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recognise no other Foundation, for they were working in order that at His Name every knee should bow. In HIм dwelt all the fulness of the Godhead bodily; He was the only wise GOD their Saviour.

THOUGHTS AND QUERIES RESPECTING THE "HOLY SUPPER" AND SACRAMENTAL WINE.

NEW Churchmen generally cannot but agree with the simple but clear exposition of the Sacrament of the Holy Supper given by the editor in the Intellectual Repository for the present month, December 1878. There are, however, a few questions in connection with this most essential ordinance upon which many might like to have the expressed ideas of the editor or of others.

The first question is with reference to the frequency of the reception of the Sacrament. Doubtless this is a matter that must be left greatly to the conscientious judgment and feeling of the individual. We know that whilst in one section of the Church of England weekly, and even oftener, reception is enjoined as a benefit, in the Presbyterian Church of Scotland the solemn remembrance has been twice a year; and again, Swedenborg gives about three times a year, accompanied with self-examination, as right and expedient. As there at times seems a tendency, even in the New Church, to advise a more frequent reception, many would like to know upon what grounds the

advice is based.

Again, as regards the wine to be used as sacramental. We know that with many Christian communities this is at the present time a moot point. How it can be with New Churchmen, with correspondence before them, it is difficult to understand. Pure fermented natural wine ought alone to be used; that is, the juice of the grape which has been freed by the process of fermentation from all the leaves or ferment it naturally contains, and has been converted from a corruptible juice into a clear, bright aromatic fluid capable of preserving itself for almost an indefinite period—a true correspondence of Divine fruit. The whole correspondence of the process of fermentation, the action of the fungoid leaves, the evolved heat, the disengagement of the deadly carbonic acid gas, the separation of the lees, is most interesting, and ought not only to establish the propriety of using fermented wine in the Lord's Supper, but to establish in the minds of New Churchmen the entire question of alcoholic use and abuse.

Lawfulness is one question, expediency under circumstances is another. We may thankfully regard and accept fermented wine in its widest acceptation as a gift of God to men, and yet, although admitting temperance and self-command to be the highest plane, adopt the lower plane of total abstinence for the sake of the weak, avoiding at the same time judgment of those who, in accordance with conscience, judgment, and reason, adopt another course as most calcu lated to promote their own happy usefulness.

S. T.

Miscellaneous.

ROMAN CATHOLICISM AND PROTEST- seemed to have no place left for it when ANTISM. The steady approach of the the intermediate state of souls had been Ritualistic party in the Established reduced almost to a cipher. Worst of Church to the worship and ceremonies all, the new standard appeared to be in of the Church of Rome has for some hopeless conflict with the widest experitime encouraged the hope of the friends ence; for it implied that the entire of the Papacy of receiving large acces- work of discipline was in every case sions from their ranks. These hopes fully accomplished on this side the have not been fulfilled to the extent grave; that every soul passed away into anticipated. The numbers that have the unseen in a state of ripeness for a passed over, though considerable, are final destiny of bliss or woe. But viosmall compared with those that remain. lence begets violence. Within the last To hasten this work of conversion (or twenty years a reaction has arisen, under perversion) the Abbé Martin wrote a the force of which a crowd of Protestpaper in the August number of the ants, and even many who deem themContemporary Review, under the title selves to be the cream of Protestantism, "What hinders Ritualists from becom- have adopted ideas of trial and purgaing Roman Catholics?" This paper has tory beyond the grave, which vastly exnaturally attracted attention, and two ceed in latitude anything ever taught by papers in reply have appeared in the the Church of Rome." Both Mr. Gladsame periodical. The first of these is by stone and Dr. Littledale dwell largely Mr. Gladstone, and treats almost exclu- on the moral side of Roman Catholisively on the historical side of the ques- cism. "That scandal of scandals," says tion. Protestantism is enamoured of Mr. Gladstone," which I have set forth, the truth, and cannot overlook nor dis- the acceptance and commendation of regard the lessons of history. The the Decamerone [of Boccaccio-' a promoral and religious condition of the duction saturated from top to toe with the Papacy led to the Reformation. "The pagan spirit'-] from the Roman chair, Protestant and the Anglican tradition was effected amidst the storm of religious in this country start from a position war in France and in the Low Counallowed by all, that the Christian Church tries, and one year only after the same in general had, in the course of time, reigning pontiff had struck a medal and fallen away in various particulars from ordered a thanksgiving in honour of its purity. This was the state of de- the massacre of Saint Bartholomew." clension which prevailed until the six- "Our general experience," says Dr. teenth century.' This led to the Re- Littledale, "is that conversion to formation under Luther; but in England Rome involves, in a large majority of the Reformation period left the Church instances, sudden, serious, and permain a state of conflict between two schools, nent intellectual and moral deterioraboth determined on rejecting the juris- tion, especially as to the quality of diction of Rome, but seriously differing truthfulness." Of this the writer gives on questions of doctrine and ritual. In some striking examples. In a rejoinder this conflict many doctrines held by to these articles the Abbé adduces abunRome, some of which Mr. Gladstone dant evidence of the little sympathy the seems to regard with a lingering affec- Ritualists have with the Reformation or tion, were rejected by the Anglican the Reformers, and of the nearness of Church. Among these he enumerates their approach to Romanism without Prayers for the Dead, the Doctrine of crossing the line that separates them the Intermediate State, the Eucharist, from it. "It may perhaps be said," and some others. On the subject of he remarks, "within the limits of the Intermediate State Mr. Gladstone truth, that the Ritualists accept all writes: "With the obscuration of an the beliefs and all the practices of universal tradition there came, indeed, the Roman Catholic Church, with manifold confusions of doctrine: the very rare exceptions. It is certainly far final judgment, with its solemn import, easier to enumerate the things which

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body, he says: "If you abandon the interpretations of grosser minds, who imagine the soul as a Psyche which could be thrown out of the window-an entity which is usually occupied, we know not how, among the molecules of the brain, but which on due occasion, such as the intrusion of a bullet or the blow of a club, can fly away into other

they do not receive than those which they do; as, for example, the Immaculate Conception, and the supreme juris diction and infallibility of the Pope in his capacity as head of the Church." The Abbé struggles manfully to weaken, if he cannot overcome, the historical argument; and has no hesitation in placing the authority of the Church above history and all other human regions of space. If, abandoning this authority. The authority of the Church is presented with the most unhesitating assurance. Every Catholic is to yield to its authority. Not, indeed," says the Abbé, "that the Catholic has recourse to the Church to know what he is to think at all times and on all subjects, but he always cherishes this mental reservation, Salvo ecclesiæ judicio-that is to say, in all cases in which his views incur the reprobation of the Church, the Catholic must be ready to submit to offer any explanation that may be demanded, and, if needful, to retract his own opinions. In other words (for it is important to be clear in a matter on which prejudice is so strong), the supreme rule for the judgment of the Catholic is not his own historical studies, aided or unaided by other men, but the authority of the Church.”

heathen notion, you approach the subject in the only way in which approach is possible; if you consent to make your soul a poetic rendering of a phenomenon which, as I have taken more pains than any one else to show you, refuses the yoke of ordinary physical laws, then I, for one, would not object to this exercise of ideality. I say it strongly, but with good temper, that the theologian, or the defender of theology, who hacks and scourges me for putting the question in this light is guilty of black ingratitude.'

The same sentiment is repeated in equally vigorous language in relation to the "creative hypothesis,' and the same sentiment is expressed towards those who, "having relinquished the views of the mechanical theologian, desire for the satisfaction of feelings (of wonder), which I admit to be in great part those of humanity at large, to give ideal form to the power that moves all things, it is not by me that you will find objections raised to this exercise of ideality when consciously and worthily carried out."

DR. TYNDALL ON THE SOUL.-The controversy which some time since sprung up between Professors Helmholtz and Virchow on the modern doctrine of evolution so clearly touched the speculations of Dr. Tyndall that he has It is much to be regretted that there made the essay of Dr. Virchow the sub- should be any "hacking and scourging" ject of an article in the November num- of Dr. Tyndall in this controversy, or any ber of the Nineteenth Century. We refer untowardness of temper manifested in to this article to note some of the state- conducting it. It is a question for calm ments in it respecting the soul. The and dispassionate inquiry and discusimpossibility of arriving at a know- sion; and whether or not the Christian ledge of the soul from an exclusive advocate can convince Dr. Tyndall of investigation of the body is nowhere the utter inadequacy of his theory to more clearly stated than in some of the account for the facts of consciousness, recent utterances of Dr. Tyndall: "If you and to explain the evidences of mindare content to make your soul a poetic action, they ought to be able to conrendering of a phenomenon which refuses vince the candid and reflecting that the yoke of ordinary physical laws, I, for there are more things in the nature of one, would not object to this exercise man than are dreamt of in this philo. of ideality.' This is his statement in sophy. Are there no laws in creation his presidential address delivered before but the "ordinary physical laws"? Are the Birmingham and Midland Institute, not spiritual laws, which "refuse the October 1st, 1877. The same opinion yoke of these ordinary physical laws,' is repeated and emphasized in this as real and as influential in their own paper in the Nineteenth Century. To sphere as the laws of material existence? those who retain the idea of the soul as Do they not, indeed, dominate these - distinct from and acting in and by the laws of matter, and make them subject

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to their will? The true theologian will thankfully accept from Dr. Tyndall, or any other competent teacher, the discoveries of scientific truth, but may reasonably object to be bound by his theoretic conjectures.

WEEKLY OFFERTORY. With the commencement of the year Societies are often led to consider their financial affairs and the best means of their prudent management. At the present time considerable diversity of practice prevails. One of the methods extensively adopted of late years is the Weekly Offertory. The advocates of this system claim for it apostolic authority; urging in its support the instruction of the Apostle to the Churches of Galatia and Corinth concerning the collection for the saints at Jerusalem, "Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him" (1 Cor. xvi. 2). The system has succeeded beyond expectation in many congregations, while it has failed in others-its failure being generally ascribed to defective management. The Argyle Square Manual gives the following account of its working in that Society :

"The proceeds of the Offertory since our last announcement have been as follows: August, £14, 10s. 3d; September, £14, 5s. 11d.; October, £26, 2s. 1d.; total for the three months, £54, 18s. 3d. "As the Offertory was introduced at Argyle Square Church on the evening of Sunday, November 8th, 1874, it completed the fourth year of its existence on the morning of Sunday the 11th of November. It is satisfactory to notice a further most gratifying increase in the annual proceeds, which since its establishment have been as follows:

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arranged in various places in Lancashire. A course of four lectures has been delivered at Failsworth; the lecturers being the Revs. W. Westall, I. Tansley, P. Ramage, and C. H. Wilkins. The attendances were very good, and the lectures well received. The Rev. P. Ramage has delivered two of a course of four lectures at Rhodes. The last two, by the Revs. W. Westall and C. H. Wilkins, will be delivered after Christmas. The attendance at Mr. Ramage's lectures was remarkably good reports of these lectures have appeared in the local papers. Two lectures have been delivered at Lancaster to moderate audiences by the Revs. W. Westall and P. Ramage. Two lectures have also been delivered at Darwen by the Rev. P. Ramage. The attendance at the former of these was thin in consequence of very unfavourable weather. The Rev. C. H. Wilkins has delivered two lectures at Skipton at the request of the Embsay Society; and the Rev. J. Presland of London has delivered two lectures, one in the Temperance Hall, Grosvenor Street, All Saints, and the other at the Pendleton Club, Manchester, to small audiences. Of these fourteen lectures we are only able to give a fuller account of the following :

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The Rev. W. Westall lectured at Failsworth on the subject of "Jesus the great God-Man.' ." He showed that to the question "What think ye of Christ? the answers of to-day were as various as in our Lord's time. Some said Behold man, some "Behold God," and some "Behold the Lamb of God," but he (the lecturer) would add another and say, "Behold the great God-Man." He then showed that there were four classes of testimony concerning Jesus in the New Testament. First, the testimony that He was a man, whence He was spoken of as the Son of Mary, being also, as was supposed, the Son of Joseph, and the Son of David; second, that of Jesus and of His Apostles to His Manhood, who spoke of Him as "the Son of Man and "the Man Christ Jesus;" third, the testimony of the same as to His Divinity, whence they also spoke of Him as "Master and Lord and "the Son of God;" and fourth, that of the Evangelists and Apostles as to His sole and exclusive Deity, that He was "Emanuel, God with us,' "God manifest in the flesh," ""God over all blessed for ever,"

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and that "in Him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily." Keeping to the testimony of Jesus and of His Apostles, and to that of His life, the lecturer showed that Jesus was at birth a Divine Man, having Divine endow ments and gifts, and therefore that He became in His Humanity, when_glorified, the personal form of the Father and the embodiment of His infinite perfections. Thus the answer to the question "What think ye of Christ?" was, the lecturer argued, not that He was Man alone, or God alone, but the great God-Man. The lecture was listened to with deep attention, and provoked considerable thought, which was evinced by the questions privately put to the lecturer after the lecture. The attendance was good.

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The services and lectures at the other towns, considering the time of the year and state of the weather, were as well attended as could be expected. Mr. Gunton has also lectured and preached in the Temperance Hall, Tottenham, where he had first to encounter apathy, and next somewhat violent opposition; a local preacher and others taking upon themselves to advise the audience not to purchase the books.

NATIONAL MISSIONARY INSTITUTION. Since leaving Liverpool at the end of October Mr. Gunton has paid missionary visits to Brightlingsea, Wincanton, Marlborough, Market Lavington, and Ipswich. The lecture at Marlborough At Lancaster Mr. Westall lectured was the first public lecture on the on the subject of "Hell, or God's Treat- doctrines of the New Church in that ment of the Lost. The lecturer referred town, so far as we know it was well to the changes which had come over attended in the Town Hall, kindly lent the Christian belief on the subject of by the Mayor for the purpose, about hell, and the difficulty now experienced two hundred were present, and thirtyby educated persons in believing in five copies of the Silent Missionaries eternal torments. He argued against were sold. The friends at Wincanton the theories for the non-eternity of hell are ably led in the Sunday services by by the universal restoration of infernals Mr. Pocock and Mr. Sweetman, and are on the one hand, or by their annihila- making satisfactory progress. tion on the other-as scripturally and rationally unsound. The lecturer elaborated the following propositions: First, that God punishes no one, but that evil punishes itself; second, that the Lord permits evil to punish itself, not in vengeance, but in mercy, that He may thereby restrain evil indulgence and mitigate infernal woe; third, that hell is as much subject to the Lord as heaven, but the principle by which order is enforced in hell is fear, whilst that by which it is secured in heaven is love; fourth, that the Lord has subjected hell to Himself, not only for the mitigation of infernal woe, but also that it may be subservient to His own Divine ends, and that it may be made to minister to the work of human instruction. The last of these propositions the lecturer illustrated by Judas, who was a "son of perdition," but who was made to minister to the work of the Lord; and by that greatest and most atrocious of all crimes, the betrayal of the Son of Man with a kiss, was made to minister to that most stupendous work of mercy, viz., the cross, and the redemption, and consequent salvation of man. After the

THE ITALIAN MISSION.-The General Conference, at its sitting in August last, reappointed a committee to procure subscriptions to assist in carrying on this mission. Professor Scocia is performing an important use in disseminating a knowledge of the doctrines of the New Church in Italy, but unfortunately he has no means of his own, and depends in a great measure upon the generosity of his brethren in this country and in America. The liberality of the subscribers during the last Conference year enabled the Committee to remit him £80, and, relying on their appeal for funds being responded to, the Committee have undertaken to send

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