taking the North of England by storm. At meetings which he attended, Thomas quickly learned the tactics of controversy on theological subjects as employed by the advocates of skepticism; and the intellectual skill thus gained was to serve him well in later years.
     When about twenty-one years of age, he was taking his usual Sunday morning walk, when an acquaintance, a musician, persuaded him to accompany him to "a good musical stir" at the New Church place of worship, at Middleton. But he found some of the truths in the preacher's sermon far more interesting than the music. They sounded like good, solid reason; and he went back again and again for more. From the library he got several pamphlets by Clowes and others; and these "new views of the Bible and religious subjects" were promptly dissected and ridiculed by the Methodist father and the sceptical brothers.

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But Thomas persisted and won over his eldest sister to look favorably on Swedenborg. Finally, he managed to procure a copy of Heaven and Hell, and the Wilson home soon became the center of a major intellectual battle; though, we are told. "good feeling always prevailed." Father and son "stoutly contested every page, proposition, and chapter, to the end of the book." The result was, that father, sister and youngest son became ardent receivers of the "new views" and Thomas became the founder and leader of the Failsworth New Church Society, having a remarkable grasp of the doctrines of the New Church. (See his posthumously printed "Course of Theological Lectures" delivered at Manchester, 1850.)
     From about his twenty-third year, Thomas Wilson steadily gained prestige as a religious and political leader in the north of England, and was greatly admired by leading liberals of his day. The celebrated Samuel Bamford, in his "Passages in the Life of a Radical" said: "The appearance of Thomas Wilson inspired me with respect . . . his tall, manly form, his mild demeanor, and the pacific expression of his countenance, were each in its way calculated to create favourable impressions." The Rev. S. Beswick describes him, just before his death, as "a tall, powerful man, with venerable countenance.'
     Certainly, he became a formidable antagonist to anti-Christian speakers; and we are told that "when any infidel lecturer appeared within ten or twelve miles, he was always ready to encounter him. Having the advantage of knowing almost everything his opponent could advance and being slow in speech, quick in perception, with great presence of mind, and an almost immovable temperament, he seemed constitutionally formed for a successful debater . . . the opponents (varied) from Trinitarians to Unitarians, Theists, Deists. Atheists, and even politicians."
     It was inevitable that he would some day meet the famous Richard Carlile (1790-1843), a "freethinker" of great influence in England, who, like Wilson, had been profoundly moved by the works of Thomas Paine; and who spent over nine years of his life in prison for publishing forbidden opinions. Having heard of Mr. Wilson, he expressed the desire to break a lance with him. Thomas promptly accepted.

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In 1829, at Ashton-under-Lyne, beginning in the morning, a five-hour debate was held by these two men on the subject of, "The Being of a God." Later a second debate was held on `The Authenticity of the Bible." A summarized but fascinating account of these debates appears in serial articles entitled: The Early Social History of the New Church in the North." (Sec INTELLECTUAL REPOSITORY, 1871, pp. 480-484; 511-517.)
The result of these debates is amusingly indicated at the end of the report of the second debate: "Mr. Carlile, finding himself vanquished in all his positions, did not attempt to reply . . . indeed, he seems to have been thoroughly cowed. Never, on any subsequent occasion, would he venture to remain when Mr. Wilson made his appearance at any of his public lectures. At last, so great was his dread of this redoubtable champion, that if he knew of his being expected at any of his lectures, although they had been publicly announced, he would break faith with the public rather than encounter his dreaded foe. Mr. Wilson, on his part, pursued Mr. Carlile whenever he ventured to appear within walking distance (and our friend would think nothing of walking ten, twelve, or more miles after eleven o'clock at night), to expose his sophistries . . . (Mr. Carlile's) last appearance was at Bolton-le-Moors, where he had advertised a lecture."
On the plea of New Church friends, Mr. Wilson was induced to allow himself to be smuggled in the Bolton coach a distance of fifteen or sixteen miles, into the Town Hall, "and located in the darkest corner, where he was also partly concealed by a pillar. They had also disguised him as far as practicable by muffling up. . . . Mr. Carlile had the opening speech. During the delivery, however, Mr. Walmesley (the chairman), from whom I received these particulars, told me that Mr. Carlile frequently eyed, with some suspicion and seeming misgivings, the muffled figure seated in the corner with his head bent down so as to hide his features. On the conclusion of Mr. Carlile's address, and the chairman announcing that the meeting was now open to the remarks of any gentleman present, the mysterious figure rose; when Mr. Carlile remarked to the chairman, 'I think I know that man-I do-don't let him speak, put him down!' The chairman replied that he could not do that. The meeting, he said, was open for discussion; and he had no power to put any one down, so long as he conducted himself in an orderly manner.

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When he had occupied his allotted time, Mr. Carlile would have the opportunity of replying to him. Mr. Carlile, however, did not wait for this; for ere many sentences had been uttered, he excused himself to the chairman on the pretext that he had not obtained a bed, and must go and secure one. He accordingly left the room, and never afterwards visited Lancashire."
"WHITE HOUSE" 1951

"WHITE HOUSE" RANDOLPH R. STROH 1951

The "White House," more explicitly, our "White House," was the magnificent though humble home of our beloved grandfather, Richard Roschman, a rather well-to-do button merchant of Kitchener, Ontario, Canada. Although it could not compare with the presidential mansion in the United States, his home bore a miniature likeness to it, and that is why we gave it this name. It had four imposing white cement walls, the same as the White House in Washington; large, well kept terraces, with seasonal flower beds; a long, white railed cement porch at the front; a large, semi-circular porch at the side; and a back porch. There were also porches on top of these, on the level of the third floor. It was a four story house with twenty-five rooms in all, centrally located on King Street on the highest spot of land for miles around. So it could not avoid notice, and not a few considered it the finest house of its day in these parts.
Gorandpa built the house. His resolute adherence to honesty and fair play, and a clean and tidy appearance, made him the kind of man a President ought to be; and that was another reason for "the White House." Gorandpa had traveled extensively, too, in Europe, Asia, and America. You might say that the soul of the `White House" was grandfather's soul; and all the good things in life-his family, his friends, his favorite pastimes, his special and holiday celebrations-were connected with this house. Its destruction five years after his death provided a peculiar double twist of fate that is worth writing down.

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     In order to appreciate the story fully, however, it must be realized that Gorandpa was a man whose loves were very deep and very sure. Once he had made up his mind that he loved someone, or something, that love never ceased. When a love was taken away from him, he did not even attempt to hide the hole that was left in his heart And Gorandma was his greatest love. She instilled in him, in addition to the affection she was ever ready to bestow', a love of cheerfulness, generosity, kindness, charity, industry, and good sense, and above all, of religion; all of which wanted to die inside him the moment Gorandma "went away," try as he might not to let them.
     "Providential" was the way it all started, Gorandpa used to say: right from his birth, in 1848, at Ulm, an old fortified town on the banks of the Danube River in Germany. His parents were of the Lutheran faith, and their union was blessed with ten children, five sons and five daughters. Gorandpa learned the trade of gunsmith as a boy, and in his early youth spread his wings, working first in Switzerland and then in France. He lived for a number of years in Paris, and became well acquainted with the French language and the French people. During the Franco-Prussian War he acted as interpreter for the French prisoners confined in the fort at his home town of Ulm, and one of his duties was to read and distribute the letters that came to them by mail. At the close of the war, being unable to endure the thought of further training under the Prussian military' system, which had become distasteful to him. Gorandpa decided to take "French leave" of his country and go to some foreign land.
     Gorandpa considered carefully all the methods of escape he had ever heard or read about, and finally decided on becoming a stowaway in a ship. It seemed to offer the best prospects, though it would take exact timing if it was to work without premature discovery. Only two weeks remained before his army transfer to a Prussian training camp came due. He turned the thought over in his mind many times, searching for what might perhaps be a better way out. He had not mentioned his dilemma at home, or actually convinced himself that the risks involved in such a daring scheme were worth taking. If caught, he would be executed for desertion from military duty. The days passed, and Gorandpa was still uncertain how to solve his problem. The only thing on which he was decided was that he could not endure Prussian militarism any further.

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     And then it was that "Providence" first showed itself. Two nights before his transfer to the training camp would have made escape impossible, he was presented with ideal conditions for stowing away in a ship departing from Ulm. He did not hesitate. In a few anxiety racked hours he was outward bound for Quebec, Canada, with a mere handful of money in his purse, not sufficient to pay more than a small portion of his fare across. But careful, quiet manoeuvering delayed the inevitable discovery of his presence until the ship was several days at sea. He was immediately taken to the captain for questioning. Being a shrewd man, Gorandpa offered the captain all the money on his person, and a promise to work the rest of his passage, if the captain would only take him safely to Canada. In those days, passports, visas, medical certificates, and foolscap sheets of family history were not requisite for entry into Canada. The captain, being "providentially" a kind man, agreed to his proposal And. thus it was "providentially" that Gorandpa was allowed to escape from Germany, the hard way. In fact, he worked so hard the next few days at sea that he was privileged by the captain to enjoy the last lap of his questionable voyage as one of the regular passengers.

     But in spite of his great relief one thing still bothered him-the great love of his boyhood, his mother. Like himself, she was a just and honest person and her loves were clean and true. Most of all she loved her religion, Lutheranism; worshipping dutifully and giving of herself to the church. Gorandpa admired her for this because he knew she really believed and was sincere in her good works. But, somehow, he could not understand this religion. He wanted to be a good and true churchman, like his mother; but what was the use, if he couldn't even believe in Lutheranism? His mother had had him baptized into the Lutheran faith, and he had always accompanied her into her pew on Sundays; somehow concealing from her, and regarding it as a failing on his part, that his heart was not moved as was hers. As his ship glided smoothly into Quebec City, he made up his mind that he would try the Lutheran faith once more for the sake of his mother, whose wonderful person he had been led so sadly and suddenly to abandon.
     However, it was some months before Gorandpa had time to return to the question of "making up" to mother for the anxiety his sudden departure must have caused her.

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He had first to earn his meals and his lodging in this new country, for he was penniless. But as he wandered, lost, through the streets of Quebec City, owning nothing save the suit he was wearing, and having no place to go, his ear caught the first sound of new hope. It was a familiar clanking sound, and it came through the open door of a shack down the dusty road ahead, the shop of an old fashioned metal works proprietor. Gorandpa headed straight for it. Having been a French interpreter in the German army he was able to converse freely with this French Canadian. He explained his circumstances, added that he had been a gunsmith and was experienced at making tools, and begged for a chance to earn a little money. The metal works proprietor, like the captain of the ship, took kindly to him, and gave him a job as well as temporary lodging and board.
But Gorandpa was of German blood; and as soon as he had saved enough money to make the trip the suggestion was made by the metal works proprietor that he move on to Kitchener, Ontario (then Berlin), a young German settlement about five hundred miles from Quebec, where his employer thought he would be happier. Gorandpa agreed that this might be a good plan, and the proprietor wrote out a recommendation of his ability and reliability as a workman. So Gorandpa found himself in the office of the Mayor of Berlin. The Mayor set him down in a chair, looked at his recommendation, talked with him a while, and then without further ado offered him a job in the office of a button works. Gorandpa accepted, and Berlin became his new and final home; save, we trust, for heaven.

Feeling safe and secure for the first time in many months he now got around to thinking once more of his mother and her Lutheran religion. Berlin was then a town with a population of only 3,000; but among others it had a church of the Lutheran denomination, and he decided that he would attend its service the following Sunday, then write and tell his mother he had done so. Gorandpa did as he had planned, but he did not write his mother because he could not. The service disturbed him, made him angry at himself inside. His prayers were wicked. He said all the words the minister said and kept a sober, respectable countenance, but he did not and could not believe the meaning they had.

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For his mother's sake he forced himself to attend this church again the following Sunday, but once more he came away angry; feeling uglier than ever inside. What would he do, what could he write to his mother? He could not lie to her about this, this of all things.
     The following Sunday Gorandpa decided not to attend church at all. When church time came, he persuaded a fellow boarder at his new home to walk up town with him and take in the sights. Gorandpa stepped quickly in passing the Lutheran church. A little piece down the road, however, the faint but beautiful strains of an organ greeted the two Sunday walkers. "That is the new organ at the Swedenborgian church," said his friend. "Let's go in and hear it." "No." was Gorandpa's definite answer. "They have an excellent choir and are singing some special music today. I read about it in the newspaper," his friend added. "No," replied Gorandpa, rather abruptly. He was disturbed enough as it was. His friend pleaded and pleaded with him, and finally he had no choice but to say, "Yes, but on the condition that we sit at the back of the church where we can get out without having to meet the pastor." (The pastor was the Rev. F. W. Tuerk.)
     Gorandpa did not enjoy the service. It disturbed him, but in a different way than the Lutheran services had disturbed him. What Mr. Tuerk preached about was beautiful and wonderful and good. It was the source of his teaching that was wrong. It came from books written by Emanuel Swedenborg, who claimed to have had his spiritual eyes opened, visited the spiritual world, and been instructed by angels, to write these books at the Lord's command. The whole thing was utterly insane! How could anyone prove these claims made by Mr. Swedenborg? Any other man could write other books and make the same claims for them. There was one favorable thing that attracted Gorandpa's attention at this introduction to the Swedenborgian church, however, and that was a pretty young lady; Miss Nancy Ahrens, though he did not learn her name until some time later.
     Gorandpa got hold of a few of these books written by Mr. Swedenborg that Mr. Tuerk had mentioned in his sermon among them one called Heaven and Hell. He decided to read for himself: and in the meantime he kept going to the Swedenborgian church on Sundays, though always sitting in the back row so that he could make a quick exit after the last "Amen."

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His private reading soon convinced him that Swedenborg was no fraud after all. What Swedenborg said fitted together beautifully and made wonderful sense.

     Then one day, by a still further act of Providence, Miss Nancy Ahrens, whose name Gorandpa had still not learned, walked into the office of the button works where he happened to be all alone at a desk. Miss Ahrens was canvassing the town to raise funds for the Christmas celebration which was just ten days off. Gorandpa blushed at sight of her. He had thought of her many times since that first visit to the Swedenborgian church, and Miss Ahrens now remarked that she had seen him many times at church and was pleased to make his personal acquaintance. The proprietor of the button works was out, and Gorandpa could not contribute to a Christmas celebration without his consent, at least with the firm's money: but he dog into his pocket and offered her a small personal contribution, fifty cents, "if that would help in the meantime?" Miss Ahrens said that it would help a lot, and that he must come to the Christmas celebrations at the church. He was more than welcome to join in their social activities.
     Somehow, Gorandpa was sure from then on that Miss Ahrens was the only girl he would ever love. He told her so the next time they met, and she accepted his proposal. Gorandpa was baptized into the Church, and two years later he and Miss Ahrens were married by Mr. Tuerk at the Swedenborgian church. Their wedding vows promised a life of devotion to the Lord's good works, as set forth by Emanuel Swedenborg. For the first time in his life, Gorandpa really meant and believed in his prayers. He became a strong supporter of the New Church, and of good works, too; and at last he felt that he had received some of his mother's true spirit.
     Bit by bit Gorandpa acquainted her with his change of religion. He had to. She would eventually guess it anyway, unless he lied outright. The news was given as slowly and discreetly as possible so as not to shock her. It was going to inflict a wound, no matter how he did it; but it was going to hurt him just as much as it hurt her. His family wrote him from Germany to ask: "Have you gone insane? What is this new, fantastic religion? We are coming over to Canada to save you from this trap you have fallen into."

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His brother Rudolf came, then his sisters Minnie and Emma-only to be "trapped" by this "new, fantastic religion" in short order! To them it was perfectly pure and beautiful.
     But a great calamity was soon to hit the church, a sort of mutiny. A portion of its membership felt that certain of its teachings were unnecessary, and they wanted to drop them in an effort to popularize the church. Gorandpa was one of the first to put his foot down. He, and a number of others, were not going to tolerate such a move which would forever destroy the purity and zeal of this new religion and cause it to become but half a religion. So Gorandpa and those others who were still loyal to the original faith departed from the church in which they had worshipped and started all over again in a new church building, directly across the street from where the "White House" was later built. It is not difficult to see that he built the "White House" where he did primarily to be close to this new church, the teachings of which were so close to his heart.

     The following years, leading up to his death, were comparatively smooth. Business was successful, and the new church, which was named "The Carmel Church," slowly grew and prospered. There were minor improvements and developments in the church, of course, in which he took an active part. Gorandpa's mother, the Lutheran phase of his life, died long before his time to go. His wife, the Swedenborgian phase of his life and the true one, passed away only a few months before he did. At all events, Gorandpa was alone during. his last days, memories of his mother and his wife remaining uppermost in his mind. He frequently wondered how he would greet his mother in the next life, his New Church wife at his side. Then Gorandpa died.
     Our "White House" was too much for us to keep up, for it was an expensive proposition and Gorandpa had been its support as well as its soul. Much as we wanted to keep it, we had no alternative but to sell for whatever price we could get; and the time, the depression year of 1930, was an awkward one to do so. Occasional bids came in, but the figures were ridiculously low. A year went by, and then fate came on the scene. A $10,000 bid was reported by our real estate agent, and we were eager to accept at once until we learned that it came from a Lutheran congregation which wanted to erect a church on the property, after tearing down the "White House"!

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Time was needed for consideration and we played for it. How would Gorandpa feel about this, having a Lutheran church right opposite the Carmel Church which he had adopted as his, and on the site of his own home? We held out as long as we dared, and we managed to rent the house to a wealthy English family for two years. But this was done only at a loss. Our resources came to an end, and we sold out to the Lutheran society.
At present the Carmel Church and St. Mark's Lutheran Church stand opposite each other without friction. We are too different to mix, but neither do we bother each other. The question is: What would Gorandpa say about all this; he and his wife, and his mother?

(AUTHOR'S NOTE: The above should be read as a sketch rather than a factual biography. All the events related took place, but a few liberties have been taken with their sequence.)
ON EXPRESSING AND RECEIVING GRATITUDE 1951

ON EXPRESSING AND RECEIVING GRATITUDE 1951

     Rev. Thomas Hartley to Emmanuel Swedenborg:

     "What ground for flattery can there be when I attribute everything in you to the Lord, and tint to yourself, and when I look upon you only as an instrument of His mercy and great kindness? But may I be permitted to offer honor and glory to the instrument, for this is well pleasing to the Lord: and may I be permitted to tell you from a heart full of gratitude that I consider myself thrice blessed that your Writings, by the Divine Providence, have fallen into my hands."

     Emanuel Swedenborg to the Rev. Thomas Hartley:

     "I rejoice at the friendship which you manifest in your letter: and I thank you sincerely for both, but especially for your friendship. The praises with which you overwhelm me I receive simply as expressions of your love for the truths contained in my Writings, and I refer them, as their source, to the Lord, our Saviour, from whom is everything true because He is the truth itself."

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MR. ODHNER'S ARTICLE 1951

NEW CHURCH LIFE
Office of Publication Lancaster, Pa
Published Monthly By

THE GENERAL CHURCH OF THE NEW JERUSALEM
BRYN ATHYN, PA.

Editor      Rev. W. Cairns Henderson, Bryn Athyn, Pa.
Business Manager      Mr. H. Hyatt, Bryn Athyn, Pa.

All literary contributions should be sent to the Editor. Subscriptions, change of address, and business communications, should be sent to the Business Manager. Notifications of address changes should be received by the 15th of the month.

TERMS OF SUBSCRIPTION
$3.00 a year to any address, payable in advance. Single copy, 30 cents.
     It is without apology that we print in this issue the Rev. Ormond Odhner's article "Divine Providence and the Stillborn." The happenings of which it speaks so understandingly may befall any New Church couple and are experienced by many. In the very degree in which they are of the Church, they will seek in the positive teachings of the Writings for aid and comfort: for the truth which applies to their situation, and which will lead their minds forward and upward from what seems to be only tragic futility and loss.
     Sent out privately, Mr. Odhner's article has already met this need in several instances. It is published now in the hope that a wider circulation will increase its usefulness, and with the belief that specific applications of doctrine to crucial human situations is part of the teaching and leading function of the Church.
STIMULATING REPORT 1951

STIMULATING REPORT Editor 1951

Unlike the apostles, who were commanded to go forth and preach the gospel, Swedenborg was commissioned to make the Heavenly Doctrine public by means of the press. The dissemination of the Writings by means of the press is one of the most useful forms of evangelization in which the Church may engage; and one of the first bodies in the world to continue the work thus inaugurated by Swedenborg himself was the Swedenborg Society, which was formed in London, England, in the year 1810.

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     The 141st Report of the Society, which was received recently, makes stimulating reading, and is a modest record of solid achievement which becomes all the more impressive when we consider the import license difficulties, rigid paper quotas, and other restrictions with which our English friends must contend. The Report mentions a total membership of 611, a net gain of 39 during the year and the largest total ever recorded; and states that total distribution in 1950- 1951 (grants and sales) was 4,063 books and 1917 booklets. Concealed within these figures are some interesting facts.
     Thus the Society points with pardonable pride to the publication of a new translation of The True Christian Religion as the outstanding achievement of the year's work; and mentions that the printing of Volume II of the third Latin edition of Arcana Coelestia is nearly completed, while the setting of Volume III and part of Volume IV has begun. Its deep sense of responsibility for the translations which it issues is shown by the statement that the work on the next English edition of Arcana Coelestia had been suspended, in view of many "sympathetic and constructive criticisms." During the year, new English translations of The Last Judgment and Brief Exposition were printed; and progress was made in the translation or revision of the following works: Apocalypse Revealed, Athanasian Creed, Conjugial Love, Prophets and Psalms, and Searle's "Index to Scripture Quotations." The translation of The New Jerusalem and its Heavenly Doctrine into Yoruba has been completed and it has been decided to reprint Professor Bhatt's translation of the same work into Gujarati. Translations of The Doctrine of the Lord and The Doctrine of the Sacred Scripture into Zulu are both ready for printing.
     Side by side with the actual work of translating and printing, the Advisory and Revision Board has devoted considerable time to codifying regulations for translators and consultants, rules of format and other matters connected with the production of the Society's publications, and has sought to obtain "an unequivocal definition of the kind of translation which will most fully accomplish the purposes for which the Society was established." Work on the Documents concerning Swedenborg, and the collection of material for a Lexicon of Swedenborg's Latin, have continued, and a sub-committee has been appointed to recommend suitable words and definitions for a glossary of doctrinal terms to be provided at the beginning of each work.

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The indexing of the Archives is now completed and that of the Reference Library continues. In every respect, this is a stimulating report, and in congratulating the Society we extend good wishes for the continuance of a use that is vital to the Church.
DISTINCTIVE SOCIAL LIFE 1951

DISTINCTIVE SOCIAL LIFE Editor 1951

     From the time of its first establishment, the General Church has been marked, among other things, by a belief in, and the practise of a distinct and distinctive social life: which, with certain exceptions, is reserved for its own members and young people. This belief is closely connected with one we discussed last month. For it is in such social life that a marriage partner may be found within the Church; and it is in it, also, that the conjugial may be nurtured and developed after marriage, and be protected and preserved from the sphere of the world.
     But our social life is not established and maintained solely as a means to marriage! Centered and cultivated primarily in the home, and secondarily in organized activities, it provides, in the sphere of the church, for recreation of mind and body, for the development and expression of true friendship, for a free exchange of the individual understanding of truth and perception of its application which each one has received from the Lord, and for the prompting to good which comes through the unselfconscious manifestation of spiritual affections. It provides occasions for rejoicing in the progress of the church, for encouragement in times of stress, for mutual consolation in days of adversity, and for inspiration when the call is for rededication. In the demands it makes for courtesy, tolerance, consideration, and accommodation it may serve as a training experience for life in heavenly societies. And in calling for a spirit of concern to entertain and give happiness to others, rather than to be entertained and made happy, it furnishes an ultimate for the expression of spiritual charity.
     These are important uses.

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But they cannot be effectively maintained unless the reasons for a distinct social life are understood and loved; and perhaps the first thing we should realize frequently is that our social practice is not based on the assumption that we, as individuals, are better than others, and that its purpose is not the negative one of excluding other people. The purpose is the positive and constructive one of protecting our social life from the alien and often hostile spheres of the world.
If this purpose is to be achieved, however, it is surely evident that our social life must be distinctive as well as distinct; for if we only exclude non-New Church people, and ourselves bring in the attitudes, standards, and approaches of the world, then we have a separate social life but not one that is distinctively New Church. To a large extent, distinctiveness is a matter of a new spirit. Some forms which are peculiar to the General Church have been developed, and certain characteristics have established themselves over the years: but for the most part, it is a matter of infilling with a new spirit of charity to the neighbor the social forms, practices, and customs which are already accepted in good society. Usages may not vary, except for the development of certain distinctive forms, and even external behavior will not differ from that which is found in a truly moral society: but there will be a new spirit, and that is the essence of distinctiveness.
There are some in the Church, however, who are denied this kind of social life by geographical isolation. Probably very few would contend now that the isolated family should have no social contacts with the outside world, or that families living in societies should have no social relations outside them. Business, and even just living to a neighborhood, carry certain obligations. The teaching would seem to apply here, that external friendships may be formed with nearly anyone for the sake of various uses. (See TCR 446) The test to these cases is the nature of our real preference and the priorities we recognize in arranging our affairs.
EDUCATIONAL COUNCIL 1951

EDUCATIONAL COUNCIL Editor 1951

When the Educational Council of the General Church assembles in the Benade Hall Chapel for opening worship on Monday evening, August 20th, it will be convening for the eighth time since its formation in 1941.

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For in the last decade it has met annually except in the General Assembly years of 1946 and 1950.
     The purposes of this organization were ably and inspiringly set forth in an address by Bishop George de Charms entitled "Aims of the Educational Council" which was delivered at the inaugural meeting. (See NEW CHURCH LIFE, 1941, pp. 289-297.) The formation of an Educational Council under the chairmanship of the Bishop, constituted of all who are actively engaged in the work of New Church education, both in the Academy and in the local schools, followed the clear perception of an urgent need. There was seen to be need for some instrumentality to coordinate the various units of our educational system, for extending to our local schools facilities already enjoyed by the Academy, for integrating those schools with the Academy, for supplementing systematically our teacher training program, and for making provision for a progressive development of New Church education.
     This need had been recognized from the first establishment of the General Church; and the Teachers' Institute (1897-1923), the General Faculty organized in 1917, and the Annual Joint Meetings of the Council of the Clergy and the General Faculty, inaugurated in 1923, performed important functions and seemed well adapted to meet the needs of their times. But the last mentioned meetings provided only for the presentation and discussion of general subjects; and in the years preceding 1941, there was a growing appreciation of the need for a medium of exchanging ideas and experience to the end that our education might be developed as a harmonious unit, and an increasing desire on the part of the teachers in our local schools for opportunity to discuss practical questions of particular interest to them, and for more effective collaboration with the Academy by discussion of interlocking problems.
     It was to meet these needs that the radical re-organization of the Annual Meetings proposed by Bishop de Charms in 1941 was undertaken. And the primary use of the new Council is best stated in the words of the Bishop. The external work has been accomplished. Our schools have been established; the basic principles of our education have been formulated; the machinery has been provided for the regular administration of the teaching function.

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If we rest content with what has already been done, feeling that we know our educational principles, and that further progress must be in the direction of greater efficiency in the modes and methods of our teaching, for which we must look to the world about us, then surely our perception of the true significance and the real application of those principles will not grow with us. It will become more general, more vague, less vital to us, year by year. Only if we turn our faces resolutely toward the achievement of the spiritual goal of education, seeking ever more efficiently to accomplish that goal, by studying the relation between the spiritual truth of the Writings and the external facts of scientific discovery, and by devising more effective ways of imparting to our students an insight into that relation, can we hope to advance in developing distinctive New Church education."
In an endeavor to promote these uses more effectively the Educational Council has already undergone important changes. From 1941 to 1947, inclusive, its Annual Meetings were held at the same time as those of the Council of the Clergy. Subjects of general interest were presented at the general sessions and there were conferences of teachers engaged in particular fields. In the summer of 1944 a highly successful summer school was conducted for two weeks; the Rev. William Whitehead giving instruction in the teaching of Ancient History, and Mrs. Robert Cole in the teaching of Astronomy. But at the business session in 1947, it was resolved to separate the Annual Meetings from those of the Council of the Clergy and hold them in the last week of August. At the same time it was asked that the headmasters of local schools be appointed a standing committee on program under the chairmanship of the Bishop. Under this arrangement, the morning sessions are devoted to consideration of two major subjects in the curriculum, while the afternoon sessions hear reports of committees appointed at the previous Annual Meetings.
The Council will meet this month for the third time under the present arrangement. At the first meeting Bishop de Charms said: "We look for no startling results. We know that the way is long." There is no feeling that the goal has been attained. But the Church may feel assured that in the Educational Council it has the will, and the means, to continue, under Divine leading, the progressive development without which New Church education must fail.

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Church News 1951

Church News Various 1951

     THE ACADEMY OF THE NEW CHURCH

     Commencement

     Commencement exercises of the Academy Schools were held on Friday morning. June 15th, in the Assembly Hall at Bryn Athyn. Following the festive President's Reception of the night before, students and visitors were in the traditionally mingled moods of joy and solemnity for the graduation service.
     The address by Philip C. Pendleton, Esq., is printed in this issue of NEW CHURCH LIFE. Valedictorians were: for the secondary schools, Nina Hyatt and Dirk Van Zyverden; for the Junior College, James Pendleton; for the Senior College, Kenneth Rose; and as the lone graduate from the Theological School, Louis B. King. In response to the valedictories, the Rt. Rev. Willard D. Pendleton, Executive Vice President of the Academy, noted the distinctive purpose of each school. The secondary schools form the basic understanding of the doctrines in the Writings; the Junior College discovers their rational framework; and the Senior College applies them to specific uses in life, especially that of education. Bishop Alfred Acton, Dean of the Theological School, in replying to Mr. King's valedictory, pointed out that in joining the ministry a young man begins his real studies, for which his Theological School training has been but a preparation.
     In the continued absence of the President, the service was conducted by Bishop Pendleton. The lessons were read by the Rev. C. E. Doering, who has returned to the Academy after a leave of absence. Class banners hung on the walls, and in addition to the traditional Commencement music a Psalm was sung by the secondary schools, and anthems by the Senior Class and the College.
     E. BRUCE GLENN.

     ACADEMY SCHOOLS Awards, 1951

     At the Commencement Exercises on June 15th, the Graduates received their Diplomas and the Honors were announced, as follows:

     Degrees

     BACHELOR OF THEOLOGY:     Louis Blair King.
     BACHELOR OF ARTS (cum laude) Kenneth Rose.
     BACHELOR OF ARTS: Marion Louise Down; Laura Cordelia Gladish; Carl Robert Gunther; Karen Synnestvedt; Evangeline Jane Wright.

     Diplomas

     JUNIOR COLLEGE: Men: Erdman Enoch Heinrichs; Robert Frankish Klein; Thomas Niles Leeper; Gilbert James Niall; James Lowrie Pendleton; Charles Van Zyverden, Jr.
Women: Odah Louise Barry; Edna Margaret Funk; Dolores May Hess; Carol Vernus Johns; Joan Borland Kendig; Lois Ann Klein; Astrid Odhner; Carol Ann Odhner; Mildred Donette Rose.

     BOYS' ACADEMY: Peter Glenn Bostock; Alan Dale Doering; Robert Michael Echols; Paul Sterling Gunther; Marlin Stephen Heilman; Hubert Henry Heinrichs; William Sumner Kingdon; Charles Hutchinson Lindrooth; Jack Michael McDonald;

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Robert Donald Merrell; Bruce Pitcairn; Philip Stanley Graham Smith; Peter Howells Synnestvedt: Yorvar Evan Synnestvedt; Gerald Dirk Van Zyverden; Robert Blair Walker; Daniel Victor Wright.

     GIRLS' SEMINARY: Greta Acton; Joyce Barger; Frances Irene Barry; Audrey Elizabeth Brickman; Doris Anne Brickman; Anne Lavelle Carroll; Sylvia Miriam Gladish; Cora Louise Glebe; Carolyn Hicks (in absentia); Nina Hyatt; Marilyn Klein; Carolyn Sue Klock; Nancy Lee Schoenberger; Sally Jean Smith; Martha Louise Tyler; Jane Wilson.
Certificate of Graduation: Mina Rosaleen Schnarr. Certificate of Attendance: Alethe Webster; Irene Leslie Webster.

     Honors

     Theta Alpha Honor Pin: Greta Acton; Sally Jean Smith.
     Theta Alpha Honor Award: Evangeline Lyman
     Sons of Academy Gold Medal: Yorvar Evan Synnestvedt.
     Sons of Academy Silver Medal: Peter Glenn Bostock; Gerald Dirk Van Zyverden.

     TORONTO, CANADA

     Services and Classes.-In general the month of May passed well under control. There were the Sunday services, which always show much considered thought by' our Pastor who, at the present time, is following through the story of Jacob-his journeys, labors, and reunion with Esau. At the Sunday morning service on May 27th, Mary Lee, the infant daughter of Sargeant-Major and Mrs. William Chisholm (Stella Campbell) was baptized. The Sargeant-Major is with the Active Forces, and happily not able to have two weeks leave to be present on this occasion.
     The Wednesday classes have closed for the season, but during May there were several very interesting ones on the vices and virtues; such as avarice, hatred, and the love of dominion. The final class took the mint or a most interesting address on the original manuscripts of the Bible. The suppers preceding these classes have been of such excellence that it has been suggested they should be called dinners, and at the last one of the season Mr. Acton voiced the general feeling of gratitude to the ladies who have prepared them.

     Meetings.-At the final Forward-Sons meeting of the season, and after an excellent repast prepared by Mr. Healdon Starkey Mr. Thomas Bradfield read a well written paper in which he endeavored to show the gentlemen "Ourselves as Others See Us."
     The Ladies' Circle held its election meeting on May 7th choosing as its President for the coming year Mrs. Thomas Fountain, with Mrs. Wynne Acton as Vice-President. The Secretary and the Treasurer, Mrs. Clara Sergeant and Mrs. Clara Swalm, respectively, remain in office for another year. At this meeting, which was held at the home of Miss Edina Carswell, the Rev. A. Wynne Acton gave a thought provoking paper on law and order as it is in country, home, and school, and as it affects children.
     Theta Alpha held its final meeting by having a supper party in the charming and cordial home of Miss Edina Carswell. The dainty and sustaining supper was followed by a business meeting, during which Mrs. Healdon Starkey was elected President for the coming year with Miss Edina Carswell as Vice-President, Miss Kay Barber as Secretary, Miss Helen Anderson as Treasurer. The reading of the "Life of the Lord" was continued, after which came light entertainment. Mrs. Lenore Bellinger read some NEW CHURCH LIFE News Notes from 1900 to 1907. Mrs. Ella Brown gave a humorous reading and Miss Vera Craigie brought out latent artistic talents by getting everyone to illustrate the story of "The House that Jack Built."

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     Social Events.-To raise funds for drapes for the ladies' lounge at the church, Mrs. Clara Swalm and Mrs. Clara Sargeant gave a Bridge and Canasta Party at the former's home on April 27th. This was an amusing evening and also proved a financial success.
     On May 19th, the Spring Dance was held under the guidance of Mr. and Mrs. Keith Frazee, aided by Miss Edith Carter, Mrs. James Bond, and Mrs. Thomas Bond, with various other assistants. The assembly hall was turned into a garden abounding in gay and colorful flowers, green and white awnings, a patio, and a bird sanctuary. Under Keith's able management the dance went with a swing and no dull moments occurred. The refreshments were succulent and ample, and the spirit of fun prevailed throughout.
     It is often a temptation to mention the many welcome visitors who come to see us, but in case any are missed we refrain. Nevertheless we thoroughly enjoy guests at all times.
     VERA CRAIGIE.

     FORT WORTH, TEXAS

     It is news time from Texas again, and it seems that the "regrets" tendered in my last report ace withdrawn since our annual elections in January put me back in business as corresponding secretary for our group. As my job is to report the news again, let us on with the past and the present.
     At the above mentioned annual meeting the following officers were elected to serve for one year: President, Mr. George W. Fuller; Secretary, Mrs. Raye Pollock; Treasurer, Mr. Thomas F. Pollock. As we are still using the recording machine for our worship and classes, George and Beth Fuller were appointed as the committee in charge of procuring and returning the tapes. This department has been running very smoothly indeed, and may we again express our gratitude to the Sound Recording Committee for the wonderful work it is doing.
     In March. Dr. and Mrs. Charles F. Doering left our Circle to return to their home in Bryn Athyn. It was wonderful to have had them for six months and to hold regular Sunday services, besides the Sunday School classes given for the five small children of the Circle, and we miss them as members of our group.
     The first of May brought a very welcome visit from the Rev. and Mrs. Harold C. Cranch. We were so pleased that Mrs. Crunch came along as this was the first time she had come down this way, and one can always get so much better from a woman the news about all the little things at home. After finding out all we wanted to know about kith and kin we had a very full program during the few days the Cranches were here.
     At a class held the first evening Mr. Cranch continued his series of talks on "Why I Believe in the New Church." Many points were brought out on which the doctrines of most Protestant churches are opposed to the Word. The second evening we had a group supper at the George Fuller home, followed by a service of worship and the Holy Supper. Mr. Cranch's sermon was on "The Valley of Vision" and it brought to all of us the correspondence between the hones taking on flesh and man's regeneration. After service we had a toast to the Church, followed by a social evening during which Mr. Cranch showed us many pictures taken on his past trips. There is always much interest in these pictures; for it is through them that we keep up with our friends, and it is always fun for the mammas to see so clearly from the yearly pictures the progress made by the little ones.
     The last morning of the visit we gathered at the Cyrus Doering home for a lunch, and were very pleased that most of the menfolk were able to take time off from work and join us. After a luscious meal there was much scrambling for position as pictures were snapped.

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The men having returned to work, the remaining members went to the airport to give our visitors a royal send-off, complete with passports to get them out of Texas.

     A few weeks ago we had more visitors. Mr. and Mrs. Henry Dunlap (Joan Davis) and two of their four daughters came over from Dallas, where they were visiting, and joined us at morning service After the service we all had a nice visit, a light lunch, and then sent them southward to their home They may be coming up this way again soon, and will be very welcome visitors to our group,-as will any and all vacationers who may venture down the way.
     All of us are very happy over the engagement of Loyd Alan Doering, youngest son of Cyrus and Harriet Doering to Miss Claire Delight Wilken, of St Louis, Mo. Claire has just graduated from Southern Methodist University, in Dallas. They will be married in St. Louis early in September and will make their home, at least for a year, on the campus of Texas A. & M., where Loyd has one more year to go. As the wedding will thus be out of town we will get a firsthand account from the returning parents for our next report.
     RAYE POLLOCK.

     DETROIT, MICHIGAN

     Annual Meeting.-Sunday, May 27th, was the date of our Circle's annual business meeting. It was held during the afternoon and was preceded by a service of worship and our regular monthly dinner. When this unusually long session was finally ended, at 5:00 p.m. we were tired, but very happy at the progress shown to have been made by our Circle during the year.
     Reports of officers, committees, and heads of the various organizations all showed increased activity and very encouraging progress, Considering the fact that for five months of the year we were without a pastor, and had to depend largely on lay-conducted services, we have every reason to feel gratified with the war in which interest was kept up and attendance were maintained.
     The following Executive Board was elected to guide our activities for the ensuing year: Secretary. Gordon Smith; Treasurer, Norman Synnestvedt; Walter Childs, John Howard, and Sanfred Odhner,

     New Church Day.-The significance of New Church Day was emphasized by quite an elaborate celebration, the most pretentious affair of the kind that we have yet given. It took the form of a banquet, held at our meeting hall in the evening of Sunday, June 17th. Following a very fine dinner, prepared and served by members of our Women's Guild, three very interesting papers were presented as follows: "New Church Education" by John Howard, "Distinctive New Church Social Life," by Lee Horigan, and "Formation of Societies" by Vance Birchman. Toasts and appropriate songs were interspersed. Our Pastor had the last word and he gave us a very fine and uplifting message that was appropriate to the occasion concluding with a few words of thanks and praise to those who had palned and taken part in the evening s program.
     During the evening, real humor was injected into the proceedings by Walter Childs and Gordon Smith. They wandered from table to table, singing original and appropriate verses to various members of our Circle, whom they then stridently proclaimed to be "Pillars of the Church." This was a surprise feature and it caused much merriment. We can always look to these two for unique ideas of this kind.
     The children of our members were given a New Church Day party on the afternoon of June 19th. It was held on the grounds of the Walter Childs residence. A program of games was followed by refreshments furnished by our very active Women's Guild.

     Candidate Holm.-Candidate David Holm and his wife (Elaine Steen) arrived here in time to attend the banquet.

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At our service of worship that day we had the pleasure of hearing Mr. Holm preach and give a very interesting talk to the children. On the following Sunday, June 24th, he conducted the entire service in the absence of the Rev. Norbert H. Rogers who, with quite a large delegation from Detroit, attended the Sons' Meetings at Kitchener. Mr. Holm's sermon, based on the parable of the pearl of great price (Matthew 13: 45, 46), was entitled "Acknowledgement of the Lord." and he again gave a very effective little talk to the children.
     Mr. Holm will be with us again to assist in the service on Sunday, July 1st, after which our activities will be suspended for a vacation period of one month, to be resumed on August 5th. We trust that David and Elaine enjoyed being with us as much as we enjoyed and appreciated having them here.

     General.-Our Pastor, the Rev. Norbert H. Rogers, has been appointed visiting pastor to the North Ohio Group. At his initial visit to Barberton, in May, it was arranged for him to devote one weekend in each month to the North Ohio members, conducting a Sunday service and such other meetings as can be arranged. On the Sundays when Mr. Rogers is away our services will necessarily be conducted by one of our lay readers.
     It is good to have back with us again the four young people who attended the Academy schools during the past year: Nancy Cook, Jimmy Forfar, Tom Steen, and Peter Synnestvedt. Their presence at our meetings is really inspiring, adding not only to the attendance but also to the volume and the beauty of the singing. Bryn Athyn training is certainly excellent and produces remarkable results.
     Candidate Holm's mother, Mrs. Mabel Holm of Glenview, attended our service on Sunday, June 24th. Mrs. David Lindsay of Miami Beach, Florida, was a visitor on the same day; and a week earlier we had with us Mrs. Philip Cooper of Bryn Athyn who was visiting here with two of her sons.
     WILLIAM W. WALKER.

     CHICAGO, ILLINOIS

     Sharon Church

     Services and Classes.-In previous years our Pastor has given a series of sermons covering the Old and New Testaments consecutively. This year his sermons have been a review of the entire series, taking all the main points to be emphasized. On February 18th, tarry Daniel Anderson, infant son of Mr. and Mrs. Harold Anderson, was baptized.
     In place of the regular doctrinal class after our Wednesday supper, Mr. Cranch gave a very interesting account, on February 7th, of the Ministers' Meetings, together with outlines of the papers. As he gives them, these reports always seem very useful, for they stimulate appreciation of the inspiring work that is being done by the clergy of our Church.

     Easter-The Palm Sunday service, with palms and flowers to add to its impressiveness, began the Easter celebration. On Good Friday there was an evening service with the administration of the Holy Supper. The sermon dealt with the crucifixion and the Holy Supper. The Easter service itself, with about 72 present, started with a lovely procession of the children with their offerings of flowers. Mr. Cranch's talks to the children always have a message for all and this seemed especially true of this address on the fulfillment of Lord's purpose in coming into world.

     Annual Meeting.-Our annual meeting, preceded by a baked ham dinner, was held after church on April 8th. Two important changes were made. Firstly, with a feeling that this would make things simpler all round, it was decided to start the fiscal year on January 1st instead of on April 1st.

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Secondly, the idea of a Church Contributions Committee was presented and it was decided to have such a committee for Sharon Church. The main idea behind the formation of this committee is to increase the number of contributors to Sharon Church and to make it easier for members to meet their pledges to the General Church and the Academy. The entire board of trustees was reelected.

     Social and Personal.-We have had two very enjoyable Canasta parties since our last report. The severe cold spells in January burst the water pipes in the upstairs kitchen, so we had a well attended and successful party to help defray the expense of repairs, which were made at minimum cost by Mr. Cranch and Mr. Ray Poulson, our exceptionally useful and willing trustee.
     The second party was on May 4th, at the home of the Cronwalls, and all who have had the pleasure of being entertained by them know that they have few peers as hostesses. It was at this party that we heard the good news of a new future member, a baby son of the Roland Andersons.
     It was a real blow to Sharon Church when we learned that Mr. Frank Guinn's work made it necessary for him to move his family to Philadelphia. Living a few doors from Sharon Church the Guinns became friends of the Cranches and began attending church. Mrs. Guinn has served on supper committees, and last year was elected secretary of the Ladies' Auxiliary. They had become a real addition, and we who miss them very much hope that they will become active in the Philadelphia Society.
     We regret to report also that our Treasurer, Mr. Noel McQueen, who has suffered severely from arthritis, had to be hospitalized again. At the present writing he is improving slowly, however, and we hope that the treatment he is now receiving may lead to a good recovery.
     New Church Day.-For our Nineteenth of June celebration we joined with the Glenview Society and had a most pleasant day enjoying its hospitality. The Rev. Karl R. Alden gave a talk to the children, and many adults, in the afternoon, and in the evening was the last of three speakers who gave an excellent presentation of the meaning of the day, the historical Preparation for it, its personal application, and its effects.

     Visits.-Shortly after the annual meeting, on April 11th, Mr. Cranch, accomplished by Mrs. Cranch, began his Western trip. In his absence we again had the pleasure of hearing sermons from the Rev. Elmo C. Acton and the Rev. Ormond Odhner, who conducted church services for us.
     The Rev. Louis B. King spent some time with Mr. Cranch after his ordination, preparing for the Western trip he is making this summer. He conducted the entire service on June 24th, the congregation being larger than average, and afterwards joined the Society at a picnic and Sunday-School social at Lincoln Park.
     VIOLITA WELLS.

     GLENVIEW, ILLINOIS

     During May and June our Society has experienced many happenings; among them, three births, two deaths, two baptisms, and three weddings. Summer has pushed spring into the background, and already the early planters of kitchen gardens are enjoying fresh vegetables which the rich black soil of Glenview brings forth in such abundance.

     Meetings.-Chief among our May meetings was the Glenview Chapter of the Sons' installation banquet, to which the ladies were invited. Bishop Willard D. Pendleton was the speaker of the evening and his inspiring talk about New Church education, together with Hubert Nelson's able toastmastership, made of this meeting a memorable occasion. As is usual at our installation banquets. Mr. O. E. Asplundh was in charge of the meal, and, as usual, it was excellent.

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Mr. Sydney Lee installed the new officers.
     Also in May, the Glenview Chapter of Theta Alpha met to elect officers for the coming year. At our annual meeting on May 25th, 88 members were present to hear reports and to elect officers to the Board of Finance.

     Other Occasions.-On Friday evening, May 18th, Bishop Pendleton conducted the doctrinal class. He also preached at the following Sunday service. Two musical occasions were well attended-a choral recital and an orchestra concert, both given by the children of the Immanuel Church School under the direction of Professor Jesse Stevens. On Monday afternoon, June 18th, the Immanuel Church School held its closing exercises and the five children of the Ninth Grade were presented with their certificates of graduation. The Boys' Club is preparing for a two week camping trip. This year they will pitch their tents on the banks of the Wisconsin River, near the little town of Blue River in Wisconsin.

     New Church Day.-This year, the Nineteenth of June was made a full day of celebration. In the morning we held a service of worship which was followed by the sacrament of the Holy Supper, and in which our Pastor, the Rev. Elmo C. Acton, was assisted by the Rev. Ormond Odhner and the Rev. Harold C. Cranch. Then there was a children's service at three o'clock, at which the Rev. Karl R. Alden gave the address. This service was followed by a procession of the children-one child in each grade bearing a specially prepared banner,- out of the church and around the courtyard into our assembly hall, where tableaux were shown together with songs and readings. In the evening, 215 people attended our New Church Day banquet, at which Mr. Alden addressed us. Gerald Nelson was toastmaster, and was responsible for a good program well carried out.

     Golden Wedding.-June 26th marked the Golden Wedding day of Mr. and Mrs. Louis S. Cole, and on Sunday the 24th, some 100 guests visited the honored couple at their home to wish them continued happiness. A present of a very beautiful silver spoon from the members of the Society was presented to Mr. and Mrs. Cole by the Rev. Ormond Odhner. Songs and refreshments followed.

     Deaths.-On Monday, May 14th, after an illness of but a few hours, Mrs. Beatrice Brewer Barnitz passed into the spiritual world. A resurrection service, conducted by the Rev. Elmo C. Acton, was held on the following Wednesday afternoon. David Andrew Cole, eldest son of Mr. and Mrs. Louis S. Cole, also died in the early part of May. David was born in Glenview 47 years ago, and in 1932 married Serena Scalbom. The resurrection service was held in the Immanuel Church and was conducted by the Rev. Harold C. Cranch.

     Weddings.-The marriage of Mr. David F. Gladish, Jr., and Miss Shirley Glebe was solemnized on May 17th, the Rev. Elmo C. Acton officiating. The bride wore a gown of eggshell satin and taffeta and a fingertip veil and carried a bouquet of American Beauty roses. The groom, a member of the U. S. army, was in uniform. A reception followed the ceremony and Mr. Acton responded to a toast to "The Church." The bride and groom were then presented with a silver gift from the Society.
     On June 16th, Mr. Alfred Umberger and Miss Patricia Gyllenhaal were united in marriage, Mr. Acton again officiating. The chancel was decorated with white peonies and snapdragons and the church was lit by tall white candles. The bride's gown and train were of white satin, and she wore a fingertip veil and carried a bouquet of white roses. Miss Greta Acton, maid of honor, and Miss Dorothy Price, bridesmaid, wore dresses of light cocoa brown net and taffeta and carried yellow roses. Little Cherly Carlson, niece of the bride, was flower girl.

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The groom wore his naval white uniform and was attended by Alan Soderberg as best man. At the reception which followed, Mr. Acton responded to the usual toast to "The Church," and the Rev. Ormond Odhner then proposed a toast to the bride and groom.
     The marriage of Mr. Oliver Menard Smith and Miss Evangeline Wright was solemnized on June 30th. A description of this wedding will be included in our next report as this one must be mailed immediately for inclusion in the August issue of NEW CHURCH LIFE. Credit for descriptions of weddings in Glenview should go to Miss Dorothy Cole, who writes them up for the "Park News." The undersigned simply copies her descriptions.
     HAROLD P. MCQUEEN.

     BRYN ATHYN

     New Church Day.-The Nineteenth of June was observed here as a full day of celebrations. There was a children's service in the morning, and in the afternoon the congregation gathered for a combined thanksgiving and ordination service which was enhanced by special vocal and instrumental music The Rev. Hugo Lj. Odhner preached the sermon, and the Rt. Rev. Willard D. Pendleton officiated at the ordination of Candidate Louis B. King into the First Degree of the Priesthood. This is always an impressive service; and it seems to have especial power and significance when performed on the very day on which the Lord inaugurated in the spiritual world the work of the priesthood of the New Church.
     Dr. Odhner was a genial and capable toastmaster at the banquet held in the evening. The banquet itself was excellent, and the same may be said of the prepared speeches in which various forms of evangelization were considered by Mr. Don Rose, Professor Richard R. Gladish, and Bishop Willard D. Pendleton. The occasion was given particular interest by the presence of more than a hundred members of the General Convention who were gathered in Philadelphia for the annual sessions of that body. The Rev. Dr. Leonard I. Tafel, President of Convention, spoke briefly but warmly for these welcome guests.

     School Closing.-On the preceding Thursday, June 14th the closing exercises of the Bryn Athyn Elementary School were held in the Benade Hall Chapel. Certificates were presented to the members of the Eighth Grade who were leaving to enter the High School in the fall, and an interesting and fascinating illustrated address was by Mr. Elmer Simons.

     Services and Classes.-The season thus ended was marked by the fact that for its entire duration the Bryn Athyn Society was without the leadership and services of its Pastor, the Rt. Rev. George de Charms, whose illness has been so much regretted throughout the Church. In his absence, however, the uses of the Society were ably maintained by the Assistant Pastor, the Rev. Hugo Lj. Odhner; with help from the Rev. David R. Simons, the Rev. F. E. Gyllenhaal, who continued to have charge of the children's services, and occasional assistance from other members of the clergy. It was a pleasure to have the pulpit occupied by no fewer than five Authorized Candidates who on other occasions assisted by reading lessons and giving talks at the children services.
     Most of the Friday evening doctrinal class were given by Dr. Odhner who followed a series entitled "Faith and Falsity" with another which followed out the reorganization in the spiritual world which followed the Last Judgment. Towards the end of the season a short series of classes was given by the Rev. David R. Simons, who again had charge of the Young People's Class throughout the year.     During the winter, Bishop Willard D. Pendleton gave a series of classes for young married people on the work Conjugial Love, and the Rev. Karl R Alden again conducted his weekly class in general doctrine for those who are becoming interested in the Church or have recently joined it.

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     Meetings.-The Spring Meeting of the Bryn Athyn Society brought out a wealth of interesting reports and vital statistics. During the year the Women's Guild and the Bryn Athyn Chapters of the Sons of the Academy and of Theta Alpha held their usual meetings, and the Bryn Athyn Boys' Club had an active season.

     Social Activities.-Space does not allow for more than a brief mention of the many and varied activities which crowd the social calendar of this community. The Civic and Social Club again provided a full program for the Society, and the Club House was the scene of suppers, lectures, parties, dinner-dances, and other occasions throughout the year. One of the most pleasant functions held there recently was a gathering to congratulate Mr. and Mrs. Kesniel C. Acton on their Silver Wedding Anniversary and to present them with a gift from their many friends.
     Reference might be made also to a delightful dance held on May 12th, at which the Society and the students of the Academy Schools were the guests of Mr. and Mrs. Raymond Pitcairn at "Glencairn." Dances there are in plenty, but it is not often that young and old, and all the intermediate groups, meet and mingle on the same dance floor here.

     Bishop de Charms.-Although Bishop de Charms had not yet resumed any of his duties, it can be announced that he continues to make steady and satisfactory progress in his convalescence.

     THE CHURCH AT LARGE

     General Convention.-The Wayfarers' Chapel, national memorial to Emanuel Swedenborg, was dedicated on Sunday afternoon, May 13, the Rev. Dr. Leonard I. Tafel, President of Convention, officiating. This unique chapel of glass and trees stands at Palos Verdes, California, and may be served by the Rev. Clyde Broomell.
     Because of a surplus stock, the New Church Press, 108 Clark St., Brooklyn, N. Y., will supply free of charge upon request sets of the compilation "The Swedenborg Archives" which are mainly the findings of the late Alfred Stroh at the time of his researches in Sweden.

     General Conference.-The General Conference met on June 18 at the Church of the South Manchester Society. The retiring President, the Rev. P. H. Johnson, B.A., BSc., was to be succeeded by the Rev. Arthur Clapham. Main events will he noted in these columns later.
     The Rev. Arthur Clapham has intimated that, on account of his other duties, he desires to be relieved of the editorship of the NEW-CHURCH HERALD at an early date.
     The Rev. E. J. Pulsford will be obliged by ill health in seek a less exacting pastorate than that of the Woodlands Road Society, Glasgow, Scotland, to which he has ministered for thirteen years.
     Mr. Bryan Trobridge, a senior student of the New Church College, has accepted the pastorate of the Burnley Society and is expected to enter upon his duties there in September.

     Europe.-The Rev. Adolph L. Goerwitz, General Pastor in Europe, who suffered in April a severe heart attack that prevented him from attending the General Convention in Philadelphia, is reported to be making slow but satisfactory progress.
     The Rev. Maurice de Chazal, who also has been seriously ill, has so far improved in health that he has resumed duty at the church in St. Helier, Jersey. During his absence the services were conducted by Mr. G. de Moubray. It is understood that the church has been repaired and redecorated since the German occupation.
     In an effort to reach the numerous but widely scattered New Church people in Germany, the Rev. F. L. G. Reissner, pastor in Berlin, is distributing his sermons in booklet form.

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Mr. Reissner recently made a tour in the western zone in his capacity as missionary for Central Europe; visiting for the first time in several years Lubeck, Bremerhaven, Dorun, Bochem, Stuttgart, and Frankfort. The group in Bochem is still meeting regularly.

     South Africa.-The Rev. Theodore Pitcairn sailed early in the summer for France, en route to South Africa where he will visit the clergy and members of his Church and Mission.
     West Africa.-We learn from THE NEW AGE that the Conference of the West African New Church Mission was held in Owo last January. In Owo Church alone there were 400 people at the Christmas service, and 45 were baptized into the New Church.

     Australia.-From the same periodical we learn that Dr. R. A. Brock, a son of the Rev. C. D. Brock, of Adelaide, has been appointed to the Northern Territory Medical Service to provide a better service for bush aborigines living near isolated native settlements.
UNPARDONABLE SIN 1951

UNPARDONABLE SIN 1951

"All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be for given unto men: but the blasphemy against the Holy Spirit shall not be forgiven unto men. And whosoever speaketh a word against the Son of Man, it shall be forgiven him, but whosoever speaketh against the holy Spirit, it shall not be forgiven him." (Matthew 12: 31, 32)
"To deny the Word, or to adulterate the real goods and falsify the real truths of the Word, is sin and blasphemy against the Holy Spirit; and to interpret the natural sense of the Word, which is the sense of the letter, according to appearances is a word against the Son of Man. The reason why to deny the Word is a sin which cannot be remitted . . . is that they who deny the Word deny God, deny the Lord, deny heaven and hell, and deny the church and all things that belong to it; and they who are in such denial are atheists ... such persons, inasmuch as by denial they have dissolved all bonds of conjunction with the Lord, cannot be otherwise than separated from heaven, and conjoined to hell." (Apocalypse Explained. no. 778)

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ORDINATION 1951

Announcements
King.-At Bryn Athyn. Pennsylvania, June 19, 1951, Mr. Louis Blair King, into the First Degree of the Priesthood, the Rt. Rev. Willard D. Pendleton officiating.
EDUCATIONAL COUNCIL MEETINGS 1951

EDUCATIONAL COUNCIL MEETINGS 1951

     BRYN ATHYN, PA., AUGUST 20-24, 1951

Monday, August 26

     8:15 p.m. Opening Session Address by Rev. Rev. W. Cairns Henderson.

Tuesday, August 21

     10:00 a.m. MATHEMATICS. Chairman: Professor Edward F. Allen.
     8:00 p.m. Report of the Committee on Literature. Mr. E. Bruce Glenn.
          Report of the Committee on Independent Reading. Miss Lyris Hyatt.

Wednesday, August 22

     10:00 a.m. MATHEMATICS. Chairman: Professor Edward F. Allen.
     8:00 p.m. Report of the Committee on Reading Tests. Miss Lyris Hyatt.
          Report of the Committee on Composition and Grammar. Professor Richard R. Gladish.

Thursday, August 23

     10:00 a.m. FOREIGN LANGUAGE. Chairman: Dean Eidric S. Klein.
     8:00 p.m. Report of the Committee on Science. Miss Morna Hyatt.

Friday, August 24

     10:00     a.m.     FOREIGN LANGUAGE. Chairman: Dean Eldric S. Klein.
     2:00     p.m.     Business Session.
     7:00     p.m.     Banquet. Toastmaster: Rev. David R. Simons.
EDUCATIONAL COUNCIL 1951

EDUCATIONAL COUNCIL WILLARD D. PENDLETON 1951

     The Meetings of the Educational Council of the General Church of the New Jerusalem will be held at Bryn Athyn, Pa., from Monday, August 20 to Friday, August 24, 1951, inclusive.
     WILLARD D. PENDLETON.
          Representative of the Bishop.
DISTRICT ASSEMBLIES 1951

DISTRICT ASSEMBLIES WILLARD D. PENDLETON 1951

     All members and friends of the General Church of the New Jerusalem are cordially invited to attend the District Assemblies, as follows:

     EASTERN CANADA. TORONTO, ONTARIO. Saturday, October 6th, to Monday, October 8th, inclusive.
     CHICAGO DISTRICT. GLENVIEW, ILLINOIS. Friday, October 12th, to Sunday, October 14th, inclusive.
     PITTSBURGH, OHIO, AND MICHIGAN. PITTSBURGH, PA., Friday, October 26th, to Sunday, October 28th, inclusive.
     WILLARD D. PENDLETON.
          Representative of the Bishop.

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LOVE OF OFFSPRING 1951

LOVE OF OFFSPRING Rev. F. E. GYLLENHAAL 1951

NEW CHURCH LIFE
VOL. LXXI
SEPTEMBER, 1951
No. 9
     "Lo, children are an heritage of the Lord, and the fruit of the womb is His reward. As arrows are in the hand of a mighty man, so are children of the youth. Happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them; they shall not be ashamed, but shall speak with the enemies in the gate." (Psalm 127: 3-5)

     The summary of the internal sense of this Psalm is: "That all things of the church are from the Lord, and nothing from man. That he who is in truths from the Lord remains safe." (PP) This internal meaning shines through the words of the text. It also appears clearly from the words before the text: "Except the Lord build the house, they labor in vain that build it. Except the Lord keep the city, the watchman waketh, but in vain. It is vain for you to rise up early, to sit up late, to eat the bread of sorrows; for so He giveth His beloved in sleep."
     The mind of man is treated of in the internal sense. It is man's eternal house. Yet the mind is not formed in an infant; it is not built at the time of birth into the world, and the life-work of man is to build his own mind-house, to build it story by story, room by room Yet it is ever true that, "Except the Lord build the house, they labor in vain that build it. Still, man is to build his mind-house as of himself; but if the Lord is not actively at work building it in him, the mind-house will not stand; for not only is it founded by such a man on merely human opinions and even on fallacies and falsities and not upon truth, but also lust and deceit are depraving and destroying it.

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     The internal sense of the first two verses of the 127th Psalm treats particularly of the building up of the church among men. The summary of this internal meaning is: "That all things of the church are from the Lord, and nothing from man." The Divine of the Lord makes the church. Men constitute the church. Yet men are permitted by the Lord to labor in building the church. In fact, the Lord invites men to help Him build His church. He earnestly and urgently asks for the co-operation of men in this glorious work. So far as power is concerned, the Lord does not need the help of any man in building His church. But He loves the human race, and He loves to have men help Him in all of His work, just as in our work we love to have the help of those whom we love and who love us. Also, the Lord knows that we need the work, that it is by means of work for the establishment of His church that we receive the church and have it built up in us. Therefore He gives us the work of building the church, yet teaches that, "Except the Lord build the house, they labor in vain that build it."

     The whole doctrine of conjugial love shows clearly how vain it is for a man to try to build a house or family without any acknowledgement of the Lord as the source and origin of all love and of marriage, and human experience amply confirms this. The people of the Most Ancient Church were in love truly conjugial. All of their families loved and worshipped the Lord. They dwelt together in heaven after death, a family forming one society, and not one member missing in many generations. But evil, especially the evil of adultery destroyed marriage. Love truly conjugial, which had been the peculiar and the ruling love in the Most Ancient Church, was forgotten, and finally became utterly extinct and unknown.
     The love of adultery began its long and terrible reign. Nations, houses, and families became divided against themselves. Finally the Lord restored the knowledge of love truly conjugial and at the same time revealed the horrible interior state of mankind. He gave truths with which to fight adultery, and with which to conquer and shun it. He taught plainly that every kind of association can be securely built only on a knowledge and an acknowledgment of Him; that it makes no difference what means are adopted by nations and races to preserve themselves from extinction by destructive wars, race suicide, and other evils of hatred and adultery; that none of them will succeed as long as they depend on their own wisdom and their own efforts: for it is true in this respect also that "Except the Lord build the house, they labor in vain that build it. . . .

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Lo, children are an heritage of the Lord; and the fruit of the womb is His reward. As arrows are in the hand of a mighty man, so are children of the youth. Happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them; they shall not be ashamed, but shall speak with the enemies in the gate."
     Children are from the Lord, though it seems that they are solely from men and women. Regenerating men and women, who have the Word, know and acknowledge that their children, and all children, are an inheritance from the Lord. "All souls are mine," saith the Lord. (Ezekiel 18: 4) "They are my sons, whom God hath given me in this place," Joseph said to his father Israel. (Genesis 48: 9) "The Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away blessed be the name of the Lord," confessed Job, when he heard on the same day of the death of all his children and the loss of all his possessions. Men and women who are wise in the Lord are thankful for their children. They are filled with gratitude to the Lord, because they have children, or because they have had them. They humbly accept their children as a reward of earnest endeavor to live rightly.
     A man having many children is compared to a "mighty man," or hero, who has a bow and a quiver full of arrows. The hero is well armed against enemies. So is the man who has many children. The regenerating man with many children is well armed against the enemies of his soul, the enemies of heaven and of the Lord. This idea is further expressed by the words: "They shall not be ashamed, but shall speak with the enemies in the gate."
     "The enemies in the gate" are the devils in hell and evil spirits in the world of spirits. The enemies are especially adulterous spirits who are enemies of conjugial love, of marriage, and of offspring from marriages. The regenerating man who has many children is well armed against such spirits. His children, provided he realizes his responsibilities towards them and faithfully discharges those responsibilities, are a means of protection against the assaults of adulterous spirits, against the infestations and temptations of such spirits and of all evil spirits.

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The spheres of innocence surrounding his children in their infancy and early childhood are a wall of protection for him, and are a means of awakening the remains of his own childhood. The necessity of providing food, clothing, education, and recreation for his children employs all his thoughts and energies, and gives little opportunity for evil spirits to excite his lusts and cupidities.

     Idleness is the devil's workshop, but industry is the workshop of angels. The desire to preserve honorable his name and reputation is strengthened with a man who is a father, because his children bear his name and receive recognition and favor according to his reputation. And a man's affection and love for his wife is strengthened and increases, because of their common love and service for their children. Children are the means of bringing happiness to their parents, and of enabling them to be joined in a somewhat interior marriage, in many instances of incompatibility and of the lack of other and more interior spiritual bonds.     Therefore it is said, "Happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them." Happy are the husband and wife who love each other tenderly, who strive to live rightly from religion, and who have many children.
     The natural meaning can be carried further and applied to nations. A nation of large families has its greatest source of protection against enemies in its children, and its children are the largest means of giving true happiness to all men and women.
     The Hebrew' word translated "children" literally means "sons." The "sons" who "are an heritage of Jehovah" signify truths of the church from the Divine-truths of the understanding, truths by which there is intelligence, truths of doctrine, and truths from good. "The fruit of the womb," which is a "reward," signifies the good of the church and of the understanding, goods by which there is happiness, and those who have goods by means of truths. The "heritage of Jehovah" and "His reward" signify heaven, which is from truths and goods, or from the reception of them. "Sons of youth," who are "as arrows in the hand of a mighty man," signify natural truths from a spiritual source, also the truths and goods of innocence; and because these truths have all power against evils and falsities, it is said, "as arrows are in the hand of a mighty man." "Arrows" signify truths destroying falsities. Good of innocence is good of love to the Lord.

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Because truths of innocence have such power, also because men who are in doctrine from those truths fear nothing from falsities, it is said, "Happy is the man who hath his quiver full of them." "Quiver" here signifies the same as "bow," namely, doctrine from the Word. "They shall not be ashamed when they speak with enemies in the gate" signifies that there shall be no fear of evils from the hells. "Enemies" signify evils. "Gate" signifies hell. "Not ashamed" signifies not fearing, and not to be conquered.
     Note that there are in general two gates with every man. One opens towards hell, and is opened to evils and falsities therefrom. In this gate are infernal spirits. The other gate opens towards heaven, and is opened to goods and truths from heaven. In this gate are angels and good spirits.
     Therefore, the internal sense of the text may be summarized as follows: That truths and goods from the Lord are in the mind of a man who is willing to receive them; that they are heaven, and make heaven in such a man; that with such a man they are powerful against evils and falsities from hell, are strong according to their number and the affection for them, protect him from the enemies of his soul, and thus preserve him unconquered by hell and happy in his security and peace. Or, as stated succinctly in A Summary of the Internal Sense of the Prophets and Psalms, "That all things of the church are from the Lord, and nothing from man. That he who is in truths from the Lord remains safe."
     The affection of truth is the ruling affection of the Psalm. This affection shows itself on the natural plane in many ways, or it takes many forms, and one of its forms is the love of offspring, which evidently is the ruling affection of the text.
     The love of offspring is from the Lord, even as infants are from the Lord; yet this love comes mediately through conjugial love, even as infants come mediately through husband and wife. Conjugial love is the fundamental of all human loves. It is the highest and the lowest and the all-encompassing and all-embracing love. It is a universal love. The love of offspring is derived from conjugial love. It also is universal and fundamental. These two loves are said to be the two principal and fundamental loves. To them is added a third, which is mutual love or charity.

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     In a wide sense it may be said that there are three universal, principal, and fundamental loves, namely, conjugial love, love of offspring, and mutual love. When these three loves are lost or destroyed, all other loves are perverted, and evil alone reigns. Love truly conjugial was lost, but it has been restored. Mutual love or charity has been extinguished repeatedly in the churches which have hitherto existed on this earth and have been consummated. But the love of offspring has always remained.
     The love of offspring has been preserved for the sake of the redemption and eternal preservation of the human race. Before the Lord's birth on earth it was preserved by the hope of His birth. Every Jewish woman lived in the hope of being the blessed virgin of whom the Lord would be born. Thus the love of offspring was a universal means of redemption.

     To-day this love has been attacked as never before. As a result of the wide-spread denial of the Divinity of Jesus Christ the hells have gained a strong position of attack on the love of offspring. This love is growing feeble throughout the so-called Christian world. Innumerable insidious attacks on it are being made daily. Men and women are hardening their hearts against this love. They are opening their hearts to loves of pleasure, of the world, and of self, and the gratification of these loves is interfered with by the bearing and rearing of children.
     Women are the especial guardians of the love of offspring. Men receive it through them. Will the enemies of this love prevail over the women and men of the so-called Christian world? Is this civilization to be destroyed by them? The greatest hope of salvation lies in the growth of the New Church and in the spread of its heavenly doctrines.
     We pray that the destruction of marriage and of mankind will not come to pass. Prayer, even much prayer, is urgently needed. But merely pious prayers without acts of faith and charity are futile. The church is aware of this to-day. That is, many members within the church are aware of it. The church with us is slowly growing and increasing in numbers. This is well both for us and for the world. Yet we must continue our efforts and increase them.

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And these efforts should be for the production of both natural and spiritual offspring; for only as a corresponding growth and increase of spiritual and natural offspring proceeds apace, will there be power successfully to repel and overcome the enemies at the gate. Amen.

LESSONS: 2 Kings 18: 17-37. Matthew 18: 1-20. TCR 431.
FORGOTTEN PAGES OF NEW CHURCH HISTORY 1951

FORGOTTEN PAGES OF NEW CHURCH HISTORY Rev. WILLIAM WHITEHEAD 1951

     9. The Aims of Urbana University

     The recent centenary celebration of Urbana University has caused us to reflect that the real founders of that institution were two men whose ideals and aims were identical, the Rev. James Park Stuart, of Cincinnati, and Colonel John Hough James, of Urbana.
     The Rev. J. P. Stuart, later Bishop Benade's most intimate friend, had been converted from the Presbyterian Church in 1845, and was pastor of the Cincinnati Society. A witty, genial, human personality of Scottish-Irish ancestry, he was a vigorous and outspoken theologian and scholar as well as a writer of much talent. In 1853, he founded the first New Church weekly in America, THE NEW JERUSALEM MESSENGER, and later became editor of WORDS FOR THE NEW CHURCH. By natural ability and previous training he was at once interested in the establishment of "a New Church Theological, Philosophical, and Literary Institution" for the education of New Church young people in the truths of the new and marvellous dispensation of the Second Advent.
     Born in Virginia, Colonel John H. James (1800-1881) was a prominent member of the Ohio bar, served two terms in the Ohio State Senate, and was president of the first railroad in Ohio. He seems to have been introduced into the Church through marriage in early life to Abby Bailey, daughter of the well-known Francis Bailey of Philadelphia. In private life he was devoted to scholarly and literary interests, and he has been reliably described as an earnest and devoted New Church man and a generous, sympathetic, and gifted gentleman.

392

     Actually, the official initiative to establish a New Church University in Ohio was contained in a "Memorial," presented to the 31st General Convention on June 13, 1849, at Philadelphia by the Rev. J. P. Stuart, which contained a letter from Colonel James, dated March 26th, that had been entrusted to him on one of his frequent missionary trips to Urbana. This offered to give "ten acres of ground for the site of a New Church University"; and stipulated that $2,000.00 should be contributed by others within one year and that suitable buildings, "substantial, plain, and of handsome proportions without ambitious display," be erected in three years.
     Mr. Stuart explained that he presented this proposal in order that "if an attempt is made to meet the stipulations, it may from the first fall under the most general supervision and patronage of the Church." His "Memorial" was referred to a committee for detailed study; and on November 15 and 16, 1849, meetings were held in Urbana at which were present, among others: Colonel James; the Revs. J. P. Stuart, George Field, and Sabin Hough; and Messrs. David and Thomas M. Gwynne (who had already contributed $1,000.00), M. G. Williams, and John Murdock. A "General Plan" for the building of the institution finally emerged and was approved, and it is from this document that we extract the following statements.
     "There shall be established, at or near the town of Urbana, an institution for learning for the use of the New Church, known as the New Jerusalem, for the dissemination of its principles and for the propagation of its doctrines. The Institution shall be called the New Church University, and shall include a Preparatory and Collegiate department; with provision also, as demand may arise, for a Theological, and other such departments as the Board of Trustees and the Executive Council may determine. As far as possible every useful branch of a religious, literary, and scientific education shall be taught in the University; and degrees shall be conferred on the students in accordance with their attainments . . . but modifications in this respect may be made, founded in the principles and doctrines of the New Church . . . (The Board of Trustees) shall consist of twelve individuals, who shall be acknowledged receivers of the Doctrines of the New Church; and two of whom . . . shall go out of office every year, and their place be filled by the General Convention of the New Church in the United States."

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     To make clearer what was in the minds of the founders we would quote from Mr. Stuart's previous "missionary report" to the Ohio Association in May, 1849, in which, after printing Colonel James' letter, he said: "Have not the time and the occasion come for the incipient steps to be taken for founding a New Church University . . . our old literary institutions are as defective as the Church which gave them birth . . . much that they do is well done, and would require to be repeated in a true system; but, taken as a whole, are not their forms, their methods, their designs, and their results antiquated and outgrown in the living age? What man, principled in the life and the Doctrines of the New Church, would commit in good faith and implicitly the education of his sons and daughters to any of these institutions?"
     Growing enthusiasm for distinctive New Church education in Ohio and adjoining states, particularly in the Rev. George Fields Detroit society, swiftly brought concrete results. In June, 1851, the University was incorporated under the laws of Ohio; the buildings proceeded under the direction of W. Russel West, the gifted architect of the Ohio State House; and on September 7, 1853, Urbana University proudly opened its doors with seventy pupils. Its first "Annual Commencement" was held on June 19, 1854. In the same year we find Dr. Leonhardt Tafel engaged as Professor of Sacred Languages on the recommendation of the Rev. Win. H. Benade. Mr. Stuart was already Professor of Philosophy, and he continued in this use until 1856, when he was made "general agent' for the University, a position which had been offered to Mr. Benade, and declined.
     But Mr. Stuart, the apostle of higher education in the New Church, became increasingly discouraged, and the following entry in his diary for March, 1859, presaged his resignation in June. "It is now ten years since I came to Urbana and set on foot this movement, and I then determined to give ten years of my life to this cause . . . We have neither students nor money . . . because we are unworthy of both. We have begun wrong."
     Careful study of the evidence has convinced the writer that the cause of his discouragement was threefold. 1) The movement had met with growing skepticism among parents, both ministers and laymen, and it was urged that the New Church should be committed to nothing more than Sunday Schools;

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2) There was marked lack of understanding as to the respective jurisdiction of ministers and lay workers in the building up of a system of New Church education; Mr. Stuart, emphatically supported by Mr. Benade, holding that it was an ecclesiastical use and the ministers should hold the ultimate power, while Colonel James and others were concerned about the prerogatives of the Board of Trustees and the Executive Council; 3) the uncertain conditions prevailing just before the Civil War created hesitation about supporting so bold an innovation.
Almost inevitably, Urbana University was closed for some years and reopened only in 1866, with thirteen students. Inevitably, also, Mr. Stuart threw in his lot with the Academy movement. However, when the Rev. Frank Sewall became President in 1870, which office he retained for sixteen years, Urbana enjoyed a successful renaissance and performed distinct services to the Church. (See NEW CHURCH LIFE, 1901, p. 506.) Since 1924, the institution has been described as "Urbana Junior College." It now has nine faculty members and a librarian who are engaged in offering "courses of instruction equivalent to those followed in the first two years of the standard co-educational liberal arts college." (Catalog Number, BULLETIN OF URBANA JUNIOR COLLEGE:, 1950-1951.)
THIS WE BELIEVE 1951

THIS WE BELIEVE 1951

"The true field of evangelization is with the children of New Church parents. In order to occupy this fruitful field of work New Church schools are needed that children may he kept in the sphere and environment of the Church until they are able to think and act for themselves." (PRINCIPLES OF THE ACADEMY, no. 12)

NEW CHURCH EDUCATION will be the new name for THE PARENT-TEACHER JOURNAL, of which fifteen volumes have been published. Under the editorship of the Rev. F. E. Gyllenhaal, it will continue to appear monthly in mimeographed form from September to June, both inclusive, at $1.50 a year.

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IMPLANTING AND PROTECTING THE CONJUGIAL IDEAL 1951

IMPLANTING AND PROTECTING THE CONJUGIAL IDEAL JANET H. DOERING 1951

     All that precedes a marriage contributes to the state of the conjugial in that marriage. (CL 313) All that precedes would take in every moment of life until marriage--a bit more than may be considered here. But we would like to present a few thoughts relative to, and beginning with a child's awareness of marriage as an institution to which he will look forward in life. In so doing, we would emphasize the New Church parent's responsibility in seeking to guide that awareness to the end that love truly conjugial may descend upon the earth.
     The leading teaching here is that conjunctions with those who are similar are provided on earth with those who from earliest youth had loved and desired and asked of the Lord a lovely companionship with one, and had spurned and detested wandering lusts. (CL 49) This does not preclude the possibility of similitudes marrying who have not been reared with this teaching in mind. But in wondering why the promise is given specifically to those who follow it from earliest youth we have conjectured that an over balance of similar evils might be produced in the offspring of similitudes unless some of the habits necessary to regeneration have been formed from earliest youth, and that the friendship of love in marriage might be detrimental to the spiritual health of the consorts if the Lord is not looked to as the real leader.
     Conjugial love is, inmostly, the conjunction of man with the Lord. This is an abstract truth beyond the comprehension of children. Yet they can be led to love this ideal as it is represented in the eternal marriage of two consorts. It is no coincidence that the habits of looking to the Lord, shunning evils as sins, and learning to take responsibilities willingly, are as necessary to developing the former love as the latter.

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Love truly conjugial is the blessing the Lord bestows upon those who from earliest youth look to Him and strive to do His will. How, then, can parents respond to this use?
     Our first responsibility is to provide children with a conjugial environment; one in which parents habitually look to the Word, seeking not only the truths that will help their own regeneration but the means whereby children may be led to a delight in spiritual things, and to desire a lovely marriage themselves. As love truly conjugial exists only with the regenerate, the conjugial may have to be simulated. Yet it is only by forgetting our immediate desires for happiness in turning to the natural and spiritual responsibilities of marriage that we can receive blessings from the Lord. The closest similitudes will have moments in which conjugial friendship is blinded by proprial loves; and devotion to the ideals of marriage, and to the spiritual uses partners have to perform to each other, is the best means of bridging such moments of cold. The vital thing is that parents and children together look to the Lord and do His will.
     Our second responsibility, the conscious implantation of the conjugial ideal in earliest youth, has had little attention in the printed page. All adults in the Church are familiar with the promise referred to; but are we certain that our children are taught it in earliest youth, and that their awareness of it is nurtured intelligently? The Lord has mercifully provided the means of instilling the idea of eternity in marriage in all children, wherever they may be, by means of the old fairy stories which end "and they lived happily ever after." These stories had their origins in ancient spiritual correspondences (GROWTH OF THE MIND, p. 132); and the New Church parent will find them more moving if they are read with some knowledge of those correspondences.
     Some appeal more to little girls, others to little boys; and the direct difference in appeal may well be a guide to the future ways in which we can lead and teach them about conjugial love. A girl must learn to cherish the ideal of a beautiful marriage and the importance of a cheerful and willing devotion to duty; a boy while not unmindful of the ideal and of the chivalry necessary for its attainment must learn not only to do his duty but also to turn his love of adventure to spiritual things; and each may be led to see something of this, to take only one example, by such stories as "Cinderella" and "Jack the Giant Killer" if they are rightly used.

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A good time to tell children first of the Lord's new promise of conjugial love is before they doubt the reality of these stories for it is well gradually to replace their love of fairies with this brand new love which makes the beloved stories as true as ever, but on a higher and very real plane. The prince or princess may one day be themselves. The giants of this age may be referred to as the seeds of wandering lusts which must be spurned because they will hinder the growth of the conjugial if they are allowed to become habits.
     A child's mind is like a garden. With the ever present help of the Lord it is ours to plant and cultivate; and the earlier both parents and children can learn to distinguish the tender green shoots of good loves from those of evil ones the better, for in the beginning they all appear delightful to the child. Providing children with a clean, wholesome, and spiritual idea of sex is an aim of all good parents. Remnants of Victorian prudishness within us, mingled with the blatant frankness about us, are apt to leave us somewhat confused. But the glorious truths now revealed on the subject should make us rejoice at its true beauty, and lead us to make every effort to convey this beauty to our children in contra-distinction to the often vile and perverted notions prevalent in the world.
     In Providence, children become curious about the beginnings of life, and about sex differences, years before the love of the sex ms truly awakened in them; and, ignorant but curious, they may get into a kind of mischief which can sorely grieve a parent's heart. But let us remember that they have at first no sense of values, and that if these difficulties are properly handled they can be turned into a valuable sense of confidence in parents. First offenses should not be the occasion of drastic punishments which may leave the child with a confused burden of guilt. Rather should such trouble be made an opportunity for careful instruction and guidance.
     Children can learn that they have been given to, and must obey, their parents because adults have learned what the Lord wants them to do and can teach little children what is right and what is wrong. They can learn that whenever they feel they may have done something wrong, but are not certain, they can talk it over freely with their parents.

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Sympathetic, unemotional, and satisfying answers to their questions and problems will lead them to look to their parents as the best and truest source of information, besides building up the friendship and confidence necessary to guide them through later periods of life. They should learn that the feeling of fun they get from off-color stories comes from evil spirits who love filthy things, and they can learn to conquer this delight by remembering what is right and wrong and praying to the Lord for help. If they are affirmatively conscious of this, good spirits will protect them from enjoying what they know to be wrong. They should be told to forget unhappy incidents which stemmed from ignorance, but to strive to do what is right when they know right from wrong, since only thus can the Lord give them true happiness.
     First and foremost, however, they must learn that the Lord rules all things by laws of order. Having children is the most sacred and wonderful use of married partners; and anything that disrupts or makes light of that order before marriage is disorderly and to be avoided so that their own minds and bodies will be kept clean for the sake of their own marriages and of the gifts they would bestow upon their future consorts and children. When children have learned how conception takes place and the body is formed they can be told later that infants get a part of their mind from parents also; that the habitual thoughts and affections of the parents help to clothe the soul from the Lord. And if young people can realize this, they can see a very essential use in keeping their minds clean and pure. (See CL 202-206)
     As children grow older we must never compromise the conjugial ideal, but must strive to contribute to a fuller understanding of what it involves. As they become increasingly aware of our shortcomings, we must gradually relinquish the role of standing in the place of the Lord; let them know' that we are of the same clay as themselves, that we are all subject to infestations, and that our one real help is the Lord and His Word. They must learn early the importance of going to the Word themselves and applying truths to their lives as best they can with the help of parents and teachers. As we cease to be perfect in their eves we must place the Lord firmly on His throne.
     Yet we must remember, and this is most important, that the conscience of a child is borrowed from his parents, teachers, and other adults who rule his life until he reaches the age of rationality, and that when out of their sphere he may, at times, make regrettable mistakes.

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Unless they become habits of the will he will not be responsible for them. The end in view is what will determine the quality of his love, and this end can be kept in mind even when the details of the means of achieving it become confused. "But good with its affection does not defend itself, but is defended by truth and the understanding of it." (AE 1121) And so we come to the moral standard, the development of which is the responsibility of parents.

     The Moral Standard.-The moral standard which protects conjugial love, like that love itself, needs both the masculine and the feminine for its perfection. Within the Church it is common to hear women referred to as "the guardians of conjugial love." But what this involves needs careful definition. Woman is the conservator of conjugial love as the man is wise, but she alone can not protect the conjugial. Woman is a form of affection, man a form of understanding. "Wives love the bonds of marriage if only the men do." (CL 217) Conjugial love flows into the female sex and thence into the male; and the zeal to protect that love flows into the male, and thence into the female, for the sake of the male." (Ibid., 372) Neither influx will have a firm dwelling place in the mind apart from truth. The truths about conjugial love in the mind of a woman will lead her to love and strive for it primarily through her affections; and because of his general love of the fair sex, those same truths in the mind of a man should lead him to strive to protect this ideal love through his more detached ability to see truth apart from his affections.
     The double moral standard existing in the world today arises primarily from a perversion and lack of genuine truth. What standard there is rests primarily on woman's innate love of home and children, but it fails in its use because there is not the truth to protect that affection.
     It is frequently said that the age of chivalry is dead. One of the greatest uses of the New Church will be to revive it: not as an empty and meaningless form of gallantry and politeness; but as the living form of society in which the Church can best come to maturity.

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Such chivalry will take into account not only a man's actions in feminine society but also his thought and speech when women are not present. "In proportion as man shuns adulteries, thus also unchaste and filthy thoughts, in the same proportion conjugial love enters." (AE 949:3) It is in this field, perhaps, that the men and women of the New Church can wield the strongest if the most subtle influence; and this influence will be most effective, not in open denunciation or a frowning countenance, but as we recognize the frightfulness of the hells which are loosed by such thought and speech and inwardly make a conscious effort to check the perverted loves which those hells delight in stimulating. The Writings have much to say about the power of spheres, and we can make use here of what is said, even though we may not be aware of the influence on others.
Lewd story telling is somewhat of an international masculine pastime, and, it must be added, one which is not entirely unknown among women! But where genuine wisdom, a chaste marriage, and conjugial love are the aims in life, the enjoyment of such stories must be spurned and detested along with wandering lusts, for the one excites the other. A man is a real man only in so far as he knows and lives according to the truths of the Word and receives inspiration from women to do so (CL 433, 393, 223); and girls and women should never try to harden their hearts and conceal their instinctive hurt by appearing to condone or approve this kind of thing on a basis of tolerant acceptance. Men will be true men only as a woman's love for the conjugial ideal acts as a gentle influence in discouraging such thoughts in the man she loves.
We cannot doubt that in so far as a girl deliberately acts against her native instincts, and the truths she has learned to conserve the conjugial, she shuts off temporarily the influx of the true feminine from the Lord. Similarly, a boy who deliberately acts against the truths in his understanding prevents for the time being any influx of the true masculine. Opposite loves cannot exist together. Yet we would note that truth alone is harsh and condemnatory. Mercy and forgiveness, based on some understanding of human frailty, must not be forgotten if the well-springs of love toward the neighbor are not to be dried up. They are important in all human relations for the prevention of biassed and meritorious judgments, and they are essential to a happy marriage.

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A chaste love of the sex is acquired but slowly; and as forgiveness and mercy are balanced with a knowledge of right and wrong, the path to a wholesome maturity becomes less fraught with the dangers of fanatical extremism in any direction.
The love of the sex commences when a youth begins to think and act from his own understanding and reason. The commands and prohibitions of childhood must then be replaced by spiritual truths from which he can think as of himself. The highest region of the mind is opened from youth to early manhood and onward by means of perceptions of spiritual and moral truths, but the knowledge of truth is necessary to this perception. (TCR 42) Since the truths of the Writings about conjugial love are addressed primarily to the adult mind, however, those which are comprehensible to youth must be gathered by adults, adapted, and then taught until they are so familiar to the youth that they seem to spring from his own mind and reasoning powers.
At this point we would add, in condensed form, a few direct teachings of the Writings. The love of the sex follows the initiament of the proprial understanding and progresses according to its vigor, indicating that it ascends into wisdom and descends into insanity as the understanding ascends and descends. Wisdom is to hold the love of the sex in check, insanity is to let it forth broadcast. The understanding makes the man, wherefore he becomes a man-man (homo-vir) and also a male man as his understanding is elevated. (CL 446) Lusts flow in from the body through the senses and dissipate the goods and truths of morality. (Ibid., 16) Lust is the unchaste love of the sex. Chaste love of the sex is the very delight of the mind and thence of the heart, but not at the same time of the flesh below the heart. (Ibid., 44) The love of the sex becomes spiritual when man recedes from wandering lust. (Ibid., 447e) If man suffers natural delights to predominate he falsifies the truth, and when this is done the spiritual man is closed. (AE 162e) Love truly conjugial is with those who desire wisdom. The Lord foresees them and provides conjugial love for them, which love begins through the love of the sex, but not from it; for it springs up as wisdom advances and comes forth into light with man, since wisdom and this love are inseparable. (CL 98)

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     Applications.-In erecting a moral standard for our youth it is easier to say how they should think than how they should act in any given circumstances. Our chief concern must be the establishment of orderly modes of behavior designed to promote and protect the development of the chaste love of the sex. And the pillar of cloud by day and of Ore by night which alone can lead them safely through the moral wilderness of the world is the Lord's own promise of conjugial love for those who strive to learn and do His will. (AC 6953-4; TCR 402)
     In the light of the Writings we may not condone youthful kissing between the sexes, either in fun or in puppy love. We would not say that it is evil in itself, but that avoidance of it is a real protection against possible spiritual harm. In our present environment we would not have our youth regard it either as the conjugial initiation or as destructive of the conjugial; the latter lest unnecessary worry be experienced. Still, an unreasoned prohibition could lead to a priggish sense of virtue, an unwarranted sense of merit, and a dangerous mode of judging others. The important thing for them to learn is that the sense of touch is dedicated to the conjugial, and that the potential of this love begins between a man and a woman only when the mind of each is devoted to that of the other with the intent to marry. They must know that sensual pleasure as an end in itself is unchaste and to be shunned, and that the orderly modes of advancing to conjugial love cannot be precipitated without grave harm resulting.
     A youth is not held responsible for his actions: yet wandering lusts in youth may well retard spiritual development if they are not shunned from the beginning. If allowed to grow they build up unchaste affections which clothe the idea of the conjugial in natural rather than spiritual imagery; imagery which may serve as a basis in later years for influx that will cause colds to arise in marriage. According to the Writings, sensuous things cannot receive the Divine, wherefore a man who thinks from them thinks of the Divine as of earthly things. (AC 6844) The sensuous can with difficulty be regenerated, and the things from it in the memory are the last to be regenerated. (Ibid., 7442:4) Clearly, then, parents have a responsibility to teach not only what to do but also what not to do. The purpose of New Church education is not only to give our children a choice between good and evil but to enable them to choose between lower and higher goods.

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     Only in the celestial heaven is conjugial love entirely chaste, and this because the celestial lived chastely while in the world. In the other heavens there is a quiescent lasciviousness, which can be awakened to the embarrassment of the angels; and in the lowest heaven there are even occasional slight colds in marriage. (Mar. 67, 68) As we help our children to develop a chaste love of the sex, and do everything in our power to keep their memories as clean as may be from those sensuous things which are the last to be regenerated, we shall surely do much to aid their regeneration, and help to keep open the possibility of their choosing the highest good; thus ensuring their greatest happiness in marriage.
     This is further emphasized in Conjugial Love, no. 313, which teaches that because things antecedent give form to conjugial love and make the state of mind from which a husband and wife act toward one another, a different state from a different order is formed with the spiritual. Unlike the natural, they look to the Lord and proceed in true order, and the Lord provides and leads the order. But the state of the natural is inwardly full of unchastities, which produce as many colds and obstructions to inmost life.
     We would note again that where petting is indulged in from ignorance of the truth, it is the end that is regarded by the Lord. But if ignorance excuses, it does not lead to spiritual bliss; and the youth of the Church should know that there are real dangers in the disorderly indulgence of the sense of touch. The awakening of such delights can, and should, be regarded as a danger signal; and they should be shunned because if they become inseated the mind cannot but desire a repetition of them. If higher loves and ideals are not implanted, together with a knowledge of the dangers that threaten those loves, the natural mind will call forth all the powers of the imagination to feed the affections of such unchaste delights; and these imaginations are in themselves wandering lusts. Only a conscience based on spiritual truths, together with prayer to the Lord, can help a young person to overcome them.
     It is not fear of the final natural consequences of too much petting that we should emphasize. That in itself is too suggestive, and if given as the only reason for abstinence will do nothing to check the lusts of the imagination but may even arouse them further.

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Such a natural fear may leave room for just a little safe' petting. Yet to the degree that a youth deliberately indulges in such pleasures, his inclinations to unchastity become a part of his proprium that must be conquered before conjugial love can be received, the imagined ideal of marriage becomes natural rather than spiritual, and the spiritual affections of marriage are closed up in the internal mind where they are protected from lascivious thoughts.
     As we have already noted, the double standard of morals held by the world about us has no place in the New Church, and this in spite of the permissions stated in the Writings: permissions which apply only when the preservation of the conjugial, not sensual delight, is the end. The perversion of order is said to be the general cause of permissions (SD 1946), and these are disorderly times; but it is our duty to do all we can to prevent the perversion of order with our young men, and in no case may our standard of order be based on permissions. The very fact that they are given makes it necessary for us to emphasize the development of the chaste love of the sex; to insist that they be recognized as permissions of what is not good, and that they be not interpreted by immature minds as license to indulge in sensuous things.
     We are told about the "wild-ass" state of youth, which comes from learning many knowledges without seeing their direct application. But this balky, rebellious state can be averted in regard to the truths of conjugial order if children are first inspired with the conjugial ideal, and then with a love for the New Church and a desire to spread it by living according to its doctrines, and are progressively shown the uses of a chaste love of the sex and told that this love can best be developed by chaste habits formed in youth. These uses are that the New Church may be ever more firmly established, that the hells may have less power over us, that our minds may be opened to spiritual wisdom, that we may serve to moderate hereditary evil in our offspring and transmit to them a tendency to love the conjugial and the spiritual things of the church, and. finally, that love truly conjugial may be established upon earth.
     And lest these uses seem remote, let us add that as a youth looks to the Lord and shuns unchastities in every form, his mind will be raised above the natural, his sight of internal similitudes will become clearer, and his gift of love to his chosen one will be uncontaminated by those things in the memory into which the hells can flow to cause unhappiness in his marriage.

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Conscience forms the internal of the youthful mind. The essential of charity for the boys and girls of the New Church is that their actions and speech be designed to promote and protect chastity in themselves and in their companions. Only as they see and love the reasons for such charity can the youth of the church make an orderly advance into conjugial love and those spiritual delights which are the real life of heaven. And when their convictions are clear and firm they will enjoy a companionship between the sexes far superior to anything which a doubting state can impart.

Conclusion.-We have but skimmed the surface of all that precedes a marriage, and have, perforce, left untouched those most important states of courtship, engagement, and betrothal. There is great need in this vast field for literature indicating the specific duties of fathers and mothers in relation to their sons and daughters, and adapted to the various states of youth, young manhood, and young womanhood. The danger of advancing states by such literature can he discounted: for there is scarcely a magazine on the market which does not advance states for all who have eyes to read, and in spite of the good motives which prompt many of their articles, the line followed is usually opposed to our ideals. If our children are not to be utterly confused in trying to relate the world's concepts of sex and marriage with New Church ideals, we must prepare fearlessly to counter present facts and theories with a full concept of how truly beautiful they can be if we intelligently fight the environment from within and from without which can so debase and pervert them.
But if, in seeking orderly modes for our children, we become increasingly conscious that our own past was not all it might have been, we should not be discouraged. Regardless of their beginnings, all marriages are in Providence and have within them the conjugial potential. As we see disorders for what they are we are better armed to ward off their possible consequences in our own marriages, and to prevent the possibility of those consequences from marring the conjugial happiness of coming generations.

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The truths of conjugial love are not given to condemn human ignorance and weakness but to enlighten and overcome them. They are given that we may see hereditary tendencies to evil for what they are, and be inspired by the glorious ideal gradually to conquer those inclinations which would prevent reception of our heavenly inheritance. As each new generation, building on experience and truths gleaned from the past, seeks enlightenment from the Writings, ever new applications will be unfolded; and with each new step the real will come closer to the ideal. Even in our feeblest steps we may feel the leading of the Lord's mercy, for nothing so closely conjoins parents as their sincere, though often imperfect, attempts to lead their children in the paths of heaven.
The Lord has mercifully given us the means to bring love truly conjugial to earth. This love is to be the new love of the New Church. Since in it are contained all the loves of heaven our chief responsibility lies in the development and application of those means. Youth is the time of high ideals, but we adults must strive to implant, foster, and protect the right ideals with all the truths at our command. Only with the flashing sword of truth from the Writings can we break the long chain of hereditary evil and enable the New Church to descend on earth in its full glory. And when the church is thus married to the Lord, love truly conjugial will flourish upon the earth.
WHAT IS THE SONS OF THE ACADEMY? 1951

WHAT IS THE SONS OF THE ACADEMY? ROBERT E. SYNNESTVEDT 1951

It is the purpose of the Sons of the Academy to arouse a desire for New Church education in every New Church parent, and to make such an education available to every New Church boy and girl. That is an ambitious undertaking, yet a wonderful opportunity to help others receive what we have received.
Membership in the Sons of the Academy is offered to all men over 18 who are ex-students of the Academy, or over 21 and members of the General Church, and interested in distinctive New Church education. Having become a member of the general or international organization of the Sons, you are then eligible to become a member of one of its chapters.

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     The international body meets once a year, in June. An executive committee is elected to carry on the business during the year, and meets with the presidents or representatives of the chapters. Each chapter also meets regularly, and usually serves also as the men organization in the society.
     One of the uses of the Sons is a scholarship fund which is turned over to the Academy for assisting students to come to Bryn Athyn. The size of the fund is determined by the number and needs of the students. This fund is underwritten each year by the chapters, which subscribe varying amounts. Assistance is given from this fund to make up the difference between what the student, or his parents, can pay and the total Academy charges for the student's room, board, and tuition.
     The Sons also offer a tuition savings stamp plan. This is a valuable instrument for encouraging long in advance the idea of attending the Academy schools, and for making such attendance easier to finance. There is a stamp plan representative in each chapter. He will sell you stamps and assist you in planning a program of regular monthly savings from now until your youngster goes to Bryn Athyn.
     THE BULLETIN is the official organ of the Sons. It is published quarterly, and is mailed to every Sons member and to every other male member of the General Church. Over 1,100 copies are sent throughout the world. A beautifully illustrated magazine of some 24 pages, THE BULLETIN contains news about the school and chapter activities, selected papers and addresses, and resolutions and records of interest to the membership. To the 130 of our members who are not affiliated with any chapter we have this year been sending a so-called "report to the isolated" between issues of THE BULLETIN.
     The Sons of the Academy Gold Medal is offered to the graduating class of the Boys' Academy, as is also a silver medal. These are awarded by the faculty each year to the boys who excelled in scholarship, leadership, and an affirmative spirit. It is hoped that this will encourage such qualities in the boys of the Academy.
     There is another factor present throughout the Sons organization that does not appear in this summary.

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This fact or distinguishes the organization and sets it apart from the conventional type of alumni or school auxiliary organization. It is the sincere conviction of its members that only through such a distinctive New Church education can our students find the real meaning and purpose of life. We believe also that because of this education built on the rock of truth, the New Church will grow in numbers and strength until at last men and nations will learn to dwell together in peace.

(EDITORIAL NOTE: This informative statement was made by the President of the Sons of the Academy at Cleveland, Ohio. last April, and is reprinted from THE BULLETIN OF THE SONS OF THE ACADEMY, June, 1951.)
DAUGHTERS OF THE ACADEMY 1951

DAUGHTERS OF THE ACADEMY SYLVIA R. COOPER 1951

     1. Theta Alpha-Symbol of Feminine Uses

     At Theta Alpha's annual banquet this year, the "Daughters of the Academy" were told by the Rev. William Whitehead that their organization is, in a sense, the mother of the Sons of the Academy, having been the inspiration for the beginning of that body forty-two years ago. As is often the case, the child has since grown to surpass the mother in both stature and renown. Indeed some members of the Church may suspect that Theta Alpha has long since retired from the active list of New Church organizations. But, as others well know, she is by no means sitting idle in her rocking chair. Theta Alpha workers know it, girls of the Seminary and women of the College know it; and numerous isolated families, including over five hundred children, know it.
     What, then, is she doing? How do her nearly 600 members apply their energies to her purposes? Briefly, she is concentrating on the prime uses of womankind,-the education of little children and girls. Interest in New Church education is her backbone. With one hand she offers to the children of isolated families instruction in the early steps of religious education; with the other, she offers any needed assistance she can give to the girls and women in the Academy schools.

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     Theta Alpha's chapters now number six, located in Bryn Athyn, Durban, Glenview, Kitchener, Pittsburgh, and Toronto. All these chapters, and also other groups and individuals, have a hand in the formation and distribution of the Religious Education work, and see to it that all interested children and young people receive weekly lessons; may of which are accompanied by photographs, pictures to color, personal letters, and other inspiring aids to study. Meetings are held regularly at which members often listen to tape recordings or hear addresses appropriate to their interests. Some chapters are reading "The Life of the Lord" at their meetings; others read articles from THE PARENT-TEACHER JOURNAL. Work groups are organized and card parties are held for the benefit of the scholarship fund.
     The smaller chapters, in addition to their extension work, contribute to their own local schools in the way of funds, educational gifts, and festival parties for the children. Girls leaving to attend the Academy schools are given showers. In Bryn Athyn, the recently reactivated chapter has the added pleasure of bringing a touch of home to the dormitory girls by inviting them informally to various members homes. One or more formal parties during the year are additional highlights of Seminary and College social life. Here, too, there is opportunity for addressing the girls in school on the uses of Theta Alpha and holding round table discussions with them on the subject. In this way, it is felt, interest in Theta Alpha's uses will thrive and membership will grow. Certainly there is enough work to keep more hands busy.
     The work of the general body is well known. Her scholarship aid has enabled many worthy girls to attend the Academy schools. An emergency fund is maintained for the Seminary and the College, to be used in cases of financial need. At Commencement, a cash award is presented to a College girl whose attitude, scholastic standing, and interest in New Church education are outstanding; and the beloved Theta Alpha pin is awarded to the similarly outstanding Seminary girl.
     Thus Theta Alpha today is becoming stronger. She has recently "opened her doors," inviting all women members of the General Church interested in New Church education to join her ranks, and has enriched her membership with new and willing hearts and hands.

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And so this organization of lovers of New Church education, alumnae of the Academy and others in sympathy with them, serve their stated purpose: "to keep alive the teachings taught in the Academy schools in their own minds and hearts, and by performing uses throughout the various communities of the Church, as well as by interesting themselves in the students attending the Academy of the New Church, to create an ever widening circle of those who love and believe the same truths."

(To be continued)
REV. RICHARD DE CHARMS, SR. 1951

REV. RICHARD DE CHARMS, SR. Jr. GEOFFREY CHILDS 1951

     Founder of New Church Education?

     NEW CHURCH LIFE for 1891 contains the following short biography of the Rev. Richard de Charms, Sr. "Richard de Charms, Sr., of Philadelphia . . . will ever be remembered as probably the first champion in this country of the Divine Authority of the Writings, and as the zealous advocate of the trinal order of the Priesthood of the Church. He received his theological training in London, under the tutorship of that eminent New Church minister, the Rev. Samuel Noble, and, on his returning to this country, was ordained in Cincinnati in the year 1833. He was subsequently consecrated an ordaining minister of the Western Convention in the year 1838, and in the year 1840 became one of the founders and the ordaining minister of the Central Convention. He was removed into the spiritual world in the spring of 1863."
     These few facts are the outline sketch of his eventful, turbulent career. Richard de Charms was a strong man-strong in his conviction of the Divine authority of the Writings, and strong in the application of this conviction to matters of life; and this very firmness of conviction proved to be his undoing.

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For he held the Writings as his sole guide and stay all his life; but he was surrounded in America by New Church men who were lukewarm to such an "extreme" attitude, and these men opposed him until his death. Although a highly successful minister most of his life, he was finally undone by those who opposed him. This is all too evident in the pathetic articles written and published in his later years, in which he tried to defend his honor and usefulness against those who were trampling over him. Yet although his final years were pathetic, the principles for which he stood were always noble, and they still stand to this day. He was the herald of the General Church, the first great champion in America of the Divine authority of the Writings.

     In the General Church, Richard de Charms is regarded by some as the true founder of New Church education; and therefore as the founder, in spirit if not in actuality, of the Academy schools. Yet there is evidence indicating that this is not true; evidence which marks him as the prophet rather than the founder of New Church education.
     Nowhere in his articles do we find the present General Church convictions about the importance of New Church education stated in plain, unequivocal language. On the contrary, it becomes evident that our present beliefs about New Church education are not the full-blown creation of his mind, but rather had their first beginnings with him. For his ideas were limited and not very far reaching when it came to the application of the truths of the Writings to the problems of education. For example, it does not seem likely that he would have said, as we do now, that education is the first work of charity in the church; for apparently he did not place that much importance upon education. Yet he did believe in New Church education. This is evident in a statement that accompanied his donation of $60.00 for a New Church school in Cincinnati. He said that this money was for "the education of children avowedly and distinctively on the principles of the New Jerusalem church, as set forth in the theological Writings of Emanuel Swedenborg. (PRECURSOR, Vol. I, p. 135)

     His belief and interest in New Church education were made clear at other times in his life. Yet he does not stress the importance of such education as we do today.

412

This is shown in his articles on education in THE PRECURSOR, a church periodical which he edited; and we may say that while Richard de Charms believed in New Church education he lacked Benade's vision of its importance. The fire of his spirit was directed to other challenging issues, such as the questions of the Divine authority of the Writings and the trinal order of the priesthood; and it appears that his heart and mind were never focussed upon the development of New Church education because he was too fully occupied elsewhere. His articles on education suggest that if he had directed his full attention to it he would have been the true founder of the Academy schools. But his work in this field was only occasional, and the honor of being the true founder of the Academy falls upon Bishop Benade, who was the first to have a full vision of the importance of New Church education.
However, what de Charms has to say about education in THE PRECURSOR makes interesting reading. In a series of three articles in this periodical he attempts to answer the question: "Why do Children of New Church Parents so often Grow Up out of the Church?" His answer is not what one may expect. He does not say that the crucial reason is the lack of true New Church education. Instead he stresses the importance of hereditary transmission. If the parents are in conjugial love they will transmit the conjugial principle of good and truth to their children, and the children may then become true members of the church. New Church education is important, even indispensable, he teaches; but still it can accomplish nothing if the parents are evil in heart.
Thus de Charms says: "The first thing to be done in raising the mental and moral condition of mankind is for everyone to search out and put away his own evils by a life according to the precepts of the decalogue. This will make the soul of his offspring a good reflecting substance. And then the next thing is by right education to clean up, polish, and properly adjust this substance so as to bring out its reflective powers and enable it to reflect a true image and a good likeness of the Divine Being. Mark well, then, this principle, that the life of the Lord's commandments must be lived before children are begotten, in order to determine rightly the intellectual and moral constitution of their souls.

413

And all who reflect deeply must see that without this principle there can be no mental stamina for education to work upon." (PRECURSOR, Vol. I, p. 191)
     This somewhat unusual position is amplified and stated even more strongly in the following: "I design to demonstrate the necessity of religious education in early youth-to prove that the chief or primary object of education should be to store the memory of children with knowledges of divine truth; to implant in them as a principle of life, obedience to divine command; and to raise the whole superstructure of their minds upon this foundation. This is one way to break the chain of hereditary evil by which human nature is bound in corrupt and sinful propensities." (Ibid., p. 189)
     So far we would agree. But he goes on to say that this (religious education) is not the only way. And this by no means goes to the root of the matter . . . there is another, a more important, indeed all important way of eradicating hereditary corruption; and that is, the life of the Lord's commandments in adults before children are begotten." (Ibid., p. 189) In support of this he quotes the statement in Conjugial Love, that "offspring born from two who are in love truly conjugial derive from their parents the conjugial principle of good and truth, from which they have an inclination and faculty, if sons, for perceiving the things which are of wisdom, and, if daughters, for loving the things which wisdom teaches." (CL 202)
     Then he reasons from this that "where this conjugial principle does not exist in the parents, the children cannot have the inclination for spiritual wisdom requisite to draw them into the church, and therefore they must grow up out of it. When, then, the children of Newchurchmen do not come into the new church, the radical reason is, because their parents are not principled in true conjugial love. Their parents, although nominally in the new church, are internally and really in the old church, in the consummation of which, genuine conjugial love has become extinct . . . only the children of those who live the life of the commandments are born with such a change of successive influx as to have the chain of hereditary evil effectually broken. This then, I repeat, and it cannot be too often repeated, is the radical way to reform human nature. Education, however true and excellent in itself, and however necessary in connection with this, without it will be of little avail. As has been said, it only goes to, and attempts to clean, the stream, but reaches not and purges not the fountain of evil." (PRECURSOR, Vol. I, p. 202)

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     Thus education is reduced, in de Charms' philosophy, to a relatively unimportant status. For if a child is gifted with a good heredity from his parents the essential New Church man is already there, and education is but a means of perfecting and polishing this good. But if a child is not gifted with such a good heredity then New Church education will be "of little avail." In fact, according to de Charms, those children whose parents have not the conjugial principle "must grow up out of the church." This almost seems to smack of predestination; and it is a philosophy that is a far cry from the General Church's conception of the teachings of the Writings as they may be applied to education.
     It is true that a couple who are in the conjugial principle transmit a good hereditary tendency or inclination to their children; but we believe that this good tendency changes man's heredity only a very little and that it is of minor importance in his education. In the long run, of course, this transmission is very important, as it provides for the improvement of the race. But we conceive of New Church education as of very real avail, regardless of the presence or lack of the conjugial principle with the parents at the time of the child's conception. The very important doctrine of remains must also be considered, for remains give to children affirmative affections whether or not their parents are in conjugial love. A child may be without a good heredity and yet by virtue of the remains instilled in infancy and childhood, be much affected by New Church education. Wise educators can keep constantly open to him a perception of the Lord, and lead him to the point where his adult choice to be a member of the New Church is not difficult.
     In his estimate of the importance of New Church education de Charms evidently differed from our present view point. Yet he agreed with many of our principles of education. This can be seen in an article entitled "Education Defective Until Based Upon the Word of God." (PRECURSOR, Vol. I, pp. 31, 32) In this he claims that modern educational systems* improve the knowing faculties of a child without first striving to correct the affections of the heart. To get at and correct the affections of the children, they must first be imbued with the spiritual principles of the Bible. He feels that "nothing but a religious principle, a principle which connects the interior of man with the angels of heaven and with the Lord . . . can suffice to ward off infernal influences."

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And he concludes: If, therefore, education is to be radically effective in improving the mental and moral condition of mankind, it must commence with the imbuing the minds of children with the spiritual principles of the Bible. The truths of God's Word must be stored up in their extremely ready and tenacious memories, and in their gentle and plastic affections, while in the innocence of infancy . . . in the nursery, by the fireside, in their juvenile sports, they must be taught to act from the self-denying principles of the Word. Their evil natural will must be curbed by times by the suasive and corrective force of parental authority . . . this knowledge [of Divine truth], combined with the curbing of evil affections by parental corrections, is, depend upon it, the only sure safeguard of domestic and national welfare."
     * This article appeared in November, 1836. (Editor.)
     De Charms believed also that children should commit passages of the Word to memory. He felt that this was of vital importance because these passages in a child's memory, when thought about or recited, would bring consociation with the angels. Indeed he felt this consociation to be so important that children should read the Word and commit it to memory `though they are not yet of an age to understand it." To encourage them to such memorization he recommended suitable rewards for achievement. And if rewards would not suffice, then punishments should be brought into play. For, he reasoned: "If a child should be lost because he did not learn truth, it will be no exculpation of the parents that they did not constrain him because he had no inclination to learn it." (On the Importance of Rewards and the Exercise of Parental Authority in Inducing Children to Commit the Word to Memory": THE PRECURSOR, Vol. I, pp. 113-115.)

     Although de Charms stressed the importance of hereditary transmission of the conjugial principle of good and truth, we must not presume that he therefore belittled the importance of education. For in one article (PRECURSOR, Vol. I, p. 175) he stated that "no subject has a more important bearing upon the welfare of mankind in time or to eternity."

416

And when the Central Convention was organized, we may be sure that his moving spirit was behind the following resolution which it adopted: "This body thinks the establishment of a complete New Church Seminary, to be under the control and support of this general body, and to be devoted to the education of our children on the spiritual principles of the New Jerusalem, is a vastly important desideratum, and that, whenever the Lord in His Providence shall clearly open the way, and afford the means of establishing and sustaining such an institution, it will be one of the most important uses to which this convention can devote its best and most enduring energies."
Richard de Charms, Sr., did realize the importance of New Church education. But he never had the time to expand his conviction of its importance, to devote himself to its problems, to make a real study of the principles in the Writings which apply to education such as might have led him to modify an extreme application of what was in itself a truth. Shortly after his death, however, the Academy was founded; founded upon the principle for which he had lived and died,-the cardinal principle of the Divine authority of the Writings. Within the Academy there was a man whose soul was afire with a deep belief in New Church education: and it was this man, Bishop William H. Benade, who was the true champion and founder of New Church education.
REVIEW 1951

REVIEW 1951

A VENTURE IN APPLIED DOCTRINE

JUSTICE IN SOCIAL RELATIONS. By Raymond G. Cranch. With a Preface by the Author and Introductory Comments by Don Rose. Published by the Author, Bryn Athyn, Pa., 1951. Pp. 111 (Preface and Introduction, i-vii). Price, Cloth, $3.00; Paper, $1.50.

This little book, published by the author, is a courageous attempt to find in the Writings spiritual principles which may guide the reader in his approach to the political and economic problem of contemporary life. The statements of spiritual principles are clear and uncompromising, based on a wide selection of carefully chosen passages, and the illustrative situations and problems in modern life challenge attention and interest, but their appearance in the text is sometimes abrupt and startling.

417

The primes and ultimates are well represented, but the concatenation or logical linking together of the two is frequently rather tenuous. For instance, in considering the domestic policies of government from the standpoint of the Heavenly Doctrines; "A national labor policy should preserve the just rights of the individual. These involve his freedom to sell his labor service where he pleases, and at the best terms which he can secure through collective bargaining."! (page 64)
Mr. Cranch is not content with merely stating problems and listing principles which should be kept in mind in seeking solutions. He also suggests the answers. He says: "The fair distribution of the value of the products of industry between the various classes of producers, without destroying the freedom of individuals is the outstanding problem of economic life today" (page 77); and then considers the just share of the worker, the capitalist, management, the inventor and the transportation company, always in the light of the principle that the distribution of our material wealth should be according to the quality of the uses performed by each member of the community, as is done in heaven. At the same time the author emphasizes the importance of individual freedom e.g., "it is more important to preserve this freedom than to secure exact justice in the distribution of material things." (page 79)
Even among God-fearing men there will be violent differences of opinion: "but it is in the free exchange of ideas, and in the mutual seeking of the best good of society that it becomes possible to set up natural government on a foundation of truth and justice." (page 80) Such differences of opinion may develop over the authors views on the functions of government, which he lists on pages 94-95; or over his enthusiastic endorsement of the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which is the only reference apart from the Writings quoted in this volume (it is quoted in full, pages 18-24); or over taxation policies (page 38 ff.); or over the "more notable achievements of government in modern times" as listed on pages 75-76. Much is said about international affairs, with an endorsement of a military force for the United Nations, and with a very cautious approach to world federation. (See especially pages 97-100.)

418

Even the question of a health service at public expense is raised but left with the comment, "This is not a moral question of right or wrong, but it is rather a question of national policy, properly settled by majority vote." (page 43) In this statement, "There is, of course, the ever present danger that the control by government may itself be the source of some of the worst of our possible abuses," (page 89) Mr. Cranch tacitly admits that more could be said on the subject.
Whatever the reactions of readers to specific applications of principles may be, there should be general agreement about the importance and usefulness of the work which Mr. Cranch has done. Other students of the Writings have made and sometimes published studies on the application of spiritual principles to political and economic conditions, but in writing and publishing this work on Justice and Social Relations Mr. Cranch is rendering pioneer service. Even the severest critics of his political and economic views will find a stimulus to their own thinking in the passages which he has collected from the Writings, and in the numerous doctrinal considerations which he expounds in these pages. In any case we can agree when he says: What we need is a higher standard of living in spiritual and moral, as well as in material things (page 84), and recognize that Mr. Cranch has dealt with all three planes and has tried to keep them in due relation to each other.
The book is attractively arranged and both the paper and the type have been chosen for easy reading. There is no index, although by some strange circumstance the Table of Contents is called the Index. The appendices consist of one page listing the abbreviated titles of the fourteen works of the Writings to which Mr. Cranch refers, and the last page is A Brief Review of Swedenborg's Life. The Introduction by Don Rose is written with charm, and with sympathy for Mr. Cranch's purpose, but with certain reservations summarized in the sentence: "The translation of heaven's law into the language of men may be dangerous as well as difficult." Mr. Cranch has attempted to meet this challenge, as all men must who seek, if only for themselves, a higher standard of living in spiritual and moral as well as in material things.

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BAPTISM AND NEW CHURCH EDUCATION 1951

BAPTISM AND NEW CHURCH EDUCATION Editor 1951

NEW CHURCH LIFE
Office of Publication, Lancaster, Pa.
Published Monthly By

THE GENERAL CHURCH OF THE NEW JERUSALEM

BRYN ATHYN, PA.

Editor      Rev. W. Cairns Henderson, Bryn Athyn, Pa.
Business Manager      Mr. H. Hyatt, Bryn Athyn, Pa.

All literary contributions should be sent to the Editor. Subscriptions, change of address, and business communications, should be sent to the Business Manager. Notifications of address changes should be received by the 15th of the month.

TERMS OF SUBSCRIPTION
$3.00 a year to any address, payable in advance. Single copy, 30 cents.
     Marriage within the church and a distinct and distinctive social life, as doctrines in practice, are two of the protective bulwarks of the New Jerusalem. But they are not the only ones. As seen by John, the holy city had four walls; and figuratively, if not by actual correspondence, we may say that New Church baptism and New Church education are the other sheltering ramparts behind which the life of the foursquare city is lived and perfected.
     Our belief in the need and order of New Church baptism even when the baptism of the 01(1 dispensation has already been received, is based on the teaching that, by baptism, the spirit of man is inserted among societies in the spiritual world whose faith is that of the church to which the officiating priest or minister belongs. Under this concept, baptism into any of the Christian denominations cannot introduce the spirit into the New Christian Heaven. It can only insert into societies in the world of spirits which at worst are imaginary heavens, and at best are temporary organizations that will be dispersed as their members become better instructed.
     However, our present interest is in the connection between New Church baptism and New Church education. For as we reflect upon the meaning and purpose of this sacrament,-and especially upon the solemn charge given to, and accepted by, the parents,-we may surely see that baptism alone is not enough; that the logical corollary and fulfillment of New Church baptism is, in the case of infants, New Church education.

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The second and third uses of baptism are that man may know and acknowledge the Lord and follow Him, and that he may be regenerated. For these a long preparation is necessary, one which culminates in the development of a spiritual-rational mind: and it is as an essential means to this preparation that parents are charged to lead their child, "now enrolled and numbered in heaven among those who in heart receive the Lord in His Second Coming," to acknowledge the Lord. It is as an essential means thereto that they are charged to teach him the Lord's Prayer and the Ten Commandments, and, as he becomes of sufficient age, to cause him to be instructed in the Sacred Scripture and in the Heavenly Doctrine of the New Jerusalem. (Revised Liturgy, page 60)
Initiation into these preparatory knowledges indeed begins in infancy; and it does not finish, if it may ever be said to end, until manhood. But between these two ages lies the entire period of formal education. And where else but in New Church schools can children be taught to acknowledge the Lord Jesus Christ as the one God of heaven and earth; be taught to see Him not only in the Word but omnipresent in His creations? Where else but in the schools of the Church can they be taught the Sacred Scripture, as distinct from false interpretations and applications of its meaning? Where else but in our own schools can they be instructed in the knowledges of the Word in that wider sense in which those knowledges are not only the facts of Scripture but are also the spiritual truth, adapted to their state, about natural things? And where else but in New Church schools can they be instructed in the Heavenly Doctrine of the New Jerusalem; first as an unconscious background for all their learning, and eventually as a formal process in education?
This is not to minimize the important part which sincere New Church parents can, and do, play in the religious education of their children. The instruction of children in the home in the things of the church is a use of charity which unites regenerating parents more closely in conjugial love. And it is so necessary that where it is entirely lacking our schools must fall short of their objective. But what is done in the home must be supplemented wherever possible; and it cannot be done by the schools of the former church, or by those of the world with their materialistic philosophies.

421

Only in New Church schools can our children be led and taught to acknowledge the Lord and be instructed in the Word of the Old and New Testaments and in the Writings. And because of the value of this as a preparation for regeneration, New Church baptism implies New Church education; either as an accomplished fact, or as an ideal to attain which no sacrifice should be regarded as too great.
New Church education is an ordered preparation of the mind to receive spiritual truths affirmatively in adult life; an instrumentality through which the Lord feeds the inner life of the growing mind with spiritual food adapted to its state. So it is that we regard the schools of the Church as means for attaining the ends of New Church baptism, and the education they provide as the fulfillment and logical corollary of that baptism. In New Church education we see the completion of what was commanded the apostles: "Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them into the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit; teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you."
PROVISION OF CONJUGIAL PAIRS CONJUGIAL SIMILITUDES 1951

PROVISION OF CONJUGIAL PAIRS CONJUGIAL SIMILITUDES 1951

Editor of NEW CHURCH LIFE:
In his article in NEW CHURCH LIFE for July, 1951 (PP. 299-304), the Rev. Elmo C. Acton states an answer to the question, "Are Conjugial Pairs Provided from Creation?" His answer is, it appears, becoming increasingly acceptable to the present generation of the General Church. It seems clear, however, that whether we hold this view or the other, neither can be rightly regarded as qualifying in any way the clearly stated Divine law, that "nevertheless matrimonies in the world are to continue to the end of life" (CL 276) and that this is the important literal principle upon which we can all agree. If we do not accept this literally, we leave the spirit of the Word without a body.
Just as life in the natural world is provided as a training-ground for life in the spiritual world, so-as one part of that training-marriage on earth is provided as preparation for marriage in heaven. And the "special Providence" in all marriages is, that they are the Divinely ordained means by which partners may attain conjugial love together, by which they may nourish the capacity for conjugial love within themselves, or, where there is no knowledge of that love, by which they may he maintained in a state of external order through which their future angelic life may he preserved.

422

     The key number which Mr. Acton quotes is headed: "THAT THE LORD PROVIDES SIMILITUES FOR THOSE WHO DESIRE TRULY CONJUGIAL LOVE" (CL 229). The Latin text says "similitudes" not "a similitude" as it is in the Academy translation. Depending on your viewpoint, this means that the Lord provides that various similitudes of the natural mind both rational and sensual, and of the disposition and environment, may exist in one man and one woman, or in several; similitudes which enable them to strive for conjugial love between them through marriage. These similitudes merely furnish the opportunity, the starting point. The final goal is attained only through life together in the world:- through a mutual looking to the Lord, to His Word, and to the church; through maintaining with sincerity of heart the genuine appearances of love, friendship, and favor in those periods of adjustment and crisis which inevitably occur in every marriage; through upholding in will, thought, and action the ideal of the eternity of marriage; and through devotion to the symbolic functions and responsibilities of marriage.
     Furthermore, because no partner can finally determine whether or not he or she has genuinely desired conjugial love before marriage, it is the part of order for them to regard their partners affirmatively throughout life in this world as having the genuine similitudes which have been Divinely provided for them. And, finally, it would be a mistake to suppose that because the Lord provides similitudes there will exist no dissimilitudes as well, even deeply internal ones, between those who have been specially provided for each other. This is clear from the statement that "there are various similitudes and various dissimilitudes with married partners, as well internal as external" (CL 227). This teaching we believe to be very important for the preservation of marriage in the New Church especially. Otherwise it would be possible for us to make our own version of the Hollywood philosophy and talk about "spiritual incompatibility"; emphasizing internal dissimilitudes, minimizing the similitudes which do exist, and hence opening the door for rationalization of all kinds of external disorders.
     Here is one question which might be raised. If we take the view that conjugial pairs are born, only one man for one woman, would the Lord, after a marriage had taken place, ever reveal to one or other of the partners while on this earth that someone other than their husband or wife is their conjugial, predestined partner? Our only comment on this is, that if this were so, the hells would be able to construct the most subtle and deceptive fantasies ever known, to destroy every earthly marriage.
     A STIMULATED READER
"PROVIDED BY THE LORD" 1951

"PROVIDED BY THE LORD" 1951

Editor of NEW CHURCH LIFE:
The excellent paper by the Rev. Elmo C. Acton, "Are Conjugial Pairs Provided from Creation?" ably presents a subject that may gravely affect the life of every New Church man. Although this question deserves the fullest consideration, the writer (a layman) wishes only to explore a possible danger in misinterpreting this teaching.

423

     The doctrine of conjugial love is broad and beautiful, with many general and many specific teachings. Viewed as a broad doctrine, every passage adds brilliance; but is there not danger in isolating passages and trying to make them the basis for the broader doctrine? The passages cited from Conjugial Lore refer to the Lord's preparation of a youth and virgin, and to their meeting and sensing an inner dictate that "she is mine" and "be is mine." Separated from the beautiful truths in the Writings about life and regeneration, these passages become merely reiterations of an overworked theme of countless novelists, playwrights, and poets, and writers of popular songs. Isolated from the teachings about order, the good of life, charity, and Providence, these passages describe a mystical affinity which might be claimed foe any puppy-love romance, or even depraved illicit affairs.
     The man of the church accepts the teachings that life on earth is preparation for heaven, and that after this life the Lord in His infinite wisdom and love will bestow on us every blessing we are able to receive. In that sense, the man of the church accepts with thanks and humility the teaching that our marriages in heaven will be as perfect as our life on earth allows. In that sense, and because life has its pitfalls, we accept the teaching that the Lord's mercy is such as to provide for our eternal happiness.
     But on the other hand, this is a very different attitude than that produced when we fix our minds on these passages in order to escape the responsibilities and duties incumbent upon us. Are we not prone to seek escape in these passages with a mental attitude of: "Well, this marriage is all right for this earth, but I'll get my real one-and-only in heaven"? How quickly this attitude will rephrase that clear teaching about marriage so that it will read: "marriages on earth are to be endured to the end of life"!
     This attitude will draw us away from the partners given to us in Providence. It urges us to seek an unearned happiness, a mystical marriage we did not build by suppression of our self loves and by devotion to the uses of life. But of even greater concern: as we cherish a remote vision of an unknown and perfect partner are we not dwelling on those dangerous thoughts whereby `heaven is closed to man"? Can we not find in such thoughts countless excuses to neglect our duties; to allow coldness to creep between us when our selfish desires are not served, or when the responsibilities of life demand effort and self-sacrifice? By isolating a passage that seems to allow us to escape from the clear and forceful teachings of marriage, may we not discard or profane the countless teachings that alone can lead us to the Lord's heaven where the joys of marriage are full and complete?
     Let us beware lest these passages which allow us to glimpse the ineffable mercy and wisdom of the Lord become, rather than teachings In lead us to the perfect union, phantasies which we feel give us the right to violate the basic truths as we "look to loves outside of marriage" and thereby close forever our capacity to receive the priceless pearl of life, conjugial love.
     A LAYMAN

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Church News 1951

Church News Various 1951

     MISSION IN SOUTH AFRICA

     Now that I have been in South Africa for over ten months, some account of the work of the Mission is overdue, and I would like to give the readers of NEW CHURCH LIVE some idea of the present situation.
     It will be understood that the Mission has suffered severely from the recent split in the Church, from the sudden death of the Rev. F. W. Elphick-whose splendid work over so many years is manifest on every side,-and from even now receiving inadequate care and oversight, since I serve as Pastor of the Durban Society as well as Superintendent of the Mission.

     Areas.-Our Mission falls into three main areas: 1) Natal, which includes Zululand; 2) in the Transvaal 3) in the Cape Province and Basutoland.
     1) In NATAL there is a small group in Durban itself, including a number from the other mission centers who work in Durban, but at the moment there is no minister stationed here and there is no building. It is hoped that before too long it will be possible to secure a site and to erect a small hall as well as living accommodation for Theological Students who will need to be housed in this area during their period of training. At the same time it is hoped to be able to bring a minister into this area to help with the general work as well as in the Theological School.
     In ZULULAND the Mission has a strong center at Kent Manor, which is an estate of about 2,000 acres owned by the General Church. Here there are over 100 members, most of whom live on the estate; and here we have the beginnings of a strong center in Zululand for the development of the Mission. It is hoped that we may be able some time to start a school here. There are also two small centers elsewhere in Zululand. Near Deepdale (Macabazini) the native group is building its own church, and I recently held an encouraging service there at which about 65 people were present. At Hambrook there is another strong society, although it is suffering at the moment because the minister is taken away from the district by his lay work and we also have a small group at Dannhauser.

     2) In the TRANSVAAL we have two active societies, one at Alexandra Township (Johannesburg) and another in the Greylingstad district. Both of these societies have buildings and resident ministers and show promise of real development.

     3) Our more distant renters, from the standpoint of accessibility from Durban, are in the NORTHERN CAPE at Queenstown and Sterkstrom where there is a small group, and at Quthing in the southern tip of BASUTOLAND.

     Membership.-In all, the Mission has eleven native ministers, nine of whom speak Zulu and work with Zulu societies. Of the remaining two, one in the Northern Cape speaks Xosa and the other, at Quthing, speaks Sesuto. The total membership of the Mission is about 400.

     Situation and Needs.-At the moment the Mission is at some disadvantage because of the difficulty of providing adequate financial support.

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A number of our ministers have suffered real hardship and made substantial sacrifices for the sake of the work they are doing. Some of them must earn their support by secular work, which means that while their financial problem is eased the efficacy of their work for the Church is impaired. It is hoped that a plan can be prepared and implemented which will consolidate the work of the Mission; concentrating on those areas which seem to be the most promising, providing adequate support for the ministers, and arranging for satisfactory supervision and for a Theological School.
     The Theological School is the foundation of any Church and it is of the greatest importance that we should establish a center at Durban where the students can work under satisfactory conditions, and where they can receive proper instruction from Superintendents and possibly from a senior native minister.

     Future Development.-If these plans can he brought into effect, I believe that there is real hope of solid growth and development among, the African people. There is no reason to suppose that it will he any more rapid or spectacular than has been the case among Europeans, but there is every reason to suppose that it can be steady, useful, and encouraging. The Mission is served by a group of ministers who are keen and, for the most part, well trained; and with their help these things should not be incapable of achievement. At the same time, the help and support of the General Church at large is needed if this work is to go ahead.
     MARTIN PRYKE,
          Superintendent.

     DURBAN, NATAL

     New Church Day.-The climax of the last quarter's activities was reached with the celebration of New Church Day. On Sunday there was a special service at which the Holy Supper was administered. The usual children's banquet was held the following evening and was attended by 35 children, the program including songs and papers.
     Sixty people were present at the adult banquet on the 19th, and spent a very enjoyable evening. After we had partaken of an excellent repast prepared by the ladies, Mr. Pryke, as toastmaster, read messages received from our former Pastor, the Rev. Norbert H. Rogers, and from friends in Capetown, East London, and Pretoria. Following the usual custom, the young people who were of an age to attend the adult banquet for the first time were then presented with copy of Heaven and Hell by Mr. Pryke on behalf of the Society. They were Maurice de Chazal, Gillian Edley, George Ridgwav, and Serene Schuurman.
     In proposing a toast to the Church, Mr. Bob Cowley stressed the chief difference between the old church and the New. Mr. J. J. Forfar followed with a toast to the future of the Church in Durban, tracing the progress the Society had made in the past fifty years and anticipating an equal growth during the next twenty years. The third speaker, the Rev. Martin Pryke, dealt with the wonderful significance of the Lord's first coming, and more especially of the second coming. Stress was laid on the responsibilities devolving on us as New Church men and women for furthering the growth of the Church on earth. The remainder of the evening passed quickly with discussion of the papers. The singing of songs added to our enjoyment, and many toasts were honored; among them one to Bishop de Charms, and another to previous pastors of the Durban Society.

     Other Activities.-Although we have had a full program during the three months thus brought to a climax, our activities have been mostly routine. Sunday services-now once again at 11:00 o'clock, except on the first Sunday of the month when there is a combined service for children and adults at 9:30,-and classes have been well attended, while one or two socials provided entertainment of a lighter nature.

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Classes are to be discontinued during the July holidays but will be recommenced in August.
     Mr. Pryke took advantage of the Easter holidays to go camping with some of the younger boys in a beach cottage up the coast. We hear that their week's holiday was enjoyed to the full.
     As already mentioned, the social life of the Society has been cared for fully. In April, a variety evening organized by the Pastor at the hall included a quiz and several competitions which caused a great deal of amusement. A month later another social was arranged at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Neville Edley, and at this affair table tennis and table cricket literally kept everyone on their toes all evening. By way of a change the June social, at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Billy Schuurman, took a slightly different form, beginning early in the evening with a buffet supper which was followed by informal conversation.
     At the Annual General Meeting on May 30th, the formal business of the Society was dealt with and the officers for the coming year were elected. The following day being a public holiday, serious matters were put aside when young and old met together to enjoy themselves at the Society's annual picnic. This was held at the Westville property recently purchased, where Mr. and Mrs. Durham Ridgway are now staying. There were sports for the youngsters in the morning, followed by games after lunch.
     An event of rare occurrence was a most impressive Confirmation service on Sunday, May 27th, when Miss Gwyneth Levine was confirmed, the Rev. Martin Pryke officiating.

     Mission Trip.-Mr. Pryke had planned to make a mission trip to the Cape and Basutoland towards the end of May. En route he called first on Mr. and Mrs. Parker at Umtwalumi and then on Mr. and Mrs. Levine at Hibberdene. Unfortunately he then had to turn back on account of illness and the trip had to be postponed. However, all being well again, Mr. Pryke left last week, accompanied by Mr. Levine, on a two weeks' trip to these mission stations. In his absence the services are being conducted by a lay-reader.

     A Wedding.-On April 28th, Sonia, younger daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Garth Pemberton, was married to Mr. Stephan Siekerzyoski, the Rev. Martin Pryke officiating. The bride, in a beautiful gown of gold satin, was attended by two bridesmaids and a flower girl, Janelle Schuurman, who wore dresses of ice blue satin. After the service a reception was held in the grounds of Mr. and Mrs. Pemberton's home.
     VIDA ELPHICK.

     WASHINGTON, D. C.

     The year was brought to a successful conclusion by a pleasant Sunday at the Philip Stebbings farm on the Potomac. Church was held in the morning and was followed by a picnic dinner. Thus the season ended very similarly to the way in which it began; for back in October, soon after services and classes had been resumed, the Society was invited to a Sunday evening buffet supper at the Fred Grants; a very enjoyable evening at which the chapters in Heaven and Hell that Bishop Acton would cover the following week were read.

     Home Dedication.-As it is some time since the Washington Society has been heard from, we will simply touch on a few of the main events of the year. On December 9th, Mr. and Mrs. Robert Hilldale took advantage of being hosts to the class to have their new home dedicated. There was a large attendance, and we were all happy to see their new place.

     Christmas.-Bishop Acton kindly consented to come a week earlier than usual in order that the Christmas services might he held the weekend before Christmas.

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At the children's service, which was held at the William Kintner home on Saturday afternoon, Bishop Acton spoke about the preparation for the Lord's coming; and as Mrs. Hilldale had helped the children to learn the Christmas songs the singing went well. A party was held afterwards at which each child received a gift from the Society and refreshments were served to all.
     The adult service was held the following morning. The Holy Supper was administered on the first Sunday of the new year.

     Swedenborg's Birthday.-This event was celebrated on February 10th, the nearest date to the occasion on which Bishop Acton could come here. The Society is fortunate in having as its Pastor the foremost authority in the General Church on Swedenborg's life; and this year, as usual, we heard from him an interesting and inspiring talk which characteristically revealed a new facet of Swedenborg's life.

     Easter.-Bishop Acton conducted a Holy Supper Service on Easter Sunday. Fortunately, our regular Sunday for having church coincided with Easter this year, thus conveniently solving one of the perennial problems of a small society. There was a large attendance in spite of the absence of some of the regular members of the Society, and we realized that we are growing out of the room in which we hold services at present.

     Visitors.-On January 20th, Candidate Louis B. King came to conduct class and service. We had a very stimulating discussion after the class.
     The Boys' Academy Seniors spent three days in Washington seeing the sights, and enjoyed the hospitality of the Grants, Philip Stebbings, and Trimbles, who kindly take them every year. One evening they were entertained at supper by the Washington Sons, at the home of the Philip Stebbings who have in their basement a nice large recreation room, well suited for such occasions.
     Several New Church men in the armed forces have been stationed in this area and have visited class and services-Kay Synnestvedt and his wife, Donald Allen, and Tommy Rott; and any others who pass this way will be most welcome. Mrs. Tucker became interested in the Church through the Donald Aliens and the Stebbings and has been a regular visitor all year.
     Karl Doering has moved to this area, Owen Birchman and his wife will he living here for six months or so, and William Cole is stationed here and is commuting to Bryn Athyn at weekends.
     NATRI H. CARSWELL.

     COLCHESTER, ENGLAND

     Young People's Weekend.-One of the first events of the summer was the Voting People's Weekend at Whitsun. The Rev. and Mrs. Kenneth Stroh accompanied the visitors from London and we were very pleased to welcome them here again. The meetings during the weekend were for the young people only, but all could be present at the Sunday morning service, which was conducted by our Pastor, the Rev. Alan Gill, with Mr. Stroh preaching the sermon.
     On the Saturday evening all the young people met at the church where supper was provided. The program included a discussion of "Distinctive Externals," a subject which has received some degree of attention here lately, and this was followed by dancing and games. A class on the subject of "Our Attendant Spirits" was given on Sunday evening by the Rev. Alan Gill. Social activities included tennis in Mr. and Mrs. Colley Pryke's garden and a picnic outing to Dedham on the River Stour. In the words of one of the visiting young people: "It was altogether an enjoyable and profitable weekend."

     New Church Day.-New Church Day was celebrated here on Saturday evening, June 16th. Refreshments were prepared by the social committee and our Pastor presided at the formal part of the program which opened with a toast to the Church.

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Mr. Gill had chosen four papers which were written many years ago for New Church Day celebrations in other centers of the Church, and he called on Messrs. Wallace Glover, Eric Appleton, Aiwyne Appleton, and Colley Pryke to read them, which they did with feeling and understanding. The results showed that these addresses of past years could be heard again with real benefit and delight. Toasts and appropriate songs were introduced between the papers, and after some impromptu toasts and speeches a social hour was enjoyed by all.

     Two Weddings.-Mr. John Boozer and Miss Joyce Smith, both of the Colchester Society, were married on April 28th, when a large congregation of relatives and friends witnessed the service which was conducted by the Rev. Alan Gill. The chancel was adorned with daffodils and narcissus. The bride wore a lovely gown of French brocade and a long veil and carried red roses; and the bridesmaids, Miss Stella Appleton and Miss Joan Ponder, were in white dresses with a floral design. Mr. Donald Boozer carried out the duties of best man very efficiently. After the cake and wine were served there was a program of toasts and songs at the reception held in a nearby hall. Telegrams of congratulation were read, and this very happy occasion ended with a shower of good wishes to John and Joyce from their many friends.
     June 16th was the date on which Mr. Garth Cooper and Miss Christine Waters were married, our Pastor again officiating. Mrs. John Cooper, the bridegroom's mother, was in her accustomed place at the organ and she played appropriate music and accompanied the singing throughout the service. The bride looked lovely in her gown of silk taffeta, with a Honiton lace veil, gold accessories and a bouquet of deep cream roses. She was attended by her five sisters, the Misses Sylvia, Hilda, Ruth, Rose, and Madge Waters, each attired with charming effect in a different pastel shade. Mr. Michael Waters was best man. The church was decorated with summer flowers of every shade, which added to the sphere of joy of the occasion, and the beautiful service included the singing of the 19th Psalm. A reception was held in the garden at the home of the bride's parents. Mr. and Mrs. Alan Waters, with a program of toasts and speeches. The best man read telegrams from friends far and near. As our New Church Day celebration was to take place that evening there was quite a number of visitors. Previous to the weddings both couples had been given a Kitchen Shower by the Society. These are always happy affairs and the onlookers seem to enjoy them even more than the recipients.

     General.-With the coming of summer all classes are discontinued, although the day school remains open until the end of July. Classes for the last month or two were on The Divine Providence, and as the work was not completed we hope that the subject will be resumed later. The Sunday morning services are always well attended, though we must expect a few absentees during the holiday season. Mr. and Mrs. Gill went on a visit to the West Country early in July and combined a gathering of the New Church friends there with a short holiday. During their absence one service was read by Mr. Colley Pryke and one by Mr. Alwyne Appleton. News of the day school will be included in our next report.
     It has been a great pleasure to have with us Mr. and Mrs. Fred W. Fletcher of Hurstville, Australia. Although visiting other parts of the country, they return here at intervals to stay with Miss Olive Cooper, and we hope they will continue to tin this until their departure at the end of the year. They have attended a number of services and socials here and Mr. Fletcher gave a very interesting talk to the Sons at one of their meetings.
     WINIFRED APPLETON.

429

     PITTSBURGH, PA.

     School Closing.-The closing exercises of the day school were held in the auditorium on Saturday afternoon, June 16th, at three o'clock. The regular order for children's services was followed, the lessons being a portion of Judges 7 and Apocalypse Explained no. 455. In telling the story of Gideon and the 300 brave men, the headmaster, the Rev. Bjorn A. H. Boyesen, demonstrated how men are chosen to serve the Lord and how education exists to teach us to be useful in the world and servants of the Lord; and showed that the command to take weapons is not a charge to fight against the world but to dedicate one's self to the Lord, to stand up for our religion and school.
     The Word was then closed and essays on "The Moral Virtues" were read by the Eighth Grade; "Courage," "Justice and Judgment," "Friendship," and "Recreation" being treated of respectively by Willard Thomas, Louise Doering, Vaughanlea Good, and Jerry Smith whose paper in his absence due to illness, was read by Mr. Boyesen. The Pastor said all four deserved commendation, wished them well in their future education, and presented their certificates of graduation. As a parting gift they presented the school with an electric clock, and each received from the teachers a copy of "Topics from the Writings" by Bishop W. F. Pendleton. Mr. Leander P. Smith expressed the sincere thanks and gratitude of the parents for the values received and the remains implanted, congratulated those leaving the school and those promoted, and wished all a happy summer and a happy return to school in the fall.

     New Church Day.-On Tuesday, June 19th, a pageant depicting the five revelations to the New Church was given in the auditorium at three o'clock. Fifty adults and children participated, and Mrs. Ulrich Schoenherger, chairman, is to be congratulated on a fine production. In the evening a special service for adults and children was held in the church which was decorated with red roses by the Frank A. Steins. The address was dedicated to the Nineteenth of June, 181 years ago, when Swedenborg completed the True Christian Religion, and it stressed through this that the Nineteenth of June is a day of promise for all New Church men.

     Services.-The final children's service had been held on Sunday, June 10th, on which day the quarterly administration of the Holy Supper took place. The Rev. Karl R. Alden, who was with us on his way to the Canadian Northwest, conducted the service on June 17th, and preached on Mark 10: 47.
     The Society welcome Candidate Dandridge Pendleton to Pittsburgh for the summer months. He conducted the service on July 8th alone and very capably, his sermon being on Isaiah 37: 3.

     Wedding.-It was a delight and a pleasure to welcome some 75 guests from all points of the compass for the weekend of July 13-15, to attend and celebrate the marriage of Miss Lois Nelson and the Rev. Bjorn A. H. Boyesen. The marriage was solemnized by the Rev. Elmo C. Acton on Saturday in the church which was simply and beautifully decorated by the Frank A. Steins and the Frank L. Doerings and their assistants. The bridge and groom were attended by Miss Dorothy Nelson and the Rev. Morley D Rich and the ushers,-Messrs. Hubert and Gerald Nelson, Kenneth Synnestvedt, John Howard, Charles H. Ebert Jr., and Leander P. Smith,-were much occupied seating the many friends and relatives of the happy couple. The service was preceded by a half-hour of music, a delightful custom which prepares for the solemnity of the service. Miss Margit Boyesen sang a solo, and two duets with Mr. Dandridge Pendleton; Mrs. Alxander H. Lindsay played two harp solos; and Mrs. Leander Smith accompanied and also played several organ solos.

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     A gala reception was held in the sunken garden which was hung with lanterns, the wedding party being suitably spotlighted. Mr. Hubert Nelson was master of ceremonies. The Rev. Elmo C. Acton responded to the toast to the Church, and the Rev. Morley D. Rich to the toast to the bride and groom, and all joined in singing songs. A large and beautifully decorated cake, flanked by two flower arrangements in red and white prepared by Mrs. Helen M. Boggess, which was across the lawn from the wedding party was cut and passed with due ceremony. All ages enjoyed the happiness and gaiety of the occasion; the children, who were included, especially so.
     Our visitors and congregation gathered at the church on Sunday morning to attend the service which was conducted by the Rev. Elmo C. Acton and Candidate Dandridge Pendleton. Mr. Acton's sermon was on Matthew 10: 28. This service was a fitting conclusion for a long to be remembered time.
     ELIZABETH R. DOERING.

     THE CHURCH AT LARGE

     General Convention.-The following highlights of the 128th Convention held recently in Philadelphia are taken from THE NEW-CHURCH MESSENGER. As the Rev. Dr. Leonard I. Tafel began, on June 23rd, the second year of a three-year term, there was no election for President.
     Convention unanimously approved and referred to the General Council for action a recommendation by the Council of Ministers that a commission be appointed to consider and report on the position and policy of the Church as to marriage and divorce.
     The Rev. Richard H. Tafel, Philadelphia, and the Rev. David P. Johnson, Kitchener, Ontario, were reelected as president and secretary, respectively, of the Council of Ministers.
     The General Council is to consider a proposal that Convention be held every second year instead of annually.
     The executive sessions of the Council of Ministers, preceded by a service conducted by the Rev. Leslie Marshall, were largely taken up with the reading and receiving of reports and communications. After extended discussion, the Council expressed itself as opposed to the ordination of women as ministers at the present time.
     During Convention week the 80th annual meeting of the American New Church Sunday School Association, the 44th annual meeting of the National Alliance of New Church Women, and the 62nd annual conference of the American New Church League were held in Philadelphia. Miss Gertrude Dole, Newtonville, Mass., Miss Virginia Ostrom, Cambridge, Mass., and Mr. David J. Garrett, Bath, Me., were elected presidents, respectively, of these organizations.
     A message of greeting was received from the Rev. Philip H. Johnson, President of the General Conference of the New Church.
     From reports submitted to Convention we note that the total membership on December 3t, 1950, was 4,960, a decrease of 91 in the year.

     After several years consideration, the Kenwood parish of the Chicago Society has decided to sell its church and to rebuild in a new and growing neighborhood. Beginning in the fall, services and other activities will be held temporarily at the Swedenborg Philosophical Center.
     The Rev. L. C. Le Van, representing the Church Extension Board, reports, after a nine-day circuit, that Toledo, Ohio, should offer a good base for missionary work and that the Akron-Salem area could well have a minister to lead in regular activity.

     General Conference.-With deep regret we learn from THE NEW-CHURCH HERALD that the Rev. Eric Arnold Sutton, M.A., B.D., passed into the spiritual world suddenly on June 21st, at his home.

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As pastor, writer, lecturer, and Principal of the New Church College in which he was also an instructor, Mr. Sutton rendered a life-time of distinguished and devoted service to the New Church; and his passing will be felt deeply by the General Conference.
     From the same journal we learn that the Rev. E. J. Pulsford has been told by his doctors that he must give up pastoral work and preaching. His enforced retirement in September will close a ministry of forty-six years, during which he has gained the affection and esteem of the Church in England and South Africa.
     The Rev. Maurice de Chazal, who was recently reported as having resumed duty after a serious illness, has found the resumption of his work too great a strain and has had to postpone a lecture tour in northern France.

     CHARTER DAY

     All ex-students of the Academy of the New Church, and their wives or husbands, are cordially invited to attend the Charter Day Exercises, to be held at Bryn Athyn Pa., on Friday and Saturday, October 19 and 20, 1951. THE PROGRAM:

Friday, 11 a.m.-Cathedral Service, with an address by the Rev. David R. Simons.
Friday Afternoon.-Football Game.
Friday Evening.-Dance.
Saturday, 7 p.m.-A Banquet in the Assembly Hall. Toastmaster, Professor Richard R. Gladish.

     Arrangements will be made for the entertainment of guests, if they will write to Mrs. V. W. Rennels, Bryn Athyn, Pa.
DISTRICT ASSEMBLIES 1951

DISTRICT ASSEMBLIES 1951

     Announcements

     All members and friends of the General Church of the New Jerusalem cordially invited to attend the District Assemblies, as follows:
     EASTERN CANADA. TORONTO, ONTARIO, Saturday, October 6th, to Monday, October 8th, inclusive.
     CHICAGO DISTRICT. GLENVIEW, ILLINOIS, Friday, October 12th, to Sunday, October 14th, inclusive.
     PITTSBURGH, OHIO, AND MICHIGAN. PITTSBURGH, PA., Friday, October 26th, to Sunday, October 28th, inclusive.

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LIGHT AND DARKNESS 1951

LIGHT AND DARKNESS Rev. NORBERT H. ROGERS 1951

NEW CHURCH LXXI
VOL. LXXI
OCTOBER, 1951
No. 10
     "And if thou draw out thy soul to the hungry, and satisfy the afflicted soul, then shall thy light rise in obscurity, and thy darkness be as the noon day." (Isaiah 58: 10.)

     The entire fifty-eighth chapter of Isaiah deals with the establishment of a new church in place of the former; and, in regard to man as an individual, with a new state of regeneration replacing a corrupt one. Specifically, our text treats of the giving of enlightenment to those who apply themselves to uses according to Divine order; for man can never accomplish anything, or be given anything of intelligence and wisdom, except through his effort and application.
     Two things are to be noted: that true enlightenment has regard to spiritual things and can be given to man only by the Lord; and that the efforts man makes to become enlightened must he according to the Divine order, that is, man must have as his end the fulfillment of the purpose for which the Lord created him. It is not enough that man perform only external acts, however good and necessary these may he; for they are vain, and, indeed, interiorly corrupt, as long as man cherishes evil intentions in his heart.
     For this reason, Isaiah was commanded to speak to the people of their transgressions; even though they appeared righteous in their zeal to seek the Lord and delight in knowing His ways, and even though they made sacrifices and suffered hardships in striving to obey His laws.

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They were transgressors who could not receive Divine blessings, who could not be enlightened, because their interiors were qualified by evil affections; because they sought to know truth and to do good for the sake of self-glory, honor, material gain, and power; because they studied and sacrificed essentially to increase their ability to harm others; and because their delight in truth and good sprang primarily from their viewing them as means for fulfilling their proprial ends.
     When the point is considered objectively and impersonally, it is plainly seen to be hypocritical and insufficient for a man merely to appear to love truth and be in good; for him merely to speak and act piously, when the impelling cause is evil. It is then seen clearly that a man who is motivated by evil cannot love truth as truth or find pleasure in good as good. It is then evident that a fundamental change must take place; that his evils must be removed in order that his qualifying ends may become good. And it is manifest that when the change has taken place, when the man has come to love good at heart, it is then that he genuinely loves good and truth for their own sake and finds in them the source of his delight.
     But difficulty arises when the point is considered subjectively and an effort is made to apply it personally, as ought to be done by everyone. For man naturally holds a favorable opinion of himself and is deluded by external appearances, regarding as good that which gives him pleasure. He looks upon his end; which he loves, and whose gratification constitutes the delight of his life, as being good itself; and therefore views all that agrees with and supports them, and all that serves as means to their attainment, as delightful and desirable goods and truths. And as knowledges from the letter of the Word may be used to confirm any opinion, or to justify any affection or deed, anyone may come to find enjoyment in studying the Word and gaining knowledge from it.
     Because nearly anyone may acquire the necessary skill to reason acutely and profoundly about doctrinal matters, and almost anyone can become content to live within the law and find gratification in doing good works. a man has little difficulty in confirming his good opinion of himself. But although delight in reading the Word and in doing good may be a sign of regenerative progress it is not a proof of it; and although the ability to discover hidden things in the Word and to see new uses for doctrinal knowledges may be the sign of an enlightened understanding it is not an assurance of this.

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For even evil men may see such "signs" of regeneration in themselves, when yet they are totally lacking in any genuine affection of good and truth and in any true understanding of the Word.
     This consideration may be confusing to many sincere men, causing them to distrust the hopeful signs of progress they may have perceived in themselves and so bringing sadness to them. But let them be reminded that the mere fact that proprial evils may simulate the signs of regeneration and enlightenment does not mean that all such signs are simulated. The Lord does provide signs to encourage man on his way. And it is of use that man should take encouragement from them, provided he does not lean too heavily upon them: congratulating himself upon their appearance and neglecting the fundamental requirements of regeneration, which are the acknowledgment of the Lord in His Divine Human, the shunning of evils as sins against Him, and the exercise of charity.

     True enlightenment, like all other spiritual blessings received from the Lord, is dependent on regeneration; for man is enlightened in so far as he is in goods and truths from the Lord. As these are lacking with the unregenerate, whose state is qualified by evils and falsities, they are said in the text to be in obscurity and darkness. By "obscurity" is meant the presence of falsity, which dims man's perception of the light of truth; and by "darkness" is meant the presence of evil together with falsity, which takes away from that perception to an even greater extent.
     Concerning spiritual darkness we are taught that "by being darkened" is signified not to be seen or known by reason of evils and falsities and falsities from evils. Evils from falsities are with those who assume the falsities of religion, and confirm them till they appear as truths: and when they live according to them they do evils from falsities, or evils of falsity. But those have falsities from evils who do not regard evils as sins; and still more those who by reasonings from the natural man, and more still from the Word, confirm with themselves that evils are not sins. The confirmations themselves are falsities from evils, and are called falsities of evil" (AR 413). Another passage teaches that "in various places in the Word mention is made of darkness and also at the same time of thick darkness, and then darkness is predicated of falsity, and thick darkness of evil together with it . . . such falsities [as spring from evil] arise with those who have been of the church, and have lived a life of evil contrary to the precepts of faith which they have known.

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The evil from which these falsities spring is against the church, against heaven, and against the Lord, thus is diametrically against good and truth" (AC
7711).
     These passages clearly indicate that man is in spiritual darkness in proportion as he permits his evil proprial affections to have dominion over his rational faculty, particularly if he has knowledges of good and truth from the Word and abuses them. Such men, however are not usually, or necessarily, aware of their plight. Indeed many boast of having greater intelligence and wisdom, and of being more rational, than others; confirming this exalted opinion of themselves by the fact that they have greater knowledge than others and can reason about what is good and true, and confirm it by means of scientifics with greater subtlety than others. Of such it is said that they have no enlightenment, but rather an imaginative and perceptive faculty (AC 4214); and that whatever illustration they may have is from a delusive lumen (Ibid. 3665).
     In other places the Writings speak of evil men being able to rise even to the light of heaven as to their understanding; by which is meant that they may perceive truth and good, and confirm them, and so have the ability to give instruction to others. Of this it shall be said here only that an evil man, to achieve his ends, may generate in himself a kind of affection for truth. Under the law that the perception of truth is according to the affection for it, this will enable him to perceive truth; but as his affection for truth is not genuine, the perception is only a temporary one. Sooner or later the affection will disappear, and with it the perception of truth he had enjoyed. Nor is the understanding of an evil man ever at home, as it were, on an exalted plane; it longs continually for its normal state of obscurity and continually descends to serve the evil will on its own plane.
     The idea of spiritual light is usually associated with truth and appears, indeed, to belong to it. Yet we are taught that by itself truth or faith does not enlighten, for truth is but the means by which light is communicated to man. Spiritual light itself is from the Lord, and is given from good and through good, according to its quality (AC 4214).

437

Good is said to be like the flame of the sun, while truth is as the object by means of which the flame appears, the reason being that nothing but truth receives good: and because enlightenment is received through, or by means of, truth, it appears as if it were from it (Ibid., 3094).
     Yet although we are taught that it is good or charity which enlightens, we are not to minimize the use that truth performs. For good cannot inflow into the interiors of the mind to animate the will with its warmth, and to send forth its light into the understanding, unless the mind is furnished with suitable vessels to receive the influx. And only truths, or knowledges of truth and good from the Word, can possibly serve as vessels for reception of the influx of good from the Divine. Thus truths are necessary for man's enlightenment, although they do not cause man to be enlightened. Further, because influx with man, and thus his enlightenment, is according to his reception, that is, according to the quantity and quality of the receiving vessels he has, we are taught that enlightenment is according to the truths a man has.

     This matter is treated of in a thought-provoking passage in Arcana Coelestia which confirms the stand the General Church has taken in regard to education. The passage teaches that "the knowledges which are learned from infancy to youth are as it were most general vessels which are to be infilled with goods: and as they are infilled, so is man enlightened. If the vessels are such that genuine goods can be admitted into them, the man is enlightened from the Divine that is within them, and this successively more and more: whereas if they are such that genuine goods are not able to be in them he is not illuminated. He indeed appears to be enlightened, but it is from a delusive lumen" (AC 3665).
     Enlightenment affects the intellectual faculty, being the opening by influx of the interiors of the understanding so that the truths a man reads or hears are confirmed by him interiorly by a kind of perception within his intellectual. He is then able to see truth because it is true and can therefore be called a truly intelligent and rational man. And though man must act as if he could, no one can make himself intelligent and wise. No one can enlighten himself.

438

True enlightenment, which enables man to perceive from the Word what is to be believed and done, is given to him by the Lord alone; and it is given to such only as know truths, not for the sake of reputation and glory, but for the sake of life and use AC 6222). Or, as it is taught in many places, the ability to perceive the spiritual things contained in the Word is given to those only who read the Word with affection, regarding it as holy and as the only source of truth, which is sought for the sake of amending one's life and doing good.
When man approaches the Word in this humble manner, and as he applies what he there learns to his life and to his use, the falsities which obscured his perception are gradually dispersed, so that he comes to see truth in light; and the evils that caused him to be full of darkness are removed, so that the radiant brightness of good pervades his mind to make him wise. In his former state, the man who sought to regenerate could well cry out with the prophet: judgment is far from us, neither doth justice overtake us: we await for light, but behold obscurity; for brightness, but we walk in darkness. We grope for the wall like the blind, and we grope as if we had no eyes: we stumble at noon day as in the night; we are in desolate places as dead men." (Isaiah 59: 9, 10.) But in his new state he finds the fulfillment of the prophecy: "Then shall thy light rise in obscurity, and thy darkness be as the noon day; and the Lord shall guide thee continually, and satisfy thy soul in drought. and make fat thy bones: and thou shalt be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters deceive not." (Ibid., 58: 10, 11.)
That the exercise of charity in general is a prerequisite of enlightenment is taught in the text by the words: "If thou draw out thy soul to the hungry, and satisfy the afflicted soul." More specifically, these words signify charity toward those who are in ignorance but desire to know truths, and are in grief because of the falsities that possess them (AE 386: 25). By "hunger" is meant lack of the knowledges of good and truth needed to nourish the spirit, and at the same time a desire to know them: and by the "afflicted soul" the grief felt because of lack of understanding of truth on account of the presence of falsities. To "draw out thy soul" and to "satisfy" both refer to the communication of the understanding of truth, thus to the instruction of those who not content with their lack of truth, but desire to possess and to understand it.

439

     From this it is to be concluded that the enlightenment specifically meant in our text is that connected with the use of instructing those who need and desire truths. Particular emphasis is to be placed on the fact that the knowledge of truth cannot properly be conveyed to those who are not aware of their ignorance, and who are therefore content with their intellectual state. As all who have endeavored to teach know well, if the desire for knowledge is not present, it must be aroused before the instruction given can be grasped And when the desire is active, the ability to instruct is stimulated and in so far as charity makes one with the endeavor there is illustration.
     But we are not to conclude that enlightenment comes only when we instruct others. There is in each of us, however intelligent and wise we may seem, great ignorance and lack as to knowledges and truths; and there should be many states of hunger and affliction which need to be relieved. Thus our text also exhorts us to seek instruction for ourselves; to take note of our ignorance and lack of understanding, and permit ourselves to feel the need of instruction. It demands that we search the Word diligently for knowledges of truth and good, and strive to apply them to our grievous state, that we may the better give glory to the Lord in our lives and in our uses. Then it is that light shall arise in our obscurity, and our darkness shall become as the noon day. Amen.

LESSONS:     Isaiah 58. John 12: 23-50. Arcana Coelestia, 6222.
MUSIC:     New Liturgy, pages 466, 462, 471.
PRAYERS:     New Liturgy, nos. 62, 124.
NEW CIRCLE 1951

NEW CIRCLE 1951

On September 5, 1951, the group meeting for worship and instruction at Madison, Wisconsin, was formally recognized by Bishop de Charms as the Madison (Wisconsin) Circle of the General Church of the New Jerusalem. An account of the Madison Circle will appear in the November issue of NEW CHURCH LIFE. We take this opportunity to welcome the new Circle warmly in the name of the General Church, and to wish it a long, happy, and fruitful life.

440

DIVINE PROVIDENCE IN MARRIAGE 1951

DIVINE PROVIDENCE IN MARRIAGE SYDNEY B. CHILDS 1951

     In Conjugial Love, no. 49, it is said: "It is for these reasons that marriages entered into in the world are for the most part external, and not at the same time internal. And yet internal conjunction which is that of souls constitutes marriage itself; but this conjunction is not perceivable until man puts off the external and puts on the internal, which he does after death. And hence it is that separations then take place, and afterwards new conjunctions with those who are similar and homogeneous, unless these had been provided on earth, as they are in the ease of those who from early' youth had loved and desired and asked of the Lord a legitimate and lovely companionship with one, and had spurned and detested wandering lusts as an offense to their nostrils."*
     * Italics by Author.
     The implications of this teaching involve arcana of heavenly wisdom applicable to marriages on earth that achieve the Lord's crowning gift to those who seek a marriage of love truly conjugial. Such a marriage is one which will endure to eternity. It is revealed that marriages can be made on earth which can survive all the vicissitudes of mortal life and be revived in heaven.
     A marriage of love truly conjugial can be provided by the Lord alone. Such marriages, while rare on earth at this day, are, and will be provided, for those who genuinely acknowledge the Lord in His second coming and endeavor to apply the teachings of the Writings to their lives. The Divine gift of salvation is offered to all men, whether in the church or out of it; but the spiritual mind can be opened on earth with those only who know and love spiritual truths and thus can reciprocate the Lords love in some measure of fulness. It is believed further that marriages of love truly conjugial are destined by a special providence of the Lord; so the fullest measure of interior happiness through mutual love can be experienced by a few on earth, where the hells continually conspire against all sanctity in marriage as a powerful means to facilitate the destruction of the human race.

441

     Even in the modern world,-where there is at best such a depth of ignorance as to the true nature of marriage, and at worst such interior hatred or contempt for anything spiritual in the marriage covenant,-those of some conscience are gravely concerned about the manifestly detrimental effects of broken marriages. It is the children of such marriages who suffer most, since their lives are thwarted by torn affections for their parents who have brought them into a little world of family strife and discord. The laws seek to protect such innocent victims of household calamity. But while material support can be arranged in some instances, even that is lacking in others, and the child becomes a ward of the state or of some charitable institution. Society is alarmed at the increasing prevalence of divorce; yet there must he many marriages which do not culminate in divorce or separation, but are such, nevertheless, as to preclude mutual love on the part of the parents. Children are sensitive to such discords and may carry lasting scars, the effects of disharmony and selfish conflict between parents.
     It may be reasoned that much of the organic disease of the body, the increasing incidence of mental disorders, and the alarming expansion of drug-addiction and crime among the young, are a chain of disastrous events that follow a society in which monogamy is the letter of the law but a sensual and materialistic conception of marriage is continually and insidiously working to corrupt and destroy the sanctity of the marriage covenant. It is of the utmost importance that a church shall exist where, even if among a few, the true nature of marriage shall be understood and revered.

     The essential of marriage is of the human spirit, where a conjunction, or the effort toward it, has taken place in the individual mind through a marriage of the will and the understanding. Such a conjunction exists where there is the will toward good and the understanding of truth. Thence is derived a spiritual affection for truth and good, and such an affection and illumination of the mind are received by man as a gift of the Lord. When young people share in the affection for the things of the church they will seek to find happiness in a choice of partners, as if by chance, but really under the guidance of providence. If a marriage is entered into upon reaching maturity, there is provided a mutual love which can endure forever because the springs of their affection and love are fed by the truths of the Word.

442

     "And yet internal conjunction which is that of souls constitutes marriage itself" (CL 49). In fulfillment of this teaching it would seem reasonable to conclude that the Lord can, and does, provide for the meeting and awakening of love between two who are a genuine similitude. The Lord must foresee from His Divine Providence and omniscience the future states of all who are born, and particularly their destinies as to the interior choice of good or evil. If the former is to be their choice they are prepared from birth for a life of eternal happiness in heaven; if the latter, they are protected as far as possible from such deadly evils as profanation but are permitted to find their destiny in hell since they have rejected the Lord through a continued life at variance with His commandments.
     We see no detriment to human freedom in the assumption that a man's eternal lot as to salvation or damnation is known to the Lord, and to Him alone. Thus a marriage on earth of love truly conjugial could not be except between two who are destined, not only for heaven, but for the special heaven of their genius and place in the grand man. Spiritual freedom would meanwhile be preserved between such married partners, as the ways of God are above and transcend the intelligence of man. If we are to assume an instance in which one of the married partners is interiorly in good and the other in evil, this would simply not be a marriage where there was anything of conjugial love, except possibly as to appearances. After death, the partner in good would realize and experience conjugial love with a genuine similitude provided at that time by the Lord.
     We feel that if a marriage entered into upon earth is to endure to eternity there must be the provision by the Lord of the one similitude that can make such a companionship all that is envisioned in the revelation given in the work, Conjugial Love. The Writings depict a marriage of love truly conjugial as a union so perfect that the married partners become, as it were, one angel. This connotes interior similitudes of mind which are beyond the comprehension of mortal man, and thus cannot be entered into by any choice except one; one in which the overruling hand of Divine Providence has molded the destiny of two human beings in a miracle almost entirely beyond their finite comprehension.

443

     To the well disposed husband and wife, the same faith which has provided their union on earth will protect them against anything that would deprive them of freedom. It is our profound belief that no one knows his eternal lot after death; thus that no two married partners know whether or not they are in a marriage of love truly conjugial. To assume that they are in such a marriage would be to assume eternal salvation for themselves an assumption which in itself is evil. But there can be the hope of salvation, and there can be the hope and effort toward a life of genuine good on the part of married partners. Such a hope, if accompanied by an abiding faith in the dispensations of providence, and by a genuine humility in their mutual worship of the Lord and service to the neighbor, will do much toward opening their spiritual minds.
     The spiritual mind is opened by progressive degrees, and with most persons only after a long life in which material things are relegated gradually to their proper place and spiritual things become dominant. The Lord's words: "But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you," cannot be fulfilled by any except through the trials and misfortunes of life and consequent entry into the path of regeneration.

     Some place a different interpretation on the choice of a marriage partner. This would enable an individual to choose a partner from among several similitudes. But how many? If the New Church should increase in membership, as we all hope, there might be thousands of similitudes from which to choose. How are young people to recognize a similitude when they are on the threshold of adult life, and know little from experience of the interior harmony of mind that is required in a union if it is to be one of enduring love?
     Is it not true that marriages can take place in which both partners are in the good of life, and after death will be saved, yet will not remain married in heaven? Such an instance is given in the Writings (CL 216: 3), because of an internal dissimilitude. There are many reasons why a mistaken choice in marriage can he made at times, even by the well disposed. The recurrence of second marriages following the death of one of the partners is evidence that the first marriage in such instances is unlikely to have been one of genuine similitudes.

444

From the considerations presented we conclude that no choice among a few or many similitudes can be made by the individual without the Lord's unseen leading, through a miraculous intervention of providence, if the marriage is to be one that is to last forever.
     In a world such as ours today it behooves all who seek the way of life to cultivate spiritual aspirations and ideals through the one source where such gifts are freely available,-through reading and meditation on the Word of God. In that way we can be led by a trust and abiding faith in the dispensations of Divine Providence in relation to our lives and the lives of others. In relation to marriage there will inevitably be assaults by the hells, which will be intensified in the degree that married partners strive to uphold the tenets of religion, primarily through their individual efforts to lead a life of mutual love to the Lord and charity toward the neighbor. In marriage itself there are abundant opportunities for the practical application of charity, each toward an individual neighbor in their own home. It may be that the depths of mutual love are rarely revealed to married partners of good intention, except at times of unusual misfortune when compassion for human frailties is called forth and arouses the highest and noblest qualities of the heart and mind.
     To those in the church who have desired marriage, and yet not experienced it, the realization of a love truly conjugial is but deferred until after death. Those in good then will meet the true similitude provided by the Lord and enter into the joys of an eternal marriage at the gateway of heaven. The analogy is to be found, perhaps, in our attitude toward children. It is the love of children that is the essential, and this all can share regardless of the blessings and responsibilities of parenthood. And to an exalted degree, it is our love of the neighbor and our worship of the Lord that alone can provide a basis for the implantation of a state receptive of conjugial love, regardless of the individual's apparent state in relation to marriage.
     We may well reflect on our doctrine with its eloquent appeal: "For the conjugial of one man with one wife is the precious pearl of human life and the repository of the Christian religion . . . and because this is so, the love can be with one married partner and not with the other; and the love can lie so deeply concealed that the man himself takes no notice of it: and it may be inscribed, too, in the course of life" (CL 531).

445

     Our world is one in which the very preservation of civilization is threatened by the direful persuasions of those who seek by self- aggrandizement to fulfill Their love of dominion by tyrannizing all who would oppose them. We know from the Writings that the love of dominion, because from the hells, is never satiated, even if all mankind were to become enslaved to its will. And above all, we must have faith in the Word of God and its life-giving message of prophecy and hope. From revealed truth in the Writings we know that the New Church has been established on earth among a few, and that down through the centuries to come the few will, in the Lord's good time, increase to many. We may conclude that a church founded on the rock of our belief that the Writings are the Word of God can hardly flourish in the type of world that would exist under the rule of atheism and the desecration of all religion. Therefore we may have just cause for trust that a survival of human freedom will he preserved on earth, regardless of intervening threats of calamity.
     In the survival of human freedom our church will continue in its worship of the Lord, the God of all creation, and in the faithful inculcation of the teachings of the Word to each succeeding generation. In such a survival, the precepts telling of love truly conjugial will be treasured as the highest gift of the Creator, since within that love is encompassed all human and eternal happiness.
     In Conjugial Love, no. 229, there occurs the statement that in heaven conjugial pairs are born. This number is entitled: "That for those who desire love truly conjugial the Lord provides similitudes; and if they are not given on earth, He provides them in the heavens. The reason is that all marriages of love truly conjugial are provided by the Lord." It is, we feel, a rational conclusion that the statement, "the Divine Providence of the Lord concerning marriages and in marriages is most particular and most universal," applies equally, and perhaps even more definitely, to our world than to heaven; for marriages on earth are the legitimate seminary of the human race and of the heavens. Unless the child is born upon earth, it cannot become an angel in heaven.
     Moreover, the earth is the foundation of uses, both natural and as a basis for the heavens. Our Lord Himself was born on earth, and through the glorification of His Human He revealed Himself to His disciples after His resurrection, and taught them face to face.

446

Our world became the scene of the most transcendental act of Divine mercy toward mankind since the dawn of creation. Many centuries later was to follow the Lords second coming; not in person, but through a written revelation disclosing the internal sense of the Word. Thus it would appear that the integrity of the entire human race throughout the universe depends upon the establishment of a genuine church on our earth, so that the Word of God can, in time, be acknowledged in all its splendor throughout the world.
     While it is true that the state of mankind in general would appear such as to preclude the giving of love truly conjugial to any except a few, true marriages are realized even by those who have no knowledge of the Lord in His second coming (CL 318, 333). If such marriages can be attained at least by some in the Christian world who are ignorant of the New Church, why cannot we hope that such marriages need not he rare among those who have acknowledged the Lord in His second coming, and presumably endeavor to follow the teachings of the Word as revealed in its internal sense?

     We would conclude, therefore, that conjugial pairs are born on earth as well as in the heavens, but that on earth there can be no positive assurance as to who do or do not constitute conjugial pairs in marriages in the New Church. Some possible insight may be given at times in certain states of elevation of mind as to the quality of the love shared by married partners. The Lord in preparing a youth and a maiden for marriage in heaven is said "to open their internal similitudes that they may see each other."
     If married partners share in their love for the church and endeavor to follow the teachings of the Writings as to the need for regeneration, it is believed that some insight as to internal similitudes might be given. The human and mutual freedom of the two in such a state is, we feel, amply protected by the fact that life with its present high tension and responsibilities fortunately leaves little time for individuals, married or unmarried, to dwell unduly on, or to conclude too rigidly about, their own states. And whatever the state, it can be changed either for good or for evil as long as they remain in the world.

447

     Certainly all will agree that no final knowledge of the reception of love truly conjugial can he given either partner until the lot of each has been determined after death as to salvation or damnation. However, the fact that, strictly speaking, no knowledge as to the eternity of a given marriage on earth exists outside the Lord does not prevent His providing for such marriages. If any marriage on earth endures to eternity it is one of love truly conjugial; and it would seem that such harmony of life could scarcely be accidental, or through the exercise of human prudence, however skilful and alert.
     The purpose of the book on Conjugial Love being given to mankind and received by the members of the New Church is to restore the human race, to its pristine purity through genuine marriages that death cannot put asunder. The loss by death of a partner in a marriage of love truly conjugial is but a fleeting separation, as if one of them took a journey. The blessing of the Lord is upon His church and those who endeavor to follow its teachings; and we need not limit the power, wisdom, and providence of the God of all creation in providing good things for all His creatures, especially those who sincerely and steadfastly acknowledge Him in His second coming.
     Genuine marriages are the seminary of the Lord's church on earth as well as of the New Christian Heaven. If among the young people of our church there is given a love for spiritual truth and a trust in the Divine Providence, they will, as individuals, find their true mates on earth. If, in their marriages, they shun evils as sins, and look to God, salvation will be their reward, and the gift of love truly conjugial. And with this gift they need not necessarily wait until the life after death to comprehend the happiness of heaven. For they will discover the treasure of human life, and "that into this love are gathered all joys and all delights from first to last" (CL 68).
IMPORTANT DEFINITION 1951

IMPORTANT DEFINITION 1951

"Seeing therefore that man lives after death, and this to eternity; and that a life awaits him in accordance with his love and faith, it follows that from love toward the human race, the Divine has revealed such things as will lead to that life, and will conduce to man s salvation. That which the Divine has revealed is with us the Word." (Arcana Coelestia, no. 10,320)

448

REV. ERIC A. SUTTON 1951

REV. ERIC A. SUTTON Editor 1951

     An Obituary

     When a man of distinguished ability devotes his gifts and his life to the Church, the New Church as a whole is enriched by his labors, and his passing calls for recognition beyond the particular body in which he served. Such a man was the Rev. Eric Arnold Sutton, M.A., B.D., one of the most outstanding ministers the General Conference has ever known, whose death, on June 21st, has been reported in these pages.
     Born in Birmingham. England, into a family noted for devoted service to the New Church, Mr. Sutton entered the New-Church College to begin his studies for the ministry in 1911. At the outbreak of war in 1914 he joined the army, was later commissioned, and served as a lieutenant in the Warwickshire Regiment in France until 1918. Instantly resuming his interrupted studies, he received the highest commendations of the examiners and also took a First Class Degree in Philosophy at London University.
     His first and only pastorate was at the Woodlands Road Church. Glasgow, where he ministered from 1921 until 1933 Always a student, he studied at Glasgow University to prepare himself for the London degree of M.A., which he presently obtained.
     In 1933, the New-Church College called him to become its Principal. A profound student of the Writings and a brilliant teacher, Mr. Sutton responded to the call with a feeling, shared by the College authorities, that here lay his major use for the Church. On two occasions during the seventeen years of his Principalship the curriculum was entirely revised in the light of his understanding and experience, each time to provide for a wider and deeper view of the Heavenly Doctrine. In this long period of service Mr. Sutton remained also a student, preparing himself for the London degree of Bachelor of Divinity, which he later received.
     Despite his exacting duties as Resident Principal and tutor in the College, and the heavy demands made upon him as a preacher and lecturer, Mr. Sutton made several contributions to the literature of the Church.

449

The booklet "Day Unto Day," containing selected passages from the Word and the Writings, was very popular among men in the armed forces during World War II. On the occasion of the 250th Anniversary of Swedenborg's birth he wrote the charming account of Swedenborg's life, "The Happy Isles," which has delighted many children of the General Church as well as others. And for Cassell's LIVING THOUGHTS LIBRARY he prepared the volume on Swedenborg, compiling the selection of passages which present his thought and writing the powerful introductory essay.
Mr. Sutton was ordained as a Minister in 1922, and inducted as an Ordaining Minister in 1947. He was twice chosen as the Conference Preacher, and served as President of the Conference in the two years 1942 and 1943. He was active also in seasonal schools for Sunday School teachers, lay preachers, and ministers. A distinguished yet self-effacing New Church man who brought great charm of manner and a deep sense of dedication to every task, Mr. Sutton will long be remembered in the Church he served so well, and his work will continue in that of the ministers he trained.
THE EDITOR.
FORGOTTEN PAGES OF NEW CHURCH HISTORY 1951

FORGOTTEN PAGES OF NEW CHURCH HISTORY Rev. WILLIAM WHITEHEAD 1951

     10. A New Church Minister at the Capitol

     Despite the alleged "religious toleration" of these days, it is hard to imagine a General Church minister being invited to preach before both Houses of Congress at the Capitol in Washington; especially if he should select for his subject "The Second Coming of Christ and the Last Judgment." Yet this is exactly what happened to the Rev. John Hargrove, on Christmas Day, 1804.
     Two years before, on December 26, 1802, he had delivered a sermon on "The Leading Doctrines of the New Jerusalem" before the President of the United States, Thomas Jefferson, and several members of Congress at the Capitol. The excellent impression which this sermon made seems to have led to the more formal occasion of 1804.

450

Mr. Hargrove was not only a well-known citizen of Maryland, on good terms with many public and professional men, but had exchanged letters with Mr. Jefferson in 1801. Upon Jefferson s inauguration to the Presidency, Mr. Hargrove, as Chairman of the Acting Committee of the New Jerusalem Church in Baltimore, addressed to him a congratulatory letter to which the President made the following reply:

                                   Washington, March 9, 1801
     SIR: I beg leave to return to you my thanks, and through you to the Acting Committee of the New Jerusalem in the City of Baltimore, for your friendly congratulations. I deplore, with you, the present sanguinary and turbulent state of things in the Eastern world, and look forward to the restoration of peace and progress of information for the promotion of genuine charity, liberality, and brotherly kindliness towards those who differ from us in opinion. The philanthropy which breathes through the several expressions of your letter is a pledge that you will endeavor to diffuse the sentiments of benevolence among our fellow-men, and to inculcate the important truth that they promote their own happiness by nourishing kind and friendly dispositions towards others. Commending your endeavors to the Being in whose hands we are, I beg you to accept assurances of my perfect consideration and respect.
     (Signed) TH. JEFFERSON.

     Both of the sermons mentioned above were published and received much favorable comment in the public press. From a little-known sketch of the character and personal traits of the Rev. John Hargrove, written by Mr. Edward Hinkley, who married his youngest daughter in 1820, we extract the following observations.
     "Mr. Hargroves manner in the pulpit after he was known to me was grave and deliberate, but earnest and impressive. His sermons then were written. He was naturally an eloquent man, and in his younger days, when his sermons were extemporary, his delivery was doubtless much more animated and sometimes impassioned. It appears from his own declaration that he usually preached without notes, until he was about fifty-five years of age.

451

In a printed sermon delivered in the Capitol in the City of Washington, on Christmas Day, 1804, he used these words: "I have concluded to deviate from my usual mode of public speaking and avail myself of some prepared notes on this occasion, in order to aid a declining memory and thereby to do the more justice to my subject." That he had confidence to speak without notes is manifest from what he actually did in the delivery of another discourse in the Capitol. Intending to read a written sermon, just as he was about to begin it before a large audience, he found the frame of his spectacles broken. After attempting for a few moments in vain to tie it with a string, he was suddenly impressed with the idea that the incident was providential, designed to force him to speak without notes. He therefore threw them aside and trusted to his resources without them. He succeeded to the satisfaction of his friends.
     "The style of his sermons was plain, lucid, diffuse, and smooth, but yet forcible and persuasive. In a sermon upon the leading doctrines of the New Church he says: 'We constantly maintain that the essence of all true religion is love, love to our Savior God supremely and love to all mankind, from a pure heart fervently. That this love to God is best manifested by our obedience to what we believe to be His Divine laws and the love of our neighbor, by doing unto every man as we would that he should do unto us, from a principle of pure philanthropy; and that nothing less than the constant exercise of these acts or graces can constitute the truly religious and virtuous man.' The conclusion of nearly all his sermons was an earnest exhortation to his hearers to obey the sacred truths and reduce to practice the moral principles which he unfolded to their view." (NEW JERUSALEM MAGAZINE, n.s., xvii: 1.)

     As the Rev. John Hargrove became the first ordaining New Church minister in the United States; also the first President of the General Convention-which office he held repeatedly for many years was in constant correspondence with Clowes, Hindmarsh, Proud, Sibly, Hill, and Jones, in England; and was regarded as a great New Church pioneer by New Church men all over the United States; it is interesting to read his son-in-law's appraisal.
     "Mr. Hargrove's mental endowments were considerably superior to those of ordinary standard. His desire for acquiring knowledge on almost every subject was insatiable: and his attainments, considering he had not the advantages of a collegiate or classical education, were extraordinary.

452

He availed himself of the opportunities and means which the various conditions of his checkered life afforded him for acquiring information on different subjects of science, literature, moral philosophy, and theology. His reading was extensive, and he criticised and remembered what he read. Mr. Hargrove learned much of human nature from experience. While the lives of clergymen, in general, are retired and secluded in a great measure from the world, he was engaged in secular employments which brought him in daily contact with men of every class and grade in civil society.
"He was remarkable in all the transactions of his life for a punctual and conscientious discharge of his duties. . . . For social qualities he was distinguished. Few strangers of distinction visited Baltimore to whom he did not, to a late period of his life, obtain an introduction, if they brought not one to him."
DAUGHTERS OF THE ACADEMY 1951

DAUGHTERS OF THE ACADEMY EO PENDLETON 1951

     2. A Continued Story

     (Continued from the September Issue)

     If the women of the Church were to be asked what their spiritual responsibility is toward children, their answer, I believe, would be that it is the preservation of innocence. That there is a world of doctrine, of thought and of application in this recognition of responsibility women are made aware by the teaching of the Writings, their interpretation over the years of our history by the ministry of the Church, and the instinct given them by the Lord as a love of children, which is made active and given spiritual motive by the love of truth and by the deeply felt desire that their children may become regenerate men and women.

453

     Men and women are united. Both give of affection and understanding to the uses that have their origin in the teaching of the Writings as to childhood and youth, but in the nature of woman s functions she is more closely concerned in arousing and giving direction to the affections in children which come of innocence, in which is implanted the first consciousness of the Lord, of love to Him, and the beginning of turning away from self. There is nothing more profoundly moving as a part of love itself than the first awakening of the affection of good and truth. On this affection are based all our hopes of New Church education.
     Because women do not love only their own children, there is a sphere of care and protection from them which is an imperative condition for the welfare of the young. This is well known but something of this conception must have been in the mind of Bishop W. F. Pendleton in 1899, when, at a General Assembly in Berlin (Kitchener), he raised the question of a feminine collective. Dr. Whitehead alluded to this in an address to Theta Alpha* in June. However, the Bishop said nothing further and the idea was left in people's minds to fructify or not. It was five years later, in 1904, that discussions took place initiating the movement for a women's organization of graduates of the Academy Schools whose declared purpose was to foster the love and the support of Academy uses, now enlarged to include women members of the General Church who identify themselves with its purpose.
     * See THETA ALPHA JOURNAL, 1951.
     Theta Alpha's activities in pursuance of her aims have been described in last month's issue of NEW CHURCH LIFE. It may be of interest to follow the development of one of these uses which has become a major function of the General Church.
     One day in the winter of 1940 a letter was received by the President of Theta Alpha, Miss Margaret Bostock, from the Glenview Chapter, in which ideas were expressed that had far-reaching effects. The letter contained a suggestion for consideration by Theta Alpha, of the possibility of keeping in touch with New Church children who live at a distance from Church schools, so that by some means they might receive the benefit of the religious instruction given in the schools to children more fortunate in this respect, and that assistance be offered to parents in their efforts to give New Church training under conditions of isolation.

454

     When this letter was read to the Executive Committee there was enthusiastic acceptance of the ideas it brought forward and at the annual meeting during the General Assembly in Pittsburgh the following June, a resolution embodying these ideas was presented for consideration and accepted with unanimous approval. The President was requested to form a committee capable of carrying the new enterprise into effect.
     The answers to the questions, who? what? and when? were found and acted upon in the fall of 1940. Mrs. Carita Pendleton de Charms (Mrs. Richard de Charms), who had been appointed to head the committee, was able to report that an announcement of the work to be undertaken by Theta Alpha, had been inserted in the PARENT-TEACHER JOURNAL; a list of names and addresses of isolated families had been compiled; and a letter to parents, mimeographed on the Academy's machine, had been sent, describing the work contemplated. Throughout, Mrs. de Charms had had most willing and capable assistants.
     The importance had not been overlooked of consulting the Bishop and the visiting pastors whose pastoral fields were to be thus gently invaded. From everyone there was a sympathetic response and approval. Letters from mothers came in large numbers and made it clear that there was a distinctly felt need as well as an eagerness for assistance in the religious training of their children.
     During the initial period as in the years following, the Theta Alpha Extension Work as it was now called, had the interested backing of the Executive Committee. There opinions were expressed, suggestions made, and every possible aid given to expedite the committee's labors in this new field. Ways and means had to be considered, for it was soon realized that funds were needed beyond what the exchequer could afford. The first advance of $10.00 was soon expended. Paper, envelopes, folders, filing-cards, postage, etc., had been bought. Several individual contributions were made, but with the intention of widening the support a letter explaining the need was sent to members, and ever since the financial aid as well as the interest in the work itself, already aroused, has been widespread and generous.
     Simultaneously with the necessary preliminaries, the search for material was being pursued. This may sound paradoxical but was possible because it had been previously planned.

455

For the first year it had been decided to prepare what were known as Festival Lessons which included the Church holidays. Every lesson was to be accompanied by an appropriate picture. Other material on general New Church subjects was to be sent as it could be obtained, with the hope that eventually lessons could be sent every month.
     Let me say here that the question of suitable pictures is an important but difficult one. Religious pictures that one can buy must he looked at from several points of view-the artist's eye, the New Church man's judgment, the amateur's preference, the expense, and, not least, their appeal to children. We can only appreciate the careful thought given and the rigors of the search, which, besides to Philadelphia, led our indefatigable team to the art galleries of Washington and New York.
     The colored reproductions sold commercially were only part of the objective. We have New Church artists. Theta Alpha is very grateful to Mr. Winfred Hyatt for his beautiful paintings and the illuminated work on the "Rules of Life." Copies of these were made by many warm-hearted volunteers. Other artists and art- students have contributed largely to fill the endless-seeming need. As an instance, in the spring of 1941, Mrs. de Charms asked the Rev. Harold Cranch, then nearing his graduation from the Theological School, whether he could make a drawing for the Nineteenth of June. In spite of his pre-occupation with his studies, he generously consented, and the association with Mr. Cranch and his varied talents was to become a fruitful one.
     A colorful piece of work was started in the summer of 1941. From early days, the Christmas Representation has been a beautiful part of our religious expression, around which children's wonder and affection could center. It was a pleasure, then, to make the figures for a scene of the Nativity and to imagine the interest of the children. Seventy sets, not including all the figures but with an appropriate background, were received by seventy families in time for Christmas. Other figures were added for other times and the number of finished scenes increased as the list of families grew.
     These were war years, and Mrs. de Charms, late in 1942, left Bryn Athyn temporarily, to stay with Captain de Charms on his Navy post.

456

Miss Bostock took over the direction of the Extension Work, and the Rev. Harold Cranch, pastor of the Chicago Society, who has an especial interest in this phase of New Church education, became not only minister-in-charge, but guide, mentor and friend. With his devoted labors in writing, drawing and printing it was possible to have lessons in a series from the Old Testament. For the younger children he wrote and illustrated lessons on Creation, and other stories from Genesis; for the intermediate group he used the series for parents prepared by the late Rev. L. W. T. David, published in NEW CHURCH LIFE.
     Printed as attractive, four-page booklets, nearly every lesson accompanied by an outline drawing, the finished work was shipped from Chicago to be distributed in Bryn Athyn by members in charge of the different age groups, to an ever-growing-four hundred, five hundred-number of children in Canada, England, South Africa, Australia, and the United States.
     In Glenview, meanwhile, Miss Helen Maynard and Miss Jean Junge had started their work on the Life of the Lord, prepared for the older children. The response to these excellent lessons was most encouraging. Miss Junge corresponded with her charges, commenting on the answers to questions sent out weekly with the text, and became a friendly center of contact in the Church for the young people. On a visit to Bryn Athyn, Miss Junge found twenty-one of these young friends in the Academy Schools.
     The years passed; the volume of work grew. Bishop de Charms, who had maintained a warm interest, felt that it was important to the General Church that more time should be given to the lessons. In 1946 he appointed the Rev. F. E. Gyllenhaal, pastor of the Toronto Society, to direct the work in Bryn Athyn, half of his time to be given to it and half to teaching religion in the Elementary School. A General Church committee was formed; a combination of Theta Alpha members, nominated by her Executive Committee, with the president ex-officio, and for the General Church, a treasurer, librarian, Mr. Cranch in charge of art-work, and Mr. Gyllenhaal, director. The Theta Alpha Extension Work became "The General Church Religion Lessons."
     Mr. Gyllenhaal's work, to which he now devotes most of his time,-though a continuation of the same story, with many of the same characters,-deserves a separate telling.

457

Anyone visiting his office-workroom in the Cathedral will realize that he is in a busy publishing establishment-the sound of the machines and the typewriters, the stacks of paper, tables covered with work in progress, and around the walls countless numbered sections of shelves holding the finished material.
Theta Alpha's interest in her grown-up child has not lessened. On the contrary, it is a vital part of her use, her purpose to foster the love of New Church education. And it may be said that this use cannot be considered without the reflection that other than the usefulness to the Church and her children, it is an opportunity for Theta Alpha and her individual members to carry into effect their faith and their affection, and to be deeply conscious of the significance of the Lord's words: "and a little child shall lead them."
FURTHER CONTEMPORARY VIEWS 1951

FURTHER CONTEMPORARY VIEWS 1951

"The Heavenly Doctrines of the New Church, in the knowledge and understanding of which we rejoice, were revealed by the Lord through Swedenborg. We believe in them. We believe that the Writings of the New Church are a revelation to men from the Lord, and that in them the Lord has provided that we may have a rational understanding of genuine Doctrine and of the spiritual truths that are the spirit and life within the literal sense of His Word. We believe that the Writings are a revelation to the rational mind of man, as the letter of the Divine Word is a revelation to the lower plane of the mind that we call the 'scientific' plane-the plane of given facts. Thus it is said in the Writings that the things which are from the literal sense of the Word are called 'scientific truths,' or the scientifics of religion and the Church, and 'are different from the truths of faith which are of the doctrine of the Church, for the latter arise from the former by means of explanation, and the true doctrine of the Church is what is called the internal sense' (AC 9025).
"While, therefore, we believe that the Writings of the New Church are a revelation from the Lord-in every respect a revelation from the Lord-we recognize that they are not the same thing as the Word, neither are they an addition to the Word.

458

Being a revelation to the rational mind of man, and a revelation of rational truths, they were not revealed in the same manner as the letter of the Word, and could not be; for the rational mind is not susceptible to the reception of 'scientifics' and cannot be formed by dogmatic statements. Whereas in the giving of the Word the understanding of the writers was necessarily not involved, we are specifically told in the well-known passage in the True Christian Religion (779) that for the purpose of this new and different revelation it was essential that the doctrines of the New Church should be given by means of a man 'who could not only receive these doctrines with his understanding but also make them public by the press.'
     "For this, our attitude toward the Writings, we have no need to be apologetic to anyone. It is based upon the teaching of the Writings themselves. They are our authority for it, and we acknowledge no other. There are those who take what seems to us an extreme attitude, believing that because the Writings are a revelation from the Lord they must therefore be an addition to the literal sense of the Word, a third Testament for the New Church. We do not quarrel with them on that account, or regard them as less our brethren in the New Church. We may think-I myself think-that they are influenced in this by certain 'old church' conceptions from which they have not entirely freed themselves but we shall accord to them that right which we claim for ourselves; I mean the right as rational men and women to form their own judgments and conclusions from what the Lord has revealed. Of this right, as new-Churchmen, we deprive no one; and of it, as new-Churchmen, we as sternly refuse to be deprived."

     THE NEW-CHURCH HERALD, July 21st, 1951. From the Address of the incoming President of Conference, the Rev. Arthur Clapham.

     "1) The Lord Jesus Christ the One God of heaven and earth has accomplished His Second Coming in the Writings of Emanuel Swedenborg. These Writings are the Word in the Third or Latin Testament for the Lord's New Church. The Words of this Third Testament are Spirit and Life according to the saying in the Gospel of John (6: 63): 'The words I speak unto you are Spirit and are Life.'
     "This Testament as to its spirit and life is the objective Esse and Existere of the Lord in the midst of the Church.

459

This Esse and Existere is present from firsts to lasts according to discrete degrees. The visibility of the Word is thus according to the opening of the discrete degrees in the mind of man. Only through this objective Esse and Existere is the redemption of the human race. This redemption is directed to the beginning of the human, which is in the inmost of the rational (AC 2106). The Third Testament is then also as to its essence in rational form. The literal sense, as this appears in the world, is significative and representative.
     "2) The Lord is omnipresent, omniscient, and omnipotent, and thus present in the soul of every man of the present and future race. The Lord works from firsts, the presence in the soul, through lasts, the objective Esse and Existere of the Word, in the Third or Latin Testament, toward the forming of man into an Angel of Heaven. Man cooperates as if from himself through his external obedience to the internal influx from the soul, and through his internal obedience to the external objective Esse and Existere of the Word. Hereby takes place the appropriation as if from himself of the things of the Lord, and man is in the Lord and the Lord in man. The Lord is then present not only in firsts and lasts with man, but also in intermediates, that is, within man. This internal is the Church in man. The essence of the Church thus concerns the true form in which the Lord is present. The presence of the Lord Himself is the understanding of the Word, or the Doctrine out of the Word. This presence is the spirit of the rational form of the literal sense of the Third Testament, which is the internal sense. The internal sense is then the literal sense, and the literal sense the internal sense, Then there is the acknowledgment of the Second Coming of the Lord."

     Rev. Theodore Pitcairn: Principles of the Church. Accepted as a brief summary of the belief of the Hague Movement.

     "The New Church is also convinced that the Lord has given his followers word of all this [His Second Coming], and done so by means of a servant from among them. The New Church believes that Emanuel Swedenborg thus served the Lord. Man's destiny beyond the earthly life needed to be placed in fuller light the Scriptures needed to be reestablished as the Word of God and the Christian message was in need of renewed and contemporary expression. To supply these needs Swedenborg devoted the industry of half a lifetime, and an insight born of a regenerating experience.

460

He was enabled 'by the Lord's mercy' to inform the Christian hope of immortality with knowledge of the world of the spirit; in Old and New Testament he set forth a meaning which speaks timelessly of the spiritual life and can nourish it now; and he freed Christian teaching from many crippling errors and formulated it anew from the Word of God."

The BOOK OF WORSHIP of the General Convention: "Faith and Aims of the New Church," page 260.
EDUCATIONAL COUNCIL 1951

EDUCATIONAL COUNCIL MORLEY D. RICH 1951

     BRYN ATHYN, AUGUST 20-24, 1951

     Because of the General Assembly in 1950, it has been two years since this Council has met. Consequently there was a heightened sense of pleasure in meeting together once more. Formed for the purpose of integrating and systematically developing the educational work of the Church by consultation, and composed of all the teachers of the Church, this body has become a real and valuable tool for the progression of our educational system in the ten years since its formation. In addition, it has provided an excellent opportunity for growth in unity and friendship among our educators.
     We were favored this year by several advantages. The weather was cool; nearly everyone felt rested; and these advantages made themselves evident in a high degree of what is known in the drier scholastic circles as "audience participation." Humorous and sharply intelligent remarks were made in abundance; and the feeling of general well-being was intensified by the presence of Bishop de Charms, who walked quietly into the first session, attended all the remaining ones, and made several useful and enjoyable remarks.
     As in former years, the meetings were of two general types. The morning sessions were devoted to general subjects; and the evening meetings, with the exception of the first, were given over to the reading and discussion of reports from the various committees now in existence.

461

All the meetings were held in Room 218, on the second floor of Benade Hall.

     General Sessions.-The First General Session opened with worship conducted by the Rt. Rev. Willard D. Pendleton on Monday evening, August 20th. Following this short service, the Rev. W. Cairns Henderson delivered a general address on "The Formation of the Natural Mind." As this address was recorded, and is also to be published, we will not attempt a summary here. It was, however a useful general analysis of the formation of the first natural mind and of the processes by which it may become the basis for a regenerated natural. Discussion centered around the question of the degree to which parents and teachers are responsible for the insemination of remains of good and truth in children.
     The Second and Third General Sessions, held on Tuesday and Wednesday mornings, considered the subject of Mathematics. Professor Edward F. Allen was in charge of the program. Dr. C. E. Doering dealt with the teaching of Arithmetic in Grades 1 to 6; Miss Margit Boyesen spoke on Mathematics in relation to the upper grades of the elementary school: Miss Morna Hyatt gave some reflections on the value of Mathematics in the Girls' Seminary; and Professor Allen showed how the college courses were designed as a natural development of the subject on a higher level.
     All the papers and discussion brought out clearly several pertinent points in regard to the value of Mathematics on all levels of education. The practical values were noted but were not stressed. What was stressed was the value of Mathematics in developing the natural- rational and preparing it for the reception of spiritual truth and the life of regeneration. Such values were brought out as: 1) Its use in developing the powers of analysis, the ability to separate essentials from non-essentials, and the faculty of recognizing the significant and pertinent facts in any situation; 2) The illustrations it gives in the operations of the Divine Providence, the immutability of the universe, and the inevitability of definite consequences following specific actions; 3) its function in the formation of a basis for conscience, and as a vessel for the later reception of spiritual truth.
     The Fourth and Fifth General Sessions, on Thursday and Friday mornings, dealt with the teaching of Foreign Languages, Professor Eldric S. Klein being in charge of the program.

462

The Rev. Elmo C. Acton addressed the Council on "The Study of the Hebrew Language in New Church Schools." Professor Eldric S. Klein discussed the Latin program in the Academy; and as part of the presentation, prepared remarks on Latin in relation to English were made by Mr. Bruce Glenn, and in relation to Religion and Theology by the Rev. W. Cairns Henderson. Professor Stanley F. Ebert spoke to the Council on the value of Modern Languages in the curriculum. In conclusion, Miss Margaret Wilde spoke on, and demonstrated, visual and auditory mechanical aids in the teaching of Latin; and Professor Otho W. Heilman demonstrated visual aids in the teaching of German.
     We may say without fear of contradiction that the Foreign Language Department made out just as good a case for its existence as did the Mathematics Department! Especially stressed were the values of language study in providing the discipline and the mental alphabets necessary to understand Divine truth and communicate it to others; in developing rational modes of thought; in relating words to ideas; and in giving understanding of other peoples, with a resulting broadening and deepening of cultural and spiritual ideas.

     Evening Meetings.-As already mentioned, the evening meetings were devoted to the giving and discussion of reports from the various committees. Here we can give only the titles. The word, reports, often sounds dull to us, but there was nothing dull about these. The reports of the committees on English came on Tuesday and Wednesday evenings. Mr. E. Bruce Glenn reported for the Literature Committee; Miss Lois Stebbing for the Committee on Independent Reading; the Rev. David Simons on mechanical aids; and Mr. Sigfried Synnestvedt on Oral English. The Rev. David Simons also reported on the summer-school course in the teaching of reading he had taken; and Miss Lyris Hyatt reported for the Committee on Reading Tests, including in her remarks some written suggestions for remedial reading prepared by Miss Venita Roschman. Finally, Professor Richard R. Gladish reported for the Committees on Composition and Grammar.
     Thursday evening had been set aside for the report of the Science Committee.

463

This was presented by Miss Morna Hyatt, and was followed by a progress report on the use of the Science Manual in the Seventh Grade given by the Rev. David Simons.

     Business Session.-Held on Friday afternoon, with the Rt. Rev. Willard D. Pendleton in the chair, the Business Session was a lively one and resulted in good progress being made toward the integration and further efficiency of the work of the Council. It was concluded with an expression of wholehearted appreciation of the guidance and leadership of Bishop Pendleton in these meetings.

     Banquet.-The Banquet, held on Friday evening with the Rev. David Simons as toastmaster, was highly adequate-plenty of fun, some real meat, and just the right length. As it was Bishop de Charms' birthday, a cake adorned with candles was brought in to the accompaniment of hearty singing. The Bishop responded by mentioning his pleasure in being able to attend the meetings of the Council once more, testified to the beneficial effects he had felt, and gave us words of encouragement and hope in the further endeavors of this body.
     The toastmaster had made things easy for himself by doing all the work ahead of time; so we were first entertained by a recorded skit, in the manner of a radio serial, which introduced Mr. and Mrs. Lovely and their trials, both humorous and tragic, with their children. Following this, real meat was provided by the Rev. Elmo C. Acton, who spoke on the subject of Discipline, dealing especially with the principles underlying the punishment of children.
     The program was concluded by some brief remarks from Bishop Pendleton on the future work and potentialities of the Council. And so ended this series of refreshing and vitalizing meetings.
     MORLEY D. RICH,
          Secretary.

464

SWEDENBORG FOUNDATION 1951

SWEDENBORG FOUNDATION Editor 1951

NEW CHURCH LIFE
Office of Publication, Lancaster, Pa.
Published Monthly By

THE GENERAL CHURCH OF THE NEW JERUSALEM
BRYN ATHYN, PA.
Editor      Rev. W. Cairns Henderson, Bryn Athyn, Pa.
Business Manager      Mr. H. Hyatt, Bryn Athyn, Pa.

All literary contributions should be sent to the Editor. Subscriptions, change of address, and business communications, should be sent to the Business Manager. Notifications of address changes should be received by the 15th of the month.

TERMS OF SUBSCRIPTION
$3.00 a year to any address, payable in advance. Single copy, 30 cents.
     In The Intercourse of the Soul and the Body, no. 18, Swedenborg was inspired to ask: "What is the use of knowing unless what is known to one be known also to others?" The obligation to communicate rather than hoard knowledge which is implicit in its acquisition is recognized particularly by those who have received a knowledge of the Heavenly Doctrine. It led to the formation in 1810, of the Swedenborg Society, whose 141st Annual Report we reviewed recently; and in this country to the organization, in 1849, of the Swedenborg Foundation, whose 102nd Report is now at hand.
     Last year, the Foundation, which was incorporated in 1850, issued a CENTENARY MEMORIAL which was a fine record of accomplishment. With a Life Membership of 176, and Net Assets of $890,307.03, it has evidently entered its second century with unabated vigor. For while there was no printing of Standard or Missionary Edition books this year on account of the large printing in 1950, and there was no translation or revision work. 18,235 copies of the Missionary Edition were distributed: 282 copies, sets, or parts of sets of the Writings were donated to 24 libraries; and 359 volumes were presented as gifts to other individuals and institutions, including the Academy of the New Church which received three sets of the Standard Edition to replace sets lost in the Benade Hall fire. In addition, the colportage staff was increased; follow-up work has been more extensive than for several years past; and it is mentioned that notable in the past year's correspondence has been the number of educators and students inquiring about Swedenborg's life and work.

465

Advertising the Missionary Edition, and publication of THE SWEDENBORG STUDENT were continued; and in order to continue the Iungerich Publication Fund distribution 9,964 Standard Edition books are to be printed in the coming year, together with 10,494 copies for the Foundation's own use. Thus it is clear that the purposes and powers of the Foundation are being vigorously promoted and exercised; and with congratulations we extend good wishes for continued success in its chosen and important use.
SIGNS OF REGENERATION 1951

SIGNS OF REGENERATION Editor 1951

     Referring to the perennial question, "How can we know whether we are going to heaven or hell when we die?" a correspondent cites Heaven and Hell, nos. 485-487, as seemingly containing the answer, and asks for editorial comment. The last of the passages mentioned concludes with these words, which he quotes: "These statements are made to induce man to examine himself, and learn from his delights what his love is, and in consequence, so far as he understands the science of correspondences, what will be the state of his life after death" (HH 487e).
     The answer is, very simply, that we cannot know beyond a peradventure! For against the citation made must be set the statement that: "A man is not permitted to know what his lot will be after death, or to know about any event until he is in it: for if he knew this he would cease to think from his interior self how he must act or must live in order to come into it; but would simply think from his exterior self that he was coming into it; and such a state closes the interiors of his mind, in which the two faculties of his life, liberty and rationality, have their chief seat" (DP 179).
     However, these two statements are not contradictory, if they are rightly understood; and it is quite understandable that the New Church man, neither superbly sure of his election nor indifferent to his salvation, should wonder at times whether he is following the path of regeneration, as distinct from demanding of the Writings positive assurance as to his final lot after death. The doctrine is unquestionable that by self-examination man may discover in himself evils of which he should repent; and it raises the question whether he may not also discover signs of the Lord's presence in good.

466

We believe the Writings to teach that he may.
Note the force of the following teachings. "When a man betakes himself to evils, as is the case with many in youth, if he feels any anxiety when he reflects upon his having done what is evil, it is a sign that he will still receive influx through the angels from heaven, and it is also a sign that he will afterwards suffer himself to be reformed" (AC 5471: 2). "The temptations in which a man overcomes are attended with a belief that all of hers are more worthy than himself, and that he is infernal rather than heavenly; for while in temptations such thoughts are presented to him; and therefore when after temptations he comes into thoughts contrary to these, it is an indication that he has not overcome" (Ibid., 2273: 2). "When a man feels or perceives in himself that he has good thoughts concerning the Lord, and that he has good thoughts concerning the neighbor, and desires to perform kind offices for him, not for the sake of any honor or gain for himself; and when he feels that he has pity for anyone who is in trouble, and still more for one who is in error in respect to the doctrine of faith . . . then he may know that he has internal things in him through which the Lord is working" (Ibid., 1102: 3). "The signs that sins have been forgiven are the following. Delight is felt in worshipping God for the sake of God: in being of service to the neighbor for the sake of the neighbor; thus in doing good for the sake of good, and in believing truth for the sake of truth" (Ibid., 9449). "Although man does not sensibly perceive whether the uses which he performs are for the sake of use or for the sake of self . . . still he can know it from this, whether or not he considers evils to be sins. If he regards them as sins, and for that reason abstains from doing them, the uses which he does are spiritual" (DLW 426).
No sincere New Church man will be looking for signs of good in himself, that he may cease his labors, but for states which are to be removed by repentance; and we do not misunderstand our correspondent on this point. Yet there is clear teaching in the statements quoted that a man may discover signs of good in himself. Even apart from the fact that a man may be self-deceived, however, we do not believe that there are any definite and final signs.

467

Under the law given in Divine Providence no. 179, we believe that the presence or absence of all the things spoken of is simply a sign that man is in the way of heaven at the time the discovery is made: an indication that he may be in the way of heaven and will go there if he remains steadfast, or that he will go to hell if he does not change. The regenerating man will ask no more, the unregenerate should not. And this is in full accord with the doctrine. For, to quote from the passage again: "As a knowledge of future events takes away the human itself, which is to act from freedom in accordance with reason, a knowledge of the future is granted to no one; nevertheless, everyone is permitted to form conclusions about the future from the reason; and in this the reason with all that pertains to it finds its proper life" (DP 179).
MORALITY IN BUSINESS 1951

MORALITY IN BUSINESS Editor 1951

     A few months ago we discussed briefly the problem of human influence. It was noted then that this leads to another, related question, namely, by what means may New Church people seek to lead or influence others in business for the achievement of results? That question we would like to take up now.
     We do not imagine any New Church man would seriously contend that the principles revealed in the Writings have nothing to do with business. There is no more familiar teaching than that charity itself,-the life of regeneration-is to perform sincerely, justly, and faithfully the duties of one's office: and only from the Writings can we learn what true sincerity, justice, and faithfulness are. If the man of the church does not seek in the Writings and try to understand the truths which relate to his business, and by reflection strive to see their application, he will simply follow the accepted ethics of that business: and his practice will differ from that of his Old Church colleagues only in that it is informed by a vague "good intention."
     Many people in the world who are charged with the duty of seeing that certain things are done suppose that their responsibility justifies the employment of almost any method that will achieve results. Fear, cupidity, ambition, the greed of gain and the lust for power are played upon freely; and the lures of social advancement and job security are dangled enticingly, with other appeals to self-interest, "enlightened" and otherwise.

468

There are those who say that the best way to get results from men is to study and then exploit their weaknesses. And the responsibility of producing often becomes an excuse for unethical practices. "I had to get the contract or we would have to lay off men." "The stuff must go out." "I've got to keep them rolling." These and many other things become pretexts for transactions that would not stand examination in the light of day.
     Men are led, as distinct from being driven, by their affections; and in the Church we have a right to believe that if uses are presented there will be spiritual affections to inspire their performance. That is why we feel that in the Church there should be no need to flatter or cajole, to play upon conceit or self-importance or a feeling of being indispensable, to capitalize on personal affection, or to "talk people into doing things," which usually means against their freedom and reason! But in the world, and in business, it is not quite so simple; for there we are dealing with men and women with different ideals, and of no ideals.
     The essential would seem to lie in the quality of the motivation. Realism indicates that in this world men must lead, even as the Lord leads; by mixed, and even by evil affections, when there are no good affections to which appeal may be made. But to try to lead men to the performance of uses by the best affections they possess is worlds apart from seeking to dominate them by discovering and exploiting their worst affections,-which is just what playing upon their weaknesses is. The former seeks to turn men into uses, the latter tries to use men. This is not altogether unrecognized in the world, though confusion sometimes appears. To encourage men to enlist by stressing equally that they will he preparing to defend their country and qualifying for full pensions at forty-five is an example of mixed motivation indeed. With us, however, it would seem clear that men should be led by the best affections of which they are capable-and without being spiritual these are often better than we are disposed to credit,-rather than the worst; and that when it seems that only an appeal to selfish, evil affections will suffice, this should be regarded in the light of permission.
     In the world in which we live, however, there is another question involved in the matter of achieving results in business, and in the morality that should govern. Much has been written about secret commissions, hidden rebates, "kickbacks," and other practices.

469

We do not think that a New Church man, A, need necessarily refuse to do business with B because B has given a secret commission to C, or received one from him. But we do not know of any teaching in the Writings which will justify him in doing business with B, if it can be done only by sacrificing business ethics and sound morality. However, these are not questions that should be oversimplified. Virtue is always the result of rational reflection and decision. In the matters we are discussing here the applications of doctrine must be made by professional and business men-the laymen of the Church; and we shall be glad to hear from lay readers who have considered opinions on this subject.
RECEIVED FOR REVIEW 1951

RECEIVED FOR REVIEW Editor 1951

FAMILY WORSHIP FOR LITTLE CHILDREN. Stories from Genesis. By the Rt. Rev. Willard D. Pendleton. Edited by the Rev. F. E. Gyllenhaal. Illustrations by Donald Moorhead. General Church Religion Lessons, Bryn Athyn, Pa., 1951. Mimeographed, pp. 148. Price, $1.00. In additional Accropress Binder, $1.50, in spring back covers, $2.25.
FREE CHOICE OF A CONSORT 1951

FREE CHOICE OF A CONSORT OLIVER R. ODHNER 1951

Editor of NEW CHURCH LIFE:
     This letter is in reply to the Rev. Elmo C. Acton's article, "Are Conjugial Pairs Provided from Creation?"
     A few quotations from the Writings: "The selection belongs to the men because they are born for understanding. It is on the ground that the understanding can see clearly what is suitable and what is unsuitable, and discriminate between them, and from judgment select the suitable" (CL 296). "In order that I might know that I effect nothing from myself, it was shown by experience that in whatever I did there was at the same time a faculty of choosing insinuated into me. This faculty was insinuated, and hence came the reflection that spirits supposed that I could have done something else . . . it was given to say that I could not do otherwise, although from the faculty of choice it seemed that I could" (SD 2464). "But love truly conjugial is with those only who earnestly desire wisdom, and therefore progress in wisdom more and more. The Lord foresees them and provides conjugial love for them' (CL 98).
     Mr. Acton thinks that the choice of a consort is a real choice. With this I disagree, because I believe that the only real free choice man can mike is between heaven and hell.

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All other choices are rational choices, and are therefore not real.
     A rational choice seems to require at least two alternatives. When we choose, we say either that the first alternative is right or the second. Suppose we find by investigation that the first is wrong and the second is right? We now know that, rationally, the first is not an alternative and the second is the only choice. Therefore we can choose only the second. But accepting the only remaining possibility is not choice. There is no rational choice when truth is understood.
     There is only freedom to accept or deny the truth that has been understood, and this is not a rational choice. It is a choice between heaven and hell. Rational choice appears only when we are coming to understand. It is a true experience of the process of understanding. But in itself it is a mere appearance.
     God created this appearance to help man to come to understand. But God is not subject to rational choice because He Himself does not come to understand. He understands all the time, from eternity to eternity. In creating the appearance of alternatives for the sake of man He does not Himself need to consider them as possibilities. For He is not subject to time, which He created, but is equally omniscient in the future as in the past.
     Now let us see how rational choice applies to the choice of a conjugial partner. Suppose there is actually only one possible partner. In our ignorance we do not know who he is. Therefore we first determine the apparent possibilities, according to the law of similitudes; starting with similarly in coloring of hair and ending with religious similitudes. Having the alternatives, we examine each one closely; coming to an understanding of each, eliminating those we find wrong-internally dissimilar-until there is, in our minds, no longer a choice. There remains only one possibility; and when we accept this, we receive from the Lord the essential of the conjugial, the love of one of the sex.
     But if we are evil, we will not examine our alternatives closely enough to determine the right or wrong of each one. We will hold our minds open continually to the possibility of each alternative so that we may be continually in the appearance of our own prudence. We will not strive to understand which is the right alternative, but will consider it a matter of opinion. Our first inclination, which is from our proprium, is to confirm self-life and rational free choice, not only as appearances, but as realities. Therefore our first inclination is to think of the alternatives of rational choice as real alternatives rather than as mere appearances.
     Allow me to comment briefly on the following statements made by Mr. Act on in his article.
     1) "A man cannot be reduced to a single truth, and a woman cannot be reduced to one affection" (p. 300, par. 3). Is not a man a single spiritual entity? If so, can there be a single spiritual entity that is not a single good or a single truth?
     2) "At birth a man is a highly complex being, for in his soul are contained potentially all the natural, spiritual, and celestial states he can acquire to eternity" (p. 300, par. 4). Surely it does not follow that "each individual is capable of developing along an indefinite number of lines" (Ibid.); for developing along only one line to eternity would use up oil those states contained by his soul.

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     3) "It is according to the phase of his use that [an individual] develops that he becomes a form of wisdom" (p. 300, par. 4). I have always understood that man's use finds fulness in the ultimate, rather than being confined to a single phase.
     4) "But at the same time it is said that this is the way in which the Lord provides conjugial love for man after death" (p. 302, par. 1). This is a misstatement. It should read, in part, "the Lord provides conjugial love for man in the heavens," which could mean in the spiritual and celestial degrees of the mind.
     5) "What would become of the man or woman if his or her partner refused to regenerate?" (p. 303, par. 4). Conjugial Love, no. 98, quoted above, says that the Lord foresees who will progress in wisdom, and for them provides conjugial love. How could He provide a conjugial partner for a man He foresees in hell?
     OLIVER R. ODHNER.
Bryn Athyn, Pa.,
July 6,1951
MEETING A VITAL NEED 1951

MEETING A VITAL NEED 1951

     "The Academy of the New Church shall be for the purpose of propagating the Heavenly Doctrines of the New Jerusalem, and establishing the New Church signified in the Apocalypse by the New Jerusalem, promoting education in all of its various forms, educating young men for the Ministry." (Charter of the Academy)
     "The present quality of the men of the Christian Church was exhibited to my view by means of representations. In a dark cloud there appeared spirits so black that I shuddered, and afterwards others not so horrible; and it was signified to me that I was about to see something. First, there appeared children who were being combed by their mothers so cruelly that the blood ran down: by which was represented that such is the education of little children at this day." (Arcana Coelestia, no. 2125)
     "The truth is, that to implant in children and young people the idea of three Divine persons, with which is unavoidably associated the idea of three Gods, is to take away from them all spiritual milk, all spiritual meat, and all spiritual reason; and to bring spiritual death upon those who confirm themselves in such an opinion" (True Christian Religion, no. 23)

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Church News 1951

Church News Various 1951

     LONDON, ENGLAND

     Michael Church

     Since the last news notes from Michael Church appeared the Society has held its Annual Meeting and considered its financial position. Officers for the coming year and the several committees necessary have been appointed.
     The Annual Meeting heard reports of the year's work, and in the main progress has been shown. Attendances at worship have been well maintained, and I believe the average shows a slight increase. The Pastor is, like his predecessors, concerned about the difficulties people experience in getting to doctrinal class.
     There is here a real problem-distance. To overcome this, classes are held periodically in Finchley and Chadwell Heath; but it is not quite as satisfactory an arrangement as might be desired. Only when it is possible for the Society to attend as a society can the direction of attention be made to flow in a gradually increasing stream of awareness of some of the connate teachings which give consistency to the basic general ideas which are commonly held. Even the same subject given to a different set of hearers does not produce the same results, and one set misses the advantage of that which comes forth from another set; and so there is difficulty in bringing the purely objective teaching to the same congregation accommodated to the general needs of the Society as a unit. The Pastor is understood to be active in seeking a solution to the problem, or at least to get some mitigation of the circumstances.
     Another matter which received attention at this meeting is the singing practice. It is hoped that the steps to be taken to make the doctrinal class more accessible will also result in better opportunities for the singing practice.
     Although the period April and May is not usually one notable for visitors nevertheless we have been favored with Visits from Mr. and Mrs. F. W. Fletcher of Hurstville, Australia, and from Mr. and Mrs. Michael Pitcairn. Mr. and Mrs. E. Cross, and Mr. F. Larsen of Bryn Athyn.
     Some breaks have occurred in the continuity of the Finchley group meetings owing to the illness of Mrs. Briscoe. We are glad to report that she is now recovering.
     It would not seem that attendance at the Michael Church Annual Meeting could be scheduled as a dangerous occupation: but we are sorry to have to report that Miss Lucy Birchall, when on her way home, was so preoccupied with thoughts about the meeting that she got her finger caught in the elevator gates at the tube and had to be taken to hospital. We understand that she is making good progress, although the injury was a rather serious one. She will not mind the reason given for her inattention, because over a period of many years she has shown a constant interest in all the affairs of the Society, and in spite of the distance she has to travel is seldom absent from worship. We hope to see her back in her place in the near future.
     It is with regret that we shall miss the bodily presence of Mr. R. A. Stebbing and Mr. A. E. Orme from our midst in the future.
     In the period under review we have had, in addition to the usual services, an adult baptism service for Mr. Tom Sharp who became interested in the church although living far from any society. He has now returned to London in a new job, and we extend to him our cordial good wishes foe his future life in the church.
     PERCY DAWSON.

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     Obituary.-On Wednesday, April 18th, the General Church in Great Britain lost the physical presence of one who in his life of devoted service to others manifested in no uncertain fashion those qualities we have learned to associate with Newchurchmanship. Robert Archibald Stebbing, "Archie," as he was affectionately known to so many, was one of the original scholars who attended the Academy School at Burton Road, Brixton. His marriage, in 1907, to Ruby Hart was the first to take place between fellow pupils of that school.
     Following the separation from Burton Road, Mr. Stebbing accompanied those who eventually formed the Peckham Rye Society of the General Church. When the Rev. F. W. Elphick sailed for South Africa, Mr. Stebbing took over the Secretaryship, which office he exercised with distinction until the Society was dissolved and most of the congregation joined with Michael Church. Under Bishop Tilson, Mr. Stebbing was an active member of both the Finance Board and the Pastor's Council.
     Perhaps few today realize that he was a Founder Member of the New Church Club, and also that he was a member of the British Finance Committee from its inception, being Secretary of that important body for many years.
     In his younger days, Archie was renowned for his great success in the social field of the church, for he possessed a rare combination of witty humor and charm of manner that was as spontaneous as a was irresistible. Not given to much speech-making or paper writing, he nevertheless contrived most successfully to clarify obscurities in discussions, and to bring to all matters under his purview a calm and balanced judgment. The remarkable facility with which he "officiated" at the piano without a note of music before him had to be seen and heard to be believed it was the author of several New Church songs, including the perennial "Friends Across the Sea" and his favorite "To Womankind." It is true to say that he had, and still has many friends, and not one enemy; and there is no doubt but that earthly society's loss is heavenly society's gain.
     A. STANLEY WASINSCOT.

(From the "News Letter July, 1951)

     TORONTO, CANADA

     Many years have passed since the Olivet Society had the fun of seeing a play acted by its own members; so there was keen anticipation when we gal heard on June 1st to see "The Pot-Boilers" produce, under the guidance of Mrs. Ella Brown, a one act farce entitled "Ah Sweet Mystery." It proved to be a real success and should encourage further such adventures. The play moves with rapidity and wit, and the cast,-Edina Carswell, Frances Raymond, Jean Bradfield, Joyce Frazee, Elaine Smith, Tom Bradfield, Keith Frazee, and Ron Smith,-carried out their roles most capably. Stephanie Starkey din fine work on the make-up, Philip Bellinger prompted adequately, and Fred Longstaff, Jr. attended to the lights and the very realistic sound effects. The very pleasing scenery was the work of Tom Bradfield and Philip Bellinger.
     A highly interesting and enlightening film on the growing of pineapples preceded the play; and at the close of the program the Ladies' Circle, under whose auspices the evening was given, served coffee and doughnuts, so that everyone present thoroughly enjoyed themselves.

     New Church Day.-New Church Day was celebrated to a greater extent than it has been in recent years. On Saturday, the 16th, the Society picnic was held in High Park. Lunches brought from home were augmented by a plentiful supply of ice cream, races of various kinds for all age groups caused much merriment, and prizes were duly awarded the fleet and the skilful.

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Baseball took up a large part of the time, and only the mosquitoes sent the company home at an early hour. Mr. and Mrs. Ray Ore and their able assistants deserve much credit for this happy event.
     On Sunday morning an inspiring service was held during which the Holy Supper was administered. The Rev. A. Wynne Acton preached an illuminating sermon on "The Bride, the Lamb's Wife."
     Tuesday, June 19th, found 93 people gathered round tastefully decorated tables, amid a profusion of peonies and other flowers. Our Pastor introduced six speakers who made brief but pointed speeches on the growth of the New Church. Miss Edith Carter spoke poignantly to the idea that the true growth of the church is through worship; Mr. Sydney Parker drew attention to the need of instruction; Mr. Orville Carter felt that education of the child's mind would result in growth; while Miss Marion Swalm emphasized the importance of social life; which led to Mr. Neil Carmichael's conviction that growth may come from those who learn of the church later in life. The series closed with Mr. Robert Brown's simile of the church as a tree, the General Church being the trunk and its societies the branches. Songs were sung between these interesting addresses, and the whole was woven into a pleasing picture. The delicious banquet was served by Leonore Bellinger, Edith Knight, Olive Anderson, and Kaye Fountain, who were given a vote of thanks for their pleasant efficiency.

     Ladies' Circle.-The final meeting of the season was held at the church on June 11th, and was made the occasion of a shower at which Miss Marilyn Schnarr received many beautiful gifts to enhance the new home which she and Mr. Edwin Winterfield are planning. A pretty setting was created by the formation of a wishing-well in a garden, which well was generously filled and took some time to empty. The supper was served at small tables bearing the same motif of wishing-well decorations. Both the incoming and the outgoing executive were thanked for this very happy occasion.

     School Closing.-School closing this     year was an event of much importance. It began on June 27th, with a service in the church, and later the children presented a play entitled "The Magic Word." A charming Prologue in the form of an Oriental dance with suitable musical accompaniment created the mood for the play which told of a naughty little boy who was bewitched, but regained his identity by remembering the magic word. The boy was played by Brian Carter, who starred in the reformed as well as the naughty capacity. The other characters were well taken by Sheila Brown, Nancy Carter, Robert Foley, Suzanne Fountain, and the two kindergarteners, Beth Orr and Jennifer Scott. The whole program quite bewitched the audience. An exhibition of the children's work was on display during the evening. Appreciative thanks are due to Miss Venita Roschman, Miss Edina Carswell, Mrs. Frank Longstaff, Sr., and Mrs. A. Wynne Acton for this production.

     Wedding.-The marriage of Miss Marilyn Schnarr and Mr. Edwin Winterfield took place in the Olivet Church on July 7th, with the Rev. A. Wynne Acton officiating and Miss Korene Schnarr at the organ. Five bridesmaids, a flower girl, a groomsman, and four ushers comprised the wedding party and it was a pretty and colorful event. The bride was radiant in a charming voluminous white gown, the groom was smart in dark coat and white flannels, and the maids were clad in delicate pink frocks and carried matching fragrant flowers. After a reception at the Mayfair Inn the bridal couple left for a honeymoon in Muskoka, taking with them the good wishes of their many friends.

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     Candidate Frank Rose.-It has been a great privilege for the Toronto Society to have a brief visit from Mr. Frank Rose, who preached at two Sunday services in July and then went on to conduct various services in the Muskoka district. We look forward to his return here in August. During his stay in Toronto, Mr. Rose gave a most graphic account of his trip to Europe last year which "brought down the house." The Olivet Society easily foresees a brilliant future for this very likeable candidate for the priesthood.
     VERA CRAIGIE.

     KITCHENER, ONTARIO

     June was a big month for the Kitchener Society this year and one that will long he remembered. We had the opportunity of meeting many old friends and making new acquaintances in the Church through the entertaining of the international body of the Sons of the Academy, and other activities which brought numerous visitors.

     School Closing.-The Carmel School held its closing service on Friday evening, June 15th. The Rev. Norman Reuter addressed the children on "The Rewards of Accomplishment," distinguishing between natural and spiritual rewards. Natural rewards in the form of diplomas were presented to the two Eighth Graders, Robert Heinrichs and Margaret Reuter; and after the service the ten pupils and five teachers, including assistants, had their pictures taken on the front steps-a traditional part of the school closing ceremonies. A display of the year's work was very attractively arranged in the "big room" and the children all took part in aiding those who viewed it.

     New Church Day-The children celebrated the Church's birthday with a party and luncheon on the morning of the 19th. A program of games was arranged by Theta Alpha ladies, and the luncheon committee made a hit by serving strawberry ice cream, and cake for dessert. Special guests at the party were Dr. and Mrs. Robert Schnarr, Mrs. Payson Lyman and her daughter and Mr. Frank Rose. As usual, the Eighth Grade pupils were the speakers their subject hems the twelve disciples in this world and in she spiritual world, Church and school songs added to a very nice party.
     Because of the approaching Sons meetings the adult celebration took a different form this year. Instead of the usual banquet and dance an evening service was held, with Candidate Frank Rose preaching an appropriate sermon on the hopeful aspect Of the June Nineteenth message. This was followed by a reception in the social hall for Frank Rose, who is spending five weeks of the summer with us. Wine was served, and the day, returned students, and visitors were honored with toasts and songs. Four Eighth Grade pupils, Robert Heinrichs, Edith and Theodore Kuhl, and Margaret Reuter, were welcomed into the life of the society and presented with copies of Heaven and Hell; and dancing and refreshments rounded out a full evening.

     Sons Meetings.-On Friday, June 23rd, the invasion by the Sons began, bringing a total of 150 visitors to town. While the men attended meetings and parties of their own, the women had supper parties, open houses, luncheons, and coffee parties. The banquet on Saturday night is believed to have been the largest gathering of New Church people in Kitchener since the General Assembly was held here in 1926. As the BULLETIN will review the meetings we will say only that Kitchener had a wonderful time entertaining the visitors, and hopes they found the weekend as inspiring as we did.

     Wedding.-The following weekend ran a close second for activity and visitors, for on Saturday evening, June 30th, a very beautiful wedding took place.

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Mr. Jorgen Hansen, son of Mr. and Mrs. Holgar Hansen of Copenhagen, Denmark, and Miss Eleanor Stroh, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Nathaniel Stroh, were united in marriage by the Rev. Norman Reuter. White flowers and candles decorated the chancel, and the service was preceded by a half hour of music which included three soprano solos by Miss Nancy Stroh and a violin solo by Miss Marilyn Stroh. Miss Alberta Stroh played the organ, Miss Korene Schnarr the piano, and Mr. Leon Stroh the flute.
     The bride was very lovely in a white nylon marquisette and lace gown. A Juliet cap caught her full length veil and she carried a bouquet of white roses. Miss Nancy Stroh, maid of honor, and the Misses Rosalie and Marilyn Stroh and Rita Kuhl, bridesmaids, were gowned alike in red dresses with white lace bodices and overskirts of white net. Mr. Frank Rose was best man; and Larry and Cedric Cranch, cousins of the bride, were ringbearers.
     Mr. Frank Rose was toastmaster at the reception which followed, and the Rev. A. Wynne Acton, Rev. Norman Reuter, and Mr. Nathaniel Stroh responded to the toasts. Messages were read from Jorgen's family in Denmark, and the very happy occasion was celebrate/I with dancing and a delicious lunch. Eleanor and Jorgen sailed the following Wednesday for Denmark. After a visit there of three months they will live in Toronto.

     Summer Program.-On Monday. July 2nd, the Society celebrated Dominion Day with a picnic on the church grounds. Once again, many visitors helped to make the occasion a huge success. Over two hundred people enjoyed the sports, the races, the baby contest, and the supper. A sudden summer downpour at dusk cut out the bonfire bust lengthened the dance.
     The summer program has been quite varied this year and has included more activity than usual. Sunday morning services have included a talk to the children, and Candidate Frank Rose has taken part in the services during his stay. Cm Monday. July 23rd, he gave the first of three Bible study classes on Jeremiah. The complicated historical background was reviewed in a clear manner with the aid of charts and maps. Besides the next two classes we are anticipating a talk from Mr. Rose dun his European trip last summer.
     Friday is picnic night at the church again this summer, and July 27th was to have been a special picnic as the Rev. and Mrs. Norbert Rogers and their five children were visiting. A heavy rain in the afternoon washed away all thoughts of a picnic, but a few families enjoyed their supper in the building and the Society gathered during the evening to meet the Rogers and hear a short talk on the history of the Durban Society. A lively dance followed and the Women's Guild served ice cream. On Sunday' morning Mr. Rogers preached a fine sermon on Benjamin and Mr. Rose talked to the children on the story of Benjamin. Mr. and Mrs. Reuter and their family were enjoying a holiday at Linden Hills, Lake Michigan, at the time.
     VIVIAN KUHL.

     NORTH OHIO

     At the time of our last report, North Ohio faced the immediate future without a Pastor. We pinned our hopes for the spiritual sustenance of the Group on tape recorders and on occasional visits from ministers in surrounding areas who might answer our call for help.
     Today North Ohio has its own Pastor again and we can report with gratitude hat this area was not neglected in this past year of need. Bryn Athyn, Glenview, Chicago, Toronto, Kitchener, Philadelphia, even Detroit sent us their finest. Eight different ministers preached and lectured to us since last October; and in addition, a delegation of thirty laymen from six different societies descended upon us in the spring, to bring us even further into the fold.

477

     Last October, the Rev. Harold C. Cranch spent an evening with part of our Group, and in November the Rev. Karl R. Alden spent a weekend in the area, the climax of which was a sermon that brought new meaning to the Holy Supper for all of us. Forty adults and children attended the service in Cleveland's newly rented Y.M.C.A. rooms; and the Oliver Powell's third son, Thomas Kent, was baptized on this occasion,
     The Rev. Elmo C. Acton visited our area early in December for class and church, and helped us to prepare for the coming Christmas season. Then, in February, Bishop Acton came to Youngstown and Cleveland to give us his annual lecture on Swedenborg and add another warm memory to this growing tradition associated with Swedenborg's birthday. A third member of that amazingly mobile family, the Rev. A. Wynne Acton, gave us classes on Swedenborg's philosophy and a sermon on reformation, in March; and the Rev. Morley D. Rich preached in Cleveland on April 29th, when the Sons Executive Committee was there. Our former Pastor, the Rev. Norman H. Reuter, visited Youngstown, Barberton, and Cleveland for classes and services early in June; a whirlwind three-day junket which was much appreciated by his old friends and former charges.

     But it is understandable that perhaps the most important visit of the year for us was that made to Barberton on May 20th by the Rev. Norbert H. Rogers. Pastor of the Detroit Circle. The reason, of course, is that he had come to us as our new Pastor. Mr. Rogers has since been in the area twice; in Cleveland for two classes and a service in July, and in August for a class and a service at Youngstown. In spite of the season, attendances on these occasions averaged twenty adults and seven children.
     The laymen's main activity of the year was the Sons Executive Committee meetings held in Cleveland in April-the mass influx mentioned above. The banquet after the meetings was attended by the group at large. President Robert Synnestvedt spoke about the uses of the Sons, and Mr. Richard Kintner expressed stirringly the spirit of the Academy. This spirit was present with that assemblage of Sons in Cleveland, and the occasion is a continuing inspiration for all of us.
     Our Group expanded a little last Christmas with the birth of Merry Posey, the John Posey's fourth child; but four adults and nine children will soon be gone from the area. While we always insist that numbers mean little in themselves, the fact that these particular numbers represent the Edmund Glenn and Ralph Brown families is a saddening fact. The Glenns and the Browns will be sorely missed, for they were real pillars of our Group.

     As for our future: on the occasion of his first visit our new Pastor stated his desire to meet the spiritual needs of our Group individually, as far as possible. He suggested, and has since put into effect, a regular schedule of monthly services and classes. During the emergency of the past year many able ministers came to our aid and served us well. But the prospect of an increasing knowledge on the part of Mr. Rogers of our individual needs, and of regularly scheduled church activities designed for our states by him, promises a better and healthier future for the Group. It is a much rosier future than we thought we faced just a year ago
     HUGH A. GYLLENHAAL.

     GENERAL CHURCH

     On August 15, 1951, Sr. Jose Lopes de Figuairedo was authorized, pending his ordination, to assist the Rev. Joao de Mendonca Lima in performing the duties of the First Degree of the Priesthood of the New Church.

     CHARTER DAY

     All ex-students of the Academy of the New Church, and theirs wives or husbands, are cordially invited to attend the Charter Day Exercises, to be held at Bryn Athyn, Pa., on Friday and Saturday, October 19 and 20, 1951.

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THE PROGRAM:

Friday, 11 a.m.-Cathedral Service, with an address by the Rev. David R. Simons.
Friday Afternoon.-Football Game.
Friday Evening-Dance.
Saturday, 7 p.m.-A Banquet in the Assembly Hall. Toastmaster, Professor Richard H. Gladish.

     Arrangements will be made for the entertainment of guests, if they will write to Mrs. V. W. Rennels, Bryn Athyn, Pa.

     THE CHURCH AT LARGE

     General Convention.-The Rev. Harold R. Gustafson, minister of the
Brockton, Mass., Society since 1937, has accepted a call to the Bridgewater, Mass., church. He expected to assume his duties there on September 1st.

     General Conference.-At the Annual Meeting of the General Conference, held in the Church of the South Manchester Society, June 18-22, 1951, the Rev. Arthur Clapham was elected President and the retiring President, the Rev. Philip H. Johnson, B.A., B.Sc., was elected Vice President. Mr. A. E. Friend and the Rev. C. H. Presland were reelected Treasurer and Secretary, respectively. The Rev. G. F. Colborne Kitching and the Rev. Arthur Clapham were inducted as Ordaining Ministers and the Rev. Edgar Charles Howe was appointed to succeed the Rev. Arthur Clapham as Editor of the NEW-CHURCH HAROLD. The Rev. George T. Hill, M. A., was nominated as President for new year. Addresses by the retiring and incumbent Presidents were heard and the Conference sermon was delivered by the Rev. Eric J Jarmin. The issue raised in the report of the Committee on Decline in Church Membership and Attendance (27% and 68%, respectively, in 40 years) were courageously faced and frankly discussed, and a Committee of Ways and Means was appointed which is to report next year.
     The Rev. Clifford Curry has accepted the pastorate of the Barnsley Society, and the Rev. C. V. A. Hasler that of the Besses Society. These gentlemen were ordained as Leaders at the recent General Conference.
     THE NEW-CHURCH HERALD reports celebrations of New Church Day by the Blackburn and Southport Societies. The occasion was marked by special services and, in Blackburn, by a banquet, and in Southport by a garden party.

     Europe.-The Berlin Society is now worshipping at the Wartburgsaal every other Sunday, a fine ball in which the group last year held its 50th anniversary commemoration. There seer, more than 50 in attendance at the first service. The Society is still desirous of securing its own place of worship.

     Australia.-The President of Conference, Mr. J. Leech of Brisbane, visited the Sydney Society in May and addressed a Discussion Class.
     The minister of the Melbourne Society, the Rev. Leslie Bennett, is now well on the way to recovery after a major operation.

     South Africa.-The Rev. Edwin Fieldhonse, former Superintendent of the Conference Mission in South Africa, has accepted a call to act as minister of the two societies in Mauritius for a period of about twelve months.

     Cuba.-The Rev. Dionisio de Lara, missionary in Cuba, recently was elected vice secretary of the board of directors of the Cuban Society of Philosophy.

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CORRECTION 1951

CORRECTION Editor 1951

Announcements

Elaine Margreta and Elsa Susana Peters, whose baptisms are reported in the September issue, page 431, are the daughters of Mr. and Mrs. Peter Peters, not the Rev. and Mrs. Peter Peters.
ACADEMY OF THE NEW CHURCH 1951

ACADEMY OF THE NEW CHURCH 1951

     Enrollment for 1951-1952

Theological School     5
College               71
Boys' Academy          67
Girls' Seminary          68
Elementary School          181
                    392
DISTRICT ASSEMBLIES 1951

DISTRICT ASSEMBLIES 1951

     All members and friends of the General Church of the New Jerusalem are cordially invited to attend the District Assemblies, as follows:
     EASTERN CANADA. TORONTO, ONTARIO, Saturday, October 6th, to Monday, October 8th, inclusive.
     CHICAGO DISTRICT. GLENVIEW, ILLINOIS, Friday, October 12th, to Sunday, October 14th, inclusive.
     PITTSBURGH, OHIO, AND MICHIGAN. PITTSBURGH, PA., Friday, October 26th, to Sunday, October 28th, inclusive.

481

THIRTY-EIGHTH BRITISH ASSEMBLY 1951

THIRTY-EIGHTH BRITISH ASSEMBLY A. S. WAINSCOT 1951

NEW CHURCH Line
VOL. LXXI
NOVEMBER, 1951
No. 11
     LONDON, AUGUST 4-6, 1951

     For the second time, the Bonnington Hotel was the scene of a British Assembly of the General Church. Michael Church, as host, cooperated with the hotel staff to make everyone as comfortable as possible. As on a previous occasion, the Lounge and Reading Room were made available between the sessions, held in the Derby Room.
     The Rev. Alan Gill presided as Representative of the Bishop, and it was due largely to his wise and kindly counsel that the program ran so smoothly. The sudden illness of the Rev. Kenneth O. Stroh, which occurred only a few days beforehand, came as a shock and a great disappointment. Other arrangements had to be made, and last minute details handled by others. However, the members of the Assembly were delighted to hear Mr. Stroh's address read by the guest of honor, the Rev. Erik Sandstrom, whose fine mind and charming personality contributed greatly to the success of the Assembly. Other visitors from overseas were Mr. Ted Cooper from Bryn Athyn, Mr. and Mrs. F. W. Fletcher from Australia, and Miss Rosalie Stroh, who is staying awhile with her brother and his family.
     Although the average attendance at the sessions was 93, as against 110 in 1949, the Sunday morning service saw a congregation of 150, only 8 less than in 1949; and at the Holy Supper Service on Sunday afternoon, 93 persons out of a total of 99 were communicants, as against 101 in 1949.

     First Session.-Held on Saturday evening, August 4th, the first session began with worship, conducted by the President, the Rev. Alan Gill, who then declared the Assembly open and extended a hearty welcome to all present.

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A personal message from Mrs. de Charms was conveyed to the meeting, which received it with great pleasure. The report of the Education Committee was read by its chairman, the Rev. Alan Gill, who referred to the regretted loss of the services of the Rev. Martin Pryke. Three meetings had been held during the-year, and a Stamp Scheme and the need for a teacher had been considered. The report was accepted, after some discussion, and the Committee authorized to go ahead with its plans. Mr. V. R. Tilson's motion, that a message of loving sympathy be sent to the Rev. and Mrs. Kenneth Stroh, was carried with acclamation.
     The President then vacated the chair to deliver his address on "External Worship: Or the Observance of the Third Commandment" This vigorous and stimulating study proved to be in every way, as one speaker put it, "a challenge to New Church people. The brisk discussion which followed clearly demonstrated the interest and delight that had been aroused.

     Second Session.-Opening worship was conducted by the Rev. Erik Sandstrom, and the meeting, held on Sunday evening, settled down to hear and consider the reports of the Chairman and Treasurer of the British Finance Committee. The Chairman, the Rev. Alan Gill, reported that two special problems, the needs of the isolated and the housing of the London pastor, had received careful consideration. He also presented an outline of the arrangements made with the General Church with regard to the purchase of a suitable house. The Treasurer's report was then given by Mr. Colley Pryke, who, in his usual affable manner, almost convinced us that finance is quite a simple matter. Both reports were accepted. Messrs A. J. Appleton and A. S. Wainscot were reelected Auditors, and the business closed with the ratification of the reappointment of the Rev. Alan Gill and Mr. J. F. Cooper and of the appointment of three new members: the Rev. Kenneth O. Stroh and Messrs. Harold Jones and John Posthuma.
     As a contrast to this mundane bunt necessary interlude the meeting was then refreshed spiritually by hearing the Rev. Erik Sandstrom read his paper on "Aspects of the Psychology of Man and Woman." In a most striking manner the inmosts of the masculine and the feminine were considered as to their origin, their derivations, and their interrelation in manifest forms.

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This paper did not lend itself to much discussion, although some very pertinent and interesting questions were asked; but it created a great impression, and the wish was expressed that it be printed in NEW CHURCH LIFE.

     Third Session.-The last business item consideration of the report of the Editor of the News-Letter." was taken up at the third session, which was held on Monday morning and was opened with worship conducted by the Rev. Alan Gill. A lively discussion amply showed the great interest in, and concern for the welfare of this journal, felt by everyone present.
     There now remained the last of the Assembly addresses; an address which maintained, if it did not exceed, the extremely high level of the two previous ones. It was by the Rev. Kenneth O. Stroh and was entitled "The Stone Which the Builders Rejected." Beautifully read by Mr. Sandstrom, it proved to be a most impressive study of the doctrine of the Lord, made with reverent care and scholarly insight. The discussion revealed the depth and intensity of the response of the meeting, and Mrs. Stroh was asked to convey to her husband the thanks of the meeting. After a vote of thanks to the President the session closed with the singing of the 24th Psalm.

     Services of Worship.-At the Sunday morning service the Rem. Erik Sandstrom preached a powerful sermon on "The Presence of the Lord in the Spiritual Sense" (John 1: 8, 9). The Rev. Alan Gill was celebrant at the Holy Supper Service in the afternoon.

     Social.-Over a hundred persons assembled in the Derby Room on Monday evening to enjoy the relaxation and entertainment offered by the committee under the energetic leadership of Bob Bruell. Dancing, Swedish folk-songs by Mr. Sandstrom, stage items by Colchester and London members and a buffet supper in the adjoining annex, furnished a delightful background for renewing old friendships and making new ones. During the toasts, the Secretary was asked to send a letter of greeting from the Assembly to the Rev. Martin Pryke. So ended a most enjoyable and inspiring Assembly.
     A. S. WAINSCOT,
          Acting Secretary.

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New Church Club.-On Friday evening, August 3rd, a special meeting of the Club at Swedenborg House heard Mr. Keith Morley speak on "Order in Human Activity." The close analogy drawn between the spiritual development of the individual and of the race stimulated much useful thought and produced an animated discussion.
EXTERNAL WORSHIP OR THE OBSERVANCE OF THE THIRD COMMANDMENT 1951

EXTERNAL WORSHIP OR THE OBSERVANCE OF THE THIRD COMMANDMENT Rev. ALAN GILL 1951

     (Presidential Address at the Thirty-Eighth British Assembly, London, August 4, 1951.)

     The New Church is constituted of those who acknowledge and worship the Lord in His Divine Human: the glorified Lord Jesus Christ as the one only God of the whole spiritual and natural universe-its Creator, and the Redeemer and Savior of the human race. Those who do not worship Him cannot be said to be of this Church. What, then, is meant by worshipping the Lord? That is, how is He to be worshipped?
     The essential and basic teaching as to this is that contained in the first three commandments of the Decalogue, all of which enjoin and treat of the worship of the Lord. These are written on the first of the two tables and embody the covenant between the Lord and man, which covenant man must keep if he is to enter into life. The second table concerns the relation between man and his neighbor. These two tables, though inseparable and interdependent, are distinct; and they are, respectively, embodied in, and based upon, the Two Great Commandments. There are no other commandments or laws of life greater than these; and of the two the first, "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God," is the greater. But of the first three commandments we shall have more to say presently.

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     It is revealed in our doctrine, and observation confirms it, that there are two kinds of men of whom the Christian Church at this day for the most part consists: those who stress the importance of worship to the exclusion of the works of charity, and those who stress deeds to the exclusion of piety. (See AR 107, 154) This teaching is given, not as a fact of historical interest, but as a warning to the New Church. For as both of these evils contributed to the downfall of the first Christian Church, so they are a constant threat to the integrity and life of the New Christian Church. The pressure of the sphere and example of the world bears heavily upon the man of the church, and which of us is not influenced, more or less, by the thought and life that prevail around us, and by changes in them?
     And so the question arises, as a case in point: has the present attitude to external worship, which is so different from that of fifty years ago, effected a change of outlook among us? If it has, how serious a matter is this? Within the memory of many of us it was customary for virtually all "respectable" people to go to church every Sunday without fail. Today there is a very different picture. As the population has increased church congregations and attendances have decreased. Sunday is observed more and more as a holiday, and less and less as a holy day. Has there been a similar, if less marked trend; and is there in the organized bodies of the New Church a different attitude toward worship, a changed view of its value, which parallels the trend around us?
     The most manifest symptom of the state of the Christian world of this generation-apart from the chaotic state of civil affairs and the widespread so-called broadmindedness as to moral and ethical standards,-would certainly seem to be the non-recognition of the need for external worship, or of the literal observance of the third commandment: "Remember the sabbath day to keep it holy." In other words, it would seem that the men of whom the Christian Church at this day for the most part consists are they who are in works alone and in no truths, rather than those who are in worship alone and not in works or in truths.
     It would seem timely and opportune, therefore, to recall and review the teachings which the Lord at His second coming has revealed on this subject of worship and its proper place in life; to consider its importance relative to other acts of life, a point that often comes to the attention of all of us; with a view to determine whether our thoughts and feelings are distinctively New-Church, truly rational, and well balanced.

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We do well to consider whether it is so, or whether we may not, unwittingly be so affected by the prevailing attitude that we, too, are in danger of regarding works alone as essential.
     There is much teaching in the Writings which seems to support strongly the view that external worship is not essential, even that it is unimportant in comparison with the life of charity. Thus we are taught that the worship of God does not consist essentially in oral worship, but in a life of uses; and that oral worship is of no avail unless there is the worship that is of life. (AC 7884) Neither does worship consist in prayers and in external devotions, but in a life of charity, it is said also; and the externals are such as is the affection within them. (AE 325) And there is much teaching to the effect that the life of charity, in which worship consists primarily, is to will and do well to the neighbor, to act from good and truth and from justice and equity in every work, and to discharge every duty faith fully; in a word, that it consists in performing uses. (HD 124, 128) All this would certainly seem to indicate that external worship may he regarded as non-essential.
     However two things must he noted. Firstly, a careful reading of all such passages in context shows that their whole purpose is to refute the generally if unconsciously held notion of all consummated churches, and of every merely natural man, that external worship by itself alone, and irrespective of the life, is effective for salvation. That this idea is widely held except among confirmed atheists, even when churches are empty, is evident, if only from the common habit of resorting to churches and prayers in times of distress, emergency, or threatened death. Secondly, we must not overlook all the teachings given in the Writings concerning the great importance and efficacy of external worship when there is charity in it; teachings which point out the need for it and which show, indeed, that such worship is essential to the spiritual life of every man. Let us recall a few of these teachings.
     In the first place, we are Divinely assured that the Lord is present in external worship when what is essential, spiritual, and living is within it; what is essential being the acknowledgment of the Lord and love toward the neighbor. (AC 1150)

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No man loves the Lord who disregards His precepts concerning charity; but when man is in love and charity external worship effects the Lord's presence, and, indeed, His conjunction. (AR 160) The end of all worship is communication with heaven and thereby the conjunction of the Lord with man; and by external worship internal things are excited, external things are kept in holiness so that internal things can flow in. Besides man is thus imbued with cognitions, and prepared for receiving heavenly things; and is also gifted with states of holiness of which he is not aware, but which are conserved for him by the Lord for the use of eternal life. (AC 10,436) Note that although the Lord's presence and conjunction is with the internal things, the goods and truths that are within man, these are excited or aroused by external worship; and thereby also the external things of the mind and life are kept in a state of holiness so that these internal things can inflow. Or, as it is further explained in this number, in worship the externals serve as a plane upon which the interior things of worship,-wherethrough the man of the church communicates with heaven-subsist.
Another vital use performed by means of external worship is the enabling power it gives man, or rather the Lord, to search the man and know his heart, try him and know his thoughts, see if there be any evil in him, and so lead him in the way everlasting. In external worship, we are taught, the nature and quality of the disagreement between the internal and external man are especially discernible; for when the internal man then desires to regard the ends that belong to the kingdom of God, and the external those that belong to the world, a disagreement arises which manifests itself in the worship. (AC 1571) Thus we are told that worship is for the sake of purification. (Ibid., 6730) Indeed all worship has for its end that the man may be purified from evils and falsities, that goods and truths may be implanted, and that thus he max' be regenerated, which is effected by their conjunction; for their conjunction is heaven with man. (Ibid., 10,022)

We turn now specifically to the observance of the third commandment.

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In speaking of the promulgation of the Decalogue, The Doctrine of Life, no. 53, points out that if nations did not know that it is evil to steal, commit adultery, kill, and bear false witness, and guard by laws against the commission of these evils, they would come to their end; asks who could suppose that Israel was so much more stupid than others that it did not know that they were evils; and notes that it may be wondered why these law's, universally known, were promulgated from Sinai by Jehovah Himself with so great a miracle. It then continues that they were so promulgated that men might know that they were not only civil and moral but also spiritual laws; and that to act contrary to them was not only to do evil to the fellow citizen and to society but was also to sin against God. By this they were made laws of religion; for whatever Jehovah commands He commands that it may be of religion, and that it may be done for His sake, and for the sake of man that he may be saved. Note that to the commandments here listed as being known to all nations is added, in Arcana Coelestia 8862, the fourth, namely, that parents are to be honored.
Now it will be noted, and this is significant, that the first three commandments of the Decalogue,-those which are on the Lord's table, and which relate specifically to the worship of the Lord,-are not mentioned as being already known to the Israelites and other nations. These are: That no other gods are to be worshipped but the Lord; that His name is not to be profaned; and that the sabbath day is to be remembered and kept holy. The implication is plain that these commandments were not known to, or observed by, the Israelitish or any other nation. Yet the observance of the other laws as laws of religion depended, and still depends, upon these. Hence their non-observance and eventual loss among the nations of the earth necessitated that they be promulgated again, and to the Israelites; for they had been known to, and observed by, the ancients.
Is not the situation the same at this day? Has it not become necessary for the Lord to come again and put spirit and life into His precepts by restoring their true meaning and significance, as He has done in His revelation to the New Church, and as He did when He came into the world? Are not the first three commandments, which relate to worship, fast becoming "lost" to the world today, even as to their literal observance; and all of the commandments as spiritual laws, or as laws of religion?

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     Our theme being the vital importance of external worship,-not that this is more important than internal worship,-and our time being limited, we may now speak only of the third commandment and not of the first two; except to remark that at His second coming the Lord has revealed for application by the New Church not only the interior senses of these commandments but also the fact that they, not less than the precepts on man's table, are altogether to be observed and done in their natural sense. In the Writings it is newly revealed precisely how they are to be obeyed; and we there see what, in their order, these three commandments mean for us.
     The first commandment means that the Lord Jesus Christ alone is to be worshipped because He is Jehovah who came into the world and wrought redemption, and this involves not loving self and the world. The second commandment means not only that the name of God is not to be profaned but also that nothing of what the church teaches from the Word, or by which the Lord is invoked and worshipped, is to be introduced into frivolous conversation or false utterances; and it involves also not despising the Word, and thus the church, and not rejecting these from the heart; for these are all God's "name." And the third commandment means, in its natural sense, that six days are for man and his labors, and the seventh for the Lord and for man's rest from Him; and that the sabbath is to be observed as "a day of instruction in Divine things, and thus also a day of rest from labors, and of meditation on such things as relate to salvation and eternal life, as also a day of love towards the neighbor" (TCR 301). We are told further regarding this precept that he who is in love and charity, which is the internal of worship, keeps the sabbath holy, for nothing is more sweet to him than to worship the Lord and to glorify Him every day. (AC 1798) From these and many other teachings it is plain that the observance of this precept involves adoring the Lord in a life of internal and external worship.

     In presenting these teachings, undoubtedly familiar to you, we have this point in mind as worthy of serious consideration at the present time: Is there not now a special danger, perhaps not considered often enough, of minimizing the importance of ultimating in life the natural sense of this third commandment of the Decalogue?

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Is there not a growing danger of this nowadays, inasmuch as disobedience to this commandment does not in the least reflect upon one's reputation or character in the eyes of the world, the state of the world being as irreligious as it is? It is easy to obey the commandments on the second table of the Decalogue, for nearly all people observe them and it "pays" to do so. But it becomes increasingly difficult, for our children and young people at least, to adhere strictly to those on the first table, and especially to the third commandment in its natural sense; that is, to observe every Sunday as a holy day and attend to matters of external worship in general, such as prayers, morning and evening and at meals, family worship, reading from the Word, and so on. And yet, how unequivocal and specific is the teaching regarding observance of this commandment! How great is the need for external worship Note, for example, the following teaching, which has to do with internal and external worship.
"Where there is a church there must needs be what is internal and what is external; for man, who is the church, is internal and external. Before he becomes a church, that is, before he has been regenerated, man is in externals, and when he is being regenerated he is led from externals, nay, by means of externals, to internals; and afterwards, when he has been regenerated, all things of the internal man are terminated in externals. Thus of necessity every church must be both internal and external" (AC 1083). The number goes on to explain that the internals of every true church are the things of charity and faith; notes that there must also be what is external: and concludes that since man for the most part does not know what the internal man is, he would know nothing of what is holy unless there were external worship.
Can a man love his wife, children honor their parents, or anyone have real regard for another, without showing it by manifest signs, besides exercising charity by performing requisite uses and discharging the debts of charity? Some might say, Yes! and claim that it is often done. But it is certainly unnatural and not of order. And does not the same apply to man's respect for, reverence of, and love to the Lord? Can these attitudes of mind exist without taking on outward forms corresponding to them?

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And if these do not come forth spontaneously should not self-compulsion be exercised, and suitable external forms be provided into which internals may flow, there to be stimulated and strengthened? The law, judgment, mercy, and faith are indeed weightier matters. These things ought we by all means to do. But the Lord declared also, referring to matters of external worship, that we ought not to leave the other undone.
The internals of worship,-love, charity, and use,-are the essentials and are primary; its externals are instrumentals and are secondary. Yet, as Bishop N. D. Pendleton once said, with reference to forms of church government: "The spirit is more than the form, and the form is given only in aid of the spirit: and yet, apart from the true form, the spirit will be in labor." This surely applies also to the matter before us, namely worship. May we bear these words of wisdom in mind, and by heeding them, each and every one of us, do our part to free and to strengthen in the church the spirit of worship and adoration of the Lord. Let the people praise Thee, O God; let all the people praise Thee. Then shall the earth yield her increase and God, even our own God, shall bless us. God shall bless us; and all the ends of the earth shall fear Him" (Psalm 67: 5-7).
CONFESSION AND CELEBRATION 1951

CONFESSION AND CELEBRATION Rev. LOUIS B. KING 1951

A Thanksgiving Talk to Children

For thousands of years, good men and women have set aside a certain day to give thanks to the Lord for all the wonderful things He has provided for their health and happiness. This day of thanksgiving usually comes in the fall, when the grain has been cut and stored, and the fruits and vegetables gathered in before winter's frosts. When harvesting is over, and the storehouses are full of food for the cold winter days to come, those who work on the land rest from their labors. Looking back over the long summer days in which they worked so hard to sow the seeds and cultivate the tender plants, they rejoice that their toil has produced such rich and bountiful crops; and those in the cities who depend on them for food rejoice with them.

492

     But those who think more deeply do more than this. Wise men know that the Lord alone causes the seeds to grow. He makes the rain to fall and the sun to shine each day. And is it not He who makes the seeds? Does not He create the soil in which the seeds are planted? You know, the more we think about it, the more we come to see that it is actually the Lord who enables us to do all the things we think we do by ourselves! Instead of rejoicing over what we have done, we should rejoice that the Lord has done such things through us.
     It is for this reason that wise men do three things on Thanksgiving Day. They give thanks for the fruit of their diligent work. They confess, or acknowledge, that the Lord alone has given them this fruit. And they celebrate their thankfulness by worshipping the Lord, by feasting with their loved ones, and by doing their very best to make it a happy day for others.
     But there are other things that the Lord gives us that are far more important than the yearly harvest. Think of the life He gives us, the life which He allows us to feel as our very own. First the Lord creates our bodies and puts life in them, and then He lets us use this life as we wish. Yet in order that we may use it wisely He gives us His holy Word, and from the Word we may learn how to love what is true and to do what is good. And the Lord gives us His Word so that we may be happy. For He knows that we can be truly happy only when we do the things of which He tells us in His Word.
     And just think of all the other things the Lord gives us to add to our happiness-the doctrines of our church, the church itself, the free countries in which we live our comfortable homes, our families, and our friends. Through all of these, the Lord gives us happiness; and if we are grateful to Him for these many blessings we will give thanks with the most tender love.
     How will we do this? The Writings tell us that if we love someone we will give of ourselves to him. How much more, then, will we give something of ourselves to the Lord if we truly love Him? We will give Him of our time by reading His holy Word and thinking about the things He tells us in it.

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We will give of our playtime by entering into our games fairly and cheerfully, and by being thoughtful of the feelings of others as we know the Lord wants us to be. And we will give Him of our labor by doing our tasks and our school work faithfully.
     In all the things we do and say and think we must give something of ourselves to the Lord. And let us remember that to give of ourselves is to give the love of the heart as well as the thoughts of the mind. It is not enough just to think about what the Lord wants us to do. We must also want to do what He asks of us. If necessary, we must force ourselves to do His will. For only in this way can we be truly happy. In this way alone can we really give our love and our thanks to the Lord for all that He does for us. And it is this that the Lord asks of us in His first and great commandment: that we love Him with all our heart, with all our soul, with all our mind, and with all our strength.

LESSONS:     Psalm 100. Revelation 4.
MUSIC:     Revised Liturgy, pages 564, 569, 568.
PRAYERS:     Revised Liturgy, nos. C10, C18.
EARTH IS THE LORD'S 1951

EARTH IS THE LORD'S Rev. A. WYNNE ACTON 1951

"The land shall not be sold for cutting it off: for the land is Mine; for ye are strangers and sojourners with Me." (Leviticus 25: 23)
In many places in the Hebrew Word it is taught that the land, or the earth, is the Lord's; just as in the Writings there is the corresponding teaching that the church is the Lord's, and not man s. Before giving the Law from Mount Sinai, the Lord commanded Moses to say unto the sons of Israel: "Now therefore, if ye will obey My voice indeed, and keep My covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto Me above all people: for all the earth is Mine" (Exodus 19: 5). Here, as everywhere else, the "earth" is the Lord's church; and those only who keep His covenant are permitted to enter therein.

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     The same thought is frequently expressed in the Psalms: "The earth is the Lords, and the fulness thereof: the world, and they that dwell therein" (Psalm 24: 1); "The world is Mine, and the fulness thereof" (Psalm 50: 12); "O Lord God of hosts, who is a strong Lord like unto Thee? Thou rulest the raging of the sea; when the waves thereof arise, Thou stillest them . . . the heavens are Thine, the earth also is Thine; as for the world and the fulness thereof, Thou hast founded them. The north and the south Thou hast created them" (Psalm 89: 8-12). This last reminds us of the first statement made in the Word: "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth" (Genesis 1: 1). God created the heavens and the earth in the first place, and continually causes them to remain in being; thins they are His, and His alone.
     That the earth is the Lord's is a literal as well as a correspondential truth; and by considering its implications we may see more fully the sense in which the church is the Lord's. Reflect that all the useful, necessary, and enjoyable things of life come, ultimately, from the earth. From its produce, and from the animal kingdom which lives thereon, comes our food; from the trees that grow on the earth, and the materials taken from it, our homes are built; and our clothes are fabricated out of things that grow from the earth. Even the synthetic substitutes which we commonly use are derived from the substances and chemicals of the earth. Thus all the things we enjoy in our natural life are literally a gift from the Lord, derived from the earth which is His alone.
     Because this earth, or land, is the Lord's and not man's, it is not to be "cut off"; that is, man is not to cut off the land to himself and use it for purposes which are contrary to the Lord's intention. The earth is given to all mankind for their benefit and enjoyment, and it should be used by each for the benefit of all. Thus the tenancy of land is profitable to anyone only in the degree that he uses it to benefit his fellow men by growing things thereon, extracting useful materials therefrom, or providing places where people may live and conduct their businesses. To cut it off without any thought of use is to infringe this Divine command: and the degree to which this has been done has caused great unhappiness in the world.
     But the Lord has given the use of the land to man. "The heaven, even the heavens, are the Lord's; but the earth hath He given to the children of men" (Psalm 115: 16).

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And so it is proper that men should be in possession of the earth and of land; not of their own right, but by virtue of the use they max' thereby perform. In the land which he possesses man should regard himself as a stranger and sojourner," or more accurately, a "sojourner and lodger"; acknowledging that it is given him in trust, that he may use it for a rightful purpose himself and for the benefit of his fellowmen. By this teaching we are reminded both of the wondrous and innumerable gifts of the Lord and of our consequent responsibility to make proper use of them.
     Now let us think of the earth as the church. As we receive all material life from the earth, so do we receive all spiritual life and blessing from the church. From the Divine truth of the Word in the church we receive the nourishment which our spirit needs. By it our spirit is adorned with becoming garments; and it forms the spiritual homes and cities in which may be our eternal dwelling places.
     As the earth is of no benefit to mankind until men put it to some use by their own efforts, so the Word does nothing to build man's spirit until, by his own initiative, he learns its truths and uses them in his life. Therefore we are told that it is not the Word but the understanding of the Word and a life according to it that makes the church; that is, the church is with man according to the use which he makes of the truths of the Word. The Word is the Lord's; but it is given to man, and becomes his possession as it were, in the degree that it forms and governs his spirit.
     The Jews were commanded not to sell the land for cutting it off, which signifies that man must not appropriate the things of the church to himself. As man has no life of himself he has no thought or affection of himself, but receives them either from the Lord through heaven or from the devils of hell. And if man appropriates to himself the things of the Lord's church from human conceit or self-merit, he cuts himself off from the angels of heaven who alone can impart to him the true state of the church. But if he acknowledges that every true thought and every good affection comes to him from the Lord, he will resist all the fantasies of his proprium that the Lord's church may be established within him.

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     In this spirit we confess that we are sojourners and lodgers within the church. We are not the masters of the Lord's house, which is His church both in heaven and on earth, but are permitted to dwell therein if we love and observe the order of that house. Indeed we may be granted an eternal lodging in the Lord's house in the heavens but it never becomes our own possession; and the more fully we perceive and acknowledge this, the more abundantly does the Lord permit us to enjoy the blessings of that heavenly home. Thus will we have a deep sense of humility and of thankfulness: of humility as we realize that everything which arises from our proprial affections and meritorious thoughts turns the blessings of the church inwardly to ourselves and destroys them; of thankfulness that, despite this, the Lord may inspire within us new affections and intentions which look to Him, and enable us to experience the spiritual happiness of heaven.
     This humble acknowledgment that the earth is the Lord's, that the church and heaven, like everything good and true, comes from the Lord alone, is the essence of all true thanksgiving. And it will make plain to us the deep spiritual significance of the beautiful 100th Psalm, the internal sense of which is, in a summary: "Celebration of the Lord, that He must be worshipped in heart, because He is the former of the church; that men should approach Him through the truths of the Word, and confess Him" (PP). "Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all the earth. Serve the Lord with gladness: come before His presence with singing. Know ye that the Lord He is God: it is He that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are His people, and the sheep of His pasture. Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, into His courts with praise; be thankful unto Him, and bless His name. For the Lord is good. His mercy is everlasting; and His truth is to generation and generation." Amen.

LESSONS:     Leviticus 25: 8-25. Arcana Coelestia, 2016.
MUSIC:     Revised Liturgy, pages 570, 568, 561.
PRAYERS:     Revised Liturgy, nos. 89, 129.

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VALUES OF MATHEMATICS IN THE GIRLS' SEMINARY 1951

VALUES OF MATHEMATICS IN THE GIRLS' SEMINARY MORNA HYATT 1951

     (Delivered to time Educational Council, Bryn Athyn, Pa., August 22, 1951.)

     For the most part, it is impossible to explain to high school girls what algebra and geometry will do for them. We frequently point out situations in which they will find them useful,-if they remember the proper theorem, or think of using x for the unknown. But these applications fall a little flat, because the number of times each situation may arise in any one girl's life is admittedly small. To the girl, it does not seem worthwhile to struggle through a year of geometry on the slender chance that she might take up jewelry making and want to find the center of a circular piece of metal; and every other single example seems trivial by itself.
     The girls feel like the pupil Mason in "The Vexations of A. J. Wentworth" who, when told `We are going to prove that the square on the hypotenuse is equal to the sum of the squares on the other two sides," asked, "Is that a likely thing to happen?' For as another boy pointed out, "It would be a pretty good fluke if a triangle had squares on all three of its sides at once." Perhaps once in a girl's life she might want to bisect an angle and once in her life she might (as I did) take a group of children on the Newtown Local, some of whom were half fares and some whole fares. The total hill was $3.60. How much should each child pay? Aha! High school algebra has come into real life! But it still seems a little silly because there are several ways to bisect an angle that anyone with common sense can figure out without ringing in any theorems on congruent triangles. And you can figure out the price of a half-fare without resorting to any x's. (You could even call the station agent.)
     After writing the first draft of this paper. I asked those of my female acquaintances whom I happened to run into what they considered they had gained from their high school mathematics.

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One girl insists it did her no good whatsoever; but the rest were quite emphatic that it had been valuable. (No doubt some of this enthusiasm should be attributed to politeness in talking to a mathematics teacher over a cup of coffee.) In searching for reasons most of them said that, for one thing, they had enjoyed it! Some expressed pleasure in the form and order of the subject; others felt that it helped them to think logically. One said that it answered some big questions about the universe and developed a whole new part of her mind; another that it made her realize that to understand difficult things you must dig them out, step by step, and not just skim over the hard part,-a realization she now applies to reading in other fields; and a third said that ratio and proportion was a big idea that clarified a lot of things, besides being fascinating in itself. Not one of them could give offhand any instance in which she had applied high school mathematics in a utilitarian way, except the one who uses ratio and proportion; but several had the feeling that they did use it subconsciously as a background.
Now we women are supposed to enjoy things only when they are applied. From this sampling it would appear that the application is not necessarily a narrow practical one confined to the grocery bill. If it were, we should redesign our present mathematics courses inn the Seminary at once.

We believe, perhaps old-fashionedly, that mathematics has a value in developing certain faculties of the mind with which almost all are endowed, and which cannot be as well developed without it. But how can we demonstrate this? We cannot take an adult mind and compare its functioning before and after nine months' study of algebra, or even consider what our own minds might have been had our education been different,-though the effort would be useful. We might pick out certain people who have not had high school mathematics and say: "A never could argue rationally, B is sloppy and vague, C draws the wrong conclusions, D is too easily swayed by propaganda, and E is so stubborn that she goes ahead regardless of facts." But it is possible that no amount of mathematics would correct these faults because we find them also among mathematics students. The opposite is also sometimes true.

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Some people think logically in spite of having no training in mathematics. Some people play the piano enjoyably without training too. But just as training in music develops the innate talents of the pianist, so should training in mathematics help to develop something in the mind. I believe this "something" has to do with the natural-rational and the ability to think, to reason and to make rational judgments; which, according to "The Growth of the Mind," is gradually built up during the high school years and forms a basis for conscience and internal control.
     In mathematics we meet what our geometry text calls "uncontrollable consequences." If you do certain things, certain results inevitably follow. If a line is drawn between the midpoints of two sides of a triangle, it will be equal to half the third side. This is an external law, not based on man's opinion nor fraught with much emotion. The student accepts it. It probably does not do a great deal for her regeneration, but during this period of her life, she is trying to overthrow all external bonds. The effort to do this is necessary. It is also necessary, however, that she bump up against external laws which she cannot refute; and here is a tame little law, not likely to provoke much animosity, of value in meeting this state. If we omitted all mathematics from high school the student would not get away from external laws, but mathematics is especially fitted for giving controlled laboratory experiments in this line in which the issues are impersonal and unconfused by a multiplicity of variables.
     In our courses we try to point out the similarities between attacking life's problems and mathematical problems. First we must discover the problem and state it briefly. Then we list the known facts and turn to the unknown. Next we devise and carry out a plan of attack, concentrating on and proceeding one step at a time; and by the time we meet the frightening crux of the matter it has often diminished to quite a reasonable size. Here again, mathematics provides simple laboratory experiments which give training for attacking larger problems.
     We also show the similarities between reasoning in geometry and in everyday life. We find that all arguments must be based on axioms. There is no point in continuing a discussion with someone who starts from different assumptions.

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Our doctrines are based on the axioms that there is a God, and that He created the universe that there might be a heaven from the human race. These things cannot be proved, and although we may show their reasonableness, there is no way of convincing the skeptic. The knowledge that these axioms cannot be proved is a great protection: for otherwise, by insisting on a proof that there is a God, the skeptic may destroy the foundation of our own beliefs. If we see that every proof must be based on assumptions, we will not be ashamed to admit that we have assumed the existence of a God who is love itself.
     In the Writings we find beautiful examples of deductive reasoning. Divine Providence is a whole series of theorems. For example, the theorem that man must be in freedom is based on the statements that the end of creation is a heaven from the human race, that man cannot come into heaven unless he loves the Lord, and that he cannot love the Lord except in freedom. Another theorem is that man is not permitted to know the future. The proof follows from the theorem just proved, for if man were permitted to know the future he would not be in freedom. Either consciously or unconsciously, Swedenborg applied his training in Euclid. So did Jefferson in the Declaration of Independence, which opens with a statement of truths that are held to be self-evident: in other words, with axioms on which the rest of the document is based.
     We show also that there are different methods of arriving at knowledge. We can draw a number of triangles with equal angles and measure the sides. After a number of such experiments we come to the conclusion that sides opposite equal angles of a triangle are equal. Or we can reach the same conclusion by deductive reasoning, directly or indirectly. Whenever we reach a conclusion by the process of elimination we are using the indirect method of proof; and in mathematics we learn that this method is valid only if all the possibilities have been taken into consideration. We cannot line up three men and convict the third man of a crime because the first two have alibis. We would first have to show that these three are the only possible perpetrators of the crime.
     In geometry we make a brief study of converse, opposite, and contradictory statements. We start by assuming the statement: "When it is raining the road is slippery." The converse is "When the road is slippery it is raining." Obviously this is not necessarily true, as the slipperiness might be due to a banana peel.

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The opposite, "When it is not raining the road is not slippery," is also not necessarily true. The contradictory is: "When it is raining the road is not slippery," and contradictory statements of true statements are never true. But try the opposite of the converse: "When the road is not slippery it is not raining." A little exertion of the grey matter will show that this, like every other opposite of the converse of a true statement, is true. Consideration of these laws of logic should make one more critical of advertising and propaganda, which often wish us to assume the truth of a converse or opposite statement. If you are not popular and have not been using Gayheart Vanishing Cream, then "it is evident" that you will be popular if you use it. If you are unhappy under a democratic form of government, then "it follows" that you will be happy under a dictatorship.

But all this may give the wrong impression. The subjects about which we reason most of the time in Seminary mathematics classes are points and lines-colorless, odorless, weightless things without the slightest hint of personality. Why spend our time discussing these things that could never exist outside our minds? However, it is just this abstraction of the idea of a line that is one of the big uses of mathematics. In the first place, it simplifies the reasoning process; narrowing it down to one line of thought, paring off all extraneous attributes, so that the core of the argument stands out. If we were to try to prove that if a yellow chalk line 1/8 inch wide were drawn between two sides of a wooden triangle, and so forth, Mason would really be justified in asking how often you would draw such a line in real life. When we use everyday problems to practice deductive reasoning, we usually become mired in side issues and hidden assumptions. So we study abstract lines and triangles because abstract figures are simpler to begin on, and because the laws obtained are general; applicable to all lines and triangles within the limits of experimental error.
In the second place, the ability to abstract ideas is one of the faculties human beings have above animals, a faculty essential to spiritual thought. And mathematics has a part to play here in preparing the mind to understand the doctrines of the church. Dr. Doering has pointed out that algebra was developed during the decline of the Christian Church.

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When all idea of the correspondences of the Word was lost, it was provided that some concept of symbolism and representatives, if only on an external plane, be preserved in algebra. It would seem from this to be a good idea to teach algebra to pupils at an age when their state corresponds to this old Christian state; when they have lost the simple, imaginative beliefs of childhood, but are not completely ready to be introduced to the rational truths of the Second Coming.
     Many points in the Writings and in the philosophical works can be clarified by mathematical illustrations. Although the first natural point of the Principia is not a mathematical point. Swedenborg frequently refers to the latter in trying to explain the former. In Divine Providence, no. 335, he uses the hyperbola, which continually approaches nearer to but never touches its asymptote, to illustrate how the wisdom of the angels increases to eternity but never touches the Divine wisdom. Infinite series can illustrate the same truth. The mathematical infinite is certainly not the Divine infinite, but an understanding of its properties does help our understanding of the Divine infinite. To use Swedenborg's own phrase, where he is comparing the first natural point and the mathematical point: "Geometry seems to have some right here, but it must be pursued rather by the imagination than demonstrated" (Principia, II: 537).
     Also we point out the difference between straightline figures and circles to illustrate discrete degrees, for no matter how' many times you increase the sides of a polygon it never turns into a circle. Similarly, a spiritual angel can never become a celestial angel. In studying the properties of circles compared to those of straightline figures we are naturally led into something of their correspondence. Circles are forms of motion, whereas straightline figures are forms of rest. Marbles roll all over the place, but blocks stay put. These things, and many others, help us to understand the differences between good and truth. There is a great wealth of material for developing this topic in The Doctrine of Forms."
     When we discover the existence of whole new number systems-for example, the complex or imaginary numbers that turn up in second year algebra-we enlarge our horizons.

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Although we have hitherto been entirely ignorant of these numbers, they fit in with our old ideas with breath-taking consistency have applications all around us, and enter into the scheme of the universe just as other numbers do. We have to acknowledge that our understanding of creation encompasses but a small corner. Who has a right to be skeptical of a spiritual world in the face of this?
The items cited are just small samples of what could be done by a learned teacher with real insight into mathematics and into doctrine. But while waiting, working, and hoping for such insight we continue to teach the whole body of mathematics in the belief that it will form a basis for understanding spiritual truth in ways we know not. For we do not want to restrict the student's development by our own limitations. We believe that mathematics itself, like other forms of knowledge on the natural plane, forms a basis for spiritual thought; and since we are to study truth in nature as well as in the Word we must have mathematics as a tool. We can marvel at many of the wonders of nature without knowing the mathematics involved; but how much more can be seen, known, and appreciated with the help of mathematics! For what other reason would Swedenborg have been led to study mathematics, and, incidentally, to write the algebra text which was used in the Swedish schools for many years?

Mathematics to some is like poetry to the poet or painting to the artist. It requires the same anguish of mind, and brings the same exhilaration. As J. W. N. Sullivan points out in his book, "The Limitations of Science": "In the work of mathematicians . . . the aesthetic motive is very important. Many mathematicians have written about their work in a sort of prose poetry, and the satisfactions they get from it seem indistinguishable from those of an artist for science, especially the mathematical sciences, to have inspired such ardor and devotion in men, it is obvious that it must meet one of the deepest needs of human nature . . . there can be little doubt that it is the aesthetic element in mathematics that has been chiefly responsible for the attention that it has received." This is speaking of "Mathematics, the Queen of the Sciences," to use Bell's phrase. In viewing "Mathematics, the Handmaid of the Sciences," Einstein has said of Max Planck:

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"The longing to see this preestablished harmony is the source of the inexhaustible patience and persistence which we see in Planck's devotion to the most general problems of our science . . . the emotional condition which renders possible such achievements is like that of the religious devotee or the lover; the daily striving is dictated by no principle or program, but arises from an immediate personal need." *
     * J. W. N. Sullivan: "the Limitations of Science."
     Aesthetic appreciation is based on many factors, but an important factor is the feeling that one's understanding has been deepened. When a poem appeals to tins it is because we see a little deeper into some phase of life or nature. Sometimes the beauty of this glimpse is almost suffocating. A good painting is not a photograph, but points up some facet and makes us see things beyond what we saw before. This is just the appeal of mathematics. It carries our understanding beyond ordinary observation and sometimes the realization of its implications gives the same staggering physical sensation as breathing the air on a mountain top. It is not necessary to be a creative mathematician to experience something of this power: for whenever one arrives at the same mathematical result through two entirely different approaches, one is overwhelmed by the vision of consistency, of order in the universe. Even high school students can get this thrill and see something of this vision.
     We do not feel, therefore, that mathematics should be confined to things for which practical applications are obvious; for then the logical structure and aesthetic appeal will be lost, and the student's development will be limited to the teacher's practical knowledge. If it is taught as a entity in itself with sample applications of the general principles, the students will be given a complete background on which to draw in making their own applications, and their minds will be alive to the possibilities.
     We are taught in the Writings that learning should look to use. When it comes to mathematics some people's idea of use is very narrow. If it can be applied to balancing a checkbook or building a television set, it is useful. But suppose the mathematics is applied to making a television set. We look at "Twenty Questions" or listen to a symphony, and our minds are broadened or refreshed. But to some people the study of mathematics itself is broadening and refreshing. It has a just claim to occupy our minds along with other studies, for uses to the mind are higher than uses to the body.

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Some people's minds will best see the harmony of creation in poetry, others in mathematics. High school is the time for giving a broad general background in all fields so that the students may develop all facets of their minds and also discover the direction in which their own greatest development will lie. Thus all students should be given the opportunity to experience the anguish and exhilaration of that activity of the mind which is called mathematics, as well as the experience of trying to produce a poem. For mathematics is inherent in the physical universe, in mental processes, and in human relations; therefore an understanding of it is a use to the mind which brings its own delight.

(EDITORIAL NOTE: Miss Morna Hyatt, an Instructor in Mathematics and Geography, has been teaching in the Academy Schools for ten years. She received her Bachelor of Arts Degree from the Academy, and subsequently took her Master of Arts Degree at Columbia University, majoring in the teaching of Mathematics.)
FLOGGING OF DEAD HORSES 1951

FLOGGING OF DEAD HORSES ALFRED ACTON 1951

In the March issue of NEW CHURCH LIFE an editorial from THE NEW CHRISTIANITY was printed (page 125), the gist of which is summed up in one of its sentences: "Too large a portion of Swedenborg's writings is devoted to the flogging of dead horses." The writer of the editorial continues that no intelligent person now believes in the dogmas, the falsity of which is so frequently exposed in the Writings.
I question the truth of this assertion. It is true that among the learned there is a growing materialism, agnosticism atheism. But the great mass of Christians, lay and clerical, still believes in the false doctrines of the Old Church. This is known to everyone who listens to sermons on the radio. And after all, it is not the "learned" who are apt to receive the New Church, but the simple. Even many of the learned still profess belief in the doctrines of the Old Church, but store this up in a certain compartment of their minds as a matter not to be inquired into.

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The great mass of the members of the Christian Church simply believe in the creed the' recite, without any reflection as to its meaning. I recall asking a lady who for many years had been a Sunday School teacher whether she believed in the resurrection of the body. She answered, "Yes." I then asked how a body which had been utterly decomposed could rise again. To this she said, "I never thought of that." This attitude to the Christian creeds is, I think, characteristic of a majority of Christians; and it may awaken their interest to learn the true implication of the belief they profess.
     Moreover, many of the false doctrines of the Old Church have been changed into scientific falsities. The materialist may scoff at the theological dogma of predestination, but many of them have substituted a "scientific" dogma of the same character. He may brush aside the dogma of faith alone, but the tendency of modern learning is to worship learning rather than life. "The leaders of the church have given the palm to faith, which pertains to truth, rather than to charity, which pertains to good. In like manner, the learned have given the palm to the thought which pertains to the understanding, rather than to affection which pertains to the will" (CL 126).
     Yet we can envisage a time when there will actually be a repudiation of the false dogmas alluded to by the writer of the editorial. What shall we say then of the refutation of these dogmas by the Writings? If we are to take his position, a large part of the Writings will then be entirely out of date, and the reader will merely have a smile of pity for those who believed in these errors of the past.
     But the Writings are a Divine revelation, indeed, the crown of revelations; and a Divine revelation can never be out of date. That revelation deals essentially, not with external matters, not even with external falsities, but with the spiritual causes that produced them. These causes will ever be with man, and it will ever he necessary for the man of the church to see those causes in himself, that he may remove them; and removed they must be if men are to see spiritual truths.
     What led men to invent the dogma of tripersonality in God? There are many causes: thinking of God from time and space; unwillingness to believe in the words of revelation unless they can be proved by human reason; and the conceit of self-intelligence.

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What caused the belief in the resurrection of the body? The unwillingness to believe that anything is real unless it is material. The same cause led men to believe in the conflagration of the world and the creation of a new world.
The New Church man who entirely rejects the dogmas exposed in the Writings will still profit from reading the exposition if he reflects, not on the errors of his contemporaries, but on the causes which produced those errors. And if he so reflects, he will see the operation of the same causes in himself, and humbly seek to remove them. It is thus also that the New Church man of the future will read those passages which the editorial in question characterizes as obsolete.
Divine revelation can never become obsolete, but men will read it with clearer understanding and in a spirit of greater humility. Any idea of its becoming obsolete must be based on the assumption that the Writings are not a Divine revelation, but are merely the product of Swedenborg's brain and pen.
CHRISTMAS STORIES 1951

CHRISTMAS STORIES Rev. ORMOND ODHNER 1951

The birth of the Lord is, of course, the most important event in history. Too much can never be learned about it, and about the natural circumstances surrounding it, for it is the basis and support of that most exalted of all doctrines,-the doctrine of the Lord. It is also of importance, however, that we know the internal significance of all the parts of the stories of the Lord's birth; their significance as they relate to the birth of the Lord in the heart and mind of each individual. And it is this aspect of the subject that we propose to treat here.
Remarkably enough, the spiritual significance of the Christmas story is but rarely mentioned in the Writings. Only in rare instances, for example, are we told what this or that person in the story represents. No word-for-word correspondence is given. Yet so much is taught concerning the laws governing correspondence, and so much is revealed concerning the doctrine of regeneration.- which, of course, is signified,-that it is comparatively easy to trace the internal meaning of the Christmas stories themselves.

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     Joseph.-The first incident* recorded in the New Testament concerns Joseph, the espoused husband of Mary who, before they came together, was found with child of the Holy Spirit. Joseph, it is said, was a just man, and so was minded to put Mar away in secret: not wishing to make of her a public example. But while he thought on these things the angel of the Lord appeared to him; and told him that the child who was to be born of Mary was conceived of the Holy Spirit, in fulfillment of the prophecy: "Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call His name Immanuel" (Isaiah 7: 14). Then Joseph took unto him Mary his wife, but knew her not until she had brought forth her first-born Son.
     * Not in point of time. The writer is considering incidents in the order in which they appear. Editor.
     As we study the process of regeneration, we also come first to Joseph who, it appears, represents the intellectual of the spiritual man-the man whom the Lord came into the world to save. Joseph, the husband of Mary, is mentioned but a few times in the Writings, and then only in passing. But the other Joseph, the son of Israel, represents in man the spiritual, that is, truth, the intellectual. And since the names themselves of all characters in the Word are of spiritual significance, it is safe to assume that Joseph represents the intellectual of the spiritual man.
     The spiritual man, the man whom the Lord came to save, is carefully differentiated from the celestial man. The celestial man was saved by good in the will, from which he perceived truth in his understanding. This type of man perished, however, at the end of the Most Ancient Church. The spiritual man, on the other hand, has a will that is utterly corrupt. He can be saved only by truth in the understanding. First he must learn truth and acknowledge it with his understanding; and then he must go through the arduous process of forcing himself to live according to the truth that he may attain the good of life. Such men are all of us, and such was Joseph; a carpenter, a man working on wood with tools of iron,-attaining the good of spiritual life only by long, hard, iron-like self-compulsion. For Joseph, like us, was a sinner, and the Lord came into the world, not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.
     Joseph, however, was a just man, a salvable man. Otherwise he could not have been the husband of Mary, the mother of the Lord.

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But Joseph could not be the father of the Lord. Human intellect can never beget genuine angelic life, or even a genuine understanding of Divine truth. Only in man's pure and inmost affection of truth can the Lord be conceived; in the affections of the spiritual man, but not in the intellect.
     In spite of his entirely corrupt will, there is inmostly with every man who advances into the regenerate life, a certain pure, virginal affection of the Lord's truth; an inner love that is affected by truth simply for the sake of truth itself. And into this, Divine truth, in the Lord's good time, can first inflow into him as an individual. But before this advent of the Lord the man has not come into full contact with this purest of his affections. It assumes only a minor role in his life, even though it be all-important; even as Mary assumes only a secondary role in the first of the Christmas stories.
     To this purest affection of truth the intellect of the spiritual man is betrothed, but not married. And when the intellect-which had thought to produce spiritual life by its own power-finds this affection stirred up by a newly discovered perception of truth, it is skeptical. This is not its own. This is but another's, a man-made theory; not the real and eternal truth of God. The intellect does not yet know that the purest affection of the mind has at last found the living meaning of truth; that living, spiritual truth which alone can he the Savior, Jesus Christ. This affection, however, the virgin Mary,-has been longing for genuine truth and seeking for it, and at last it has been stirred up by truth; truth not concocted by the intellect of man himself but from another source, directly from the mouth of the Lord alone.
     Of this new perception of truth, however, this spiritual perception which is the beginning of regenerate life, Joseph is at first distrustful. But Joseph is a just man. The intellect of the spiritual man who seeks salvation will not make a public mockery of the affection which is stirred to life by this new perception of the meaning of truth. Rather will it be minded to put it away in secret disappointment. Being just, it will consider all things before making even this move; and into this spirit of justice the Lord can inflow with the perception-and perception alone can convince-that this at last is the Divine truth he has been seeking, the Divine truth promised of old. And then, awakened to the glorious hope of the future, the intellect will take this affection to itself with glad fullness of heart, waiting until the Savior is born.

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     The Wise Men.-Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea, there came wise men from the east, led by a star. They came first to Jerusalem, to inquire where the Lord should be born, and then proceeded to Bethlehem. And when they had come into the house where the young child was, they saw Him, and Mary His mother, and fell down and worshipped Him, and opened unto Him their treasures of gold and frankincense and myrrh.
     Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea. The living spiritual perception of the genuine meaning of truth that is the beginning of actual regeneration is born in man's natural mind, in the truths there that live from a love of good. But in a far country wise men saw His star the night He was born. In another region of the mind there are stored up remains of truth, remains of truth learned in childhood and youth. These are the "wise men" of the Ancient Church, the knowledges concerning the Lord man learned in his early years. In the childish or youthful state in which man learned them the Lord could not be born; for regeneration can begin only in a rational, responsible being. And so these early truths are protected by the Lord "in a far country," in an inner recess of the mind, while the declining Jewish Church, the sensual selfhood of man, comes to the fore in later childhood, youth, and early manhood.
     These early truths are not perverted by man's immersion into evil. They continue to exist in an almost forgotten region of the mind. But when the virginal affection of the Lords truth has at last perceived that the Word is open to it and will bring with it salvation, when man's intellect has finally decided to adopt this as its own, then these early truths or knowledges come once more to mind. They, too, are stirred by the birth of the genuine understanding of spiritual truth in man, though they as yet perceive that event but dimly. They see only a guiding star, not a host of angels. They are in comparative obscurity and need to take a spiritual journey, a journey to Jerusalem, to the church-that they may be instructed. What is meant by these doctrines learned in childhood and youth? Where, in fact, is the Lord born in man?

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     When they have been further enlightened from the doctrine of the church, when they have learned that the Lord is born in Bethlehem Ephrath,-in truth conjoined to good in the natural mind and life,-they go forth; and the star goes before them until it stands over the house where the young child is. And then, entering into the house, they fail down and worship the Lord. These early learned truths, too, are at last set the task of shunning evils as sins against God, the most true act of worship: and then they can offer their treasures to Him. These gifts they always had with them. For in those early learned truths there has always been gold, the good of love to the Lord; frankincense, the good of love to the neighbor; and myrrh, the good of use. But these gifts cannot be offered until the newborn Lord has been found: these truths cannot bear their good fruit until the regenerate life has begun.

     Herod.-When the wise men came to Jerusalem for instruction, inquiring where the Lord was born. Herod the king was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. He inquired diligently when the star appeared, and where the Lord was to be born: and he told the wise men to return to him with news of the whereabouts of the child that he, too, might go and worship Him.
     The signification of Jerusalem here changes very quickly. No longer does it represent the church which nurtures the early truths of the Word. Now it is coupled with the fearful name of Herod. Now it represents the old, unregenerate state of man: and in this state, Herod, the love of self, is king. As the mind becomes fully aware of the advent of Divine truth the love of self is deeply troubled, and all the unregenerate life with it. It realizes that that has been born which can overthrow its power, and seeks diligently to learn all it can about it. And then it tries deceitfully to destroy the newborn truth. "Bring me word again, that I may come and worship Him also." The devils who actually dwell in all our evil thoughts and affections, in our love of self, are far more subtle and clever than we suspect. They do not appear as devils, but disguise themselves as worshippers of the true God. They seek to distort and pervert the Divine truth to their own advantage, not openly but secretly. They think they can render the Divine truth powerless by flattering man's self intelligence. Their lips speak of worship, but their hearts lust for murder.

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     But the wise men are warned not to return to Herod, and he becomes exceeding wroth. He sends forth into Bethlehem to slay all the infants in the city of two years old and under. Herod, however, is too late. Joseph has already been warned in a dream that Herod will seek to slay the child. He has arisen in the night, and taken the young child and His mother into Egypt to safety.

     The Flight into Egypt.-The truths man learned in youth realize, after they have opened their treasures to the Lord, that they cannot return to the love of self, which formerly had been to them as a king. They now see self, not as a fellow worshipper, but as a mortal enemy; and they return home by another way. And then Herod, the love of self, seeks to slay the Divine truth outright when he realizes that it cannot be rendered powerless by subtle flattery. The devils now really begin their nefarious work.
     But Joseph, the intellectual of the spiritual man in whom Divine truth has been born, has been forewarned of this assault. He has read of the terrible cleverness and power of the devils and at once takes refuge in Egypt, in knowledges derived directly from the literal sense of the Word. He rises in the night, and flees with the young child and His mother. This is a time when the light of his faith is made dark by hell. He cannot await a new day, for then it will be too late: he cannot stop to argue with the devil, for the devil is too strong. Exceeding wroth, the devils who still dwell in his love of self, realizing that this is the final battle, are destroying all the infant interior perceptions of reasons why evils must be shunned as sins. All the logical reasonings the man has acquired with the birth in him of the Divine truth are distorted, twisted, and slain: falling before the attacks of the love of self.
     No longer is man sure of any of the reasons which he has conceived for shunning evils as sins. One thing only remains. As the fury of the attack of self-love increases, his perception of the reasons for shunning evil falls away. What is the use? Why not commit evil? Everything he has thought of to bolster him in temptation can be, and is distorted and rendered powerless. Everything, that is, but one: the literal command of the Word-Thou shalt not, for the Lord has so commanded. And as long as man remains in the power of such literal commandments he is safe; for Herod, the love of self, has no power therein.

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The man is safe in the literal commands of the Word until those are dead who sought to slay the Divine truth.

(To be continued)
FORGOTTEN PAGES OF NEW CHURCH HISTORY 1951

FORGOTTEN PAGES OF NEW CHURCH HISTORY Rev. WILLIAM WHITEHEAD 1951

     11. Rev. Samuel Noble Versus "Gulielmus"

     During the time that the great New Church minister, scholar, and editor, the Rev. Samuel Noble* was pastor of the Lisle Street and Cross Street societies, London, England, he delivered many missionary lectures in other parts of the country. These were so remarkably eloquent and penetrating as to arouse much opposition in the citadels of Old Church conservatism.
     * For a biography of this remarkable man see INTELLECTUAL REPOSITORY, 1853, p. 366.
     In a letter to the INTELLECTUAL REPOSITORY, 1823, p. 512, Mr. Noble remarks: "We meet with many persons who are absolutely afraid to look into the doctrines of the New Church, or to listen to the arguments by which they are supported, simply because those doctrines are avowedly new; that is, new to the present generation of mankind, merely because it is so long since the church departed from the true doctrines of the Holy Word that with them, at the present day, error has become inveterate. A late reviewer of a New Church publication was not ashamed to say, 'These doctrines are new, therefore they are false;' forgetting that a state of the church is predicted in the Scriptures, in regard to which, 'He that sat upon the throne said, Behold! I make all things NEW.' Thus numbers adopt the soul-lulling plea which was lately advanced by a writer with whom I was engaged in a discussion in the COLCHESTER GAZETTE. He concludes a long declamation against Swedenborg with saying: 'I am so well satisfied with the good old way that I am by no means desirous for an accession of any new extraordinary light.'

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     Some considerable research has revealed the "discussion in the COLCHESTER GAZETTE" to which Mr. Noble refers, and by the courtesy of the publishers of the GAZETTE we have secured photographs of the columns in which the correspondence appears. Mr. Noble's critic who hides under the name of "Gulielmus" was evidently a physician who had attended the lecture. He made the customary attack upon innovations in doctrine, but particularly questioned the sanity of Swedenborg. Mr. Nobles reply, for only a portion of which we have space, is an interesting example of the direct, hardhitting style of the early New Church missionaries in England. It is dated, "Colchester, Jan. 2, 1823," and reads, in part, as follows.
     "SIR-I have seen your letter addressed to me. For the 'eulogy' which you bestow on my motives I return thanks: nor can I take any offence at the remainder of your epistle, remote as it certainly is from anything bordering upon eulogy. I can only regret that the honest and unaffected sincerity, ardent and disinterested zeal.' which I doubt not actuates you, should be made instrumental in reviving prejudices and calumnies which have often been shown to be destitute of foundation. Here, then, I may fairly retort the next clause of your exordium, and say that 'ere we teach others the deep mysteries of godliness, most certainly it behooves us to have perfect assurance that our sincerity be not delusion-that our zeal be not that of the bigot, blind, and burning, and contracted, but according to knowledge.' Now I readily leave it to every impartial mind to judge who stands most in need of an attention to this caution; you, Sir, or the humble individual who now addresses you.
     "As to your remark respecting a zeal according to knowledge, we remember that one of the plainest signs pointed out by divine prediction of a degenerate state of the church is when its members agree in representing the Holy Word as a sealed book: as is most decidedly done, Sir, by such as yourself, when you contend for the merest literal sense which the words of scripture convey. What is this but to lock up a precious casket, and to assure all beholders that nothing but the outside of it is worthy of notice: and though its form is such as evidently shows it was meant to contain something, to treat as daring innovators those who presume to say so. Surely this is not holding a zeal that is 'according to knowledge,' but rather acting like the scribes of old, of whom it is said: 'Ye have taken away the key of knowledge: ye entered not in yourselves, and them that were entering in ye hindered.'

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"A little further on, Sir, you have another sentence which, I trust, will be as appropriately introduced into my letter as into yours. You say: 'Let no man be deluded by florid declamation or proofless assertion, or specious reasoning: rather let him, uninfluenced by prejudice or passion, search the Sacred Oracles, and weigh the opinions of the Baron in the balances of the sanctuary.' Allow me, Sir, to say that this is what I did when first I became convinced of the truths of those opinions, and which I am sure you have not yet done, or you would not venture to say that they, weighed in that balance, may be found wanting, but would rather confess that he does 'speak the words of soberness and truth.' As to that part of your caution which speaks of 'florid declamation or proofless assertion,' I put it to your readers to judge whether there is most occasion for its exercise in regard to your compositions or to mine: for certainly so much mere declamation as your letter presents, in the same space, it never was my lot to see before: while the 'assertions' it contains are, indeed, mere assertions, without even the least shadow of proof. I certainly cannot accuse you of 'mystical interpretation,' but only of a fondness for mysteries without interpretation; nor of 'specious reasoning,' for you have not attempted to reason at all. I am sorry to be compelled to notice these defects: but when you charge them upon me, I trust there is no unkind feeling implied in my shewing that you were drawing your own portrait-not mine.
"The most serious and injurious of your proofless assertions, Sir, is that in which you charge the truly illustrious Swedenborg with insanity; only supporting the charge with the other gratuitous assertion that 'it is a fact well known to those versed in his biography:' and you triumphantly ask, as if you had proved your point. Who would deem it wise to stake his faith, his hope, his terrestrial happiness, and eternal felicity upon the wild, and visionary, and mystical, and baleful, if (strange that such contraries should unite!) bright and beauteous and ingenious reveries of a MADMAN?' Allow me, Sir, to say that I presume that I am at least as well 'versed in his biography' as you can be: and I know what perhaps you do not, that he has found two classes of biographers: one who, without any personal acquaintance with him, or intimate knowledge of his works, have, from mere hearsay, the idle FICTIONS of enemies, represented him as you describe; while the other class who were personally acquainted with him, and who had fairly examined his writings, agree in representing him as retaining a 'sound mind, memory, and understanding, to the last hour of his life:' as was deposed on oath by Mr. and Mrs. Shearsmith, at whose house in London he had repeatedly lodged, and in which he died, in an affidavit sworn before the Lord Mayor, on the 24th of November, 1785.

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I might here quote the highly honourable testimony on this subject borne by the Rev. T. Hartley, MA., Rector of Winwick, in Northamptonshire, who was intimately acquainted with Swedenborg for several years before his death." The rest of the letter contains biographical material familiar to New Church men.
MANUAL FOR PARENTS 1951

MANUAL FOR PARENTS FRANK S. ROSE 1951

     FAMILY WORSHIP FOR LITTLE CHILDREN. Stories from Genesis. By the Rt. Rev. Willard D. Pendleton. Edited by the Rev. F. E. Gyllenhaal. Cover and frontispiece by Donald Moorhead. General Church Religion Lessons. Bryn Athyn, Pa., 1951. Mimeographed, pp. 148. Price. $1.00 An additional Accropress Binder, $150, in spring back covers, $2.25.

     The importance of family worship has often been stressed in the General Church, and yet it has not always been easy for parents to conduct such worship in their homes. The stories in the Word seem difficult to present to children. In addition to this, it is not always clear to the layman just what should and what should not be taught. This publication, we believe, is a significant attempt to fulfill the needs of parents in learning how to teach the Word to their children.
     In the Introduction, Bishop Pendleton presents some suggestions' as to the forms most suitable for family worship. Other suggestions occur in various places throughout the book, but for the most part the space is devoted to an explanation of how best to teach the stories found in the book of Genesis.
     The author's treatment varies in dealing with different chapters in the Word. Some are not mentioned at all, while others receive a great deal of attention.

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These latter are not outlined as stories, but the place where they may be found is mentioned, and then advice is given as to the theme and general affection that should be emphasized in retelling the story to children. There are certain parts of the literal sense that a parent might be inclined to withhold from the child. Such passages are dealt with at length, and concrete suggestions are made as to the advisability of using or ignoring them in family worship.
     Although the format of the book suggests that it is for the consumption of children, it is definitely a manual for parents. The only parts suitable for children to read or hear are those places presented merely by way of example. As a manual it could be of great use to parents, and as a manual it should be carefully studied. The various chapters are treated separately so that a parent can read a particular section before using it in worship. In addition to the hints on how to present the stories to children, there are pages in this book on which a brief treatment of the internal sense is given. This is manifestly for the use of the adult and not the child, and is not intended to be a complete exposition of the internal sense. In dealing with Abraham's attempted sacrifice of Isaac, for example, Bishop Pendleton explains some of the reasons for such an action by means of the internal sense. And here, as elsewhere, he refers to passages in the Writings that go into the subject more fully.
     There is much contained within the pages of "Family Worship for Little Children" that we cannot comment upon here. Suffice it to say that this work provides a wealth of material that will help parents to fulfil their duty as custodians of a growing and inquisitive mind. As such it should fill a great need among our young married couples.
     FRANK S. ROSE.
NEW EDITION OF THE WORD FOR CHILDREN 1951

NEW EDITION OF THE WORD FOR CHILDREN 1951

The Sacred Scripture, or the Word of the Lord. New Church Canon. A new Edition for children, in large type and with colored maps. Bound in gold stamped stiff red cloth with red paper edges. Expected for Christmas, 1951, delivery. Price, $3.75 plus postage. THE ACADEMY BOOK ROOM, Bryn Athyn, Pa.

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WESTERN STATES 1951

WESTERN STATES LOUIS B. KING 1951

     A Pastoral Visit

     From June twentieth to August fifteenth of this year, it was my privilege to visit fellow New Church men in the Western states and administer to theist services of Divine worship and classes in doctrine. My trip was designed in the Bishop's office as a means of temporarily relieving the Rev. Harold C. Cranch of some of the pastoral burden so regularly shouldered by him. Through the years it was been a delightful work to Mr. Cranch and I, too, have found it a most wonderful experience to make the acquaintance of such genuine people and to share its their enthusiasm foe the things of the chords.
     Covering an estimated 34,000 miles by air, and crossing the borders of 21 states. I made stops in Kansas City, Fort Worth, Houston, San Antonio, Albuquerque, Tucson, San Diego, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Oakland, Riverside. Sacramento, Oroville, Eugene, Salem, Portland, Oakville, Port Angeles, Seattle. Spokane, Walla Walla, Denver, Rapid City, and Des Moines.
     Of 78 meetings there were 16 adults' services, 18 children's services. 16 formal doctrinal classes, 10 informal doctrinal classes, and 15 lectures illustrated with slides for children. Total attendance for all meetings exceeded 400 persons. The sacrament of baptism was administered on 3 occasions. Among those subjects most frequently discussed were the following: the Holy Supper, Life After Death, Prevention Of Offspring, Modes of Revelation, The Doctrine of Use, Marriage, Education Of Children, The Uses Of Baptism, The Earths In The Universe, The Shunning Of Evils As Sins Against The Lord, Divorce, The Hague Position, Confirmation, The Last Judgment, Distinctiveness, The World Of Spirits, The Doctrine Of The Lord, The Healing Power Of The Writings, Why The Lord Chose To Be Born On This Earth, Gratitude, and The Writings A Divine Revelation.
     It was regrettable to me that time was so short, and had it not been for the warm hospitality of our friends in the West, many valuable moments might have been lost in getting acquainted. However, almost the whole of each visit was devoted to discussion of the doctrines of the church, particularly their application to the many situations which constitute our daily life.
     Wherever the Writings are read and loved as the Word of God, there the church is strong. It has been a real inspiration to witness the strength of the church among those who live in the West.
     LOUIS B. KING.

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CHURCH ASSOCIATION OR USE? 1951

CHURCH ASSOCIATION OR USE? Editor 1951

NEW CHURCH LIFE
Office of Publication Lancaster, Pa.
Published Monthly 8y
THE GENERAL CHURCH OF THE NEW JERUSALEM
BRYN ATHYN, PA.

Editor     Rev. W. Cairns Henderson, Bryn Athyn, Pa.
Business Manager     Mr. H. Hyatt, Bryn Athyn, Pa.

All literary contributions should be sent to the Editor. Subscriptions, chance of address, and business communications, should be sent to the Business Manager. Notifications of address changes should be received by the 15th of the month.

TERMS OF SUBSCRIPTION
$3.00 a year to any address, payable in advance. Single copy, 33 cents.
     "Charity itself is to act justly and faithfully in whatever office, business, or employment anyone is engaged' (TCR 422). Evidently this includes the fullest use of ones capacities that is possible. Should a New Church man, then, be content with employment that will utilize far less than his full potential in order to maintain association with a settled society of the church? Or should he seek the opening in which it seems that he can be most useful to society, even if it should isolate him from a society? In other words, should his primary concern be with church association or with use?
     Often the question does not arise because, in Providence, the two lie together. It becomes more difficult, of course, when the education of our children enters into it. And while the church may direct attention to the question it may not dictate the answer, for this the individual must be left in freedom to seek for himself. However, we may reflect that while the church needs strong centers, centers without expanding peripheries eventually cease to be significant, and may even turn into beleaguered fortresses. The circles, groups, and isolated families and individuals of the present may grow into the new societies of the future.

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Whether it may always be so or not, it is certain that the extension of the organized church will not he effected without human means; and that there is hope in those willing to plant the church in new soil, or to build up its small but vigorous outposts.
DEAD CHURCHES 1951

DEAD CHURCHES Editor 1951

     The Writings are unequivocal in their oft-repeated statement that the Christian Church is dead. No New Church writer, to our knowledge, has ever denied the statement, though some have been most reticent about it; but there is a tendency so to interpret it that its truth is denied. What is dead, we are told, is the theological dogmas held in Swedenborg's day. But the churches of Christendom, having separated themselves from these dogmas, have entered into new life: and are either returning to a simple gospel or are being permeated by the glorious truths of the new age This, however, is specious reasoning, apart from the fact that the separation could be argued, and would be difficult to establish in the case of Rome-whose proud boast it is that she has not changed a dogma in a thousand years.
     What do the Writings mean when they speak of a church as being "dead"? All life, spiritually, is in use, from use, and according to use. The use a church is established by the Lord to perform is to provide for the presence of the Divine among the people and to teach men the way to heaven and lead them therein; to keep open a communication between heaven and earth, and thus serve as a medium for that transmission and reception of the Holy Spirit by which men are enlightened and regenerated. When the doctrine and life of a church become such that it can no longer perform this use it is spiritually dead: no matter how vigorous it may be in other fields, and no matter what other functions it may discharge. And the use cannot be restored to it by any internal reformation but is entrusted to a new church that is raised up for the purpose. For this is the death from which there is no resurrection.
     This, we believe, explains an apparently curious usage found in the Writings. In speaking of the raising up of a new church, they frequently say that the church is raised up anew, renewed, or restored. Yet by this is not meant the ecclesiastical dispensation that has died, but the use signified by the term "church": a use which cannot die, and is but transferred to a new organic body.

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No one would deny that the Christian Church is performing social, moral, ethical, and even certain religious uses. But it is no longer the medium through which men are regenerated while they are on earth; and for that reason, because it does not perform the use in which the spiritual life of a church consists, it is dead, even though men should throng its temples and countless choirs chant the Venite.
In so far as a simple gospel is preached, the Lord can operate to bring men into a state in which the spiritual mind, neither opened nor closed here, will be opened after death. In so far as there is falsity,-and the old, dead dogmas are still preached,-He can withhold the simple in heart from interior confirmation of those dogmas. But the Lord's operation through an imperfect medium, or despite a useless one, should not be credited to the medium itself. Spiritually the Christian Church is dead, and to know what this means enables us to see through every contrary appearance.
ATTITUDES AND EMPHASES 1951

ATTITUDES AND EMPHASES Editor 1951

Every reader of the public newsprints is aware of corruption at nearly every level of public life. Not without reason do some thinking men ask if we are witnessing a complete moral breakdown. Injustice, abuse of privilege, misuse of office, betrayal of trust, reckless waste, and plain ineptitude, are in the foreground of the contemporary scene. Public indignation dies as quickly as it is sparked into flame. An aroused and determined public opinion is slow to gather force; and when it does find modes of action, every effort is made by strongly entrenched interests to hinder or nullify its endeavors.
Where public opinion is not aroused, it ranges from apathy or despair through benevolent neutrality to tolerant acceptance that is grounded in indifference or assumed to express a cynical, sophisticated wisdom. The New Church, as a church, can do little if anything about the situation. But its members can recognize and avoid these mistaken or evil attitudes. If nothing else, they can, as individuals, think these things through to the real issues involved, realize the absolute values at stake, affirm those values without qualification, and thus maintain a personal integrity.

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     Because the spotlight is on corruption and inefficiency, however, it is just as easy to make false emphases as it is to adopt wrong attitudes, and with just as disastrous consequences. And it is timely to recall a principle enunciated by Swedenborg, early in 1761, in his reply to Nordencrantz; a member of the House of Nobles who in a published work, ascribed the falling rate of exchange in Sweden to the corruption of public officials and private citizens.
     In his Memorial to the Diet. Swedenborg charged that Nordencrantz had done great disservice to the country by pointing out the faults and weaknesses of the government without looking for any of its good points. In this way, he said, great harm is done to the government in the minds of unthinking people, and the possibilities of good in it are minimized. All generous and truly Christian souls excuse such faults as may have arisen from weakness, and combat those which may have been done on purpose. Should he undertake to make known, he continued, all that had happened in England and Holland to the detriment of justice and the common good, he might fill a whole book; when yet these governments, together with that in Sweden, were the best in Europe, as every inhabitant, notwithstanding all shortcomings, is safe in his life and property and is a free man. It is impossible to escape all distortion of right, he went on since most men are subject to human weakness. Yet the good in our government far overbalances the bad, and care must be taken lest an enumeration of too many shortcomings create discontent with the excellent government established among us (Docu. 180).
     The reader of the Writings will readily recall teachings in the doctrine of charity which provide a spiritual basis for this principle of judgment and make it a matter of religion. It is a recognized truth that honest officials, conscientious civil servants, and law-abiding citizens do not make the headlines. It is equally true that the good in our democratic governments far outweighs the bad. We may well remember this as we read or hear the news of the day, and as we examine our attitude to it. And we may also reflect that where there is trust in the existence and operations of the Divine Providence there can be neither despair nor cynicism, nor yet a refusal to take responsibility.

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Church News 1951

Church News Various 1951

     MADISON, WISCONSIN

     A New Circle

     On August 30, 1951, the group misting in Madison for worship and instruction, and for the education of their children in the true Christian religion, made formal application for recognition as the Madison (Wisconsin) Circle of the General Church of the New Jerusalem. This letter was signed by me and by the following members of the group: Mrs. Veronica Vogel Parr, Mrs. Elizabeth Cronlund Kern, Theophilus John Kern, Mrs. Hortense Festerling Mergen, Alfred Frank Mergen, and Mrs. Jane Scalbom Howell. On September 5, the application was granted by the Bishop of the General Church and the Madison Circle came into being; its first officers, elected at an organizational meeting on August 19, being Mr. Alfred Mergen, Secretary, and Mrs. Elizabeth Kern, Treasurer.
     Thereby hangs a pleasant tale, for until September 1944, I knew of no New Church men in Madison; nor, in fact, were there any members of the General Church there then. That month, while in Bryn Athyn. I was introduced to Mr. Clark Dristy of South Dakota and Mr. Dan Pedersen of Madison, who were on a trip East to contact New Church ministers in the hope of having certain doctrinal subjects made clearer to them. At that time, my suggestion that I visit the small group of readers in Madison of whom Mr. Pedersen fold me was not taken up; but thirteen months later five of the group attended a District Assembly in Glenview, and some of them attended one of the Rockford Circle's classes at the suggestion of Miss Jane Scalbom, then living in Madison.
     Miss Scalbom was now in France with the Red Cross, and the small group that had gathered around Mr. Pedersen for weekly study of the Writings now included Mr. and Mrs. Alfred Mergen and Mrs. Veronica Parr. The suggestion made a year ago was now received with unbounded enthusiasm, and on October 14, 1945, I paid my first pastoral visit to Madison. Seven people came to the meeting and a paper on Prayer was followed by hours of discussion. On my forty visits to Madison the subjects of our classes and sermons have been extremely varied: Many people, most of them brought by Mr. Pedersen, have attended the meetings, some but once, some a few times, a few quite regularly; and the outstanding characteristic of the group has been that love of active discussion which marks those who actively study the Writings.
     The post-war years brought changes in the personnel of the group. In 1946, Mr. and Mrs. Gunner Nilson came to Madison for two years, and in the same year Mr. Mergen was baptized. Then, in the summer of 1949, the Pedersens, who had never been fully in sympathy with the position of the General Church, withdrew finally but in a friendly manner from the group. Miss Jane Scalbom, returned two years previously, was married to Mr. Max Howell, who attends our meetings with interest. Mr. Kenneth Holmes of Glenview spent three years at Madison its the University of Wisconsin. first alone and then with his wife, Miss Sharon Acton, also of Glenview. Then, in the fall of 1949, the group received two more most active members, Mr. and Mrs. T. J. Kern (Elizabeth Cronlund).

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     Things have moved rapidly and peacefully since then. The Howells, Kerns, and Mergens attended the Chicago District Assembly in 1949 and the General Assembly in 1950 after which Mr. Mergen joined the General Church. In the fall of 1950, the Rev. and Mrs. Elmo Acton visited the group while I was touring the South; and in June this year, Mrs. Mergen at last said that she wished to be baptized; together with the six Mergen children, to whom I had been giving religious instruction whenever possible. Mrs. Parr wrote that she wished to be baptized at the same time. These baptisms were performed on Sunday. August 19, at a full service of worship held in the Mergen home, at which the sermon was on The Second Coming of the Lord. The Howells were unable to be with us, but the thirteen who were present enjoyed a delightful dinner together; after which the adults signed the petition for recognition as a Circle of the General Church.
     And so the Madison Circle of the General Church has at last been born. It is a small group, seven adults and seven children, but in activity there is no Circle I know of that surpasses it. Since the coming of the Kerns, the Rev. and Mrs. Emil Cronlund, Mrs. Kern's parents, have visited Madison several times, and Mr. Cronlund has delighted the Circle with several classes. I visit them about ten times a year now, and in September the Holy Supper will be administered for the first time. My visits are usually on Sundays After a drive of 130 miles I dine at noon with one of the families, hold a class for the Mergen children, and then a class or service at four o'clock. This is followed by much discussion and a "churns supper," after which comes the trip home.
     With the coming of tape-recorded classes and sermons the activities of the group increased considerably. Its addition to my visits, they now meet weekly for a recorded class or service; and plans are now being made for a regular Sunday morning service, also tape-recorded. The future, of course, is known only to the Lord. Sometimes our Circles grow; sometimes fast, sometimes slowly. All we can do is to keep our hearts and minds, and our doors, open to any newcomers who show any signs at all of desiring to join us; be actively Oil the lookout ion such persons; and devote ourselves to increased study of the Writings that the real meaning of their teachings may be perceived and applied to life. Then, in the Lord's good time, His New Church will grow, until it overspreads the earth as the waters cover the sea.
ORMOND ODHNER.

     (From an account prepared by the Rev. Ormond Odhner.)

     TORONTO, CANADA

     August in Toronto is ordinarily a month of vactions and absenteeism, but this time we have had the privilege of entertaining an honored guest. Candidate Frank S. Rose spent two weeks visiting the various homes and meeting informally as many members of the Olivet society as were available. Several small parties were held, and on the 1st Sunday of Mr. Rose's visit, Mr. and Mrs. Healdon Starkey opened their lovely garden for a picnic lunch directly after church. This was well attended and proven to be a very happy occasion.
     On Sunday, August 12th, Candidate Rose preached an applicable sermon on "Judgment," emphasizing the use of charity in judging others. His topic on the following Sunday was Salvation, the text being Psalm 15: 1, 2. In this sermon Mr. Rose mentioned that in our attempts to do the Lord's will we may wonder if anyone can attain the kind of perfection He seems to demand. But regeneration is not accomplished in one day, and the Lord does not judge man on the basis of one, or even of many decisions, but on the character he has acquired through a lifetime of choices freely made. In every new situation we must decide that the truth shall be our guide and charity our motive.

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     With his many talents, Mr. Frank Rose made friends wherever he went. Thereby he has assured himself of a hearty welcome whenever he is able to return to Toronto.
     VERA CRAIGIE.

     LOS ANGELES, CALIF.

     Ministerial Visit.-With the coming of the summer vacation season the call of the mountains, streams, woods, beaches, or the open road causes church attendance to suffer in a small group such as we have here, for with the absence of even a few it is hard to hold a satisfying meeting. However, we always seem to rally round when the visiting minister makes his semi-annual visit to the Los Angeles area, and this summer was no exception as we welcomed the Rev. Louis B. King to our sunny environment.

     Mr. King was met at the airport as arranged, and taken on a short sightseeing tour of the city before meeting with a small group at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Peter Klippentein in Inglewood. The following day, my wife and I drove him to Altadena to pick up Mrs. Royal Davis, and the four of us drove to Riverside for a service at the Lawson Cooper home. Mr. King conducted worship for twelve adults and two children, since Mr. Frazer and Mr. and Mrs. Wilson of Corona, and Mr. and Mrs. Needles and their infant from San Bernardino, were able to come. A nice social meeting followed the service.
     The next evening a small group met with Mr. King at the home of the Rev. and Mrs. Henry Boef for discussion. Sunday service was held in the church at the Swedenborg Center, and was conducted by Mr. Boef and Mr. King. After this service, the group of eighteen adults and eleven children present joined in a picnic lunch in the back garden of the church.
     Monday was Mr. King's so-called day of rest on which he paid calls, went to see the Swedenborg Memorial Chapel at Palos Verdes, and finally got in a couple of relaxing hours at the beach. Tuesday morning found us rushing to the airport, getting there with less than one minute until flight time, and reluctantly saying goodbye to Mr. King as he boarded his ship for San Francisco. Any visiting minister coming to Los Angeles soon finds he has very little time he can call his Own. He finds small gatherings each evening which keep him up until the early hours of the morning, and then he is rushed here and there during the day. Mr. King's visit was truly enjoyed by all of us, and we hope that he can come again very stun.

     Other Events.-It was decided to close the church during the month of August in order to give Mr. Boef a much needed vacation. August was therefore a very slow month. However, Mr. and Mrs. Kenneth McQueen and daughter, now living at Mojave, Calif., spent a few days in our midst and a baby shower for Mr. and Mrs. Zuber (Ruth Barry), organized by Mrs. Stuart Synnestvedt, was held at the Altadena home of Mr. and Mrs. Royal Davis on the 26th.
     July 30th was the date of the last service until after the vacation, and on it social activity was combined with worship. Mr. and Mrs. Robert Synnestvedt of Bryn Athyn, and Mr. and Mrs. Howells Walker and family of San Diego, were guests for the day. Twenty-two adults and sixteen children gathered at the Center. After the service we had a fine picnic lunch, followed by a birthday celebration for Mr. Boef. When the cake had been cut and eaten, we all gathered inside the building to see the slides and movies presented by Mr. Synnestvedt on New Church education and the Academy schools. These were thoroughly enjoyed, and brought back many wonderful memories of those of us who had been fortunate enough to attend school in Bryn Athyn.
     HAROLD F. COLE.

     DETROIT, MICHIGAN

     Following a brief summer vacation, our Circle's activities were resumed, on Sunday, August 5th, with a service of worship conducted by our Pastor.

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On the following Sunday, Mr. Rogers being away on his monthly visit to Barberton, Ohio, a lay service was conducted by Mr. Walter Childs. On this occasion we had as visitors Miss June Macauley, a member of the Academy faculty, Miss Lucy Lindsay of Pittsburgh, and Mr. and Mrs. Duane Cook of Atlanta, Ga. Duane is a son of Mr. and Mrs. William F. Cook, members of our Circle.
     Five of our young people are attending the Academy Schools this fall: Nancy Cook, Jimmy Forfar, Tom Steen, Cherry Synnestvedt, and Peter Synnestvedt, Peter and Toni being students in the College. A farewell party was given in their honor on September 8th. It was held its the grounds of the Walter Childs home. Refreshments prepared on the outdoor grill were served, and each student received from the Women's Guild a gift of personalized stationary. Let us hope the result will be frequent letters home.
     At our service on August 19th, we again had Miss June will us, and welcomed Mr. and Mrs. Bertil Larsson with their three children, Judy, Noel, and Bobby. The Larssons recently moved from Nutley, N. J., to Bath, N. Y., where Mr. Larsson, an electrical engineer, is in the employ of the Westinghouse Company.
     Quite a number of us had the pleasure of meeting the Rev. Norman H. Reuter and his wife, who with their three children, stayed overnight at the John Howard home on August 13th on their way back to Kitchener from Glenview. A reception was held at the home of Norman and Eloise Synnestvedt. It was quite like old times to have the Reuter family with us again and we greatly appreciated the opportunity of visiting with them.
     With the coming of September, the entire activities of our Circle were resumed, including the weekly doctrinal class for adults, the class for children, and our monthly community dinner. At our service on August 26th, we had as visitors Mrs. Aurelle Steen and Mrs. Jack Dicken, both of the Kitchener Society.
     WILLIAM W. WALKER.

     TUCSON, ARIZONA

     Our Easter children's service was very nice, the children bringing flowers that were put in vases on either side of the altar A pretty bouquet was given to Mrs. Irma Waddell after rise service in appreciation of her work with the children's classes.
     The Rev. Harold C. Cranch and his wife arrived and, as always, everyone enjoyed and felt inspired by his services and classes. During their stay. Mr. Cranch baptized Peter Alden, sun of Guy and Helen Alden; there was a children's class and social, followed by supper and class for the adults at Mrs. Waddell's; a service at the Wilsons; a lunch, later, with Mr. A. W. Davies of Philadelphia and Mr. and Mrs. D. Copenhaver of Los Angeles as guests and supper and class at Dr. and Mrs. Pat Waddells with Mr. and Mrs. Schweigert, Mrs. Jacksen, and Mrs. Norton as guests.
     Our classes, in which we have been listening to recordings of classes by the Rev. K. R. Alden, have been well attended Because of the sudden drop in our membership we are now holding only one service and one class a month. However, we have reason to hope that we will have new members move to Tucson this winter.
     Everyone expressed great pleasure at meeting the Rev. Louis B. King, who spend three days here in July. During his crowded stay there was a children's service and dinner at the Carlsons; and, on the last day, dinner and class at Mrs. Irma Waddell's, service at the Wilsons, supper at the Rembert Smiths, and a social at the Wilsons in the evening.
     Dr. and Mrs. Pat Waddell and their four children have moved for a period of two years to Denver, where he will further his study of medicine. This is a great loss to our Circle, and to everyone in Tucson who knew them.
     ELAINE S. WILSON.

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     BRYN ATHYN

     The summer calm of a college town retreated quietly overnight with the return and arrival, on September 10th, of students old and new. Faculty meetings. Registration, Tests, and the thronging of halls long untenanted except by work crews gently plying their summer trade. There was a new, zestful tang in the mental atmosphere, though the physical climate remained as oppressive as ever and Bryn Athyn hostesses took in stride the accommodation problem posed by the non-completion of Glenn Hall renovations.
     Opening Exercises of the Bryn Athyn Elementary School were held in the Benade Hall Chapel on Wednesday, September 12th. The service was conducted by the Rt. Rev. Willard D. Pendleton and the lessons were read by the Rev Hugo Lj. Odhner. In his address to the children, the Principal, the Rev. David R. Simons, likened education to the unwrapping of gifts from the Lord that they may be seen and to showing how those gifts are to be used that they may be enjoyed.
     A large audience was present at this service, and also later in the morning when the Opening Exercises of the Academy Schools were held in the Assembly Hall. Bishop Pendleton again conducted the service, the lessons were read by the Rev. Karl R. Alden, and the Address of Welcome was delivered by Professor Eldric S. Klein, Dean of the College. The address, which appeared in the October issue of NEW CHURCH EDUCATION, dealt largely with delights in relation to education: the delights from the Lord which should be cultivated, those from heredity which should be resisted, and the need to invite the delights of new states instead of dineing to those of the past. The President's Reception was held in the evening; and Recitations, preceded by opening worship, began for the upper schools the following morning, classes in the Theological School and the College starting on Monday, the 17th.
     Since then, fall activities have gradually been resumed. With the first Friday Supper and the Annual Meeting of the Bryn Athyn Church, on October 5th, the full winter schedule will begin operating.

     SOUTHERN OHIO

     This area has been without a regular visiting pastor for over a year, but we are happy to report that we are now receiving a visit from a minister each month. Like North Ohio, however, we were not neglected in our nerd. Bryn Athyn, Chicago, Glenview, and Pittsburgh generously sent us their ministers. The Rev. Elmo C. Acton and the Rev. Victor J. Gladish came in the fall of 1950, and the Rev. W. Cairns Henderson visited us in January
     For the next three months we relied on our tape-recorder and on family worship for our spiritual instruction. The Rev. David R. Simons was with us for a weekend in May, and July was made exceptional by two visits. Candidate Dandridge Pendleton spent a week with us, giving a doctrinal class in Urbana and also at Glendale, and that weekend we were very happy to welcome Mr. Henderson again. On that occasion our congregation was enlarged by four visitors from Glenview.
     Our services are held in the home of Mr. and Mrs. Robert G. Barnitz, in Urbana, and there are 17 adults and 7 children when we have a full attendance. Since we are so few in numbers we feel particularly the need of ministerial visits to strengthen our group; so we are grateful for the excellent classes and sermons given by these ministers, and are now looking forward to a regular schedule of monthly services.
     BARBARA B. BARNITZ.

     GENERAL CHURCH

     Bishop de Charms has returned to his office and is gradually resuming his duties as his health permits.

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CHICAGO DISTRICT ASSEMBLY 1951

CHICAGO DISTRICT ASSEMBLY HAROLD P. MCQUEEN 1951

     Announcements

NEW CHURCH LIFE
VOL. LXXI
DECEMBER, 1951
No. 12
     GLENVIEW, OCTOBER 12-14, 1951

     The weather in Glenview during the weekend of October 12-14 was bright and sunshiny, the temperature being in the 70's: all of which, coupled with the varying tints of autumn coloring on trees and bushes, made a perfect setting for our Assembly. We had a caterer serve the three meals on Saturday in our assembly hall, thus affording an opportunity for the Glenview hosts and the people from away ample time for informal visiting. For Sunday breakfast and dinner the visitors from away were guests of the members of the Immanuel Church.
     The Saturday morning and afternoon meetings were held in the assembly room of a very fine new school building situated about two miles from the Park. Fifty-six visitors from nearby States added much to the strong sphere of charity which pervaded all our meetings.

     First Session.-The Assembly opened with Bishop Willard D. Pendleton's episcopal address on Friday evening, the meeting being opened with prayer and reading from the Word. The Bishop's paper, entitled "The Doctrine of Correspondences," is in print (pp. 532-544) so we will refrain from comment on it. Mr. Sydney Lee expressed his appreciation of the paper and also voiced the sentiments of all present at the great pleasure in having the Bishop and his wife with us. The Rev. Elmo C. Acton then tendered a hearty welcome to all the members of the Assembly from away from the members of Immanuel Church. Tea, coffee, and light refreshments were served after the formal part of the meeting had been closed.

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     Second Session.-At the Saturday morning meeting we heard an address by Mr. Sydney Lee on "The Pattern of Rational Thought." Mr. Lee stated that Swedenborg's search for truth demanded a well organized approach and that his works show a pattern of thought,-philosophic doctrines which became the structure of his mind: showing then, by citation and example, how those doctrines are basic to an understanding of revealed truth. The Rev. Victor J. Gladish, in speaking to the paper, urged the reading of the Writings and of Swedenborg's philosophical works. Mr. Acton spoke of the relation of the philosophical works to the Writings. Bishop Pendleton congratulated Mr. Lee on a paper of great value and mentioned the importance of a vision of the Divine Human in the Writings. In reply to a question he stated that the philosophical works are a human formulation of Divine law and the Writings a revelation of the Lord's Divine Human, whence the discrete degree between the two.

     Third Session.-At our Saturday afternoon meeting the Rev. Ormond Odhner addressed us on "Providential Control of Evils." The Lord permits no evil to happen save that which can be bent to some good, yet we are not to think that anything of evil comes from the Lord. Evil is from hell, but the Lord disposes it for good not in a personal or arbitrary way, but through the laws of order by which creation was effected,-laws which, however, are not lifeless and impersonal, but love itself acting by means of wisdom: the Divine Human God at work and the only truly human thing there is. After several of those present had spoken appreciatively of Mr. Odhner's paper, Bishop Pendleton pointed out that the Lord's government is one of law and order because all truth is the Divine law hence, the importance of New Church education, in which we endeavor to cultivate in our children a respect for law and order.
     At the conclusion of this discussion we held a short business meeting. Mr. Acton, as chairman of the Committee on Education for this district, reported that the Committee recommended that New Church education be accepted as a use of this district. The Rev. Harold C. Cranch urged the setting up of a tenth grade, and stated that we can have it if the district will support the use of education. He urged that education be made the work of charity of this district.

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Mr. Odhner said that all members of the Church should support the work of New Church education, and Mr. Coulter of St. Paul stated that he was heartily in favor of the idea. Bishop Pendleton said that he would appoint a committee to act.

     Banquet.-Our Saturday meetings closed with a banquet at which the Rev. Elmo C. Acton was toastmaster. Mr. Acton proposed a toast to the Church, and then called on Professor Eldric S. Klein, Dean of the College of the Academy; a popular man, known to nearly all of our young people, who was received with much applause. In his address, Dean Klein endeavored to give a portrait of the mature mind as he found it described in the Writings, and then went on to show how the College of the Academy contributes, or tries to contribute, to the development of such a mind in its students. He gave a few examples of the difficulties invoked in such an undertaking, and showed that the Academy teachers are aware of their problems and are attempting to meet them.
     Mr. Acton thanked the speaker on behalf of all present for his stirring address and then called on the Bishop to close the meetings. Bishop Pendleton spoke most appreciatively of Dean Klein's paper and then declared the meeting adjourned.

     Sunday Services.-On Sunday we had three church services, all well attended. At 9:30 there was a children's service at which the address was given by the Rev. Harold C. Cranch of the Sharon Church. Bishop Pendleton preached the sermon at the adult service, the Rev. Elmo C. Acton being on the chancel for both services. This was followed, at 4:00, by a Holy Supper Service at which 105 communicants took part. Bishop Pendleton as celebrant was assisted by the Revs. Elmo C. Acton and Harold C. Cranch.

     Conclusion.-It may sound trite to say that this Assembly was the best we have ever had. Of course, it should be. And from many comments overheard, it was. For those statistically inclined the following figures may prove interesting.

     Record of Attendance.-

First Session, Friday evening:     207
Saturday morning, breakfast:          59

532

Second Session, Saturday morning:     74
Saturday luncheon:               85
Third Session, Saturday afternoon:     123
Saturday evening, banquet:          195
Children service                    217 (104 adults)
Adults' service                    157
Holy Supper Service               105
     HAROLD P. MCQUEEN
DOCTRINE OF CORRESPONDENCES OR THE LAW OF COMMUNICATION 1951

DOCTRINE OF CORRESPONDENCES OR THE LAW OF COMMUNICATION WILLARD D. PENDLETON 1951

(At District Assemblies,Autumn of 1951.)

The Search for the Human Soul.-It is well known to all of us that the primary purpose behind Swedenborg's anatomical studies was the search for the human soul. Nowhere is this more clearly expressed than in his introduction to the little work entitled The Harmony Between Soul and Body (PSYCH. TRANS.). Here he states; "I have hesitated for a long time as to whether to gather all my meditations concerning the soul and the body . . . into a single work and volume; or to divide them into separate numbers and transactions to be presented to the public one by one after the manner of the Acts of the learned. . . . And inasmuch as I suspected and foresaw' that it would never be possible simultaneously to complete and bring to an end so vast a work . . . therefore I deemed it the better course to distribute the work into transactions or sheets, and frequently take up the pen-always leaving some interval of time when I might be allowed to take breath, and might also give my mind to the duties devolving upon me. For just as the point of the pen is blunted by over much use, so likewise ins it with the mind. . . . In this way there is hope that after a few years the goal will be reached, and I shall have it in my power to present the state of the soul even when, after the fate of her body she is left to herself."

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     In so many words Swedenborg outlined his plan of study for the work which he hoped would be the culmination of all of his efforts in the fields of science and philosophy. It was, therefore, with the subject of the soul in mind that he began work on that series of PSYCHOLOGICAL TRANSACTIONS which, taken together, constitute an introduction to his later work, Rational Psychology.
     Our interest in this paper, however, does not center in the soul but in those principles whereby Swedenborg attempted to arrive at a knowledge of the soul-particularly the principle, or doctrine of correspondence. It was to these principles that Swedenborg referred in his preface to Rational Psychology where he says: "To ascend from the organic and material body all the way to the soul . . . was not permissible unless I first cleared the way that would lead me thither. It behooves me, therefore, to elaborate certain new doctrines hitherto unknown, that they may be the companions and guides without which we can never attempt this passage, to wit, the doctrine of forms, the doctrine of order and degrees, then the doctrine of correspondences and representations, and finally the doctrine of modifications."
     It is evident from this that Swedenborg took up the subject of the soul with high hopes, but it is equally evident that he was disappointed with the results. In treating of the form of the soul in the fourth part of his Rational Psychology he says: `These matters are among things secret, our conclusions being nothing more than conjectures. Who is there that has seen it? It is reason alone that persuades us with respect to it. When we live as souls we shall perhaps laugh at ourselves at having conjectured so childishly" (R. Psych., 524). Little did Swedenborg realize that the secrets of the human soul were to be revealed to him while he was yet a man on earth. That realm which he endeavored to discover by way of natural philosophy, or, as he said, by "reason alone," was yet to be made known to him in quite another way.
     Do not, however, underestimate the importance of Swedenborg's philosophical works because he failed of his goal. In attempting the passage from the world of nature to the world of the spirit he developed the principles mentioned above. It is these principles, or doctrines as he called them, that constitute the framework of his entire philosophical system and also provide a natural-rational for the Divine revelation.

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Had Swedenborg not been a philosopher he could not have become a revelator; and had he not acknowledged that the only purpose of wisdom is the veneration of God he could not have been a true philosopher. As he said in his treatise on The Means Leading to a True Philosophy"; "Without the utmost devotion to the Supreme Being, no one can be a complete and truly learned philosopher. True philosophy and contempt of the Deity are two opposites. Veneration for the Infinite can never be separated from philosophy for he who thinks himself wise, whilst his wisdom does not teach him to acknowledge the Divine . . . has no wisdom at all" (Principia, p. 38: Rendell and Tansley Ed.).

The Gordian Knot.-It is not the purpose of this paper to deal with the general subject of the relation of the philosophical works to the Writings. Instead we propose to take a particular doctrine, namely, the doctrine of correspondence, and by means of it illustrate the relation which exists between the preparatory works and the Divine revelation. As already observed, this doctrine was formulated by Swedenborg prior to his commission as a revelator. We do not mean to infer from this that the doctrine of correspondences as set forth in the Writings is simply an extension of Swedenborg's own philosophy; but we do believe that had he not been led to see this law' as it operates on the plane of nature, he could not have been led later to perceive the relation which exists between the spiritual and the natural worlds.
It is a matter of common perception that man is a dual creation-that he possesses not only a body formed of the dust of the ground but also a mind formed of sensations, thoughts and affections. I say it is a matter of common perception, yet many deny it. Among the learned of the day few' will admit the coexistence of two utterly different realities. Because natural philosophy has never been able to define the relation between mind and matter it has been forced to choose between two extremes of thought. The one is materialism, which denies the existence of the spirit-which acknowledges no reality other than matter; the other is idealism, which in turn disputes the reality of the physical universe, leaving only the world of the conscious self-a world of disembodied sensations and ideas.

535

     Perhaps we can understand this better when we reflect upon the fact that philosophy is the attempt of reason to arrive at an understanding of the ultimate nature of things. Indeed the more we study the history of human thought and observe its strivings to arrive at one incontrovertible truth regarding the nature of ultimate reality, the more we are impressed with what the Writings say regarding the limitations of reason. As the Writings repeatedly teach, the function of reason is not to determine the truth but to confirm it. The truth is that there is a God and that He is one. This is not a matter of human reason; that is to say, the existence of God is not a matter of human determination. In other words, Gods existence is not dependent upon man's acknowledgment of Him.
     In this Swedenborg differed from his contemporaries in the field of philosophy. He did not attempt to prove the existence of God by what he described as "a thousand curious efforts" (The Infinite, Chap. I, Sec. I, par. 2), but proceeded directly to the essential problem of philosophy in the following words: "In order that we may be favored and happy in our endeavors, they must begin from the Infinite, or God, without whom no undertakings can attain a prosperous issue. . . . And as the soul was created by Him and added to the body, and reason to both, in order that the soul might be His: so our thoughts, whether we revolve them within, or utter them in words or commit them to writing, must always be so directed as to have their beginning and end from Him" (The Infinite, par. 1).
     At this day the doctrine of dualism, which was generally accepted in Swedenborg's time, is largely discredited. In the advanced centers of intellectual thought the issue is drawn between the materialists and the idealists, neither one admitting to the basic premise of the other, but both equally insistent in their denial of the dualistic argument that man is a twofold creation consisting of two essentially different realities, namely, soul and body. The historical reason for the breakdown of the dualistic system of philosophy lay in the fact that its proponents were unable to offer a convincing explanation of the relation which exists between the spirit and the body, that is, between mind and matter. To this day it remains the Gordian Knot of human reason.
     I say, to this day, only because Emanuel Swedenborg is not counted among the philosophers. Nowhere will you find his name mentioned among the men who exercised a determining influence in the history of human thought.

536

There are two reasons for this: First, because Swedenborg assumes as his premise the existence of God-a premise which is not permissible because subject to doubt. Second, because he is associated in the minds of men with the mystics-with those who claim knowledge of truth beyond reason. Nevertheless, it was Emanuel Swedenborg, a forgotten philosopher of the eighteenth century, who offered to the learned world the only reasonable explanation of the relation between mind and matter.
It is to be observed that Swedenborg's entire philosophical system rests upon the premise that mind and matter are utterly distinct substances, and that the one can never pass over into the other. In searching for the key that would unlock this relationship and account for the mode whereby the one communicates with the other without a confusion of substance, Swedenborg gave careful consideration to the explanations of his day. He familiarized himself with the doctrine of physical influx as propounded by Aristotle and the Schoolmen, and he studied Descartes' doctrine of Occasional Influx and Leibnitz's theory of Pre-established Harmony. While each was suggestive, none held the answer. So it was that Swedenborg turned from the field of philosophy to the study of anatomy: for, as he later said; "I finally discerned that no other course lay open save that which leads through the anatomy of the soul's organic body, it being there that she carries on her sports and completes her course. She is to be sought solely in the abiding place and lodgment where she is, that is to say, in her own field of action' (Preface to R. Psych.). By this means Swedenborg hoped to discover not only the nature of the soul itself, but also that mode of communication whereby the soul has intercourse with the material body in which it dwells (ibid.).
It was while engaged in this work that Swedenborg developed over a period of years his doctrine of correspondence. It was here on the plane of nature that he observed that no impulse can be carried to the brain as a sensation except by way of a corresponding organ. "Sight," he says, "can by no means exist without the eye, hearing without the ear, taste without the tongue, smell without the pituitary membrane. And in like manner, as the external senses cannot exist without a suitable organic substance, that is, without organs, so neither can the internal senses.

537

The organic substance of perception is the cortical gland, and that of intellection is the simple cortex. . . . It is altogether repugnant to nature that anything sensitive and intellectual can have existence apart from a suitable substance; for sensations are merely forces and modifications going forth from the substances acted upon. For this reason the soul is the only sentient and intelligent substance in its body" (R. Psych. 3).
     In an address such as this we do not have the time to pursue Swedenborg's development of the doctrine of correspondence in any detail. We must therefore be content with a general statement which will serve as an outline of his essential argument in general the teaching is that the eye is an organ formed for the reception of the modifications of the ether, even as the ear is formed for the reception of the modulations of the air. Thus it is that any change in the activity of the ether or the air results in a corresponding change in the state of the eye and the ear. A change of state in the eye or the ear is immediately communicated by way of the nerve fibers to the cortical glands of the brain which undergo a corresponding change of state. It is this change of state in the cortical gland that is perceived by the soul as a sensation (R. Psych. 97).
     In other words, it is not the eye which sees nor the ear which hears; it is the soul, for this alone is capable of sensation. However, what is actually perceived is a change of state in the eye or the ear which is communicated to the internal sensories or cortical glands of the brain as a corresponding change in their own state. To put it in yet another way, the quality of the sensation corresponds to the state of the cortical glands, the state of the glands to the state of the external sense organ, and the state of the organ to the nature of the impulse in which the sensation originated.
     So it is that the doctrine of correspondence is the name which Swedenborg gave to that mode of intercourse whereby the soul communicates with its physical environment-a communication which is not affected by continuity and confusion of substance, but by contiguity and modification of state. As Sewell says in his introduction to the first English translation of Rational Psychology By correspondences things totally different in degree and substance are nevertheless so adapted that the motions or tremulous vibrations in one may be continued through the other or converted into some modification of the other's state" (par. xxvi).

538

     The doctrine of correspondences, therefore, is not what the critics of Emanuel Swedenborg deem it to be. It is not, as some have suggested, an artificial mode of exegesis whereby Swedenborg endeavored to draw an internal sense from the Scriptures. Actually it is the law of communication-that law by which the soul communicates with the body, and, we would here add, that law by which all communication is effected. Were it not for correspondences man could not communicate with man, nor man with God, nor God with man. Briefly stated, the law is that all communication is effected by means of correspondences. Indeed we may think of the doctrine of correspondences as a ladder set upon earth, the top of which reaches unto heaven. For even as the forces of nature are communicated to the eye, so the eye communicates with the sensors' fibre; and as the fibre communicates with the cortical gland, so the gland communicates with the imagination; and as the imagination communicates with the intellect, so does the intellect commune with God-all by means of correspondences.

     A Basic Distinction.-We come now to the period of Swedenborg's illumination-that period of his life in which his spiritual eyes were open to the wonders of the world which lie beyond the limits of natural investigation. Here he found a world which was like, yet at the same time unlike, the world of nature. It was like in that all things of the natural world correspond to the things of the spiritual world; hint it was unlike in that it was not fixed in time and space. Swedenborg, however, found no difficulty in accepting the world which he found. Because of the doctrine of correspondence, already formulated in his mind, he readily perceived the relation which exists between the two worlds-a relation of cause and effect.
     Can it be said, therefore, that the doctrine of correspondences as revealed in the Writings is only an extension of the doctrine of correspondence as formulated by Emanuel Swedenborg prior to the opening of his spiritual eyes? Is it possible that what we have accepted in the Church as a Divinely revealed doctrine is, after all, "reducible to a purely natural and scientific knowledge"? (Sewell). This is the question raised by Sewell in his introduction to Rational Psychology. In attempting to answer his own question he draws an interesting distinction, for he says:

539

"It is not the knowledge of correspondences which is revealed, but the knowledge of the things which correspond; it is not the knowledge of discrete degrees that is . . . revealed, but the knowledge of the things that compose those degrees."
     It is a neat distinction and in some ways suggestive, but we cannot agree with it. If taken as a general principle and applied to all doctrine it would lead the mind into grievous error. We cannot say, for instance, that it is not the doctrine of the Lord that is revealed, but a knowledge of the Lord. Actually doctrine is organized knowledge-organized in such a way that a truth may be seen. We must carefully distinguish, however, between philosophic doctrine and Divine doctrine-between natural philosophy and heavenly arcana. Whereas the one is a human formulation of those knowledges which the mind acquires by way of experience and reason, the other is a Divine ordering of knowledge--an order in which the Lord Himself may be seen and acknowledged.
     This then is the difference between the doctrine of correspondence as formulated by Emanuel Swedenborg a philosopher, and the doctrine of correspondences as revealed by Emanuel Swedenborg the servant of the Lord. It is true that the Divine doctrine could not have been given had Swedenborg not acquired that body of knowledge which constitutes the natural doctrine, but it is not to be confused with it. Like the soul and the body, the Divine doctrine and natural doctrine are distinct: yet, as in the case of the philosophical works, there is a relationship between the two in that the one corresponds to the other. Were this not so the Writings could not have been written. For it is by means of correspondences that the Lord communicates with man, and correspondences, as defined in the Writings, "are natural truths wherein, as in mirrors spiritual truths are represented" (AC 9300).
     It is the familiar teaching of the Writings that before the Divine can be made known it must first be made human. This is the reason why the Lord provided for Himself a body of flesh and blood- a body which in all respects was the same as that of other men except that "with Him alone there was a most perfect correspondence of all things of the body with the Divine" (AC 1414). This in order that there might be a most perfect communication between the Divine soul and the body of its indwelling.

540

The same may be said of the Second Coming, for again the Lord provided for Himself a body; not a body of flesh and blood but a body of natural doctrine formed and fashioned in the mind of the man who was being prepared by the Lord to be the revelator. Like the body derived from the mother it was infirm; nevertheless it was so ordered that there existed between this body of knowledge and the Divine a most perfect correspondence. By this we do not imply that the philosophical works are in any way Divine, but we do believe that they were the means whereby the Divine descended and formed for itself a rational revelation of the Lord's Divine Human.
We would call your attention here to a most important distinction that is made in the Writings. It is said that "it is one thing to acquire something from a means, and another to acquire it by a means" (AC 4065). The reference here is to the good that was related to the maternal human by means of which the Lord "procured for Himself those things whereby He made His natural Divine" (ibid.), but from which, "He took nothing" (AC 4073). The same may be said of that body of knowledges which constitutes the preparatory works that served as a means whereby the Divine rational was revealed, but from which the Writings took nothing: that is, nothing of doctrine. We are reminded here of what Swedenborg said regarding his conversations with spirits and angels where he testifies that, despite appearances to the contrary, he had not been instructed by any spirit or angel "about any matter in the Word, nor about any matter of doctrine from the Word, but I have been taught from the Lord alone" (DP 135).
As the matter stands, therefore, the doctrine of correspondence as formulated by Swedenborg in the philosophical works is not to be confused with the Divine doctrine. Unlike the doctrine of correspondences as set forth in the Writings it was not Divinely revealed to him. but was a matter of many years of patient research and reflection. Posing, as he did, the question of the nature of the human soul, it was only natural that he should first inquire into the manner in which the soul communicates with the body. In this he was led by the Lord to perceive how it is that things totally different in substance and degree communicate with each other. It is one thing, however, to be led by the Lord to perceive, as of one's self, those truths which are everywhere reflected in nature, and it is quite another to be commissioned by the Lord to reveal those Divine truths which lie beyond the limits of natural philosophy.

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     The Word of God.-We return now to the thesis that all communication is effected by means of correspondences. This has already been illustrated by the mode by which the soul communicates with the body, that is, by means of a corresponding change in the state of the organ affected. It may also be illustrated by the words which we speak, for they too are correspondences, Indeed, words are nothing more than sounds which, through experience and usage, we have come to associate with ideas and affections. It is through the association of ideas with words, however, that the words acquire meaning, and it is for this reason that Swedenborg refers to them as acquired correspondences (R. Psych. 161).
     Without words men could not communicate with each other except to a limited degree; that is, by means of facial expressions and bodily actions. It is in this manner that we endeavor to communicate with those with whom we do not share a common language, that is, by means of the smile, the frown, or bodily gestures. These too, however, are correspondences, for the hand offered in friendship,-or the fist clenched in anger co-respond to the state of the mind. There is no need to multiply illustrations. It is sufficient to say that apart from correspondences there could be no communication between minds. Indeed, we would observe that we never actually see the mind of another, but through those things which correspond to it the mind is revealed and the man may be known.
     Even as one man cannot communicate with another except by means of correspondences, neither can there be communication between God and man except by the same mode. This is why we are taught in the Writings that "by means of correspondences communication with heaven is granted to man," and "that there might be such a conjunction of heaven with man the Word was written by pure correspondences" (HH 114. See also AC 4280, 8615). We are all familiar with this teaching and every New Church man finds delight in applying the doctrine of correspondences to passages from the Old and New Testaments. We know, for instance, that the word "water" corresponds to truth, and wherever we find the word in the Sacred Writ we know that truth is meant.

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So it is that we understand the Lord's words to the woman of Samaria, "Whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst, but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life" (John 4: 14). We may ask here, what else could the Lord have meant by these words? Yet it is held by Swedenborg's critics that the doctrine of correspondences as set forth in the Writings is a highly esoteric system of Scriptural interpretation marked by many inconsistencies and without foundation in Scripture itself.
The truth is that the doctrine of correspondences as revealed in the Writings is neither esoteric nor difficult to understand. Actually the term correspondence is used in the Writings to define the relation which exists between a spiritual cause and a natural effect. This is not difficult to understand for even as the words which we speak correspond to the states of our mind, so do all things of the natural world correspond to those realities of the spiritual world in which they originate. We would observe further that a correspondential relationship is a functional relationship, that is to say, all correspondences are according to use. (See AC 4223, 4653; DLW 324) In other words, it is not the physical organ or natural object itself which corresponds, but the function or use which it performs. Hence bread corresponds to good not because of any quality itself, but because bread is to the body what good is to the soul. So we pray, saying, "Give us this day our daily bread." We mention this because it is important that we understand that the doctrine of correspondences as it applies to the Word is not an arbitrary set of symbols elaborated by Swedenborg, but that all correspondences are determined by use.
It was not until his call to the office of revelator that Swedenborg was introduced into the knowledge of the sacred correspondences. We cannot say, however, that prior to this time the application of the science of correspondences to the Word did not occur to him. In the year 1744-the year before his call by the Lord--Swedenborg prepared a small work entitled Correspondences and Representations which consists largely of Scriptural subjects and quotations. While this work affords no real light on the Scriptures it does indicate the direction in which Swedenborg's mind was beginning to turn.

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Perhaps the most indicative statement, however, is to be found in the somewhat earlier work, although probably written in the same year, entitled A hieroglyphic Key, where he says: "The reader will see these symbolic representations . . . set forth in the Doctrine of Representations and Correspondences together with things of utmost marvel that are to be met with everywhere in nature-I will not say in the animate body alone; things which so correspond to supreme and spiritual things that you would swear that the physical world is merely symbolic of the spiritual world" (PSYCH. TRANS., pp. 200-201).

     We cannot say therefore that the doctrine of correspondences was revealed de novo to Swedenborg. It did not come to him as an utterly new concept, that is, as a doctrine for which there was no basis of reception in his own mind. From his first reflections on the nature of the human soul even to his contemplation of the application of the principle of correspondence to Scripture, he was prepared by the Lord for the reception of the Heavenly Doctrine. Nor was he admitted immediately into a full understanding of the doctrine. From the time of his call in April, 1745, to December, 1748, when he began the Arcana, Swedenborg was progressively introduced into the knowledge of the sacred correspondences whereby he was to open the spiritual sense of the Word.
     This is the period of the Word Explained-that work which offers ample evidence of Swedenborg's progressive development in the understanding of the correspondences of the Word, but is marked throughout by confessions of obscurity and doubt as to the real meaning of certain passages. It was not until Swedenborg commenced work on the Arcana that he wrote with the authority of a revelator. No longer did he speculate upon the meaning of Scripture or confess to uncertainties, but he wrote as one who was fully prepared by the Lord.
     Here then is the distinction between the doctrine of correspondence as developed and formulated by Emanuel Swedenborg, a natural philosopher, and the doctrine of correspondences asset forth and expounded in the Heavenly Doctrines. Whereas the one is a human formulation of a natural law, the other is a revelation of the Lords Divine Human. The relation between the two is one of correspondence. This not only applies to the doctrine of correspondence, but to all those other principles or philosophic doctrines which Swedenborg developed in the philosophic works.

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The doctrine of order and degrees, the doctrine of forms, the doctrine of modifications, the doctrine of series and society, the doctrine of influx-each and all co-respond to the Divine doctrine, for, as already quoted, "Correspondences are natural truths, wherein, as so mirrors, spiritual truths are represented" (AC 9300), that is to say, are re-presented. We are reminded here of the ladder which was seen by Jacob in a dream, "A ladder set up on the earth and the top of it reached to heaven. . . . And behold, the Lord stood above it" (Gen. 28: 12, 13). Regarding this the Writings say, "that this signifies infinite and eternal communication and the consequent conjunction (AC 3701). Also, "the communication of the troth which is in the lowest place with the truth which is in the highest . . . . and between them the steps as of a ladder" (AC 3699). Also that "there are degrees as of a ladder between the intellectual and the sensuous" (AC 5114).
It is by means of sensuous truths that man ascends to natural truths, and by means of natural truths to intellectual truths, and by means of intellectual truths to an interior acknowledgment of God. Thus it is that the Word of God is comprised of three revelations-The Old Testament, the New Testament and the Writings. They are three revelations, but one Word. It is this unity or oneness of the Word of God which cannot be seen except by way of the doctrine of correspondences. Here is the pathway of communication of God and man-that Divine doctrine "set up on the earth . . . and, behold, the angels of God," that is, the infinite and eternal truths of the Lord's Divine Human, "ascending and descending on it" (Gen. 28: 12).
FORGOTTEN PAGES OF NEW CHURCH HISTORY 1951

FORGOTTEN PAGES OF NEW CHURCH HISTORY Rev. WILLIAM WHITEHEAD). 1951

12. Charles Dickens versus Rev. J. H. Smithson

It will be news to most of our readers that the celebrated Victorian novelist and social reformer, Charles Dickens, once received a public rebuke from a New Church minister for daring to print the frank statement that the "New Jerusalem" Church was "based on revelations claiming to be divine."

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     The occasion was an article in Mr. Dickens' famous, popular weekly, HOUSEHOLD WORDS, in which the editor had described the beliefs of his "Swedenborgian" friends, in that good-natured but candid and fearless style which had already endeared him to multitudes of readers in Britain and America.
     Charles Dickens was certainly no theologian, but his lively and inquisitive interest in a more rational and human interpretation of Christianity cannot be questioned. And if, in his Life of Our Lord,-written privately for his children, and not printed until a few years ago, he exhibits the Unitarian trend SO common to the writers of his day, it can be explained, in part, by his instinctive antagonism to the smug, conventional, power-hungry hierarchy of little minds that dominated church and chapel in his day.
     Why Charles Dickens' friendly article in HOUSEHOLD WORDS, in 1856, should have elicited so sharp a censure by the Rev J. H. Smithson, editor of the London INTELLECTUAL REPOSITORY AND NEW JERUSALEM MAGAZINE, 15 somewhat of a mystery. Was the reverend gentleman afraid of a plain statement that the Writings themselves constituted a revelation? And if so, was this fear a reflection of the state of the New Church a century ago? Or was the perturbed editor merely struggling with that fashion of contemporary literary snobbery which patronized Thackeray as a "gentleman's author," but looked down its nose at lowly-born Charles Dickens as a panderer to the "lower tastes" of the common people? Or are we to answer all three questions in the affirmative? Perhaps we should let the reader answer for himself.
     Here is Mr. Smithson's editorial, in full:-"In the 'Household Words,' conducted by Charles Dickens, for Feb. 23, we find an article on the 'New Jerusalem.' This article would, on account of its extreme flimsiness and incorrectness, be far beneath our notice, were it not that Mr. Dickens enjoys an unprecedented popularity in the reading world. His 'Household Words,' we are aware, have an extensive circulation, and many readers will be induced to look at what he says of the New Jerusalem, and of Swedenborg, and to receive from his description and statement, anything but true impressions and correct views respecting the subject on which he would fain entertain his admirers.

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We desire not to say a word against Mr. Dickens and his merits as a writer so successful in pleasing the public, although he too often panders to their lower tastes, instead of giving them a truly literary elevation, by lifting them more to the rational and spiritual, which he might do, more than he has done, without losing any of his popularity. He first says that the 'New Jerusalem is based on revelations claiming to be divine.' Now the only divine Revelation upon which the New Jerusalem is based by Swedenborg is the Word of God. This, then, is the first erroneous impression created by Charles Dickens in his 'Household Words' in respect to the New Jerusalem. And this we consider to be a very erroneous and injurious impression. The first requirement in an author, as Mr. Dickens well knows, is that he stick to the truth. No writer on theology has based all his doctrines so clearly and so firmly on the Word of God as Swedenborg, and this impression ought to be on every mind who pretends to give an account of the New Jerusalem. It is true that Swedenborg was a man of very extraordinary experience, and we are aware that it is an easy matter for superficial and ignorant writers to misrepresent him.
When Mr. Dickens intended to give an account of the 'New Jerusalem,' why did he not intimate it to some of his 'Swedenborgian' friends? for we know he has many, and he would soon have been supplied with an authentic and true account of the subject, which would have graced his Periodical and benefited his readers. Swedenborg was not 'three score and ten when he began to proclaim his celestial mission'-he was 'fifty-four.' But to pretend to give an account of the New Jerusalem from one of the smallest works of Swedenborg, called the Earths in the Universe.' in which the 'New Jerusalem' is scarcely once mentioned, is as absurd as for an infidel to give an account of the entire Bible from the Epistle of Jude only. Every one can see how absurd and preposterous this would be. There are many other misrepresentations in this 'account of the New Jerusalem' which make tins blush for the writer and grieve for the reader. But as we well know that these misrepresentations are too glaring to injure those who know anything of the New Jerusalem, we refrain from entering into further particulars" (INTELLECTUAL REPOSITORY. April, 1856, p. 191).

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CHRISTMAS STORIES 1951

CHRISTMAS STORIES Rev. ORMOND ODHNER 1951

     (Continued from the November Issue)

     The account of the Lord's birth in the Gospel through Matthew is only the first of the Christmas stories. There is another one, which in point of time came first, though it is not the first thing called to mind when we study the process of regeneration: one without which the story of Joseph, the Wise Men, and Herod, could never have been recorded. This second story is related by Luke.

     John the Baptist.-It begins with an account of the conception and birth of John the Baptist, who signifies repentance, which is the first thing of the church with man. His mother was a cousin of Mary, for repentance is related to regeneration; but while John had a human father, Mary was a virgin mother. Repentance is done by man, regeneration by God alone. The idea of repentance can be brought forth in affections which have already been conjoined with truth. In fact, it must be so brought forth, for man is as yet incapable of conceiving interior spiritual truth.
     The desire for repentance is always at first a natural, not a spiritual desire. Man seeks to repent that he may escape the damnation of hell or enjoy the delights of heaven, or that he himself may do something good. How different this is from the angelic or regenerate state! The angels shun evil and do good only that the will of the Lord may be done. But man, before regeneration, cannot be as the angels. He can only seek repentance for a more or less selfish reason. Like Zacharias, he is old, and unproductive of anything spiritually good. Yet the Lord will accept even this desire to repent, and turn it to good. Hence it is that repentance, John, has a human father; but not regeneration.

     The Annunciation.-When man perceives that he must repent of his evil ways, then can the angel Gabriel appear unto Mary and proclaim to her that she shall be the mother of the Lord.

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But Mary answers the angel: `How shall this be, seeing that I know not a man?" And then the angel tells her: "The Holy Spirit shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee:
therefore also that holy thing that shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God." And Mary then answers: "Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word."
     This pure, innocent affection of truth which first conceives a spiritual interest in the truths of the Lord's Word, longing for truth but not yet conjoined to it,-for such longing is signified by a betrothed but unmarried woman; this also doubts at first the efficacy of the truth to save. But it is given to perceive that this is no man-made theory, powerless and without hope, but the genuine meaning of the Divine truth itself. And then, gladly, it gives itself up to the truths of the Word.
     In but a short while after this John the Baptist is born. Three months have passed. The state is complete. Repentance has actually begun, and that which has seemed impossible is an accomplished fact.

     The Birth.-"And it came to pass in those days that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be taxed . . . and all went to be taxed, everyone into his own city." Judgment now impends, and each thought and affection of the mind must stand in its own city to be taxed; must stand on its own merits in the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord. In searching self-examination all of man's actions, thoughts, and intentions must be scrutinized in the light of Divine truth. Nothing can be allowed to escape. The whole world is to be taxed. And for such self-examination to produce real spiritual fruit it must be conducted in a calm, orderly state of mind-kept, perhaps, by the spiritual equivalent of the soldiers of Caesar Augustus; for that self-examination only is of avail which is done in a state of calm rationality.
     Joseph and Mary went up to the city of Bethlehem for this taxing because he was of the house and lineage of David. "And so it was, that while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered. And she brought forth her first-born son and wrapped Him in swaddling clothes, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn."

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     In Bethlehem there was no room for the advent of Divine truth in the inn,-the church, the unregenerate state of the mind. This was too filled with worldly pursuits and occupations to think of spiritual truths. Incidentally, it is noteworthy that the term the Writings use for the inn of Bethlehem, diversorium, a "place to turn aside into" is the same word which they use for social life, the diversions of charity. For surely if there is no room for the Lord in the diversions of our charity there is no room for him anywhere. However, there was room for Him in the rude manger of a humble stable. The stable is the Word of God in its simple, unadorned, literal sense; the manger is the doctrine of genuine truth in the literal sense of the Word; and the swaddling clothes are the first general ideas surrounding these truths.
     The Lord can be received only in what is His own with man The internal spiritual truth can be received only in the simple vessels of the literal sense of the Word. In the unregenerate mind a genuine spiritual perception can be born only in the truths of the literal sense of the Word. And when it is born there, it is wrapped or clothed with very general statements of truth from the literal sense. For example, the internal truths concerning the glorified Human of the Lord are protected by such simple truths from the Word as: "I and My Father are one," and "He that seeth Me seeth the Father." But the literal sense of the Word is not the inn of the unregenerate mind. Rather is it lowly and despised: a mere stable with its manger.

     The Shepherds.-When the Lord was born in Bethlehem "there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flocks by night. And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior who is Christ the Lord. . . . And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men."

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     Unless there had been shepherds there to hear the angel's voice, the wise men in the east could never have seen and followed that distant star. For the wise men, the spiritual remains of truth learned in childhood and youth, seem to come first to the Lord, but they are powerless in themselves and they do not see the angel but only a guiding light. The shepherds are the celestial remains of good, of which man is almost unaware; those states of innocence and love garnered from every evidence of affection ever bestowed upon every child, which are stored up in the inmost degree of the mind from birth and protected by the Lord and the angels. Throughout the long and faithless night of the unregenerate life they remain faithful, though seemingly unimportant: ever watching over their flocks, caring for all the goods and truths man has ever learned, and serving as a force against which no man can ever act and feel at ease; the best states of his infancy and childhood, against which he cannot go. And these, because they are the inmost, are the first to hear the tidings of great joy: "Unto you is born this day . . . a Savior who is Christ the Lord."
     Perhaps the shepherds represent what the Writings call the universal dictate that there is a God and that He is one; for this is built up of the earliest celestial remains, and it is the first to recognize the spiritual truths of the Lord's Word. This inmost dictate it is which finds in the Lord's Word the song of the heavenly host: "Peace on earth; good will toward men." For countless generations this song has led men forward; has been their hope, joy, and consolation. When the world is ravaged by war, when human hearts are filled with hatred, it still rings clear and gives hope of salvation to a weary world. Its promise can, and must be, achieved; and it will be when men remember the first part of the song: "Glory to God in the highest."
     The shepherds go to Bethlehem with haste, and find Joseph, and Mary, and the babe lying in a manger. With the new advent of Divine truth, these early remains come to offer their homage; for at once they perceive that at last there has come the Savior, Christ the Lord. We say that without them, the wise men would never have seen the star, for the remains of truth learned in childhood have no power in themselves to seek the Lord.

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They are led, although in secret, by the celestial remains of good.

     Nazareth.-In this, the second Christmas story, there is no mention of Herod or of a flight into Egypt, for it relates to man's affections and goods, not to thoughts and truths. Evil can attack truth, but it cannot even approach good, much less fight against it. So there is no Herod here. And after the shepherds had returned to their flocks, praising God; after Jesus had been presented in the temple; Mary and Joseph returned with Him to Nazareth, where He grew, and waxed strong in spirit, filled with wisdom. The newly born Divine truth, and the affection which mothers it, return to the natural mind; and there it is nurtured that later it may go forth, to perform the uses of regenerate life.

     Conclusion.-There is, however, a third Christmas story, one told philosophically in John's philosophic doctrine of the Logos. This groups all the parts of the other two stories into one adult, rational concept: that it was indeed the Word which was in the beginning, and by which all things were made, which came unto His own; that it was this Word, the Divine truth, which was made flesh, and dwelt among us.

     (EDITORIAL NOTE: This article may take the place of a Christmas sermon, for which, unfortunately, there is no space. For those who wish so to use it in worship the following service is listed.

LESSONS:     Isaiah 9:1-7. Luke 2: 1-20. TCR 774.
MUSIC:     Revised Liturgy, pages 530, 515, 534.
PRAYERS:     Revised Liturgy, nos. 51, 117.)
BIBLE PICTURES FOR CHILDREN 1951

BIBLE PICTURES FOR CHILDREN 1951

The Academy Book Room has obtained from the Wm. Dietz Company, Chicago, Illinois, a quantity of sets of Bible pictures, Old and New Testaments; printed in beautiful full color on semi-stiff card, 4 3/4" by 6". Price, set of 60, $2.00, single pictures 4 cents each, both plus postage. THE ACADEMY BOOK ROOM, Bryn Athyn, Pa.

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DIVINE OMNISCIENCE AND HUMAN PRUDENCE 1951

DIVINE OMNISCIENCE AND HUMAN PRUDENCE ALFRED ACTON 1951

     The doctrine that God is omniscient, that is, knows all things past, present, and future, is not in itself a New Church doctrine but is well known in the Christian Church. But men have interpreted it to mean that God knows all facts, past, present, and future. This has led to much confusion of thought, and it is hardly to be wondered at that a writer on the subject declares: "This attribute of omniscience is incomprehensible to us." It is incomprehensible because it offers so many difficulties to the rational mind. If, for instance, God foreknew the fact of Adam's fall, then either Adam was not in freedom and was predestined to fall, or if he was in freedom his use of that freedom contributed to the Divine knowledge. But this last statement presents a difficulty; for if Adam was in real freedom to sin or not to sin,-if it depended on him alone.-how could it be foreknown as a fact?
     There is another difficulty involved in the idea of the Divine foreknowledge of facts. It is an evident truth that evil commenced by man's abuse of his freedom; yet if the sin of Adam was present in the Divine foreknowledge before Adam was created, how then can it be that sin commenced with Adam? But that is not all. This idea involves a foreknowledge of facts before they are facts. Moreover, it deprives omniscience of infinity, for while facts are numberless they are still finite in number.
     Many men, even New Church men, believe that God foreknows a man's future lot, that is, foreknows it as a fact; and argue that because man does not know he is still in freedom. Some may be able to think in this way, but others cannot. At any rate, the belief in Divine foreknowledge of the facts of a man's future has led many to accept the damnable doctrine of predestination. This is what led Calvin to that doctrine; for, the argument runs, if God knew beforehand the fact of Adam's fall, Adam could not have been in freedom.

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"Predestination," to use Calvin's own words, "is involved in many cavils, especially by those who make foreknowledge the cause of it.* We maintain that both belong to God. But it is preposterous to represent one as dependent on the other. Predestination we call the eternal decree of God, by which He hath determined in Himself what He would have to become of every individual."
     * Calvin is here referred to the Sub-lapsarians, who maintained that, after the fall, God foreknew what men would do in the exercise of their free will, and therefore predestined some to salvation and some to damnation.
     For my own part, I cannot see but that belief in Divine foreknowledge of facts will tend to make many men careless as to their mode of life. The thought will arise: "What I am to be is already known to God. I cannot alter it. Why, then, should I try? Let me live my life, and meet my fate, whatever it be." Moreover, there is an inherent contradiction between the thought that the Lord is perpetually striving to withdraw man from evil, and the thought that He already knows as a fact what man's final lot is to be. For the question would perforce come to the thinking mind: Why strive to avert the inevitable?
     Some think differently. They see no contradiction between human freedom and Divine foreknowledge of the fact of their ultimate lot; but are completely satisfied with the thought that since they do not know, their freedom is absolute. On the other hand, any deep reflection on the doctrine will lead many to think in the way I have outlined.
     What is revealed in the Writings is not that God is omniscient, but how He is omniscient. This is something entirely new. Listen to the language of Revelation: "The omnipotence, omniscience, and omnipresence of God have not been understood because their progression according to their ways which are the laws of order has been unknown" (TCR 49). "They cannot be known unless it is known what order is, and that God is order, and that He introduced order into the universe and in all and single things thereof" (Ibid., 52). "God is omniscient, that is, He perceives, sees, and knows all and single things even to the most minute which take place according to order, and from these, also those which take place contrary to order" (EU 59).

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     Here, then, is the new doctrine hitherto unknown, namely, that God is omniscient because He is order. Therefore He perceives, sees, and knows all and single things which take place according to order, and from these all that take place contrary to order. This is not a knowledge of facts, which is a human, encyclopedic knowledge. It is Divine knowledge-a knowledge of all things, whether they happen or not; and between such knowledge and human knowledge there is no ratio.
     There are many ways in which we can comprehend the nature of this Divine omniscience, but they are all summed up in this: that truth, which is the same as order, foreknows all things whether they happen or not; for it foreknows all that is according to truth, and hence all that is opposed to it.
     Let me illustrate. A perjured witness, no matter how well prepared, may be exposed by an unexpected question. But a witness advised just to tell the truth is safe; for the truth knows all the questions that can be asked, whether they are asked or not. If the law is just, it perceives all that is according to the law, and thus all that is against it. The police do not know what breach of the law will be committed. But the law knows, and as soon as the breach is made it acts; for the law is order, and order perceives, sees and knows all that is according to order, and from this, all that is opposed to order. If a man acts from a just principle of conduct, he does not know what will happen; but whatever happens, he is prepared; not from himself, but because such a principle perceives all that is according to it, and thus all that is contrary to it. This, indeed, is the basis of man's trust in Divine Providence.
     Such, then, is the nature of Divine omniscience. Such is the truth now revealed; a truth which has not hitherto been known because men did not know what order is, and that God is order itself. Is it to be wondered at that the Old Church theologian should feel that "this attribute of omniscience is incomprehensible to us"? But now, in the light of revelation, it is granted us rationally to comprehend that God is omniscient, and yet man is absolutely free to turn to Him or from Him.

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WHY THE LORD WAS BORN ON EARTH 1951

WHY THE LORD WAS BORN ON EARTH Rev. MORLEY D. RICH 1951

     A Christmas Talk to Children

     In the lessons which we read in the Word at Christmas-time, we learn about the birth of a Baby. Now, of course, there are many, many babies born every day. Why, then, are we told so especially about the birth of this Baby? It is because this Baby was the Lord Himself, who in this way came down to earth, and was born just as you were. And He came in this way in order, it is said, to save His people. How did He do this? And what did He save His people from? The answer to these questions is given right in the story of His birth.
     You may remember how Mary and her husband, Joseph, came to Bethlehem, a little town which is far, far away. And when they got there, they found that there was no room in the inn for them to sleep. The inn was like our hotels, a place where people travelling could stay for the night. But, on this night, all the rooms were filled with travellers. And so there was no place for Joseph and Mary. At last, they had to stay in the stable of the inn, in one of its stalls. It was dark and cold in that stable. They could not light a fire, because they might set the stable on fire. So, they huddled close together for warmth; and they probably felt very sad and lonely there in that place.
     Out on the hills just outside the little town were several shepherds, taking care of their sheep. Up there it was dark, too, except for the faint light of the stars, and the shepherds could hardly see their sheep. It was cold, and they wrapped their long coats about them, and crept closer to their little fire. One of them played a little pipe sadly, and they all longed for the light and warmth of their homes.
     Very, very far away, three wise men sat together in the home of one of them. They were talking about something that was very clear to their hearts-about the promised birth of the Lord-wondering when it would happen, and hoping that they would still he here on earth when it did.

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But they had been waiting so long now that it seemed they would never see it. And so their talk together was very sad.
     This night was, then, a very sad and dark one. It was just like the darkness and sadness of all the people who lived at that time. You see, for more years than you can count, everyone had turned away from the Lord. They wanted to do just as they pleased: and they did not want to do what the Lord had commanded. And so, almost every one of them had forgotten Him. They did not know that He made them, and that He made everything which they used and enjoyed-clothes, food, shelter. They did not know that it is the Lord who gives us everything we need. And so, whatever they did, whatever they thought about, was in the dark: for they could not see where they were going, or what they were doing. They no longer remembered to look to the Lord, who alone could have shown them the right way of acting and speaking. The children, too, did not know these things. Their parents could not tell them, since they themselves did not know, And so they were all sad and in the dark, just as were Mary and Joseph, the shepherds and the wise men on this night.
     But that night there was born to Mary in that stable a little Baby, Who is Christ the Lord. And when that happened, they did not need a fire or light any longer. For a great star then hung over the place where the infant Lord lay, and gave them light. And in their hearts was so much joy and gladness that it made them warm, and they didn't mind the cold any longer.
     At the same time, out on the hills, one of the shepherds had just looked up, and had seen a great light in the sky. He called to his companions, and they too looked upward. Gradually they saw a great number of angels in the light. And then the angels sang, and told them that they would find the Lord born as a Baby to Bethlehem, and that there would now be peace on earth, and goodwill toward men. After the angels disappeared, the shepherds turned to the little town. And there they found the Lord wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. And when they saw Him, they too were warmed by a great joy, for they knew that He would save them.

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     At the same time, also, the wise men saw in the east the huge star. They knew that this was to be a sign that the Lord was born. So they went out, and followed the star for a long, long distance. It led them to Bethlehem. And when they got there, they also found the Lord, and fell down and worshipped Him. Their hearts were also filled with joy, because they now saw at last. Him for whom they had waited so long.
     We may see, now, that what the Lord had come to save His people from was that darkness and sadness which was like the night of His birth. He had come to show to everybody once more what is the right way. He had come to guide their feet in the paths of His commandments. Of course, many people had known of His commandments before that. But it was like obeying the commandments of a stranger. You know how you feel when someone whom you have never before seen tells you to do something. You don't feel like doing it as much as you do when your father and mother are telling you to do it. It was the same way with the people who lived before the Lord was born on earth.
     And so He gave Himself to the world. He came to live here, to grow up as a man like other men. In this way, everyone could know Him, could have some idea of whose commandments they were to obey. He came into the world with a great light, showing people what is right by doing it Himself. And so, He saved His people from the cold and sad darkness in which they were. He gave them something to guide them,-His own life and example on earth. And He gave His story to the world, in order that we, too, who are now living hundreds of years later, may know Him, and ma he more willing, therefore, to obey His commandments.
     It would be too bad, then, would it not, if after all the Lord has done for us in stooping to be born here on earth, we didn't at least do our share by learning about His life on earth, and by learning and obeying His commandments? That is why our parents teach us His commandments, tell us what is right and wrong-in order that we too may know what to do, and in that way do our own share.
     Yes, the Lord gave Himself to all people by being born here. That is the great gift which He gave on that first Christmas. And, what is wonderful, He also gives Himself to each one of us whenever we read His Word, whenever we read the story of His life, or the commandments which He has given us.

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For He loves and thinks of us all the time; and He is always giving us the things which He knows are best for us; and these things, because they are given with His love and His thought of us have something of Him in them. He has given us the stories and commandments of His Word especially for our good. That is why we say that He gives Himself to each one of us when we read His Word.
     And that is what we should remember when we give presents to our family and to our friends. We should give them with love and thought about their happiness, remembering that that was the way in which the Lord gave us the greatest gift of all. Our present to another then becomes only a sign of our love and thought of him or her; and then it does not matter in the least how big or how small the present is; it still means the same thing.
     And when we receive presents from others, we ought to remember that it is really the Lord who gives us those presents. While we may be pleased and joyful to know that the person who has given us the present loves us, still let us think that if it were not for the Lord, if the Lord had not given to that person all the things that made that present, that person could not have given it to us. Let us be happy, also, that those who give us presents are trying to follow the Lord's example-to give good gifts to us.
     In this way, you too, when you grow up, will be able to see so much more clearly what you should do, and how you should do it. You will not be in such darkness; you will not he sad, as were the people who lived before the Lord's birth. You will live in sunshine and in happiness. For you will know that the Lord is truly your heavenly Father. You will come to see more and more how loving and careful He is of you and others. And you will be glad to obey His commandments, and to follow Him wherever He leads.

LESSONS:     Luke 2:1-20: Matthew 2: 1-12.
MUSIC:     Revised Liturgy, pages 526, 514, 517.
PRAYERS:     Revised Liturgy, nos. C9, C10.

559

NOTES AND COMMENTS 1951

Title Unspecified Editor 1951

We are asked by the Rev. Theodore Pitcairn to state that the "Principles of the Church" quoted in the October issue of NEW CHURCH LIFE (p. 459) were not written by him. They were unanimously adopted in Holland, in 1939, by the Church of which he is a priest. The manuscript did not indicate who had prepared the statement, but as the documentation certainly suggested that Mr. Pitcairn was the writer we are very glad to comply with his request.
Title Unspecified 1951

Title Unspecified Editor 1951

After a considerable lapse, A NOVA IGREJA (THE NEW CHURCH), official organ of the Society in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, has resumed publication. First appearing in April, 1921, when the Society became affiliated with the General Church, the periodical was suspended in 1928. Now, after twenty-two years of silence, publication has been resumed under the editorship of the Rev. J. M. Lima, in response to a felt need for an organ in which the members of the Society "may find the doctrine which will assuage their spiritual thirst for truth."

560

The hope is to come out regularly as a quarterly, and it is intended to publish in each issue "a sermon, a story for children, a register of the vital statistics of our church life, and the quarterly balance of our society." So far, two issues have been received. Wherever the General Church has been established the need for some periodical literature has been felt: and we both wish our friends well in their venture and commend to those who may be able to assist their appeal for material.
APPLICATIONS OF DOCTRINE 1951

APPLICATIONS OF DOCTRINE Editor 1951

     Because it is the revealed law of life, the Heavenly Doctrine has relation to every field of knowledge, experience, and use. It may be conceded, then, that the priesthood can scarcely discharge its function to teach the spiritual truth of the Word and thereby lead to the good of life without indicating the broad, general applications of doctrine to life. Yet it is well understood among us that there should be nothing of compulsion in priestly teaching and leading; and to avoid any suspicion of this, and also to preserve the freedom necessary for reciprocation, particular applications of doctrine to his life and uses, his problems, and the human situations he meets, are then left to the individual.
     It is equally necessary, however, that the same freedom be respected and maintained in the realm of natural truth. Because the principles revealed in the Writings are universal they have application to every natural use and to every natural science. But while the general outlines are in the Writings, the detailed and final picture is not, and the church cannot determine from doctrine all the particulars. It cannot dictate the application of doctrine for example, to law, medicine, politics, or the physical sciences or impose an interpretative philosophy on those who work in these fields. Rather must those who work in each field develop, gradually and freely, such a philosophy for themselves; one which will reconcile the facts of discovery and experience with doctrine and give that enlightenment which enables men to see more and more interiorly into their uses.
     In their turn, however, those who perform forensic uses in the world must be careful not to seek to impose on the church the individual philosophy at which they arrive, or attempt to make their particular theories into doctrines of the church.

561

To do this may not only introduce doubts and confusion where none should exist but may also cause divisions to the injury of charity. If the thinking of the church in the realm of natural truth is to be preserved from clerical dogmatism, it must also be protected from professional dictation and lay domination. There must he a place in the church for different philosophies and interpretations of science; for more than one school of medical opinion: even be it whispered, for several kinds of political thinking!
Evidently this is not to say that the Writings have no bearing on natural truth; or that a man max think just as he pleases about natural truth provided that, in another part of his mind, he thinks doctrinally about spiritual things! As we pointed out in a recent editorial, unless a New Church man strives to learn and understand the principles in the Writings which apply to his business, his business thinking will differ very little from that of his Old Church colleagues. But time, patience, and a high regard for freedom are all necessary for the gradual development of New Church philosophies, in the light of which the universal truths of the Writings will order the facts in every field of knowledge.
RACE HATRED 1951

RACE HATRED Editor 1951

The Nazi atrocities in Poland and elsewhere added a new word of shocking import to the lexicon of hate, genocide. In a convention adopted by the General Assembly of the United Nations in 1948, this term of concentrated horror was defined as meaning "acts committed with intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnical, racial, or religious group, as such." Genocide is, in fact, a denial of the right of existence of entire human groups, and the physical extermination of them as such.
Genocidal acts have been committed by men against men throughout history; and although men have been shocked and horrified by them, little or no action has been taken to prevent or punish the commission of such acts. Now, however, genocide has been branded as a crime under international law, as homicide is a crime under national law. In what way, and how effectively, the law against genocide can he policed and carried out is not a matter for discussion in these pages; but we may refer to teaching in the Writings which exposes the spiritual cause of this crime.

562

This is the familiar teaching that enmity, hatred, and revenge breathe murder; that wherever there is the inordinate love of dominion and lust to subjugate others, there is the desire to kill; and that anger and contempt are the steps which lead to hatred. Where these feelings are directed to an individual, there is homicide, in intent if not in fact; and where they are directed to a human group as such, there is the conatus to genocide if not the crime itself. All hatred is from hell, and there is no sanction in the Writings for race hatred, or even for interracial intolerance. Charity does not necessarily require that races intermingle; but the basis of distinct identity, not segregation, should be distinct uses, not an implied superiority or inferiority.
A sharp distinction is made in the Writings between nations, and their nationals considered individually. In Doctrine of Charity we are taught that a man should love his own country more than any other because by promoting its use he makes his most effective contribution to the good of mankind: and that he should not love another country more, and do more to promote its use. Yet in the same work we are told also that it is possible to love all in the universe according to their religion, not more those in one s own country than those in another; and that, individually, a good man of another nation should be loved more than an evil man of one's own nation. (Char. 83-89) In a word, men are to be regarded as individuals; and as that is done there may be ultimate fulfillment of the angels' song: Peace on earth, good will toward men."
RECEIVED FOR REVIEW 1951

RECEIVED FOR REVIEW 1951

THE LAST JUDGMENT AND BABYLON DESTROYED: ALSO A CONTINUATION CONCERNING THE LAST JUDGMENT AND THE SPIRITUAL WORLD. By Emanuel Swedenborg. Translated by P. H. Johnson. The Swedenborg Society Incorporated, London, 1951. Cloth, pp. 110, plus Notes and Indexes.
THE WORD OF THE OLD TESTAMENT EXPLAINED. A Posthumous Work by Emanuel Swedenborg. Volume IX, Indices. Prepared by Alfred Acton. Academy of the New Church, Bryn Athyn, Pa., 1951. Cloth, pp. 229.

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DIRECTORY 1951

     GENERAL CHURCH OF THE NEW JERUSALEM

     Officials and Councils

Bishop:     Right Rev. George de Charms.
Secretary:     Rev. Hugo Lj. Odhner.

     CONSISTORY

Bishop George de Charms.

Right Rev. Alfred Acton; Revs. A. Wynne Acton; Elmo C. Acton; Karl R. Alden; Gustaf Baeckstrom; Bjorn A. H. Boyesen; Charles E. Doering; Alan Gill; Frederick E. Gyllenhaal, Secretary; W. Cairns Henderson; Hugo Lj. Odhner; Right Rev. Willard D. Pendleton; Revs. Norman H. Reuter; Gilbert H. Smith.

"The General Church of the New Jerusalem"
(A corporation of Illinois)

"General Church of the New Jerusalem"
(A corporation of Pennsylvania)

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE OF the ILLINOIS CORPORATIONS

Right Rev. George de Charms, President.
Right Rev. Willard D. Pendleton, Vice President.
Mr. Edward H. Davis, Secretary.
Mr. Hubert Hyatt, Treasurer.
Mr. L. E. Gyllenhaal, Assistant Treasurer.

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE OF THE ILLINOIS CORPORATION

AND

BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE PENNSYLVANIA CORPORATION

Right Rev. George de Charms; Right Rev. Willard D. Pendleton; Mr. Daric E. Acton; Kesniel C. Acton, Esq.; Mr. Reginald S. Anderson; Mr. Carl Asplundh; Mr. Edwin T. Asplundh; Mr. Lester Asplundh; Mr. Geoffrey F. Blackman; Mr. Edward C. Bostock; Mr. Robert M. Brown; Mr. Geoffrey S. Childs; Randolph W. Childs, Esq.; Edward H. Davis, Esq.; Mr. Quentin F. Ebert; Mr. James J. Forfar; Dr. Marlin W. Heilman; Mr. Theodore N. Glenn; Mr. Hubert Hyatt; Mr. John E. Kuhl; Mr. Sydney E. Lee; Mr. Tore E. Loven; Mr. Harold P. McQueen; Mr. Hubert Nelson; Philip C. Pendleton, Esq.; Mr. Harold F. Pitcairn; Raymond Pitcairn, Esq.; Mr. Colley Pryke; Arthur Synnestvedt, Esq.; Mr. Norman P. Synnestvedt.
Honorary Members: Alexander P. Lindsay, Esq., Mr. Charles G. Merrell.

564

     The Clergy

     Bishops

DE CHARMS, GEORGE. Ordained June 28. 1914 2d Degree, June 19, 1916; 3d Degree, March 11, 1928. Bishop of the General Church. Pastor of the Bryn Athyn Church. President, Academy of the New Church, Bryn Athyn, Pa.

ACTON, ALFRED. Ordained June 4, 1593; 2e1 Degree, January 10, 1897; 3d Degree, April 5, 1936. Visiting Pastor of the Circle in Washington. D. C. Dean of the Theological School, Academy of the New Church, Bryn Athyn, Pa.

PENDLETON, WILLARD DANDRIDGE. Ordained June 18, 1933; 3d Degree, September 12, 1934; 3d Degree, June 19, 1946. Assistant to the Bishop of the General Church. Executive Vice President, Academy of the New Church. Professor of Theology and Instructor in Education. Academy of the New Church, Bryn Athyn, Pa.

     Pastors

ACTON, A. WYNNE. Ordained June 19, 1933; 2d Degree March 25, 1934. Pastor of the Olivet Church, Toronto, Ontario. Canada. Visiting Pastor of the Montreal Circle. Address: 2 Elm Grove Avenue, Toronto 3, Canada.
ACTON, ELMO CARMAN. Ordained June 14, 1925; 2d Degree, August 5, 1925. Pastor of the Immanuel Church, Glenview, Illinois. Address: 12 Park Drive, Glenview, Illinois.
ALDEN, KARL RICHARDSON. Ordained June 19, 1917; 2d Degree, October 12, 1919. Visiting Pastor to the Canadian Northwest. Professor of Education, Academy of the New Church, Bryn Athyn, Pa.
BAECKSTROM, GUSTAF. Ordained June 6, 1915; 2d Degree, June 27, 1920. Pastor of the Society in Stockholm, Sweden. Visiting Pastor of the Oslo Circle. Address: Svedjevagen 30, Bromma, Stockholm, Sweden.
BOYESEN, BJORN ADOLPH HILDEMAR. Ordained June 19, 1939; 2d Degree, March 30, 1941. Pastor of the Pittsburgh Society. Address: 299 Le Roi Road, Pittsburgh 8, Pa.
BRICKMAN, WALTER EDWARD. Ordained, 1st and 2d Degrees, January 7, 1900. Address: 818 Indiana Avenue, Weslaco, Texas.
CALDWELL, WILLIAM BEBE. Ordained October 19, 1902; 2d Degree, October 23, 1904. Address: Bryn Athyn, Pa.
CRANCH, HAROLD COVERT. Ordained June 19, 1941; 2d Degree, October 25, 1942. Pastor of Sharon Church, Chicago, Illinois. Visiting Pastor to the Western United States. Address: 5330 Wayne Avenue, Chicago 40, Illinois.
CRONLUND, EMIL ROBERT. Ordained December 31, 1899; 2d Degree, May 18, 1902. Address: Bryn Athyn, Pa.
DOERING, CHARLES EMIL. Ordained June 7, 1896; 2d Degree, January 29, 1899. Address: Bryn Athyn, Pa.

565

GILL, ALAN. Ordained June 14, 1925; 2d Degree, June 19, 1926; Pastor of the Colchester Society. Address: 9 Ireton Road, Colchester, England.
GLADISH, VICTOR JEREMIAH. Ordained June 17, 1928; 2d Degree, August 5, 1928. Address: 7646 South Evans Avenue, Chicago 19, Illinois.
GYLLENHAAL, FREDERICK EDMUND. Ordained June 23, 1907; 2d Degree, June 19, 1910. Pastor-in-Charge, General Church Religion Lessons. Address: Bryn Athyn, Pa.
HEINRICHS, HENRY. Ordained Jun 24, 1923; 2d Degree, February 8, 1925. Address: R. R. 3, Kitchener, Ontario, Canada.
HENDERSON, WILLIAM CAIRNS. Ordained June 10, 1934; 2d Degree, April 14, 1935. Secretary of the Council of the Clergy. Editor of NEW CHURCH LIFE. Instructor in Theology and Religion, Academy of the New Church, Bryn Athyn, Pa.
LIMA, JOAO DE MENDONCA. Ordained, 1st and 2d Degrees, August 5, 1928. Pastor of the Rio de Janeiro Society. Address: Avenida Ruy Barboza 266, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
ODHNER, HUGO LJUNCRERG. Ordained June 28, 1914; 2d Degree, June 24, 1917. Secretary of the General Church. Assistant Pastor of the Bryn Athyn Church. Professor of Theology and Instructor in Philosophy, Academy of the New Church, Bryn Athyn, Pa.
ODHNER, ORMOND DE CHARMS. Ordained June 19, 1940; 2d Degree, October 11, 1942. Assistant Pastor of the Immanuel Church, Glenview, Illinois. Visiting Pastor, Madison and N. St. Paul Circles, Chicago District, and the Southern States. Address: 2700 Park Lane, Glenview, Illinois.
PRYKE, MARTIN. Ordained June 19, 1940; 2d Degree, March 1, 1942. Pastor of the Durban Society. Superintendent of the South African Mission. Address: Mowhray Place, Musgrave Road, Durban, Natal, South Africa.
REUTER. NORMAN HAROLD. Ordained June 17, 1928; 2d Degree, June 15. 1930. Pastor of Carmel Church, Kitchener, Ontario. Address: 14 Willow Street, Kitchener, Ontario, Canada.
RICH, MORLEY DYCKMAN. Ordained June 19, 1938; 2d Degree, October 13, 1940. Secretary of the Educational Council. Pastor of the Advent Church, Philadelphia, Pa. Visiting Pastor of the Arbutus, Maryland, Circle, the New York Circle, and the Northern New Jersey Circle. Address: 5007 Penn Street, Philadelphia 24, Pa.
ROGERS, NORBERT HENRY. Ordained June 19, 1938; 2d Degree, October 13, 1940. Pastor of the Detroit Circle, and a Visiting Pastor in the Ohio District. Address: 24680 W. Eleven Mile Road, Birmingham, Mich.
SANDSTROM, ERIK. Ordained June 10, 1934; 2d Degree, August 4, 1935. Assistant Pastor of the Stockholm Society, and Visiting Pastor of the Jonkoping Circle. Address Brobyvagen 24, Ensta Park, Roslags Nasby, Sweden.
SIMONS, DAVID RESTYN. Ordained June 19, 1948; 2d Degree, June 19, 1950. Assistant Pastor of the Bryn Athyn Church. Principal of the Bryn Athyn Elementary School. Address: Bryn Athyn, Pa.
SMITH, GILBERT HAVEN. Ordained June 25, 1911; 2d Degree, June 19, 1913.
Address: South Shaftshury, R. F. D. I. Vermont.

566

STARKEY, GEORGE GODDARD. Ordained June 3, 1894; 2d Degree, October 19. 1902. Address: Glenview, Illinois.
STROH, KENNETH OLIVER. Ordained June 19, 1948; 2d Degree, June 19 1950. Pastor of Michael Church, London, England. Visiting Pastor to the Isolated in Great Britain, and to the Circles at Paris and The Hague. Address: 135 Mantilla Road, Tooting, London, SW. 17.
WHITEHEAD, WILLIAM. Ordained June 19, 1922; 2d Degree, June 19, 1926. Professor of History and Instructor in Political Science. Academy of the New Church. Address: Bryn Athyn, Pa.

     MINISTERS

CRANCH, RAYMOND GREENLEAF. Ordained June 19, 1922 Address: Bryn Athyn, Pa.
KING, LOUIS BLAIR. Ordained June 19, 1951. Address: Bryn Athyn, Pa.
ODHNER, VINCENT CARMOND. Ordained June 17, 1928. Address: Bryn Athyn, Pa.
Authorized Candidates

CHILDS, GEOFFREY STAFFORD. Authorized, February 1, 1951. Address: Bryn Athyn, Pa.
FIGUAIREDO, JOSE LOPES DE. Authorized, August 15, 1951. Address: Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
HOLM, BERNHARD DAVID. Authorized, February 1, 1951 . Address: Bryn Athyn, Pa.
PENDLETON, DANDRIDGE. Authorized, February 1, 1931.     Address: Bryn Athyn, Pa.
ROSE, FRANK SHIRLEY. Authorized, February 1, 1951. Address: Bryn Athyn, Pa.

     Authorized Leaders

ENGELTJES, HERMAN G. Authorized, November 4, 1950. Address: Laan van Eik en Duinen 206, The Hague, Holland.
HELDON, LINDTHMAN. Authorized, July 1, 1950. Address: 13 Alexander Street, Penshurst, N. S. W., Australia.
LUCAS, LOUIS. Authorized, August 30, 1950. Address: 173 rue de Paris, Montreull s/Bole, Seine, France.

     British Guiana Mission

     Pastor-in-Charge

ALGERNON, HENRY. Ordained. 1st and 2d Degrees. September 1, 1940. Pastor of the General Church Mission in Georgetown, British Guiana. Address: 273 Lamaha Street, Georgetown 4, Demerara, British Guiana, South America.

567

     South African Mission

     Xosa

KANDISA, JOHNSON. Ordained September 11, 1938; 2d Degree, October 3, 1948. Pastor of the Queenstown and Sterkstroom Societies. Address: No. 132, Location, Qucenstown, C. P., South Africa.

     Basuto

MOTSI, JONAS. Ordained September 29, 1929; 3d Degree, September 30, 1929. Pastor of Quthing District. Address: Phahameng School, P. O. Quthing, Basutoland, South Africa.

     Zulu

BUTELEZI. STEPHEN EPHRAIM. Ordained September 11, 1938; 2d Degree, October 3, 1948. Pastor of the Hambrook Society. Address: Hambrook Government School. P. O. Acton Homes, Ladysmith, Natal, South Africa.
LUNGA, JOHANNES. Ordained September 11, 1938; 2d Degree, October 3, 1948. Pastor of the Esididini Society. Address: Esididini School, P. O. Durnacol, Dannhauser, Natal, South Africa.
LUTULI, MAFA. Ordained October 3, 1948. Minister of the Verulam (Natal) and Mayville (Durban) Societies. Address: c/o Tongast Sugar Co., Maidstone, Natal, South Africa.
MATSISININI, TIMOTHY. Ordained August 28, 1938; 2d Degree, October 3, 1948. Pastor of the Alexandra Township Society. Address: 165, 11th Avenue, Alexandra Township, Johannesburg, Transvaal, South Africa,
MKIZE, SOLOMON. Ordained August 21, 1938; 2d Degree, October 3, 1948. Pastor of the Melmoth District. Address: Pangodle Halt, Melmoth Zululand, South Africa.
NZIMANDE, BENJAMIN ISHMAEL. Ordained August 21, 1938; 2d Degree, October 3, 1948. Pastor of the Deepdale and Bulwer Districts. Address: c/o Inkumba Government School, P. O. Deepdale, Natal, South Africa.
SABRLA, PETER HANDRICK. Ordained August 21, 1938; 2d Degree, October 3, 1948. Pastor of the Greylingstad Society and District. Address: P. O. Box 38, Greylingstad, Transvaal, South Africa.
SIBEKO, PAUL PEFENI. Ordained October 3, 1948. Address: 106, 10th Avenue, Alexandra Township, Johannesburg, Transvaal, South Africa.
ZUNGU, AARON. Ordained August 21, 1938; 2d Degree, October 3, 1948. Pastor of the "Kent Manor" Society. Address: "Kent Manor," P. O. Entumeni, Zululand, South Africa.

568

     Societies and Circles

     Societies

ADVENT SOCIETY OF PHILADELPHIA               Rev. Morley D. Rich
BRYN ATHYN CHURCH                              Rt. Rev George de Charms
CARMEL CHURCH OF KITCHENER, ONTARIO               Rev. Norman H. Reuter
COLCHESTER SOCIETY, ENGLAND                    Rev. Alan Gill
DURBAN SOCIETY, NATAL, SOUTH AFRICA               Rev. Martin Pryke
HURSTVILLE SOCIETY, N.S.W., AUSTRAILIA          (Mr. Lindthnian Heldon)
IMMANUEL CHURCH OF GLENVIEW, ILLINOIS          Rev. Elmo C. Acton
MICHAEL CHURCH, LONDON, ENGLAND               Rev. Kenneth O. Stroh
OLIVET CHURCH, TORONTO, ONTARIO.               Rev. A. Wynne Acton
PITTSBURGH SOCIETY                         Rev. Bjorn A. H. Boyesen
RIO DE JANEIRO SOCIETY, BRAZIL               Rev. Joao de M. Lima
SHARON CHURCH, CHICAGO, ILLINOIS               Rev. Harold C. Cranch
STOCKHOLM SOCIETY, SWEDEN                    Rev. Gustaf Baeckstrom

     Circles
                              Visiting Pastor
BALTIMORE, MARYLAND               Rev. Morley D. Rich
DETROIT, MICHIGAN                    Rev. Norbert H. Rogers (Res.)
FORT WORTH, TEXAS                    Rev. Harold C. Cranch
THE HAGUE, HOLLAND               Rev. Kenneth O. Stroh
JONOKOPING, SWEDEN               Rev. Erik Sandstrom
MADISON, WISCONSIN               Rev. Ormond Odhner
MONTREAL, CANADA                    Rev. A. Wynne Acton
NEW YORK, N. Y.                    Rev. Morley D. Rich
NORTHERN NEW JERSEY               Rev. Morley D. Rich
OSLO, NORWAY                    Rev. Gustaf Baeckstrom
PARIS, FRANCE                    Rev. Kenneth O. Stroh
ST. PAUL, MINNESOTA               Rev. Ormond Odhner
TUCSON, ARIZONA                    Rev. Harold C. Cranch
WASHINGTON, D. C.                    Rt. Rev. Alfred Acton

     In order to avoid confusion, it seems well to observe, in the Official Records and the Official Journal of the General Church, the ecclestiastical distinctions between a "Society," a "Circle," and a "Group."
     A "Group" consists of all interested receivers of the Heavenly Doctrine in any locality who meet together for worship and mutual instruction under the general supervision of pastors who visit them from time to time.
     A "Circle" consists of members of the General Church in any locality who are under the leadership of a regular visiting Pastor appointed by the Bishop, and who are organized by their Pastor to take responsibility for their local uses in the interim between his visits. A Group may become a Circle when, on the recommendation of the visiting Pastor, it is formally recognized as such by the Bishop.

569

     A "Society" or local `Church" consists of the members of the General Church in any locality who have been organized under the leadership of a resident Pastor to maintain the uses of regular worship, instruction, and social life. A Circle may become a Society by application to the Bishop and formal recognition by him.
     GEORGE DE CHARMS,
          Bishop.

     Committees of the General Church
                                             Chairmen
British Finance Committee                         Rev. Alan Gill
Committee on Ecclesiastical Garments               Rev. Hugo Lj. Odhner
Committee on Free New Church Literature               Rev. Karl R. Alden
General Church Religion Lessons                    Rev. F. E. Gyllenhaal
Military Service Committee                         Mrs. Philip C. Pendleton
Committee to Study the Mode of Nominations
for Membership in the Board of Directors               Mr. Daric E. Acton
Committee on New Church Education in England          Rev. Alan Gill
Committee on NEW CHURCH LIFE:                         Rev. W. Cairns Henderson
Committee on New Church Literature                    Rev. William Whitehead
Nominating Committee for Board of Directors          Mr. Arthur Synnestvedt
Orphanage Committee                              Mr. Hubert Hyatt
Pension Committee                                   Mr. Edward C. Bostock
Salary Committee                                   Mr. Philip C. Pendleton
Sound Recording Committee                         Rev. Morley D. Rich
South African Mission Committee                    Rt. Rev. George de Charms
Visual Education Committee                         Mr. William R. Cooper

Address all Committees, Bryn Athyn, Pa., except the following:
     Mr. Daric E. Acton: 330 Le Roi Rd., Pittsburgh 8, Pa.
     Rev. Alan Gill: 9 Ireton Rd., Colchester, England
     Rev. Morley D. Rich: 5007 Penn St., Philadelphia 24, Pa.

570

Church News 1951

Church News Various 1951

     CHARTER DAY

     October 12-13, 1931

     Charter Day weekend is taking on increasingly the character of a "little Assembly;" and this year more than 100 guests from centers in the United States and Canada arrived to take part in this yearly celebration in which we give thanks to the Lord, reaffirm our faith in New Church education, and seek inspiration and direction through rededication and a restatement of aims. The setting was one of autumn splendor that can rarely have been surpassed and but seldom matched, and the feeling was that the various events were of a high quality.
     The observance of Charter Day began with the traditional procession to the cathedral of the members of the Board and Faculty, the students and ex-students of the Academy Schools, and the upper grades of the Bryn Athyn Church Elementary School. The Rt. Rev. Willard D. Pendleton Executive Vice President, conducted the service and the address was given by the Rev. David R. Simons. The address, which will be published in this journal, dealt with the relation between baptism and New Church education and showed at length how the second use of baptism is performed through our educational program.
     At the close of this service the procession returned to the campus, where school songs were sung in front of Benade Hall. Reunions were then in order, and many a family must have snatched a hasty meal in order to be in time for the football game, which happened also to be the first home game of the season.
     Let us face the fact that the Academy cannot always win the Charter Day game. This year, after taking what looked like a safe lead, we came out on the short end of a 30 to 21 score against Episcopal, beaten but not defeated! But the tense excitement and the spirit of a Charter Day game were there in plenty, and if there were regrets there were no complaints.
     On Friday evening came the reception and dance with the usual singing of sorority and fraterllity songs by the students and of the school songs by all present. Figures do not seem to be available, but there could be no doubt that the dance was very well attended. Saturday morning was free, but it was "Open House" at Glenn Hall and Stuart Hall in the afternoon, and many people availed themselves of the opportunity to inspect the dormitories and to admire the design for living with which the daughters of the Academy in residence have been presented.

     Banquet.-A total of 553 persons attended the banquet on Saturday evening with which the celebrations ended and enjoyed the excellent meal provided for them. The toastmaster, Professor Richard R. Gladish. Professor of English and Principal of the Boys Academy, had chosen as the subject for the evening "The Academy as a Society." After some introductory remarks in characteristic vein he called on the first speaker, the Rev. W. Cairns Henderson, to speak on "The Academy as a Society."
     Mr. Henderson presented teachings in the Writings concerning societies and briefly indicated the parallels they suggest.

571

Mr. Norman Synnestvedt of Detroit then spoke on the ways in which the Academy affects the societies and circles of the General Church by means of its ex-students, and Mr. Sigfried Synnestvedt, Instructor in History and English, traced the physical development of the Academy in terms of the student body, net worth, and plant, illustrating the increases in all three with a series of charts. Some remarks by Bishop Willard D. Pendleton, in which he mentioned various ways of considering the Academy as a society, brought to a close what has since been spoken of as a most inspiring celebration of Charter Day and one which, as always, had a distinctive quality of its own.

     THE HAGUE, HOLLAND

     I have been waiting far too long with my report of the General Church Circle in the Netherlands for 1950 and the first part of 1951. Several circumstances prevented me from finishing it.
     In 1950 we had many visitors from the Church in America and England. During the spring we had the pleasure of welcoming Miss Creda Glenn of Bryn Athyn. We had several interesting talks with her and have most happy memories of her stay here. April 30th was an especially fine day. The Rev. Martin Pryke was visiting Holland and conducted the morning Service which included the Holy Supper. The subject of his sermon was "The Virgin Birth." Besides Miss Glenn, the service was attended by nearly all the members of our Circle, including Mr. and Mrs. Rijksen from Nijmegen and Jan Weiss from Rotterdam. There was an animated lunch at my home after the service.
     In the afternoon Mr. Pryke had a class in which he talked about "Natural Good." Both meetings were of a high spiritual standard and there was a fine feeling of spiritual understanding among us. The day ended with a fine dinner in town. The weather was very nice, and Miss Glenn took the opportunity to photograph the group in our garden.
     As a great flower lover, Miss Glenn's visit to Holland would not have been complete without making a trip to "Keukenhof" at Lisse, once the castle of a famous countess but now the scene of a flower show every spring. Miss Glenn was enchanted, and I think that bulbs of the kinds she saw will grow in Bryn Athyn gardens in the future.
     In the summer of 1950 there were no services as I had to go to the hospital for an operation, but from the beginning of September services on Sunday morning were held again regularly. In September the Misses Berith and Winyss Acton visited us. They did a lot of sightseeing and we had some very nice days with them. A service was held ill English. Miss Coop from Manchester stayed in The Hague, but we did not see her as my wife and I were out of town. Last, but not least, Mr. Frank Rose from Bryn Athyn stayed with us for several days.
     An event of importance was the departure of Mr. Jan Weiss for Bryn Athyn to study at the Academy. We received animated letters from him regularly, and it appears that Jan feels himself at home in Bryn Athyn, where he follows his courses with great interest.
     The Christmas celebration took place in my home as usual. With the departure of the Rev. Martin Pryke for South Africa, the Rev. Kenneth Stroh became our visiting Pastor, but because of many duties in England he was unable to visit us in the autumn of 1950 and made his first journey to The Hague in February, 1951. His plan to travel via Paris had to be changed because of sickness there, so we had the pleasure of having Mr. Stroh some time longer in our midst and the opportunity of becoming better acquainted with him.
     On February 3rd, Mr. Stroh held a class at the home of Mrs. Francis, the subject being "The Divine Trinity." Next day there was a service at my home, on which occasion Mr. and Mrs. Rijksen were baptized. The sermon was on "The Parable of the Great Supper" and the Holy Supper was administered after the baptism.

572

To our surprise, Mr. Stroh had a tape recorder with him, so in the afternoon we heard an address by Bishop de Charms and further greetings from England and America. Our return greetings were then put on the tape. We are convinced that such a machine would be very useful in our group.
     Mr. Rijksen gave a lecture on April 21st at the home of the Oberman family at Bussum. Mrs. Oberman is very interested in the doctrines of the New Church, and has sometimes attended our services, and she asked for the lecture in the hope of interesting some of her husband's friends. Unfortunately, these friends were prevented from coming, and the only visitor was Mr. Dirk Van Zyverden. The lecture, which was on the principal aim of Swedenborg's calling, was followed by an animated discussion; and we all went home feeling very satisfied, even though the purpose of the meeting was not fulfilled.
     New Church Day was celebrated in my home. After the usual opening with a prayer, I read a paper on the significance of this day, and then mentioned that this was the first time this celebration had taken place in my home since the death of Mr. Francis. Having now been Leader of our Circle for two years, I realize the loss we suffered by his passing away. As we have the custom of combining this celebration with our annual meeting of members, we read and approved the minutes and adopted the annual reports of the Secretary and Treasurer. After this, Mr. lies gave a lecture based on an article by the Rev. Bjorn A. H. Boyesen, "The Origin and Nature of Evil" published in NEW CHURCH LIFE, February, 1951. We remained together for some time and drank a glass of wine to toast the Church.
     HERMAN G. ENGELTIES.

     GLENVIEW, ILLINOIS

     It seems that each succeeding summer brings more and more of our New Church friends to Glenview for a visit. We like to have them around But now we are back to normal. Our friends have long since gone their various ways, the annual detachment of graduates from the Immanuel Church. School has left for Bryn Athyn. Friday Suppers are in full swing, and we up again enjoying the various meetings and classes conducted by the Revs. Elmo C. Acton and Ormond Odhner. Three births, four baptisms, one wedding, and two deaths all tend to remind us that time does indeed march on.
     Our summer was a cool one. On the morning of July 4th, the usual parade, longer than ever, marched around the Park and up to our flagpole where Mr. Kenneth Holmes read a short, well prepared patriotic speech. This was followed by races and games for the children. In the afternoon a piercing cold rain from the north drove everyone indoors-a most no usual ending to what is usually an all-day celebration on a hot day.

     A Wedding.-On Saturday evening. August 15th, we were invited to attend the wedding of Miss Ann Volz and Mr. William Norris Fuller. Ann is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Volz of Des Plaines, a small town about six miles from Glenview. William is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Carl Fuller. The marriage ceremony was conducted by our Pastor and was followed by a reception in the assembly hall.

     Immanuel Church School Opening.-At the seventy-third opening of the Immanuel Church School on September 19th, our Headmaster, the Rev. Elmo C. Acton, stated in his address to the 6.3 pupils that of the four original students of our school two are still living-Adah Nelson and Miss Emelia Nelson-and are still keenly interested in New Church education. The other two. Mr. Harry Blackman and Mr. Alvin Nelson, have gone to the spiritual world. In addition to the children, some 50 adults and pre-kindergarten children were present.

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Mr. Acton impressed upon the children that the end of New Church education is the performing of uses. Hymns and recitations were a part of the service, at the end of which the children marched to their respective rooms.

     The teachers and the grades they instruct are as follows:

Miss Mary Lou Williamson-Kindergarten and Grade 1
Miss Gloria Stroh-Grades 2 and 3
Miss Laura Gladish-Grades 4 and
Mrs. Joyce McQueen Caldwell-Grades 6 and 7
Miss Gladys Blackman-Grades 8 and 9

Mr. Acton and Mr. Odhner teach Religion and Hebrew. Mr. Jesse Stevens gives instruction in singing and with the orchestra once a week, and Miss Helen Maynard is School as well as Society Librarian. Miss Gladish and Miss Stroh are our new teachers and we welcome them to the staff of our school.

     Remarks at a New Church Wedding-At a wedding reception following the marriage of Oliver Menard Smith and Evangeline Wright on June 30th. Mr. Neville Wright, father of the bride, spoke as follows, after a toast to the Church had been responded to by our Pastor: "We are gathered here at this most happy occasion to celebrate the marriage of Evangeline and Menard. My wife and I well remember our marriage in this very church over 26 years ago, and it is with deep satisfaction that we see our daughter following us in the church. We know that in seeking a happy and eternal union this new couple has a true and basic foundation, namely, love of the New Church. So we feel confident that with their continued looking to the Lord in His church to guide them they will achieve a blessed and enduring union." A truly appropriate ending to this happy occasion!

     Two Obituaries.-After many years of an infirmity which kept her confined to her home most of the time, Mrs. George G. Starkey passed into the spiritual world on July 4th, at the age of 76. As a young woman, Grace Hathaway became interested in the New Church when her Aunt Harriet placed her in the School for Girls at Bryn Athyn. It was at Bryn Athyn that she met and later married George G. Starkey, who survives her. Mrs. Starkey's lifelong devotion to the Heavenly Doctrines, and her deep gratitude for the blessings of the New Church, were spoken of at the Resurrection Service, which was attended by her many friends.
     On Swedenborg's birthday in 1876 was born Mary Dover Norris, daughter of Nathaniel W. and Elizabeth Hogan Norris, the latter Aunt Rydie Hogan's sister. Seventy-five years later she passed into the spiritual world, on August 31, 1951. On April 26, 1899, Mary Norris married Herbert Priestly Fuller, who died in June, 1931. Her love of the New Church was instilled deeply in her younger days under the ministrations of the Rev. Andrew Czerny and Bishop Benade, and she often spoke of their kindly leading and sound instruction in the doctrines. She was a native of Pittsburgh and took an active part in the affairs of the society there until the H. P. Fuller family moved to Glenview about thirty years ago. Until the time of her death, Mrs. Fuller's interest in the Church continued unabated. For many years she looked forward to being reunited with her husband, a wish which was realized on his birthday this year-a happy birthday greeting indeed! At the Resurrection Service on Sunday afternoon, September 2nd, the Rev. Elmo Acton prefaced his memorial address with these words: "Having reverently and lovingly returned to the earth the body in which we knew our mother and friend, we now gather in the house of the Lord to rejoice with her in her awakening to full consciousness in the spiritual world."
     HAROLD P. MCQUEEN.

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     KITCHENER, ONTARIO

     Young People's Weekend.-The Toronto and Kitchener young people of teen age met here, September 1-3, for their third annual Young People's Weekend. The formal program began with a banquet on Saturday night. Denis Kuhl was toastmaster, and Joan Parker and Seymour Starkey of Toronto, and Eudora Heinrichs of Kitchener, spoke on "The Younger Generation," "Why I Want to go to Bryn Athyn," and "Life at School in Bryn Athyn," respectively. On Sunday morning the Rev. A. Wynne Acton preached a sermon addressed to the state of the young people, and in the evening the Rev. Norman H. Reuter spoke to the group on "Confirmation." An almost continuous round of parties and picnics contributed to a very useful weekend.

     School Opening.-The Carmel Church School opened for its 63rd consecutive year on September 4th. There are only seven children enrolled, six boys and one little girl, with Grades Two, Four, Six, and Seven represented. Miss Nancy Stroh is again teaching full time. Mr. Reuter has added physical training and arithmetic to his subjects, and Mrs. Reuter teaches religion to the Second Grade each morning.

     Services and Classes-At Sunday morning services Mr. Reuter has continued his policy of occasionally giving, as announced beforehand, an outstanding sermon by another minister. On one Sunday in each month a joint service for adults and children is being held. There will be no separate children's services except for the festival ones; the first of which for Thanksgiving, was held on October 14th, when the children brought offerings of fruit.
     A full program of classes and meetings for the society began in September. Friday suppers were resumed, at an increased price of 40 cents. In doctrinal class a study of the order and organization of the General Church is being made; the approach being historical, with reference to the Writings for the principles involved. Two classes given in October at the time of the passing of Mr. Rudolf Roschman, the oldest member of the Kitchener Society, dealt with the subjects of death and resurrection.

     Eastern Canada Assembly.-The Eastern Canada Assembly, held in Toronto over the Thanksgiving weekend, was a most happy and inspiring occasion for all who attended. The Toronto Society cannot be praised too highly for its efforts to make everything attractive and enjoyable in a smoothly run Assembly.

     Business and Social.-As there are more members of the congregation than seats, it was proposed at the Annual Meeting that there be no assigned seats in the church. The motion was carried, though not without some opposition, and it is hoped that the results will he as successful as in other societies which have made this change.
     Two social occasions for the society occurred on successive Saturday evenings in October when our fall brides were honored with gift showers. Miss Janet Hasen was the recipient at the first, which was held at the home of her parents, Mr. and Mrs. A. K. Hasen; the second was at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Nathaniel Stroh, where Miss Marion Down was the guest of honor. Marion, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Fred Down, is engaged to Md. Peter Gyllenhaal of Bryn Athyn, and she plans to be married there on November 22nd. There was a big turnout at both parties, and after all the gifts had been opened and admired refreshments in abundance were served. At these showers everyone brings something for refreshments, usually more than they themselves can eat.

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     A Wedding.-the marriage of Miss Janet Hasen and Mr. Pierre R. Vinet, son of Mr. and Mrs. Pierre Vinet of Rockford, Illinois, took place on October 27th, the Rev. Norman H. Reuter officiating. It was a particularly lovely wedding, with the bride and bridesmaids all in white, The wedding music was played by Miss Korene Schnarr, Miss Alberta Stroh, Miss Marilyn Stroh, and Mr. Nathaniel Stroh, and Miss Gabrielle Howard sang a beautiful soprano solo.
     Miss Claire Synnestvedt of Bryn Athyn was maid-of-honor, and the Misses Gertrude and Elizabeth Hasen, Evangeline Gill, Betty Hill, and Laura Kuhl were bridesmaids. Mr. Gareth Acton of Bryn Athyn was the best man; and the ushers were Carl Gunther from Pittsburgh, Fred and John Hasen, and Keith Niall.
     The reception was held in the beautifully decorated assembly room at the church, the presence of many out of-town guests adding to the festivities. Mr. Reuter responded to the toast to the Church, and Mr. Robert Synnestvedt to the toast to the bride and groom. Mr. Pirre Vinet, Sr. also spoke. The formal program was followed by dancing. After their wedding trip Janet and Pierre will live in Rockford for a few months, and then in Kansas City.
     VIVIAN KUHL.
ANNUAL COUNCIL MEETINGS 1951

ANNUAL COUNCIL MEETINGS HUGO LJ. ODHNER 1951

     Announcements

     General Church of the New Jerusalem

     The Annual Meetings of the Council of the Clergy, and of the Board of Directors of the Corporations of the General Church, have been scheduled to take place in the week of January 28th to February 2nd, 1952, at Bryn Athyn, Pennsylvania.
     HUGO LJ. ODHNER,
          Secretary.
NEW EDITION OF THE WORD FOR CHILDREN 1951

NEW EDITION OF THE WORD FOR CHILDREN 1951

A NEW EDITION OF THE WORD FOR CHILDREN The Sacred Scripture, or the Word of the Lord. New Church Canon. A new Edition for children, in large type and with colored maps. Bound in gold stamped stiff red cloth with red paper edges. Now available for immediate delivery. Price, $3.75 plus postage. THE ACADEMY BOOK ROOM, Bryn Athyn, Pa.
PUBLIC WORSHIP AND DOCTRINAL CLASSES 1951

PUBLIC WORSHIP AND DOCTRINAL CLASSES 1951

     GENERAL CHURCH OF THE NEW JERUSALEM
     RIGHT REV. GEORGE DE CHARMS, BISHOP
     REV. HUGO LJ. ODHNER, SECRETARY, MR. H. HYATT, TREASURER
     Bryn Athyn, Pennsylvania, U. S. A.

Arbutus, Md.-Fourth Sunday, 11 a.m. Class preceding Friday. Visiting Pastor: Rev. Morley D. Rich. Secretary: Mr. William Knapp, 1509 O'Dell Ave., Baltimore 6, Md.

Barberton, Ohio.-Lay conducted service First Sunday at 484 Newall St. Classes in homes third Tuesday.

Bryn Athyn, Pa.-Pastor: Bishop George de Charms. Assistant Pastor: Rev. Hugo Lj. Odhner; Friday Class. Assistant to the Pastor: Rev. David R. Simons.

Chicago, Ill.-Sharon Church. Pastor: Rev. Harold C. Cranch. North Side, 5220 Wayne Ave. Services 11.15 a.m., Wednesday Class.

Colchester, England.-Maldon Road. Pastor: Rev. Alan Gill, 9 Ireton Road. Wednesday Class.

Detroit, Mich.-Regular Services. 400 East Nine-Mile Road, Ferndale, Mich. Pastor: Rev. Norbert H. Rogers.

Durban, Natal, South Africa,-Pastor: Rev. Martin Pryke, 390 Musgrave Road.

Erie, Pa.-Secretary: Mr. Edro Cranch, 1309 E. 20th Street.

Forth Worth, Texas.-Secretary: Mrs. Robert Pollock, 3320 W. 6th St.

Glenview, Ill.-Pastor: Rev. Elmo C. Acton. Assistant Pastor: Rev. Ormond Odhner. Friday Class.

Hurstvile, N. S. W., Australia-Dudley Street. Authorized Leader: Mr. Lindthman Heldon, 13 Alexander St. Penshurst, N. S. W., Australia.

Jonkoping, Sweden.-Occasional. Visiting Pastor: Rev. Erik Sandstrom.

Kitchener, Ont.-820 King St, West. Pastor: Rev. Norman H. Reuter, 604 King Street West, Kitchener, Ontario. Friday Class.

London, England.-Burton Road, Brixton. Pastor: Rev. Kenneth 0. Stroh, 53 Beckwith Road, Herne Hill, London. S.E. 24. Phone: Brixton 4375.

Los Angeles, Calif.-Secretary: Mrs. Royal S. Davis, 800 Sacramento St., Altadena. California.

Montreal, Quebec .-Services and classes five times a year. Pastor: Rev. A. Wynne Acton. Leader: Mr. Desmond H. McMaster. 8247 De L'Epee Ave., Montreal, P. Q.

New York, N. Y.-First Sunday, 4.30 p.m. Hotel Sutton, Green Room, 330 East 56th Street.

North Jersey.-First Sunday, 11 a.m. Green Mountain Club, Mountain Ave., West Orange, N. J.

North St. Paul, Minn.-Monthly. Visiting Pastor: Rev. Ormond Odhner, 2700 Park Lane. Glenview, Illinois.

Paris, France.-Authorized Leader: Mr. Louis Lucas. 173 rue de Paris, Montreuil s/Bois, Seine, France. Monthly meetings in the homes.

Philadelphia, Pa.-Second and third Sundays in homes of the members. Pastor: Rev. Morley D. Rich, 127 Elm Ave., Philadelphia 11, Pa.

Pittsburgh, Pa.-299 Le Roi Road. Pastor: Rev. Bjorn A. H. Boyesen. Telephone: Penhurst 6081. Friday Class, weekly.

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.-Pastor: Rev. Joao de Mendonca Lima. Secretary: Gilberto Caire de Roure.

Rockford, Ill.-Meetings at "Sweden House," East State Road. Secretary: Miss Elenor Eklund; phone County 697 ring 12.

South African Native Mission.- Rev. Martin Pryke, Superintendent, 390 Musgrave Road, Durban.

Stockholm, Sweden.-Ordenssalen, Tunnelgatan 19 C. Pastor: Rev. Gustaf Baeckstrom, Svedjevagen 20, Bromma, Stockholm. Assistant to Pastor: Rev. Erik Sandstrom, Brobyvagen 24, Ensta Park, ROSLAGS NASBY, Sweden.

The Hague, Holland.-Weekly Services in Homes. Authorized Leader: Mr. Herman G. Engeltjca, Lean van Elk en Duinen 206, The Hague, Holland.

Toronto, Ont.-35 Elm Grove Avenue. Pastor: Rev. A. Wynne Acton, 2 Elm Grove Av. Wednesday Class.

Tucson, Arizona.-Secretary: Mrs. E. P. Waddell, 933 N. Sixth.

Urbana, Ohio.-Monthly Service and Class at the home of Mr. Robert Barnitz, 609 5. Main St.

Washington, D. C.-Services every third Sunday at 1730 16th St., N.W. Class preceding Saturday. Pastor: Right Rev. Alfred Acton. Secretary: Mrs. Fred M. Grant, 4306 Van Buren St. Phone Union 1758, Hyattsville, Md.