A DAY WITH THE SUNDAY-SCHOOL UNION. 373 Another very interesting feature of the proceedings was the management of the building fund. This fund, amounting to about £1,200, is lent out to societies to build Sunday schools. The money is had without interest, but 10 per cent. of the principal is returned each year, so that in each case it is returned, and the building is free of debt, in ten years. This fund has worked admirably; eight schools have been erected or enlarged by its means, and it goes on still accomplishing its perennial amount of good, only confined by its own limit, but destined, I hope, to still further increase, and to a long career of use. The various matters of business were very fully, intelligently, and kindly discussed. The spirit of all present seemed the spirit of enlightened charity, and I have no doubt all departed from the meeting cheered and refreshed by this delightful and important gathering. One thing was a cause of regret, and that was, that not more than half the number of schools in the Union were represented. Some are, no doubt, too distant; but several more might have had their representatives present had they felt how important it is for these meetings to be full and complete. The brotherly sphere is much less vigorous than it might be, when many are wanting who might have been present. It cannot be doubted that every school suffers that has no representative at the Union. The fresh facts and suggestions brought forward, the cheerful and instructive remarks which are continually elicited, and the kind faces seen on these occasions, all make it good to be there. I hope the time will come when every school within reasonable distance will constantly take advantage of the good to be imparted and received on the occasion of these annual gatherings. I have long been impressed with kindred reflections in relation to the Conference. Half of the societies of the New Church in this country have not yet become alive to the advantages of assembling together once a year, and assisting at the common deliberations of the Conference. If the friends in every society would consider the help they would impart to their brethren by their presence, by the common interchange of ideas from all, and by the common sphere, they would make an effort to have this council of the church complete, and at least one representative from each society would be there. By these means, too, all the friends would learn the reasons for everything that was done, and for those things too which were expected to be done but were not accomplished. But little exertion would be needed compared with the advantages to be reaped, to make much fuller and more powerful assemblies of the church than we have yet seen, both in the Conference and in the Sunday-school Union. J. BAYLEY. 374 GENERAL CONFERENCE. THE ensuing General Conference will be held, by appointment, in the church, Henry-street, Bath, and will commence on the 8th of August next. Societies having information to convey should take an early opportunity of communicating with the Secretary. The Secretaries of the various Committees appointed by the last Conference, and which have to report to the next Conference, are requested to forward their Reports, at an early date, to the Secretary of Conference, F. PITMAN, 20, Paternoster-row, London, E.C. PRIZE ESSAYS. One of the conditions laid down by the arbitrators for competitors was, that the successful Essays should be at the disposal of the giver of the prizes. As that gentleman is unknown to the arbitrators, it will now be for him to say what is his wish in respect to them. MISCELLANEOUS. SWEDENBORG SOCIETY. The fifty-sixth annual meeting of this society was held at St. George's Hall, Gray's Inn-road, on Tuesday, June 20th. The Rev. A. Clissold presided. A goodly number of friends partook of tea together, several having come from Birmingham and other parts to be present at the Handel festival. The meeting was opened by Dr. Bayley offering up the Lord's Prayer. The secretary, Mr. Butter, then read the report of the committee, and the treasurer, Mr. Watson, the audited cash account. Mr. J. SMITH moved the adoption of the report, and earnestly enforced the necessity of continued and increased support to the society. Several thousand copies of Swedenborg's works had been sold, and large numbers of volumes had been presented to various individuals, during the year. Mr. H. R. WILLIAMS moved the appointment of Mr. Watson as treasurer. Mr. GUNTON, in seconding the motion, said that the qualifications of that gentleman for the office were so well known that it was quite unnecessary to say anything on that point. He would, how ever, mention the substance of a resolu tion which had been placed in his hand by Dr. Bayley, since the intention of that resolution had in a certain sense relation to the office of the Treasurer, inasmuch as it was a pressing invitation to every member of the church at large, -not only in London, but all over the country-to strengthen the hands of the committee by subscribing to the funds of the society, if only the sum of 5s. per annum. This, it was argued, would enable the committee to advertise even more extensively than it has done the invaluable writings of the church,—a means of imperceptibly removing public prejudice, as well as imparting direct information, which cannot be over estimated. The CHAIRMAN then moved the following resolution :-"That the state of Christendom is every year showing the increased necessity for the theological writings of Swedenborg; and that it is highly desirable that all who are able should aid the committee in offering to the public English translations of the same, as correct as possible; also, that the committee should at all times avail themselves of such efficient aid.” Mr. MISCELLANEOUS. Clissold, in introducing this motion, read the elaborate and important address which is given in the present Repository. It is also printed in a separate form. The Rev. Dr. BAYLEY seconded the first resolution, and said that he congratulated the meeting most sincerely, not only on the continued usefulness and prosperity of the society, but upon the lucid and admirable address of the Chairman, to which they had all had the pleasure of listening. It had given a candid consideration to the objections which the writer in the "Spiritual Magazine" had offered to Swedenborg's translations from the Hebrew; and not only a critical but also a Christian reply. The attacks in that magazine ought to lead us to additional thankfulness, on two grounds especially. First, recollecting that these attacks are from the very parties who sought, a few years ago, to become, by violent and illegal means, the officers of the society, under the profession of their extreme regard for Swedenborg,-they now clearly show that their regard for Swedenborg was a myth, and that they have no belief in, or real conception of, the great object of Swedenborg's mission-the unfolding of the spiritual sense of the Word of God. How grateful should we all be that the society was preserved from such hands! Their real want of sympathy with the very object for which Swedenborg lived the unfolding of spiritual wisdom-was known to many of us then; it is by these recent papers clearly unfolded to all. We can To say of them as John said of some in the early Christian time-"They went out from us, because they were not of us." We ought to be further grateful for these attacks, because they have elicited replies so beautiful and complete as those which we have read in the Intellectual Repository, as well as the admirable one we have just heard. The attacks, indeed, strike me as wonderfully feeble. achieve such a result as that of discrediting Swedenborg's spiritual exposition of the Holy Word, and through that to destroy our confidence in the Divine Word itself, as a revelation from God, by means of these extremely feeble and one-sided criticisms, is really an effort which draws largely on our courtesy to induce one to notice it at all. The critic addresses himself not to Swedenborg, but to the translation of Swedenborg. He then selects a few instances in which 375 equally learned scholars differ, and dogmatically decides which is right, keeping out of sight the crowd of authorities which sanction the other view adopted by Swedenborg; and then he wishes one to accept his dicta and take it for granted that Swedenborg is wrong. But nothing can be more unfair than such a style of procedure. On words of disputed meaning the true critic dwells modestly and gently, never hides the authorities` on one side more than on the other, but gives the evidence on both and leaves his readers to consider and decide. Our critic's mode is different, and astonishes by its feebleness. Let us take as an instance the case of Joseph's coat, on which so much stress has been laid. The worthy doctor then entered into an able criticism of this case, and showed conclusively that the mode of dealing with it was erroneous, and that Swedenborg's rendering was supported by "a great crowd of witnesses." He then continued: Joseph's coat, as representing celestial-spiritual truths and beauties in the natural mind, must have been of many colours. For what lovely lights diffuse themselves in the mind when faith grounded in love rules there? The Lord then clothes us with the garments of salvation, and covers us with the robes of righteousness. (Isaiah li. 10.) Taking the still higher view, and regarding Joseph as representing the Lord, and the Word as His garment, for spiritually as well as naturally He clothes Himself with light as with a garment, we all know that the Word unfolds all colours, and all lights of wisdom, according to the states of those who confidingly consult it. It is a coat of many colours. In conclusion, I am sure you will all unite with me in saying we shall ever accept real helps to improve the translations of Swedenborg, and improvements from real criticism, but we can only condemn, while we do not fear, that one-sided criticism, whether put forward with the coarseness of Paine or the polish of German naturalism, which would reduce us to grope after an unknown God, and seeks to make us reject the Word of that Living and Holy One, who is " 'King of kings and Lord of lords." Rev. O. PRESCOTT HILLER, in supporting the resolution, observed, after some introductory remarks, that there was one important work of Swedenborg's which had been too much neglected by the society. It had, indeed, been printed in the original Latin, twenty years ago, but had not yet been translated. He referred to Swedenborg's Spiritual Diary. The first volume had, indeed, been translated by Mr. Smithson, and the third by Professor Bush; but the society had done nothing towards its translation or publication, and the work was little known. Now, he thought this wrong. The Spiritual Diary was, in his opinion, a most valuable work, containing gems of truth, together with most interesting statements in regard to the laws of the spiritual world, to be found no where else in Swedenborg's writings. The speaker then read two or three extracts from the Diary in confirmation of this remark, and to show the great importance and interest of the work, and concluded by expressing the hope that the society would take up this long-neglected work, and see to its being properly translated and put within the reach of the members of the church. Mr. Hiller then turned to the second part of the resolution, which had reference to the importance of correct translations of the writings. He believed that the translations already made were in general correct enough, though they might doubtless be amended in particular places. But there was one great and systematic error running through a great part of those translations, to which he wished to call attention. He referred to the translation of Scripture passages. Some former editor had taken up the idea that in the case of passages from Scripture occurring in the writings, the common Bible version should be substituted in the place of a direct translation from Swedenborg's own Latin version; and we even find a merit made of this change. In Swedenborg's works he wished to find just what Swedenborg says, be it right or wrong. He expected to find there Swedenborg's views and Swedenborg's version of Scripture, and no one's else. Was not this view just? This was the course pursued by the venerable Mr. Clowes, in his translation of the Arcana. The speaker then stated that complaint having been made, some years ago, in the Intellectual Repository, of the substitution of the common version of Scripture in the place of Swedenborg's, in the Apocalypse Explained, the committee had authorised the then editor (the Rev. R. de Soyres) to restore Swedenborg's version; and it had accordingly been in great part done in that work. But the Apocalypse Revealed still remained in its corrupt state, and, in consequence, gross errors were to be found in that work, resulting from the non-agreement of Swedenborg's explication with passages of Scripture taken from the common version. Dr. BRAYLEY then rose and said: Before you put the resolution to the meeting, sir, I must request permission, as a member of the society, to make a few remarks. The resolution is intended to express the sense of the meeting on the subjects of the value of the New Church writings, and the necessity for our having qualified translators of them. The report of the committee has acquainted us with the facts of the acquisition by the society of the remaining copies of the second edition of the late Mr. Noble's masterly translation of the treatise on Heaven and Hell, and that it may now be obtained as one of the publications of the society. I beg leave to congratulate the committee and the society on this inestimable acquisition. The translator, it may not be known to many of the present members, was the first secretary and the first translator of the society; but this was a work of his mature wisdom, and produced when he had become the sole survivor of its original founders. A living member of the society, the Rev. H. Wrightson, has pronounced Mr. Noble's Heaven and Hell to be the most perfect translation of any work with which he is acquainted. I must express my own concurrence in these opinions, without pretending to the scholarship of those gentlemen. There is, I believe, only one single verbal error in this version. It is remarked in the report, after acquainting us that the society has acquired with the copies of the book all the rights of publication relating to it, that therefore the society will be at liberty to adopt it, at a future time, as its own version of the work, either as it is or with modification. That it will come to be the society's edition I have no doubt; but I hope there will be no modifications; it requires none. I am well acquainted with it; I know every passage, and almost every word. I hope when a new edition is required it will be reprinted verbatim, with the correction of the single error I have alluded to. In congratulating the church on this acquisition by the society, I must MISCELLANEOUS. not omit to allude to the preface which the translator introduced into this second edition, with which many members of the church are unacquainted. It contains a critical examination of many of the abstract expressions relating to New Church theology employed by the author in the Heaven and Hell, and indeed throughout the writings, with a most lucid exposition of their meaning and of the manner in which they ought to be rendered into English. I recommend this to the perusal and study of all readers who may be unable to read the original Latin; and I again beg leave to congratulate the church on the acquisition, through this society, of the right of publishing and disseminating so invaluable a portion of the literature of the New Dispensation. Dr. SPURGIN then moved the following resolution, and on account of the lateness of the hour he confined himself to simply expressing his hearty concurrence in the sentiments it contains:-Resolved, "That this meeting desires to record its grateful sense of the services rendered by their esteemed friend and brother, Le Boys des Guays, to every reader of the French language, by his zealous and successful labors in translating and publishing the whole of the theological writings of Swedenborg, and by his authorship of other works in elucidation and defence of the doctrines of the New Church. This meeting also desires to express the hope that Mons. Auguste Harlé his worthy and learned colleague -may be enabled to carry out and complete the several works which they designed and commenced together." Mr. BATEMAN, in seconding the motion, began by alluding to the various instruments the Lord had employed in different ages of the church-simple fishermen at His first advent, the highly cultivated Swedenborg at the second- as was best suited to the work to be accomplished. After Swedenborg, men of science and learning, in our own country and in other lands, have labored to make known to their fellows the blessed truths of the new dispensation, and conspicuous among these has been Le Boys des Guays. Mr. Bateman then gave a most interesting sketch of the leading incidents in the life of M. Le Boys, of which we regret that we have only space for detached passages:-"Our brother was born in 1794. He served as a volunteer in the army of the first Napoleon, and 877 was present at the battle of Waterloo. Leaving the army, he devoted himself to the study of the law-the profession of his ancestors. By these means he was prepared for future use in the Lord's New Church. In 1827 he became Judge of the Civil Tribunal of St. Amand. He then married Clothilde Rollet, whose two brothers-worthy members of the church-we have had the pleasure of seeing amongst us. At the revolution' of 1830 he was appointed sub-prefect; but, as his notions of right would not let him comply with the orders of the government in regard to influencing the elections, he resigned and returned to private life. Hitherto the French translations of Swedenborg's works were rather faithful than elegant. It was in 1838 that our brother began to devote himself to the task of presenting them in a better form and a purer style. By laboring fourteen hours a-day for many years, he had the happiness to accomplish an immense amount of literary work. With the aid of his confrères he translated the whole of the theological writings of Swedenborg, and published them in 54 volumes. He translated the author's Index to the "Arcana Coelestia," and compiled Indexes to several other of the works; also an Index to the passages of Scripture cited by Swedenborg. More recently, in conjunction with M. Harlé, he commenced a new Latin translation of the Divine Word, embodying all the passages as given by Swedenborg in his works. One volume of thisIsaiah-is published." Mr. Bateman concluded with the following excellent observations:-"The soldier, the lawyer, the judge, the classical scholar, the mathematician, the moral and political philosopher, and the religious and useful man were all combined in this great apostle of the New Church for the noble French nation. He was at once profound and perspicuous; a deep thinker and a weighty writer. All who have had the pleasure of his personal acquaintance will well remember him for his cheerful vivacity and his agreeable manners. who are acquainted with his writings-all who know the extent and the perfection of his labor in the Lord, will be amazed at the depth of his erudition and the extent of his industry. He has gone to his eternal reward; and all that remains to ns now is to record our sense of the greatness of his labors, and to follow All |
