redemption; and how it consisted with the Divine Unity in the adorable person of Jesus Christ alone. With respect to the circumstances of the atonement, as usually understood, being held by so many pious men and considered by them as "the summum bonum of Christianity," I think a sincere inquirer after the truth should not suffer himself to be led by mere human opinions, only so far as they are evidently founded on the divine authority of the sacred Scriptures, understood, not according to appearance, but according to their genuine sense. Neither should he be overawed by the number of those who profess doctrines found to be erroneous. This consideration (of number) did not weigh with the primitive Christians, when they emerged from Judaism and Gentilism; nor with the Reformers, when they separated from the Roman Catholics; neither ought it with us of the nineteenth century, on our emerging from the errors and darkness of the Old Christian church, into the truth and heavenly light of the New Jerusalem. 'Who live and die in more confidence of the truth of their religious persuasions than Roman Catholics, nay Jews, Mahomedans, and Pagans? The fact is, that every man is associated in spirit with those like himself in the spiritual world, that is, with those who entertain the same religious persuasions or sentiments as he himself does; and such spirits infuse into the minds of their associates on earth, whatever their religion may be, a full confidence in its truth, accompanied at times with an air of triumph calculated to deceive the by-standers, and even to impress them with an assurance of their salvation. This is the case, not only with many who have lived uprightly according to the best of their knowledge and judgment, but, as is well known, even with some malefactors, on the eve of their departure from the world, who have been strongly wrought on by the zeal of their religious visitors, and encouraged to hope for that salvation, which is alone the reward of a well-spent life. They are urged to rely on the merits of the Redeemer; and if they can but bring themselves, by an act of faith, as it is called, to depend on those merits, it is too often supposed that the work of repentance is thereby superseded, and that their future happiness is secure. But who cannot see, that a conversion founded in fear, on the immediate prospect of death is altogether different from that which arises from the sober conviction of the hatefulness of sin, and a desire to turn from evil, while in health and strength, as a preparation for the reception of the divine mercy? 'These observations are made for the purpose of showing, First -That no dependence is to be placed on the mere profession, and apparent confidence of persons dying in any particular tenets of faith and, Secondly-That the only sure ground for hope in the divine mercy is to approach the Lord alone in penitence and prayer; to shun evils as sins against him, while the opportunity of sinning, or refusing to sin, is still granted; that is, while man is in his usual state of liberty and rationality, free from the immediate fear of death; and thus to love and do what is just and good for the sake of justice and goodness, and to seek and practise the truth for the sake of truth. These are the things taught by the Lord in his holy Word, and the same are most earnestly recommended in the writings of the New Church messenger, Emanuel Swedenborg. Illumination of the understanding, or its elevation even into the light of heaven, valuable as it is, is not sufficient: for our Lord says in the gospel, "If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them." (John xiii, 17.) 'I observe with much concern what you state concerning some professing members of the New Church in Liverpool. I understand the Society in that place, from causes of which I am ignorant, has been in a disjointed state for several years; but I can assure you this is not the case with our societies generally. In almost all the societies which I have visited, the spirit of love and harmony prevails-in many of them, to an uncommon degree; and I am sure that this ought to be the happy experience of the church universally. But where anything of a contrary spirit appears, let us charitably hope that the society itself, or the individuals of whom it is composed, may be undergoing states of spiritual temptation, permitted by the Lord for wise ends, possibly for the sake of humiliation and purification. But whatever may be the character or states of individuals, we ought not to look to them, but to the truth; neither is the church to be judged of by them. When our Lord founded the Primitive Christian Church, a Judas was found among the disciples; and on one occasion, the chief spokesman and boldest among them denied his Master; and soon afterwards, when persecution begun, "they all forsook him and fled." (Mark xiv, 50.) Yet this same church was the true church of the Lord, and afterwards flourished, and came to its maturity. So, doubtless, will the present rising New Church flourish in a still greater degree, and its glory shall be seen over all the earth; for concerning this very church, the New Jerusalem, the voice of Divine Truth from heaven hath declared: "Behold, the tabernacle of God is with man, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.' (Rev. xxi, 3.). 'Wishing you may be led by the Divine Providence of the Lord into the perception of all necessary truth, and that your present doubts and scruples may, in his good time, be entirely removed, I have only further to add, that I shall be most happy to hear of your full entrance into the holy city, the New Jerusalem; because I shall then know that your name is written in the "Lamb's Book of Life." (Rev. xxi, 27.) 'I remain, dear sir, with great affection, ROBT. HINDMARSH,' This letter led him to a thorough study of Swedenborg's writings, and to a conviction of their truth, which he afterwards fully avowed; and wrote some admirable Essays in their defence. He was an eccentric genius, a man of marvellous ability, and a very sweet poet. He was, however, of the temperament which may be termed pure nervous. His brain was large and equally balanced. Every region was fully developed, but the excessive nervous predominance of his temperament rendered him erratic in the highest degree. His mind seemed to be the residence of two antithetic genii, which alternately impelled him to good and to evil, and he passed his life in sinning and repenting. At the time I left Liverpool, he was rapidly rising into favor, and he had attracted by his Essays on the Improbability of the Destruction of the Earth,' and the Eternal Sonship of the Saviour,' the favorable notice of one of the most eminent Swedenborgian ministers, who interested himself warmly in his behalf, and as he was then in great poverty, obtained him considerable pecuniary relief. I shall have occasion to notice him again by and by. But to return to Accrington. The congregation now had so far increased that there was not a seat to let in the chapel, and always the attendance was such as to inconvenience the hearers from over-crowding. At the same time there were not more than thirty members, and there was a good deal of bickering in consequence, as it was thought, of the high hand which a few of the oldest members manifested, in ruling the society, so that, though there was not an attendant upon worship who was not a cordial Swedenborgian at heart, yet nearly the whole manifested disinclination in joining as members. The person who directed the Society, and who was the most potent man in it, was a Mr. * * * He was a stern disciplinarian, but I think a very good man upon the whole; certainly he was the most talented member of the church, and he had the whole of the members so entirely under |