and Secretary of the Council for putting this year’s program together, and all
the clergy for conducting themselves in a charitable manner. As for sharing the
papers, this was not to be done without the author’s permission, while authors
were cautioned to make it clear that in publishing their papers, they were not
to imply that they were speaking for the clergy as a whole.
The meetings concluded with worship, led by the Rev. Lawson M. Smith,
who read a selection of passages from Jeremiah.
(Photos are courtesy of the Rev. Kenneth Alden.)
The Rev. Kenneth J. Alden is pastor of the Boynton Beach New
Church in Florida and visiting pastor to Bonita Springs, Florida.
He has served also in Mitchellville, Maryland, the Carmel
Church in Kitchener, Ontario, Canada, and the Colchester New
Church in England. He and his wife, Kim (Truax), live in Lake
Worth, Florida, with their family.
Contact: [email protected]
O U R N E W C H U RC H V O C A B U L A R Y
Part of a continuing series developed by the Rev. W. Cairns Henderson, 1961-1966.
CHARITY
This is one of the most important and distinctive terms used in the Writings. In the
world today, charity is thought of almost entirely in terms of private or organized relief of
material want. According to the Writings, however, charity is not an action at all – although it
has no reality unless it is ultimate in deeds.
Charity is to will well, and to do good works is to do well from willing well. In itself,
charity is an internal affection which consists in a man’s desiring from the heart, as the delight
of his life, to do good to the neighbor, and this without thought of recompense; and its essence
is to will well to the neighbor, to be affected with good, and to acknowledge good as the
neighbor. The life of charity is to act sincerely, justly and faithfully in one’s office. (See True
Christian Religion 374; Doctrine of Faith 13; Arcana Coelestia 8033; New Jerusalem and its
Heavenly Doctrine 101)
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