importance we have attributed to it in our previous remarks. The questions were as follows: "1. Do we acknowledge the Pastor G. A. Wislicenus, from all that we hitherto know of him, as our friend? "2. Has Wislicenus, from what we know of his declarations both oral and written, acted otherwise than in agreement with his rights as a Protestant Christian, and as a Protestant clergyman? "3. Do we hereby declare our inmost sympathies with Wislicenus for the troubles he has experienced in consequence of the steps he has hitherto taken ? "4. Are we confident, that also in this case the right of the Protestant Church to free development, both in the church in general, and in the person of our friend Wislicenus in particular, will be held in its full and proper estimation? "5. Are we, who are here assembled, resolved to declare ourselves more and more in favour of this right of the free development of Protestant Christianity, and to coöperate in promoting it ?" The following is the declaration, which was signed by 46 clergymen and 350 laymen, in favour of Wislicenus and his movement. Besides these, many both clergy and laymen were obliged to leave the assembly without signing their names, on account of the departing trains and coaches taking them to their respective homes. "DECLARATION. "It is now twelve months, that the Pastor Wislicenus, at Halle, has been attacked and rejected by a party of the Protestant Church, because he has declared, that in the Protestant Church, as it is now, the Bible is not the rule of faith, but the rational mind (Geist) which interprets and judges the Bible. Instead of coming to a better mode of thinking and proceeding, this party has, by all means in its power, endeavoured to make its authority prevail in the Protestant Church, and to carry its endeavours out in deeds corresponding to its wishes. Now, against this party we declare, that we by no means acknowledge it as that which it assumes to be, the church; but only as a party in the church, which by its reaction and hatred against Protestant freedom, have removed themselves to the greatest distance from the Protestant principle. We, on the contrary, keep firm to the reformation-principle in the Protestant Church, in which a progressive development is necessarily supposed to exist. Christianity is to us the perfect religion, and the Bible contains the documents thereof. But the Bible is to us not a book of absolute authority, inasmuch as this can only be the case with a book in which every particular is absolute truth. The Bible is, consequently, to us not the unconditional rule of Christian acknowledgment and faith, because the Bible itself points beyond its own words and developments to the Holy Spirit, as the means of carrying on the building of Christianity. But we honour, love, and use the Bible as the living witness of the first Christian faith and life, and as the visible band which, from the first period of Christianity, is cast around all further developments of the Christian religion, and as a book that will for ever remain the popular book of life for Christians. And be cause we, in this view of the subject, acknowledge, at the same time, the germs of the principles of the Pastor Wislicenus, we hereby declare that we, in principle, agree with him.” After this follow the signatures, as above stated. But the reader may inquire of us,-What is the peculiar characteristic of this movement? We answer from the above works, especially from that by Wislicenus, that all things recorded in the Old Testament that do not square with the conceptions of the rational mind, such as it is now in its actual development, are set aside and rejected. The history of the creation, and the circumstances recorded respecting it, is a poetic effusion, which was adapted to ancient times, but no longer suited to the present, since the rational mind can agree in no particular there stated, except in the general fact that God created the universe. Of what use, then, is this ancient record? Its use is accomplished and past; it served former generations, in their simplicity and obscurity of thought, to impress them with an idea of the Divine power, which brought all things into being. But now we can arrive at this conclusion on rational grounds, and geology, astronomy, and the sciences generally, can more effectually impress us with ideas of the Divine Omnipotence, than any allegory or poetic effusion. The idea of a spiritual sense in the Scriptures, interpreted from the letter of the Word, by the law of correspondences between things natural and things spiritual and divine, never seems to have been heard of by this school of theologians. All the wonderful accounts recorded of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob,Abraham's entertaining three angels, Jacob's wrestling with the angel of God, and likewise all the miracles recorded of Moses, and the magicians of Egypt, and in the wilderness, are in like manner denied to be true; but are merely records suited to a certain stage of mental development, when blind wonder, and not rational discernment, was the only mental sensation that could be awakened, and that could consequently be affected. In the New Testament, the miraculous conception of Jesus is denied, as entirely inconsistent with every rational consideration of the human mind. The miracles of Jesus are also rejected on the same grounds, and by the same authority. "We are as certain," says Wislicenus, "that these things never occurred but in the region of imagination, as we are certain that the wonders recorded in the writings of the ancient Greeks and Romans, in the Koran, and in the apocryphical Evangelists, never happened." All the leading creeds and doctrines of Christianity are also rejected by this powerful movement in the Protestant Church. The so-called Apostles' Creed is abandoned; and Athanasius, with his three divine Persons in the Trinity, is denounced as self-contradictory, and repudiated as inculcating a tritheism in direct opposition to the unity of the Godhead, as taught in the Bible. The vicarious atonement is renounced as only worthy to be placed amongst the darkest mytholo gies of heathen nations. Vindictive justice in the Deity, which required to be satisfied, atoned, appeased, is an idea unworthy of the Divine attributes, and totally inconsistent with every rational consideration of the mind. The dogma of salvation by Faith alone is opposed to all the precepts and teachings of Jesus. He requires us to believe, to love, and to do, as the condition of entering into his kingdom. Our space does not allow us to enter more into detail; but our readers will see, from what has been stated, that our preliminary remarks in respect to the importance of this movement, as being strongly indicative of a breaking-up of old things and of their passing away, are founded on facts which, on account of the numbers, weight, and authority of those by whom they are supported, make the government of Prussia, at this moment, hesitate in its decisions respecting the policy and propriety of enforcing the authority of the Augsburgh Confession and the Formula Concordia, or not. We cannot but lament that this movement has taken a direction so decidedly negative against all revealed religion; it must terminate in the gulph and darkness of deism. It certainly still professes to take the Bible as the popular book of religion; but how hollow this profession is every one can see, when the records and statements of the Bible are admitted or discarded at pleasure. The Koran, or the Zenda Vesta, might as easily be taken on the same conditions; especially when the Divinity of the Christian Redeemer is denied. But we anticipate great and permanent good from this movement; it will serve to break up the false dogmas which so generally prevail; it will lead to a thorough investigation of the true nature of the Divine Word, and to the proper mode of its interpretation; and it may be, and we think it is, the necessary forerunner of a new and very superior order of things in the Christian world. For it would appear that before this new state of things prefigured by the descent of the New Jerusalem- -can come to pass, the work of desolation and devastation must precede. “Then said I, Lord, how long? And he answered, until the cities be wasted without inhabitant, and the houses without man, and the land be utterly desolate." (Isaiah vi. 11.) EDITOR. MISCELLANEOUS INFORMATION. LONDON MISSIONARY AND TRACT SOCIETY. In December last a friend of the church, residing at Maidstone, who had for some time been exerting himself to make the doctrines known among his acquaintance by means of our tracts, and had so far succeeded as fully to convince one gentleman of their truth, and to excite in several a desire for further information-this friend applied to the committee for the delivery of a course of lectures in Maidstone, deeming the present a favourable time, as he knew many persons were dissatisfied with the doc. trines commonly preached. Having made his intention known to the friends at Chatham, they also joined in the application, in order that, as the towns are so near to each other, they might be included in the visit. The committee, therefore, immediately proceeded to take the necessary steps, and succeeded in obtaining the services of the Rev. J. H. Smithson for the occasion. Mr. Smithson accordingly delivered three lectures in the Mechanics' Institution, Chatham, commencing February 3. "On the Word of God, and in what its Divinity consists." Feb. 4. "On the Lord's Second Coming, and the End of the World." Feb. 9. "On Heaven and its Happiness, and on Hell and its Miseries." They were listened to with great attention by a very respectable audience, amounting, on an average, to about 300, all the seats in the room being occupied by professing Christians belonging to various denominations, many of whom expressed their approbation of the views of truth presented by the lecturer, and also as exhibited in the tracts, which were liberally distributed. Mr. S. also gave a lecture "On the Atonement and Sacrifice of Jesus Christ," in the society's usual place of meeting; after which he administered the sacrament of the Holy Supper to 17 communicants. This was truly found to be a season of refreshing from the presence of the Lord. Just now there is considerable excitement in Chatham. A union has been formed among the different denominations of dissenters, and a sermon has been delivered on the occasion, in which N. S. NO. 76.-VOL. VII. were laid down the following five points of doctrine as essential to be believed by all Christians:-1..The Bible the only rule of faith and practice. 2. The essential Deity of Christ. 3. The Atonement [as commonly understood]. 4. Justification by the merits of Christ. 5. Regeneration. As the second of these excluded the Unitarians, the Unitarian minister has published a letter addressed to the preacher, who is going to reply in a series of discourses. Such being the state of feeling at Chatham, the friends there are very anxious that the doctrines of the New Church should be efficiently presented to the notice of their fellowtownsmen, as often as practicable. A Wesleyan minister promised to take our friends in hand; he however did not keep the appointment he had made. Second thoughts are sometimes best. At Maidstone, Mr. Smithson delivered four lectures in the County Assembly Rooms. Feb. 5. "Jesus, Jehovah in His Humanity, or Glorious Person, the Only Object of Worship, and in whom the Divine Trinity is centred." February 6. "The Sacrifice of Jesus Christ:-in what it consisted, and what was thereby accomplished." Feb. 11. "How is Man saved ?" Feb. 12. Man's Resurrection from the Dead, and the nature of the Life after Death." The audiences ranged from about 200 to 300. They were very attentive, and appeared to be generally impressed by the subjects themselves, and also by the able manner in which they were treated by the lecturer. The interest excited by the novelty of the views was heightened by a discussion, on the third and fourth evenings, with two local ministers, who raised some objections to some of the statements advanced. They received prompt replies, which gave general satisfaction; and it has been ascertained that Mr. Smithson's mild and temperate conduct towards his opponents made an im. pression in several quarters, even with some who were most unwilling to admit anything which might tell in favour of our cause. At the conclusion of the course the lecturer was invited by several strangers to come soon again to Maidstone, for the purpose of delivering more lectures. It may be interesting to mention that a lady, who has been reading M the writings with avidity for some time, but who has no opportunity at her home of communion with those of congenial sentiments, came fifteen miles to the lectures. A gentleman also, who, though favourable to the doctrines, had never heard them from the living voice, attended two of the lectures, from a similar distance, and was delighted with what he heard. We may reasonably hope that the spirit of inquiry which has evidently been excited, will, in the Lord's own time, produce valuable and enduring fruits. Tracts, to the number of nearly a thousand, were distributed at the two towns; and at both, collections were made towards the expenses, which, added to the friends' own contributions, covered the cost of announcement, rent, &c., leaving the society to bear Mr. Smithson's travelling and personal expenses, and the cost of the tracts. On Sunday, February 8, Mr. Smithson preached at Cross-street church in the morning, and at Argyle-square in the evening, much to the gratification and edification of the respective congregations. In order to meet a want which had long been felt with regret by many London friends, that of having a week-day service, at which persons might attend and acquire some knowledge of our doctrines, who would not leave their usual places of worship on the Sabbath,-the committee engaged the Rev. T. Chalklen to deliver a course of six lectures in Argyle-street church, on Wednesday evenings, commencing February 18.The following were the subjects:-1. "The immutable Harmony of all the Attributes of God." 2. "The Unchangeable Character of Jehovah manifested in his assumption of Human Nature for Man's Redemption." 3. "The Lord Jesus Christ proved to be the One Only God of Heaven and Earth, the Creator, Redeemer, and Regenerator of Men." 4. "The Atonement or Reconciliation not fully effected without the Restoration of Man to the Image and Likeness of God." 5. "The Nature and Evidences of the Divine Inspiration of the Written Word." 6. "Man's Eternal State of Existence in the Spiritual World." The effect produced by the very clear and forcible manner in which these subjects were treated was evidenced by the steadily increasing numbers of both strangers and friends who attended them, some from considerable distances; and by the many expressions of delight which were heard. At the services of the Lord's day, likewise, there has been an increase of strangers consequent on the delivery of the lectures. It is intended, shortly, to have a similar course in Cross-street, and, simultaneously, one in the neighbourhood of Chelsea. Mr. Chalklen is also about to give a course at Reading, and to pay a friendly visit to Oxford. The committee are desirous of meeting the wishes of their friends by bringing the truths of the new dispensation more frequently and prominently before the public in the metropolis and its vicinity, without neglecting more distant places; and with this view they have taken the important step of engaging the services of the Rev. T. Chalklen as Missionary Minister for twelve months. This measure they have long contemplated; and it will relieve them from the necessity of so often appealing to other ministers, to whom it has frequently been very inconvenient to undertake the missions for which they have been applied to. Not that they are willing to relinquish the services of any of those friends who have so kindly from time to time assisted in the good cause. On the contrary, they hope frequently to avail themselves of their valuable services. There is an extending field of usefulness and activity before them, not confined to any locality; and, relying on the Divine blessing to accompany their efforts, all they require is the encouraging support of the friends of the church in town and country. March 19. H. B. LONDON NEW CHURCH SUNDAY SCHOOL UNION. A number of the teachers of the Sunday Schools connected with the Cross-street and Argyle-square Societies, who have long since felt the want of a more intimate connexion with each other, met on Thursday the 12th instant, to form themselves into a union for the purpose of establishing periodical meetings, and thus to enable them the better to carry out the great object of their undertaking, the training of the rising generation for heaven. At half-past six o'clock tea and coffee were announced, and twenty-nine ladies and gentlemen partook thereof. conversation was chiefly on the great The |