And now we seem to note some indications that this approximation is beginning to set in. Mr. Mackonochie's wise and noble surrender of incense and the elevation-which the readers of the Ecclesiastic are aware that we have always felt to be indefensibledeserves to be acknowledged with great thankfulness. It is too much to suppose that this concession will be met by any corresponding rise in the opposite extreme. But surely some move may be expected from that large section of the clergy who do profess to believe in Sacraments. The Bishop of Oxford addresses them, saying

"How far, for instance, are we below the standard set by our Reformers as to our celebration of the Holy Eucharist. They, as I have already remarked, to guard against the abuse of solitary masses, provided that the celebration of the great crowning act of public worship, -which they clearly contemplated as the rule for Sundays and holydays, should be arrested at a certain point of the service, unless four, or at least three, should be ready to communicate with the Priest; and we, alas, have adopted, as the normal condition of our services, what they prescribed, under exceptional circumstances, to prevent one special abuse; and, except on one Sunday in the month, too commonly interrupt our celebration as a matter of course, however many may be present who would communicate.

Surely the natural consequences of such a decline may be traced amongst us in our infrequent celebrations, in the comparative paucity of our regular communicants, and in the wide prevalence of low and unworthy notions concerning the blessed mystery of the LORD'S Supper."-Pp. 50, 51.

Surely it is time that no one professing himself a High Churchman should omit the Celebration of the Holy Eucharist on all Sundays and festivals. Surely it is time that the inconsistency of choral Matins, followed by non-choral Celebration, should cease. Surely it is time that the Church monotone should be used by all her faithful clergy. Surely it is time her priests understood that to stand before the altar when they minister, is the invariable prescriptive rule of the Church.

REVIEWS AND NOTICES.

Ritualism and the Real Presence. A Letter to the Lord Bishop of Gloucester and Bristol. By GEORGE ANTHONY DENISON, M.A., Archdeacon of Taunton. Rivingtons.

ARCHDEACON Denison is only true to his antecedents in making a reply to the Sermon lately preached by the Bishop of Gloucester and Bristol on Ritualism, in which while he gave full credit to the intentions

of the ritualists, he charged them with attempting to establish a doctrine of the Real Presence, which is inconsistent with the formularies of the Church of England. The Archdeacon maintains the doctrine, but thinks that he can teach it better without than with external manifestation.

As critics we have a word to say to the Archdeacon, and another to the Bishop. (1.) At p. 7 the Archdeacon seems to us to err, in stating that the virtue of adult baptism does not depend on the qualifications of the receiver. To our minds it certainly does depend on their " repenting and coming to Gon by faith," as the service expresses it. And so in the Catechism there is a difference observable in defining the inward part of the two Sacraments respectively. The one contains a real objective gift ("the Body and Blood,") apart from its results of "strengthening and refreshing." The other has only a grace, which is known by its results, (" the death unto sin, &c.")

(2.) The Bishop, it must be admitted, has not yet quite fixed his theology. In fact he made one correction in his sermon between the time of printing and publishing it. He does not now (as according to the papers he originally did,) explain the "faithful" to mean persons having faith-a sense which belongs neither to classical nor to ecclesiastical latinity. Those who remember the Bishop's first lectures and sermons at Cambridge, will be aware that he commenced his theology with the study of the bare text of the New Testament. It is most satisfactory to know that a mind, which is really unprejudiced, can in this way work out a sound theology. We believe it ourselves to be the certain result of such a study fairly carried on it will dissipate all the chief Puritan heresies. But of course it requires time, and. therefore it is no surprise or disappointment to us to find that the Bishop has not yet reached the fulness of the Catholic Faith, that point from which he ought to have started-those dogmas, the truth of which he should have assumed from the first on the Church's testimony. We are glad however, to perceive, that he disclaims the interpretation put upon his words by the Archdeacon.

The Bishop of MONTREAL has published a Sermon, which he took occasion of being asked to preach at the Christmas Ordination of the Bishop of Oxford, on the expediency of convoking what he calls a Pan-Anglican Synod, (Rivingtons.) The Appendix contains some very interesting matter, as particularly the letter of Lord Carnarvon, surrendering entirely all claim on the part of the Crown to take part in, either to authorise or impede the action of the Colonial Church in consecrating Bishops-in other words, leaving her entirely free to follow her own course. The Bishop also sketches out what he conceives to be the purpose of such a synod, as he proposes; and suggests that they should confine themselves to the affirming some very elementary terms of union. It should of course be clearly understood that such a synod is not to determine doctrine.

Mr. CHARLES WALKER, who appears to possess a devoted attachment to the use of Sarum, has published a Kalendar adapted to its re

quirements, together with a "Ceremonial," (Hayes.) Much, doubtless, is to be said in behalf of following the Sarum use in such matters as the ecclesiastical colours, &c., but it seems now too late to make a change; and certainly it must be admitted, that our instincts would rather revolt against seeing the altar vested in red on Good Friday.

We give our full approval to a Layman's Letter to the Bishop of Carlisle, in reply to his Pastoral on Ritualistic Innovation, (Masters.) It is not stronger than the occasion requires, and is as dignified as a remonstrance of this kind can well be. It is sad that a Bishop should lay himself open to have said of his episcopal administration such things as these.

"Our pulpits are being rapidly filled, as fast as opportunity serves, with men in no way eminent or distinguished above their fellows, who, being gathered from all parts of Great Britain, are willing with a glib and ready tongue to utter the shibboleths proposed to them, and to adopt a phraseology and mode of thought which may perhaps lawfully prevail on the other side of our border, but which in England, on the part of men holding orders in our Catholic Apostolic Church, is simple disloyalty and treason to the faith."P. 7.

And again

"Finally, my Lord, we appeal against your judgment of us to the law of GOD, to the statutes of our common country, to the testimony of our forefathers in the faith. A Waldegravian church may be to some a model of simplicity, but it seems to us quite inconsistent with such descriptions as the HOLY SPIRIT has given us, doubtless for our guidance, of the temples which GOD has especially delighted to hallow by the presence of His Glory. Still less are your monthly or quarterly communions, your neglect of Daily Prayers and holy days, in accordance with our knowledge of what the Church has ordered. Let us see you inculcating obedience on the part of the clergy to the plain directions of the Book of Common Prayer. Let us see you and them using the church less as a place in which you may exhibit your rhetoric, and more as a house of prayer. When you have shown some desire to remove those stumbling-blocks and rocks of offence, by which we, your weaker brethren, are much offended, then you will, I am confident, find us more willing to bend before that authority which, whether you like it or not, you have received most undoubtedly from the holy Apostles."-Pp. 13, 14.

We call very special attention to the first part of a work that promises to be of great importance. It is called, The Priest in Absolution, (Masters.) Probably we should differ from the author on some points, specially, as far as we have seen, on the use of penances. But it would be of incalculable advantage that the clergy should be induced to study this subject, and this has the merit of being the first formal work that has appeared in our day, and the author has plainly made himself acquainted with most of the best treatises that are in use abroad.

Mr. RIDLEY has published a tract which ought to be seasonable— A Preparation for Weekly Communion, (Mozleys.) We trust its publication implies that the moderate orthodox school, to which the author belongs, are prepared to increase the frequency of celebrations in their churches. The tract is plainly and nicely written,

149

EMANUEL SWEDENBORG.

Emanuel Swedenborg: his Life and Writings. By WILLIAM WHITE. In two Volumes. London: Simpkin, Marshall, and Co., 1867.

Ir may be doubted in these days of rapid activity, whether two such bulky volumes as these, which Mr. William White has given to the public, will find many readers. To ensure success, the subject must be one of common interest, or else the writer must have already attained a literary reputation. In the present instance, neither of these conditions have been fulfilled. In spite of constant advertising and unexampled cheapness, Swedenborg's own writings have proved unsaleable, whilst Mr. William White has, as far as we are aware, been hitherto unknown as an author. Mr. White is, however, sufficiently sanguine to believe that his work will draw more attention to Swedenborg's writings, than they have been able to procure for themselves; and whilst we admire the courage of the author, we should not do him justice if we did not acknowledge that his work has been well executed. It might, indeed, have been better if it had been more condensed, though we must admit that it would have been a difficult task, considering the weary prolixity which pervaded every page that Swedenborg wrote. Any one who has any curiosity to know what Swedenborgianism is, and all who love the marvellous and fanciful, will read Mr. White's book with some degree at least of pleasure.

The mania for spiritualism so rife at the present day, will also arouse some interest for one who may be termed its father; while the patient teacher of Christian truth will find Mr. White's book a useful manual, from which he may cull the heretical propositions which it will be his duty to combat and refute. The last class of readers Mr. White has endeavoured to scare away from the perusal of his book, by telling them that no one ever studied the writings of Swedenborg with the intention of refuting them, who did not end in being convinced of their truth. In this we think Mr. White has not spoken wisely; and we hope, for his sake, that his threat of convincing will not interfere with the sale of his book. We can assure any one who fears such a catastrophe, that Swedenborgianism is anything but a pleasant creed. To the sensualist and the irreligious it may have some attraction; but it can have none for those who have known the more excellent way of Christian truth. At the same time it is curious, both in a moral and psychological view; and as spiritualism increases, it may be necessary to study the life and doctrines of Swedenborg, which cannot be better done than from the pages of Mr. White.

VOL. XXIX.-APRIL, 1867.

X

When

Emanuel was the son of Jesper Svedborg, who, from a humble origin, was raised at length to the bishopric of Skara. Jesper was six years old, he narrowly escaped being drowned in a mill-dam; and from that time he determined to commend himself, morning and evening, to the hand of GoD, and the keeping of His holy angels. Throughout life he appears to have believed that he held open intercourse with angels; although the tenour of his life was most matter-of-fact and unspiritual. Angels directed his theological studies, and advised him, we presume, in the choice of three successive wives, all possessing goodly portions. After being educated in the university of Upsala, Jesper Svedborg took the degree of Doctor of Philosophy; and, in 1683, was appointed chaplain to the King's regiment of cavalry life-guards. In the following year he obtained a year's furlough, during which he visited London, Oxford, Strasburgh, Manheim, and Heidelberg. He had married a few months before he set out on his travels; and when he returned from his solitary wedding tour, he found that during his absence his wife had given birth to her first-born son, Albrecht.

In 1688 Emanuel was born, and received a name which his father thought would continually remind him of "the nearness of GOD and of that interior and mysterious union in which, through faith, we stand to our good and gracious GOD." We have not space to follow out the story of the bishop's life, which is a singular mixture of pietism and secularity. His second wife he married without having ever seen her before the marriage contract was agreed on; and for the choice of his third wife, the more unromantic and prudential reasons are given; he worked his way, or rather pushed it, up to the Bishopric of Skara, and gave the King no peace until he had obtained a patent of nobility for his family. At the same time he laid claim to the power of exorcising and working miracles, of which several instances are recorded. On one occasion he drove an evil spirit out of a woman who was on the eve of execution; and the spirit revenged itself by burning his house to the ground. Meanwhile, Emanuel's mind expanded as he grew up from infancy to manhood. He was a precocious child, and from his sixth to his twelfth year, he tells us that it was his greatest delight to converse with the clergy concerning faith. On this subject, and that of imputation of righteousness, he never appears to have received the ordinary Protestant theories; and his own peculiar ideas of monotheism seem early to have taken root in his mind. There was a physical peculiarity in his respiration, of which he made much account in after years, for when absorbed in thought, or employed in prayer, he could hold his breath for a long time, without any sense of suffocation.

His education was conducted at the university of Upsala, where, in 1703, he was admitted, at the age of twenty-one, to the degree of