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Word, cannot be greater than the Word which they explain, although the explanation bring to light higher truths than were previously derived from the Word, or were even known to those who wrote it. So far as relates to the two conditions, we regard the one simply as the complement of the other, and both to be the result of the Divine goodness,— the first to reveal, the second to unfold, the eternal truths of the Holy Word. The literal sense and the spiritual sense belong to different periods of mental and religious development,—the literal, to the time of the Lord's first advent; the spiritual, to the time of His second.

But there is another part of Swedenborg's mission which his biographer and critic considers. The Lord, who appeared to him, promised not only to dictate to him what he should write, but to open his eyes to see the objects of the spiritual world. "And the same night the eyes of my interior man were opened."

"And let us remark (says M. Matter) the purport of these words. We have not to deal with a new idea, or a vast assemblage of ideas, but with a radical modification in the organism of all the faculties, of the whole human existence of Swedenborg."

We are surprised that any one who admits the testimony of the Scriptures, should consider the opening of the eyes of a man's spirit as an act involving such a change. Every instance recorded in the Bible of a man on earth seeing an inhabitant of heaven, implies that he was for the time the subject of this change, for spiritual beings can only be seen by spiritual eyes. M. Matter considers the opening of the eyes of the spiritual body as involving a greater organical change of all the faculties than acquiring a vast assemblage of ideas; in other words, he considers the opening of the eyes as implying a greater change than the opening of the understanding. But the reverse is the truth. It is much easier to see spiritual objects than to understand spiritual truths. The one requires only the opening of an organ; the other requires the development of a faculty. Accordingly we find Swedenborg had the eyes of his interior man opened the same night, and he probably saw the objects of the spiritual world as distinctly then as he did twenty years afterwards; but he did not nearly so well understand them, for the faculty by which he understood what he saw in the spiritual world, and what he read in the Word, had to be educated and developed; and so we find that his spiritual illumination was gradually perfected, as some of his earlier manuscripts testify; and it was not till after several years of preparation, that he commenced his first great work, the Arcana Cœlestia.

But this opening of the eyes of his interior man is not the whole of the privilege granted to Swedenborg. He receives a commission to go into heaven and into hell.

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"No mortal (our critic says) has ever been placed in a similar condition. That Christ might converse with Moses and Elias, they had to descend on the Mount of Transfiguration. Swedenborg goes into the heavens to converse with whom he will. It appears that several of the faithful themselves made exceptions to Swedenborg's visions, to judge by General Tixeu, 'who wished that his friend had not put in his writings revelations that shocked many of his readers.' And at the distance we are at this day from all the facts, what reasonable idea can we form of the faculty of itineration which Swedenborg attributes to himself?

"It appears to us that one of three views will have to be selected which best suits each one's mind: either to reject it as a sad delusion, which casts a shade on the life of a great man, that is to say, to reject it with a sincere compassion for such a mental misfortune; or else to take it for such as he gives it, and in this case to regard him as a unific specimen of the human species; or to seek a new explanation of it, better than any of those which have hitherto been given, because not one of these will bear examination.

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'Evidently this third view is the only reasonable one; but it is the most difficult. How shall we find or even risk a new explanation when all explanation has failed? There is a new one certainly; but the bare mention of it is sufficient to cause its condemnation,-to accuse Swedenborg of imposture. This would be a summary method; but if in the present and past generations not one serious voice has been found willing to compromise itself by daring to accuse of deception a man whose honesty was evident and whose sense was unquestionable, how shall we have the courage to do so at this day?

"Was the state of Swedenborg clairvoyance or somnambulism, as the result of self-magnetisation? It has been printed, but no one has ever seriously believed it.

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'Was it hallucination? Nothing is better known in philosophy than this phenomenon, nothing more extraordinary, and nothing tends more to brilliant examples.

"But if it is a state of hallucination which connected itself with the life of a man of genius, as M. Lélul shows so well in the demon of Socrates and in the amulet of Pascal, it does not follow that genius is folly or folly genius. The learned physiologist of thought whom we have just quoted, protests against the blasphemy with the double authority of the philosopher and doctor. In fact, what is there that can well account for a hallucination which can last without interruption from the age of fifty-eight to eighty-five!-of a state of hallucination which inspires, and which says and writes only what is the best calculated, most suitable to the end concerned,-which pursues without cessation what it has present in its thoughts every hour of the day!—of a hallucination which moves with the same ease in the circle of the court and in the political assemblies of the empire,-discusses with clearness questions of metaphysics and of finance,-criticises with precision the state of the enthusiast, of the visionary, of the fanatic, and of the dreamer, the dupe of his own phantoms! It is known that the demon of Socrates, if it was created by a state of hallucination, took from that philosopher nothing of the lucidity of speech, but, on the contrary, gave him the authority and perseverance necessary to the reformation of the

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morals and politics of Athens. The greatness of Socrates remains whether his demon be a poetical fiction or a hallucination. It is the same with Swedenborg. His greatness-I mean his thought-remains, whether the character of a medium, chosen of God to be an organ and interpreter of the Word of God to men, be a pious fiction or an illusion the most sincere. His doctrine, so completely explained in his writings, has its value in itself, independent of the visions quoted in its support,-it is given in the sacred texts when understood at last. Every man of sense may do as Count Hôpkin did, take the doctrine and leave the visions. The true question for all the world is this-Has Swedenborg interpreted the Holy Scriptures better than the eighteen centuries which have preceded him?"

So the splendid illusion is dispelled!-the Memorable Relations, the Heaven and Hell, the Earths in the Universe, the Last Judgment itself, have all melted into thin air-the brilliant but unsubstantial visions of a long hallucination!

But though the Seer is gone, the Exposition remains; and it is yet to be seen what our philosopher makes of it. Of this we intend to speak in another article.

PROPOSED MONUMENT TO THE LATE REV. WILLIAM MASON.

To the Editor.

Dear Sir,-A few friends of the late Rev. WILLIAM MASON feel desirous to erect a memorial of their respect for him in the Derby Cemetery, where his mortal remains were interred. They regard this as only due to his valuable services, and as a pleasure in which many who knew and esteemed the deceased would be glad to share. The lesson the epitaph might be made to convey may be useful and instructive, indicative at once of our veneration for our departed friend, and of the glorious hopes the New Churchman cherishes as to the future life. The style of the memorial must depend on the amount subscribed. We, the undersigned, have felt great pleasure in undertaking to act as the agents of Mr. Mason's friends in the matter, and shall be happy to receive and acknowledge by letter any sums forwarded to us for this purpose. Any suggestions or drawings we shall be glad to accept, and, as far as practicable, to adopt them. We beg to urge upon those desirous to subscribe, the advisability of promtitude, and the desirability of soliciting subscriptions with this object, in order that the monument may be worthy of the deceased and of the church. The total amount received, and a description of the monument, will be published in this Magazine as soon as completed.We are, dear Sir, respectfully yours,

Derby, July, 1863.

JOHN HYDE,
THOMAS MADELEY.

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at five o'clock prompt. The subject to be brought under consideration is"The wants of the Church."

ENSUING CONFERENCE AT MANCHESTER. PROGRAMME OF ARRANGEMENTS. The Committee would be glad to reMonday Evening, August 10th.ceive any suggestions upon this subject Reception Meeting.-The members of Conference and their friends will meet in the School-room of the Church, Peterstreet, Manchester. Tea and coffee will be provided from six to eight o'clock.

Tuesday Evening-Tea will be provided for the members of Conference and friends, after which the Rev. John Hyde, of Derby, will preach, and the sacrament of the Lord's Holy Supper will be administered. The alms on this occasion will, as usual, be appropriated to the pension fund for superannuated ministers and to the widows of ministers. Tea on the table at half-past five. Service to commence at seven o'clock. Thursday Evening.—The usual Conference tea meeting will take place. Tea

from the ministers and leaders of the various societies, in order that they may so arrange the propositions that the whole will be both instructive and useful to the church. All communications to be addressed to Mr. Broadfield.

On the Sunday before Conference, and also on the succeeding Sunday, ministers from a distance will preach in the Church, Peter-street.

Ministers and representatives who desire accommodation, are requested to communicate immediately with Mr. Broadfield, 23, Cheetwood-lane, Manchester.

H. ANTONIE, Sec. Manchester, Jnly 14th, 1863.

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