MISCELLANEOUS. and to the general progress of religious thought, as they bear upon the truths and intents of the Lord's New Church; and as in the opinion of the Conference a monthly article devoted to such topics would render the Magazine more interesting and useful-Resolved,-That as an experiment, for one year, at least, six columns of the miscellaneous department of the Magazine be devoted each month to an article on the above topics, to be prepared by a competent writer, to be selected by the Editor; and that the sum of £18. from the Conference Fund be set apart for the payment of the writer of such article." The Rev. E. D. Rendell has been appointed to carry out the object of this resolution; and the first article in the miscellaneous department of the present number is from his pen. Besides this monthly article, it is recommended that reviews be occasionally inserted of works bearing upon or indicating the progress of New Church views. The insertion of short articles is also recommended, which we hope our contributors will enable us to carry out. Thus improved and popularised, the contents of the Intellectual Repository are to be advertised once a month in the Daily Telegraph and Morning Star. As all must wish for its success, those who are engaged in the work must do their best to secure it. We have already, in our brief report of Conference business, given some notice of what was done in regard to the institutions of the Church; but the President's report contains so excellent a view and review of them all, that we venture to give it entire, notwithstanding its length: "The public institutions of the church divide into three classes: those which seek to disseminate a knowledge of the doctrines by the press, by missionary operations, and by popular education. At the head of the first of these classes is the Society for Printing and. Publishing the Writings of Swedenborg. This society, instituted in the year 1810, has, for upwards of half a century, applied itself with commendable zeal to the great and important work for which it was instituted. To those who possess a knowledge of its early issues, and are able to compare them with the present publications of the society, its progress and usefulness will appear very surprising. Indeed, it furnishes a powerful evidence 469 of the wonderful Providence which is over the writings of Swedenborg, to consider that works, for which scarcely any one cared, and with which few had the slightest acquaintance, treating also on subjects for which the world and the church had lost all relish, and written in a language which few understood, should yet, at the end of their first century, be issued in as neat a form and at as cheap a price as the bulk of the publications of the marvellous age in which we live. It is an age of cheap publications, and the writings of Swedenborg compete with the standard and solid literature of the day in cheapness. It is a day of free libraries-of efforts to make knowledge accessible to all who desire to know, and will apply themselves to learn; and the works of Swedenborg are offered, "without money, and without price," to every large public library that will accept them 6 complete sets having been presented to three such libraries during the past year. The report, which pays a graceful tribute to the memory of our beloved brother, M. le Boys des Guays, commends to those able to use them, the purchase of his publications, which may be usefully employed, both for their own reading, and for lending to people of culture who would be willing to read the writings in the French language. It details the literary works in connection with the church in progress in France, Sweden, and Norway, and our own country. New editions have been published of the Divine Love and Wisdom from the Apocalypse Explained,' and of 'Canons or Entire Theology of the New Church;' and within a recent period, the entire Arcana, including the large index, in two volumes, has been reprinted, except the ninth volume, which is under revision. The sales during the year have reached 2,956 volumes, which, with donations and Latin copies claimed by subscribers, 1,374, makes a total issue of 4,330 volumes. The large expenditure of the society has necessitated the sale of some portion of its funded property. The income from all sources, including the sale I have named, and the repayment of a portion of the debt owing by the Cross-street Society, is £1,193. 6s. 2d., and the expenditure, £970. 6s. 2d. "Another society which devotes itself to the production and publication of New Church literature, is the society instituted in Manchester, for Printing, Pub lishing, and Circulating the Writings of Swedenborg, and other books which inculcate the true Christian life and doctrine. The brief report of this society states that the sales of the society have more than doubled during the last two years. A new edition of 'Clowes' Parables' is passing through the press, and a new edition of the Gospel by Matthew is contemplated. "Another noble institution which avails itself of the press, as the great medium of usefulness, is the Tract Society. This institution was established in Manchester, in the year 1837, chiefly through a donation of £300. by our zealous friend, the late Joseph Senior, Esq. Since its establishment, it has gone on in a steady course of labour until its issues have amounted to 1,118,807, of which number upwards of 100,000 have been issued last year, 'being 28,441 in excess of last year, and 11,067 more than the largest issue ever sent forth by this society in one year.' The catalogue of the society gives upwards of 100 different tracts. It has also published, in tract form, eight of the minor works of Swedenborg, thus rendering them accessible to the humblest readers who desire to possess them. Of these, 1,139 have been put into circulation during the year. The income of the society has been £196.; its expenditure within a few shillings of the same amount. "The Yorkshire Colportage Association is a useful auxiliary to these institutions. Its fifth annual report is presented to the Conference, and furnishes evidence of considerable activity and usefulness. It has sold during the ten months reported, 752 books and pamphlets, and distributed gratuitously upwards of 30,000 tracts. Its income during this time has been £133. 3s. 5d.; its expenditure nearly the same amount. "The London Missionary and Tract Society forms a connecting link between the Printing and Missionary Societies. It combines the uses of both; and from the report presented to the present Conference, is evidently doing a good work. It has reprinted a number of tracts, and has new ones in course of issue or preparation. It has also purchased the stock of Mr. Rendell's Antediluvian History,' so as to extend its circulation by a considerable reduction of price. It has made grants of tracts for gratuitous distribution to several societies and individuals, and to certain libraries, of the 'Appeal' and 'Antediluvian History.' Its Missionary operations, which have been active in London, have also extended to Brighton, Chatteris, Deptford, Hockley, Birmingham, Leicester, Northampton, Norwich, Oldham, Peterborough, Potteries, St. Ives, Stowupland, Warren Lane, near Accrington, Wivenhoe, and Woolwich. The income of the society has been £286. 5s. 7d.; and its expenditure £239. 2s. 2d. This "The Manchester and Salford Missionary Society is chiefly occupied with missionary labours in the neighbourhood of Manchester. In the prosecution of this work, it employs eight ministers and twenty-one lay preachers. It publishes a quarterly missionary arrangement, in which it has last year made 573 appointments, providing for the delivery of 904 public discourses. amount of labour is exclusive of the sermons and lectures delivered by the ministers and leaders in their own pulpits, and of lectures delivered under the auspices of the National and of the London Missionary Societies. The Committee have also provided, during the year, lectures at Bury, Over Darwen, Great Grimsby, Ramsbottom, and arranged an annual meeting, which was this year held at Kersley. Its income, including a balance of £21. 5s. 11d., has been £84.9s. 3 d.,its expenditure,£68. 10s. 9d. "The report of the National Missionary Institution is this year printed, and circulated along with the other reports presented to the Conference. Missionary labours have been provided at Bath, Blackburn, Bolton, Bristol, Bury, Carlisle, Chatteris, Clonmel (Ireland), Dalton, Failsworth, Hockley, Hull, Ipswich, St. Helier's, Jersey, Leeds, Melbourne, Middleton, Newchurch, Northampton, North Shields, Nottingham (Hedderly-street), Oldham, Ramsbottom, St. Ives, Sheffield, Southport, Warren Lane, York. income, to the time of publishing the report, is £149. 2s. 44d., and the expenditure, £152. 12s. 66 The Appended to this report is the report of the Students and Ministers' Aid Fund. The four students adopted by the last Conference continue their studies at the London University and the New Church College, and are placed, as respects their theological studies, under the care of the Rev. O. P. Hiller.' They also perform missionary labour in Lon MISCELLANEOUS. don and the neighbourhood. Meetings on behalf of the fund have been held in London, Bath, and Bristol. The income has been £268. 8s. 10d.; the expenditure, £221. 5s. "This hasty glance at our missionary reports shows that a large amount of useful labour has been attempted, but it also shows that much remains to be done. The places visited are not numerous, and the lectures at each are small in amount. The incomes of the societies do not admit of a very extended service. The entire income of the three societies is not quite £520., and of this sum a portion is employed in the printing and publishing of tracts. The reports show that the committees have sought to render the largest possible amount of service with the funds at their disposal. As these funds increase, their labours will be extended, and the knowledge of the doctrines more widely diffused. To all, therefore, who desire the prosperity of Jerusalem, we would commend the more earnest support of these noble institutions. "The next subject to which I have to refer is our popular education. Reports of all the day-schools and of the Sundayschool Union have been sent to me. In three of the day-schools there has been a change of teachers. These are Accrington, Birmingham, and Heywood. In two of these-Birmingham and Heywood-there seems to have been a decline in the numbers in attendance, but the managers speak confidently of their improvement and progress. The Middleton school has also declined a little in numbers from local and probably temporary circumstances, certainly not from the want of efficiency. The rest remain as last year, or have made a slight increase. It appears very evident from the reports, that all the schools are making progress. The managers and teachers are becoming more and more alive to the importance of our day-school education, and are seeking, as at Failsworth, to improve their school fittings, or as at all the schools, to interest and carry their pupils onward in the path of knowledge and the progress of sound moral and religious training. The report of the Birmingham school is expressive of the warm satisfaction of the managers with the very efficient state of both their schools. The secular instruction is most efficiently imparted by the 471 present teachers. In the girls' school 'the whole management is instinct with a religious spirit, and a large number of children are there taught something of the principles of the New Church.' In the boys' school the progress has been such as to encourage the managers to engage an assistant teacher. Both the schools have passed a successful government examination. The school in Peterstreet, Manchester, continues to maintain its high position in the ranks of educational establishments. The appointment, last year, of a new inspector to the district in which it is placed, afforded another opportunity of testing its high efficiency. The report of the inspector is more than usually commendatory. One feature of this report speaks volumes. It is the marked attention paid to the pupil teachers. These young people are at the turning point of life, and this is so well understood by the able conductors of these schools, that they apply themselves with a double diligence to interest them in their work, to create in them a thirst for knowledge, and to attach them affectionately and earnestly to the church. Here is, moreover, one secret of the marked success of these schools. The youngest teacher is made to feel the influence of the earnestness which pervades the establishment, and to labour from affection. The well-written report issued by the managers enters into the philosophy of the system pursued in these very successful schools, and will well repay careful study by all who are connected with our day-schools, or interested, as every member of the church ought to be, in the great cause of popular education. It is scarcely necessary to say that the schools are quite full, the number on the books being 843, the average attendance 694. The income of the school has been £1,127. 8s. 8d., and its expenditure £1,146. 13s. 3 d. "Much that I have said respecting the schools in Peter-street applies also to the schools at Salford. These schools continue to maintain their high character. They are quite full, and the master is under the painful necessity of declining the many applications for the admission of children into the schools. The income of the school has been £671. 12s. 8d., and its expenditure £678. 4s. 11d. "The report of the Sunday-school Union gives a large amount of information from the reports of thirty-eight the members of the church in these important means of usefulness to the church and to the world. Most of the institutions are very inadequately sustained, and the committees who render so large a service with such inadequate means must often be at their wit's end to secure their continued progress and efficiency. The subscription list of the National Missionary is to the last degree meagre, containing not half a dozen subscribers, with small subscriptions from only two societies. The other missionary societies are somewhat better, though still very inadequately sustained. A larger support might encourage the committees to engage the entire services of one or more active missionaries, and to keep them steadily employed in this great work. Meanwhile we cannot too highly commend the zeal and earnestness that with such small means has accomplished such satisfactory results. "One work has attended me through my entire year of office. It is the reprinting of the services. To the particulars connected with this work it is not necessary that I should refer, as they will be given in a separate form. Sunday-schools. The total number of scholars in these schools is 4,546; of teachers, 762. There are 146 junior members connected with the schools, and 100 members have been added to the church from them. There are sold in the schools, monthly, 1,367 copies of the "Juvenile Magazine," and 3,622 copies of the "Intellectual Repository" annually, which is a little over 300 copies per month. Nearly all the schools have libraries connected with them, the total number of volumes returned being 8,564. The Union has sold during the year 12,243 books, which have been circulated in the schools. Many of these are small, as the supplement to the Hymn Book, of which 4,107 copies have been sold; still the Union has, by its book circulation, been the means of providing for the very extensive diffusion of a large amount of New Church literature. From the commencement of the Union it has sold 66,698 books, costing the Union £2,098. Besides these labours, it has established a building fund, whereby it encourages and aids the erection of suitable schoolrooms, which are also used, in some cases, as mission stations. These testify abundantly to the uses which are being performed by our Sunday-schools, and to the value of the GENERAL CHURCH INTELLIGENCE. Union, which collects from them so many interesting facts, and so materially aids them in their work. The number of scholars and teachers placed by the side of the statistics of the popular religious communities looks small; but measured by the influence exercised by the early Christian Church in the first century of its history, they are large. Moreover, all the ways of Providence tend to teach us the value of little things, and not to despise the day of small things. To collect together 4,500 children for religious teaching, and to bring them under the influence of the church, is a great work. It is scarcely less promising for good to collect and find salutary occupation for 700 young people, in the most critical period of their lives, to open to them the path of knowledge, and to interest them in what is wise and good. "This review of our public institutions abundantly manifests their continued efficiency and usefulness. I am not so well assured, however, that the reports sent me manifest the general interest it is desirable should exist among "R. STORRY." ARGYLE SQUARE JUNIOR MEMBERS' SOCIETY AND LITERARY INSTITUTE.— Presentation to Mr. John Presland, Vice-President.—On Friday, the 1st September, at the close of the ordinary business of the meeting, a presentation was made to Mr. John Presland, on the occasion of his marriage. The Rev. Dr. Bayley presided, and in introducing the subject said: Our friends will have perceived that we have drawn the subject of the meeting to a close rather earlier than is customary, and I. presume the great body of the meeting is better acquainted with the reason for doing so than I was myself a few hours since. I had determined to be back on this day in order to be present at the very interesting service of to-morrow, and was exceedingly happy to hear that the Junior Members had thought this a fitting occasion on which to show their esteem for our two young friends who will take a prominent part in the ceremony which I shall be so happy to assist at. I am sure that the presents about to be given will be a source of delight to MISCELLANEOUS. the recipients, and this meeting will afford us also much pleasure when we look back upon it. Allow me now to introduce Mr. E. H. Bayley: Our attention has been called to the interesting ceremony of presenting to Mr. John Presland a copy of the Holy Scriptures, and to Miss Pulsford a copy of the beautiful services of our church, as a token of our esteem for the Christian character of him who holds the office of vice-president of this society, and of our cordial wishes for his happiness and that of the lady of his choice. I express these sentiments with all my heart, and I am sure that if all my good wishes are realised they will be happy indeed. Mr. Presland is entitled to our respect as vice-president of our society, for which office he is so well qualified, and which I hope he will long continue to hold. Our friend, by his eloquent speeches and other influence, has most materially benefited the society, but we must not forget that he is not the only one who will be interested tomorrow. I beg to assure Miss Pulsford that the happiness we have had in her society fills us with very pleasant recollections: the presence of the ladies at our meeting is attended with very good results. I will only add that in accepting this copy of the New Church Services, and this copy of the Word of God, Miss Pulsford and Mr. Presland will take with them our good wishes and sincere congratulations. Mr. Robert Jobson: From the fact of your presence this evening in rather larger numbers than usual, I take it that your hearts are interested in Mr. Presland and Miss Pulsford. He is one who has always been useful, without exercising the dignity of office: he is desirous of being of use to others, and thinks least of himself; and when we see such a character, it is our duty to honour him. We all must join most heartily in congratulations, and wish them all the prosperity, both spiritual and worldly, that can arise from so true a marriage. Mr. Bayley has spoken on the side of the gentleman, and as the ladies deserve no less at our hands, I will say a word on their behalf. We all know how useful the presence of the ladies is their influence is felt, and many times has been the means of keeping down asperities in our debates, &c., which might otherwise have arisen. 473 am assured that their attendance at our meetings is very desirable, and when other of the young ladies of our society are about being placed in the same position, our good wishes will go with them, as they do with Miss Pulsford. Mr. H. F. Moore, Mr. A. Faraday, Mr. J. A. Bayley, and Mr. S. Sones spoke in highly complimentary terms of the character and services of Mr. Presland, and offered their congratulations on his approaching marriage. Mr. J. Gallico, Mr. G. M. Pulsford, and Dr. Viettinghoff also briefly addressed the meeting. After which, The Chairman, in presenting the books in the name of the society, said: I am certain that if our esteemed friend had the slightest doubt of the love and esteem that is felt for him and his beloved partner, that doubt has now been dispelled. It gives me the greatest pleasure to be present on this occasion, and to be the mouthpiece of the deep feeling that has been so well expreesed and so heartily felt by us all. Ever since this society was formed, both our young friends have been amongst its constant supportersthe one with the affection of a quiet spirit, the other with the more than usual efforts of a faithful and earnest young man. The first time I heard him speak, I was struck with his talents; and in the knowledge he has shown in public, he has yet been unassuming, and has been ready on all occasions to take any part for the good of the society whenever he was wanted. It is delightful to us to embrace this opportunity of presenting our friends with some mark of the respect and esteem they have generated in us all; and it is one of the triumphs of the society to see this affectionate union of two parties so well suited to each other. It is a happy thing that we can perceive how thoroughly a life of earnest exertion has its reward in this world, and what an encouragement there is for all to follow the example so nobly set us by our two young friends in all the excellencies they have displayed. I may say to our other young people, in the language of the late President of the United States, who, when Lord Lyons called upon him to acquaint him with the marriage of the Prince of Wales, after listening to a long speech on the wonderful character of this union, merely said "Lord Lyons, go thou and do likewise." And now, my young friends, |