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IMPROVEMENTS, &c......LITERÁRY INTELLIGENCE.

little, add to it half an ounce of purified nitre in powder, stirring the . mixture with a slip of glass or the small end of a tobacco pipe. This process should be renewed from time to time, or if you wish to keep up a constant fumigation, it is only putting the pipkin over a lamp, or making use of one of Moses's fumigating lamps, made expressly for this purpose. For this important discovery the parliament of Great Britain has voted Dr. Smyth 5,000 pounds.

Fumigations of oxygenized muriatic acid, seem likewise to have an excellent effect for the same purpose. Accounts have been received from Spain, that in the midst of the dreadful contagion which reigned in that country, the inhabitants of those houses where fumigations of this acid were used, had no attacks of the sickness, and enjoyed the best health. These fumigations ought, for the security of the community, to be introduced into all hospitals, prisons, &c.

TO PRESERVE BUTTER.

One part of sugar, one part of saltpetre, and two parts of the best salt, are to be pulverised together, and kept for use; one ounce of this is to be mixed thoroughly with sixteen ounces of the butter, as soon as it is freed from the buttermilk; it is then to be put into a close and perfectly clean dry vessel, from which the air is to be care fully excluded, and it will remain good for years.

INFALLIBLE CURE FOR THE LOCK-JAW.

Dip the part affected in a quantity of warm lye, made as strong as possible; but if it be a part of the body which cannot be immersed, rub the part affected with a flannel soaked in the lye. This has been tried with repeated success, and never been known to fail.

Secret of Recovering the Writing upon Parchments decayed by time, and of making it legible.

Dip the parchment obliterated by time into a vessel of cold water, fresh drawn from the well. In about a minute take it out, and press it between two papers, to prevent its crumpling up in drying. As soon as it is moderately dry, if it be not then legible, repeat the operation two or three times. The skin will then resume its pristine color, and will appear all alike.

LITERARY INTELLIGENCE.

We are pleased to learn that arrangements are making by a house in Philadelphia, for the production of an original and splendid American work, to be conducted by a learned and distinguished citizen of the United States, entitled THE AMERICAN ENCYCLOPEDIA. The undertaking has our best wishes for its success.

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THE HEAVENLY DOCTRINE OF THE NEW JERUSALEM.

(In continuation from page 196.)

65. By this law of Charity it appears in what sense every man ought to regard himself as his nearest neighbor. He is bound to provide convenient food and raiment for his body; this is a first and principal object; but still with a view to make his body a fit instrument for the operations of his soul; he is further bound to provide necessaries for his soul, viz. all such things as may tend to advance it in wisdom and understanding; but this also with a further view, that his soul may be in a capacity of doing service to his friends, his citizens, his country, the church, and thereby to the Lord himself. When a man acteth according to these views and intentions, he provideth for his own happiness to all eternity: from whence it appeareth, that the end regarded is a man's first and principal object of attention, inasmuch as all intermediate things have reference thereto. The case will admit of comparison with that of a man who buildeth a house; his first business is to lay the foundation; but the design of the foundation is for the sake of the house; and the design of the house is for a place to dwell in. When a man regardeth himself as his nearest Neighbor, and maketh all his attention centre in himself only, as the principal end and object of his concern, he is like unto a man who regardeth the foundation of his house as his chief end, without any regard to the house itself, or to a place of abode; whereas a convenient place of abode should be his first and ultimate end, and the house with its foundation should be considered only as means to promote the end.

66. The end regarded therefore shews plainly in what respect every man is Neighbor to himself, and how he ought to provide for himself. If this end hath an increase of wealth for its object, only for the sake of wealth, or of pleasure, or of pre-eminence, and the like, it is then an evil end, and the person who regardeth it doth not love his Neighbor, but himself. But if this end hath wealth for its object with a different view, such as providing for the good of people about us, or of the society in which we live, or of our country, or of the church, it is then a proof that the person who regardeth it loveth his Neighbor. The end to which a man's actions are directed constitutes the man; for the end is his love, inasmuch as the chief object of every man's love is the first and last end of all his actions. No. 6.

VOL. II.

32

Thus far we have considered the meaning of the word Neighbor; we shall now proceed to consider the meaning and nature of CHARITY, or love towards a Neighbor.

67. It is a common notion that love towards our Neighbor consisteth solely in giving alms to the poor, in relieving the indigent, and in doing good to all sorts of persons indiscriminately; but Charity consisteth in acting prudently, and for good ends and purposes. Generosity exercised towards a bad man is not Charity, but the want of it, and is rather productive of evil than of good; inasmuch as it confirmeth him in his evil ways, and supplies him with a greater power of doing mischief. The case is different when we exercise our generosity towards the good.

68. But Charity is not confined to the relief of the poor and indigent, but is more extensive in its signification; for it consisteth in observing an upright conduct upon every occasion, and in a conscientious discharge of every duty. If a judge therefore be impartial in the execution of his office, from a pure regard to the laws of justice and judgment, he liveth in the exercise of Charity: in punishing the guilty and acquitting the innocent, he sheweth the same regard to the laws of Charity; for in both cases he conferreth the same benefit on his fellow citizens and on his country. In like manner, if a priest, by his instructions and example, guideth his flock in the ways of wisdom and goodness, from a pure regard to wisdom and goodness, he also liveth in the exercise of Charity. But if he doeth this from worldly or selfish motives, he is then without Charity, inasmuch as in this case he loveth not his Neighbor, but himself.

69. The same is true in all other instances both of persons in office and of persons out of office; as of children in relation to their parents, and of parents in relation to their children; of servants in relation to their masters, and of masters in relation to their servants : of subjects in relation to their king, and of a king in relation to his subjects. In all these cases, to act uprightly and conscientiously, out of a pure regard for what is right and just, is to live in the exercise of Charity.

70. That Charity, or the true love of our Neighbor, consisteth in such uprightness of conduct, appeareth from what was observed above concerning the relationship of Neighbor; and how every individual man is our Neighbor, but in a different manner and degree; a lesser and greater society of men is still more our Neighbor than an individual man; our country is related to us in a higher degree; the kingdom of the Lord still higher; and the Lord himself in the highest of all. In an universal sense also the good which proceeded from the Lord is our Neighbor; and of consequence sincerity, uprightness, and integrity are so too. Whosoever, therefore, liveth in the practice of any sort of goodness, out of a pure love and regard thereto, as he who is sincere and upright in conduct out of a pure regard to sincerity and uprightness, such a person liveth in the true love of his Neighbor, and in the exercise of true Charity; for he liveth in, and acteth from the love of goodness, of sincerity and uprightness, and therefore he liveth in the love of all those in whom goodness, sincerity and uprightness, dwell.

71. Charity therefore is an internal affection of the soul, proceeding from the Lord Jesus Christ as its proper fountain, and prompting a

man to do good, and to act uprightly, from a pure love of goodness and uprightness, without any regard to reward or recompense; for it bringeth its own reward along with it, and in its exercise is attended with the highest and purest satisfaction of life. When a man liveth in the exercise of goodness from an internal affection prompting him thereto, there is Charity in all his thoughts and words, in all his inclinations and actions, so that it may be said both of men and angels, when goodness is their Neighbor, that as to their inner man, or the interiors of their souls, they are pure Charity. Thus extensive is the word Charity in its genuine signification.

72. It is impossible for Charity to exist where self-love and the love of the world have gained an ascendency, and are made the principal ends of life. People addicted to such evil love cannot even understand what Charity meaneth; much less can they comprehend that the love and the practice of goodness towards our Neighbor, independent of the expectation of recompense, are the cause and foundation of heaven in the soul of man; and that the happiness arising therefrom is equal to that of the angels in heaven, which is inexpressible. For such people suppose, that should they be deprived of the satisfaction arising from the glory of worldly riches, and honor, there should be an end of all happiness, and no other satisfaction could be found; whereas the truth is, that the happiness of heaven, which infinitely surpasses every other satisfaction, doth then first begin to arise, and become perceptible in the soul, when the happiness arising from the glory of worldly riches and honor is extinguished in it.

LIFE OF EMANUEL SWEDENBORG.

(Continued from page 201.)

It is well known, that essential truth itself has been hated and rejected, and that its children, who have preached it, have been despised and persecuted; ought we then to be surprised, if a disciple of this truth was also treated with scorn and contempt, and that his enemies should have endeavored to destroy his reputation? It is in deed too true, that many persons* have set themselves in opposition

The friends to the honorable author's writings having lately seen some observations on them, tending to discountenance their perusal by the serious part of mankind, take this opportunity of declaring, from a long acquaintance with the contents, that these writings, instead of meriting opposition from any who lay claim to the Christian name and nature, contain truths highly worthy of their most mature and impartial attention; and so far from militating against the sense of the Scriptures, reflect the highest honor on them, pointing out in innumerable instances their essential holiness and divinity; insisting that they contain the very laws and order of heaven, by which all Christians are to form their lives, and from which all doctrine must be drawn. They take this opportunity of observing, that they seek to enter into no disputes with any, and having nothing but the welfare of eternal truth at heart, labor only to show its real and essential divinity, the real and incomprehensible divinity of our Lord Jesus Christ, the greatness of our redemption and salvation by him, and the necessity of a perfect conformity of life to all that' is great and good.

opposition to the writings of this illustrious messenger, and attempted to depreciate their merit.

It must however be acknowledged, to the honor of the present age, that numbers are daily embracing the doctrines of this infant church, and it seems highly probable that it will soon become an object of very general attention and enquiry. Different judgments will no doubt be formed by different persons concerning the life and extraordinary relations we are now recording. The Atheist and Infidel will regard many things contained in them as impossible, and will instantly reject them under that idea: the wit and the minute philosopher will ridicule them as extravagant, and pronounce them the mere effect of a warm and deluded imagination: even the serious and well-instructed Christian will have his doubts concerning their reality, and will suspect the facts, though he may not dispute their possibility. Supernatural events, in all ages of the world, have thus divided the sentiments of mankind, nor is it to be expected, that in our own age we shall be better agreed respecting the truths of relations so marvellous and miraculous, supported only by the testimony of a single witness. Caution likewise on such occasions has always been deemed expedient by the truly good and enlightened, lest giving too hasty an assent to things extraordinary, they should encourage imposture, and put it in the power of weak or ill-disposed persons to establish an authority over the minds of others, grounded only in the infirmities or depravities of their own.

But as an indiscriminate reception of every supernatural relation is dangerous, so an indiscriminate rejection is no less so, and have ever therefore been equally avoided by all wise men. And we beg leave to suggest, with all deference to the sentiments of others, that it is the duty of every candid Christian to examine well the credibility of the testimony now offered, and this without partiality and without prejudice, inasmuch as the general interests of truth, which ought to be dear to every one, may be greatly affected by such an examination.

It is well known by many living witnesses, that Emanuel Swedenborg, after his extraordinary call to be an instructor of mankind, dedicated himself entirely to the great work which was assigned him. The future part of his life was spent, agreeably to the high commission he had received, in studying diligently the word of God, in opening and elucidating the great truths therein contained, and in publishing them to his fellow-creatures, together with the important information made known to him concerning another world. For this purpose he frequently left his native country to visit distant cities, particularly London and Amsterdam, where all his theological works were printed by him at a great expense, and with little prospect or probability of a reimbursement. It is in the writings of the studious and contemplative that we must read their lives, and learn what they were; and if we look at Swedenborg in this view, we are astonished at the greatness of his labors, the extent of his knowledge, the purity and consistency of his doctrines, the order and perspicuity of his discussions, all which bespeak a mind vastly above the common sort, indefatigable in its exertions, profound in its researches, illuminated and clear in its perceptions, pious, sober, and solid in its principles,

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