of men, that is, in proportion as men allow their thoughts and intentions to be influenced and governed by the truths of the Word; and as all good cometh from the Lord, through heaven, it is obvious that the channel is thus opened by which all real good and happiness can descend to man. Our great object, therefore, should constantly be to keep this sacred channel open, and to dread nothing so much as its obstruction. These obstructive influences rise from beneath; the place into which they operate is the love of self and the world, since in proportion as this love becomes inordinately active, hell approaches, unclean spirits come near, and take up their abode with us; and heaven is consequently closed, or, to speak more correctly, the mind is averted from heaven, and turned in an opposite direction.

Now, as the knowledges of Revealed Truth are thus the great, yea, the divinely appointed means of conjunction with the Lord, and of consociation with heaven, we have every inducement, if we are concerned about the things that constitute our peace, to acquire these knowledges in greater abundance, by daily meditating on some portion of the Word, and by reading the writings of the New Church, by which its spiritual sense is opened, and to make them receptacles of good from the Lord, by striving against the evils of our fallen nature, and by holding them in abhorrence as sins against the Lord.

APEX.

A VISIT TO THE LATE CONFERENCE IN BIRMINGHAM.

As the doctrines of the New Church are received, and their great importance admitted by mankind, new internal states of mind will necessarily follow, and give rise to new and improved conditions in social and civilized society. From the great principles which the New Church, through a spiritual discernment and interpretation of Scripture, has brought to light, great and blessed consequences must eventually result. Every thing in relation to the good of man, both as a natural, rational, and spiritual being, is involved in the principles which the New Church is endeavouring to promulgate and establish in the world. “Behold, I make all things new," is a divine declaration which will be carried out, not only in reference to all the mental and spiritual concerns of man, not only that every idea on subjects of theology and of mental and sacred philosophy shall be entirely new, when compared with the erroneous, effete, and decrepit systems both of morals, philosophy, and theology, which are now breaking up and passing away; but likewise in

reference to our external relations, and our civilized life. Here, also, all things are becoming entirely new. Our mode of travelling is new, our principles of trade and commerce are new, our powers of manufacturing production are new, our systems of education are new,—in short, all things in the ultimate sphere and relations of our life are new, and are being daily improved with newness of intellectual spirit and life.

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All this renewal,-this de novo renovation of the ultimate forms and relations of human society, belong essentially to the New Church and the influence which its truths and its sphere are exerting from the world of -the spiritual world, whence it desires to descend as "the tabernacle of God amongst men," as a new and glorious Church, as the purest and most holy form of Christianity, in which the Lord who in His Divine Humanity" was dead" to the fallen Church, will be "alive for evermore." Those who are acquainted with the enlightened philosophy connected with the theology of the New Church, are aware that the Lord accomplishes his divine purposes "from inmost principles by ultimates," and that ultimates are the plane in which the effects of new improving powers are first exhibited; and what greater evidences do we require of the operation of new powers from the spiritual world, than the effects exhibited before us, which will soon entirely renew the external face of the civilized world, bring nations together in one common fraternity of relations, cement them in fellowship by mutual interests, and unite man to man in friendship and peace.

Such is the tendency of powers now so wonderfully operative in the civil and political province of society. But will these improved results stop here? Is man to be improved merely in his external states and relations of civilized life? By no means: this is only the first station at which we arrive in the great cause of human improvement, as understood by the New Church. Man has an intellectual and moral life as well as a civil and political life; and as a subject of intellectual and moral life, improvements, developments, and happy results must follow with the train, until we arrive at the second important station of human life, which is intelligence and moral order, in which the members of society will see themselves associated together by more exalted relations than exist in mere civil or political society. The motives of action will be from a deeper ground; the honestum, or the truly honourable, or justice and equity, will, on their own account, irrespective of external inducements, restraints, and fears, characterize the conduct of men. This is an advanced station in the journey of life, and in the career of human improvement; but the final station is not yet attained,-man does not arrive at his true destination, at the Father's

house, the heavenly home, until he becomes spiritual: this is the proper destination of man; if he come short of this, he does not arrive at salvation and happiness. To attain to this, an enlightened faith in the Lord, and a glowing love for every thing good and true, as coming from Him, are indispensable.

Such were the thoughts passing through my mind as we advanced from station to station on the way to Birmingham. Setting, for a moment, aside the peculiar and especial uses of Conference, there is something refreshing, edifying, delightful in the idea of brethren meeting together from various parts of the kingdom, mutually to consult with each other respecting the noblest uses, and the highest ends that can be brought under the consideration of man. The annual meeting of Conference affords an opportunity for this; a common centre is hereby formed, in which every society may be present by its representatives, and contribute to the common sphere of heavenly usefulness contemplated in the deliberations of Conference. Here brethren meet, who probably during life might not have an opportunity of seeing each other. There is a power in centralization well-known to those who are conversant with the nature and laws of order. The great centres in the corporeal system, which is the image and exhibition of divine order itself, are the brain, the heart, and the lungs; of these the brain is the most universal,—it is the centre of influx, motion, and corporeal life to the entire system; there are also innumerable minor centres throughout the body, all images of the greatest. Now in the organization of society, and especially in the foundation of a church, this order will be gradually developed; it obtains universally in heaven, where the Lord is the universal centre of life, of love, of truth, of attraction, and power; every heaven forms a general centre, every society a centre less general, and every angel still less,—all images of the greatest.

Suppose the Conference did not exist in its present form, there would still be a desire generally experienced by the members of the Church to have some common centre, where they could occasionally assemble together for the performance of uses which could not be so well performed by individual societies, and still less by individual members. If, therefore, Conference is not so perfect either in its constitution or proceedings as some could wish, let all who feel an interest in the external relations of the Church, contribute from their experience and judgment to its improvement. No constitutional body can be organized upon more liberal principles, or more universally applicable to the external states and exigencies of the Church. It is therefore highly deserving of the support and confidence of all who desire to see the

bulwarks of Jerusalem secured against disorders either from within, or attacks from without. Unless there be a common centre which the entire Church can recognize as the most common bond of union, no reproach (and it must needs be that offences come) can be effectually cast off the entire body of the Church, as this can only be done by means of an annual Conference; the voice of which the public would be bound to hear. As Joshua at Gilgal rolled off the reproach of Egypt from the people of Israel, (Josh. v. 9.) such a body could cast off from the Church any reproach that might arise, either from within or without. And this should be considered as another signal use of Conference. Moreover, by means of a central body the Church can come into consociation with societies established in other parts of the world, and mutually benefit from each other's counsel and advice. Thus the churches in America are annually brought into the most delightful relations with the societies in Britain. The addresses from the three American Conventions, which are read at the Conference, and the answers to those addresses, give rise to the most pleasing states of sympathy and fraternal regard. In this way the Church is greatly confirmed," its cords are lengthened, its curtains are expanded, and its stakes are strengthened."

But in the progress of events connected with the development and establishment of the Church upon earth, there have been, and there will be, benevolent and pious individuals, to whom the noblest use that can be performed will be that of promoting the life and activity of heavenly principles in the minds of their fellow men. To be the instrument of awakening spiritual life in the souls of others-to feed it with the milk of the Word, and with the bread of heaven, and to clothe it with the robes of righteousness, and to visit it in sickness and temptation, are, no doubt, the greatest acts of charity and love we can perform to each other. And the benevolent will desire to minister of their substance, in order to promote this great and heavenly good in the world. They will desire to leave some of their property for this purpose; they will wish to invest the churches and schools they may have erected for this end in some perpetual trust, which can regularly administer the proceeds of their bequests and donations to the objects intended. Time and experience have proved that local trustees are by no means efficient for this purpose. In many cases their own self-interests have become involved in the trust committed to their charge, which, in numerous instances, has been entirely neglected, and even alienated from the benevolent designs of the testator and donor. But with Conference as a trust, this could not possibly occur; ever circumspect, that N. S. No. 81.-VOL. VII.

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body watches over the proper and useful administration of the bequests committed to its charge with the greatest care. No merely private interests of any individual trustee can be mixed up with these donations of departed benevolence. The Conference, therefore, as the general administrator of this important department of use, is, in every respect, deserving of confidence and regard. These are some of the distinguishing uses of a common central body which we call the Conference, besides many others which might be mentioned and exhibited, if space permitted. But above all, the great object is to subserve and to assist the growth of internal states of love, faith, heavenly usefulness, and, consequently, of genuine piety and religion in the members of the Church, and universally in the world.

SWEDENBORG'S SPIRITUAL DIARY.

THE publication of the manuscripts of Swedenborg forms an important period in the history of the New Church. The works published by himself are the walls and ramparts of the New Jerusalem. These works are stamped with an authority by which the members of the Church will gladly abide. His manuscripts, now in course of publication in Latin, will constitute at least ten additional volumes, as large as the first volume in English of the Arcana Coelestia. The Diary, now nearly printed in Latin, will form, together with a copious and most valuable Index, prepared with the greatest care by the author himself, about seven volumes of the size above mentioned. We have seen the first volume of his Index, consisting of 450 pages, and proceeding only to the term "Influx;" we are not only filled with wonder at the amazing diligence of Swedenborg, but are truly thankful to Providence that this Index has been preserved, especially as it is, at the same time, an Index to the Adversaria. Many illustrations are given in this work to certain subjects in the Diary, which would otherwise have remained in obscurity. It is true that much of the matter contained in the Diary is introduced into his printed works; the subjects, however, are for the most part, presented with various additional particulars, which afford further light and illustration on the subjects discussed and described. Some subjects, although described in the works printed by himself, are seen in the Diary, without any discrepancy, from a different point of view, and the mind is consequently enabled to form a more extended and correct idea, as when a magnificent building is seen from different points.

As to the value of the Diary, there can be but one opinion