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define not be denied the privilege of shaping the other's thought, and beauty and clearness of thought will be secured. Again, some have great generosity of affection, but are not clear as to how it should be exercised. Let him who has the clearness of intellect to see how, with justice, the generous affection may most worthily be bestowed, direct the affection into its proper channel, and a perfect and beneficent action will be the result. Thus, while each is permitted to exercise his or her peculiar gift, its character, shape, and direction will be secured in an orderly way by the multitude of counsel, and the selfish wish to have each our own way preferred to others, will give place to a deference to the opinions, wishes, and right perceptions of all. Second, to "intelligently" assist.

Whatever any one has learned by instruction or observation, if it is remembered, constitutes knowledge in the mind. Till then it is bare knowledge, it is not intelligence. True intelligence is knowledge reduced to practice. In the household, in the office, in the shop, in any calling or profession, we find that person the most intelligent who has not only the best acquaintance with his work, but who has done his work most frequently and most carefully. If we want advice on any subject, we go to the person who, we believe, understands it best, and has practised it most frequently and successfully. The person who sits at home and reads, or who observes merely what others do, without doing it himself, is not necessarily an intelligent man. At the best, he may be said to be learned in or well acquainted with what he knows; they only know thoroughly who do thoroughly this is as eminently true of secular as of spiritual things—“ ye shall know of the doctrine of God, if ye do the will of God." Knowledge in itself is not worth anything to its possessor if he has not proved it by practical experience. He who has travelled daily from Bradford to Leeds, or from his home to his place of business, can, as a rule, give the best opinion as to the peculiarities and merits of the road. She who knows every corner of her own household, who cleans its length and its breadth, furbishes its utensils thoroughly, and cooks the food of its family daily, can surely give a better opinion as to the methods of cleanliness and housekeeping than she who never lifts her hands upon it. Experience, moreover, corrects faulty knowledge; for if by practising the knowledge we have the results seem unsatisfactory, we can observe the defects and improve upon and perfect new methods and rules of practice.

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Now, the intelligence we require here as a society of New Church men and women, is the intelligence derived not only from the everyday business of life, but by the practice in this life of the knowledge of the doctrines we obtain from the writings of the Church, as these illustrate the truths of the Divine Word. The results we have obtained by such practice are intelligent views, to be so applied as to secure the decency, regularity, and order of our week-night and Sunday services, and the heightening of their efficiency, beauty, and influence for good, first on our our own hearts and minds, and secondly on those around us. In this understanding of the subject, there are many questions which we might from time to time intelligently considerthose, for example, relating to the best method of conducting the reading meetings the advisability of all commenting on the subject of reading; how best to regulate meetings such as these; how best to increase the numbers and efficiency of the Sunday school; and highest of all, how most usefully to conduct the services of the Sabbath. I am aware that some do not like the liturgical form of worship with its frequent prayers, but that others think it best. Let those who do not, at the right time and placeviz., the quarterly or annual meetings-state their views freely, always having in readiness (for this alone is the intelligent way) some other practical

method which they have themselves witnessed in operation, which would worthily replace it. True intelligence never modifies except to improve, and I feel assured that if the usefulness of worship, its improved effect upon the understanding and affections, be the grand object kept in view in the advice tendered, we shall neither differ as to the propriety of the change, nor go far wrong in introducing whatever modification may be suggested.

Were there time, much could be said as to punctuality and frequency in attending the meetings and worship of the society. It would be easy to point out the great value of worship itself as a means of regeneration; the great influence for good which a number of individuals of one heart and mind exert upon each other by their combined fervency and earnestness in the act of worship itself. All these things are perfected in proportion as intelligent methods are adopted to give them effect; but time fails, and I have said enough to render clear what is to be understood by intelligently assisting to further our progress as a society, viz.,-expressing our opinions in proportion as those opinions are formed, from the results of knowledge reduced to practice. And finally, as to my last heading "Lovingly assisting to put in actual operation the judgment at which we unitedly arrive from the sum of all our intelligent opinions.

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To assist "lovingly," comprehends indeed all our duty; for if we desire unselfishly and intelligently to assist, we cannot but assist lovingly, because to be unselfish implies a wish, an intention, to prefer the good of others to our own; to do this perfectly involves a high state, little short of the angelic -a state only possessed in advanced regeneration-we may not be able to exercise this love as individuals at once, but we can do the next best thing to it, which lies in our power at present. We can compel ourselves to desire the good of others as much or even more than our own; and if we keep, as we ought to keep, this self compulsion steadily in view at all times and under all circumstances, we shall not only sweeten and beautify our sphere of usefulness, but when we reach the better world, we shall enter with conscious fulness into this most blessed of states. Duty must therefore be our guide in this particular. We must convince ourselves that it is a duty, a necessary duty, first to apply the golden rule of doing as we would be done by; and if we so act, it will follow that whatever talents we possess or exercise, we shall not suppose that we confer benefits upon others, and consequently deserve praise or distinction for what we perform; but we shall feel that every, the utmost service we can render, is only what others ought to receive at our hands, only what we were created to fulfil, and which, after we have performed, we shall regard as done by unprofitable servants, who have to render to God an account of every act of responsible stewardship. To Him solely, and not unto us, does all merit and praise belong, for He is the Father and Author of mercies, we but the recipients and diffusers thereof. We could not lift a hand, we could not breathe the air, we could not earn or eat our daily bread, we could not find the clothes we wear, but for His continual providence and tender care; and yet in thus compelling ourselves, there exists at once the exercise of the highest liberty, and the reward of the most interior pleasure and happiness; the highest liberty, because we are refusing to become the tools of all the petty jealousies, selfishnesses, and heartburnings, into which our ever ready enemies, the infernal spirits, delight to drag and hold us; and we receive interior pleasure and happiness, because when we utter a kind word, give a warm pressure of the hand, or perform a generous action, we light up the beaming smile, call forth the grateful tear on the face of the recipient, or wake into life a loving return for every kindness we proffer. Thus there is given back to us more delight than we can possibly confer, and in extending our efforts

to benefit the society of which we are members, we receive our reward in the increased usefulness, happiness, and progress which that society necessarily experiences. In striving to do good to others, we are in fact doing good to ourselves, the blessedness of giving doubles itself in sight of the happy reception of the gift. But if we perform duties for the sake of being recognised and rewarded, we shut out whatever interior pleasure the resultant good might otherwise be capable of affording, by selfishly claiming a reward as a right due to ourselves. Try to compel yourself to do good for its own sake, for the sake of Him who is goodness itself, and who did not scruple to lay down His life for you; "Greater love hath no man than this, that he will lay down his life for his friend." And if the good God could give effect to so supreme an act of beneficence for the sake of His creatures, who, in His omniscience He knew, could not return Him the faintest shadow of a reward, shall we refuse to perform those little acts of kindness for each other which require so small an exercise of self-denial, and which yield, when worthily done, so large a return of happiness? Do good for the sake of good, and if you do not call forth from others a loving response, you at least will have the consciousness that you have striven to do your duty; but you will have more than this! Your acts will open the door for the Lord to enter, and He will plant heaven in your soul. His love will fill your heart with purest affections, and your understanding with clearest intelligence, blessing you even in this life, but happiest of all, becoming your everlasting reward. Let me conclude these remarks by adding a few thoughts by a lady of this congregation.

We all wish to be happy, yet the means we employ to obtain happiness vary very much. One individual seeks it in money, another in fame, another in the approbation of the world, another in the pursuit of science. We have often been told that true happiness is found in doing our duty to God and our neighbour, living not for ourselves alone, or for this life, but for others, and the life eternal. We do not fully realise our influence in this world, we cannot live for ourselves, and whether we desire it or not, our every thought, our every act, not only moves ourselves, stamps our character, but unconsciously to us, sways our fellows. How great is our power for good or evil; by our presence or words we either encourage or lessen a good or bad feeling or action. It is very common for us to fancy our influence as insignificant; true, we are but units in God's great world, but the very greatness of the world gives us, units as we are, the greater field for doing good or ill. Our heavenly Father desires us to occupy and use our talents in His service, and rich or poor, high or low, more learned or less educated, we should do our utmost for His sake. It is of importance that we should help others; our actions, while they urge the work of others, mould our own souls. We are always either advancing in truth and goodness, or going back into falsity and evil, and this is the case every instant we live. Our vanity often impels us to believe that in doing good to others the obligation is all on their side; but truly, to do good to others is to benefit ourselves, since every good deed enlarges our hearts and expands our minds, enables us to take larger views of persons and things-we should not therefore lose a single opportunity of doing good, but regard the exercise of our capabilities as the highest privilege. Those who are always active, may conceive the positive wretchedness we should endure if we lived in a world where use was denied us, and yet, singular to say, the tendency of most of us is to drift into uselessness; this state has its root in selfishness, and requires the supplication of divine aid to rend its thraldom. The less we think of ourselves, the more we shall think of and desire to assist others, and the quicker we shall rise to the work of our high calling. We were not

made to vegetate or rust out our lives, to be mere blanks in creation; if we would possess something we must begin at once, we must do that which lies nearest us, for providence wisely hides the future from our eyes. We must grasp present opportunities as they drift past us for ever. "Now," is our working capital, "then," relates to the future and the past; and he who would stand firm in the future, must secure his footing in the present. Burns says, "The present moment is our own, the next we never saw." Every moment brings with it the opportunity of doing well, whether in our calling in the world or in our Church. Work done in obedience to the Lord's commandment, with a proper sense of duty, is crowned with ample reward; the power to diffuse happiness is the lot of the poor as of the rich; we can all either withhold or grant kind words or deeds. Let us nobly utter the kind word, and do the good deed on every occasion; disagreeable it may be at first in the face of unkindness from others, but faithful duty will make us love the work, and love our neighbour as the object of the work. Firm in the right, sincere in thought, honest in act, acting out our good intentions at once, never waiting till they are stifled by doubt and evil suggestion, exercising the glorious privilege of speaking the truth in season, without self-opinionatedness and without fear; these are steps which will make us useful to each other, and advance our path towards heaven. Moment by moment this must be done, till time is lost in eternity.

"One by one thy sands are flowing;
One by one thy minutes fall;
Some are coming, some are going,
Do not strive to grasp them all.

One by one thy duties wait thee,
Let thy whole strength go to each ;
Let no future dreams elate thee,
Learn thou first what these can teach.
Every hour that fleets so slowly,
Has its work to do or bear;
Luminous the crown, and holy,
If thou set each gem with care.
Do not linger with regretting,
Nor for passing hours despond,
Nor thy daily toil forgetting,
Look too eagerly beyond.

Hours are golden links, God's tokens
Reaching heaven, but one by one
Seize them, lest the chain be broken,
Ere thy pilgrimage be done."

PUBLIC EDUCATION.

SUBSTANCE OF A LETTER TO THE RIGHT HON. W. E. GLADSTONE.

SIR,-In all arguments upon this question, two propositions are taken for granted:

(1) That the great mass of the intelligent working men, and also of the lower middle classes of the people of England, were educated in day schools in which the principles of the Christian faith were taught.

(2) That the pre-eminence of Christian nations, and especially of those nations in which the Bible is freely diffused and read, is owing to the dogmatic formulæ in which the clergy have embodied their conclusions concerning the meaning of the sacred volume.

I believe both these propositions are untrue.

As to the first, my early experience was, that in such day schools there was nothing taught but secular learning-not one word of religion. If, indeed, a day school were added to a boarding-school, there might in some cases be a short reading of Scripture and a prayer; but in day schools, pure and simple, for these classes the Scriptures were not read as a rule; or, if they were read, they were read, not as theology, but as reading lessons. There was no prayer; and yet from this education, which zealots shamelessly call godless," the pith and marrow of England have been built up.

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As to the second proposition-The pre-eminence of Christian, and especially of Protestant nations, has its origin, no doubt, in the Bible, as the sublimest revelation of Divine wisdom and goodness; but, not here for the first time, men have put their own works for God's, or above them. In the theological world, the question is, whether the Church derives its authority from the Bible, or whether the Bible derives its authority from the Church; and it is being pretty well settled, on behalf of the largest portion of Christendom, that the Word of God derives its authority from the word of man—the decision and voice of the Church, that is of the clergy.

In the educational world, it is taken for granted that the dogmatics of faith are what make the Bible the great fountain of civil and religious liberty; but I venture to contend for the truth so ably laid down and defended by Chillingworth: "The Bible is the religion of Protestants," not creeds nor dogmatic formula. The civilizing power of the Bible is in the Bible itself. The spirit of man is changed by the spirit of the Bible, not by creeds; and the question is how to let that spirit have free course among our youth without creeds, and yet make national teaching at once religious and unsectarian.

It is obvious, that, in searching for a true method of accomplishing this great object, we must necessarily keep within the limits of those general principles which underlie all religions, and make them all more or less instrumental in raising the condition of human nature. I cannot in this short sketch go into any questions polemically, but must confine myself to a simple statement of my views, opinions, and plan.

The religious world, almost without exception, calls the teaching of the dogmatics of faith the teaching of Christianity. Each sect puts its creed for religion. The confusion of thought on this point is simply marvellous. Let us, sir, take wing above it and see what religion really consists of, and what part of it the State has to do with.

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A perfect religion would consist of true thoughts acknowledgd to be derived from God; and good actions acknowledged to be done by the of His Spirit working in us to will and to do according to His good pleasure. This is a general description of religion, from which it appears that religion has two parts,-thought and action. The State has to do with actions, not with thoughts, except so far as they produce or guide action.

The religion of action, then, is the only religion for the State. At all events, it is the only State religion which the world-our English world-will long endure. Now, apply this principle to any or all human creeds, and eliminate from them, and especially from the Athanasian Creed, all thoughts which directly tend to produce or guide action, and you will leave nearly the whole behind. If you never before looked at them in this light you will be amazed at the result, nor will you find it much better if you try the same process on the Thirty-nine Articles.

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