The Portland daily press., 1880-12-20
PULPIT AND PLATFORM.
NEW JERUSALEM CHURCH.

Rev. ). X. Smyth delivered the sixth lee
ture in his course on the doctrines of the New
Church, yesterday evening, the special topic
considered being "Heaven."
AS introductory to the subject of the even
ing, brief description of the belief in immor-
tally, as held by some Of the ancient nations,
was given. In our own time the ideas most
generally met with would seem to be that the
heavenly life is one endless season Of holiday
and pleasure; that our occupations are to con-
sst in the continual utterance of praise and
alteration; that in heaven there is to be abso-
lutte rest as meaning the cessation of all en-
pigments; that angels are all alike, and that
they are sexless and celibate. But do these
teachings really satisfy the demands of our
inward nature? Do they offer satisfactory
solution as to how we are to spend eternity!
1t is doubtless true that there will be endless
pleasure in heaven; that there will be worship
and that there will be blessed rest resulting
from the cessation of the vexings Of the spirit.
But there must be something more. There
must be desire to be of use--to accomplish
something that will contribute to the general
welfare. Or do we expect to lose our sympa-
thies and to become forgetful of the needs of
others? Is there not something of selfshness
in such ideas?
With regard to the other prevailing beliefs,
namely, that the angels are all alike; that they
are sexless and celibate, and that they are
aerial, shapeless existences do these satisfy
the warnings of our inward nature? Do
we hope to co npletely lose our individuality?
Do husband and wife desire to renew no more
union that was true and happy on this earth?
Do father and mother have no longing to press
to their bosoms as real and lovable child as
they were forced to part with here?
The New Church takes the ground that
heaven must be world of living realities If
intended to be house in which the soul OF
man may be forever happy, it must be able to
crafty every good inclination. Instead of di-
minishing it must rather increase the facilities
for the SOULS carrying out all useful purposes.
1t must enable heart and intellect to expand
by their unrestrained exercise There must
be endless varieties of enioyments and occupa-
tiOns in which those who desire may enter.
There must be numberless opportunities for de-
ing good, and for giving free exercise to the
hearts desires.
commencing, then, with man himself, the
New Church teaches that in the other life he
is just as real and substantial Great ure as he
Is here. He has, as st. Paul said, a spiritual
body" formed of the fine, imperishable sub
stances of the spiritual world, which reflects
readily the heart life within. We shall, in
consequence, know our friends in the other
life. Christ certainly represented Abraham,
Lazarus and Dives as beings who were per-
fectly recognizable.
Furthermore, the church teaches that the
most orderly arrangement and division exists
IN heaven, they whose tastes and characters
tics are similar being instinctiyely brought to-
gether by the law of affinity
In regard to the subject of marriage, the
New Church daclarac fh at tho moct porfaot
marriage unions exist in heaven. Many deem
such belief unScriptural since it is said that
"In heaven they neither marry nor are given
in marriage" But it is to be remembered that
the occasion OF this remark was the dispute as
!. to which of the seven brothers should, in the
other world, have her who had been wife to
them all. The Sadducees represented the OBJ
ject of marriage as being simply to raise up
seed to the brother; and it was in the sense
that marriage was not for the sole purpose of
procreation-that it vas not a sensual connec-
tion-that Christ declared that marriage-that
is, their conception of marriage need not be
looked for Marriage, as consisting of union
of souls bound to each other by sympathy and
love, is in itself divine institution, and was
so declared in the beginning. 1t ennobles hui
man nature. 1t increases happiness. Why,
then, should we seek to exclude it from heaven?
But what do the angels do? The New
Church declares that all the angels are ami
mated by love of use, and this gives rise to
NdilOuo 1OIu1S VI Use VI OCCupdLlOlS. OOm6
watch over the souls of mortals while on
earth, for do not the Scriptures declare that
God ''shall give His angels charge over thee, !"
&c? Others care for the newly arrived spirit
on his first entering the other world. Others
have to take charge of the little children; and
others minister to the heather and to all such
as have need of heavenly instruction. Besides
employment of this character there are doubt
less endless varieties of uses to perform in
heaven: This grows out of the fact that there
are various faculties of the mind capable of
entering upon uses. Death does not obliterate
aptitude, taste or genius. The employments
in which we engage will bring us no sense of
WEAKNESS as in this world, for there we shall
not meet with the same hindrances we shall
be free from all the bodily fatigues to which
these physical frames are subject; we shall en-
ploy wiser and more perfect methods and be-
cause love of God and man will animate us.
These employments will be of spiritual ma
ture and will have reference to the develop
ment and happiness of the soul.
The New Church, then, breaches heaven
that is real and life-like; heaven in which
the most orderly arrangement exists; where
we shall dwell with those whose hearts shall
beat responsive to our own; where spiritual
joy, contentment and perfect peace shall for
ever reign; where love to God and the neigh
Dor is the handspring of action, and where the
love of use shall forever WOO our inward
nature and call forth glad and earnest effort.
Heaven is open to all who will approach it
worthily.
PORTLAND BENEVOLENT SOCIETY.
Rev. Mr.. Dickinson delivered the annual
address before the Portland Benevolent
Society at the First Parish church last even
ing, of which the following is an abstract
The text was taken from II Samuel 8. And
David said: "Is there any that is left of the
house OF Saul that may show him kindness
for Jonathans sake:''
The chapter from which these words are
taken forms beautiful interlude in the
stirring history of Israel's triumphs. David
having learned that the crippled Mephibosbetll
| descendant of the unfortunate Saul, is a
| lonely exile among the mountains of Gilead
| sends for him and putting him in possession OF
| the ancestral estates makes him an honored
member of his own household.
Let us consider first some of the conditions
of David's generous act, and secondly some Of
| the reasons for it.
I Like all acts of kindness it depended
first of all upon spirit of love and self giving.
| Throughout the life of the Shepherd King this
| spirit is conspicuous. 1t is the spirit which
made him a successful king and noble man
| as il was the opposite spirit which made Saul
an unsuccessful king and bad man. Upon
| this spirit depends ~ our power for good il
the world; ~ our development of character
| 81 our likeness to Christ
| "A second condition Of Davd's act was
I disposition to single out certain individual.
| that he might make them the recipients of his
| kindness. He not only loved Israel, but hi
| sympathized with the individuals of Israel.
The most effective love is that which i,
L h,,1Y. 10 IL. E