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indeed his habits prevented them from being fully known。 He lived a
hidden life； not seeking either riches or fame。 He was even noted for
a sort of repugnance to making proselytes； he opened his mind to few
persons； and never showed his external powers of second…sight to any
who were not eminent in faith； wisdom； and love。 He could recognize at
a glance the state of the soul of every person who approached him； and
those whom he desired to reach with his inward language he converted
into Seers。 After the year 1745； his disciples never saw him do a
single thing from any human motive。 One man alone； a Swedish priest；
named Mathesius； set afloat a story that he went mad in London in
1744。 But a eulogium on Swedenborg prepared with minute care as to all
the known events of his life； was pronounced after his death in 1772
on behalf of the Royal Academy of Sciences in the Hall of the Nobles
at Stockholm； by Monsieur Sandels； counsellor of the Board of Mines。 A
declaration made before the Lord Mayor of London gives the details of
his last illness and death； in which he received the ministrations of
Monsieur Ferelius a Swedish priest of the highest standing； and pastor
of the Swedish Church in London； Mathesius being his assistant。 All
persons present attested that so far from denying the value of his
writings Swedenborg firmly asserted their truth。 'In one hundred
years；' Monsieur Ferelius quotes him as saying； 'my doctrine will
guide the CHURCH。' He predicted the day and hour of his death。 On that
day； Sunday； March 29； 1772； hearing the clock strike； he asked what
time it was。 'Five o'clock' was the answer。 'It is well；' he answered；
'thank you； God bless you。' Ten minutes later he tranquilly departed；
breathing a gentle sigh。 Simplicity； moderation； and solitude were the
features of his life。 When he had finished writing any of his books he
sailed either for London or for Holland； where he published them； and
never spoke of them again。 He published in this way twenty…seven
different treatises； all written； he said； from the dictation of
Angels。 Be it true or false； few men have been strong enough to endure
the flames of oral illumination。
〃There they all are；〃 said Monsieur Becker； pointing to a second shelf
on which were some sixty volumes。 〃The treatises on which the Divine
Spirit casts its most vivid gleams are seven in number； namely：
'Heaven and Hell'； 'Angelic Wisdom concerning the Divine Love and the
Divine Wisdom'； 'Angelic Wisdom concerning the Divine Providence'；
'The Apocalypse Revealed'； 'Conjugial Love and its Chaste Delights'；
'The True Christian Religion'； and 'An Exposition of the Internal
Sense。' Swedenborg's explanation of the Apocalypse begins with these
words；〃 said Monsieur Becker； taking down and opening the volume
nearest to him： 〃'Herein I have written nothing of mine own； I speak
as I am bidden by the Lord； who said； through the same angel； to John：
〃Thou shalt not seal the sayings of this Prophecy。〃' （Revelation xxii。
10。）
〃My dear Monsieur Wilfrid；〃 said the old man； looking at his guest； 〃I
often tremble in every limb as I read； during the long winter evenings
the awe…inspiring works in which this man declares with perfect
artlessness the wonders that are revealed to him。 'I have seen；' he
says； 'Heaven and the Angels。 The spiritual man sees his spiritual
fellows far better than the terrestrial man sees the men of earth。 In
describing the wonders of heaven and beneath the heavens I obey the
Lord's command。 Others have the right to believe me or not as they
choose。 I cannot put them into the state in which God has put me； it
is not in my power to enable them to converse with Angels； nor to work
miracles within their understanding； they alone can be the instrument
of their rise to angelic intercourse。 It is now twenty…eight years
since I have lived in the Spiritual world with angels； and on earth
with men； for it pleased God to open the eyes of my Spirit as he did
that of Paul； and of Daniel and Elisha。'
〃And yet；〃 continued the pastor； thoughtfully； 〃certain persons have
had visions of the spiritual world through the complete detachment
which somnambulism produces between their external form and their
inner being。 'In this state；' says Swedenborg in his treatise on
Angelic Wisdom （No。 257） 'Man may rise into the region of celestial
light because； his corporeal senses being abolished； the influence of
heaven acts without hindrance on his inner man。' Many persons who do
not doubt that Swedenborg received celestial revelations think that
his writings are not all the result of divine inspiration。 Others
insist on absolute adherence to him； while admitting his many
obscurities； they believe that the imperfection of earthly language
prevented the prophet from clearly revealing those spiritual visions
whose clouds disperse to the eyes of those whom faith regenerates；
for； to use the words of his greatest disciple； 'Flesh is but an
external propagation。' To poets and to writers his presentation of the
marvellous is amazing； to Seers it is simply reality。 To some
Christians his descriptions have seemed scandalous。 Certain critics
have ridiculed the celestial substance of his temples； his golden
palaces； his splendid cities where angels disport themselves； they
laugh at his groves of miraculous trees； his gardens where the flowers
speak and the air is white； and the mystical stones； the sard；
carbuncle； chrysolite； chrysoprase； jacinth； chalcedony； beryl； the
Urim and Thummim； are endowed with motion； express celestial truths；
and reply by variations of light to questions put to them （'True
Christian Religion；' 219）。 Many noble souls will not admit his
spiritual worlds where colors are heard in delightful concert； where
language flames and flashes； where the Word is writ in pointed spiral
letters （'True Christian Religion；' 278）。 Even in the North some
writers have laughed at the gates of pearl； and the diamonds which
stud the floors and walls of his New Jerusalem； where the most
ordinary utensils are made of the rarest substances of the globe。
'But；' say his disciples； 'because such things are sparsely scattered
on this earth does it follow that they are not abundant in other
worlds？ On earth they are terrestrial substances； whereas in heaven
they assume celestial forms and are in keeping with angels。' In this
connection Swedenborg has used the very words of Jesus Christ； who
said； 'If I have told you earthly things and ye believe not； how shall
ye believe if I tell you of heavenly things？'
〃Monsieur；〃 continued the pastor； with an emphatic gesture； 〃I have
read the whole of Swedenborg's works； and I say it with pride； because
I have done it and yet retained my reason。 In reading him men either
miss his meaning or become Seers like him。 Though I have evaded both
extremes； I have often experienced unheard…of delights； deep emotions；
inward joys； which alone can reveal to us the plenitude of truth；the
evidence of celestial Light。 All things here below seem small indeed
when the soul is lost in the perusal of these Treatises。 It is
impossible not to be amazed when we think that in the short space of
thirty years this man wrote and published； on the truths of the
Spiritual World； twenty…five quarto volumes； composed in Latin； of
which the shortest has five hundred pages； all of them printed in
small type。 He left； they say； twenty others in London； bequeathed to
his nephew； Monsieur Silverichm； formerly almoner to the King of
Sweden。 Certainly a man who； between the ages of twenty and sixty； had
already exhausted himself in publishing a series of encyclopaedical
works； must have received supernatural assistance in composing these
later stupendous treatises； at an age； too； when human vigor is on the
wane。 You will find in these writings thousands of propositions； all
numbered； none of which have been refuted。 Throughout we see method
and precision； the presence of the Spirit issuing and flowing down
from a single fact；the existence of angels。 His 'True Christian
Religion；' which sums up his whole doctrine and is vigorous with
light； was conceived and written at the age of eighty…three。 In fact；
his amazing vigor and omniscience are not denied by any of his
critics； not even by his enemies。
〃Nevertheless；〃 said Monsieur Becker； slowly； 〃though I have drunk
deep in this torrent of divine light； God has not opened the eyes of
my inner being； and I judge these writings by the reason of an
unregenerated man。 I have often felt that the INSPIRED Swedenborg must
have misunderstood the Angels。 I have laughed over certain visions
which； according to his disciples； I ought to have believed with
veneration。 I have failed to imagine the spiral writing of the Angels
or their golden belts； on which the gold is of great or lesser
thickness。 If； for example； this statement； 'Some angels are
solitary；' affected me powerfully for a tim