Miscellaneous. MIRACLES.-One of the objections frequently urged against the claims of Swedenborg as the messenger of the Second Advent of the Lord was that he wrought no miracles. This objection was not unnatural when Christian apologists relied on the working of miracles as one of the strongest proofs of the truth of Christianity. Of late this evidence has been strongly assailed. The miracles have been severely criticised, and their sufficiency as evidence of the supernatural boldly questioned. The question, What is a miracle? cannot be avoided in the controversy which has arisen. A miracle has usually been defined as a suspension of a law of nature. The fixed character of natural laws has led some to the incautious assertion that a miracle is an impossibility. In view of the marvels which are being continually discovered, it is the extreme of rashness to assert that a miracle is impossible. There are doubtless laws of creative wisdom with which we are yet unacquainted; and the miracles of Holy Scripture are neither a suspension nor a violation of the laws of nature, but an extraordinary manifestation of Divine power operating in and by these laws. Few intelligent defenders of Christianity would at the present day rest the defence of the Gospel on the miracles. It has been said, and frequently repeated, that whereas formerly miracles were held to prove the Gospel, now it is the Gospel which proves the miracles. Miracles, therefore, are now presented to faith, and the assurance of their truth arises from the moral grounds of belief, and a perception of their relation to the spiritual laws and spiritual wonders of Divine revelation and Christian experience. We have been led into these remarks by an excellent paper on "Belief in Christ: its Relation to Miracles," etc., by the Rev. J. Ll. Davies, in the March number of the Contemporary Review. Mr. Davies, after stating the formerly popular argument from miracles and the objections of the unbelievers, says truly: But it has often happened in the history of the Church that, when Christians have been driven from the maintenance of any position, they have found that it was one which they ought never to have held. And it is one of the strongest grounds of our confidence in Holy Scripture that in these instances a new examination of its books has shown that it gave no support to the doctrine or method which has had to be abandoned. So it is with the relation of miracles to Christian faith. That order-miracles first, then the authority of the teacher-is not found in the New Testament nor derived from its pages. The scriptural theory of the way in which Christian belief is created is a very different one. دو This statement is followed by the statement that "the distinction between the natural and the supernatural, which has formed so important an element in the modern arguments on this question, was not familiar to the minds of the contemporaries of Jesus Christ, to whom nature itself was supernatural. A miracle was a wonder, not a suspension of a law of nature. But wonders were wonders, and were no doubt regarded as signs of Divine support or interference. And our Lord, according to the Gospels, did mighty works, wrought signs and wonders. But then it only becomes the more remarkable if we can perceive that the main appeal was not made through the wonders nor to the sense, whatever it was, that could appreciate the wonders, but to the moral or spiritual apprehensions which could recognise grace and truth." This truth the writer proceeds to illustrate from the Lord's teaching. He opens His ministry, not by a miracle, but in the words of John, who wrought no miracle. He came proclaiming the kingdom of God and calling men to repentance. The parable of" the Sower is describing and analyzing the results of His preaching in Galilee. There is nothing in the parable to bring miracles to the mind. Jesus marks the hardness, the shallowness, the worldliness which hinders the seed from becoming fruit; but there are some amongst His hearers neither hard, nor shallow, nor worldly, but with a heart for the good announcement, who take it in and keep it, and in whom it brings forth fruit." The subject is pursued through the fourth Gospel, the writer's review closing in the following sen tences: "The question which we are considering is definitely raised in the sixth chapter. Certain of the Jews said to Jesus, What sign showest Thou, that we may see, and believe Thee? What dost Thou work?' They wanted a sign, for example, like that of the manna which fell from heaven in the wilderness. The answer of Jesus was in the same tone as His answers to Nicodemus: I am the bread of heaven. . . . But you have seen Me, and believe not. All that the Father giveth Me shall come to Me: and him that cometh to Me I will in no wise cast out.' Always the same thought, that He was come to give blessing, and that only the filialhearted could receive the blessing. A little further on He says, 'No man can come to Me except the Father which hath sent Me draw him;' and again, 'There are some of you that believe not. Therefore said I unto you that no man can come unto Me except it were given him of My Father.' What could miracles do to create the faith which Jesus desired? Nothing at all. They might make men wonder; they might stimulate hungry and ambitious desires; but it was not in their nature to generate repentance, or the desire of righteousness, or love. The sheep that really follow the Good Shepherd do so because they hear His voice. They recognise the Master of their spirits in His gracious words, in His acts of sacrifice on their behalf." Into Mr. Davies' treatment of the Lord's resurrection our space forbids us to enter. On the general question of miracles it will be seen that members of the New Church may avail themselves of the sentiments so clearly stated by the writer of this article. REVIVALS.-The extension of revival services has naturally excited attention to their utility, and to the prudence of some of their proceedings. To afford some of the more eminent ministers of the Congregational body an opportunity of expressing their opinions, the editor of the Congregationalist, following the example of the Nineteenth Century, opened his pages for a Symposium on the subject. The opinions of the writers were various, but all seem to have condemned some of the extravagances which have attended these services. The puffery of some of the advertisements, the announcement of one of the agents as "The Weeping Preacher," of another as "A Converted Prize-Fighter,' " and a third as "A Converted Clown," found little favour. Those who express the most favourable opinions clearly manifest considerable misgivings; and these misgivings, we have reason to know, are widespread among intelligent ministers of the Congregational body. All Christian work is now subjected to close observation and thoughtful attention. It is not, as formerly, so exclusively accepted from its external zeal and excited enthusiasm-it is judged by its fruits; and although some of the writers think these commendable, others have doubts respecting them. The Rev. Alexander Mackennal, B.A., says that in Cornwall revivals are looked upon almost with dread by those who are not Methodists, and that in Forfarshire-another county famous for revivals-ministers known to him, who have taken part in them, and who would do so again, have expressed grave doubts as to the healthfulness of their influence on the converts and the churches. The growth of a more enlightened Christian sentiment, and a closer attention to Christian progress, is gradually disinclining the more intelligent members and ministers of Christian churches for these exciting services. Men are everywhere learning that religion appeals to cultured intelligence as well as fervent emotion, and that its real progress is only possible by the combined influence of religious instruction and spiritual culture. DAILY READING OF HOLY SCRIPTURE. -We cut the following from the Christian World. It is a wise and hopeful direction of mission effort to induce the young to study the Word of Truth, and to train them from their earliest years to the daily reading of the Sacred Scriptures: "An interesting effort is being made by what is known as the Children's Special Service Mission to induce children to agree to read every day a portion of Scripture. A list of the passages selected by the Committee is sent, I believe, every month to the youthful mem bers of this 'Scripture Union.' As an aid to the cultivation of early piety, and as conducive to the systematic study of the Scriptures, the formation of this 'Union' will be regarded by Christian parents and teachers generally with warm interest. Branches, it is hoped, will be established throughout the kingdom. we are certainly preparing them to stand alone.” VIENNA. In our report of the proceedings of the last session of the General Conference we noticed the suspension of the mission at this city, and the forcible dissolution of the Society by the municipal authorities. We have received from John Fletcher, Esq., of StoneMADAGASCAR.-One of the principal clough, near Manchester, who has refields of the labours of the London cently visited Vienna, some particulars Missionary Society has been Madagascar. respecting the Society and the distress Here, many years since, the native of its pastor, to which we invite the Christians were subjected to a fearful attention of the members of the New persecution; and the Christian Church Church in England. The Church in England and elsewhere was painfully throughout the world is one body, affected by the reports of the cruel united by the one Divine life of love martyrdoms to which the Madagascar to the common Saviour and charity Christians were exposed, and in which towards all the brethren. If one branch they passed to their reward with all of the Church suffers, other portions of the constancy and heroism of "the the general body sympathize in its noble army of martyrs" of the primitive afflictions. Our efforts may fail to Church. The work of the Society has obtain for our brethren the restoration in recent times been again renewed. of their public worship, with its attenMemorial churches have been erected, dant privileges and blessings, but we and the labours of the missionaries more can at least offer temporary pecuniary widely extended. The Church of Eng- assistance to their esteemed pastor, land, the Society of Friends, and the who suffers loss by this action of the Roman Catholics have also missionaries authorities. The following is Mr. on the island, the Friends working Fletcher's letter: "Having had occacordially with the Independents. The sion to visit Vienna, I took an opporRev. W. E. Cousins, of the London tunity of waiting on the Rev. Hermann Missionary Society, who has been two Peisker, Hermannsgasse 33, Thür 19, to years in England, in his letter to the obtain some information as to the directors, written since his return, thus troubles the New Church Society had speaks of the progress of the island: got into. I had several long conversaI find the Prime Minister has been tions with Mr. Peisker, and I found moving forward very rapidly, and has they commenced worshipping as a made important changes in regard to Society in the year 1872; and, accordthe administration of justice, etc. The ing to the laws of Austria, they deposited compulsory registration of births and a copy of their rules, which were not deaths, of marriages, of contracts, sales objected to, at the Town Hall. The of land, etc., the prohibition of poly- Society continued to worship and celegamy and divorce, and certain laws brate marriages and baptisms until the regulating the slave trade, are a clear year 1876, when a number of the memgain to the cause of civilization and bers were arrested and taken before the progress. The relations of the Govern- magistrates, but were discharged. ment to our work generally seem to be what pretext they were arrested does very friendly, and with prudence and not seem to be well understood. The patient teaching we may yet secure to members continued to meet for worship, the native churches a very large amount and to celebrate marriages and baptisms of liberty. There appears to be a grow- until last August, when the Society ingly clear apprehension of the differ- received a letter from the Police Courts ence existing between the spheres of the requesting the members to meet there State and of the Churches. On the at a given time. They accordingly whole, the work seems strong and went, and were told that they could healthy; and although the native not be permitted to carry on worship Christians may long need our friendly any longer, the reason assigned being help both in guidance and in money, that they had not carried out their rules, On nor were they acknowledged as a religious Society by the State. The police then took all their furniture and books, etc., from their meeting-room, and the funds in hand, about £30. Mr. Peisker has sent a petition to the authorities complaining of such a cruel proceeding, and praying that they might be allowed to conduct their worship as usual. To this petition, which should have received a reply, according to law, in about thirty days, no reply, up to the time of my leaving Vienna, had come to hand. Mr. Peisker had, however, heard that the reply had been received from Government by the city authorities, and that it was against the Society. I saw several members of the congregation, and their statements quite coincided with Mr. Peisker's. It seems from the first commencement in 1872 before each service they had to give three days' notice to the authorities, and a policeman or other representative from the Town Hall has been present at every meeting, whether for worship or other meetings, and that this man has signed each marriage-contract. If the Society were transgressing the law, why did not the authorities find it out sooner, and not allow seven years to lapse, and each meeting to be sanctioned by their own official? I called at the British Embassy, but did not succeed in seeing the British Minister, who was absent. I had an interview, however, with the chaplain, who received me with Christian courtesy and kindness, but was powerless to aid in the matter. The opinion I formed is, that the only way to assist the friends in Vienna would be to get up a petition to the Austrian Minister in London, and follow it up with a good influential deputation. The members in Vienna are utterly powerless. If they are to be assisted, help must come from the outside. I consider they have been hardly treated. So far as I can learn they have not, certainly not intentionally, committed the slightest wrong, or violated any of the laws. Before leaving Vienna a number of the members waited on me at my hotel, and, after repeating the story of their wrongs, begged that I would lay the matter before the New Church in England, in the hope that some steps might be taken to get matters put right again. Dr. Peisker told me he had tried to get permission to keep a school, but immediately it was known what his former position (New Church minister) had been, he was refused, and anything else he had taken in hand in the way of employment had been stopped. When he went to Vienna he had a little money saved, but it had all gone, and he was now earning a little by giving a few private lessons. From the appearance of his home (a little room about the fifth floor in a block), I should say he is in very distressed circumstances, having a wife and three little children; and I feel that it would be doing the right thing to help him along if possible till he can officiate again as minister, or at least get a final reply from the Government." Mr. Fletcher offers to contribute £5 towards a subscription to assist Mr. Peisker in his present painful circumstances. This is, doubtless, the right thing to do, and to do promptly. shall gladly receive any subscriptions in aid of this object, or they may be forwarded to the treasurer of Conference, Richard Gunton, Esq., 19 Oseney Crescent, London, N., for immediate transmission to Mr. Peisker. We our MAURITIUS.-A correspondent sends us from Malta the following extract from a letter he has recently received from the Mauritius, which will doubtless interest our readers. During a passing visit at the Mauritius correspondent had no opportunity of attending service, as he was not there on a Sunday. The following is the extract: "We have had a subscription lately in our small Society to pay off our debt of £500, and we raised £400, or very nearly that figure, and this, Í think, was doing well considering the few we were. At Christmas our congregation, including children, was about seventy, and we had, I think, thirty communicants. Our President, M. de Chazal, was unable to attend through illness, and the service was conducted by one of our oldest members, M. Lesage, who did it very well. I trust all were benefited by it." BIRMINGHAM.-Sunday the 9th March was specially interesting to the Sunday scholars, and to many of the congregation who assembled in the church prior to morning service for the purpose of witnessing the baptism of the second group of young adults, who, in consequence of doctrinal instruction in the BOLTON. The minister of this Society, the Rev. Thomas Mackereth, F.R.A.S., has just completed a course of lectures at the church on the following subjects: (1) "A Swedenborgian's View of the Uses of Sunday;" (2) "The Nature and Immortality of the Human Soul;" (3) "The Nature and Character of Divine Revelation;" (4) "The Law of the Interpretation of the Sacred Scriptures." The attendance at all the lectures was good, and many strangers were present. The church was comfortably filled at the lecture on the Human Soul, and much satisfaction was expressed by strangers with the arguments and elucidations of the subject. In the first lecture it was shown that Sunday was not merely a substitute for the Sabbath, and for prayer and praise to the Lord, but that it is now, and will become more so, a day for instruction in Divine things. With the abundance of natural knowledge has come an unfolding of spiritual and Divine knowledge never known before, and therefore the highest use of Sunday was found in the prayer and praise that lead to spiritual culture by the now revealed knowledge of truth. In the second lecture it was shown that attributes alone distinguish the identities of all things. In these the Divine is distinct and personal from His creation. Attributes without substance and form are unthinkable; therefore wherever attributes are found there also must be substance and form, for if the converse be true, which is manifestly so, then also is the deduction. It was shown that not only do attributes distinguish things from one another, but that the substances and forms of things are nothing but their attributes made by force, or by the action of life in the elements of things. The elemental world is a world of forces only, but the vegetable and animal worlds are worlds of life, where, from within germ and matrix, life builds up and organizes all that constitute the substances and attributes of the myriads of subjects of these living worlds. But one thing is obvious of them all, which is this, that as soon as the subjects of these kingdoms have fulfilled their functions as subjects they begin to perish. The attributes of man, seated in his own consciousness, extend far beyond physics. The animal world affords the strongest proof that mere brain cannot comprehend the man. Here are attributes, notwithstanding the marvellous capabilities of animal instinct, that demand something more than a physical subject, substance, and forın. With the growth of years man's loves and affections become purer, holier, and higher; his thoughts from rational become staid and wise. knowledge which he loves with advancing years is of the highest and most useful order. When he shall have fulfilled his functions with these attainments he shall perish too; but as the whole life of man's mind is progressive to its close, reason is bound to admit that the end of man is an indeterminate equation. There is therefore no reason why he shall not live for ever. "Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy The |