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when applied to the understanding; for to educate the will is to train it for resistance against evil. This is taking up the cross and following the Lord, or habituating the will to shun evils as sins against him, heaven, and our neighbour; and, as there is given to every degree of mind a power of resistance against the evils of that degree, so when superior light makes manifest the evils, if the will has been well trained, it opposes the evil; and by this process the will and understanding become united, and heaven's light and heat enter the mind and bring forth the harvest of angelic bliss.

In considering the importance of these things, I have been led to reflect on the means we are in possession of for the advancement of this great work. It is true we have no universities; nor are we in possession of the means of educating men expressly for the New Church; yet it is folly to overlook the things we are in possession of. We have, in the societies of Manchester and Salford, meetings for the express purpose of raising up a body of men capable of conveying spiritual truth to the world, and of becoming worthy ministers in the Lord's church. With these feeble means, the church in Lancashire has been raised to the eminence of being called the Paradise of the Lord's Church.

The reason why the church in Lancashire is in such a flourishing condition, is attributable to missionary exertions, and it will be found, on examination, that many, or most, of her ministers and missionaries have sprung from these humble meetings, and that their labours have added to the church hundreds of worthy members. When I calmly survey the amazing amount of real vital good that has arisen from such simple means, I see, at one glance, that they are the only universities that we are in possession of. It is, then, the positive duty of every lover of the church to make them as efficient as possible. If it should be stated that no more can be done than what has been done, I state in reply, that more may be done, if the right means be taken.

What is wanted to advance these meetings is co-operation and organization. We want to bring forth the hidden talents of the youths of the New Church; and to do it more effectually, we should institute prize essays on the most important doctrines of the Word, giving the ministers the power of deciding the prizes to the various competitors. But some will say, let them do it without reward. I should say the same, if it could be accomplished without it; but it cannot; for we well know that external things are what youths principally look to. Why not, then, make use of those things, and turn them to their improvement and the benefit of the Church? By gradually instituting improvements, these meetings might in time form a nucleus

from which majestic institutions might arise. If any one asks where are the funds to come from? I answer, boldly apply to the Church. Surely there are to be found individuals who have both the means and the will to place these meetings on more extensive principles; and future generations will thank them for their praiseworthy efforts. Since the foundation of our Tract societies, the importance of literary compositions is becoming more evident. We shall want (and do now) men who can handle the pen as well as the tongue; and a wide field is now opened for the exercise of intellectual talent. Let us, then, make use of the means, and we may, with confidence, prophesy the result. We shall then find that we have struck upon a right vein, that will yield virgin gold in great abundance, and fill the coffers of our Tract institutions.

The subject must be of vital importance to the Church; for we find that Conference took into consideration the means of raising an efficient ministry; but the plans were so impracticable that they were abandoned and for what reason?-Because the notions upon the subject were so sublimated, that all tangibility ceased: but it is not the case with this plan. We have the groundwork, and all that is required is the superstructure. I must, in conclusion, call earnestly upon all societies in the vineyard of the Lord to establish these meetings in their various churches. Do you wish to see efficient men in your pulpits? Then exert yourselves, and the Lord will bless your efforts, and his divine providence will take care that watchmen are not wanting on the walls of Jerusalem.

O. P.

DOCUMENTS CONCERNING SWEDENBORG.

IN two former numbers of our periodical, for May, p. 193, and for June, p. 227, we have referred to certain documents concerning Swedenborg, lately received from Sweden. We have inserted a translation of the letter of the Swedish clergyman, the Rev. Arwed Ferelius, who visited Swedenborg on his death-bed. Amongst the early receivers of the doctrines of the New Church in Sweden, was the

* As objections have been made to the translation of this letter, which appeared in our periodical for June, we wrote an explanatory letter to the parties making the objections; but as we have heard that the explanation given is not satisfactory, we think it advisable to decline entering further into the subject in the Intellectual Repository for the present, and have referred the matter to the proprietors of the Magazine, who, at the ensuing Conference, will examine the objections alleged against the translation in question.-EDITOR.

*

learned and pious Dr. Beyer, Professor of Greek, and Assessor in the Consistory of Gottenburg. This gentleman afterwards corresponded with Swedenborg, whose letters, in reply to certain queries of Dr. Beyer, have been preserved. Ten of these letters appeared in the New Jerusalem Magazine for 1790, whence they were transferred to the Documents concerning Swedenborg, which have been lately published. See pp. 164-180. Amongst the Documents lately received from Sweden, there are four additional letters addressed by Swedenbord to Dr. Beyer, dated at Amsterdam and Stockholm, 1769, 1770, and 1771, which have not yet been translated into English.

The first letter, which is dated Amsterdam, April 15, 1769, and which, says Dr. Tafel, is evidently addressed to Dr. Beyer, the Professor and member of the Consistory, is as follows:

"In the letter of the honoured Mr. P. Hammarberg, I have received a copy of the deposition or reflections of Dr. Ekebom, the dean, concerning the writings published by me.t Enclosed you will receive my defence, which you will have the kindness to hand over to the venerable Consistory, after having taken a copy of it for yourself, and one for the bishop, which I will thank you to send to him. Should the Dr. and Dean [Ekebom] not recal his deposition or reflections, and entirely reject them, I intend, as the remarks or opinions of the council, of the high court, and of the colleges, have been published, that the deposition of the dean and my defence shall also be published; upon which I can afterwards commence an action at law concerning the proceedings. Next week I intend to go to Paris. Should any thing particularly important occur in this matter, I wish in Paris to receive news concerning it, through a letter addressed to the care of Count Gust. Phil. Creutz, the ambassador. With heartfelt salutations to my acquaintance and friends in Gottenburg, I remain, &c.

"Amsterdam, April 15, 1769."

After this letter, follows, in the Swedish Documents, the reply of Swedenborg to Dr. Ekebom's deposition, in two papers, which are inserted in the Documents, &c.,lately published, pp. 194–201.

The next letter is dated April 23, 1769, and is, no doubt, addressed to Dr. Beyer:

* See Documents concerning the Life and Character of Emanuel Swedenborg, p. 88, where we read an account of the way in which Dr. Beyer first became acquainted with Swedenborg and his Writings.

In respect to the inquiry instituted by Dr. Ekebom, the Dean of Gottenburg, concerning the writings of Swedenborg, before the Consistory of that place, and the persecution which he endeavoured to raise against Drs. Beyer and Rosen, the reader is referred to the Documents, &c., p. 181, where he will find an historical notice of the affair. Respecting Swedenborg's visit to Paris, see Documents, &c., p. 115.

N. S. No. 32.-VOL. 3.

Q Q

"I send you herewith ten copies of the work published by me, entitled, De Amore Conjugiali, which you can sell, when an opportunity arises, at nine copper dollars (Swedish) the copy. This book is much in request at Paris, and in many places in Germany.

"Of the work lately published, namely, Summaria Expositio Doctrina Novæ Ecclesiæ, I send only one copy: you will oblige me by keeping this for yourself alone, and by communicating it to nobody, because it contains an improvement of the whole system of theology prevalent at the present day in the Christian world; and, to a certain extent, it also contains the theology, which shall be that of the New Church. What is therein contained will, with difficulty, be understood by any in Gottenburg, except by yourself. This small work has been sent to all the professors and divines in Holland, and has already come to the principal German universities, and it is now being translated into English at London: it will also be published at Paris. On which account we must first wait for the opinions and judgment concerning it out of Sweden, before it is made publicly known in Sweden. I therefore request that you will, till then, keep it for yourself.

"On the 26th April I shall set off for Paris. I remain, with all friendly wishes, &c., yours, &c.

"Amsterdam, April 23, 1769."*

The next letter is dated from Stockholm, the 12th April, 1770, and is also addressed to Dr. Beyer :

"Only two days ago I received your letter of the last month (March), and was surprised, as I read it through, at the reports, which, it appears, have come from Stockholm to Gottenburg, to the effect that yourself, together with Dr. Rosen, shall be deposed, and banished the country, which I certainly cannot believe, since it contradicts my reason to suppose, that any person can be deposed from his office, and banished from the country, from his mere allegation that he is a heretic in the highest degree, without even an inquiry being made into the principal state of the question. In the printed protocols I nowhere find that the parties have even gone into the subject, but that they have only endeavoured to make an attack [upon my writings] with unworthy reproaches and insults, whereas the subject itself, and the state of the question is this: whether it be permitted to address ourselves immediately to the Redeemer and Saviour Jesus Christ, or whether we be obliged to go a round-about way, namely, to God the Father, that he may impute to us the merit and righteousness of his Son and send

* In a note Dr. Tafel says, the Swedish Documents have 1760; but this is a misprint.

the holy spirit? But that we should go the other way, which is the straight way, namely, to the Redeemer Jesus Christ, is in accordance both with the Augsburg Confession, and the Formula Concordiæ, and also with our own prayers and psalms; and it entirely agrees with the Word of God.

"In the Augsburg Confession are the following words: For [the Scripture] sets before us Christ alone as Mediator, Propitiator, High Priest, and Intercessor; he is to be invoked, or addressed; and he has promised that he will hear our prayers; and the Sacred Scripture very greatly approves of this worship, namely, that he should be invoked, or addressed, in all afflictions.' (1 John 2, 1.)*

"In the Formula Concordiæ are the following words: 'We have a command, that we should call upon Christ according to that saying, 'Come unto me all ye who labour,' &c., which is certainly said to us; and Isaiah says, ch. 11, ‘In that day there shall be a root of Jesse, which shall stand for an ensign of the people. On him shall the nations call.' And in Psalm 45, The rich among the people shall entreat thy countenance.' And in Psalm 72, And all kings of the earth shall fall down before him. And in another verse, 'They shall pray before him continually. And in John 5, Christ says, 'All shall honour the Son, even as they honour the Father. See also Paul, 1, Thess. 2. What is here adduced is taken verbatim therefrom† (Formula Concordia). "In our Psalm book there are prayers and psalms which are addressed solely to Jesus Christ. As an example, I will adduce only from Psalm 266, the following, Jesus is my defence, and my heart's delight. Hear, O Jesus, my voice! Depending on Christ I shall be safe, and free from sin. I shall not fear Satan, howsoever he may rage; Jesus stands by me. All cares which burden my heart I cast upon Jesus; he cares for me before the day begins; now I live securely.' Verses 1, 3, 8.

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Besides all this, there are in two of my letters, which have been received and printed in the Gottenburg protocols, many proofs adduced

"Quia unum Christum nobis proponit mediatorem, propitiatorem, pontificem, et intecressorem, ille invocandus est, et promisit, se exauditurum esse preces nostras, et [Scriptura Sacra] hunc cultum maxime probat, videlicet ut invocetur in omnibus afflictionibus. 1 [John] 2.

"+ Mandatum habemus, ut invocemus Christum, juxta illud: Venite ad me qui laboratis, &c., quod certe nobis quoque dictum est; et Esajas ait 11. In die illa stabit radix Jessæ in signum populorum. Ipsum gentes deprecabuntur; et Psalm 45, Vultum tuum deprecabuntur omnes divites plebis; et Psalm 72, Et adorabunt Eum omnes reges terræ ; et paulo post, Orabunt coram Eo jugiter; et John 5, inquit Christus, Ut omnes honorificent filium sicut honorificant Patrem. Et (quoque) Paulus, 1,

Thess. 2."

These letters may be seen in the Documents concerning Swedenborg, p. 194-201.

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