The Portland daily press., 1888-05-14

These with the officers give an enrolment
OF 6lo In the school. On ten Sabbaths last
year there was an attendance Of over 400;
the highest 427 and the smallest %, with an
average OF 32 Several conversions were
reported among the scholars and nine united
with the church. Special mention was made
Of the work in these different departments
all of which are encouraging.
The school contributed to various objects
the total of S432.70, with the additional sum
from the Chinese department Of S128.02.
Tender words OF memory were spoken con-
cerning the death Of Mr. Fogg, who in years
past had so large part in the work OF the
school, also of the others who had died.
interesting report and one full Of encourage
ment and hope for the future.
The Rev. L. =. Wilson Of Woodford' 5
made an admirable address to the children,
taking for his motto, ''She hath done what
she could" and illustrating most happily
what the children could do In order to do
their best With points easily understood
by all he specified several ways OF child ser
vice. The pastor followed with an address
which was directed especially TO the teachers
encouraging them to their work and COM
pairing them to artists working beauty In
character, a lasting work upon immortal
souls.
Perhaps the most touching service Of the
evening was a responsive service in the
Chinese class led by one Of their number
this most efficient school.
NEW JERUSALEM CHURCH.
Tho concluding lecture Of the denomina-
tional course in the New Jerusalem church
was delivered last evening by the Rev. DR..
CLANCY of New York. Notwithstanding the
rainy weather, a large audience was present.
The topic Of the lecture was ''The Position
of the New Church in the Religious World. :"
The speaker said:
"The position Of any body Of men and their
relations to other bodies must be determined
by their doctrines and the purpose for which
the body was, organized. BY the New
Church. therefore mean the truths and pur-
poses for which the organized body stands.
The New Church is not sect. We regard
1t as new despensation of divine truth en-
tirely distinct from any church that has pre-
ceded 1t. 1t Is step into the more interior
knowledge of the laws of spiritual life, a
comprehensive view of the laws Of the divine
order of the Lords purposes In the creation.
We believe that its doctrines are a clear,
precise and accurate statement Of the inn
mutable laws. They are therefore a spiri-
tual science in the same sense that mathe-
matics Is science.
'What is the relation OF such church or
or systems Of doctrinea This Is the ques-
tion before us, and there can be but one
answer. 1t should be their teacher.
There are thousands of men and women in
this city and in every other city who want
what the New Church has to give But they
are afraid to seek for 1t or they do not be-
lieve that there Is any new light on the
great questions Of mans spiritual nature
and destiny. They do not believe the enig-
mas Of human life can be solved.
The great purpose Of Christianity as it
has generally been presented is to save men
from the punishment Of sin. This view of
the motives to Christian life has so fully
absorbed the attention and given color to
Christian thought that 1t has changed the
meaning of the word salvation from spirit
the mission of the New Church to change
the doctrines, the theories, the thoughts and
feelings Of the Christian world upon this sub
ject
''All Christian teaching concerning the
spiritual world, has been vague, indistinct
and conflicting. 1t says and unsays at the
same time. 1t theoretically attirms and prac-
tically denies, or it practically affirms and
inferentially denies. There is no generally
accepted doctrine of substantial spiritual
world entirely distinct from this In substance
and nature. TheOl0gians have regarded 1t
as another material world devoid Of the i'm
perfectiOns of this, situated somewhere in
space; or fearing to make 1t material they
have denied 1t form and substance, the two
essentials Of existence.
1.-THE New Church gives us a solid SUD
stantial, spiritual world which contains all
the excellencies Of the material world and
none Of its imperfections which is related 20
its inhabitants who are substantial, spiritual
beings in human form, as this world is re-
lated to its inhabitants. Its doctrines place
before the mind distinct spiritual objects OF
thought and affection.
Another service which the new church
renders the Christian world is the gift of a
key to the true knowledge of the sacred Scrip
lures. Its doctrines demonstrate that the
Scriptures are written in a style utterly i'm
possible to any finite mind. They are writ
ten according to the relation between spirit
ual and natural things. The key that unlocks
Scriptures is q spiritual science of the rela-
ti0n that exists between natural and spiritual
things. BY its use, the enigmas which have
batfied the most learned and devout theOlo-
gians Lave been solved; the contradictions
which exist in the letter have been recon-
ciled; the apparently trivial has been shown
to be important; the merely local and per-
sonal to be applicable to all worlds and all
times"
Notes.
A memorial service for Rev. DIR. Clark
took place at Chestnut ST. church yesterday
afternoon. The church was prettily deeora-
ted and draped about the pulpit and Rev.
DIR. Whitaker delivered an impressive dis
course.
At State st. church last evening the very
interesting musical programme published in
Saturdays PRESS, was most ably performed
under Mr.. Harvey Murrey's direction, ex-
planned by Rev. Mr.. Bayley in most taking
way.