how strong the affection was that subsisted between this good man and the children of the school. Being one day invited to dine with him, I went, and while I was there, a girl about ten years of age came in; seeing she felt at home, I asked what she would do when Mr. Bradshaw had gone to America? The affectionate creature was so overcome with the idea, that tears trickled down her face so profusely, that she could not answer me. On seeing this, Mr. B's. eyes gushed with tears, and he exclaimed, “Oh, Mr. E., I can bear it all, but such scenes as this."

Several of the members addressed the meeting, each giving his mite of consolation. The tokens were presented by our beloved pastor. He dwelt pathetically upon their nature and intention, and also upon the peculiar position in which they themselves were placed. The emigrants acknowledged the gifts in such a manner as indicated that they were much affected. Mr. Wilson mentioned what a blessing it was to him, that he had been led to a perception of the truth brought to light in the doctrines of the New Jerusalem. "It is now," said he, "that I feel especially their vast importance." He mentioned how he became acquainted with them, and also what his state of mind was immediately after acknowledging the truth of the leading doctrines. He said, "when I first read the Arcanas, I thought them strange books; for a time I was puzzled what to do; my wife was constantly teasing me to give them up, and once or twice I was tempted to do so; but I had seen in them something that my mind could not but admit was true; but then, there were the 'Memorable Relations; these caused the greatest stumbling-block, sometimes, I thought they were dark and childish. But how differently I view them now! now I see clearly what they are, and for what they are. They are no childish matters: they contain wisdom of the highest kind. I can see myself there as in a mirror. I can see the workings of human nature to the life. I can see the outbirths of each principle of the mind represented most clearly there. I would recommend, continued he, all persons, and especially young persons, to read the writings of Swedenborg; for I can testify, as far as my experience is concerned, that there are no writings in existence, with the exception of this blessed book (the Bible), that are so fraught with intelligence and purity as his." The remarks made by our other emigrant friends, were of an exceeding interesting nature; but to recount them, would take up too much space.

The attention of the meeting was directed to the many kind notices. taken by the American brethren of our society, particularly by Mr.

Street, of Rhode Island, who has occasionally presented us with a parcel of American New-Church publications. Our friends were instructed to acknowledge the receipt of them, and at the same time to assure them, that though mighty waters roll between us, yet it is only a separation as to space; as to state, "Jerusalem is builded as a city that is compact together;" our affections are closely united with theirs; and could we send our mortal coils among them, as speedily as we can our better part, we should frequently enjoy with delight their actual presence.

Our painful meeting concluded by singing some appropriate and pleasing verses composed by a gentleman during the evening.

The parting scene took place about 11 o'clock. It was a truly painful sight to witness the separation of such dear friends, perhaps never to meet again on this side eternity. Mothers lamenting the loss of instructors for their children; fathers taking leave of long-cherished associates; children weeping at the idea of being deprived of what may be called second parents, (for they have indeed loved with a parent's love); altogether presented a scene of sadness; yet it was a kind of sadness tinged with something pleasing, inasmuch as it presented to the world a striking exemplification of the truth and tendency of our doctrines, judging according to that safe criterion laid down by God himself, "By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye love one another."

Our friends left England on Wednesday, the 13th instant, in the ship "George," bound for New York. We sincerely pray that the almighty arm of our protecting Father will guide them safely through the perils of the great deep! May they be led to see, by the permission of this severe trial, that "thou, Lord, art a God near and not afar off”! Gift them with a rich endowment of the blessings of this life, as far as will be consistent with their eternal well-being; and prosper their endeavours in the cause of thy Holy Jerusalem! Build them up in every Christian virtue, and fit them to become partakers of thy kingdom above!

April 16, 1842.

R. E.

CORRESPONDENCE A PRACTICAL SCIENCE.

No. 3.

[Note.-Some of the remarks of our correspondent "Viator," in last No., alluding to those made by another correspondent, “Q.,” in a former No., as imputing motives to "Viator," called forth a paper

from "Q.," vindicating himself from the charge. As this paper contained some things that would be unpleasant, and others that would be uninteresting to the readers of the Repository, we wrote to "Q." stating our opinion that his object would be sufficiently attained by our giving a brief note on the matter. In his reply to us, he says, that he "too strongly disapproves of the imputation of motives to be guilty of such an act of impropriety himself. It will be seen, that the passage referred to by Viator, does nothing of the kind.”

Knowing that writers are peculiarly sensitive—even to a proverb -we sincerely regret, that ungarded expressions, more especially when of a personal nature, should escape any of our correspondents. The grand object we all have in view, is to search after God's truth and the life to which it leads; and, although we need not expect all to pursue the same course, yet, if we faithfully persevere, we may hope to arrive at the same end.—EDITORS.]

To the human mind, when in a healthy state, all knowledge is, and must be, gratifying, because it is its proper food or nourishment; and much the more so in proportion as it is applicable to the uses of life. It is, indeed, with the mind as it is with the body; its food must not only be received and eaten, but must also be digested and assimilated, and enter into the life's blood—the circle of the affections—before it can become a part of the man; and this process of spiritual digestion is only effected by receiving knowledge as a means merely, and applying it to its own proper object. Yet there is a class of natural truths for which we can find no rational explanation, and therefore no practical purpose, in the nature of the facts themselves; which stand, as it were, sundered and alone in their relation to earthly things, and serve rather to burden the mind with barren and unsatisfactory surmises, than to invigorate its powers for further investigation. But when the science of correspondence is brought to bear even on these isolated facts they become immediately illuminated with light from above, and, when rightly applied, enter into our interior being to yield their fruits of spiritual use and beauty; and inasmuch as they have for us little connection with earth, serve the better as guide-posts to point us onward to heaven. It is indeed by dwelling on such truths as these, and endeavouring to discover their use, that the inquiring mind is often led to apprehend their inward meaning and application, and thus gains a point in spiritual knowledge which serves as a steppingstone to a higher intelligence.

Of this character is the phenomenon of sleep, which, in a healthy state of the body, never visits man but in the night season; so that when night wakefulness is necessary, it is only by constant exertion and self-compulsion that he can change this law of his nature, and constrain his bodily frame to take its rest in the day. And yet there is no natural reason that can be assigned why, if rest is periodically essential for the recruiting of his active powers, it should not be taken in the light of day equally well as at night. It is only when this subject comes to be viewed in reference to his spirit, and by the aid of corre spondence, that we see the real cause of this arrangement thus so forcibly impressed on man's natural life and being. For sleep proceeds from, as it corresponds to, that cessation of the active powers of the soul, when, in the state corresponding to night, in which the light of truth appears altogether absent or departed, man's consciousness is so far laid to rest that the Lord is enabled to arrange the past within him, and prepare the mind for a new day or state. And as it is only at such seasons that the faculties of the soul are, or appear to be, inert, so, as a natural effect, it can only be in the darkness of night that the body (when it is in the order of nature) requires sleep.

So the melancholy condition of lunacy must ever be an inexplicable riddle to the unassisted rational powers; for we can in no way conceive what effect the distant moon in its changes can have on the reasoning faculties of an inhabitant of this earth. Yet we have only to look to the spiritual correspondence of the phenomenon, and we may read at once the cause of this startling fact. For spiritual insanity, as Swedenborg tells us, proceeds from the mind's being entirely occupied by preconceived and confirmed falses; and this, indeed, is the original source of the natural loss of man's mental powers. That the changes of the moon, then, have some effect on this pitiable state, is because our attendant planet itself corresponds to, as it is the natural expression of, the power of truth or faith, which never fails to search out and expose the wanderings of error, however plausibly they may be concealed or glossed over, when these are brought within its mighty influence.

There are, again, many truths of fact and observation acquired in the routine of our daily existence, which can never be brought into actual use for the purposes of life or the benefit of our fellow-creatures; and these it is which are not properly our own, as they can only occupy the external memory. It cannot indeed fail to have been observed, and deplored, by every member of the Lord's New Church, who has been accustomed to try and examine his own spiritual states by the light he has received, how much, how very much, of his

worldly knowledge and information lies like a dead weight on his memory, a possession without use or enjoyment, and cannot yet be brought out into activity and useful application. It may be even that some zealous receivers of the truth have neglected opportunities of applying their minds to the natural phenomena of the universe, feeling how much that they already know is still undigested and unapplied ; when yet they learn from their enlightened guide that the end of all knowledge is a life of active uses. This is not as it should be. Every faculty of every mind was bestowed in order that it might receive its development in the science which appertains to it. The religion of Swedenborg is distinctly an appeal to the rational powers; and on the cultivation of these must depend its full and true reception in the mind of man. The science of correspondence is moreover itself based on the facts of natural science, which are its continent; yet until these are placed in their true order, and the deceptive fallacies of the senses are subdued by the light of genuine truth, natural can afford no basis for spiritual knowledge. Although, then, in the present but partially developed state of real science, there must be to all, in their different stations and employments in the world, many truths,-yes, and whole classes of truths,-which cannot be made available to the daily purposes of life, it is not less the duty of each to store his mind with as many facts of wisdom and experience as come within his observation and his reach; and by arranging and classifying these, if only in the portals of his outward memory, to form a basis for his own future spiritual instruction, as well as a plane or ground-work for the advancing intelligence of the church.

The sciences, therefore, so far as they deal with the facts and truths of the natural world, being the very home and birth-place of correspondence, will be peculiarly the study of the New Church,—not for its own individual aggrandizement,—not for any worldly or adventitious distinctions they may give,—but for the foundation and advancement of spiritual and divine truth, that by purging them from the fallacies of natural and sensual appearances, they may shine forth in their native light, as replete and irradiant with heavenly wisdom, and thus serve for their noblest end and use the exponents to man of his own spiritual state and life.

Let us, then, proceed to examine, as far as possible, with this end in view, some of the discoveries and inventions of modern science, which have thrown such a halo of light round the philosophers of the present age, and have added so much that is valuable to all the arts and conveniences of life. And perhaps of all those sciences which have con