Delaware weekly Republican. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1841-188?, 1857-08-13


Interesting 6eremony.--Tho corner stone of
he New Jerusalem Temple, at tho corner of
Washington Street and Delaware Avenue, was
aid ON Thursday, the 9Th inst, at half past II
o'clock. The morning was Indictment, but there
vas goodly attendance. The following ad-
iress was delivered by the Rev Dau'l. X. Whit
sker on the occasion ~ ..IH
CHRISTIAN FRrESps AND BRETHREN
have assembled to-day, in the presence OF the
Lord and OF his holy angels, for solemn plir-
pose. 1t is to lay the foundation stone of
lew Jerusalem Temple, the first edillce of the
KIND that has been erected in this State from
the origin OF the Government. The occasion
IS one Of unusual interest to the members of
the New Church, and of rational curiosity to
others. II may be proper therefore to state
the motives which have led individuals among
us to entertain the design of erecting such a
building; and among the first Of these is the
wish to have, in this city, for their own con-
ventence and that of others, who may. in pro-
cess OF time, become receivers of the heavenly
doctrines of the New Jerusalem, suitable
Church edillcc, dedicated and set apart to the
worship ofthe Lord Jesus Christ in his Divine
Humanity, to the worship Of one God in one
person, in whom nevertheless there is n Divine
Trinity of Father, Son and Holy Spirit, of
Divine Love, Divine Wisdom and Divine Opera
ton, corresponding to tie soul, to the body
and the operation in man; also to instruction
in the truths of the New Church, and to the
Incubation of the laws of heavenly lile.-
These are the general objects intended to be
subserved by the erection OF the church, OF
which we are now convened to lay tho corner
stone.
1t is from no dislike to their christian breth-
rem of other denominations, that the members
OF the New Church do not frequent their tenn
pies, maintain their creeds and adopt their cere-
monies. On the contrary, while differing from
them in opinion on many points, they yet love
them as brethren, are DESTROYS to do them all
Kind offices in their power and wish them all
prosperity and happiness. But, in the erection
oil church for the purposes stated, they are
Influenced by u conscientious regard to what
they conceive their duty to the truth, while
they have no doubt that the various denomna-
lions which ditler from them, and which dilfer
from each other are influenced, in the erection
of churches, by similar considerations. IL is
obvious, however, that those who hold TO the
d octrine of one God in one person, have not
the same object of worship, and cOnnot have
the same religion with those who maintain the
doctrine Of one God in threepers0nJ, aud con-
scquently, that they cannot worship God to-
gether in harmony, but must necessarily separ-
ate from each other, in order that they may
pay their homage to the creator according to
the dictates of their cOnsciencGs. and agrcoably
Of Divine Revelation on this subject.
The members of the New Church believe
that the Lord is the Word, and that tho Word
has an internal SENSE, and that, Ivy the Second
coming OF the Lord, distinctly announced in
the Word, is meant Il revelation OF its Internal
sense, which revelation has been made by and
through man, specially raised up by the Lord
for the purpose, and lifted for it; first by his
introduction into the natural sciences, in or
Hsapt l.a ffrlNt Nl.aNgt lt. ala
tionally to explain to others the relation of
Correspondence which natural things bear to
spiritual, according to which correspondence
the word Of God is written and, secondly, by
his special illumination through the opening of
his spiritual senses, whereby, when he read the
Word, he was able to see the truths of heaven
in heavens own light the angels see them.
These TRUTHS form the basis of that church, whose
descent from heaven the apostle John loresaw
and foretod in the Apocalypse, in the words,
"And |, John, saw thc holy city, New Jerusalem,
coming down from God, out OF heaven, pre-
pared like II bride adorned for her husband
This Church is described as the tabernacle of
God with men, who, when its empire is estab-
lshed, will spiritually be with them, their God,
and they dwell with klIm, his people, when
God will wipe all tears from their eyes, when
sorrow, suffering and death will be no more
known, when former things willpaSs away, and
all things be made new. This prophecy which
has commonly been supposed to have exclusive
reference TO the happiness Of another life, is
believed by the advocates Off spiritual inter-
probation of the word, TO be II divine announce
ment in advance Of the establishment of new
and heavenly Church on earth, a church which |
shall be the crown OF all churches, in which |
new truths, new doctrines, new interpretations
Ofthe Word, and new practices OF Il heavenly !
origin, and such rs are calculated TO regencr-
ate society, vindicate the divine perlcctiOns,
and restore peace and harmony 10 the Curtis
tan world, will universally prevail.
Goodness and truth, intiOwing into the will
and understanding from the Lord, are what
constitute the elcmcnts OF the church in man
and in bodies Of men. Since the tall Of man
from celestial STATE, the intellect has to be
informed, before the heart is qnickencd with
divine life. The understanding, therefore,
furnishes Il connecting bond with heaven, and
is receptive Of the light Of heaven, which is
Divine Truth but this lighi is speculative and
cold, so long ~ :hc heart is untouched Ivy
Divine Love, which constitutes the heat Of !
heaven and the true life OF man. 1t is the con-
slant aim IL the Divine Providence to awaken
love through the instrunentalty Of truth, and
SO, by the regeneration OF the soul, raise men
mp to heaven, the ultimate object Of the Divine
Love in their creation,
The earthly edilice, which is reared by mems
hands as place Of worship, is simply emble-
d
raises up in the hearts and minds of his child
en by means Of goodness and truth. The
plritual rdilicc may he raised without the
material one, hut where piety exists IN the
learts vi u people, they will seek to erect eX-
ernal affairs to the living God. They furnish
legitimate outward manifestation Of their re-
igiouS nature, and of 4 homage which canUt
but be acceptable TO the Creator.
1t is proposed TO erect tho cdlGa, OF which
Ks ln nf gin |
iot only because it is a durable material, but
lecalise stone is a correspondent OF Divine
truth. Hence, our Lord addressed to Peter,
whose name signifies q stone, the emphatic
Words, "l say unto thee, thou art Peter and on
his rock lie. on the confession justmade tht
esls was the Lord, ''will build my Church,
nd the gates OF hell shall not prevail against
t. Again, our Lord himself, in relation to +
Divine Truth, or the WO.d, IL called ''a Rock,
lie Rock Christ"
II is intended that this shall not only be u
urable, but handsome structure, finished
Nth as much cost and elegance as circum-
tances permit, and in accordance with the
est style of church architecture, not i'll order
hat it may minister to the pride and vanity of
hose who have undertaken it, nor with view
o excite the envy of others, in community
here elegant churches already exist, but in
rider that It may he an Offering to the Lord Of
c best and most pains taking efforts OF those
Tho have engaged in the enterprise,-an evil
ence of their patient, seli-sacritcing, earnest
lbors for the honor Of God and the cause OF
heavenly truth. May the Lord smile upon
lese labOrs, and crown them from the begin
ing to the end with his blessing. And when
his structure, now commenced with hope and
Expectation of happy results TO the Lords
lew Church shall have been finished accord
lg to the intentions ofthose who have project
d il, may the Lord be with those who shal
,Orship in it, and with their children ana
leir children's children to the remotest gener-
ton.
"other foundation can no man lay than that IS
lid, which.is Christ Jesus: 80.