most popular preachers of the present day. And on no subject are they more disturbed than on the doctrines of the future life, and the final lot of the wicked. The Calvinistic doctrine, which represented this lot as an endless punishment of fire inflicted by an angry Deity, Whose glory was seen in the torments of the lost, can be no longer accepted by thoughtful and humane disciples of the Christian Saviour. One of the latest utterances on the subject, and one of the boldest and most outspoken, is by Dr. Farrar, Canon of Westminster, who has treated the question in two discourses in the Abbey. In the first discourse, after setting forth the popular notions of hell to be found in Roman Catholic and other writers, he says, "I know nothing so calculated to make the whole soul revolt with loathing from every doctrine of religion as the easy complacency with which some cheerfully accept the belief that they are living and moving in the midst of millions doomed irreversibly to everlasting perdition. Augustine dared to say that infants dying unbaptized would certainly be damned, though only with avissime diminutio. Thomas Aquinas lent his saintly name to the abominable fancy that the bliss of the saved may be the more keen because they are permitted to gaze on the punishment of the wicked; and another writer talks of God as holding up the wicked in hell with one hand, and tormenting them with the other. Now, even when a saint of God speaks like this, he sins, and no language can be stern enough to reprobate the manner in which these elder brothers of the prodigal have turned God's gospel of plenteous redemption into anathemas, and all but universal perdition."

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What then is the preacher's own opinion on this painfully impressive subject? Finding," he says, neither in Scripture nor anywhere anything to prove that the fate of every man is at death irrevocably determined, I shake off the hideous incubus of atrocious conceptions attached by false theology to the doctrine of final retribution. But neither can I dogmatize on the other side. I say nothing to uphold the Romish doctrine of purgatory. I cannot accept the spreading belief in conditional immortality. I cannot preach the certainty of what is called Universalism that is, the view that all will finally be

saved." To this latter doctrine Dr. Farrar, however, evidently inclines, though his only positive affirmation is the general statement that "the fate of man is not finally and irreversibly and necessarily sealed at death."

THE WORTH OF LIFE.-The Archbishop of York has made this topic the subject of the opening address of the Leeds Philosophical and Literary Society. After describing the popular teaching which reduces all things to the sum of natural forces, and which seems to leave no room for a human will, the speaker goes on to say

The natural consequence of this teaching, and its diffusion in popular form among the masses, follows: "Worn out with theories of necessity, of materialism, which not only claim to explain nature, but to replace all philosophy, many are inclined to give up all search for truth, and to limit their self-education to the pursuit by which they win their bread. Low aims bring low performances; and the happiness of man depends far more upon what he aspires to, than upon what he achieves. First, then, it is dangerous to estimate the value of life by what are usually called pleasures and pains. The system of Schopenhauer is built upon the argument that, as all life is an effort, and all effort in its nature is painful, the pains of life must preponderate. But it would be more true to say that pleasure of some sort accompanies and completes all natural efforts, and that there is no real pleasure that is not part of an active condition. And so in regard to necessity and freedom. To become convinced that one is the link in the chain of plain necessity is to lose all self-respect-even all personality itself. It is death to the better part of us. We cannot be lifted with that conviction out of discouragement and despair. Would you then be assured of your own freedom? Love God and live by His laws. That activity which we are in search of is an activity ascending to the Divine purpose. 'Liberty,' it has been finely said, 'is a kind of natural sovereignty which God has given us over ourselves, to govern ourselves according to His orders.' This search after God is order, peace, and love; in that region the will knows that it is free. It sees the good and chooses it, and is enabled to follow it

"To accomplish this object an annual sum of about £200 will have to be raised by subscription among the Members of the Church. This sum is so small in comparison with the total number of Members, that it may fairly be' hoped it will be easily raised by every one doing his part to the best of his ability. The Committee hope that, if not able to subscribe a larger amount, you will not feel debarred from undertaking to give 1d. per week to the collector in your Society. The fact is, that if every Member in the Church would do this, the aim of the Conference would be more than attained.

"The importance of this fund can scarcely be over-estimated. It is certain that the Church cannot prosper unless it is governed by the Laws of Divine order. When the Lord was in the world endeavouring to raise up a New Church, one of the first things He did was to ordain apostles and send them forth to preach the truths of His Kingdom. The Lord always works according to the same laws, and when the New Church sends forth her apostles to preach the Truths of the New Dispensation she places herself within the stream of those Îaws, and the Lord will then be enabled to bless her efforts with success. We shall then be beginning the work at the right end. To do this work efficiently, however, the Church requires thoroughly capable and educated men, and such men cannot be obtained if the talented young men of the Church are not able to see any prospect of a reasonable amount of support.

"Charity also seems to require that the stronger and richer Societies should help those which are, as yet, in their infancy.

"The Committee trust, therefore, that both your understanding and your heart will be enlisted in sympathy with this important movement.'

Two grounds of support are suggested in this circular, and both are essential to success. The contribution of money is so indispensable that it is readily suggested to the mind. But money is not all that is needed. Sympathy with the object and sympathy in the work of the ministry is not less essential. How many ministers' hands hang down from the lack of sympathy on the part of their flocks! How many ministrations are rendered fruitless from the want of

united and hearty co-operation on the part of the people! How many public institutions of inestimable value, and capable of the highest usefulness, languish from the coldness and indifference with which they are regarded! To succeed in this work we need to unite with a deep sense of its importance, is the warm sympathy and the united effort of every member of the Church. The work of the ministry must be more warmly appreciated, the ministers esteemed for their works' sake, and the ministers must be themselves men of cultured piety and earnest labour, men to inspire confidence and secure esteem. The work before us needs the co-operation of all classes, and with this co-operation we cannot doubt its final success.

SCOTLAND.-The Scottish Association of the New Church held their annual meeting in Alloa on Saturday, October 27th. In honour of the occasion the Members of the New Church, Greenfield Place, held a soiree in the Church. The hour of meeting was a quarter past four p.m., by which hour the neat little church was filled to its utmost capacity. The chairman of the congregation, Mr. William M'Leod, occupied the chair.

The proceedings were opened by singing the 100th Psalm. Tea over, the Chairman addressed the large assembly on "The beauty of the principles of the New Church. The audience then sung Hymn 496 (New Church collection), with full organ accompaniment, after which Mr. G. L. Allbutt, B. A., Paisley, delivered an address on "The introductory principles of the New Church,' and stated a little of his own experience on the reception of them. Following Mr. Allbutt, the Rev. W. C. Barlow, B. A., Edinburgh, addressed the meeting. His subject was "All things new,' showing the progressive state of the church when in a state of goodness, many and better states being continually entered upon.

Rev. J. F. Potts, B.A., Glasgow, spoke on The great necessity of doing more for the extension of the principles of the New Church." Every one connected with it, he said, should constitute themselves missionaries, and do their best in their own way to spread a knowledge of the truth. Many rebuffs would be given and many hard things said, but it was the duty of every one to

do what they could in face of all opposition.

Mr. Gunton's subject embraced a good many of the principles which distinguish the New Church from others, especially impressing the necessity of believing in the Lord Jesus Christ, in Whom dwells the fulness of the Godhead bodily.

MISSIONARY OPERATIONS IN SCOTLAND. Mr. Gunton, the agent of the National Missionary Institution, has recently completed a course of Missionary work in Scotland. His labours have extended to Alloa, Dundee, Tillicoultry, and Portobello, Cupar-Fife, Paisley, Edinburgh, Greenock, and Glasgow. The Alloa Journal, of November 3rd., contains the following notice of his lectures in Alloa :-

On Tuesday evening Mr. Gunton delivered a lecture in the Corn Exchange, subject, "The Second Coming of the Lord-How, When, Where, will He come?" This subject he treated with great ability, speaking of how the Lord would come. The Coming was in the spiritual sense of the Holy Word"The words that I speak unto you they are spirit, and they are life." When will He come?-whenever we choose to receive Him. “Behold I stand at the door and knock. If any one hear My voice, and open the door, I will come in and sup with him and he with Me." Where would He come?-Into the pure affections of the human mind. This is the place where the Lord can dwell. At the close a good many questions were put and answered.

Again, on Wednesday evening, in the Corn Exchange, Mr. Gunton delivered a lecture on "Heaven, the dwellingplace of the good; and Hell, the dwelling-place of the wicked." Heaven, he said, was created by the Lord, and is the ultimate end of all creation, and its intrinsic nature is a state of the soul, formed by conjunction with the Lord. It is the dwelling-place of the good, because it was for this end the Lord created it. Hell was not created by the Lord but by man. Man alone is responsible for it, and wicked men constantly carry it about with them, even in this world, and to such it will be their portion in the other life. The lecture was listened to with great attention by a most respectable audience.

Questions were put by various individuals, both in writing and otherwise. These questions Mr. Gunton answered fully, and many present expressed themselves as satisfied with the answers given. The services of Mr. Gunton extended from October 26th to December 12th. Thirty-one discourses, embracing a great variety of subjects, were delivered, and 250 books were sold. The attendances were on the whole considered satisfactory. Many notices of the lectures appeared in public papers, and many expressions of satisfaction were heard. This is the third Missionary visit in Scotland by Mr. Gunton, and in each case the expenses in Scotland have been defrayed by the Scottish Missionary Association; which shows that the Scotch friends are not forgetful of their duties as well as their privileges.

On his return Mr. Gunton called at Hull, preached there on Sunday, Decem. ber 16th, and lectured on Monday evening, 17th. The Hull friends are at present without a minister, but we understand they have engaged Mr. Boyle of Horncastle, to commence his duties at Hull, at the beginning of April. The Committee of the National Missionary Institution, at the suggestion of the President of Conference, has arranged for Mr. Gunton to make a pastoral visit to Leeds as early as convenient.

MANCHESTER AND SALFORD MISSIONARY SOCIETY.-During the months of November and December last a series of Sabbath evening lectures were arranged by the Committee of this Society, by a general exchange of pulpits. The ministers engaged in this service were Revs. R. Storry, W. Westall, R. Goldsack, P. Ramage, G. H. Smith, S. Pilkington, and Mr. Mackereth, the churches in which the lectures were given being those of the several ministers who took part in the service. The interest excited, though not so great as was hoped, was yet considerable. The attendance at all the churches was larger than the ordinary Sunday evening congregation. The members of the several Societies were interested and instructed, and New Church doctrines were brought under the attention of many who either have not before heard or are not in the habit of habitually hearing them.

Another service to which the atten