New Church Worthies

OR

Early but Little-Known Disciples of the Lord in Diffusing the Truths of the New Church

Rev. Dr. Jonathan Bayley
New Jerusalem Church, Kensington, London

James Speirs, 36, Bloomsbury Street, W., London, 1884

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"The Lamb shall overcome them: for He is Lord of lords and King of kings: and they that are with Him are CALLED AND CHOSEN AND FAITHFUL" (Rev. XVII., 14).

Preface
Appendix
Samuel Dawson, First Leader
Samuel Crompton, Inventor of Mule
Oberlin, Originator of Infant Schools
Buchanan, Introducer of Cheap Day Schools
Mr. Agnew, Introducer of Cheap Day Schools in the North of England
Mr. Cookworthy, A Friend, The First Translator
Mr. Mottram, and Friends of Mr. Clowes
Mr. F.M. Hodson
Mr. Geo. H[a]w[o]rth, of Accrington
Mr. Broadfield, of Manchester
Mr. Cordin, of Salford
Mr. Boardman, and Middleton
Mr. Wild, and Heywood
Mr. Daniel Dunn, of London
Mr. Glen and New Church in America
Johnny Appleseed
Mr. Thos. Wilson, of Failsworth
John Heywood and Radcliffe
Thomas Gee of Ringley and Kearsley
Job Abbott and Midland Counties
Mr. Tuting and Church in Scotland, One of Eight
M. Richer and New Church in France
The Noble Mouravieff; Freedom of the Serfs
Carl Deleen; New Church in Sweden
Dr. I. Tafel and Gustav Werner
The Two Seniors; The New Church in Yorkshire
Mr. Watson, The Model Deacon
Francis Oliver Finch, Artist and Friend of Mutual Improvement Society
Mr. Bateman and Mr. Crompton, Founders of New Church College
Hiram Powers, the Great Sculptor
Mr. Becconsall, of Preston
John Finnie, Esq., of Bowdon
Flaxman, The World-Renowned Sculptor


Preface top

The object of the following biographical sketches is to endeavour to preserve the remembrance of those worthy men who, though they have not stood in the first rank as APOSTLES OF THE NEW DISPENSATION, have yet been distinguished for such faithful, steady assistance in the diffusion of New Church Truth, that we would willingly keep their memories fresh and green.

They are of the class of which it is written, "They that feared the Lord spake often one to another : and the Lord hearkened and heard, and a Book of Remembrance was written before Him, for them that feared the Lord, and that thought upon His Name. And they shall be mine, saith the Lord of hosts, in that day when I make up my jewels."

We have not confined our regard for these worthy fellow-labourers to England, nor indeed to Great Britain, for our desire was to give some information of the manner in which stream after stream was opened for the flow into other lands of those truths that, commencing with the One Saviour, the Father in the Son, God in Christ, in whom dwells "all the fulness of the Godhead bodily," will bring into loving unity all the nations of the earth : "I in them," as the Lord Jesus said, "and Thou in me, that they may be made perfect in One" (John xvii., 23).

We could not aim at being exhaustive in a small work like this. We could only hope to afford specimens and recollections we would not willingly let die, which may stimulate us all to diffuse truths which will brighten the intellect, animate the hope, and direct the steps of those who strive to prepare for heaven by becoming heavenly.

Appendix top

From a letter in the New Church Messenger, Jan. 21, 1885, signed by C. T. Odhner, it appears that in the article "Carl Deleen, and the New Church in Sweden," several particulars are not quite as accurate as the more exact detailed knowledge of our friend, whom I presume is a Swede, would make them. My information has been obtained during my different visits to Sweden, but (in referring to details of time and place so distant may not always avoid inaccuracy, but are as accurate as I can make them) I accept our friend's corrections with thanks, and place them at the command of my readers, and am pleased that nothing more important needs correction. The John referred to in Dr. Kahl's letter which our friend says caused him perplexity was evidently Jean Baptiste Bernadotte referred to by his name Jean, turned into English, John. I insert the letter (except a few lines) as follows.



J. Bayley

The Letter

"The Royal Library of Stockholm contains a copy of New Jerusalem, and its Heavenly Doctrines, translated by C. F. Nordenskold, 1788, and the True Christian Religion, translated by Dean Odhner, in 1795. These books, as far as I know, are the first translations of the writings in Swedish. Mr. Deléen did not commence his translations before 1817.

"It is further stated that Mr. Deléen, at his own expense, published all the writings, but the truth is that the Society pro Fide et Charitate, which existed in Sweden from 1795 to 1830, furnished nearly all the means. Other mistakes are made, such as that Dr. Beyer was Greek Professor at Stockholm, when he really was Doctor of Theology at the Gymnasium or High School at Gottenburg. Mr. C. Johansen is called an able clergyman, but was in fact a steel labourer in Eskilstuna. Dr. Kahl, of Lund, is said to be next under the Archbishop of Sweden, when yet there are two degrees of honor between his office and that of a Bishop. Geyer, the national historian, is called a 'thorough receiver of the doctrines,' but when placed on his trial he openly denied his belief in the New Church. It is further stated that in the year 1772 a small society of affectionate receivers was formed by Nordenskiold and Wadstrom, when neither of those gentlemen became acquainted with the writings before 1773."

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