The

the Italian cercáre, to go round inquiring for a person, chercher in French, our English verb to "search." Trance is from transitus, employed figuratively to denote the being carried away, as it were, into another state of existence. Compare also placeo, plaisir, and pleasure; nasus and nez; lacerta and lizard; ace and eis. ace of diamonds at cards is literally the one of diamonds. In Italian ch often represents the initial Latin dl, as in chiamare = clamare, whence the English chime, literally that which calls to the place of worship. Of course it is not intended to imply that the various English words above cited are directly derived from the Latin ones beside which they stand. Some of them are so; others have reached us through independent channels. They are cited simply to indicate the general nature of the verbal affinities under consideration, and to which we are guided by the law of permutation.

Very interesting examples occur again in connection with the four liquids, l, m, n, r. Here we find the beautiful French word for the nightingale, rossignol, which is the same as the Latin lusciniola. Pilgrim is through the French pelegrin, from peregrinus-per ager; thus literally denoting the traverser of the fields. Lily, lilium, and λeiptov are the same word; plum and prunus are also the same.

Looking particularly at the language of Homer, innumerable old Greek words are shown by the law of permutation, with the help of the signification, to be no more than early forms of the Latin, French, and English ones which denote the same objects. Compare, for example, feos, deus, dieu, and deity; rep and over; φελλός and pellis ; φυσα and vesica; βαίνω and venio ; ἐκκλησία and église; βικίον, vicia, and vetch; φηγός, fagus, and beech; Ovyárnp and daughter; Oúpa and door; kapa and guitar, the latter received through the Spanish. When these Greek and Latin words are compared with the Sanscrit, there is disclosure yet again of the most palpable relationships. Sanscrit, the ancient language of India, though it has ceased to be spoken for many ages, survives, in fragments, in the current vernacular of modern England.

Placing the vocabularies of the Greeks and Romans side by side, and q are often found in parallel places, and here again light is thrown on the parentage of numerous modern words. The Greeks called the horse

ios, the Romans called it equus. The Greeks said TéνTE, the Romans quinque, which in French becomes cing.

After the same manner, where the Greeks had an initial, in the Latin language the aspirate is superseded by an s. The Homeric word for the sun, Acos, becomes in Latin sol; ἑπτα is septem; ὑπερ is super; όμαλος, similis; pro, serpo. The fragrant little labiate of the hills which in English we call wild thyme, with the Greeks was prvλλov, with Virgil serpyllum.

(To be continued.)

LEO H. GRindon.

DEFINITION OF SAVING FAITH.

N the government of the universe we all hear that God is our Saviour and Lord; and we all believe this, and so do all the devils and tremble. Is there any virtue or vice in that belief taken alone? None whatever. But some of us believe this and are sorry. We turn aside; and, although we have assent, we have no consent to God, and we take up arms against the fact that He is our Saviour and Lord. Others of us believe this, and by Divine grace are glad. We have assent and consent both. We come into the mood of total, affec

tionate, irreversible, self-surrender to God, not merely as a Saviour, but also as Lord. When we are in that mood of rejoicing loyalty to God we have saving faith, and never till then. How can salvation be attained by assent alone, that is, by opinion merely? What is salvation? It is permanent deliverance from both the love of sin and the guilt of sin. Accepting God gladly as Saviour, we are delivered from the guilt of sin; and accepting Him gladly as Lord, we are delivered from the love of sin. Only when we accept God as both Saviour and Lord are we loyal. Only when we are affectionately glad to take Him as both are we, or can we be, at peace. When we believe the news that He is Saviour and Lord, and are glad, and so glad as to face the foe, we are in safety."

Such is the definition of saving faith given in the first series of the Rev. Joseph Cook's "Monday Lectures." It is one which we are pleased to find expressed so much in accordance with what we ourselves believe to be the true definition.

THE SOUL.

N a recent work entitled "Steps of Belief," by Mr. James Freeman Clarke, occurs the following passage respecting the relative positions of the soul and the body. It is a pithy disquisition upon the human body and its connection with man :

"According to the oldest and most general view of human nature, man consists of two parts-soul and body. The soul, however, is himself: the body belongs to him. He is essentially soul: the body is his box of tools. To soul belong conscience, will, reason, love. As soul, he is free as soul, dwelling in body, he is limited. Body helps the soul and is its servant; but, at the same time, holds it in and shuts it up.

"Where there are life and growth, making a living body, there must be a living soul to give unity to these elements. The particles of matter in every human body come and go. We have none of the material atoms in our body to-day which we had a few years since. From whence, then, does the unity of the body come? What continually makes of these elements one and the same body? Nothing which we see, nothing which the surgeon's knife, searching every organ, can discover; nothing which the finest chemical analysis can detect. Yet there must be some power there, gathering, moulding, changing, distributing the carbon, oxygen, and lime; organizing them, and preserving, year after year, one and the same form.

Wherever there is life, there must be something more than matter-something which no mere analysis of matter can reach."

T

CONGREGATIONALISM.

HE Annual Meeting of the Congregational Union announced for May 7th promises to be of unusual interest.

The Committee are to submit two resolutions, which are regarded by many as equivalent to a demand for uniformity of opinion on certain important matters of Christian faith. In view of the current opinion that Congregationalism as at present constituted is an -ism held together mainly by unity on questions of Church politics and polity, irrespective of any special profession of doctrine, we shall wait with some interest the coming debate. It has been said that New Church ministers might be properly admitted into the Congregational

Union, but if these resolutions are passed and acted upon, that will be no longer possible.

The resolutions are as follows:

"1. That in view of the uneasiness produced in the churches of the Congregational Order by the proceedings of the recent Conference at Leicester, on the terms of Religious Communion, the Assembly feels called upon. to reaffirm that the primary object of the Union is, in the terms of its own constitution, 'to hold and extend Evangelical religion.'

"2. That the Assembly appeal to the history of the Congregational churches generally as evidence that Congregationalists have always regarded the acceptance of the facts and doctrines of the Evangelical faith, revealed in the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments, as an essential condition of religious communion in Congregational churches, and that among these have always been included the Incarnation, the Atoning Sacrifice of the Lord Jesus Christ, His resurrection, ascension, and mediatorial reign, and the work of the Holy Spirit in the renewal of men. That the Congregational Union was established on the basis of these facts and doctrines is, in the judgment of the Assembly, made evident by the declaration of faith and order adopted by the annual meeting in 1833, and the Assembly believes that the churches represented in the Union holds these facts and doctrines in their integrity to this day."

BIRMINGHAM NEW CHURCH PROVIDENT

INSTITUTION.

HE Annual Meeting of the Birmingham New Church provident Institution was held on Monday evening, March 25th, in the Committee-room of the church, and in point of numbers was no exception to the rule in successful and well-managed institutions; there were only a few present.

Reports from the Trustees, the Treasurer, the Secretary, and Auditors were read. The report of Francis G. P. Neison, Esq., F.S.S., Consulting Actuary, of London, was also in part read for

information.

From the Secretary's statement of receipts and expenditure it appeared that although £25, 4s. had been paid on account of sickness to eleven members, there had been a respectable profit on the year's transactions. There had been no death during the year. £41, 6s. 2d. had been added to the Invested Funds, making the Accumulated Fund invested for the benefit of members £1402, 18s.

The directors of the Institution have, in accordance with the report of Mr. Neison mentioned above, permanently reduced the monthly contributions of every senior male member one-fifth, and in addition to this, made a further reduction of four per cent. for every year's membership in the Society. They have also increased the Death benefit one-fifth, and three per cent. for each year's membership in the Society, with the limitation, however, that no increment to the Death allowance exceed in the whole the sum at present actually payable.

The effect of this is that the early members are entirely exempted from contributions to the Mutual Assurance Fund, and are entitled to receive double the amount originally assured at death, while the more recent members receive the advantages in proportion to their period of membership.

This result we believe to be without parallel in the history of Friendly Societies.

We think these facts cannot be put too prominently before our young men; it certainly cannot be clearly seen and understood by them, or they could not be so deluded as to join other Societies in preference to this, because the report of Mr. Neison, the state of the funds, and the careful management of them, form sufficient guarantees that the advantages hitherto incidental to membership will continue.

Another important fact to be borne in mind in connection with the future of this Institution is, that the present and future members will not have to wait an indefinite time, as the old members have done, not knowing what their benefit or bonus is likely to be, because the law now requires a statement and investigation at the end of each five years, which will afford an opportunity for ascertaining the propriety and practicability of declaring a bonus.

The great reason we find assigned for not joining this Institution is, that its payments are not quite so small as some others. Let us

remind our young friends that the lowest price is not always the cheapest. Some of the largest and most popular Benefit Societies, although counting their members by thousands, are hopelessly declining, and must come to ultimate ruin, unless at a very early date, their rates of payment are uniformly rated, and this fact is certified by the highest and most disinterested authority.

No one can tell the disaster and misery which may presently involve the more aged members of these Societies. How very dearly will they have paid for their early cheapness when compared with the comparative dearness and secured independence of the moderate but safe payments required in this Institution.

Another reason is "the charm of numbers;" in "large numbers is the guarantee of safety for a Benefit Society." There is some plausibility in this statement, but it does not convey the whole truth; the use of numbers is, that a sufficient "area of vitality" may be coveredīto ensure the Institution against sudden and violent vicissitude. This risk being covered, greater numbers are not necessary and may increase risk, as is the case at the present time in some Societies, where the majority is blindly led by a few who do not possess the exact knowledge requisite to guide aright.

We commend these thoughts to every youth and young man within our sphere, and in conclusion heartily congratulate the Wretham Road Church on numbering among its institutions one so valuable as the New Church Provident Institution.

ITEMS OF INTEREST.

On Sunday, Feb. 25, the Rev. S. Beswick delivered a lecture on "Hell-its Origin, its Nature, and its Everlastingness," in the New Jerusalem Church, Strathroy, Canada, which was printed in full in the columns of the Strathroy Western Despatch. The interest in the subject, and, let us hope, also in the New Church treatment of it, was so great that it actually caused the newspaper to run into a third edition. It has since been published separately as a tract, and may also probably be republished in this country.

The collection in aid of the funds of the British and Foreign Bible Society was made in the New Church, Wretham Road, Birmingham, on the morning of Sunday, March 10th, and amounted to £10, 15s. 2d.

A beautifully illuminated Sunday-school card has been got up by some of the friends in the Birmingham Society. The shape is oblong. The design is elegant and delicate, and the various tints and gold are harmonized in an exceedingly pleasing way. In the centre of the broad floral margin at the top are the words, "Suffer little children to come unto Me, and forbid them not," etc.; and a circle dividing the inscription in the centre of the top line contains a picture of the Lord in the act of blessing little children. On the left-hand corner, at the foot, the Lord is represented leading a flock, and this picture is encircled with the words in gold on a blue ground, "I am the Good Shepherd;" on the right little Samuel is sitting up in bed, having heard the Lord's call. This is encircled with the words, "Speak, Lord, for Thy servant heareth." In the centre of the card are the words, "Presented by the Teachers of the New Church Sunday-Schools, Wretham Road, to." Then follows. a space for the name of the scholar, and, if thought fit, also for the cause of the presentation. Lower down dotted lines precede the words 'superintendent” and “teacher," showing that it is intended to be signed by them. Wretham Road may, we understand, be replaced by the name of any other Society, and cards supplied to any Sunday-school which may adopt the idea of encouraging their scholars for a year's good attendance, or for any other reason, by a gift of this kind. It will be prized by scholars we are certain, and parents, too, will appreciate it. Children should be encouraged to attend Sunday-school regularly, and this is a method of doing so. which cannot fail to be effective. The cost will be for quantities, with, of course, all the necessary alterations, about ninepence each. A copy may be seen at 36 Bloomsbury Street, and samples will be sent to the authorities of any New Church school who are willing to pay the postage.

66

66

A course of Sunday-evening lectures upon some of the leading doctrines of the New Church has recently been given in Paisley, the subjects being (1) "The Mission of the New Church; " (2) "The Nature of the Divine Being;" (3) "The Bible: is it of Divine or of Human Origin?" (4) "Heaven: where is it? What can we know about it?" (5) Hell where is it? What can we know about it?" The first two lectures, and also the last two, were delivered by Mr. G. L. Allbutt, and the middle lecture by the Rev. J. F. Potts. Upon the whole, the attendance was fair, considering the fact that the usual services (morning and afternoon) were conducted as well. Those who attended were principally strangers, and they seemed to manifest great interest in the views which were presented.

Some of the readers of Morning Light may be interested to learn

that the Lincolnshire New Church Association have this year offered the "Future Life" to all dissenting ministers in that county. Forty-five applications have been received, one of which runs as follows: "I shall be much obliged if you will kindly forward me a copy of the Future Life.' If I had known the issuer of the circular, I should have written direct to express my thanks for the offer. I am much indebted to the Swedenborg Society for the True Christian Religion' and the Apocalypse Revealed,' which I have previously received through you.' The Association have also offered Professor Parsons' work on the " 'Religion and Philosophy of Swedenborg" to all those clergy in the diocese of Lincoln (one hundred and five in number) who last year accepted the offer of the "Future Life." Forty-eight of these responded. One says, "I was much interested and pleased with the work on the 'Future Life' which you kindly presented to me last year." Another, "I hope you will favour me with a copy as soon as convenient. At the same time I shall hold it as an additional obligation if you will thank the Committee in my name for their valuable gift.' And a third, "If you would kindly forward the work to my address, and also convey my most sincere thanks to the Association, I should feel greatly obliged."

Ten or a

By such distribution of New Church works, and by means of missionary visits to different towns, the doctrines are becoming better known and appreciated. Every county ought to have a similar organization for the circulation of the works, etc. dozen earnest workers, with an income of £10 a year, would be in a position at once to offer the "Future Life" by circular to the clergy and dissenting ministers. The proportion of replies seems to be in the former case one in nine, in the latter one in six.

Mr. Gunton is about to visit Lincolnshire on behalf of the Association.

The Rev. John Laidlaw, Aberdeen, recently delivered a lecture on "The Future Life and the Resurrection." He began by criticising the doctrine of Conditional Immortality, and observed that it was a hopeless divergence from the Scripture view of man, that it exaggerated the effect of the Fall, made regeneration a physical or constitutional charge, and was loaded with the assumption that men who without redemption would naturally go to nothing, as a consequence of redemption survived to suffer punishment. The leading idea to which the Scripture notion of a future life attached itself, he believed to be that of man's kinship with God. Going on to refer to the resurrection of the body, he remarked that Scripture never spoke as creeds had spoken of the resurrection of the flesh. Had the Church followed the spiritual teaching of 1 Corinthians xv., instead of its own childish memories and Pagan traditions, their pulpits would have long ago been delivered from the charnel-house theology of the "Night Thoughts," and they should not have

seemed to expose Apostolic teaching to try conclusions with modern chemistry.

Mr. R. A. Proctor, the astronomer, wrote an article about a year ago in The Belgravia Magazine on "Swedenborg's Visions of other Worlds," which showed that he lacked the power of appreciating the conditions under which Swedenborg wrote, that he knew little of the philosophy of the New Church, beyond what a careful reading of the Earths in the Universe" afforded him, and that he had an all-sufficing belief in the facts of science as at present ascertained. This article was replied to by Mr. J. Mackereth of Eccles Observatory, and originated the idea of writing "The Divine Order of the Universe, a most able exposition of the whole ground of the question, by the Rev. A. Clissold, M.A. Both these were brought under Mr. I'roctor's notice. One would suppose that the objections of an astronomer, and the criticisms of one of the most able exponents of Swedenborg's teachings, would have induced Mr. Proctor to reconsider his statements respecting Swedenborg. It seems not; for the article has been republished in a volume called "The Myths and Marvels of Astronomy," seemingly unaltered by a single word; and certainly without any reference to either of the replies referred to above.

666

The Christian Register has the following quotation from Sweden. borg and comment upon it. It shows a ready appreciation of its real signification that we wish was more general with respect to statements in our writings: 'Name, in Scripture, signifies quality,' says Swedenborg, because in olden time names were given according to quality.' To be saved by the name of Jesus, therefore, means that we are saved by having the Christ-quality in ourselves; and to spread His name is simply to spread His kind of life. There is no power in mere words; the letter kills. If any man have not the spirit of Christ, he is none of His.""

Mr. and

The following extract from the Christian World of April 12th indicates a giving way in the Society of Friends upon a question on which very decided opinions have been held for a very considerable period : "On Monday the London and Middlesex Quarterly Meeting on Ministry and Oversight was held. Mrs. Cowgill, who are in this country on religious service from the United States, were present. To the great astonishment of the meeting, Mrs. Cowgill sang a solo, Jesus, precious Jesus.' No objection was raised, however, to this irregular proceeding, though we think we are justified in saying that no singing of any kind has been heard in any London meeting held under the authority of the Society of Friends for nearly two centuries; there was probably singing before that time.'

THE WOMAN WHO HAD A SPIRIT OF INFIRMITY. May 5, Morning.-Luke xiii. 11-17. This woman is typical of the state of many of us. We have all more or less a spirit of infirmity, and are bowed together regarding ourselves only, instead of being straight and strong, being regardful of others and of settled purpose in good works. The healing was done by Jesus on the Sabbathday. The Lord's day is not only a day to rest from physical labour, but is pre-eminently a day for spiritual instruction, from which when the Lord through His Word speaks to us and lays His hands upon us, inflows with His Divine power, we receive spiritual power and straightness. Then because we have been healed of our infirmity we glorify God, not in words only, but also henceforth in every act of our lives.

AARON THE PRIEST.

May 5, Afternoon.-Numbers xviii. 1-7. Aaron was closely con

joined to Moses in the work which he did for the children of Israel. Moses, the lawgiver and the type of the Divine Law itself, finds his ready mouthpiece in Aaron his brother, the priest and the expounder of the law. This would seem to point out the necessity of a ministry or priesthood both for the Christian Church and for the New Church. If typically the external rites of the Jewish Church had a priesthood set apart to observe them duly, it follows that the spiritual lessons both of the external and internal senses had more need of the offices of a special ministry. When we receive the Law in ourselves, Aaron should accompany it to put its ordinances into practice, to observe its sacrifices and oblations.

Printed by MUIR AND PATERSON, 14 Clyde Street, Edinburgh, and published by JAMES SPEIRS, 36 Bloomsbury Street, London, W.C.

Second Edition, price 6s.

TREMADOC SERMONS.

CHIEFLY ON

The Spiritual Body, the Unseen World, and the Divine Humanity.

BY THE REV. H. N. GRIMLEY, M. A., Professor of Mathematics in the University College of Wales, Aberystwyth, and sometime Chaplain of Tremadoc Church.

"These sermons form a very edifying and beautiful volume. The style is clear, elegant, and affectionate. They are signs of new life and thought in the Church of England."-Intellectual Repository.

"Mr. Grimley makes it his aim to show that some of the newest discoveries and speculations of modern science are in perfect harmony with the Christian revelation, and indeed illustrate some of its more obscure and mysterious intimations."-Scotsman.

"The author urges all earnest Christians reverently to contemplate the sublime mysteries of the unseen world."- Morning Post.

"Professor Grimley impressively dwells on the idea that humanity is ever being inspired and educated by God, and advocates the view that the phenomena of nature are but types of the invisible things of the spiritual world."-Birmingham Daily Gazette.

"The volume bears throughout the stamp of originality,... Mr. Grimley speaks because he has something to say."-Bayswater Gazette.

"Full of freshness and beauty. Some of them are gems."-Nonconformist.

"There is a freshness, an originality, and an unconscious eloquence about this volume which make it delightful reading."—Wrexham Guardian.

"Their chief title to esteem seems to us to consist in their intense realization of things unseen, of that invisible world which is in truth nearer to man than the universe of matter."-Aberystwyth Observer.

London: C. KEGAN PAUL & Co. (successors to Henry S. King & Co.) To be had of all Booksellers, and of JAMES SPEIRS, 36 Bloomsbury Street, London.

NEW AND RECENT WORKS

Our Eternal Homes. By a BIBLE STUDENT. Fifth edition now ready, with the extensive alterations and corrections of the Author, the late Rev. JOIN HYDE; Crown 8vo, cloth, 3s.

Light on the Last Things. By the Rev. W. B. HAYDEN. Just published, foolscap 8vo, cloth, 1s. 6d.

For this, the first English edition, the Author has written an additional chapter continuing the history of Hades, besides revising the entire work.

Authority in the New Church. By the Rev. R. L. TAFEL, A.M., Ph.D. Now ready, crown 8vo, cloth, 4s. 6d.

The Divine Word Opened. By the Rev. Dr. BAYLEY. Third edition, crown 8vo, cloth, 7s. 6d.

The Lord's Prayer. By the Rev. JOHN Now ready, foolscap 8vo,

PRESLAND. cloth, 2s.

Outlines of the Religion and Philosophy of Swedenborg. By THEOPHILUS PARSONS, LL.D. Now ready, small crown 8vo, cloth, 2s. 6d.

"An elegant and scholarly little work, which will be regarded with approval in a wider circle than that of the admirers of Swedenborg."-Public Opinion.

Swedenborg's Rules of Life. Beauti

fully illuminated card, price 8d., or for distribution, 6s. per dozen.

Heavenly Blessedness: What it is, and How Attained. By the Rev. CHAUNCEY GILES. Second edition, crown 8vo, cloth, 3s.

The Nature of Spirit, and of Man as a Spiritual Being. By the Rev. CHAUNCEY GILES. New and improved edition, foolscap 8vo, cloth, 1s. 6d.

Our Children in the Other Life. By the Rev. CHAUNCEY GILES. Now ready, foolscap Svo, sewed, 6d. ; cloth,

IS.

The Incarnation, Atonement, and Mediation of the Lord Jesus Christ. By the Rev. CHAUNCEY GILES. Foolscap Svo, boards, 6d. ; in cloth, IS.

The New Liturgy, Hymns, and Supplement. Bound in one volume. In calf antique, red edges, 8s. 6d.; in morocco, gilt edges, 10s. 6d.

Sown in the Spring-Time: Addresse delivered to the New-Church Sunday School, Camden Road, London. Foolscap 8vo, handsomely bound in cloth, Is. 6d.

Character: Its Elements and Development. By a BIBLE STUDENT. Second edition, crown 8vo, cloth, 4s.; gilt edges, 4s. 6d. The Angels. By a BIBLE STUDENT. Second edition, crown Svo, cloth, 35. 6d. ; or, with gilt edges, 4s. Talks to the Children: Addresses delivered to the New Church Sunday School, Camden Road, London. Now ready, foolscap 8vo, handsomely bound in cloth, Is. 6d.

Good Tidings says:-"A delightful little volume. It is a book that should be in every New Church Family and Sunday School.

"

The Literary World says:-"Twelve admirable little addresses. . . The Talks' are sensible and practical, and can hardly be read without profit."

LONDON: JAMES SPEIRS, 36 Bloomsbury Street.