indispensable duty devolving upon parents to bring their children to be baptised as soon after birth as conveniently practicable. The same remarks do not, however, apply to the holy supper, because, as above said, this may be subject to stated periods, longer or shorter according to circunstances, without any violation of the divine command; all that is required of the Members of the New Jerusalem, in reference to this sacrament, is, that they cultivate the proper desire. seek the opportunity, and actually become communicants as often as opportunities occur. And if such be the duty of parents with respect to baptism, and of the Members of the New Church generally, in regard to the holy supper, it follows of consequence, that the administration of the sacraments in every Society, according to its wants, is a most desirable object.

But it should always be borne in mind, that every good desire is connected with and subordinate to the love of order; when, therefore, the thought is engaged upon the desirableness of any good things, the most orderly means of obtaining it should not be forgotten; consequently the final subject of inquiry, namely, whether it be allowable, consistently with order, that unordained persons should administer either or both the sacraments, is now to be considered. And let it be remembered, this is not an inquiry about individual excellence, it is not asking whether this or that man is worthy and good enough to perform those duties, but it is purely a question of order, and should, therefore, be viewed abstractedly from persons. The Lord is order itself, and by his divine truth arranges all things into order; wherefore, whatever is consistent with truth is also consistent with order, consequently, what the divine truth teaches relative to the present subject of inquiry ought to be consulted, as essential to a just decision. The only instance to be found in the Word of God, of specific instructions respecting the appointment of Ministers, is in the case of the Levitical priesthood; all the orders of which were solemnly and formally inaugurated, though not all in the same manner, into their respective offices, as recorded in Exod. xxix. and xl., and Numbers viii. And all the people, not thus inaugurated, were prohibited from taking any part in the peculiar duties of the priesthood. Many particulars indeed of this ceremony necessarily ceased when the Lord, at his coming, abolished generally mere representative worship; but that circumstance is no reason for supposing that all forms of inauguration should therefore be altogether discontinued; for if such an inference were to be drawn, it might, also, with the same propriety be said, that, because the Lord abolished the Jewish sabbath, therefore Christians need not keep any sabbath whatever. Admitting these to be parallel cases, the language of Emanuel Swedenborg, relating to the latter, is amply sufficient to remove all doubt respecting the former. The command, "Thou shalt remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy," is one of those laws which, "at this day, ought altogether to be observed and done." (A C. 9349.) And he farther says, "the Lord, when he was in the world, and united his human [principle] to the divine itself, abrogated the sabbath as to representative worship, or as to the worship which prevailed amongst the Israelitish people, and made the sabbath day a day of instruction in the doctrine of faith and love." (A. C. 10,360.) Since, therefore, the abrogation of the Jewish mode of keeping the sabbath, gives not the least sanction to Christians for discontinuing every mode of keeping the sabbath holy, so neither does the abrogation of the Jewish form of ordination give any sanction for discontinuing every form of ordination. And as, when one mode of keeping the sabbath was abrogated, the Lord himself instituted another mode of keeping it, suited to the Christian Dispensation, so, when one kind of ordination is abrogated, another kind, suited to a truly spiritual church, is proper to be instituted, and thus, amidst all changes, and all abuses, the thing itself be preserved. That the Lord did also himself institute ordination for the Christian church, is evident from Mark iii. 13, 14, 15. "And he goeth up into a mountain, and calleth unto whom he would and they came unto him. And he ordained twelve, that they should be with him, and that he might send them forth to preach, and to have power to heal sickness and to cast out devils." See also chap. vi. 7; Luke x. 1; Matt. xxviii. 19, 20. And the remarkable circumstance of the Lord repeating this act in the spiritual world, at the commencement of the New Jerusalem Dispensation, must surely be regarded as an additional proof that ordination, or a special commission to perform the functions of the ministry, should be recognised in the New Church as an appointment of divine order. The circumstance alluded to is stated by Emanuel Swedenborg, as follows: "The Lord

called together his twelve apostles, and sent them forth throughout the whole spiritual world, as he had formerly done throughout the whole natural world, with a commission to preach this gospel, [that the divine trinity is in the Lord,] and immediately every apostle had his particular district assigned him." (T. C. R. 108.) Whether the primitive ministry under the Christian Dispensation bore any analogy to the Levitical priesthood as to a threefold order, we are not directly informed; but it deserves to be noted that the great "Lord of the harvest" was himself, externally as well as internally, the ordainer the sender forth of his laborers, and that the persons ordained by him were two classes the twelve and the seventy. It will also be admitted, that the Lord conferred upon his disciples the privilege of ordaining others, when he said to them, "As the Father hath sent me, even so send I you; and saying this, he breathed on [them], and saith unto them, receive ye the Holy Spirit," (John xx. 21, 22;) which words, doubtless, related to their external duties, as well as to internal states, and, therefore, the apostles afterwards exercised this privilege accordingly. (Acts vi. 6.)

On the whole then it appears, that not only the divine truth of the Old Testament, but likewise that of the New, manifestly indicates, as far as the subject is therein spoken of, that there are certain duties peculiar to the ministry, and also that some form of inauguration, into that office as an ultimate of divine order, is absolutely requisite. before any person can be considered fully and duly authorised to discharge those duties; particularly the administration of the two sacraments, Baptism and the Holy Supper, which, as Emanuel Swedenborg declares, are "the most holy [solemnities] of worship." (T. C. R. 667.) Every member of the New Church will acknowledge that the love of order should descend even to ultimates, for it was evidently upon this principle that the Lord instituted, as ultimate rites, the two sacraments; and it is constantly maintained in the doctrines of the New Church that order in ultimate things is essentially necessary to the preservation of interior things. If, therefore, the above conclusion respecting ordination be just, namely, that it is absolutely requisite as an ultimate of divine order, every one who loves order, both internally and externally, will desire, not only that the sacraments be administered to every society, but also, that such administration be performed consistently with divine order in ultimates as well as in first principles. At present, it is true, the ordained ministers of the New Church are few in number, and it may therefore be doubtful whether they could supply the wants of all the societies in regard to the sacraments; but this cannot be determined until those wants are made known. Let the societies, therefore, make known their wants. and if they concur in the above view of order, let them manifest their love of it, by endeavoring to enter into an arrangement with the Missionary Societies, or in some other way, to be visited by such ordained persons as can be provided; and let the ministers on their part endeavor to lay aside all needless diffidence-all apparent reluctance, and, no doubt, such reciprocity of action would have the happy effect of bringing themselves and the societies together, for the purpose of the administration and mutual participation of the sacraments, much more frequently than has heretofore taken place.

No. XLIX.

REPORTS OF COMMITTEES

Appointed to consider the Question, Whether it is in accordance with the laws of divine order to admit persons by some solemn service, to administer the Sacrament of Baptism only, ånd not that of the Holy Supper?

I.

REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE IN MANCHESTER.

The Committee, in bringing their labors to a close, consider it to be their duty to put the General Conference in possession of the substance of their views and the information they have received.

At the commencement of their duties, the Committee thought it advisable to send circulars, in addition to those forwarded by the Secretary of Conference, to the various Societies of the New Church north of the Trent, in the hope, that this course would prove an additional excitement to their early attention to the subject. As the result of this two-fold application, answers were received from about twenty Societies, and are herewith forwarded for your inspection.

From the language of the greater portion of the letters, it would appear that the question has been considered, not as Conference intended, separately from the arranging or ordering of the Ministry, but as connected with and forming part thereof. And so various and so diverse are the views, that it is difficult to collect from the whole anything decisive and satisfactory. However, a negative to the question appears to preponderate.

The Committee have bestowed upon the subject no inconsiderable share of attention: they have deliberated upon the different and opposite sentiments contained in the letters, not only in respect to the propounded question, but also relative in general to the ministry, and the external order and government of the Church: they have reflected upon the unsettled state of thought and feeling which seems to actuate the members of the Church; and after having done so, they are unanimously of opinion that the time to legislate upon this subject, with real and permanent advantage to the Church, has not yet arrived; they would, therefore, respectfully recommend the Conference to relinquish it for the present.

With regard to the question itself, in the abstract, the Committee are of opinion that the plan it involves might be adopted in perfect accordance with Divine order.

The principal objection against it, found in the letters, and, indeed, the only one that appears to require particular consideration, is that founded on the supposed impropriety and disorder of dividing, as it is called, the Sacraments; and it is intimated, in two or three of the letters, that to do this is to "put asunder what God hath joined together."

This objection has a rather formidable aspect, and if well founded, is sufficient to silence and overthrow every attempt at the plan contemplated, and to set it for ever at

rest.

The Lord's words, thus employed, and which seem to convey apparently so astounding an objection, were evidently used by Him in reference to the heavenly marriage of goodness and truth; for these principles the Lord joins together, and requires that they be not put asunder. Now, if Baptism and the Holy Supper are, and mean such heavenly marriage, and the proposed plan puts them asunder, then the objection is valid; but if they are not, and do not mean, such marriage, then, of course, the objection is inadmissible and powerless. That they are not. and do not mean this marriage, is clear from the fact, that the Holy Supper is itself alone the heavenly marriage, the essential constituents being signified by the bread and wine. With this marriage Baptism has no other connexion than as a means of introduction; that is, as a gate and way leading to a house. He who administers Baptism is as a servant stationed at the outer gate, who receives a traveller, and guides him along the way to the door of the house; and he who administers the Holy Supper, is as another servant who opens the door, admits the traveller within the house, and introduces him to the marriage chamber.

If, indeed, Baptism and the Holy Supper are and mean the two essentials of the heavenly marriage, it follows, inasmuch as these essentials must always be together, that both should be administered at the same time; consequently, every time a commu. nicant partakes of the supper, he must also be baptized, which, with some, would be about twelve times a year. Infants are baptized and derive benefit thereby, but no one can participate in the heavenly marriage, signified by the Holy Supper, before he arrives at adult age. From these and many similar considerations it is obvious, that the two sacraments, in the sense implied in the objection, are not joined together; but, on the contrary, are actually distinct and divided, like the two general states with man, the first of which is that of truth leading to good-looking towards heaven and desiring marriage; and the second is when he is regenerated or in good, in heaven, and in marriage.

The Letters received by the London Committee were afterwards forwarded to Manchester, and in a subsequent communication, the Committee observed that the perusal of them did not render it necessary for any alteration to be made in their report.

Baptism and the Holy Supper are, according to Emanuel Swedenborg, two representatives, which the Lord was pleased to retain in the Christian Church, and involve all that was meant in the whole ritual worship of the Jews; this being the case, the office of administrator must also be representative. But the sacraments represent two distinct states of things; a state as to means and a state as to end; wherefore, the representotive character of the administrator must of necessity change in the performance of these two distinct rites, so much so, that no one can administer both sacraments in the same representative character. If, then, the representative character of the administrator does and must change, it surely follows, according to the same order, that the person of the administrator may be changed also; since Baptism represents state as to means, from which it is not possible for man instantaneously to pass into the state as to end, meant by the Holy Supper, nor consistently with his freedom can the Lord introduce him into this state.

Agreeably, therefore, with this law of order, a regulation might be adopted, appointing certain persons to administer that rite which represents a state as to means; and, at the same time. restrict them from administering that which represents a state as to end. From the above remarks, you will perceive, that the Committee here, viewing the matter abstractedly, are decidedly in favor of an affirmative answer to this question; but as a measure of expediency, viewed in connection with the apparent state of the Church, they are no less decisive in saying, the time is not yet.

DAVID HOWARTH, Chairman.
SAMUEL E. COTTAM, Secretary.

II.

REPORT OF THE LONDON COMMITTEE.

The Committee appointed as above-mentioned confess that they have been somewhat indisposed to enter upon the duty thus assigned them, because nearly the same individuals had, in the previous year, constituted a Committee appointed by the Twentyfourth General Conference for maturing a Plan which had been proposed to, and, as to its general features, approved by, that Conference, having for its object the providing for the wants of the Societies not having Ordained Ministers in regard to the administration of the Sacraments. That Plan was finally rejected by the last Conference, and instead of it, a Committee composed of nearly the same members was appointed in London, and another at Manchester, to consider the question recited above. The Committee in London, therefore, having before labored upon a plan which proceeded upon the supposition, that any measure founded upon an affirmative answer to the question now proposed would be insufficient to meet the wants of the Church, cannot be supposed to look with great interest to the solution of that question. Nevertheless, being required by the Conference to give an opinion upon this abstract point, they will endeavor to do so, according to the best light which they have been able to obtain.

The question proposed is, 66 Whether it is in accordance with the laws of Divine Order, to admit persons, by some solemn service, to administer the Sacrament of Baptism only, and not that of the Holy Supper." To assist their judgment in coming to the consideration of this question, the Committee have carefully examined the answers from various Societies and individuals to the Circular issued by the Secretary, requesting opinions upon the subject; and also to a Circular issued by the Manchester Committee to the Societies in the northern part of the Kingdom. The communications which have thus come before them amount in number to about twenty-six. They regret to observe, that the object of the question does not, in general, appear to have been well understood, and that comparatively few of the letters throw any direct light upon the subject. Most, also, mix the question with other topics; and most treat it more upon the ground of expediency at the present time than of principle. Several seem to suppose, that the conclusion, that it is lawful to ordain persons to the administration of the Sacrament of Baptism, without giving them authority to administer the Lord's supper, would be an

exclusion of many Societies from the Lord's supper entirely; which, certainly, the Conference never could contemplate. few of the letters enter into the question of the propriety of there being any distinction whatever of order or degree in the ministry, and urge arguments against it. And one or two propound the opinion, hitherto quite unheard of in the New Church, that every society is competent, not only to determine whom they will accept to be their minister,-a right which, in the New Church, has never been disputed,-but actually to confer upon the object of their choice the ministerial character, and ordain him to the office. In a very few instances (happily-and the circumstance should be mentioned for the honor of the church-they are very few indeed) a warmth is displayed, and an intolerance of feeling towards the sentiments of others is manifested, which are most deeply to be regretted. Why should this be? The Conference has never yet shown a disposition to press any measure upon the Church, or upon individual Societies, contrary to the feelings of Societies; and most unquestionable it is, that, whether right or wrong in judgment, the Ministers and Members of the New Church in Conference assembled have always proved that they were actuated by none but the best of motives,--a sincere desire to do, according to the best of their judgment, what is most conducive to the general good of the Church. To insinuate the contrary, is sadly to violate that charity which should ever reign in the bosom of the member of the New Church. Whenever we feel disposed to urge our own opinions in an intolerant spirit, we should do well to remember, that we thus evince that our own views are very much combined with our own self hood,-an alliance which should induce us, not to confide in, but to distrust, their truth Such an affair as the ordering of the Ministry in the New Church, and the providing for the orderly administration of the sacraments, can only profitably, and with the prospect of a happy result, be discussed in a spirit which may bring down upon the discussion the divine blessing; and that is the spirit which assumes that all who offer an opinion on the subject have as sincere a good intention as ourselves; and that every one who has the same means of forming a right judgment, from his acquaintance with the Holy Word and with the Writings of its New-Church Expositor-which are open to all,-bas the same right to have his opinion carefully and respectfully considered. In this spirit the Committee have endeavored to approach the consideration of the matters before them; and if they shall not have been enabled to offer much that may conduce to their satisfactory adjustment, they trust, at least, that they shall not have done any thing that can promote disunion.

As the letters received embrace, as just observed, so wide a field, it appears proper, in this Report, to include something more than a simple answer to the question proposed by the last Conference, and to touch a little upon the topics introduced in the various communications respecting the institution of a Ministry and its constitution in general. I. Here, then, in the first place, the Committee beg leave to recite the preliminary observations which were prefixed to the plan drawn up by the previous Committee appointed by the Twenty-fourth General Conference. Those observations contain the most general principles respecting the institution of the Ministry which are contained in the writings of the New-Church Herald The validity of the arguments and proofs has never yet been directly called in question, nor does it appear to this Committee how it can be called in question, without denying the authority of the source from which they are taken. And if they are admitted to establish the true principles of the Institution of a New-Church Ministry as far as they go, they will completely remove several of the mistakes adverted to above, as contained in the letters which have come before the Committee. The observations are as follows:

That there is to be an institution of Ministers, as a distinct order of persons for the performance of ecclesiastical functions in the New Church, and that "they are appointed to administer those things which belong to the divine law and worship," are truths acknowledged by all the receivers of the heavenly doctrines, being in those doctrines explicitly declared. (See New Jerusalem and its Heavenly Doctrine, n. 311, 314, 315, 319.)

The chief of the things belonging to the divine law and worship" which persons invested with the ecclesiastical character are to administer, are the leading of the congregation in public worship-the edifying of them by preaching-the sacraments of Bap. tism and the Lord's Supper-the Consecration of Marriages-the Consecration of Places