higher powers, the man, in fact, becom- though in a different way, as He did the ing a small hell, his lusts and passions heavens. God was true to Himself all raging, instead of his reason and con- the way through. He had begun by science ruling. If this was, radically, loving men, and loved them to the hell, the same thing would follow in the end, even in their degradation; and other life. Hell in the other life would His love was manifested by seeking to simply be perverted humanity there; bring the best possible use out of one was the outcome of the other. Then, them. Hence He caused the evils in what had the New Church to say as to them to be made quiescent in order to the eternity of hell? He believed in the make them the subjects of use. It eternity of hell, but it did not follow was another point in the Church that that he should believe in the eternity of there was no reform in the hells. Repunishment. The two things were quite form, in the New Church sense, was distinct, and unless they noticed the that which led to spiritual regeneration, distinction they would get into fallacies. and spiritual reformation was meant; The eternity of hell was a New Church but the Church did not say that there doctrine; the eternity of punishment was no natural reformation in the hells, was by no means so. The point might no amendment. They were mistaken be shown from the fact that hell was if they thought the hells continued as just the man himself in his perverted- they were from the very first. There ness, taking himself into his own hands, was a gradual amendment in the hells, and following the course agreeable to not a reformation, not an amendment himself, instead of following the course that led to regeneration, and hence to of right. The man would carry into the final glory, but an amendment which other life the principles which had led to the suppression of the evils within prompted him here; others would do their heart. Hence the outer regulation the like; this would lead to collisions of hellish society, which was like a there between spirit and spirit, and prison in this world. He could imagine hence to punishments. When the inner à prison to be very well disciplined and restraint of conscience were removed, and ordered, so he could imagine the hells lusts and false loves were the two go- in God's goodness to be very well verning principles, and those lusts and ordered also, so to speak, finally, and loves of one man came into collision in the end. They must remember these with those of another, the men would points if they would have a clear conacutely feel the penalty, and they would ception of the New Church doctrine of withdraw into themselves and restrain hell. Hell was the man himself perthemselves as much as possible, in order verted. It was eternal, for man did to be rid of the penalty which inevitably not pass out of a state of confirmed evil came upon them whenever they mani- into a state of good; it was a place of fested their evils. Hence the very outer amendment which led to the remanifestation of evil in hell would na- forming of the outer life, but not the turally lead to the ultimate restraining inner. There were three leading docof hell. In addition, the providence of trines on the subject of hell. The first the Lord was in the hells. Hell was was the eternity of hell: some thought just God making the best of those who in the form of hell-fire, others remorse could not or would not go to heaven. of conscience, commonly known as the It was God descending with them to orthodox doctrine. The second was their low state, and making the best that of conditional immortality, the possible of them there, first by external destruction of the wicked in the other punishments compelling self-restraint, life. The third was the final restoration and then by causing angelic influences to act upon them, so that they should be, in New Church language, vastated, namely, that their evils should be made quiescent. The vastation of evil in the other life was not the eradication of evil, but simply making evil quiescent, in order to bring out of the subjects of it a good use. God ruled the hells to the intent and purpose of use, just as much,

of all men. Each of these had a certain truth in it, and taken together they formed the whole truth, provided something was added to them. The letter of Scripture distinctly taught the eternity of hell, and also the destruction of the wicked. The destruction of the organism, the spiritual body, of the wicked in the other life was not meant, but the spiritual destruction of the man,

first by his own act in choosing evil for spirits, as the atmosphere was to their good, and thereafter the spiritual de- bodies, as pressing all its beauty into struction of the man as to his evil by this world, the very thought would lift the quiescence of his evils. As to final their minds into that apprehensive and restoration: "I, if I be lifted up from sensitive condition in which they would the earth, will draw all men unto Me;' ;" be continually looking for holy inand the apostle also spoke of the day fluences from the angelic world. Much of the restitution of all things. How misconception regarding heaven arose could these three distinct and ap- from the confusion of thought that preparently varying statements of Scripture vailed respecting natural and spiritual be reconciled? Thus. They believed substance. Paul, when writing to the in the eternity of hell, in the destruc- Corinthians, said, "The things which tion of the wicked there, in the way he are seen are temporal, but the things had explained, and in the restitution of which are not seen are eternal." The all things in this way, according to the things which were not seen were as states of the things to be restored. A much "things" as those that were seen, man capable of going to heaven was yea more so, they were eternal and restored after the heavenly form and everlasting. John in the Isle of Patmos fashion in the heavenly state; the man declared that he was "in the spirit who was not capable of going to heaven when he saw those magnificent scenes was brought into an outwardly reformed in heaven. What was it to be in the state in hell, and that constituted for spirit? Let them answer that by askhim the nearest restitution that to his ing, What was it to be in the body? nature was possible. A Latin proverb To be in the body was to have all the said that whatever you take in you bodily senses active and open and the must take in according to your fashion, spiritual senses closed; so to be in nature, and temperament.' Whatever the spirit must mean to have all the was done to a man must be done accord- spiritual senses active and open and ing to his fashion, nature, temperament, the bodily senses closed. John, in the and state. God sought to do the best spirit, saw the scenery of heaven; he for those in the hells according to their saw there the river of the water of states. The man who on earth rejected life, living trees bearing living fruit, the highest possible state that he having living leaves. All the objects. could have gained, would be so dealt then in that world were living and with by God as that he should reach active, not dead and fixed. This acthe best state possible for him.

But

counted for the singular changes deThe Rev. Peter Ramage said the scribed in the Book of Revelation. The subject of heaven, placed in his hands, substances of the heavenly world being was one of deep and abiding interest, of the same substance as the soul, reand one upon which a great obscurity ceive the impress of the mind and regenerally rested. The general opinion of produce it. Thus the scenery of the heaven was, that it is a place at some im- heavenly world exactly answered to the measurable distance from the earth, into state of the angels. Some thought of which were gathered all those who had heaven only as a beautiful place, where believed in the Saviour. If they thought, there were green pastures and still however, of heaven as a place not far off, waters, and they sang in ecstasy, "Oh, but nigh at hand, if they regarded all its what must it be to be there!' inhabitants as having commenced life being there would not make them on the earth, it followed that all the de- angels. When they thought of heaven lineations of things seen in the heavens they should rather think of those were at the same time descriptions of holy affections and living truths which those things which had been begun and wrought out on the plane of earthly life. The earthly and the heavenly life were as closely united as youth and manhood. The magnificent scenes of heaven, and all the sweetness and the beauty of human character there, were but the unfoldings of the inner life of man. If they thought of heaven as near to their

make heaven, of which its glorious scenery is but the outbirth_and_the shadow. They would then be thinking grandly and gloriously. He trusted earnestly that they would all carry that heaven with them throughout their earthly lives.

AUGMENTATION FUND.-The reports

presented to the Conference by the District where a member of the Comseveral district Commitees appointed to mittee resided, a proportionate number manage this Fund show that although of copies of the circular were supplied it is with this institution "the day of to him for distribution. In other cases small things," yet useful preliminary packets of circulars were forwarded to work has been accomplished. London, the Secretaries of Societies for distribu"owing to local circumstances within tion. Your Committee also deemed it the district, has not considered the important that deputations should be year opportune for an appeal on behalf appointed in each Society to canvass of the Fund." Lancashire invited Dr. personally the whole of the members Bayley to visit as many of the Societies and friends in connection with it. A in the district as possible, with the resolution urging such canvass was duly view of promoting a thorough canvass forwarded to the Societies, and in on behalf of the Fund. Applications Birmingham, which is the only Society for grants were also considered by the in the Midland District where it seems Committee from several of the Societies to have been fairly carried out, the in the district. The Scotch report result has proved the correctness of the simply stated that one meeting of the suggested course. In addition to these Committee had been held during the movements meetings were held as year, at which a circular had been pre- follows, at which the claims of the pared, district collectors appointed, and Augmentation Fund were urged: The the sum of £17 subscribed for immediate Birmingham Society considered the use. No applications for aid had been subject on January 13th, and the received at the date of the report, but Derby Society at a special meeting of one came in at the last moment from members on the 4th of February. At Edinburgh, which was dealt with by these meetings identical resolutions. Conference, granting £30. The Com- were passed expressing sympathy mittee had also given attention to the with the objects of the Fund, and perfecting of the Rules, and suggested some important additions, which were adopted by the Conference. The purpose of this Fund is twofold-to aid Societies in the support of their ministers, and to encourage and assist them in the adoption and active employment of means of self-help. The second of these objects is most important, and not always easy. The Midland District Committee enters somewhat fully into the whole subject, and is of so much value that, notwithstanding its length, we publish it almost entire :

appointing annual collections in the respective churches in aid of the branch of the Augmentation Fund for immediate use.

"Your Committee have thought it well to be thus precise as to their mode of procedure, because the Fund and its machinery are new, and they believe that the results of their experience will serve as guides to their successors in pursuing the work thus begun.

66

A meeting of the whole Committee was held at Derby on the 4th of February, and was attended by the majority of the members. There, in addition to the arrangements for securing help to the Fund, your Committee was called upon to recommend, or otherwise, the applications from Societies in the Midland District requesting assistance from the Fund. Deputations were appointed to visit

"Your Committee, appointed in accordance with Minute 155 of last session of Conference, have to record much work which is preparatory, and they are fully conscious that while there is much in their experience to encourage, it may yet be some years before the value and importance of the Fund is generally recognised by the various two of the Societies applying for Societies of their district.

augmentation of the salaries of their "The first care of your Committee ministers, and another Society was rewas to prepare and issue a circular to quested to furnish explanations of its all the members and friends of the balance sheet. At a subsequent meetNew Church in the Midland District ing the applications from the Societies setting forth the claims of the Fund. at Melbourne, Derbyshire, and at Five hundred copies were printed and Northampton were recommended to the distributed in the following manner: Council. In case of a Society in the Midland

"Your Committee desires to point

liable. The plan of apportioned districts is well calculated to bring about the sentiment of union between neighbouring Societies, whether rich or poor in worldly goods, if the regulations are carried out in a spirit of brotherly love; while the increasing knowledge which such Societies will obtain of each other will inspire that mutual confidence which is the most important element of success. And your Committee, in concluding their report, venture to express the hope that this happy result will ensue, as they are convinced it would have even greater and more lasting consequences than are involved in the immediate object of their labours."

out in the most explicit manner the eventually to remove, most of the evils mutual and binding relations of New to which the Fund would be otherwise Church Societies to each other, which the very spirit of this Fund involves. It can only become a success by all those friends and those Societies who are more largely blessed with the means of usefulness than others being constantly satisfied that the moneys they give or subscribe are well and wisely disbursed; while those Societies to whom help should be accorded must recognise that sense of brotherhood in the New Church which will enable them to accept frankly those earnest suggestions from other Societies whose efforts have been crowned with some success. And your Committee is sensible that the very isolation of many New Church Societies, an isolation but little affected by the annual week of the Conference session, has little prepared the members for that hearty cooperation which is so necessary to the complete success of the Fund. The distaste of some Societies to disclose their affairs, the wounded feelings consequent on some apparently unjust refusal of help, the dislike of worthy friends to the suggested adoption of novel modes of self-help in a Society, these, and many other points, indicate the nature of one class of difficulties with which the district Committees will have to deal. There is another class of difficulties in the fears of some friends and some Societies that the Fund, when secured, may be unwisely and inequitably distributed, that thereby ministers may occasionally be prevented from putting forth to the full that noble energy which is so necessary to enable them to arouse and to lead their congregations from a state of spiritual lethargy; and that also by the same means some Societies of the Church may be prevented from developing their latent pecuniary as well as moral re

sources.

"Between these difficulties your Committee is convinced that their successors will have to steer. They are of opinion that any attempt to disguise these facts will only tend to aggravate the mischiefs which might ensue, and therefore venture to suggest that such difficulties should be recognised and met at the outset. By thus accepting realities the managers of the Fund will be able to remedy, and it is hoped

RAO BAHADUR DADOBA PANDURUNG.We copy the following from Morning Light: The Bombay Gazette of December 13, 1877, has the following paragraph, which will be of interest in making our Indian convert better known to the New Church here: We learn that the Right Hon. the Secretary of State for India has been pleased to send, as a present to our well-known citizen Rao Bahadur Dadoba Pandurung, a copy of a new and splendid edition of Patanjali's "Mahabhashya,” with Kaiyyata's "Bhashya-pradipa" and Nagojibhatta's "Bhashya-pradipoddyota," in six volumes. This erudite and elaborate work on Sanscrit philology has been got up in the expense of the State. All the copies the ancient Hindu style, and published at are intended to be offered as gifts to distinguished scholars and to learned Societies. His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales, in his recent tour in India, distributed a few copies to the learned Societies and University libraries in this country. This valuable gift is a deserved recognition of the philological acquirements of Mr. Daintimately associated with the operations doba Pandurung, whose name has been of the Educational Department from its foundation, his school works having been, as they still are, recognised as text-books throughout this Presidency.'

ADELAIDE, AUSTRALIA.-The following extract from a letter received from the Rev. E. G. Day of Adelaide, South Australia, has been forwarded to us for publication. Though not written with the direct communication we have received of view of its appearing in print, as the first what must be regarded as a historic event in the history of the Australian Church, we gladly publish it: "I must tell you of another event in connection