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The difficulty of " Sacerdos" seems to arise from his not recognizing the fact that the business relations between the minister and the society are one thing, and the pastoral relations another. The establishment of business relations would truly be degrading to both parties, if the establishment of such relations necessarily involved the destruction of all others. But it does not involve this, nay, it is necessary to the maintenance of these higher relations, as I have shown. A true business footing merely provides a basis for the building up of higher connections. It is the same in all other relations and connections between man and man; a good business footing is, at the present day, universally requisite. My brother objects to its being said that he is paid for preaching, because he thinks it would imply that he preaches for the sake of the pay. But any other laborer might raise the same objection on the same ground; for no one ought to work for the sake of the reward, but for the sake of use. The reward is one of the necessary incidents in all these cases, and in all of them the laborer is entitled to claim it. Why then object to the remuneration received by ministers being called pay? It is plain that we are paid, on account of work done by us, and if we did no work we should receive no wages. Why cannot we look a plain thing plainly in the face, and dismiss entirely the notion that the ministry is not to be dealt with on the same footing as all other vocations, namely, on the ground of usefulness. My brother says it is a holy office. But what makes it holy beyond its exalted use? Is there anything else? If not, then it is evident that all vocations are holy that are useful, and that the difference is only one of degree.

There is, therefore, no reason why the relations that concern the ministry should not be placed upon a good business footing. We see that this is necessary in all other vocations, so we may safely infer it cannot be safely dispensed with in this one. If we are not faithful in the least things, it is very unlikely that we shall be found to be so in the greatest. PASTOR.

BORROWING TRUTHS.

THERE appeared quite recently, from the London press, a work entitled, "The Athanasian Creed and Modern Thought," by Rev. Thomas M. Gorman, M.A.

Plagiarism is universally condemned as a true literary robbery; but when truths, which are professedly from the Lord, are borrowed as arguments for a book, without any acknowledgment of their source, their ultimate usefulness may well be questioned.

In the book under criticism are many of the vital teachings of the New Church. They are set forth in a clear, concise manner, and in language which cannot but enchant the earnest reader. I know of no collateral New Church work which more clearly argues the doctrine of the Trinity and Biblical Inspiration than this emanation from the " Church of England."

But the uninitiated reader must be erroneously led to the conclusion that Dr. Gorman's sublime deductions are the farseeing results of his own gifted mind. His clear comprehension of the Bible will be extolled, his interpretation of the Athanasian Creed will be deemed a masterpiece of ingenuity; his prophecy of the future Church will claim for him almost miraculous powers. Thus he is the acknowledged source, notwithstanding his abundant appeals to the Bible in confirmation of his arguments.

There seems to be an attempt to prove that the Church of England is the Church, if she will but make the slight substitutions in her creed he recommends.

Is there any reference to the "Lord's second coming"? to the "New Church on earth"? to the "New Age"?

In studying his book one feels the beauty of his arguments, but, at the same time, comes the unanswered query, "Is this true? Is this man authority for these revolutionary doctrines?" As one has expressed it, "Truths given without their source being acknowledged, are like a bouquet of

beautiful flowers, fragrant, rich, but they soon wither and die; but truths, acknowledgedly from the Lord, are like flowering plants, whose roots perpetuate their existence."

The reader, when he has finished the last page of Dr. Gorman's book, must feel a vacancy which the work fails to supply. A rich spring of thought has been touched, but it lacks a soul; it finds no answering voice from the inmost consciousness, whispering, "This is true, for so saith the Lord."

On the plane of rationalism this work must do great good. English Philosophy, and, much more, German materialism, meet here a check unimpeachable. A Tyndall must hesitate before he pronounces life "molecular activity"; a Grauvogl must ponder before he substitutes chemistry for "vital force." If it succeeds in but staying the popular rush towards Materialism, its office is truly a noble one; and, meantime, the genuine exposition of the true faith by our Lord, through His servant, Swedenborg, will be found the true fountain, to which all who are thirsty must come and drink of the water of life. In no other way can the Bible be understood.

E. A. F.

PROVIDENCE.

I HAVE Sometimes thought that a strong argument in favor of the belief that life is under providential government might be drawn from the marvellous equality, on the whole, of good and evil among men. Were it chance which determined this distribution, calamities would gather about some with no relief nor compensation, while others would be wholly free from them. But the more closely I study human condition, the more certain I am that there is far less difference than there seems to be among men, when the balance is struck between external good and evil. There seems to be no good without its cloud; no evil without its compensations. And then we may go further, if we will, and see not only that all this is governed, but we may discern the end for which it is

controlled and directed. We may learn the lesson, and we cannot learn it too well, that we do not live here to be happy, but to become capable of happiness.

Our Father has many ways of helping us, all resolvable into two one, through our co-operation; and because this way is given us, it is also given us to see and understand it, that we may the better work with Him. The other way is, in and upon us, and apparently against us, without our having any voluntary share in the work; and this it is not necessary for us to understand at all, and perhaps if we did, we should interfere with it.

Certain I am that He does a work in straightening our obliquities, and removing our obstructions, in a way which brings upon us great suffering, or bids us see suffering in others, and all the light we can get must radiate from a simple trust in Him.

THE LAW OF OBEDIENCE. - THE FOURTH
COMMANDMENT.

A.

"Honor thy father and thy mother, that thy days may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee."

THIS Commandment contains the Law of Obedience towards our parents, and those who stand to us in the place of parents, and fulfil the same duties towards us. As, for instance, our guardians, teachers, masters, or rulers, our governments, our Church, and, in the supreme sense, our Lord, who is the Father of all. This is the first commandment which we learn to obey; as little children, when too young to understand the sins of idolatry, murder, blasphemy, etc., we know it is wrong to disobey the tender mother, the kind father, who love us, and protect us, and whose every thought is to give us pleasure, and alleviate our pain. Affection for them comes first; later we learn to love the Lord, and know that their tenderest care was only a dim, a far-off image of His Infinite Loving-kindness. Nor do we, in increase of strength, of knowledge, ever grow beyond this Law. It grows with us, with wider, deeper demands as we

are more full of power to fulfil them. Every science, every art, every instruction, to be learned thoroughly, requires. from us this childlike state of mind, this obedience to, and faith in, our instructors. Nothing is a greater obstacle to knowledge than vanity, obstinate and self-willed, and the kingdom of wisdom can be entered only by humility.

As the youth grows older, and becomes a man, he finds the same law still awaiting him. His country is to him as a mother. It has protected and nourished him in helplessness, and claims from him the filial obedience of a true citizen in its peace and prosperity, in danger and war, the love and honor of a patriot, and his active service to aid and defend her. As his mind still continues to grow, and enlarge, and from earth he looks heavenward; as the angel within develops, and the animal nature is subdued beneath the human, then he sees that a still higher obedience is due to the Church as his spiritual mother. She has fed his mind with instructions of good and truth; she has defended him from the assaults of the evil; she has strengthened, and nourished, and cared for his soul; and love, honor, and obedience are due her; but in this case, as in all the preceding ones, are due her only so far as the Lord's truth and good are in her. Yet so far as she is filled with these, so far must he respect and obey her ordinances, must defend her against the assaults of errors and infidelities, and give to her his active service of a life rich in charity and faith. As his vision grows clearer and clearer, and the process of regeneration widens and glows through all his sympathies, he learns to acknowledge as our Lord's Church not only the outwardly organized and visible Church, but all who are in goodness and truth; all who love the Lord and the neighbor, wherever, whenever, and by whatsoever name they are called, and sees the Church stand glorious in heaven and on earth.

But, to grow heavenward, he must always be more and more fully imbued with the childlike spirit, the state of humility, love, and simple obedience, inculcated in this

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