was explained, and shewn to be similar in its spiritual signification to that of the 1260 days assigned in the Revelation to the duration of the abode in the wilderness of the woman who brought forth the man-child of the doctrine of the New Church. The whole was applied to the circumstances of the occasion, and of the present times. The preparatory service was read with great unction by the Rev. T. Chalklen. In the evening, the whole service was performed by the Rev. J. H. Smithson, minister of the New Jerusalem Church in Peter-street, Manchester, who delivered a luminous and impressive Lecture on the Nature of the Life after Death, proving that man rises in a Spiritual Body immediately after his decease, and that his state of happiness or misery is determined according to his previous life in the world. Some anthems, services, and hymns, were admirably sung by profesfessional and other musical friends, as sisted in the hymns by the congregation at large, under the direction of Mr. Carte, the celebrated performer on the flute, and the harmonious powers of the organ were excellently drawn out by the honorary organist, Mr. Faulkner. All the services were felt, by large congregations, to be eminently delightful and edifying, and devoutly joyful and grateful emotions appeared to animate all. It was announced that, on the following Wednesday, the Rev. Mr. Smithson would deliver a Lecture on the Means of Salvation and the Forgiveness of Sins.-This place of worship makes little pretension to architectural superiority, but it is a very neat and commodious structure, capable of conveniently seating 700 persons; and (what few are aware of) in its general form and arrangement, reference was had, in building it, to the account by Emanuel Swedenborg of places of worship in heaven.-See H. and H. n. 223. and T. C. R. n. 508. Married On Thursday the 20th of March, 1845, at the New Jerusalem Church, Birmingham, by the Rev. Edward Madeley, Mr. Charles William Bragge, of Bristol, to Miss Eleanor Harris, of Bath. On Saturday, 24th May, 1845, at the New Jerusalem Church, Birmingham, by the Rev. Edward Madeley, Mr. Samuel Smith, to Miss Harriet Orme, both of Birmingham. Obituary. so, Father; for so it seemed good in thy Died, on the 22nd December, 1844, aged 30 years, Mrs. Margaret Danson, daughter of Mr. T. Addison, both of the New Church Society, Russell-street, Liverpool. For several years she had assisted in the choir of the church, and was considered to possess no mean vocal abilities. She was one of an amiable and exemplary character, and, at an unexpected time, called from this sphere of usefulness, in the meridian of her days, and in two weeks after the birth of her third child; during which period of time she suffered incessant pain, yet not a murmur escaped her lips. A few days previous to her departure, she partook of the Sacrament of the Holy Supper, with a solemnity and fervour of spirit, her affections being set on things above; and just before her death, she made a last effort, and sang the hymn, “ Spirit born for endless day," as far as the words, "Lend, lend your wings! I mount! I fly!" and then resigned her happy spirit into the hands of the Lord. On the morning of the next Lord's Day, her babe was admitted by baptism "into the communion of the Lord's Church on earth;" and in the evening of the day, a discourse was delivered on the departure of the mother to join the Lord's Church above. "Even his departure. Died, on the 6th of January, 1845, Mr. William Jackman, Skipton, Yorkshire, in the 33rd year of his age. About eight years ago, Mr. Jackman called at a friend's house in Embsay, where he found lying on a table, "The Rev. R. Hindmarsh's Letters to Dr. Priestly." He took up the book, and silently read over two or three pages: while reading, it struck him that he had met with something he had never seen or thought of before. He asked for the loan of the book, and carefully read it over in his leisure hours. He afterwards borrowed E. S.'s Treatise on "Heaven and Hell," and read over that truly sublime work. The result was, the full reception of our heavenly doctrines. In 1839, he became a member of our small society at Embsay, and ever afterwards exerted his influence to spread the doctrines of the New Church. He was the instrument of convincing two or three young men at Skipton of the sublime truths of the new dispensation, to whom, as the instrument of an all-merciful Providence, they expressed their gratitude not long prior to Cave and Sever, Printers, 18, St. Ann's-street, Manchester. ON THE CLAIMS OF SWEDENBORG'S WRITINGS TO THE ATTENTION OF THE CHRISTIAN WORLD. To the Editor of the INTELLECTUAL REPOSITORY. SIR,-I send you herewith a letter addressed to a Clergyman of the Church of England. It contains several extracts well known to many of your readers, but probably new to others. As it is important that the claims of Swedenborg should be kept before the public, you will probably deem it useful to insert the following letter. I am, Sir, respectfully yours, J. K. B. REV. AND DEAR SIR, To the Rev. J. M. The importance of the character you sustain as a minister of the Gospel, and a just sense of the momentous and arduous duties thereto attaching, furnish a very sufficient reason for not troubling you on matters of small importance. Believe me, dear Sir, I would not willingly be an intruder of that kind; but considering that my object in writing is closely connected with your important office; and feeling that my motive is such as conscience approves, and as will approve itself before Him who sitteth on the throne, I am emboldened to proceed. Permit me then, dear Sir, plainly to state my object, and, in the best way I can, to support it. That object is to induce you to an examination of the system and doctrines propounded by Emanuel Swedenborg. I ask this for your own sake, and for the sake of those to whom you minister. If examination convinces you that they are false, your power in support of the opposite truths will be increased, and your statements of them come with increased power to the minds of your hearers. If, on the contrary, you find them true, their blessed light will irradiate your mind with heavenly lustre, and thence be reflected on those over whom your influence extends. The example of the noble Bereans is N. S. NO. 68.-VOL. VI. 2 H always fit to be pleaded: let me then plead it as applicable to the present case. They searched the Scriptures daily, whether these things were so"-that is, those "certain strange things" which we read were brought to Athenian ears. Strange as were the things, and ignorant the people, yet the things were true, and their faithful dealing resulted in the conviction of their truth. But it will, perhaps, be said, "How can such results be expected from examining the works of an impostor-an enthusiast-a madman?" To this I say, "Be not so unjust as to give him those appellations till you have proved, by examination, that they belong to him." Remember that the authorities of the Jewish Church said of Another, He deceiveth the people-He hath a devil and is mad." The following short anecdote will prove that the person to whom it relates could be no impostor : 6 "The extent to which he (Swedenborg) carried his principle of speaking the truth in every little matter, may be judged of from the following fact. In 1769 he went to Paris, with the intent of printing there his True Christian Religion.' The censor of the press, M. Chevreuil, informed him that a tacit permission would be granted; but that the title must say, Printed at London, or, at Amsterdam.' But he refused to concur in this evasion, and the work was, bona fide, printed at Amsterdam. This anecdote was received from M. Chevreuil himself." In regard to the term " Enthusiast," I submit another extract :— “There is no possibility of explaining the character of Swedenborg, the works he has produced, and the instances of supernatural power recorded of him, upon any other hypothesis than that which admits the truth of its claims. I verily believe that this admission would force itself upon all who would go through with the examination. Certain it is that the fact has been tacitly acknowledged by some. The Monthly Review, for instance, though it has sometimes indulged in ill-placed levity in regard to Swedenborg's writings, yet, on the first publication in English of his Treatise on Heaven and Hell,' which is precisely the work of his that may most easily be distorted into matter of ridicule, spoke of the author in the following tone of moderation:-Count Swedenborg (so it styles him) is certainly to be ranked among the wonders of the age; for though enthusiasts and visionaries have arisen at all times, it is very rare to meet with one who so calmly, yet confidently, and with so much simplicity and cool reasoning, relates the frequent interviews he has had with the world of spirits.' The Reviewers then give an extract from the book, after which they say, 'In whatever light we regard this author, there is something truly astonishing in him and his writings. He was a man of eminence and distinction in his country,' &c., continuing to relate much that was honourable in his character, and concluding with an extract from the translator's preface, exhorting to the perusal of his works. In their account of The New Jerusalem and its Heavenly Doctrine,' after a sort of abstract of its contents, they say, 'Possibly when the dectrine here taught is stripped of its peculiar garb, it will be found to mean nothing more than that real piety, integrity, and goodness of heart, which all good men must plead for, and earnestly wish to see universally prevail. We will only add, that while we cannot but consider the late Count Swedenborg as an enthusiast of the first order, we must also regard him as most extraordinary, and indeed a most WONDERFUL man!'* We here see precisely the same feeling as the force of truth, by another of its distinguished proclaimers, excited in one of old, whose previous habits had, in like manner, disqualified him from receiving it; but who, while under its influence for a moment, could not refrain from exclaiming,—' Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian!' The previous habits of the Monthly Reviewers, together with the character they had to maintain, constrained them to speak of Swedenborg as an enthusiast; while the force of truth compelled them to admit, that he was such an enthusiast as the world had never before seen. What could have made them say, 'In whatever light we view this author, there is something truly astonishing in him and his writings?'—what but an inward consciousness, though not acknowledged to themselves, that no other hypothesis could explain the phænomena of his case, but that which the author himself assigns? without which his character and writings must ever remain an inexplicable riddle, calculated to generate all that astonishment which attends the combination of contradictions. What more extraordinary contradiction than to talk of a CALM and COOLLY-REASONING enthusiast? WHOSE DOCTRINE, too, is such as all good men must earnestly wish should become universal; that is, is THE ESSENCE OF REASON AND EXCELLENCE!” But Swedenborg is called a "madman," equally as his Divine Master. This imputation against Swedenborg has been distinctly traced to ONE PERSON. Wesley was the first who, in his " Arminian Magazine," gave it general currency. He derived his information from a Swedish clergyman, named Mathesius, who gave as his authority. one Brockmer, with whom Swedenborg had lodged nearly forty years before. Brockmer wast a Moravian, and no disciple of Swedenborg; but an honest man, and not disposed to aid in the propagation of falsehood. He was still alive * It is a very pleasing circumstance, to see in the same publication which thus characterized Swedenborg, about sixty-six years ago, the very able and satisfactory review of the "Animal Kingdom," and the high estimation in which it is clear the Reviewer holds Swedenborg as a philosopher. at the time of Wesley's imputation, and being specially applied to for information-in the first place, positively denied that he had ever spoken to Mathesius on the subject—and, in the second, declared that the asserted facts were false. But what became of the fabricator of falsehood? Hear the testimony of a respectable Swede named Bergstrom, who, also, was no disciple of Swedenborg, but in whose house, in London, Swedenborg had lodged:-"Mr. Mathesius was an opponent of Swedenborg, and said that he was lunatic, &c., but it is remarkable that he went lunatic himself; which happened one day when he was in the Swedish church, and about to preach: I was there and saw it. He has been so ever since, and sent back to Sweden, where he now is this was about four years ago." This account was given in May, 1787. He never recovered the use of his reason; but after subsisting several years on the bounty of the King of Sweden, finally died mad.-(See Psalm vii. 14, 15.) But Swedenborg pretends, it is said, to have had for many years communication with the world of spirits, with heaven and hell. Upon this subject there is abundance of Scriptural warrant for the existence of such communication in ancient days; but there is no parallel authority to shew that it is impossible or improbable now. The facts, therefore, being wholly incapable of proof or disproof by others, must, when they regard only the spiritual world, stand upon their own merits, in conjunction with the character of him who propounds them. When that communication relates to affairs of the natural world, it has, in addition, the corroborating evidence of inhabitants of this world, which it will be impossible to disprove, and which, by the laws of evidence, ought to be received.* Examined in this way, the instances of Swedenborg's spiritual communication-both the purely spiritual, and those which relate to natural affairs-possess a weight of evidence which, to my mind, it seems utterly impossible to overcome. It must be remembered that Swedenborg never uses any of his spiritual communications for proof of his doctrines, (those proofs are all derived from the Word) and that he never mentions at all in his * Nothing can destroy the evidence of testimony in any case, but a proof or probability that persons are not competent judges of the facts to which they give testimony; or that they are actually under some indirect influence in giving it, in such particular case. Till this be made out, the natural laws of human actions require that testimony be admitted. It can never be sufficient to overthrow direct historical evidence, indolently to say, that there are so many principles from whence men are liable to be so deceived themselves, and disposed to deceive others, especially in matters of religion, that one knows not what to believe."-Butler's "Analogy," part 2, chap 7. |