E.

The Conference.

The fifty-eighth Conference assembled at Bath on the 8th of August, and continued its sittings till Monday, the 14th. It consisted of fifty-three members fifteen ministers and thirty-eight representatives. The Rev. W. Woodman was appointed President, and the Rev. R. Storry Vice-President. The Conference was, as usual, opened by the retiring President reading a portion of the Word and offering up the Lord's Prayer.

As the minutes of the Conference are required to be published within a fortnight after the close of the proceedings, a record of the whole of the business transacted will be in the hands of the members of the church as early as our day of publication; so that it will be sufficient to present our readers with a brief outline of what took place, with more especial reference to such matters as require the attention or co-operation

of the church.

Reports were presented by the several day schools, which showed that these excellent institutions continue to increase in efficient operation, imparting a sound and religious education to numerous children who, whether they all join our communion or not, will carry into life some of the principles which it is a chief object of the New Church day school to afford. Grants from the Educational Fund were made to the schools of Accrington, Birmingham, Embsay, Failsworth, Heywood, Middleton, and Salford. A Report of the Sunday schools was also presented by the Sunday School Union, which showed an increase in the number of scholars during the past year,

the present number being above 4,500. There are thirty-eight schools in connection with the Union. In all these schools religious instruction is given, but in some several branches of secular education are added. Most of them are open to, and composed chiefly of, the children of the neighbourhood, but some consist entirely of the children of members of the church; and the duty and importance of class instruction of the juvenile members of our societies seem every year to be more deeply felt.

To provide more effectually for the religious instruction of the younger children of our Sunday-schools and families, a committee was appointed at the previous Conference to prepare a simpler catechism than that which has been in use for many years. A "Child's Catechism" has been produced as the result of their labours, and, having been approved, was ordered to be forthwith printed under the direction of a committee. Those who have found the want of a first book of religious instruction, will soon possess one equally clear and simple,-not intended to supersede, but to precede, the excellent catechism now in use.

The Students and Ministers' Aid Fund occupied a due share of the attention of the Conference. The two ministers who had been appointed to aid the societies of the church on behalf of the fund were able to report a satisfactory measure of success, though it was at the same time recorded with regret that some of the larger societies had not made arrangements for receiving them. The committee was re-appointed, with power to act together or separately; and a re

newed effort is to be made. It will, indeed, be necessary for the church generally to respond to the appeal to be made to it, for the expenditure will be quite as great as last year, and the fixed resources less. Hitherto a small portion of the funds of the National Missionary Institution has been applied to the purposes for which the Students and Ministers' Aid Fund was instituted; but this is not to be continued. Besides the salaries of the students, there are several small sums paid to societies to assist them to maintain their ministers; and the demands of both must be met by the one fund. It is evident, therefore, that the contributions of the present must be larger than those of the past year, if both these uses are to be performed. The salaries of the students have, indeed, been reduced from 60 to 52 guineas a year, which will effect a saving. Two additional students have been adopted, yet the number cannot be said to be increased, for one of these has been on the fund the greater part of the year, and one who has been under training for some years is about to engage in active service as the leader of a society. The education of the students is paid for out of the college funds, consisting chiefly of the interest arising from the bequest of the late Mr. Crompton; so that their maintenance only is to be provided for by members and societies of the church. They receive their secular education at University College. The Rev. Mr. Hiller has been appointed their theological instructor.

The present is to the New Church a day of small things, and it must be some time before our numbers and means are sufficient to maintain a collegiate establishment. Yet it is a consummation to be wished, and by all legitimate means hastened. The zeal of our brother, Mr. Henry Bateman, has long been directed to the attainment of this object. He is not, indeed, alone in desiring the end, but the Conference and he have not been able to see the desirableness of pursuing it by precisely the same means. He has been desirous of expending about half the capital in building, and the Conference has been inclined to employ the interest of the whole in education. A compromise has this year been effected. The Conference has voted the sum of £3,000. to be expended in extending the college building in Devonshire-street; and when com

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pleted there may be room not only for the students to pursue in it, under efficient teachers, some part of their collegiate course, but for a school for youth, which forms one part of the original plan.

The report of the National Missionary Institution, established to commemorate the Centenary of the New Church, exhibited the not very appropriate and encouraging view that, in addition to the interest from the munificent gift of Mr. Finnie, only a few pounds had been received during the year. It is true that the liberality of the church has been directed into another channel, to which also a large annual subscription had been transferred-the Students and Ministers' Aid Fund. The Conference, believing that both funds might be adequately supported, besides appointing a committee to solicit subscriptions for the one, recommended a measure for aiding the other-they resolved, "That it be recommended to the several societies who have not local associations for missionary purposes, to form local associations in connection with the National Missionary Institution." It would seem desirable, both for power and unity of action, that all local societies for missionary purposes should be combined; and that institution which aims at being national appears to be the main stream to which all the others might honourably and usefully be tributaries.

Among the beneficial results of the Lord's second coming, and the signs of better times which are everywhere appearing, the most conspicuous is undoubtedly the British and Foreign Bible Society. That the knowledge of the Word in the letter should precede that of the Word in the spirit was obviously necessary; and the circulation of the Holy Book over the whole earth at this epoch can only be regarded by the members of the New Church as a manifestation of a special Divine Providence. The members of the New Church have individually, and in one case socially, aided this movement. The subject has at length been taken up by the Conference. It was generally agreed that the Bible Society deserved our practical encouragement. The question was whether it would be best to give aid through the Conference or through local channels. It was agreed to recommend the members of the church to render assistance through local associations, by coöperating with

them in any or every way calculated to promote so noble an object as the extension of the Divine Word to the nations of men whom God has made of one blood for to dwell on all the face of the earth.

Some new arrangements as to the conducting of the Magazine, and the addresses to and from the Conference, will be noticed next month.

MONDAY EVENING.

A reception meeting was held in the schoolroom below the church, where tea was provided, which afforded the friends ready and agreeable means of introduction; mutual recognition and warm brotherly greetings were exchanged.

TUESDAY EVENING.

The usual religious service took place this evening. The Rev. R. Storry, by appointment of the previous Conference, preached, and assisted by the resident minister, afterwards administered to a large number the Sacrament of the Holy Supper. The preacher selected for his text the words in the book of Revelation, (i. 12, 13.) "And I turned to see the voice that spake with me. And being turned, I saw seven golden candlesticks, and in the midst of the seven candlesticks one like unto the Son of Man, clothed with a garment down to the feet, and girt about the paps with a golden girdle." The leading theme of the discourse was the great truth that the Lord in His humanity is the centre of the church and the source of its illumination, which the speaker enforced and explained in forcible and eloquent language. This discourse we expect to print in extenso next month.

THURSDAY EVENING.

After the tea meeting on Thursday evening, a public meeting was held in the church, under the presidency of the Rev. James Keene. There was a large attendance, especially of ladies. The proceedings were opened by prayer, followed by singing the 593rd hymn.

The CHAIRMAN then congratulated the members of Conference and friends upon their having had so harmonious a meeting, which must have been pleasing to all. The business of Conference had been conducted with order and propriety, and differences of opinion had not led to any altercation of feeling. It was twenty

years since the Conference last met in Bath; and he was pleased that so many who then attended were still in health to join in the present proceedings. Previous to that it was fifteen years, when the Conference first assembled in Bath. Of all the zealous members who had successfully worked for the promotion of the present meeting, they were most deeply indebted to Mr. Douglas, the secretary. As to the Bath church, if it grew slowly, still it did grow; and when they remembered the services of Mr. Hindmarsh, Mr. Sibly, and Mr. Howarth, of Manchester, they could not but feel pleasure in seeing the spirit which they had left behind them. He could not but congratulate the church upon its growth, and the Conference of which it was an outgrowth, upon the direction and support it gave to this and other societies. Their object that evening was pleasure, and the proceedings would consist of addresses and some music. The subject for consideration was "The Inspiration of Scripture." The consideration might be confined to the proposition, but it was a subject which embraced all the doctrines of the New Church. He would not enter upon it himself, as there were so many gentlemen set down to address them, but merely remark that the inspiration of Scripture was an acknowledged truth, received by all churches, though none but the New Church knew what inspiration was. They believed that the literal Word was inspired; but though based upon the letter, it was the spirit contained in it that was the real inspiration. The Chairman then announced that it would be absolutely necessary, in order to bring the meeting to a close at the time proposed, to limit each speaker to ten minutes.

The Rev. T. CHALKLEN then addressed the meeting; but as he had written his address, and had not read it more than half through in upwards of a quarter of an hour, the Chairman interposed, and the meeting supported him in sustaining the rule laid down of allowing to each speaker ten minutes. Mr. Chalklen, in the course of his remarks said, there was no serious believer to whom the subject of the Inspiration of Scripture was not of paramount interest. From the earliest ages the churches had held the Scriptures to be God's gift to man; and never was this more evident than at the present day, when inquiries had been instituted,

not only as to the inspiration, but even the authenticity of the Bible. The purpose of the Lord in sending his Word to mankind, was to enlighten their understandings and improve their hearts, so that they might excel in goodness and prepare themselves for the heavenly life hereafter. The speaker went on to show, that though there were things in the Bible which appeared to be not only irrelevant but opposed to this purpose, yet when spiritually understood all was clear, and a new light was shed upon the Bible, which enabled them to see that inspiration was not a mere dogma of the church, but a living fact.

The Rev. E. D. RENDELL expressed the satisfaction of himself and the other members of the Conference at the hearty reception they had met with from the Bath friends. In reference to the subject for consideration, he said, by the term Scripture they understood the Word of God, and by the Word of God, when they made use of that term, they meant exactly what they said, and so they believed that the Scriptures were inspired; but if they looked abroad in the Christian world, they would find great diversity of opinion as to the signification of the term inspiration. The highest authority in the land had lately declared that there was no definition of the term known to the Church of England. Different ideas were entertained by one section or other, but all rested upon this, that the inspiration of Scripture consisted in literal truths, which were supposed to have been written literally. Certain critics, following out inquiries natural to the progressive spirit of the age, had risen up, and they found that there were certain statements in the Word which did not literally agree with the facts of science and philosophy, and this had given rise to doubts, difficulty, and scepticism. But to the proper understand ing of Scripture, it was necessary to distinguish between the inspiration of men and the inspiration of that which the Divine had commissioned men to write. The inspiration of men consisted in their writing words in order that there might be produced a certain result; but the inspiration of the Word was this, that it might have a meaning besides and beyond what literally appeared in the letter. For instance, the interpretation of the church was that the early chapters of Genesis were records of literal

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facts; and when critics rose up and questioned this, they were called sceptics, and it was said that they denied the truth of Scripture. But the truth was that it was not the Scriptures that were called in question, but the interpretation which was put upon them. They who were of the New Church knew that the letter of the Word was plenarily inspired, and for what purpose. The inspiration of Scripture consisted in the internal, spiritual, and celestial senses by which the Scriptures were distinguished. The letter was but the basis upon which the spiritual rested. The literal word was adapted to the comprehension of man; but the letter of Scripture rose to the Divine and the spiritual according as they grew to understand it. It was by the spiritual nature of the Scripture that the Lord was able to communicate spiritual truths to man; and it was because of this spiritual character of the Scriptures that they could never die, and that no amount of scepticism could ever drive them from society. The grand science they taught was human regeneration. The Word now performed miracles according as it was received, and the regeneration which it effected was the greatest of all miracles. It was never designed to teach science, but to teach men how to live; and the infallibility of the letter was shown in this, that it was true to express the grand object for which it was intended-the regeneration of the human race.

Mr. BATEMAN said it was twenty years since he was last in Bath, and he thanked the Bath friends for their very cordial reception. A few months before that, a lady, who was now the wife of one of the members of Conference, and himself, put down £50. each to form a New Church College. See what Divine Providence had done for them since. From that sum of £50. they now possessed in land, consols, and by a bequest receivable upon the death of a lady now aged£15,000. He thought they would see their heavenly Father's hand in this. But what were earthly riches as compared with the spiritual riches contained in the Holy Book written by men who spoke as they were moved by the Holy Ghost. The inspiration of God was the breathing into man that which, forming itself in the shape of words and the clothing of externals, became the spiritual and divine manifestation of God to man.