missing regeneration (for want of knowing what it really is) as a chimera, because they take their idea of it not from the Scriptures, but from Evangelical mistakes concerning it. I feel fully convinced, that the interior life can only be appreciated and thence realized by a Christian regarding his mind as a destined Eden, which his Maker has appointed him to adorn and to keep in order, with all diligence and care, encouraged by his gracious promise, that if he does so, there shall be no lack of the rain of truth, and the sun-shine of love, to prosper and perfect his work. This is the only way to realize personally the blessed truth, that the Lord Jesus Christ is the "Sun of Righteousness." O. C. If things are as you and I appear to unite in seeing them; if the want of recipients is owing to the state of the general mind, in respect to which I think a remark I have seen very pointed—that in our day "the serious are not inquirers, and the inquirers are not serious,”—some of the friends of the new doctrines who attribute our want of success to our want of oral advocates adequate to the occasion, may do well to abandon their untenable position. There is no convincing men against their will. or there can be no reception, doctrines. Was there ever a more powerful preacher than Jesus Christ, There must be a will-fitness to receive, however able the propounder of the who spake as never man spake? and yet how few were the receivers of his teaching! Why was this? Because they were not in a receptive state of mind. What else could be the reason? N. C. And least of all are the scholars of the day receptive of new truths, because, more than others, they are self-teachers, the producers of their own worshipped self-intelligence, to which they complacently adhere with unmoveable firmness. These, who should be the leaders in adopting improved ideas, are their most inveterate opponents, having recourse, even, to the misrepresentation of that which they will not understand. And here let me read a striking remark of Fichte's I met with the other day, so applicable to the experience of the New Church. "It is surely to be expected from every scholar-not that he should understand every thing-but that he should at least know whether he does understand it or not; and of every honest man, that he should not pass judgment on any thing before he is conscious of understanding it. It is ever the lot of the man who outstrips his cotemporaries in spiritual discernment, to be first misinterpreted, and then denounced." So it appears, from this admirable man's testimony, that we are only experiencing the common lot, and I suppose we must learn to bear it as patiently as we can. W. M. 176 TRACES OF THE INFLUENCE OF THE ANCIENT WORD IN MONGOL TARTARY AND THIBET. (Concluded from page 138.) THE Thibetians are described as being fond of outward show in their religious ceremonies, and upon this our travellers based strong hopes of ultimately influencing them by their religious teachings. We smile, however, as we read (vol. 2, p. 194): "Yet, amidst these consolations, one thought constantly vexed us; it was that we could not present to the Thibetians the inspiring spectacle of the pompous and touching festivals of Catholicism. We were convinced that the beauty of our ceremonies would have a powerful influence over the minds of these people, so eager after all that appertains to external worship." The strong devotional tendencies of the Thibetians are powerfully illustrated in a daily religious observance :— "There exists at Lha-Ssa a very touching custom, and which we felt a sort of jealousy at finding among infidels. In the evening, just as the day is verging on its decline, all the Thibetians stay business, and meet together, men, women, and children, according to their sex and age, in the principal parts of the town, and in the public squares. soon as groups are formed, every one kneels down, and they begin slowly, and in under tones, to chant prayers. 66 As 'The religious concerts produced by these numerous assemblages create throughout the town an immense solemn harmony, which operates forcibly on the soul. The first time we witnessed this spectacle, we could not help drawing a painful comparison between this pagan town, where all prayed together, and the cities of Europe, where people would blush to make the sign of the cross in public. The prayer which the Thibetians chant in their evening assemblies, varies according to the seasons of the year; that, on the contrary, which they repeat on their rosary, is always the same, and only consists of six syllables— Om mani padme houm. This formula, which the Buddhists call, by abbreviation, the mani, is not only in every one's mouth, but you see it written everywhere about, in the streets, in the squares, and in the houses. On all the flags that float above the doors, or from the summit of the public edifices, there is always a mani printed in Landza, Tartar, and Thibetian characters. Certain rich and zealous Buddhists maintain, at their own expense, companies of Lama sculptors, whose business it is to diffuse the mani. These singular missionaries travel, chisel and mallet in hand, over hill, dale, and desert, engraving the sacred formula upon the stones and rocks." After quoting the opinion of the learned orientalist, Klaproth, on this prayer, M. Huc says (vol. 2, p. 195): : "This formula has, in the Sanscrit language, a distinct and complete meaning, which cannot be traced in the Thibetian idiom. Om is, among the Hindoos, the mystic name of the Divinity, with which all their prayers begin. It is composed of A, the name of Vishueri; of O, that of Siva; and M, that of Bramah. This mystic particle is also equivalent to the interjection O, and expresses a profound religious conviction; it is, as it were, a formula of the act of faith; mani signifies gem, a precious thing; padma, the lotus; padme, the vocative of the same word. Lastly, houm is a particle expressing a wish, a desire, and is equivalent to our amen. The literal sense, then, of this phrase is this: Om mani padme houm. O the gem in the lotus. Amen." An explanation of the mystical* meaning of this exclamation having been given them by the Regent, M. Huc proceeds (vol. 2, p. 196): "We know not whether this explanation, which was given to us by the Regent himself, is generally adopted by the learned Buddhists of Thibet and Mongolia. We may, however, observe, as it appears to us that it bears some analogy to the literal meaning- Oh, the gem in the lotus, amen; the gem being the emblem of perfection, and the lotus of Buddha, it may perhaps be considered that these words express the desire to acquire perfection in order to be united with Buddha, to be absorbed into the universal soul. The symbolic formula, 'Oh, the gem in the lotus, amen,' might then be paraphrased thus:-'Oh, may I obtain perfection, and be absorbed in Buddha. Amen.” All this appears to us to show evidence of a deeply symbolic or correspondential basis lost in, or hidden from, the perversions and ultra-naturalism of the existing age, and would indicate some source of spiritual instruction as yet unknown to the learning of the West. Frequently misapplied and misunderstood by those in whose hands it has been placed, it is not altogether lost, since there is striking evidence of its power in the lives of the intelligent and the good amongst the Tartars, and we cannot but think that it is in Thibet, or Mongol Tartary, that a search for the Ancient Word should be made, rather than amongst the Mantchous or Mandelions, notwithstanding that Swedenborg (T. C. R., 279.) appears to point to them in the expression, "the Emperor of China is from their country." This, however, may be understood as applying to Tartary generally, as much as to the Mantchous, whence the present dynasty came, in particular. We would therefore respectfully urge this point upon the consideration of our learned friend, Dr. R., of Paris. As a sequel to the Tartar excellence of character, so far displayed by the Regent of Lha-Ssa, it is requisite to follow the Lazarists to the frontiers of Thibet, on their expulsion by the Chinese ambassador, *Correspondential?-G. W. N. S. NO. 161.-VOL. XIV. Z Ki-Chan. The intrigues of this wily politician having once commenced, never ceased until the Regent was compelled to dismiss the missionaries, or at least consent to their departure, at a time when they were most anxious to remain, and he was as desirous to entertain them. Out of this we get another glimpse at the peculiar views of the Tartars. The Regent, anxious to reassure his guests that Ki-Chan could not injure them, recounted how he protected thousands of strangers :— 66 6 Besides,' he added, 'even though our laws prohibit strangers from entering our country, these laws could not affect you. Religious persons, men of prayer, belonging to all countries, are strangers nowhere; such is the doctrine taught by our holy books. It is written, "The yellow goat has no country, the Lama no family.' Lha-Ssa being the peculiar assembling-place and abode of men of prayer, that title of itself should always secure for you liberty and protection.' This opinion of the Buddhists, which constitutes a religious man a cosmopolite, is not merely written in their books, but we have found it recognised in the manners and customs of the Lamaseries. When a man has had his head shaved, and assumes the religious habit, he renounces his former name to take a new one. If you ask a Lama of what country he is, he replies, I have no country, but I pass my time in such a Lamasery.' This manner of thinking and acting is even admitted in China, amongst the bonzes and other classes of religionists, who are called by the generic name of Tchou-Kia-Fin (a man who has left his family).” Again, the Regent defends them against the direct charges made by Ki-Chan, of an intention to convert the people of Thibet to the religion of the "Lord of Heaven," and thus destroy the power of the Talé Lama. (Vol. 2, p. 208.) "The Regent did not enter at all into these apprehensions, with which the Chinese ambassador endeavoured to inspire him. He maintained that our presence in Lha-Ssa could not in any way be prejudicial to the Thibetian government. If the doctrine which these men hold,' said he, is a false doctrine, the Thibetians will not embrace it; if, on the contrary, it is true, what have we to fear? How can truth be prejudicial to men? These two Lamas of the Kingdom of France,' added he, have not done any harm; they are animated by the best intentions towards us. Can we, without good ground, deprive them of the liberty and protection which we extend here to all strangers, and particularly to men of prayer? Can we make ourselves guilty of an actual and certain injustice, through an imaginary fear of some possible evil to come?' “Ki-Chan reproached the Regent with neglecting the interests of the Talé-Lama, and the Regent, on his part, accused Ki-Chan of taking advantage of the minority of the sovereign to tyrannise over the Thibetian government. For our parts, in this unfortunate contest, we refused to acknowledge the authority of the Chinese Mandarin, and declared that we would not quit the country without a formal order from the Regent, who assured us that they should never extort from him any such thing." The missionaries, however, wisely resolved to yield to the stern necessity of the case, and quit Lha-Ssa. They thought that a rupture between China and Thibet, from which great calamities might result, would be the means of bringing the Christian name into disrepute in the latter country; as they would be considered the cause of the war, if any took place. They thought it probable, too, that the tyranny with which the Chinese ambassador had treated them might react favourably at some future time, and ultimately lead to the establishment of Christian missionaries at Lha-Ssa. It must be confessed, however, that their faith in the French government seems almost as great as that in their cause, not to mention, which we ought to have done before, a somewhat jesuitical expectation, that by the introduction of vaccination through the agency of Romish missionaries, who were to use their skill as a miraculous gift, a hold would be obtained upon the imaginations of the people of the country through their horror of the small pox, which periodically causes frightful ravages in Thibet, and the Christian, or we should rather say Romish, Church established thereby! "After having maturely considered these points," says M. Huc, "we proceeded to the Regent. On learning that we had determined to leave Lha-Ssa, he seemed sad and embarrassed. He told us he greatly wished he had it in his power to secure to us a free and tranquil abode in Thibet; but that alone, and without the support of his sovereign, he found himself too weak to resist the tyranny of the Chinese, who for several years past, taking advantage of the infancy of the Talé-Lama, had assumed unprecedented claims in the country. We thanked the Regent for his good will, and left him to wait upon the Chinese ambassador." The conduct of the Regent in his final interview with the strangers is perfectly in unison with all he had previously done for them. M. Huc states (vol. 2, pp. 221-2): "The evening before our departure, one of the secretaries of the Regent entered our lodging, and presented to us, in his name, two great ingots of silver. This attention on the part of the First Kalon affected us deeply, but we considered we ought not to accept this sum. In the evening, on going to his palace to bid him adieu, we took back to him the two ingots. We laid them before him on a small table, protesting to him that this proceeding resulted from no ill-feeling on our part; that, on the contrary, we should always remember with gratitude the good treatment we had received from the Thibetian government, during the short stay we had made at Lha-Ssa; that we had no hesitation in expressing our belief that if it had depended on the Regent, we should throughout have enjoyed in Thibet the most tranquil and honourable |