rican and English gentlemen resident at Florence, must appear singular to English and American contributors to the Italian Mission. His claim to a seat on the Committee at Florence may, we think, admit of reconsideration, and furnish, perhaps, a ground of conciliation; but we can scarcely suppose that English and American gentlemen will contribute liberally to a foreign mission over which they have no control, and in the conducting of which the advice and assistance of their own countrymen resident on the spot is ignored. We trust, however, that the difficulties which have arisen will be overcome, and that no disagreements will be permitted to mar the great work in which our brethren are employed.

SUNDAY SCHOOL UNION.-The Thirtyeighth Annual Meeting of this Union was held at Ramsbottom, June 25th. The Rev. W. Westall was elected President, and Rev. P. Ramage Secretary. The proceedings occupied the whole of the day, and led to considerable discussion on matters connected with the Sunday Schools. From the reports laid before the meeting, it appeared that there is an increase of 204 children in attendance at the Sunday Schools, and a decrease of 55, giving a total increase of 139. The principal increase is at Failsworth, Accrington, Clayton-le-Moors, and Dalton. The number of books sold is above the average. The Juvenile Magazine has considerably increased its circulation, but the cost of production is still larger than the income from sales. The Building Fund of the Union is in a satisfactory state, having £444 in the bank. Two of the schools have paid off the debt owing to the fund, and others are gradually doing so. The Committee appointed last year to collect subscriptions reported an addition to the fund of £60. The General Fund is still below the wants of the Union, and hopes were expressed that the subscriptions of the schools might be largely increased. A Committee to collect subscriptions on behalf of the Magazine, and to thus aid the General Fund, was appointed, and several sums were offered during the meeting.

Revs. P. Ramage and G. H. Smith were appointed at the last Annual Meeting "to draw up a method for rendering District Meetings more generally useful; and, if practicable, to arrange for teachers' preparatory classes in convenient districts." Their report, which entered into a variety of particulars, was ordered to be printed in the Juvenile Magazine, and to form the topic of discussion at the next District Meeting. One thing strongly urged was the general adoption of teachers' prepara

tory classes. Such classes already exist in some of the schools, and their general adoption, if placed under efficient superintendence, could not be otherwise than useful.

The Union loses, after this Session, the services of its indefatigable Secretary. For thirty-three years Mr. Potts has held this office, with which has been combined the office of storekeeper and general manager of the sale and distribution of books. His advancing years now compel retirement, and the Union parted with his services with warm expressions of esteem and regret.

As usual, in the evening a public meeting was held in the church, at which addresses were given by ministers and other earnest friends of the Sunday Schools who were in attendance at the meeting. The society at Ramsbottom made the most convenient arrangements for the comfort of the members, and all the proceedings were marked by good feeling, though distinguished on some subjects by considerable diversity of thought.

LONDON (Camden Road).-In the North Metropolitan of July 7th is a notice of this church and its public services, espe cially those of the choir, from which we make the following extracts :

"Adjoining the Athenæum, Camden Road, stands a pretty Gothic edifice, with a spire, which, to the uninitiated, bears the singular name of the New Jerusalem Church. In its Liturgy its name is more accurately expressed by that standing at the head of this notice. Within, it is very much like an ordinary modern Church of England, being T-shaped, having an apse at its eastern end, a choir and organ gallery at its western, a reading-desk and a pulpit on either side of the place where the communion is ordinarily administered,' and in respect of seats, gas, pendants, etc., being as well appointed as the most fastidious could reasonably wish. Behind the table is a reredos, having the Decalogue inscribed upon its two outer tablets, and, upon its centre one, extracts relating to the New Jerusalem,' from chapters xxi. and xxii. of the Revelation. Upon the central tablet the Greek letters Alpha and Omega surmount the text, and, through out the Liturgy, a glorification of Christ under these names takes the place of the ordinary Gloria Patria in what would commonly be called the orthodox churches. The Rev. Dr. Tafel is the pastor, who in his ministrations wears the white surplice throughout. His congregation enjoy scholarship in the pulpit, his evening discourse on "Truth,' the text being the Eighth Commandment, furnishing a most philosophical and exhaustive résuém of that

important principle. The service, as may be inferred from what has been already said, is liturgical, not very dissimilar from that of the Established Church. A choir, assisted by an organ, leads the singing; indeed it does more, for by its careful and feeling rendering of an anthem at each service, it affords the opportunity of meditative worship. The anthem in the morning was selected from Psalm xxxi. ver. 1-4, to the music of Berthold Tours. This was no ordinary congregational' affair, but an elaborate piece of writing, containing imitations, with separate entries for the various voices, and was so rendered that (varying an old saying) he who came to listen would remain to worship. Oh that our clergy knew better how to touch the emotional chords of the human heart with the strains of melody!

"Speaking critically of the performance, we gladly award the palm to the sopranos for sweetness and purity of tone. Owing to its being a very wet day, the muster of singers was but scanty; and another unfavourable circumstance was the absence of Mr. Whittington, the usual organist. This is not said in disparagement of the lady, Miss Smith, of Tollington Park, who accompanied, for she deserves very great praise for the manner in which she presided at the instrument.'

After a further eulogium on the choir, the writer proceeds, and concludes as follows:- "The organ is by Jones of Fulham. It is a small, though good, instrument, and is shortly to be improved at a cost of £95. The organist and singers are all amateurs, and do not wish their names to be published. We have taken that liberty with two of them, and trust the owners will pardon it. Mr. Whittington, so we were informed, is the composer of many of the anthems sung by his choir, and it is not a little flattering to him that the congregation esteem them as the best. Not having heard them, we can hardly be expected to endorse this opinion. It is pleasing to record it, however, as it shows the good relation that subsists between him and those whom he voluntarily serves.

"During the service we embraced the opportunity of looking through the prayerbook which was kindly lent us. While we found much that was startling to a novice, such as the doctrine of the verbal inspiration of the Holy Scriptures, the statement of the doctrine of the Trinity, and the revelation to Swedenborg, we were struck with the spirit of love which pervaded it, the absence of sacerdotalism, and the remarkable relationship established between the book of the Revelation and the Old Testament, especially in connecting Christ, the 'Alpha and Omega,' with the 'Jehovah' who reveals Himself to Isaiah as the

OXFORD.-A series of lectures and religious services has been recently given in this city by Mr. Gunton, the subjects being "The Life and Writings of Swedenborg," "The Conjunction of Heaven with Man by means of the Word," "The Scriptural way of Salvation," and "Heaven the Eternal Dwelling-place of the Good, and Hell the Eternal Dwelling-place of the Wicked." Short reports of the lectures appeared in three of the papers. Mr. Gunton set the Doctrines of the New Church forth in a very lucid form, and with great earnestness. Many of the Silent Missionaries were sold. At the close of the week-evening lectures, Mr. Gunton gave an opportunity for questions to be asked, which was done, chiefly at the last. No opposition was manifested except by one person, an Independent minister, who was so wild and extravagant that he gained himself the name of " Fire-eater," while another Independent minister told Mr. Gunton that he was indebted to the writings of Swedenborg for many precious gems of truth. The people expressed their thanks for the Services, and a great desire is manifested for more lectures, and the establishment of a New Church society in Oxford.

YORKSHIRE MISSIONARY AND COLPORTAGE ASSOCIATION.-The annual meeting of this Association was held at Dalton, near Huddersfield, July 18th. A numerous assemblage of friends from Leeds, Bradford, and other parts of the West Riding were in attendance, and these were joined by members of the society at Dalton. In the evening a public meeting was held in the chapel, which was attended by a congregation of one hundred persons. George Aspinal, Esq., of Bradford, the President of the Association, was in the chair, and in opening the business of the evening remarked: This Association was first openly suggested on the 10th September 1860 at a pleasure party of New Church friends at Shipley Glen, called together by our much-respected friend, the Rev. Mr. Storry, and it was founded on Christmas day the same year at Leeds. In the first year of its existence the society sold 246 books and pamphlets for the sum of £8, 12s., and distributed gratuitously 4745 tracts. In the second year it sold 371 books and pamphlets for the sum of £18, 12s. Now, in the year just closed, upwards of 900 books have been sold for the sum of £88. This is, indeed, sowing seed which I trust will yet bear much fruit.

When

we reflect that upwards of 20,000 books have been sold by this society since its formation, and upwards of 150,000 tracts been gratuitously distributed, and remember also the work done by its agent in preaching, visiting, and conversations, we should indeed be thankful, and go forward believing that in due time we shall reap if we faint not.

"The Association may not have effected such great things as some have looked for, and none regret this more than the Committee; yet had it received the help it has at various times appealed for and felt entitled to no doubt its uses would have been greatly multiplied, and it might at this time have been employing two or three missionaries instead of but one. But its humble efforts have done much towards keeping alive and extending the New Church in Yorkshire, and I trust it will yet do much more."

In moving the adoption of the report, Dr. Goyder reviewed the work of the year, which he thought had been highly satisfactory, particularly in the sale of books. The institution was actively employed in missionary work, conveying the knowledge of the doctrines to out-of-the-way places. The work done was much needed in Yorkshire. People who cannot be reached any other way may be reached by this Association. The funds were in a flourishing condition, but this must not be an inducement to withhold subscriptions, but an encouragement to continued support. The money in hand must be spent and more money raised, that the uses of the Society may be more widely extended.

Rev. R. Storry, in a lengthened address, dwelt on the missionary character of the New Church, on the adaptation of the heavenly doctrines to the wants of society, their tendency to promote true human culture, and the ease with which the Church availed itself of all orderly agencies of progress, dwelling particularly on the agency of the press, and the importance and value of the diffusion of books and the encouragement of reading.

Mr. Stephenson, the colporteur, said the experience of the year had been very encouraging. He had been received everywhere by the members and friends of the Church with great kindness, and many had aided him in his work, particularly by introducing him, or pointing his attention to parties likely to purchase books, and to be profited by their reading. His experience had left on his mind an increased impression of the magnitude of the work in which the institution was engaged. What has been done in the world is little compared with what is still to be done. There is much innocent holding of erroneous doctrine. And although errors of doctrine

do not condemn, yet all error is pernicious, and tends to evil. We cannot, therefore, too highly appreciate the truth, nor too earnestly labour for its dissemination. Nor do we know the amount of preparedness to receive the truths of the New Church. Not a few are found who are willing to receive our books and to read them. By those who give a superficial attention, two erroneous impressions are most frequently formed. One regards the doctrines as poetical, but wanting in relation to life; the other clings to the letter of the Word, and regards the science of correspondences as fanciful and unreliable. Both these errors need to be corrected, and usually are corrected by the colporteur.

Rev. E. Whitehead dwelt on the value of Colportage. Societies influence their immediate neighbourhoods; the colporteur goes everywhere. Negative opinions are spreading in society: are we to allow people to sink into infidelity and not labour to save them?

Mr. Rendell, after describing the small storeroom of the society and the value of its contents, went on to remark that the district was more than sufficient for one man's energies, though embracing only a part of the West Riding of this large county. As an organization the New Church is a small body, and we need to work diligently. We must grow in numbers and extend our organization as a religious body. This may be done in the villages as well as populous towns. New societies have had their origin in cottage preachings; and so other societies may begin. The ministers who have departed, or are departing, have manifested great zeal and earnestness in the work, and the younger preachers who are rising to take their places must in this respect imitate their example. This he would himself endeavour to do, and would be especially prepared to aid the work of the Association by public lectures, or in such way as he was able.

REV. ISAIAH TANSLEY.-We have received the following, with a desire for its publication :-" In the recently published Report of the New Church College, I see with surprise that the letters B.A. are attached to my name. This is a mistake on the part of the esteemed Secretary of the College. Possibly it may be deemed of little importance, and may not, indeed, be noticed, yet inasmuch as I have not yet passed the final examination for the degree of B.A., I should be glad to see it cor rected. Perhaps I may be permitted to add that no one who knows me, who may have noticed the mistake, will, I suppose, attribute it to me.-I am, etc.

"ISAIAH TANSLEY."