Swedenborgians

SWEDENBORGIANS. The disciples and followers of Emanuel von Swedenborg (1688-1772). His real name was Swedberg. His father Jesper Swedberg (1653-1735) was Bishop of Skara in West Gothland. After studying at Upsala University, Emanuel sought to extend his know ledge and experience by travel. He acquired an exten sive knowledge of physical science, and on his return to his own country he started a scientific journal called " Thedalus Hyperboreus " (1716-1718). He was brought to the notice of Charles XII., and In 1716 was appointed Assessor Extraordinary in the Royal College of Mines at Stockholm. When Charles XII. was besieging Frederiekshall, a fortress in Norway, Emanuel Swed berg's mechanical skill was of great service to him. In 1719 Swedberg was ennobled by Queen Ulrica Eleanora, successor of Charles XII., and his name was changed to Swedenborg. After this he began a literary career of great fruitfulness, publishing papers on the longitude, algebra, physics, mechanics, etc. In 1724 he was invited to become Professor of Mathematics in the University of Upsala, but declined. In 1734 he published at Leipsic, at the expense of the Duke of Brunswick. a work in three volumes on the various methods of mining and smelting and on the origin of creation, Opera Philosaphica et Mineralia. The first volume was called " Principia, or the First Principles of Natural Things, being New Attempts towards a Philosophical Explanation of the Elementary World." In the same year he published a more metaphysical and theological work entitled " Philo sophical Argument on the Infinite, and the Final Cause of Creation; and on the Mechanism of the Operation of Soul and Body." After more travels, he published in 1740 his " Economy of the Animal Kingdom." The year 1743 marks the turning-point in his life. In this year he claims to have received supernatural revelations. In one of his most important works, published some years later, " True Christian Religion," he says " I foresee that many who read the Memorable Relations annexed to each chapter of this work, will believe them to be the fictions of imagination; but I protest in truth they are not fictions, but were really seen and heard; not seen and heard in any state of the mind in sleep, but in a state of complete wakefulness; for it has pleased the Lord to manifest himself to me, and to send me to teach those things which will belong to his New Church, which is meant by the New Jerusalem in the Revelation. For this purpose he has opened the interiors of my mind or spirit, by which privilege it has been permitted me to be with angels in the spiritual world, and with men in the natural world at the same time, and that now for twenty-seven years." In 1745 he published a philosophi cal work called " The Worship and Love of God," but he had not yet reached the complete change in the direc tion of his life. His characteristic philosophy is to be gleaned from the works that followed. In 1747 he resigned his assessorship in order to devote all his time and energies to his spiritual work. His philosophy was developed in " Areana Ccelestia," an exposition of the Books of Genesis and Exodus (1749-56); " Heaven and Hell " (175S): " The Last Judgment and the Destruction of Babylon " described as being a relation of things heard and seen "; " The White Horse, men tioned in the Revelation, chap. six." (175S); " Angelic Wisdom concerning the Divine Love and the Divine Wisdom " (1763); " Angelic Wisdom concerning the Divine Providence" (1764); " The Apocalypse Revealed " (1766): " Conjugal Love and its Chaste Delights " (176S); " The True Christian Religion " (1771). The " Areana Cwlestia " was written in London while Swenclenborg was living at 26 Great Bath Street, Coldbath Fields, Clerkenwell. He died in London on the 29th of March, 1772. His disciples before his death were not many. One of them was Thomas Hartley (1709?-17S4), who trans lated one of Swedenborg's works. After Swedenborg's death, his writings gradually became better known. John Clowes (1743-1S31), Vicar of S. John's, Manchester, in 17S0 founded a Swedenborgian printing society, which in 17S1 began to issue translations of Swedenborg's works made by Clowes himself. In 17S3 Robert Hindmarsh (1759-1S35), a Clerkenwell printer, formed a small Swedenborgian Society, which met at S. Paul's Coffee House, St. Paul's Churchyard. Out of this grew " The Theosophical Society " which was " instituted for the purpose of promoting the heavenly doctrines of the New Jerusalem, by translating, printing, and publishing the theological writings of the Honourable Emanuel Sweden borg." It held its meetings in New Court, Middle Temple. in 17S8 Robert Hindmarsh opened a chapel in East Cheap: the name of the Society was changed to " The New Church "; and an " Order of worship for the New Church signified by the New Jerusalem in the Revelation " was agreed upon. Hindmarsh acted as priest, and was charged afterwards to ordain others. In 1793 he built a chapel in Cross Street, Hatton Garden. In the same year a chapel was opened in Peter Street, Manchester. In 1815 three orders of ministers were established. The doctrines of Swedenborg have been sum marized by J. Clowes. As regards the Sacred Writings, he thinks no one else has explained so clearly their divine original, and the nature of their divine inspiration. " He not only venerates their Divine authority on all occa sions, therein grounding, and thereby confirming every doctrine which he delivers; he was not only well read in the sacred oracles, almost above the example of any other person, in the present or former times: but he likewise asserts, and proves indisputably, that there is contained in the Holy Books an internal spiritual sense heretofore little known, to which the outward literal sense serves as a basis, or receptacle, answering or corresponding thereto In a figurative, allegorical, or symbolical way, as a type answers to its archetype, or as a representative to the thing represented. He shews that in this internal sense consists the spirituality and Divinity of the Sacred Writings, whereby they essentially differ from all other books whatsoever; and that by virtue of this sense they are adapted, not only to the use of men on earth, hut of angels in heaven: containing the great eternal laws of that Order, whereby the heavens are formed, preserved, and governed, and whereby man is reformed, regenerated, and restored to heavenly order : being thus accommo dated to the instruction and perfecting of all intelligences from the highest to the lowest " (p. 50 f.). As regards

the Christian life, Swedenborg declares that a man can not be saved by charity, or faith, or good works alone; by a moral life without a spiritual life, or by a spiritual life without a moral life: by divine grace without his own free exertions, or by his own free exertions without divine grace. " A truly Christian life is a life which leads to heaven; and to be led to heaven is the same thing as to be formed in the image, likeness, and spirit of heaven, according to our Lord's declaration, 6 The kingdom of heaven is within you.' A truly Christian life, therefore, is that which tends most perfectly to open and form in man the image, likeness, and spirit of heaven. But whereas man consists of different parts or prin ciples, each of them capable, in its degree, of receiving this heavenly image, likeness, and spirit, therefore this heavenly image, likeness, and spirit cannot be fully opened and formed, unless it be opened and formed in each part or principle. These parts or principles are, in general, the will, the understanding. and the act or opera! ion thence proceeding. A truly Christian life therefore Lath respect to these three several parts or principles of man, to open and form each of them accord ing to the image, likeness, and spirit of heaven. The will is thus opened and formed by charity, with all its heavenly attendant graces and virtues. The under standing is thus opened and formed by faith, with all the bright knowledges and perceptions of holy truth thereto appertaining. And, lastly, the act or operation is so formed by good works, or an obedient practice of the things which charity and faith dictate. A truly Christian life, therefore, or a life which leads to heaven, is a life of charity, of faith, and of good works con jointly" (p. 57 f.). As regards qualifications for admis sion into the kingdom of heaven, poverty is not neces sarily one of them. " It is the love of wealth, and not the mere possession thereof, which is a hindrance to man's salvation. These writings clearly prove that it is self-love and the love of the world that oppose and obstruct man's entrance into heaven; because these two kinds of love are principally opposite to the pure love of God and of our neighbour; in which the life of heaven consists, and by which it is opened and formed in man. In living therefore a life which leads to heaven, the chief difficulty is, according to the testimony of Baron Sweden borg, to remove self-love and the love of the world, with their various attendant concupiscences, so that the love of God and neighbourly love may have free admission into the heart, and formation in the life. It is therefore of no consequence, in this respect, whether a man be rich or poor as to his outward circumstances, because in either case he may remain in self-love and the love of the world, or he may purify himself from those unclean affections " (p. P,3 f.). The New Church demands a new state of mind, not a radical change in the external state of civil society. " There will, therefore, still continue to be a difference of station, of office, and of character amongst men, but the pride and vanity arising from that difference will be removed and lost; for every member of the New Jerusalem, from the highest to the lowest, will consider himself as a servant of the public, in the station appointed for him by an all-wise Providence, to promote the common good under the influence of the same common spirit of good-will and charity. And thus, though there be a difference of office, employment, and character, yet all being influenced by one and the same spirit, the first will be last, and the last first.' Kings therefore, and those who are in authority, will execute judgment and justice in the earth. Priests, and those who have spiritual administration, will wait on their ministry, publishing the pure laws of spiritual order and truth from the pure love thereof. Soldiers will be courageous from principle, and will be valiant in defence of the just laws of nations, but without violence, injus tice, or cruelty. Merchants will pursue commerce, not in the spirit of covetousness, but of universal good-will, to open the doors of communication between distant people, in the way of mutual comfort, convenience, and benevolence. Mechanics will be skilful and industrious, each in his several occupation, but without vice and arti fice. Scholars will study the sciences, not in the pride thereof, but in the pure affection of truth." Sweden borg says little about forms of external worship, though he evidently attached importance to the outward rites of Baptism and the Lord's Supper. In other respects he seems to have felt that people should be free to use such forms as best suited their spiritual requirements. They are even warned to be slow to reject those forms of wor ship which are publicly sanctioned and in which they have been educated. Like certain other religious leaders, apparently he himself had no idea of founding a sect. Swedenborg's philosophy is essentially spiritual. "Accord ing to the testimony of the Sacred Writings, as opened by Baron Swedenborg, every man path communication and association with the invisible world of spirits— whether he knows it or not—according to the nature. quality, and extent of his wisdom, as grounded in, and derived from, that love. If, therefore, the ruling prin ciples of man's will be formed according to heavenly love, which is love to the Lord, and love towards his neighbour, and the ruling persuasions of his under standing be formed according to the wisdom of such love —which is the genuine truth of the holy commandment or Word of God—he then lives, wills, thinks, speaks, and acts proportionably from heaven, and in conjunction therewith, and is in invisible association continually with the blessed inhabitants thereof, being internally, as to his spirit, united to, and one with them." See the biographies by Schaarschmidt (1862), W. White (1867, new ed. 1871), and J. J. Garth Wilkinson (2nd ed. 1886); R. L. Tafel, Documents concerning the Life and Character of Swedenborg, 3 vols., 1875-77; J. Clowes, Outlines of Swedenborg's Doctrines, 1873; the publications of the " Swedenborg Society "; J. H. Blunt; and Chambers' Encyci.