The Washington times., 1894-10-28

Authority" will be the subject of the Rev.
Frank Sewall's sermon at the New Church
Chapel, upper nall OF the National University
Law school, Thirteenth street, below l. on
Sunday morning, at IL am. All seats are
Tree and strangers are welcome. Sunday
school at 1915. A cordial invitation is ex-
tended to all residents in the neighborhood to
come and worship with the newly located So
ciety.
The history OF the New Church in Washing
ton NAV be said to date as far back as the
years 1902 and 1904 when the Rev. John Har-
grove pastor Of the New Jerusalem church IN
Baltimore, preached twice before the Presi-
dent and Congress at the Capitol. The New
Church movement began IN Maryland as early
rs 1892. the first preachers Of its doctrines be-
ing Episcopal clergymen, notably among them
The Rev. Jacob Duche, first chaplain OF the
United States Congress, who had embraced
the doctrines Of the New Church in England
and edited some Of its publications. Coun-
cilor Robert Carter, Of Virginia, was instru-
mental in forming the first society in Balti-
more in 1892, the Rev. James G. Wilmer, for
merly of the Episcopal Church, being its
pastor The Washington Society OF the New
Jerusalem was organized in June. 1S4l, and
has enjoyed the successive pRstorates Of the
Rev. Rufus Dawes, Jabez Fox, E. ID. Daniels,
and William b. Hayden.
The officers OF the society are DR.. R. B.
Donaldson, president; Charles f. heefer,
secretary; Job Barnard treasurer.
The present pastor, the Rev. Frank Sewal,
began his pastorate in this city in the year
1889, returning from Europe, where he had
occupied q temporary pastorate in Glasgow,
and atterward visited the centers OF the New
Church movement on the continent. A native
of Maine and graduate Of Bowdoin College
IN that State. he pursued his studies abroad,
in Germany and France. especially at Tubin-
TTrir fFr Vr-hp N nui "a ~
and guidance OF the learned DR.. Emmanuel
Tafel, professor of philosophy, and librarian
Of the university, the chief editor Of the
writings Of SWedenbOrg from their original
editions Returning to this country, after
pastorate Of several years in a suburb Of
Cincinnati, Mr.. Sewall was chosen president
Of the New Church college, Of Urbana Ohio,
which position he held for sixteen years,
making extensive improvements in the col
iege, and raising considerable endowment.
In 1886 he resigned the presidency and Rc-
cepted the call TO Glasgow, Scotland, with a
view TO a subsequent visit to the continent,
where he was soiournlng with his family
when called to Washington in 1889 The
same year Of his call the church of the society,
on East Capitol street, was burned to the
ground, and a movement was begun, with
the cooperation Of the General Convention Of
the New Church in this country, TO build anew
edIice. A site was bought on the corner of
Sixteenth and Corcoran streets northwest,
s. by ITO feet, and under direction OF a com
luittee Of the General Convention funds were
raised and plans adopted for the erection of
National Church Of the New Jerusalem on the
above beautiful site.
THE NEW BUILDING.
After five years the work Of building the
new edilce has now begun. ground having
been broken this week. The architect OF the
church is J. Langford Warren, professor Of
architecture in Harvard College. and of the
hrm Of Warren & Bacon in Boston. a full
account of the church building will be given
later. 1t viii cost with the lot some $50, 900.
Meanwhile the church has been holding Wor-
ship in the little church on Dupont Circle IN
Il the present winter it has fitted up a very
attractive temporary chapel in the upper hall
OF the National University Law School, on
Thirteenth, street just below /, where services
are held regularly on Sundays at IL o'clock
g. m. with Sunday-school following at 1915.
All the seats are free, and strangers are cor
Gially welcome. A liberal supply Of New
Church tracts is 10 be found on the vestibule
table and free library OF the works Of Swe-
denbOrg and other New Church literature is
open to all inqUirers. A free library and sales
rooms OF New Church books is also main
tanned at the New Church book room, No. A7
lIetzerott building, an enterprise carried on
hy the New Church Young Peoples Associa-
ton. The room is open from L n. to .. m.
daily.
Tie BODY is called the ssNew Church. or
Church OF the New Jerusalem,' from its be-
LIEF in the prophecy in Revelation that the
New Jerusalem is not merely future state in
heaven. but that il comes down from God
out Of heaven" and is now a new religious
state OF mankind on earth. This making
all things new is the result of the opening Of
the inner and divine meaning OF the Bible,
which lies within the letter OF Scripture like
The soul within the body The letter is the
necessary, diyiney chosen. and dictated, but
Unite symbol or veil in which infinite and in
naustible heavenly truths are contained. 1t
is as the letter is seen and explained from the
light OF this internal and spiritual sense that
il can he truly understood. and il is. as under
The Divine providence, especially enabled TO
7ee this inner meaning of the Bible that
5wedenborg is accepted by the New Church
rs an lilumlned interpreter of the Bible. In
The light OF this meaning Swedenborg inter-
prets many points Of doctrine.
SWedenborg writes that Jesus is God and
he Cnly God: that in His glorned and divine
umanity ''dwells all the fullness Of the God
cad bodily" that the Father is in Him. his
1wn eternal divinity, and the holy Spirit is
rom Hin. being His proceeding life and
uower. thus that He is the only object of
Christian worship. All salvation is from
Him alone since all spiritual power is from
Him, but the way Of salvation is not in mere
believing. but IN living according TO the d.
vine laws. which Jesus viii enable those TO
10 who believe in Him. Jesus having as the
eternal GOD. manifest in the flesh, = assumed
humanity on earth and glorifled il will lift up
10 Himself all human beings who look 10
Him according to whateyer light God has re-
vealed to them. Jesus is not one Of three di-
Eine persons nor OF three Gods, but God and
LORD alone. ito whom is given all power in 1
heaven and on EARTH" The New Church 4
mas Teen, therefore, not enormously distin-
suished as the Jesus worshipers." /" as they
are the only body Of Christians who worship 4
Jesus Himself as God, instead OF addressing
their worship through Him" or ''for His 4
SAX" to some other divine being or person 1
beyond
The New Church observes the sacraments I
erv deyoutly, laying great stress on their spir-
tual meaning and the divine power that lies
. them. Ii uses ritual in worship, parts of
which have been in use by this body over
hundred years; the music is of a refined and
eleyating character. While accepting the