Notes on This Issue 1989

Notes on This Issue Editor 1989

Vol. CIX           January, 1989               No. 1
New Church Life

A MONTHLY MAGAZINE DEVOTED TO THE TEACHINGS REVEALED THROUGH EMANUEL SWEDENBORG

     PUBLISHED BY THE GENERAL CHURCH OF THE NEW JERUSALEM
Rev. Donald L. Rose, Editor               Mr. Neil M. Buss, Business Manager

     PRINTED BY THE GENERAL CHURCH PRESS

     BRYN ATHYN, PA 19009

     SUBSCRIPTION: $12.00 TO ANY ADDRESS. SINGLE COPY $1.25

     Second-class Postage Paid at Bryn Athyn, PA      When Rev. David Simons submitted a favorite passage for last February's issue he requested that the photograph should include his wife. (See p. 59 of that issue.) We were glad to comply with this and also with the request now that the resurrection address for Zoe be juxtaposed with his sermon in this issue.
     In this issue you will find the conclusion of the article by Dr. John Chadwick that appeared last November.
     Rev. Leon LeVan has passed into the spiritual world. He lived to see the publication of his book. (See the letter on p. 29.) A reader has pointed out that this book would be even more popular if it had not had the word "poems" in the title, as it consists only of brief striking quotations from the Writings.
     We have already published (in November) a review of the book by Rev. Daniel Goodenough, but we have another on p. 44 of this issue. We believe that people should be encouraged to write their reactions to books, and that it is an advantage to have more than the comments of one reviewer. Bishop Pendleton's book, Education for Use, was reviewed by Don Fitzpatrick in November of 1985. Now we have comments from W. B. Klippenstein on one of the chapters (p. 42).
     "Some people may convince themselves and others that they are never angry, but they are probably mistaken. The Writings seem to indicate that virtually everyone must deal with anger, at least in this life" (p. 16). We begin in this issue an extensive series of articles on the subject of anger.
     In a typical year around ninety writers have something in the Life. It is only the first issue of the year and already eighteen writers have been represented.

JOHN AND SWEDENBORG AND THE SECOND COMING OF THE LORD 1989

JOHN AND SWEDENBORG AND THE SECOND COMING OF THE LORD Rev. DAVID R. SIMONS 1989

     "The revelation of Jesus Christ. . . . and He sent and signified it by His angel to His servant John, who bore record of the Word of God and to the testimony of Jesus Christ, and to all things that he saw" (Rev. 1:1, 2).

     "The second coming of the Lord is effected by means of a man to whom the Lord has manifested Himself in person and whom He has filled with His Spirit, that He may teach the doctrines of the New Church from the Lord by means of the Word" (TCR 779).

     In the Greek language the word "apocalypse" means uncovering or revealing. The uncovering and revealing was done by the Lord Jesus Christ by means of His servant and beloved apostle, John. "I, John. . . was on the isle called Patmos for the Word of God and for the testimony of Jesus Christ. I was in the spirit on the Lord's day. . . . and I, John, saw these things and heard them"(Rev. 1:9, 10, 22:8).

Swedenborg, Servant of the Lord

     The Heavenly Doctrines, written by Emanuel Swedenborg, are also an uncovering and revealing: "In order that the Lord might be continuously present with me, He has unfolded to me the spiritual sense of His Word, wherein is the Divine truth in its very light, and it is in this light that He is continually present. For His presence in the Word is by means of the spiritual sense and in no other way. . . . The sense of the letter of the Word is like a cloud, and the spiritual sense is the glory, the Lord Himself being the Sun from which the light comes. Thus the Lord is the Word" (TCR 779).

John, Apostle and Prophet of the Second Coming

     In the final chapter of the gospel of John, Peter, who had been told that he would suffer a martyr's death, inquires of Jesus, referring to John, "But Lord, what about this man? Jesus said to him, 'If I will that he remain till I come, what is that to you?'" (John 21:21, 22). As the Lord foretold, Peter and all the apostles suffered death as martyrs, except for John who was imprisoned on the island of Patmos, off the coast of Asia minor, about the year 96 A.D. It was while John was on this island that the Lord opened his spiritual eyes and ears, and carried him "in the spirit" into the spiritual world where he saw and heard the dramatic parables recounted in the book of Revelation, which were a prophecy of the second coming of the Lord.

"Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of the prophecy" (Rev. 1:3).
     It is interesting that John, who in his own gospel never once refers to himself by name, calling himself "that other disciple" or "the disciple whom Jesus loved," identifies himself five times in the book of Revelation:

And God sent and signified the revelation of Jesus Christ by His angel unto His servant John (l:l).

John to the seven churches which are in Asia (1:4).

I, John, both your brother and companion in tribulation (1:9).

And I, John, saw the holy city New Jerusalem descending from God out of heaven (21:2).

And I, John, saw these things and heard them. . . (22:8).

     By repeatedly naming himself in this wav, John seems to be assuring his brothers and companions that although he is disclosing miraculous and mysterious things, difficult to understand because they are seen in the spiritual world, still he is the same John who wrote the gospel and was the beloved disciple of Jesus. The important spiritual significance is that in uncovering and revealing these unusual revelations, he was only doing what he was commanded to do by the Lord: "Write the things which you have seen, and the things which are, and the things which will take place hereafter" (Rev. 1:19). John clearly testifies that these things which he has seen and heard in the spiritual world are "the revelation of Jesus Christ, the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty" (Rev. 1:1, 8). This is the Lord Jesus Christ, now glorified, foretelling His second coming and the establishment of the New Church represented by the holy city New Jerusalem.

Similarities Between John and Swedenborg

     When we compare the book of Revelation and the claims of the apostle John with the books of the Heavenly Doctrines and the claims of Emanuel Swedenborg, written some seventeen centuries later, the similarities are remarkable.
     Both John and Swedenborg testify that what they have written is a revelation from the Lord alone. Of his writings, John declares they are "the revelation of Jesus Christ . . . to His servant John, who bore witness to the Word of God and to the testimony of Jesus Christ, and to all things that he saw" (Rev. 1:1, 2).

Of the origin and authority of his writings Swedenborg declares: ". . . that the Lord manifested Himself to me, His servant, and sent me to this office [of revelator], and that afterwards He opened the eyes of my spirit and so has introduced me into the spiritual world, and has granted me to behold the heavens and the hells and to speak with angels and spirits, and this now uninterruptedly for many years, I testify in truth; likewise, that from the first day of that call I have not received anything that pertains to the doctrines of the New Church from any angel, but from the Lord alone while I have read the Word" (TCR 779, emphasis added).
     Both John and Swedenborg refer to themselves as "servants" of the Lord. John writes that the Lord revealed Himself by His angel "unto His servant John" (Rev. 1:1). Swedenborg designates himself a servant on the title page of The True Christian Religion, "containing the universal theology of the New Church foretold by the Lord in Daniel 7:13, 14 and in the Revelation 21:1, 2."

Things Seen and Heard

     Both John and Swedenborg witnessed from things seen and heard. "And I, John, saw these things and heard them"(Rev. 22:8). The title of the work on the afterlife in the spiritual world reads: "Heaven and its wonders and hell from things heard and seen" by Emanuel Swedenborg, first published in 1758. And in the beginning of the twelve volumes called the Arcana Coelestia (Heavenly Secrets), which gives a detailed spiritual sense to the Old Testament books of Genesis and Exodus, we read: "By way of introductory remarks, it can be disclosed that in the Lord's Divine mercy I have been allowed, constantly and without interruption for several years now, to share the experiences of spirits and angels, to listen to them speaking and to speak to them myself. I have been allowed therefore to hear and see astonishing things in the next life which have never come to any man's knowledge, nor even entered his imagination" (AC 5, emphasis added).

Direct Command

     Both John and Swedenborg wrote by direct command of the Lord. John was commanded: "What you see write in the book and send it to the seven churches" (Rev. 1:11). Swedenborg wrote on two copies of the work a Brief Exposition of the Doctrines of the New Church. "This book is the advent of the Lord, written by command."

Contact with the Lord

     Both John and Swedenborg had intimate contact with the Lord and were close to His heart. In his own gospel John says.

"Now there was leaning on Jesus' bosom one of His disciples, whom Jesus loved" (John 13:23). Recounting his own close contact with the now glorified Jesus, Swedenborg writes that the Lord came to Him: "in the same moment I lay in His bosom and saw Him face to face. It was a countenance of a holy mien and in all cannot be described; and He smiled, so that I believe that His countenance was also such while He lived on earth. He spoke to me and said, 'Love me really and do what you have promised'" (Journal of Dreams 54). This meant for him to give up his studies of science and philosophy and turn his mind to the study and explanation of the Old and New Testament Word.
     Both John and Swedenborg demonstrated profound humility at the presence of the Lord. John writes of seeing "One like the Son of Man" in the midst of the seven lampstands: "I fell at His feet as dead. But He laid His right hand on me, saying, 'Do not be afraid; I am He who lives and was dead, and behold I am alive for ever more'"(Rev. 1:17, 18).
     When the glorified Jesus appeared to Swedenborg, he tells us: "I fell on my face, and the words that I spoke and the prayer came, not from myself but the words were put in my mouth: 'O Almighty Jesus Christ, that Thou of Thy great mercy deignest to come to me, so great a sinner, make me worthy of this grace. I held my hands together and prayed, and then came forth a hand which squeezed my hands hard" (Journal of Dreams 53).

Internal Difference

     For John and Swedenborg to have so many external things in common is remarkable but understandable. Yet there was one great difference between them. John saw and heard what he describes in the spiritual world, but Swedenborg was given not only to see and hear but also to understand the spiritual meaning of the miracles and parables revealed in the book "sealed with seven seals." The Heavenly Doctrines fulfill the book of Revelation, that is, they fill it full of rational meaning and spiritual light. Without this explanation of the spiritual sense the Apocalypse would remain a "scroll sealed with seven seals"(Rev. 5:1). Swedenborg writes: "Lest the things written in the Apocalypse should be hidden from men and be given up by future generations through not being understood, the things contained therein have been unfolded to me. Wherefore I will explain the whole of that book from the beginning to end and discover the arcana contained therein" (LJ 42).
     "Many have labored at an exposition of the Apocalypse, but because up to this time the spiritual sense of the Word had not been known, they could not see the arcana that remain concealed therein; for only the spiritual sense discovers these.

The expositors have therefore made various guesses, and most of them have applied the things that are there to the conditions of empires, intermingling some things about ecclesiastical matters also. The Apocalypse, however, like the whole Word, does not treat in its spiritual sense of worldly things at all but of heavenly things, thus not of empires and kingdoms but of heaven and the church" (AR Preface).

Additions and Substractions

     In the book of Deuteronomy and the book of Revelation a warning is given by the Lord: "If any man adds to these things, God will add to him the plagues that are written in this book; and if any man takes away words from this book of prophecy, God will take away his part from the book of life" (Deut 4:2 and Rev. 22:18, 19). Many quote this curse, suggesting that it applies to Swedenborg and the Heavenly Doctrines. Yet Swedenborg repeatedly testifies that what he has written is not from his brilliant intellect but is a revelation from the Lord! "Do not believe that I have taken anything from myself" (AR Preface). "The second coming of the Lord is effected by means of a man to whom the Lord manifested Himself in person, and whom He has filled with His spirit. . ." (TCR 779).
     The revelation of the spiritual sense of the book of Revelation is not an addition at all, since the meaning was already within the letter when it was written. The "Spirit" of the Lord was the cause of everything seen and heard by John and was internally present when he wrote it. To reveal what the "Spirit says to the churches" is to reveal the spiritual sense and to open our understanding to what was already present. "For all things written in this prophetic book were written by means of representatives and correspondences; for whatever is said by the Lord and perceived by the angels, in coming down is changed into representatives, and so made to appear before the eyes of angels in the lowest heaven and before prophetic men [such as John and Swedenborg] when their spiritual eyes have been opened" (AE 260 1/2).
     We subtract from the Word when we put our own man-made ideas ahead of the teachings of Divine Revelation, when we select from the Word those things which suit our loves and reject other truths.

Who Can Receive This Revelation?

     Love to the Lord and a life according to His commandments are what open our minds to receive the Lord. "It is because John represented the good of love that the revelation was made to him. Revelation out of heaven, such as this is, can be made only to those who are in the good of love to the Lord, because only they have spiritual perception.

This is because they receive heavenly things in their understanding, where the sensation of their internal sight is" (AE 8). John the revelator concludes the book of Revelation saying, "He who testifies to these things says, 'Surely I come quickly'" (Rev. 22:20).
Swedenborg the revelator writes of this coming: "The presence of the Lord is unceasing with every man, both evil and good, for without His presence no man lives; but His coming is to those who receive Him, who are such as believe in Him and keep His commandments. . . . The second coming of the Lord is not a coming in person but in the Word, which is from Himself and is Himself. . . . For His presence in the Word is by means of the spiritual sense and in no other way." "Even so, come, Lord Jesus"! (TCR 774, 776, 780).
RESURRECTION ADDRESS FOR ZOE G. SIMONS 1989

RESURRECTION ADDRESS FOR ZOE G. SIMONS Rev. LOUIS B. KING 1989

     Last Tuesday evening Zoe Simons slept quietly into the spiritual world while her husband David washed the dinner dishes. On her desk lay this outline for her new, completed novel:

     Points I want to make in this story:

1.      A woman is a person, as opposed to "just a wife" or "just a mother."
2.      The spiritual world is a real place, where uses are carried out. Variety of uses in the spiritual world.
3.      Angelic associations are real and helpful. Suggestion for some mechanisms for angelic associations.
4.      Thought brings presence.
5.      Relationships change-Evangeline's dependence on her father changes when Henry arrives.
6.      The world of spirits before entrance into heaven is a time to consolidate strengths and get rid of weaknesses or bad habits. While basic decisions have been made in the natural world, there are details which are straightened out in the world of spirits.
7.      Readiness for heaven involves readiness to perform uses.

     This afternoon Zoe awakens into the conscious reality of a wonderful world she has known and studied about since she was a little girl. If, as the Writings assure us, a person entering that world knows no otherwise than that she is still living on earth, Zoe will feel at home immediately, and will search out a word processor, a place to study, a set of the Writings, and then author articles and stories about the reality of the spiritual world.

     In 1919 Zoe was born in South Africa, the only child of the Rev. Frederick Gyllenhaal and Agnes Edith Pemberton Gyllenhaal. Growing up in a minister's household, sensing the spheres of society life, the benefits and the challenges of New Church education, Zoe was wonderfully prepared for the day when she herself would become a teacher and the wife of a minister.

     Upon graduation from the Academy College with a degree in education (Zoe's graduating class recently celebrated its 50th anniversary with all members still living), Zoe taught for two years in the Olivet Day School of the Toronto Society. Simultaneously she conducted classes for adults in the philosophy of New Church education as contained in Bishop de Charms' work, The Growth of the Mind.
     In 1943 she married David Simons and, after the second world war, settled in Bryn Athyn where she taught seventh grade girls in the Bryn Athyn Church Elementary School for two years. Skilled also in the feminine arts, she taught home economics in the Girls' School of the Academy of the New Church. Her versatility and professional acumen enabled her, during the war, to work in the Academy business office, under the careful supervision of Hubert Hyatt, treasurer of the General Church and the Academy. Later on in life, after her children were grown, she became a successful real estate salesperson in the Chicago area, where her husband served on the pastoral staff of the Immanuel Church Society in Glenview. Some years later her husband was called to be pastor of the Los Angeles Society, so Zoe, in addition to serving as a minister's wife to the Los Angeles Society, took up her successful avocation as a real estate saleswoman. Not only did Zoe become a star salesperson for the firm, but, according to the owner of the business, the whole tone and sphere of the office changed when Zoe brought the dignity and charm of her feminine sphere into that busy, worldly working place. Indeed, Zoe was an accomplished, talented, productive woman.
     Perhaps she will be remembered best, however, for her contribution in developing the church's appreciation of women and the uses they can serve so well in the life of the church and the life of society outside the church. Let there be no mistake: traditional roles of wife, mother, and homemaker were paramount feminine responsibilities in Zoe's eyes. She studied the Writings, reflected on their teachings, and wrote articles to promote and protect the idealism of these feminine functions in our church and society at large.

     Her own example and conversations encouraged other young women to seek and cherish these uses. Her words of support to ministers' wives, old and young, helped them become more effective in the support of their husbands, and as a source of inspiration for their ministry.
     Zoe believed in upholding her husband and his ministry, never letting an opportunity slip by to cooperate with him and further his work. She went cheerfully with her husband wherever and whenever the church needed them, and she made a home and extended its gracious warmth and generous hospitality to all.
     Six children were born to David and Zoe. Bronwin died shortly after birth. Richard died in Vietnam in the strength and idealism of early manhood. Gillian, Jeremy, Jonathan, and Christopher are with us in this congregation to celebrate the resurrection of a loving and lovely mother, who now begins to grow younger, wiser, and lovelier each day that this world turns on its axis. Marriage, family, and home definitely were her priorities.
     If Zoe becomes a teacher in the spiritual world, these ideals will be her primary subject matter, put forth with feminine charm and enthusiastic conviction. But will she speak of other areas of creative endeavor for women? You better believe it. You see, Zoe believed that women are included in all those wonderful teachings in Divine revelation about creation for use (see AC 1102, HH 517, DL XV, SD 6072, CL 18, CL 249). Like men, women have a unique gift to bestow upon the human race if the Lord is allowed to regenerate them (see HH 112, AC 3796:3, TCR 4346, CL 249). But they must, as of self, acknowledge the Lord, shun evils as sins, elevate their understanding into the light of truth so that a new will may be implanted in the understanding, and from this new will a new understanding formed. Only thus can the use for which each person is created come to fruition (see AC 5949, 1964, 3952e, 3960:3, DW IVe, CL 83-102).
     And how does this process differ with men and women? Only in the basic nature and response of each (see AR 797, AC 1937, CL 122, 128). With men the understanding predominates. With women the will predominates. The interior affections of each will find a different kind of satisfaction in the process but the process is the same because it prepares each person, male or female, for the full performance of his or her unique eternal use. When a man and a woman in each of whom this marriage of good and truth exists are drawn by the Lord into the conjugial relationship, the special use of each is enhanced and perfected. This conjugial relationship culminates the heavenly marriage or marriage of good and truth in each, so that their intimate effect upon each other becomes the highest form of human usefulness-the image and likeness of the Lord in its heavenly fullness (see AC 3960, 2649).

In their mutual approach to the Lord, each defers to the leadership of that which predominates in the other, as each longs to become a part of the very life of the other (see AC 2738, 2731-2734, 3960, 2649). This is called consent, which is the essence of all true marriage (see CL 21e, 299e, 308, DLW 363:2, AC 6047, 3090). So the husband says of the wife, "She is now my heart and will," and the wife says of her husband, "He is now my lungs and understanding" (CL 75:5). This conjugial relationship, brought into being by mutual consent, does not cause either the husband or the wife to give up his/ her essential use to the human race, any more than they are called upon to give up their individual identity though they become one angel. On the contrary; it intensifies their individual usefulness, emphasizing its unique and free performance.
     It concerned Zoe, while she lived on earth, that some New Churchmen seemed to speak almost as if only men are created to perform uses. Women's uses-not only the vital uses of the home but also uses beyond the home-seemed to receive less recognition. (A passage in Conjugial Love about a married man and woman speaks of "the uses which each of them with mutual aid performs in society"-CL 137). Concern for recognition of women's uses led her to write a number of articles and stories, including:

1.      Promises to Keep
2.      Women in the Word (a study)
3.      Evangeline's Way
4.      Usefulness of Old Age
5.      A Memorial Day Story-A Fantasy about the Uses of Associate Spirits
6.      A Regenerating Couple Enters Heaven.

     Always eager to help in the educational process, Zoe not Only wrote many articles but in earlier years she spent large blocks of time counseling parents who would come to juvenile court to try to support and cope with the problems and legal crimes facing their teenage children.
     Yes, Zoe was a teacher and will undoubtedly be teaching and writing before long in the spiritual world. Her creative talents and tremendous energy and enthusiasm will pour out to others in the form of instruction and counsel.
     It is easy to imagine her teaching little boys to read and write imaginative stories, to play games with sportsmanship, and to learn to love one's country which, of course, is the Lord's kingdom. Young girls under her tutelage will learn to be feminine-set tables, arrange flowers to beautify the home, sew and embroider lovely clothes, but above all, they will learn to cultivate their feminine minds in the arts and sciences so that their God-given potential for use may bring them the satisfaction and joy of contributing their real worth to others in a world teeming with indefinite opportunities.

In so doing they will complement the use of a husband provided them by the Lord, with whom they will become one angel whose usefulness is one in the eyes of the Lord.
     And if perchance the women mentioned in a certain memorable relation invite Zoe into their rose garden to ask "What news from earth?" Zoe will glow with tales of new freedom and opportunities for women to enter intellectually into the mysteries of faith, and bring their special gifts of feminine wisdom and love to the altar of Divine uses which the Lord intended when He created both men and women.
     Speaking of roses, a loving husband planted a rose garden for Zoe not too many months before she left. Now their spiritual counterparts will bloom outside her dining room window, perhaps at breakfast time tomorrow. And when the springtime comes for us, following the winter that is almost upon us, the roses in David's garden will bloom and remind us of a beloved wife, mother, grandmother, homemaker, and cheerleader for the valued uses of women in the church. Roses, after all, are strong, upright, independent flowers, lush in foliage, lovely and delicate in blossom, fragrant and of such satisfying varieties, but if not handled carefully can be dangerously prickly.
     Zoe was courageously opinionated-at times combative if she felt it necessary-but always feminine, helpful and empathetic with those who needed support.
     When someone we love dies, the reality of the spiritual world comes into sharp focus. Values are reassessed and reordered. Though saddened by love's loss, we reflect with excitement and gratitude upon the resurrection and the life which consciously exists on the third day following the laying aside of the physical body. The Lord said, "if 1 be lifted up from the earth, I will draw all men unto Me" (John 12:32). "Lord, save Your people and bless Your inheritance, and feed them and lift them up forever"(Psalm 28:9). "The Lord wills to save all and make them happy to eternity. . . thus out of pure mercy to draw all who are willing to follow to heaven. . . by the strong force of love"(AC 1735). Amen.

ANGER 1989

ANGER Rev. JOHN L. ODHNER 1989

     FIRST IN A SERIES OF ARTICLES

"Give it back! Give it back! I hate you! I'm gonna kill you! Daddy! Daddy, he took my truck!"
     "I had it first! I found it on the floor and she took it from me!"
     The temperature was about 95 degrees inside the car. I was trying to weave through three lanes of rush-hour traffic to reach our exit. It took most of my concentration to avoid the merging cars. It didn't help to look in my rear-view mirror and see one of my children climbing over the seat to pound on the one who had the truck. Another quick glance in the mirror told me that no cars were bearing down on me, so I quickly stepped on the brake hard enough to scare the kids without hurting them. Meanwhile I was shouting, "Cut out the fighting! You could've made us crash back there! Get back in your seatbelts! If I hear another word out of you I will put you out of the car and let you walk home!"
     Most of us do not really enjoy anger, but whether we like it or not, it is a significant part of many of our close relationships. It is there, though we do not deliberately choose it. We don't say, "This seems like a good morning to be angry," the way we might say, "This seems like a good morning for cornflakes." It is easy to turn off the burner under the cooking supper as soon as it is done. Or if I forget, I don't mind being reminded. But anger does not have a convenient knob like the stove for turning it on and off. If someone says, "Your anger is boiling over!" I am not likely to respond with "Oh, thanks for reminding me! I forgot to turn it off!"
     Almost all of us, at some level, would rather not feel angry, and we often do not know how to handle it. We never learned in school how to deal with anger. Often the patterns we developed as children helped us survive but do not help us now in facing anger. We may have learned to push it aside or hide it; to shout, swear and threaten; to cover it with jokes or sarcasm; to feel guilty about it. Our response to anger may be governed by certain conscious or unconscious assumptions, such as:

     Good people never get angry.
     We get angry because others make us angry.
     We should feel angry only if we can justify the anger.
     Showing our anger to others will help us feel better.
     If I feel angry there is something wrong with me.
     A person who speaks calmly and acts with restraint is not angry.
     A rational, mature person can always keep his anger under control.

     The assumptions we make about anger can have a very powerful influence on the way anger affects our relationships. When dealt with inappropriately, anger can be the cause of communication barriers, physical or emotional hurt, stress related physical illness, lost jobs, broken marriages, low self-esteem, car accidents, and broken dishes. Anger can ruin your day.

     So how should we deal with anger? I suggest three steps for dealing with anger:

     1.      Become aware of the anger and accept it.
     2.      Understand the anger.
     3.      Take responsibility for the anger.

     Which step you take first may depend on the state you are in at the time. Generally you will need to become aware of your anger before you can explore it and understand it in yourself. However, some people may need to understand more about anger in general before they can become aware of their own anger. The important thing is that we accomplish all three steps. If we become aware of the anger and understand it, but we do not take responsibility for it, little is accomplished. If we take responsibility for the anger without understanding it, our responses may be counterproductive.

Awareness and Acceptance

     I make awareness and acceptance the first step in dealing with anger because often anger is repressed or disguised. Frequently people are angry without realizing that they are angry, or if they realize it they may try to convince themselves and others that they are not angry.
     One of the reasons many people frequently repress or cover up their anger is that they assume that all anger is unhealthy or hurtful. They may feel that it is wrong to express anger, or that all anger should be shunned as evil. An important step for these people is to learn that anger can be healthy.

Do Good People Get Angry?

     As I suggested above, one of the assumptions people sometimes make about anger is that good people do not get angry. In the New Church this assumption can be supported by the teaching in the Writings that evil people get angry while good people show "zeal" rather than anger. "Evil is angry and good never is . . ." (AC 10618). "With the angels there is not anger, but instead of anger there is zeal" (AC 4164; also 6997:6).

"Anger has place with those who are in the loves of self and of the world, for they are also in evils of every kind; but zeal has place with those who are in love to the Lord and love toward the neighbor" (AE 693).
     In these contexts the term "zeal" may be misleading. We may be used to thinking of an ordinary definition of zeal: "eager and ardent interest in the pursuit of something; fervor, enthusiasm, passion" (Merriam-Webster). Based on this description of zeal we would expect good people and evil people to behave quite differently under pressure. There are a few passages in the Writings which seem to fit this definition of zeal, particularly when they refer to a zeal for truth. However, when the Writings compare zeal with anger, they usually describe the zeal of a good person in rather strong terms: Zeal is "like fire of love blazing" (CL 358-Italics added here and in what follows), a "violent heating of the natural man" (TCR 146:2), "it is burning anger"(CL 358). "When zeal is manifested, it does not appear as love but as an enraged enemy and foe fighting against one who does injury to his love" (CL 358). "When the life's love is attacked, the heat of life is enkindled, resists, and breaks out against the assailant. Moreover, it acts as an enemy from its own force and power, which is as a flame of fire bursting out against him who rouses it" (CL 359). "For the purpose of defending itself, his external is rough, bristles up, and erects itself and so acts with severity" (CL 365). The eyes flash, the face flames, the voice is loud, vehement, sharp, and harsh (see CL 359, 363). These passages are all describing the zeal of a good love. Since zeal can be an intense, even violent feeling, I sometimes call it "healthy anger."
     Of course there are some very important differences between healthy anger (zeal) and unhealthy anger, as we shall see. But these differences are not visibly obvious. Outwardly zeal and anger may appear the same, even though there is quite a difference inwardly.
     "In outer manifestation, the zeal of a good love and the zeal of an evil love are alike" (CL 363). "Zeal in the outward form appears like anger" (AC 3909). "Zeal is called anger in the Word . . . because it appears like anger in the outward form" (AE 693).
     Another word closely related to anger is translated "jealousy" in Conjugial Love. We might think of "jealous" as the dictionary defines it: "demanding complete devotion, suspicious of a rival or of one believed to enjoy an advantage, vigilant, distrustfully watchful." The Latin word here is zelotypia, which literally means "a type of zeal" or "a primary example of zeal." Swedenborg uses this literal meaning to connect jealousy with zeal.
     "The zeal for love truly conjugial is the zeal of zeals, since the love is the love of loves, and its delights (for which it is zealous) are the delights of delights. . . .

Since the zeal of marriage love is the zeal of zeals, it is called by a new name, zelotypia, because it is the very type of zeal" (CL 367).
     Like zeal, this jealousy or zelotypia is described in strong terms. It is "like a fire stirred up and darting out against those who molest" (CL 368), "like a fire blazing out against violation" (CL 371), "as a horn smiting the adulterer" (CL 372). Given Swedenborg's previous description of zeal as "rage," "anger," "acting as an enemy" and "a flame bursting out," we can see that zelotypia might also be called marital anger or the "anger of angers." Actually the chapter in Conjugial Love entitled "Jealousy" could just as well have been titled "Anger in Marriage."
     Again, the zeal/jealousy/anger described here is the zeal of a good love, or the anger which a good person will feel when someone or something he loves is threatened, attacked or hurt. This anger is healthy and normal, from a spiritual love. To take an extreme example, it is normal and healthy for good, spiritual people to feel anger at rapists, kidnappers, drug dealers or murderers who threaten their family or neighbors. It is healthy for good people to feel anger when their marriages are threatened by addiction or adultery, or when their jobs are threatened by prejudice, apathy or greed, or when their children are hurt or molested.
     As we shall see, all anger is a sign of love, an indication that we care about something or someone. It may be a sign that we care about ourselves, or about our marriage, or about our convenience, our possessions, our religion, our safety, our children, our pleasures, our ideals or our addictions. If the anger comes from a good, healthy love, it will probably be good, healthy anger. Healthy anger can protect children from being hurt. It can strengthen relationships by facing important issues directly, by showing others how much we care. Healthy anger can give us a sense of self worth, because we stand up for what we know is right. Healthy anger can move mountains of apathy and self-centeredness, waking people up to the danger or hurt that is around them.

Everyone Gets Angry

     Some people may convince themselves and others that they are never angry, but they are probably mistaken. The Writings seem to indicate that virtually everyone must deal with anger, at least in this life. "Anger exists or is excited when anyone or anything goes contrary to anyone's love" (AC 5034). "Everyone is angry when his love is attacked . . ."(AE 693).

"Such anger pertains to every love, even the most peaceful" (CL 358).

     The fact that everyone gets angry is not always obvious. Often anger is hidden, repressed, denied or covered by some other feeling or by polite behavior. Often the camouflage is so complete that people do not recognize their own anger.

Why Anger Is Not Recognized

     The fact that anger can be useful, powerful and healing is one reason why we should become aware and accepting of it. The belief that all anger is bad is one reason why sometimes we don't. There are other reasons why people fail to identify or accept their anger.
     For example, the Writings give reasons why some people do not feel jealousy/zeal/anger when their marriage is threatened by adultery. Some of the reasons may be:

     They do not value the marriage.
     They do not value their honor.
     They believe that jealousy is unhealthy and useless.
     They want to avoid the stigma attached to jealousy.
     They are afraid of causing domestic problems.
     They have something to gain by tolerating their partner's behavior.
          (paraphrased from CL 376)

     There is no suggestion that any of these reasons are valid and good. In fact, a previous passage (CL 371) indicates that partners who really care about each other would feel jealousy/anger under those same conditions. Although these examples refer to marriage, we might generalize from them about reasons why people may suppress any kind of anger:

     They do not care about the issue.
     They do not value their own rights.
     They believe that anger is unhealthy and useless.
     They want to avoid the stigma attached to anger.
     They are afraid of stirring up trouble.
     They may have something to gain by tolerating another person's hurtful behavior.

     Beyond this short list, the Writings give other reasons why anger may not be recognized. One reason is concern about what other people may think of us if we show anger.

     [To be continued]

ON TRANSLATING THE TRUE CHRISTIAN RELIGION 1989

ON TRANSLATING THE TRUE CHRISTIAN RELIGION JOHN CHADWICK 1989

     (Concluded)

     A word needs to be said about Swedenborg's Scripture quotations because they represent a great problem to the translator. At one time the Swedenborg Society's Advisory and Revision Board had a rule that Scripture quotations should be translated as far as possible in the words of the Authorised Version. This was a convenient device, though it often led to English versions which did not fully represent what Swedenborg wrote. But we have now abandoned that rule, bearing in mind the fact that most people who read the Bible nowadays use a more modern version, so it has been laid down that the translator should translate the Latin text even if it does not agree with other versions. This is because although for the most part Swedenborg follows the wording of one of the Latin Bibles current in his time, he does quite often modify the wording, and at times he departs from his models and writes a very literal translation of the Hebrew or Greek original. This sometimes causes difficulty because modern translation tends, quite properly, to bring out the meaning of the text rather than copy the ancient form of words. Moreover, Swedenborg's version is at times ambiguous, and it seems to me therefore that we are then justified in looking at the original for guidance on how to understand the Latin.
     One simple example may be made intelligible to those of you who know nothing of the ancient languages. At the end of the first verse of the first chapter of St. John's Gospel occur the momentous words: Theos en ho logos. Swedenborg always copies this word for word into Latin: Deus erat Verbum. The Latin might mean either "God was the Word" or "The Word was God," but the Greek is not ambiguous; it can only mean "The Word was God." The translator therefore allows his interpretation of the Latin to be guided by the Greek. I am very grateful to the Hebrew scholars, especially Norman Ryder, who have helped me with Old Testament quotations, and elucidated some very knotty problems. When translating from the New Testament I have constantly referred to the Greek text, and some of my versions depend upon my understanding of that. Let me mention one familiar quotation which will look unfamiliar. Jesus said: "I am the resurrection and life." We are so used to "the life" that you may wonder why I have omitted the article. Latin has no definite article, so vita can be rendered either "life" or "the life." The Greek here has the definite article: he zoe.

But here we come up against a difference between Greek and English idiom. Greek, like French, uses the definite article, where we in English omit it in expressions like this. So the French for "That's life" is C'est la vie; and the same would be true of Greek. I have ventured thus in a few places to improve upon our familiar versions of the New Testament.
     There is, however, an even more formidable obstacle. Swedenborg clearly did not always turn up his Bible and copy out a verse. He often abbreviates the quotation by leaving out words and phrases, and sometimes he inserts a word or two to show the context of the original words. It is very difficult to represent accurately these omissions by using dots, and we have decided to follow Swedenborg's own practice and not show these. Thus readers who turn up a quotation and compare it with their English Bible must expect to be puzzled at times. Where we think the omission or variant wording is not deliberate, we have sometimes corrected it with a note explaining the change. But in other cases we may suspect that there is a mistake in the Latin, whether due to the printer or the author, but if we cannot confirm it, we let the text stand as it was printed.
     Now we do know that the first edition contains a lot of printer's errors. A few were listed by the author himself in a note at the end of the volume. Most of them are obvious and have been corrected by the editors of the second and third Latin editions.
     In some places, however, Worcester seems to me to have been too ready to correct what he took to be errors, but where the suggestions of the Latin editors seem to be justified, these have been adopted with a suitable explanation in a footnote. Sometimes translators have suggested further corrections to the Latin text, and I have followed this practice by making a few of my own. Thus at 803 we meet in the Latin the curious expression that something is thrown away or rejected like "a snake lizard." The two Latin words for "snake" and "lizard" stand side by side with no "and" or "or" to separate them. Translators have usually inserted "or." But there is an easier solution. If we suppose the printer dropped out one letter, an "a," the word meaning "lizard" would become one meaning "torn" or "wounded." Now a wounded snake is something anyone would be well advised to throw away as quickly as possible, and I have little doubt that was what Swedenborg wrote.
     There are frequent references to people and events which are not as well known to the modern reader as Swedenborg expected. I have in most cases added a very brief note giving dates and any information which may assist the reader. But there is no limit to what might be said, and I have therefore been very sparing with such information. Similarly I have put in short notes to explain some of the more unfamiliar references to classical mythology.

Readers who require more information must consult the appropriate reference books. Swedenborg expected his readers to have had a classical education, and was not above making a mild joke which is only intelligible if you have some knowledge of Roman history. Even more often he expects his readers to be acquainted with current disputes in theology.
     One of the changes you will notice in my TCR is that the word "memorabilia" is not used. These are now called "accounts of experiences," because that is the nearest 1 can come to a description of what they are. Some people have thought that because the Latin word means literally "things to be remembered," they are in some sense memorable. In fact, the Latin word has a history, as every classical scholar knows, for there is a Greek book about Socrates, the Greek title of which was regularly translated into Latin as Memorabilia. It is a collection of anecdotes about Socrates and the interesting conversations he had with his friends and admirers. I wanted therefore to use the word "anecdotes" to translate Swedenborg's memorabilia, but I have been deterred by my advisers, who feel the word is not sufficiently serious. "Story" is of course very near the meaning, but since this often means a fiction. I don't think we can use that. In my translation of these experiences I have tried to use a rather more colloquial tone in places, for I do not believe the dialogue is meant, in most cases, to sound stiff and formal. At the same time there are passages where the Latin clearly reproduces the pompous answers of some of the people Swedenborg interviewed. There is a delightful passage full of abstruse medical terminology, after which another party complains that it is unintelligible. Clearly this is meant to be hard reading.
     Similarly there are, both in the experiences and elsewhere, passages in a high-flown rhetorical style. I don't think many of us admire Swedenborg as a stylist, for much of his writing, especially in the expository works, is dull and pedestrian. But in his earlier years he had shown his ability to write an elegant and pointed Latin, which of course only a good Latin scholar can appreciate. This style is shown at its most elaborate in the preillumination work De Cultu et Amore Dei, On the Worship and Love of God. I have found this one of the hardest pieces of Latin I know, and I should despair of ever ma king a satisfactory English version of it, for not only are the ideas very advanced and, I suspect, not previously expressed in any language, but the Latin is so carefully contrived that it cannot be reproduced in any other language.
     So in TCR I find passages which recall this stylistic elegance, making much use of plays on words and echoes of sound. One in particular (at 380:4) is impossible to reproduce in another language, as it ends one clause with the word acanitis (which you will know in English "aconite") and the next with acontiae, a very rare word of Greek origin meaning "flying serpents."

There is a kind of pun here which is untranslatable; all I could do was to explain in a note that there are rhetorical figures in the Latin which cannot be reproduced in English.
     I may perhaps be allowed to mention the two indexes which I have prepared, a general index and one of Scripture quotations. I hope I am correct in claiming that this is the first translation of Swedenborg, at least in this country [England], to have indexes compiled by the use of a computer. The computer, of course, is not responsible for the errors, though it tried hard to introduce them, and a few may have got past my scrutiny. But I should like to tell you briefly how they were made. I went all through the book when it was in proof and every time I found a word or a name which I wanted to put in the index I typed this and the reference on a computer terminal so that the entries were all stored electronically on a disk. These were then sorted alphabetically by the Cambridge University main computer, a giant called Phoenix; or to be exact, the operation was controlled by a colleague of mine, Dr. Richard Stibbs, to whom I am much indebted. If I had known more about computers it would have taken less time, for these two indexes cost me about a month's work. I can only say that to prepare them by hand would probably have taken three months.
     Finally I want to say a word about the purpose of this book. The purpose of the translation is easy to state: to present to English readers what Swedenborg wrote at the end of his life in this world, more than two centuries ago. But what did Swedenborg himself intend? He states this clearly in several passages of TCR, e.g.:

For it has pleased the Lord to show Himself to me, and to send me to teach the doctrines of His new church, which is meant by the New Jerusalem in Revelation. For this purpose He opened the interiors of my mind or spirit, thus allowing me to be with angels in the spiritual world and at the same time with people in the natural world; and this has continued now for 27 years (no. 851:1).

     I have consistently written "new church" with a small "n" and a small "c" because it is not a title but a description; that is to say, it means a church which is new, not the New Church as the name of an organisation. I hope that will not shock any in my audience who claim to belong to such an organisation. It seems to me important to grasp that the new church which the Lord established after the Last Judgment was not intended to be a separate body of people with new doctrines, but rather a transformation of the existing Christian churches from within, leading to the acceptance of a common set of doctrines derived from the Word, in many ways a restoration of the unity of the Apostolic church.

Now after two centuries I believe we can discern the working of this process under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Even during my lifetime I have witnessed a remarkable change in the attitudes of the churches to one another. When I was young, the Roman Catholics, for instance, stood apart from all Protestants, unwilling to take part in any form of joint worship or to cooperate on other levels. All this has radically changed in the last fifty years. The Ecumenical movement is making progress, slowly as it seems, but I think with gathering momentum, and I have little doubt the pace will increase still further. Is this not an outward and visible sign of the inward change which is resulting from the Lord's revelation of the internal sense of the Word and the establishment of a new church on earth and in the heavens? If the publication of this new translation of The True Christian Religion can make even the humblest contribution to the advancement of the Lord's kingdom, I shall be happy to have served in however lowly a capacity in the realisation of this ideal.

[Kindness of Lifeline Magazine]
MINISTER'S FAVORITE PASSAGE 1989

MINISTER'S FAVORITE PASSAGE 1989

     (31)

     A passage that always catches my attention and causes me to evaluate my own attitudes is Arcana 1079. It challenges me every time I read it because it defines so clearly our state of mind when faith is separated from charity. It also helps me to understand, and in some measure feel, what angels are like.
     In my more honest moments. I must admit that my tendencies, and yes, even my loves, are still far from heavenly. It is easy to fear that a truly good person, an angel in heaven or on earth, will see my weaknesses, and conclude that I am quite a mess spiritually. But when I read AC 1079 I am reassured that angels do not look for my faults, and if they happen to see one, they will excuse it and put a good interpretation on it. What a relief!
     Because angels have this wonderful quality of acceptance they look for what is good in others and ignore the evil. This is why heaven is a place where everyone feels appreciated and is warmly welcomed. Heaven is our only true home.

     [Photo of Rev. Mark R. Carlson]

     Studying this passage helped me to realize that when I fear being evaluated and judged, in reality I am trying to please a state in others which is of evil. If I live out of the fear of being judged and evaluated. I will attempt less, reach out little, and not risk being known. And then without realizing it, I am patterning my life in a strange and convoluted way upon the evils of others.
     AC 1079 also confronts me with my own tendency to separate faith from charity. In a moment of self-righteousness it is so easy for me to stand in judgment of another, to put a bad interpretation on a publicly known weakness of another, while ignoring all his goods and truths. If I join with another in evaluating a third person, the two of us may get to feel superior, but we have contributed nothing to humanity. What we have done is to make earth a little less like heaven, while giving fearful people all the more reason to be afraid.

Where charity does not exist, self love is present, and consequently hatred toward all who do not show favor to self. As a result they see in the neighbor nothing except his evil. Or if they do see anything good, they either perceive it as nothing or else place a bad interpretation on it. It is altogether otherwise with those with whom charity is present. And from such presence or absence of charity these two kinds of people are distinguished from each other. Especially when they enter the next life, with those who have no charity, a feeling of hatred is manifest in every single thing; they wish to try everyone and indeed to pass judgment on them.

Their one desire is to discover what is evil in them, all the time having it in mind to condemn, punish, and torment. But those who have charity hardly notice the evil in another person, but instead notice all the goods and truths that are his; and on his evils and falsities they place a good interpretation. Of such a nature are all angels, it being something they have from the Lord, who bends everything evil into good.
NCL 100 YEARS AGO 1989

NCL 100 YEARS AGO 1989

     On the front page of the January issue of 1889 is a reference to "the sphere of the world, in which hurry and rush prevail." Without airplanes or cars there was still a sense of rush.

     NCL 50 YEARS AGO

     The January issue of 1939 has five interesting photographs in it. These days black and white photographs are not easy to come by. We wish more people would send us photographs that might appear in our pages.
TEACHING POSITIONS 1989

TEACHING POSITIONS 1989

     This is the time of year when General Church schools begin their staffing considerations. It is still too early to know how many positions will be open for the school year of 1989-90, but usually there are four to eight.
     If you are interested in a career as a teacher in a General Church school, or if you would like information about qualifications, careers, job profiles, salaries, etc., please contact the Office of Education, Box 278, Cairncrest, Bryn Athyn, PA 19009.
     If you would like to discuss teaching as a career but are not yet qualified, or not yet certain of your abilities, why not stop by or call for a chat?

     There are few things in this world more challenging, more exciting, and more fulfilling than the work of a New Church teacher.

Rev. Frederick L. Schnarr
Bishop's Representative
for General Church Schools

WHY SEND YOUR CHILD TO A NEW CHURCH SCHOOL? 1989

WHY SEND YOUR CHILD TO A NEW CHURCH SCHOOL? Editor 1989

When New Church schools were first begun, parents sent their children to them partly to avoid the effects of harmful theological ideas. Concerned parents thought long and hard about such teachings as the following:

The truth is that to implant in the mind of a child or youth the idea of three Divine persons, to which inevitably the idea of three Gods clings, is to deprive it of all spiritual milk, and then of all spiritual food, and finally of all ability to reason spiritually. . . . True Christian Religion 23

These days there are different considerations. It is the absence of spiritual or moral values in public school teachings that concerns some parents. Certain subjects that ought to be taught in the light of spiritual values are deliberately taught without any bias. This has become for some a primary reason to seek New Church schooling for their children.
HIGHLIGHTS FROM SWEDENBORG'S LETTERS 1989

HIGHLIGHTS FROM SWEDENBORG'S LETTERS Editor 1989

     "Useful Books for the Church"

     A few things in Swedenborg's letters have become particularly well known to readers of the Writings. If you look up the Epistles in the Swedenborg Concordance you will find that J. F. Potts made an exception and ended the entry with a fairly lengthy quotation from Swedenborg's letters. (This is exceptional because the Concordance is devoted to the Writings themselves.)
     Dr. Gabriel Beyer had written to Swedenborg in March of 1766 wondering why the Writings that he had read did not refer to the Epistles or "the writings of the Apostles." He guessed at an answer to this question, suggesting that the Epistles contained doctrine drawn from the Word "fitted to the comprehension and way of thinking in the churches of that time, so that their words and doctrine could not have a correspondence . . . as does the rest of God's Word which we have, but that the Apostles' doctrine was yet pure, correct and divine."

Swedenborg's response on April 15th is quoted in the Concordance under "Epistle." He pointed out that these were "doctrinal writings" which were not written in the style of the Word which effects immediate communication from heaven, "in doctrinal writings there is another style, which does indeed have communication with heaven but mediately." He then called the Epistles "good books for the church. That is the rendering of Swedenborg's Swedish (see Small Theological Works and Letters, p. 217). But prior to this, something similar had been written in Apocalypse Explained.
     According to n. 815 of A.E. the Gospels contain the words of the Lord Himself, "all of which have concealed in them a spiritual sense, through which immediate communication with heaven is granted, while the writings of the Apostles contain no such sense, although they are nevertheless useful books for the church (libri utiles ecclesiae). Useful books should be used, and we will speak about that in a moment.
     A few months after the exchange with Beyer came an exchange with F. C. Oetinger, who remarked that Swedenborg did not quote the Epistles, and asked Swedenborg whether he had spoken to the Apostles. Swedenborg responded on Nov. 11, 1766, that he had spoken with John three times and to Paul for a whole year. He even said that he had discussed with Paul specifically what he wrote in Romans 3:28 about being justified by faith apart from the deeds of the law. Paul did not intend this to mean faith apart from charity and good works. The Writings emphasize that Paul was misunderstood in this passage (see NCL 1986, p. 226).
     There have been many people who have jumped to the conclusion that Swedenborg was somehow against the Epistles. The first such person was John Cuno of Holland. In March of 1769 Cuno wrote to Swedenborg: "Your work on the White Horse would have pleased me more than all the others were it not that near its end you rashly take all divine inspiration and authority from the apostolic Epistles of Paul, Peter, John, James and Jude, because, you being the sole judge, they do not have an internal sense" (Letters and Memorials, p. 655). Cuno grossly overstated the case. What was said in White Horse 16 is the following:

Which are the books of the Word. . . . In the New Testament the four evangelists, Matthew, Mark, Luke, John; and the Apocalypse. The rest have not the internal sense.

     Rev. Harold Cranch began a study for New Church Life by saying, "Many members of the General Church somewhat neglect the non-canonical books of the Bible. . . .

Many feel that it is somehow wrong to use them-disloyal to the Writings, and rather old church." (See this full article and the rejoinder by Rev. Douglas Taylor in NCL 1964, pages 325 and 472.)
The Writings make frequent use of the Epistles, emphasizing, for example, the final lines in the Epistle of John: ". . . Jesus Christ. This is the true God and eternal life. Little children, keep yourselves from idols. Amen." Good and useful books for the church are indeed good and useful.
"CONJUGIAL" 1989

"CONJUGIAL" Various 1989

Dear Editor:
     In this letter I would like to present some thoughts not presented earlier concerning the new translation of Swedenborg's work, DELITIAE SAPIENTIAE DE AMORE CONJUGIALI POST QUAS SEQUUNTUR VOLUNTATES INSANIAE DE AMORE SCORTATORIO by Rev. N. Bruce Rogers. Neither Mr. Rogers nor other letters to the editor have as yet discussed the retention by him in this translation of the Anglicized form of the Latin, namely, "conjugial." As admirable as Mr. Rogers' efforts are, I believe the matter needs careful discussion to amplify the important issues involved.
     Several years ago Rev. Frank Rose clarified rather admirably this rather old problem in the pages of New Church Life by showing that the best translation of conjugial is the much more meaningful English equivalent "marital" or "marriage." Antedating Mr. Rose's paper, however, was a translation of the same work into English by William Wunsch published in the 1950s by the Swedenborg Foundation. Mr. Wunsch also recognized that amore conjugial is best translated as "marital love," which was also its title. I am aware of a recent translation of the work into Danish by Gudmund Boolsen in which the Danish equivalent to "marital love" (AEGTESKABELIG KAELIGHED) is used in the title and throughout the work.
     Certainly in the largest part of the time since the first translation of the work into English by John Clowes in 1790, the word "conjugial" was retained from the Latin. The word even made its way into unabridged dictionaries as a distinct English word.

Thus tradition has fixed it thus and may be the major reason that Mr. Rogers has continued it. Tradition is a demanding ruler. This, however, creates the rather unyielding impression to the serious reader that the Lord through inspiration into the thought of Swedenborg meant to form a new concept requiring a distinctly different Latin word. Yet the work itself never gives any indication that it is creating a new word. If it had, it would have clearly defined it as such, and scholarship has shown that it is not even a new word in Latin, but was always used earlier to mean marital or marriage. In my own reading prior to the introduction of the latter meaning I always felt the sense to be indistinct when the word "conjugial" appeared. The topic of marriage is so critical and central to the doctrine of the New Church that I felt a great sense of relief when the issue was clarified by Mr. Rose.
     There is much to admire in Mr. Rogers' new translation. However, before I could accept it in its entirety, I would have to have an insightful explanation of the imperative need for retaining "conjugial" in any translation of that marvelous work. I would very carefully consider and welcome any response to these considerations.
     James R. Brush,
          Scottsdale, Arizona

     THE TRANSLATOR REPLIES

     I have not retained use of the word "conjugial" for any doctrinal or linguistic reason. The terms "married love" and "true married love" are more idiomatic than "conjugial love" and "truly conjugial love," and at the same time convey, I believe, more intelligibly the meaning of the original Latin. In sum, I agree with Dr. Brush that the term "conjugial" conveys the meaning less distinctly than other renderings more idiomatic to the English language. Some points in the doctrine have even been misinterpreted owing to a confusion of ordinary conjugial love (i.e., married love) with truly conjugial love (i.e., true married love).
     However, we are faced with the fact that the word "conjugial" is a much beloved term in the church, and it has been made pretty clear to me that my translation would not be widely accepted or used if I were to abandon it. In order not to throw out the baby with the bath, so to speak, I have therefore chosen what seems to me the better course, to retain this term, in order that the church may not lose whatever other benefits my new translation may have to offer in the way of greater clarity and accuracy.
     Rev. N. Bruce Rogers,
          Bryn Athyn, Pennsylvania

POEMS FROM SWEDENBORG 1989

POEMS FROM SWEDENBORG Linda Simonetti Odhner 1989

Dear Editor:
     I read Mr. Glenn's letter in the October issue about the Writings as poetry with great interest. I believe that my review of Poems from Swedenborg in the same issue already addresses much of what he says. I think I make it obvious that I do not see Poems from Swedenborg as a substitute for the doctrines in their customary form, any more than (to reuse an analogy) I consider a photograph a substitute for its real subject.
     However, I would like to respond to some other statements Mr. Glenn makes in his letter. I don't believe that "No longer is it true that 'Without a parable spake He not to them.'" The Lord is always speaking to us in parables, or at least with parables. The natural world is a parable of the spiritual world, and any medium through which the Lord reveals Himself becomes a parable of His essential Self. Moreover, the Writings are presented with the parables of the literal sense of the Old and New Testaments. The Arcana Coelestia and both of the Apocalypse works (a total of twenty volumes) are written in a parable format, beginning with the literal sense and progressing to the internal. I find it especially interesting that the Writings give the internal sense of the explanations Jesus provides for His parables. A parable doesn't have to be a fictional story; it can be a doctrinal explanation.
     Mr. Glenn characterizes the Writings as "doctrine essentially abstracted from story and symbol." Poems from Swedenborg brought to my attention just how many symbols occur even in those passages we consider abstract doctrine. I doubt that Mr. Glenn believes that adults have outgrown the need for story and symbol in learning doctrine, although his words can be construed to imply this idea. Adults do differ from children in their awareness of the significance of stories and symbols, and in their ability to distinguish between the symbol and what it symbolizes. Likewise, the Writings, unlike the Old and New Testaments, make a clear distinction between symbol and symbolized, yet both are present. Doctrine is indeed abstracted from symbol, but not divorced from it. Even an abstract doctrinal statement, if it conveys any meaning, will arouse images in the mind, often largely unconscious ones. What Poems from Swedenborg does for me is to amplify and clarify these images, and to direct my attention to them. Even when our understanding does "rise above" sense experience, we never entirely leave sense experience behind. While the words are Swedenborg's, the art in highlighting those elusive images is Le Van's.

     I'd like to address Mr. Glenn's concerns about punctuation by pointing out that punctuation marks, as well as words, are subject to translation. Here's an example my husband looked up for me-an English (Swedenborg Society) translation with punctuation following the Latin:

All experience in heaven testifies, that the Divine going forth from the Lord, which affects the angels and makes heaven, is love, for all, who are there, are forms of love and charity, and appear in ineffable beauty, with love shining forth from their faces, their speech, and every particular of their life(HH 17).

     The poem "Shining Love"(Poems fro Swedenborg, p. 14) is based on this quotation.

     Shining Love

All observation
In Heaven attests
That the Divine
That goes forth from the Lord
And that affects angels
And makes Heaven
Is love;
For all who are in Heaven
Are forms of love and charity
And appear
In ineffable beauty
With love shining forth
From their faces
And from every particular
Of their life.
                    H.17

     The Writings are not absolute truth, but a window through which we can see truth. Translators keep the glass as transparent as they can. Le Van hasn't splintered this window-he has hung prisms in it.
     Linda Simonetti Odhner,
          Phoenixville, Pennsylvania

     Note: The Latin of HH 17 (quoted above) is as follows: Quod Divinum a Domino procedens, quod afficit angelos, et facit caelum, sit amore, testaur omnis experientia in caelo; omnes enim, qui ibi, sunt formae amoris et charitatis, apparent in pulchritudine ineffabili, ac amore elucet ex facie illorum, ex loquela, et ex singulis vitae illorum.

ADVENTURE IN TV LAND 1989

ADVENTURE IN TV LAND Rev. Jan H. Weiss 1989

Dear Editor:
     In March 1987 I began to take classes in TV production. First we learned how to use portable equipment so we could take that equipment home. Then we were taught how to edit our takes into a finished product. Finally we learned to produce in a studio. New Church Outreach has become a TV producer.
     We started from absolute scratch without outside support. Can it be done? Most definitely. At this point New Church Outreach has produced forty half-hour religious programs which are broadcast over the networks of some eight cable companies in the Los Angeles area. But do not think it is easy. It takes more than sixty hours per week to do this work.
     My first two programs were terrible. One was taken in my back yard in the open sun, and the subject was sex education. Then I produced a program without a camera-just words printed and spoken against the background of music. This program listed some thirty benefits of our religion. It had to be scrolled three times before a half hour was full.
     But the cable company was convinced of the seriousness of my intentions, and New Church Outreach got its own program slot-Saturday morning at 10:30, right after a talk by some fundamentalist and before the American Atheists.
     The need of a qualified cameraman was clear, and so I placed an ad at various senior citizen meeting places. In a few days there was a call. A seventy-year-old former general manager of a plant became our first cameraman. He put our TV program on the map.
     Together we decided to tape our programs on our patio. I developed and built a backdrop that could be used on both sides. With my oldest son I developed a teleprompter. One command changed the letters of two books into capitals. Another command put all lines four lines apart. My son wrote a program that could scroll the lines at various speeds. Through a wire and a switch I could start and stop the scroll, so it never ran away from me.
     The key word was production. By this time I had discovered that TV program directors like the safety of steady program producers. New Church Outreach would never get on other stations unless I could bring them a heap of tapes.
     With the teleprompter my cameraman and I began to produce. In a few hours we taped several programs. But we made mistakes which had to be edited out. In the beginning it would take five hours to edit one half-hour program.

Quite a number of times I have left the studio swearing never to return to the editing desk. But then what was the alternative? Not to do missionary work!
     On the patio I produced twenty-six programs covering two books: My Wonderful Religion and Sexuality and the Word of God. These programs made New Church Outreach the biggest producer in my local cable company, and probably in most cable companies in the Los Angeles area. But they were not the best programs. However, these twenty-six programs gained access to three other cable companies where they were aired.
     At this level of performance I sat back and evaluated. It was time to step up to a discretely higher level of performance. I asked people for comments but got none, until finally a young production manager in a studio put it plainly: "Your programs are boring." I asked him why. "Your program is a 'talking head' program in which you read from a teleprompter. People do not want to listen to one person talking for 25 minutes continuously. They do not want to be preached to, but they want to observe the extemporaneous discussion between at least two people!" And so I began my search for a co host.
     You may think it is easy to find people to go on TV with you. Not so. My business card went to many prospective hosts. Several times a prospective host expressed interest, but did not show up for the appointment. Then I met Stephen Jeckovich by accident in a class. We produced ten programs on dying and the life after death. Then we did one on how to acquire a new religion. With a lawyer I produced two programs entitled "A New Criminal Justice System," based on the New Church concept of God. At the end of June we reviewed my book, The Second Coming of the Lord Has Taken Place. Stephen was great as a co host. He inspired me with his questions to a better performance. We talked and everybody listened.
     My initial desire to bring the programs to a discretely higher level of production and my finding a co host had a catalytic effect on the studio professionals. "Start to produce in the studio," they suggested. "Let's tape with three cameras, and we will help."
     The studio people gave me the names of volunteers because I could not afford to pay anybody. Before I knew it we were taping in the studio. One problem though. In the studio I could not use the teleprompter. I could not physically bring it there, and even if I had overcome that problem, the studio people would not have allowed me to use it. "It makes your speech unnatural and you don't look at the camera."
     Here I met with a TV consultant who weaned me away from the teleprompter. It was frightening. It was a total break with the past.

But the consultant and the studio people said to me: "If you as a minister cannot speak about your religion without a piece of paper, then how do you expect us laymen to understand what you are saying?"
     Do not think I faced up to the past so easily. "But I want to speak in an organized way," I argued. "But you will lose us in the first three minutes," my friends argued. And so finally I gave in. I would bring in my paper props, but my friends would take them away.
     Then a miracle occurred. For the first time in my life I watched my own performance with interest and approval. I did not bore myself. My TV consultant was right. I knew my stuff. It did not become a disorganized mess. Everybody, including my TV consultant, was satisfied.
     The end of the program always came upon us as a big surprise. We are developing a way in which we can get a certain amount of material into one program. Also we are getting better at bringing the program to an end when the time has come.
     Now we should begin to improve in other areas and on different levels. Already NCO is able to copy programs on VHS tapes. Some stations will take this tape, and these tapes are good to give to private individuals, who play them for themselves at their own time, or play them for a group of their friends at their own time and location. But some stations require 1/4 inch tapes. To get a regular time slot on these stations we need the facility to copy 3/4 inch tapes. The originals can be played on a simple "play only" machine. If the recorder would be able to do simple editing, then we could expand our outreach to even more stations.
     But what is even more important is to widen our circle of listeners. Not all people have cable TV, and few people listen to community access channels. We need to advertise our programs. Therefore, we produced six 30- and 60-second promos that will be played on commercial stations. More and different advertising will have to follow if somehow we can manage it.
     After advertising, we need to be able to offer books and tapes and lectures. We are doing this now in a limited way. I am lending tapes and books to people who have shown interest. This approach keeps our investment to a minimum.
     Rev. Jan H. Weiss,
          P.O.B. 7066, Industry, CA 91744

FAVORITE PASSAGE 1989

FAVORITE PASSAGE Naomi G. Smith 1989

Dear Editor:
     Though I honor Rev. Dan Goodenough's decision not to offer a favorite passage (October 1988 NCL), feeling it is evidence of his commitment to the protection of the Heavenly Doctrines, and heed his warning that "people basing their thinking on one particular article of faith to which they attach supreme importance" might give rise to heresies, I was disturbed when I read his carefully reasoned argument.
     A few days later, during a Women's Renewal Weekend that considered the subject "Love Thy Neighbor," I realized why. As I thought about it, it seemed to me quite orderly that a passage that has helped us at some point in our life becomes a favorite," and further, that sharing this passage from the threefold Word is one of the greatest gifts we can give another. It is a given that, priest or layman, one's understanding of a passage is only according to one's state at that particular time, but if the passage has helped us see the Lord more clearly, if it helped us when we cried out to Him, it may meet someone else's need.
     When I was a very little girl, frightened and probably missing my parents, my grandmother told me that when she couldn't sleep at night, when she was frightened or unsure, she found great comfort in reciting the psalms to herself, especially the 23rd Psalm. My reaction was mostly surprise that someone as old and grown up as my grandmother should ever feel frightened or unsure, but nearly fifty years later, when I reach for the Word to find comfort in reading the Psalms, or when I recite the 23rd Psalm in the darkness of the night, I often say a silent "Thank you, Gorandmother."
     Sharing the truth and comfort that the Lord has given us is perhaps one of the most concrete ways we have of loving the neighbor.
     Naomi G. Smith,
          Glenview, Illinois
PLEA FOR SUBSCRIBER INTER-COMMUNICATIONS 1989

PLEA FOR SUBSCRIBER INTER-COMMUNICATIONS Patricia J. Fallen J.P. 1989

Dear Editor:
I have been attending the New Christian Church (Sydney, Australia) regularly over the past five years (four plus as a member), and during this time I have enquired about, and searched for, in vain, a comprehensive Bible-based introduction to our church's teachings.

I am well aware of the numerous Scriptural references which are given in such books as The Four Leading Doctrines and the constant citing of Scripture found in The True Christian Religion, but I have in mind starting with, and drawing widely on, Scripture showing how it teaches the doctrine identified and highlighted on the revelation of the Heavenly Doctrine.
     I have talked with my minister about this project and I have in mind to gather together contributions from qualified people around the world to be assembled into a course of study notes, to be used by groups (or individuals), covering the following main topics:

     1.      Introduction
     2.      The Nature of God
     3.      The Purpose of the World
     4.      The Lord's Relationship with His People (The Word)
     5.      The Lord Communicates with His People (The Word)
     6.      God's Coming to Save His People
     7.      Leading the Life That Leads to Heaven, highlighting the qualities that are needed
     8.      God Cares for His People (Divine Providence)
     9.      Life from Beyond Death (Influx)
     10. Life Beyond Death (Heaven and Hell)
     11.      The Marriage Covenant
     12.      The Second Coming and the Future.

     Presently I would be delighted to hear from people who: 1. sense the need I feel and am talking about; and 2. are possible contributors.
     Please feel free to direct your expressions of interest to me, enclosing an international reply voucher or stamps, whichever is applicable. Thank you for your interest.
     Patricia J. Fallen J.P., Ph.D.,
          Box 196, P.O. Roseville 2069, Sydney, Australia
FLOCK 1989

FLOCK Richard Linquist 1989

Dear Editor:
I need some pastoral advice. Do you think that I would stray, like a lost sheep, from the way of mercy if I were to ask the readers of NCL if some of them have lost their minds? Maybe it would be wiser and more useful to ask if they have lost something in their minds.

     They and you know, of course, ". . .that every least thing that a man has thought, willed, spoken, done, or even heard and seen, is inscribed on his internal or Spiritual memory; and that what is there is never erased . . ." (HH 463). Everything is there inside of us, yet we forget. We forget names, dates in history, the reasons we were so angry at our neighbors. Maybe it is good to forget what is of no apparent use to our regeneration.
     Already I am beginning to forget why I am writing this letter to you. Oh yes, I remember. I was concerned about some of the sheep in the global flock of readers of NCL who may be forgetting truths. This concern arose in my mind while I was reading AE 675:10. There the spiritual sense was explained of ". . . the woman having ten drachmas, if she lose one, doth she not light a candle and sweep the house and seek carefully till she find it?. . . In that sense a 'woman' signifies the church in respect to the affection of truth, thus also the affection of truth itself which belongs to the church; the 'drachma' signifies truth; 'to lose the drachma' signifies to lose one of the truths or the knowledges of truth; 'to light a candle' signifies self-examination from affection; 'to sweep the house' signifies to traverse the whole mind and to examine every particular where the truth lies hidden."
     Spiritual truths which may have been hidden from our sight while we overindulged in delights of self and the world can be found again. The beginning of a new year can be the beginning of further regeneration. Those of us who are occasionally wayward search the pages of NCL for the sound of the Shepherd's voice and the hand of spiritual guidance. Have a happy New Year.
     Richard Linquist,
          Huntingdon Valley, Pennsylvania
HISTORY OF A NEW CHURCH FAMILY 1989

HISTORY OF A NEW CHURCH FAMILY Claude Jack Smith 1989

Dear Editor:
I would like to tell your readers about the forthcoming publication of a volume of considerable interest to members and friends of the New Church in many parts of the world. It is the second volume of Two Families of Ile e France, to be published in Durban, South Africa, in a limited edition of perhaps 350 copies. It will come to about 350 pages, including ten pages of black and white illustrations and seven color plates.
The author, Virginia Taylor, a member of the Rouillard family, began more than ten years ago to write a history of her own family and of the de Chazal family, the two families being closely interlinked by marriage.

Volume I, published in Durban in 1985 in a limited edition of 300 copies, comprised Book I-The Rouillard Family. It was sold at R35 per copy, plus postage. Only a few copies of Volume I remain available, attractively bound in hard covers, with gold lettering, and containing illustrations both in colour and in black and white.
     Preparation of Volume II, comprising Book II on the de Chazal family, and Book III on the author's grandparents and their descendants, is now almost complete, and I predict that the enthusiasm with which the book will be received will amply repay the author for the long years of patient research which she has devoted to it. For it is a work of love, for which the author seeks no other profit than the readers' enjoyment. The appeal of Volume II to members of the de Chazal and Rouillard families, and to the closely related Mayer family as well as to other related families, is beyond doubt. However, it will also attract students of history, customs and letters of the 18th and later centuries.
     Book II opens with a description of the Ancien Regime, the old political order in France before the 1789 revolution, and explains French terms frequently used in the earlier chapters. This account provides a backdrop against which readers can view clearly the fascinating history of the de Chazal family, including its roots in France and its ramifications in Mauritius, Madagascar, Southern Africa, Argentina, Europe, North America, and elsewhere.
     Chapters I to VI give an account of the family in France, the migration of two brothers to Ile de France, and the growth of the family there. In an amusing "Interlude" the author, in search of the family's origins, takes us with her on her strenuous journeys across France, accompanied by her husband, Group-Captain Rupert Taylor, and her son Richard, who teaches at the renowned Millfields School in Somerset.
     Chapter VII traces the bonds between the de Chazal and Mayer families, draws a vivid picture of the well-loved Tante Alice Mayer, tells of life in Mauritius in the 1890s, and narrates some of the brave exploits of Percy Mayer and his wife Berthe in Madagascar and France in connection with Special Operations Executive and the French Resistance Movement during World War II.
     Chapter VIII portrays the towering figure of Edmond de Chazal and his talented wife Claire, nee Rouillard. Together they developed the great estate and homestead of St. Antoine, in the north of Mauritius. The story of this sugar farm, from the days of slavery through the decades of increasing application of new technology to the present day, furnishes the family history with an absorbing secondary theme.

     It was Edmond de Chazal who, in company with others, founded the New Church in Mauritius. This event is related in detail, and a summary ("To My Children") which he addressed to his fifteen children in explanation of his action is included in an appendix.
     Chapter IX, which for ease of reference is organised in four parts, traces the descendants of the children of Edmond and Claire de Chazal. Chapter X presents a selection of the letters of Frank Mayer, written while he was serving with the French army on the western front in 1914 and 1915. They ale addressed to his beloved Tante Alice, and are deeply moving. Chapter XI concludes the book with eyewitness accounts of some of the worst cyclones to devastate Mauritius.
     Book III features John Rouillard, who became a distinguished judge of the Supreme Court of Mauritius, and served the British Crown in Mauritius and in Rodrigues. The first five chapters recount his marriage to Edmee de Chazal, their long and eventful stay in Europe, and their eventual return to Mauritius. The sixth and final chapter relates the history of their children, including the author's father, Richard, and their descendants.
     Claude Jack Smith,
          Sechelt, British Columbia, Canada
NEW TRANSLATION 1989

NEW TRANSLATION Fran Wilson, Ian and Frea Woofenden 1989

Dear Editor:
     We could write to you about Rev. Bruce Rogers' translation of Conjugial Love this way.
     Considering the vast expense in time, energy, and funds devoted to the translation of the original into the English language, it is our considered opinion that the translator should bring the language within the reach of all possible readers in the general public at large.
     The authors of this letter believe that the samples excerpted in print in the pages of New Church Life have the appearance of being less than a substantive advance toward the intended goal of enhancing the simplicity necessary for intellectual understanding of the work under consideration.
     The segment of the population which will find Mr. Rogers' translation sufficient for personal and professional use and will benefit therefrom already will essentially find their translation needs fulfilled adequately by the standard edition translation which is already in existence and readily available.

     Until such time as we are prepared to make our translations conform to a model that will accommodate itself to the use of the many and varied common and refined individuals and groups that inhabit our planet, or at least the portion of the aforementioned planet that employs the English language, and desist in our efforts to construct our translations predominantly for the use of our own peers and the population of our particular organization and associated individuals, is it perhaps in order to begin to seriously question our endeavor, and raise doubts as to the usefulness of continuing these efforts that entail such major expenditures of our funds and the distraction of the talent and expertise of our personnel from other more fruitful endeavors? We respectfully submit these doubts for the perusal of your readers in the hope that they might find themselves in substantial assent with a portion of the comments above and therefore move themselves to communicate their differences of opinion to the authorities who oversee such work, and they will be gratified in the event that the result of future effort to carry out this work shows the mark of their influence.
     But what we really want to say is: If we are going to go to all the trouble to translate this, why don't we make it easy for everyone to read? We think the samples printed in NCL aren't much of a step forward. The people who would find Bruce's translation useful can probably already handle the standard edition. Until we're ready to stop translating for ourselves and start translating for the world, why bother?
     Fran Wilson, Ian and Frea Woofenden,
          Guemes Island, Washington
TRANSLATING AND SIMPLIFICATION 1989

TRANSLATING AND SIMPLIFICATION Barrie Ridgway 1989

Dear Editor:
I was most interested to read Rev. James Cooper's comments in NCL, April 1988 (pages 150, 151) and the letters from Rev. N. Riley and Mr. N. Heldon in July (pages 300, 301).
It seems to me that Mr. Cooper's and Mr. Riley's comments are most timely and pertinent and should be heeded by us all. There seems to be a trend in the church to simplify everything, to make it more acceptable to the outside world, to make it all "easier to understand." The catch phrase, often led by ministers, is "It is too difficult." From changing our hymns to changing the Word to simplifying our doctrinal statements and sermons this trend may be observed, and it would appear to be led by the desire to increase our numbers and make us acceptable in the eyes of non-New Churchmen, as well as making things "easier" for ourselves so that we do not have to put too much effort into understanding the Word.

Is it that the church is no longer advancing and is becoming material, more concerned with the world? I personally would like to see more cooperation or communication with the organization called Nova Hierosolyma, the only other organization on earth which believes that the Writings are the Word.
     To return more directly to Mr. Riley's comments, I understand that the new Swedenborg Society translations of AC and TCR contain some unfortunate renderings. I understand, for example, that in Mr. Elliott's translation of AC 2814 "the true Divine in the Lord's Human Divine" is translated as "Divine Truth in the Lord's Divine Human," and "The Divine True in the Lord's Divine Human" as "Divine Truth within the Divine Human." These are significant differences. In my view one might seriously consider whether such translations are worth buying.
     Dare I say that even Rev. Bruce Rogers's translation of CL leaves me feeling somewhat uneasy? I have just compared his translation (NCL July 1988) with my copy, and find that my edition is more concise and less confusing. An example is the use by Mr. Rogers of the terms "inward and outward aspects" instead of the familiar "internal and external man." The two terms mean entirely different things to me. In addition, "aspects" gives the impression that it is only some aspects. The terms are so confusing that Mr. Rogers then has to define them as "inner and outer person." Later the term becomes "inner quality and outer quality." I have a number of other problems with the excerpt of the new translation which, overall, leaves me feeling that it is somewhat loose and does not convey the same message as my old edition.
     It seems very important to me that we translate the Writings from the Latin as closely as we can to the Latin. Only by doing this will we be able to read what is from the Lord. As soon as we start making the Writings easier to read, we include the perceptions of the translator.
     Mr. Heldon is concerned lest the church become a theological gymnasium. I am not sure just what he means by that. If he is saying that profound truths may be stated simply, then I would agree with him. My concern, however, lies with Mr. Heldon's quote from Dr. T. King, who states that the world has little interest in, or use for, a theological gymnasium. Returning to my earlier comments above, why must we be concerned with the world's desires and standards?
     The internal sense of the Word can only be seen in enlightenment from the Lord through the regenerative process. The Word is quite clear about this. Also, we must either advance to heaven or retreat to hell.

The genuine church and its doctrine is a reflection of the states and doctrine of its individual members. The genuine church is, of course, a living church. But what of the organized church? it too reflects the states and doctrines of its members. But it can advance, as its members advance, to become a genuine church or it can die. If the organized church advances, its written statements of doctrine, its sermons, its teaching of the truths, reflect the Divine truth of each individual member. The advancement of the church must therefore go hand in hand with regeneration, through which we receive enlightenment from the Lord to see increasingly the internal sense of the Word. Thus advancement means an increasingly interior perception of Divine truth. If the world cannot comprehend the doctrine of the church, that is as it should be: the world is not in that state. Obviously, there will be a range of states within the organized church. Many will be unable to see the more interior truths of the church. This too is according to order. Yet that is no reason to restrict the advancement of the church to the most unregenerative and therefore least perceptive state. Instead, we should be seeking to regenerate so that we too may one day see those more advanced doctrinal statements and make them live with us.
     I would like to see much more participation of the laity in contributing to the doctrinal formation of the church. As I see it, we need an active laity for the church as a whole to advance. A passive laity implies a laity which may not be advancing. Also, priests may or may not be enlightened, depending on their own states of regeneration. Unless the laity is active in the doctrinal formation of the church, it has no means of knowing whether or not the doctrine which is being fed to them is true. I would also like to see the church strongly promoting the doctrinal points which make it unique.
     The Lord has stated clearly that in the beginning of the New Church the numbers will be limited to a few. Let us heed the comments by Messrs. Cooper and Riley. Let us not chase the standards of the world for the sake of numbers or an "easier" understanding. Let us not forget what we are here for. We must attempt to regenerate. If we do, a more interior understanding is not only inevitable, but should also be a matter of great joy.
     Barrie Ridgway,
          Canberra, Australia

LAYMAN'S COMMENTS 1989

LAYMAN'S COMMENTS W. B. Klippenstein 1989

Dear Editor:
     I am submitting to you a commentary (see below) I did on Bishop Willard D. Pendleton's article, "Education for Feminine Uses" in the 1984 December issue of Life. I was highly stimulated by this article and have gone back and read it several times. I commended him on this exciting work. He recommended to me to send my short commentary to you, and he did this because he felt it had a message. Since he was affected by it, he felt other members of the church might also feel the same. As a layman I am writing this in laymen's terms. I am head of a family that is intensely interested in the growth of the church, and we all feel the need to target certain essential doctrines of the church. We as a family are removed from the educational environment of the church, and it may be of interest how some of us feel who are in constant contact with the forces of the world that have a profound effect on all of us. We feel a need for an alertness on the part of the members of the church, and more of an involvement of its membership.
     W. B. Klippenstein,
          Hot Springs, South Dakota
EDUCATION FOR FEMININE USES 1989

EDUCATION FOR FEMININE USES W. B. KLIPPENSTEIN 1989

A Commentary on Bishop Willard D. Pendleton's "Education for Feminine Uses" in the December 1984 New Church Life.

At this time in our history I cannot think of a more important theme than the proper relationship between the sexes. Like all manner of things, man has exploited the physical until there is very little left of the spiritual. We verbally acknowledge within the church the existence of a conjugial between the sexes, and that without working toward that goal, life loses its purpose. Evidence of this is noticeable and very evident today. Bishop Pendleton outlines the concept very well, and it becomes evident that there is a genuine difference between the masculine and the feminine, and that this is of purpose by the Divine order so that uses can culminate in good. The very beauty of this arrangement is lost in the humanistic thought and action of the day. The good of love between the sexes is expressed in stories, poems, and music. It follows that the beauty in a good marriage relationship is expressed in the harmony and rhythm of these forms of communication.

The delight of the body and mind confirms the concept that in this use man can form his very being, and in it measure his truest source of happiness, here and in the hereafter.
In these times we are afraid to express our thoughts in regard to the conjugial. We are affected by the number of divorces and infidelities, and now need to assess how to effectively approach this problem. This world's sphere has also affected members of the church. Many things come to mind to remedy this situation. The work ethic certainly needs to be reinstated. It is especially important in the marriage relationship. One must work at making it real and beautiful. Adults make many sacrifices for their children, but the mind must be put to work to give to children the true challenges of life. Children's freedom should not be inhibited by materialism nor wealth. Children should be taught to live and participate in the good of life. They should be taught that the gift of life is a privilege and that rights only come with responsibilities. This premise is also true for adults. Too often we say that children should not be allowed to see and read things of an immoral nature, but that it is all right for adults to do so. This is hypocrisy! Adult minds when exposed to immoralities are affected as well as juvenile minds. Interiorly, they are of a more evil nature. Man has the responsibility of being an example and choosing to do good by his own volition so that it becomes a part of him. Children's states of innocence need the home and all that it represents to fall back on and receive Support from. They have great need to respect their parents, and if this isn't the case, their spiritual development is impaired.
In this vein I could continue, but the importance of Bishop Pendleton's topic is of great consequence now and in the future of education in the church. The separation of boys and girls in the high school is, to me, of paramount importance. I feel it is essential that the male be separated to that extent that enables him to become masculine in nature. The mother that bore him has given of herself by bearing him, nurturing him with her loves. These in time must change toward the masculine, and this must be done by the father. So many male children who are left without a father are looking for a male image. This may be a substitute but it is not ideal. The spiritual laws within natural laws have their own built-in repercussions. It is the father who should teach his manchild the manly virtues. In the formative years of school this form of separation is of utmost importance. The female is to learn to understand and control her nature. Nature has endowed her with certain strengths which the male does not have but which in time can lend strength to the male.

The reciprocation between the sexes is complementary in all of its aspects. The couple can only become a one by working together to understand this concept.
I have always been interested in all forms of education, especially in what pertains to the male as well as the female. With technology growing so rapidly, we need the rational to order our life in such a manner that the conjugial is protected. Our numbers are small, but with the applying of our doctrines to life, we can encourage students with leadership qualities to take part in government and in other fields of useful forms of industry. We need to gain the respect of the world. We know that as individuals we are dispensable, but with the stewardship of our doctrines, we must become, to a much greater extent, leaders that people can have faith in and who inspire a resurgence of faith.
If there are those who find this commentary controversial, I will accept the fact that I am a chauvinist, but only if this term emphasizes the masculine and its proper role.
REVIEW 1989

REVIEW 1989

Providence and Free Will in Human Actions, Daniel W. Goodenough; Swedenborg Scientific Association, Bryn Athyn, 1986; paperback. pp. 132; price $6.65

     If you are a thinking New Churchman, this book will give you more than enough to think about. To understand history or society Mr. Goodenough explains that three doctrines (the doctrines of the neighbor, Providence, and free will) must be understood together.
     Goodenough asks the question, "Why?" about man and how our Lord operates to give us freedom of the will, or free will, and how He guides us at the same time to create "a seminary for heaven."
     Goodenough keeps the reader busy thinking about the Writings in thirteen chapters. There are too many ideas in this small book to write a simple review.
     The doctrine of permission helps us understand why God works the way He does. Goodenough gives us principles to keep in mind as he sums up the Lord's government. For example, "God continually holds His finger on the pointer of the balance, regulating but never violating man's free will by compulsion" (TCR 504:5)! "is it possible to account for such things except from the fact that every man has free will?" (TCR 479).
     The doctrine of use is pointed out in chapter five.

"Freedom to Do." Goodenough notes in chapter six the close tie between will and action, and between thinking and speaking (see TCR 489).
     Have you ever thought why no procreations of men are possible except in the ultimates of nature? See page 41.
     How many times do we want to do something good and yet put if off! We are reminded that "if an intention is not acted upon when there is opportunity, it is not a true intention but a passing affection and thought."
     The reason why man chooses his eternal home while here on this earth is given in chapter seven, page 53.
     The doctrine that all can be regenerated but "everyone according to his state" opens chapter eight, and the author gives us the three degrees-Divine Rational, Divine Natural, Divine Sensual.
     Evil punishes itself! Goodenough states in chapter nine that this is obvious from the fact that some people choose to go to hell. Some confused people feel that God would not permit a hell and that all eventually enter heaven.
     Goodenough gives enough examples of history. Such a listing will, I hope, cause the non-New Churcher to read the Writings themselves. For example, how few students of history realize that the defeat of the Spanish Armada of 1588 also preserved religious freedom in England, the land of freedom where the Writings were printed by Swedenborg.
     The first Law of Order opens chapter ten. Man has freedom and rationality. (Can we say freedom and reason?) Our Lord grants us freedom in natural events as well as spiritual ones, and Goodenough gives us eleven things to meditate on. On page 89 is the quote from DLW 202: "it is one thing to think from causes, and another to think about causes." Do you have difficulty in thinking from the order of Providence? If you want to think right, you must think from the order of Providence!
     Chapter eleven defines "man's own prudence as coming not from God but from his proprium, or what is his own, yet wisdom, to be wise, must come from God rather than from self." The more that we understand the doctrines of Providence and free will, the better we will be able to live a life of order.
     Chapter twelve, page 110, reminds us that "Genuine trust in Providence, therefore, should beware of too close an association with the idea of progress that is fashionable among many today." Our children are being influenced by the world we live in, and usually negatively, with the so-called happy ending syndrome of the past not being seen very clearly today!

     (Continued on page 50.)

Church News 1989

Church News Elisabeth Keal 1989

     NEW ZEALAND

     Greetings! Many events and changes occur in just one year! Looking back over the past twelve months, we can see this to be true here in Auckland.
     Last December we farewelled Mary, Jason, Verity, Annaleen, and Lisa Smuts as they flew to join Raymond in Melbourne. We miss Mary's enthusiasm and her ability to interest her friends in church activities. We miss the children and all the contributions they made too.
     Also in December, we hired a trading table at the Titirangi Market Day and sold jams, preserves and handmade articles. This was a moderate success, making $103.95.
     For our Christmas activities we held a Christmas sing along and supper at Lloyd and Marie Bartle's home; on another evening we branched out into the community with some Christmas carol singing at two rest homes. The old folk were most appreciative, especially of the sphere our young children brought to the singing.
     Being the year of Swedenborg's Tricentenary, 1988 began with a flurry of activities. In January many of us went to the Willow Park Convention Centre for a summer camp in combination with the Conference Church. We were privileged to have three New Church ministers there: Rev. Richard Keyworth from Adelaide: Rev. John Sutton and Rev. Robin Childs from Auckland. About seventy people attended the camp from Australia and New Zealand.
     Jenny and Elisabeth Keal organized book displays to be put in the windows of two prominent city book shops. These were both highly successful, with Goodey's selling most of the books in a short time and The Book Corner allowing a large window display on Queen Street (the main street of Auckland city) for six weeks! At this time Robin and Amy organized a display to be rotated around local public libraries offering free books and information I about Swedenborg. This also proved to be very successful. A picnic was held in Cornwall Park to celebrate Swedenborg's birthday.
     March was a busy month with the arrival of Bishop and Mrs. King and Neil and Carol Buss with their daughter Cheryl. Particularly memorable was the packed house of Steven and Nancy Mills as the Bishop gave a class to an audience of both Conference and General Church people.
     In April we welcomed Amy's mother, Mary Grubb, and sister Sarah, who came for the birth of Robin and Amy's first baby, Jonathan Jordan was born on April 14th weighing 4 kg-a healthy bouncing boy!
     For our June 19th celebration we joined with the Conference church at Ellerslie. Robin presented the sermon, and the service was interspersed with items of song and dance in celebration of the new revelation. This was followed by a luncheon ending with toasts, greetings, two songs from the General Church group, and the cake cutting. It was a very enjoyable occasion for all who attended. However, we were all very much aware of the absence of Mr. Hugh Keal, Sr., who had been admitted to hospital with severe pancreatitis a week earlier. He had been on an intravenous drip and was given oxygen. He had returned hem; after a week and a half in hospital. but was readmitted towards the end of July when the condition recurred. He is now home again, looking forward to a full recovery.

     On July 26th our dear friend and longtime member of the Auckland Circle. Mr. Fairley Vincent. passed into the spiritual world at age 87. He had requested that he have a New Church memorial service, and our little chapel was filled with friends and relations who came to honour him. We will miss Fairley and remember him for his gentle sphere and good humor.
     August brought another flurry of activity with the visit of the Sandstrom family en route to the States. We were all delighted to see Erik, Lynn-Del, and their four children again. Erik baptized baby Jonathan, and a luncheon was held to celebrate the baptism and to farewell the Sandstroms.
     On the subject of visitors to the circle, we have had our fair share. Last October we had a three-week visit from John and Ellen Keal and their four children. It was lovely to have Brian and Claudia Horner over from Tamworth at the same time. Hideko Nagashima stayed briefly with Robin and Amy in December before very independently launching herself into student life at Auckland University while awaiting a visa. Hideko's mother and sister Yoke visited us in June. We all felt extremely honored to have met such distinguished Japanese ladies. Vera Goodenough (Amy's best friend) stayed with Robin and Amy for two weeks towards the end of June. It was delightful to meet her, and very sad to see her go again. Likewise Rosalyn Hart, who spent a week in Auckland en route home to Perth after eighteen months in Bryn Athyn.
     The various groups within the circle have continued their activities. The Mothers' Group is now reading and discussing the book The Road Less Traveled by M. Scott Peck. M.D. This is a book which leads easily into a discussion of a spiritual nature, but has universal appeal, making it suitable to invite others to. The preschoolers form a play group once a month now, involving Christian mothers with preschoolers from the local community. The primary school-age children have a "Kids Club," bringing school friends once a month to meet for songs, activities, and a talk from Robin. And the combined Conference and General Church young people continue to meet each month.
     Our pastor has for some time now dedicated two weeks out of each month entirely to evangelisation uses. Easily 200 books are now in homes in the local communities as a result of his efforts in placing displays and books in public libraries. We have been given a generous grant of money from the Evangelisation Committee, and so look forward to an active year of uses in 1989.
     Best wishes to you all from the Auckland Circle.
          Elisabeth Keal
EVERY MOMENT HAS CONSEQUENCES 1989

EVERY MOMENT HAS CONSEQUENCES 1989

Every smallest moment of man's life involves a series of consequences extending to eternity, each moment being as a new beginning to those which follow; and so with all and each of the moments of his life, both of his understanding and of his will.
Arcana Coelestia 3854

Title Unspecified 1989

Title Unspecified John Sabol 1989

     Announcements

     (Continued from page 45.)

     Accept God as the Author of good and truth in your daily choices. When confused, respond by 1) not arguing that evil is good! And 2) reaffirming the leading of God in your daily life.
     The closing chapter asks, "What but a relation between Providence and man can make life and history mean anything of importance?"
     While the average (?) New Churcher might not want to think so deeply, I certainly recommend the book for those who want to understand the Writings better. Goodenough gives us much to meditate on and think about! Page 66: "My thoughts are not your thoughts; neither are your ways My ways, saith the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts" (Isaiah 55:9, 10).
     This book helps us to go to a higher level, and I recommend it if you are a reader of the Writings. The only criticism I have concerns how this book can be revised to reach non-New Churchers and influence them to read the Writings.
     John Sabol
PUBLIC WORSHIP AND DOCTRINAL CLASSES 1989

PUBLIC WORSHIP AND DOCTRINAL CLASSES Rev. LOUIS B. KING 1989

     GENERAL CHURCH OF THE NEW JERUSALEM

     Bryn Athyn, Pennsylvania, 19009, U. S. A.

     PUBLIC WORSHIP AND DOCTRINAL CLASSES

     Information on public worship and doctrinal classes provided either regularly or occasionally may be obtained at the locations listed below. For details use the local phone number of the contact person mentioned or communicate with the Secretary of the General Church, Rev. L. R. Soneson, Cairncrest, Bryn Athyn, PA 19009, Phone (215) 947-4660.

     (U. S. A. addresses next month)

     AUSTRALIA

     CANBERRA
Mr. and Mrs. Barrie Ridgway, 68 Hilder St., Weston, Canberra, A. C. T. 2611. Phone: (062) 881-777.

     SYDNEY, N.S.W.
Mrs. Michael Lockhart, 28 Dudley Street, Penshurst, N.S.W. 222. Phone: 570-4629.

     BRAZIL

     RIO DE JANEIRO
Rev. Cristovao Rabelo Nobre, Rua Lina Teixeira, 109, ap. 101, Rocha, CEP 20.970., Rio de Janeiro. Phone: (021) 201-8455.

     CANADA

     Alberta:

     CALGARY
Mr. Thomas R. Fountain, 1115 Southglen Drive S. W., Calgary 13, Alberta T2W 0X2. Phone: 403-255-7283.

     EDMONTON
Mr. Daniel L. Horigan, 10524 82nd St., Edmonton, Alberta T6A 3M8. Phone: 403-469-0078.

     British Columbia:

     DAWSON CREEK
Rev. Glenn G. Alden, Dawson Creek Church, 9013 8th St., Dawson Creek, B. C., Canada V1G 3N3.

     Ontario:

     KITCHENER
Rev. Louis D. Synnestvedt, 58 Chapel Hill Drive, Kitchener, Ontario, Canada N2G 3W5.

     OTTAWA
Mr. and Mrs. Donald McMaster, 726 Edison Avenue, Apt. 33, Ottawa, Ontario K2C 3P8. Phone: (613) 729-6452.

     TORONTO
Rev. Michael Gladish, 279 Burnhampthorpe Rd., Islington, Ontario M9B 4Z4. Phone: (416) 239-3054.

     Quebec:

     MONTREAL
Mr. Denis de Chazal, 17 Baliantyne Ave. So., Montreal West, Quebec H4X 281. Phone: (514) 489-9861.

     DENMARK

     COPENHAGEN
Mr. Jorgen Hauptmann, Strandvejen 22, Jyllinge, 4000 Roskilde. Phone: 03-389968.

     ENGLAND

     COLCHESTER
Rev. Kenneth O. Stroh, 2 Christchurch Court, Colchester, Essex C03 3AU Phone: 0206-43712

     LETCHWORTH
Mr. and Mrs. R. Evans, 24 Berkeley, Letchworth, Herts. SG6 2HA. Phone: 0462-684751.

     LONDON
Rev. Frederick Elphick, 21B Hayne Rd., Beckenham, Kent BR3 4JA. Phone: 01-658-6320.

     MANCHESTER
Rev. Norman E. Riley, 69 Heywood Rd., Norden, Rochdale, OL11 5TH, England. Phone: 0706 54003.

     FRANCE

     BOURGUINON-MEURSANGES
Rev. Alain Nicolier, 21200 Beaune, France. Phone: (80) 22.47.88.

     HOLLAND

     THE HAGUE
Mr. Ed Verschoor, Olmenlaan 17, 3862 VG Nijkerk

     NEW ZEALAND

     AUCKLAND
Rev. Robin Childs, 132 Edmunton Rd., Henderson, Auckland 81, New Zealand.

     NORWAY

     OSLO
Mr. and Mrs. Klaus Bierman, Bakketoppen 10 A. 1165 Oslo 11. Phone: /(0) 2/ 28783.

     SCOTLAND

     EDINBURGH
Mr. and Mrs. N. Laidlaw, 35 Swanspring Ave., Edinburgh EH 10-6NA. Phone: 0 31-445- 2377.

     GLASGOW
Mrs. J. Clarkson, Hillview, Balmore, Nr. Torrance, Glasgow. Phone: Balmore 262.

     SOUTH AFRICA

     Natal:

     DURBAN
Rev. James P. Cooper, 30 Perth Road, Westville 3630, Natal, Republic of South Africa. Phone: 011-27-31-821612.

     Transvaal:

     TRANSVAAL SOCIETY
Rev. Andrew Dibb, P. O. Box 816, Kelvin 2054, South Africa. Phone: (011) 804-2567.

Zululand:

     KENT MANOR
Rev. James Cooper, visiting pastor
Mrs. D. G. Liversage, Box 7088, Empangeni Rail, 3910, Natal, South Africa. Phone: 0351-23241.

     Mission in South Africa:
Rev. Andrew Dibb (address above)

     SWEDEN

     Jonkoping
Contact Rev. Bjorn A. H. Boyesen, Bruksater, Furusjo, S-566 00, Habo. Phone : 0392-203 95.

     Stockholm
Rev. Erik E. Sandstrom, visiting pastor, Bryn Athyn, PA 19009.
Contact Rev. Bjorn A. H. Boyesen at the above address.

[Photo of Bishop de Charms]

Bishop George de Charms died peacefully on the afternoon of December 28, 1988, in his 100th year. Born August 24, 1889, he became Assistant Bishop of the General Church in 1931 and Executive Bishop in 1938 until his retirement in 1962.

Notes on This Issue 1989

Vol. CIX February, 1989 No. 2
NEW CHURCH LIFE

     We would remind readers that many things published in the Life are available on tape. The resurrection address in this issue was recorded with the music in the service. It can be borrowed from the Sound Recording Committee or purchased for $7.00. More items relating to Bishop de Charms will appear in subsequent issues.
     Now is a good time to give thought to the new Liturgy being prepared for the General Church. Your attention is invited to the item on p. 66 on how the committee selects music.
     We commend to you a particularly affecting sermon on the subject "change."
     From time to time in Annals of the New Church there is reference to the New Church in Russia. For example, it is reported that in 1826 General Mouravieff, "the most prominent and active New Churchman in Russia." was banished to Siberia. This is the Muraviev (improved spelling) mentioned in the article on Russia in the present issue. (Last November a correspondent gave us thoughts on "greater freedom in Russia," p. 502.)
     The second in the series of articles on anger mentions the difference in the way women express anger (p. 71). It is said in the Writings that a chaste wife "can look at her husband with an austere countenance, can speak to him in a sharp tone, and can also be angry with him and quarrel, and yet cherish in her heart a soothing and tender love for him" (CL 294). And speaking of the difference between men and women, we thank Mr. Vernon Graeser for offering a specific example to add to our understanding in this subject of continual interest (p. 83).

     "Swedenborg postulated a heaven that would sanctify true love." This is from a book review in the New York Times of December 5, 1988. It goes on to say. "According to this view, a husband and wife who meet in the spirit world after death 'might or might not continue as a couple in the higher spheres of heaven. . . .'" See the editorial on p. 90 which mentions the book Heaven: A History, by Colleen McDannell and Bernhard Lang. A subsequent Times review (December 25th) castigates the book and complains that the authors "offer 46 pages on Emanuel Swedenborg."

     We received from Ghana a record number of baptisms and confirmations, which we are publishing together on page 100.

CHANGE 1989

CHANGE Rev. GLENN G. ALDEN 1989

     "And the seventh time it was so, when the priests blew the trumpets, that Joshua said to the people: 'Shout, for the Lord has given you the city'" (Joshua 6:16).

     Do you really believe that you can change? Something in us seems to resist the possibility that we could ever change our nature. Very early on we decide what each of our children is like, and it becomes quite difficult for them to change our perception of them. This has been amply demonstrated in schools by the "self-fulfilling prophecy" in relation to student performance. Teachers who were told that a certain student would perform well almost inevitably had success in working with that student, even if the student had performed poorly under other teachers. "Once a thief always a thief" is a common saying that expresses the even more common attitude that a person who has lied or stolen can never be trusted again. How likely are you to believe a convicted criminal who testifies before his parole board that he "is a new man," he "has changed," and society is now safe in his hands? (I am not insisting you should trust him, only asking you to consider your attitude toward the possibility of real personality change.) Think about yourself. Think about some character trait or form of behavior that you have often identified in yourself and despaired over. Evil spirits encourage you to believe that those things are inevitable. (They look at you the same way you might look at a convicted frequent offender.) They want you to learn to ignore, cover up, and excuse those flaws. They will bring every past instance of failure to memory in order to convince you that real change is impossible.
     Belief in salvation is a belief that we can change, that the Lord can change us even though we cannot change ourselves. It is rather interesting to notice the extent to which theologians have developed alternative forms of salvation. Religious history, as well as the Old and New Testaments, is full of efforts by man to find a substitute for meaningful substantial change as a means of salvation. The burning of sacrifices, the killing of animals, and even human sacrifice, are efforts by man to atone or pay for his sins and divert or appease the anger of God because of those sins without changing. Such beliefs are still practiced in many different forms by people who want to be saved, want their sins to be forgiven or pardoned, and who nevertheless believe that they cannot change. When atonement and sacrifice came into disrepute in the time of Martin Luther, the belief in salvation by faith alone, or salvation without change, was substituted.

People who believe that they are "the way they are" and can't change find comfort in believing that nevertheless the Lord will save them, forgive and deliver them because they acknowledge Him. To what extent are we also affected by the belief that we cannot change?
     Do you believe that you are not yet regenerated? Do you believe, or at least fear, that you haven't yet even begun to be regenerated? Do you, perhaps, substitute a belief in "eventual and hopefully inevitable regeneration" for a belief that you can be changed now?
     To what extent do you believe that you and your married partner are in conjugial love? Newlyweds usually believe they are in conjugial love, that that love is eternal, and that they have been brought together by the Lord in His Providence. As time passes, the day-to-day struggle to get along in the world and with one another, and the coldness of self love, often make us place the hope of conjugial love in the future. So we perhaps substitute a belief in "eventual and hopefully inevitable conjugial love" for a belief that we can be changed now.
     How much of the unhappiness in our lives is the result of believing that we can't change? One man in a New Year's day interview said, "I don't make resolutions any more because that way I don't break them." How often do we resist doing something because we are afraid that we will fail again as we have failed in the past? To what extent do we color our attitudes, hopes and aspirations for our children with a subtle belief in their weaknesses and limitations? "You can't have a dog until you learn to feed the hamster" easily becomes "You can't handle that job; you always neglect your responsibilities." "You'll never be a scientist because you are always so sloppy."
     How many marriages are quietly unhappy because the participants are resigned to things staying the same or getting worse? How many people harbor doubts about the eternal quality of their marriage because they see things in themselves and in their partner, which appear incompatible, and they don't believe in the possibility that they can change? How many people get divorced because they don't believe in the possibility of once again loving that person?
     The knowledge that the Lord saves has real practical value for us because it can improve the quality of our day-to-day life in the here and now. If we are willing to humble ourselves to the Lord's leading, salvation becomes not a simple matter of Divine mercy in which the believer is saved in spite of his evils, but a matter of Divine work and accomplishment in our lives. Salvation is not instantaneous. The Lord does not change us in a day, or in a week, or even in a year. But He does change us.

The story of the destruction of Jericho describes the Lord's work in saving us, or changing us into new people.
     The story of the conquest of Jericho really begins before the people ever crossed the Jordan into the land of Canaan. Joshua sent out two spies to spy out the land, especially Jericho. The spies were delivered from sure death by a certain woman of the city, Rahab, who hid them, and they returned to Joshua, saying: "Truly the Lord has delivered all the land into our hands, for indeed all the inhabitants of the country are fainthearted because of us."
     This is about self-examination. Change begins with the willingness to search out our true quality. But victory depends upon our commitment to change, and our belief that the Lord will give us victory. The woman Rahab would seem to portray the remains of good and truth which the Lord preserves in us and which make self-examination possible. But self-examination is not enough. How often have we seen our evils but not made the effort to change? The Children of Israel had to cross over the Jordan River and begin the conquest of the land. To cross over the Jordan is to begin to live the life of religion. The very first obstacle they came upon was the great walled city Jericho. In the good sense Jericho represents instruction in the knowledges of good and truth. This is the first entrance to the life of religion. But in the hands of the enemies, the Canaanites, the first entrance often becomes something profane. Thus the knowledges of good and truth, which are the beginning of the church in us, can become the hypocritical appearance of religion if we do not root out our love of self. The profane use of the knowledges of good and truth for the sake of self must be totally destroyed before we can go any further into the land of Canaan, further into the life of religion. It can be very discouraging when we discover that the religion in us is really hypocrisy. But we should not doubt or fear the Lord's power to save us. The Lord alone saves us. It was the ark, carried around the city that brought down the walls.
     The ark, which contained the Ten Commandments upon the tablets of stone, is the Lord's presence with us in the teachings of the Word. All power over evil depends on the ability to see evil for what it is. Evil loves have such power over us because we believe they will bring us happiness and pleasure. The Lord's presence in the Word has power to change our lives because the Word shows us how evil loves bring us misery, not happiness. So it was the ark that brought victory to the Israelites and defeat to the enemy.
     Once a day for seven days, and seven times on the seventh day, led by seven priests, the ark was carried around the walls of Jericho. To carry the ark around the city is to examine or survey the quality of our evils from the influx of truth from the Lord.

From the light of the Word it is possible for us to see the real quality of our evils, namely, that they inflow from hell. I want to focus your attention on this. The purpose of this careful examination of self is not to condemn ourselves, or make us feel bad or guilty. The purpose is to see the nature of evil, to see how harmful it is, how it destroys the good things we love, and to see that that evil is flowing into us from the hells. We want to examine ourselves carefully in the light of the Word, so that we may separate ourselves from the evils. As we see this quality and acknowledge it, the Lord, working through the angels, has the power to break down the defenses of reasoning and falsity that the hells have built up around our evils. When we finally see the evils for what they are and acknowledge their quality, the evils become totally defenseless. The blowing of the trumpets and the shouting of the people represent the confession of evil and proclamation of the truth.
     The victory is the Lord's. "Shout," Joshua said, "for the Lord has given you the city." The victory does not happen in a moment. It takes place gradually, in the fullness of time, as is illustrated by the trip around the city each day, until the seventh. We come to a state of fullness, of complete readiness for deliverance, as we day by day look at our evils, see them for what they really are, and pray to the Lord to change us.
     Change is possible-not that we change ourselves, for the Lord alone saves. Indeed, if only we are willing, change is inevitable. And we shouldn't think of our changing only in the future. Look at your life and see what wonderful things the Lord has done for you already. Don't think of regeneration as something you need to start. Realize that wherever you stand in your life, whether Jericho is behind you or you have yet to leave the slavery of Egypt, the Lord is already at work in you, preparing the way, readying you for the journey. Change is not something that will happen some day when you are regenerated. Change is something that has already begun and taken place, and change will happen again. "Shout, for the Lord has given you the city." Amen.

     Lessons: Joshua 6:1-21, AC 10367 ANNUAL COUNCIL OF THE CLERGY MEETINGS 1989

ANNUAL COUNCIL OF THE CLERGY MEETINGS 1989

March 6-11, 1989

The meetings will begin on Monday, March 6th. The Joint Council will meet on Saturday, March 11th.

RESURRECTION ADDRESS 1989

RESURRECTION ADDRESS Rev. KURT H. ASPLUNDH 1989

     The Rt. Rev. George de Charms

     "You have not chosen Me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that you should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain. . . " (John 15:16).

     In his 100th year, Bishop George de Charms, a beloved leader of the church, departed in peace from this world and this community where he has lived and labored for all but a dozen or so of the years of his long life, to enter with joy into the spiritual world. It is a time of rejoicing for family and friends-rejoicing because of our sure knowledge of his resurrection now into the more perfect life of the Lord's everlasting kingdom, there to take up anew the uses that he loved.
     More than this, it is a time of reflection and gratitude to the Lord for all who love the church. The Lord has blessed this church with priestly leadership by men whose abilities and qualities have been truly outstanding, men "chosen and ordained" by the Lord to give inspired leading to His church on earth.
     The General Church was organized on the principle that it is the Lord who leads the church; that He does so by the authority of His Word now revealed as to its spiritual sense; and that this authority is at the consent of conscience. Bishop de Charms clearly saw and acted on this conviction. "Men are not to be governors," he once wrote, "but merely administrators of Divine Law. And this administration is not to be by command, nor by external compulsion. It is to be by influx from the Lord into the individual conscience-a conscience formed by the direct teachings of the Writings. All human administration-through the offices, functions, and agencies of government-is to provide for this influx, and to create channels through which this influx may actually rule the church and guide its destiny" (NCL 1942, p. 98).
     Leadership according to this principle is inspirational, not dictatorial. Those who would lead must not only submit themselves to the voice of the Lord in His Word, like the boy Samuel who said, "Speak; for Thy servant heareth," but must possess also the gift of teaching it to their people.
     From the time of his inauguration into the priesthood in 1914, George de Charms began to distinguish himself as a theologian and a skilled teacher of doctrine.

After briefly ministering in the Advent Society of the church in Philadelphia, he was called in 1917 as assistant pastor to the Bishop in the Bryn Athyn Society. He took up the multiple responsibilities of this work with enthusiasm and youthful energy, giving leadership to the development of a distinctive curriculum of education for the Bryn Athyn Elementary School, in building the tabernacle model, and doing initial studies in the Gospels which provided the basis for his course "The Life of the Lord" and, later, his Harmony of the Four Gospels.
     In 1928, George de Charms was ordained a bishop by Rt. Rev. Nathaniel Dandridge Pendleton and, later, appointed Assistant Bishop of the General Church. In the same year, he was appointed as Dean of the Academy College, and began his teaching there of the course, "The Growth of the Mind." He continued to teach a distinctive New Church educational philosophy for more than three decades, influencing an entire generation of New Church teachers and parents.
     It was in 1937, following the resignation of his predecessor, that George de Charms became Bishop of the General Church, a position he was to hold with distinction for 24 years until his resignation in 1961 at the age of 71 years.
     At the time of his election, the office of Bishop involved a threefold responsibility: Bishop of the entire church, President of the Academy, and Pastor of the Bryn Athyn Society. To excel in any one of these offices would require unusual ability. To excel in all three simultaneously and to capture the affection of the entire church at the same time was a work possible only to a man of rare talents and single-minded purpose.
     Government of the church based on the concept of freedom and conscience requires a willing patience as well as a supreme confidence in the Lord's Providence. Bishop de Charms possessed that patience and that confidence in large measure. In all of his aspirations for the growth and development of the church, he was careful always to provide for its freedom, in spite of the frustrations and disappointments that might result, trusting that the Lord would see to its lasting internal development.
     As leader of the Academy, Bishop de Charms held the respect of his colleagues not only for his personal scholarship and teaching ability, but especially for his vision of a distinctive education and the importance of that education to the life of the church. Here, as in the administration of the church, he placed his confidence in those who worked under him, inspiring, encouraging, and offering support for their work in a most positive way. Talented as he was in his own right, he had the quality of sincere appreciation for the useful work of others.

     Finally, as beloved pastor of the Bryn Athyn Church he held the love of three generations. Bishop de Charms had the gift of accommodation. He could present the deepest of doctrinal concepts in a simple, straightforward way. He could hold the minds of children spellbound in recounting a story of the Word, and yet challenge the best-read of our laymen with his insights. In addition, Bishop de Charms was gifted with a warm and approachable personality and was a friend of young and old, rich and poor alike.
     In declaring his purpose on the occasion of his ordination into the third degree, he said with characteristic humility: "I come before the Lord solemnly to dedicate my life to His service . . . and with singleness of heart to labor in His vineyard in the Spirit of Him who came not to be ministered unto but to minister. . ." (NCL 1928, p. 247). Truly, he was a "good shepherd" who knew and loved his flock.
     In all of this work, and perhaps especially in his pastoral work, he was vigorously aided by his charming wife, Fidelia. Throughout the more than 60 years of their married life on earth, she organized and energized a warm and welcoming social atmosphere both within their home and outside of it, in Bryn Athyn and throughout the General Church. This was supportive of the friendship and mutual love that springs from a shared love of the church. And, no matter how many unexpected guests were invited for Sunday dinner, the Bishop seemed capable of carving the meat so that none went hungry.
     The Writings promise that husbands and wives whose love for each other is genuine will not fail to meet after death, to greet each other and to take up anew their life together. We all feel a sense of joy at this prospect for George and Fidelia de Charms, remembering their love as a couple and their use together in the church. Now a magnificent home in some spiritual society may become the center of their renewed uses.
     The Bishop himself, in a masterful address entitled "Human Aspiration and Heavenly Peace" delivered at the General Assembly in 1930, spoke of what that heavenly life and those uses must be.
     "The angels must find in heaven things needing to be done," he wrote, "things worthy of accomplishment, calling for the best use of all their faculties, testing their skill, yielding success with its guerdon of happiness as the reward of persistent effort. For it is described as a state of eternal youth, of glorious strength both in mind and body, of intensely active love, with its irresistible impulse to do and to attain a cherished end.
     "The angels," we are told, "are constantly advancing to a life of young manhood and youth" (AC 1854). "All who have lived well, when they come into heaven, come into that age which in the world is their youthful age, and remain in it to eternity" (DP 324).

"They who are in heaven have more exquisite senses, that is, a keener sight and hearing, and also think more wisely, than when they were in the world; for they see in the light of heaven. . ." (HH 462). There is also scope for the exercise of these faculties, for, as we well know, "heaven is a kingdom of uses. There is no one there who does not discharge a use. . . . In a word, there are innumerable duties, and everyone in his own place receives certain duties according to his affection of use for the sake of use" (SD 5158). "The delight from good and the pleasantness from truth, which cause blessedness in heaven, do not consist in idleness, but in activity. . . . With those who are in heaven, activity consists in the performance of uses" (AC 6410) (NCL 1930, pp. 536f).
     "Peace," he concluded, "may therefore be defined as the delight of all the activity of love which is in harmony with the Divine . . . and brings man to feel happiness in the perception that he is being carried along on the stream of the Divine Providence, under the infinite dare of an all-wise and an all-loving Father of Mercy.
     "The purpose of life on earth," then "is that we may be regenerated . . . and our life . . . be brought into harmony with the Divine. When this purpose is accomplished, the days of labor are over and the sabbath state begins-the state of inmost peace which is known only in heaven" (NCL 1930, p. 546).
     It is with a sense of celebration that we contemplate the prospect of Bishop de Charms now entering into the "joy of his Lord."
     There are priestly uses in the heavens. Wise bishops preside there over congregations, preaching and instructing them in the goods of use. The Word is to be found in every society of heaven and there, as on earth, the wise read it wisely, the simple in simplicity. Worship is conducted at stated times; betrothals are administered by priests.
     Societies of those who hold a common affection are dedicated to specific spiritual uses. Not all spirits in these societies are alike; they are all uniquely different, yet all bound together by a common love of their function or use-the wiser at the center, giving inspiration and leadership, and all cooperating in true charity for the perfection of the good of their use. It is in such a society that we can envision the Bishop, perhaps surrounded by many of those same people with whom he labored here on earth to serve the church, now carrying on with new interior uses.
     Bishop de Charms has left a legacy for the General Church-not only a vast production of creative thought and written doctrinal study, prolific and provocative, but more importantly, he has impressed on the church a lasting attitude-an exciting sense of the promise of spiritual discovery which is the reward of a careful and devout exploration of the Word.

[Photograph of Rt. Rev. George Decharms] In his own considerable efforts in this he gave an example of simple humility. How often he characterized his own work as a mere beginning, a feeble effort, a faltering first step. His wisdom was great in the acknowledgment of how little he felt he knew. For this leadership we must be ever grateful.
     Finally, we must mention that deep sense of confidence and trust which he seemed to carry throughout his lifetime whatever the apparent circumstances-that sure sense of the Lord's Providence working and leading in the affairs of the church and in the affairs of men. It was axiomatic in his mind that "except the Lord build the house, they [would] labor in vain that build it: [and] except the Lord keep the city, the watchman [would] wake but in vain" (Psalm 127:1). He longed for the coming of that city.
     The bright vision of the Holy City, the New Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, was foremost in his mind throughout all of his life. Bishop de Charms has labored long to share that wonderful vision with us all. How pleasing to think now of the Divine promise for all who keep His commandments that they "may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city." A new heaven awaits.
     ". . . the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely" (Rev. 22:17). Amen.

MINISTER'S FAVORITE PASSAGE 1989

     "The conjugial of one man with one wife is the precious jewel of human life, and the repository of the Christian religion" (Conjugial Love 457).

     In His second coming the Lord has revealed many truths that are utterly new to the religious thought of mankind. There are truths concerning the relationship of the Divine and Human of the Lord; truths concerning the relationship of the Lord and the church; truths concerning the conjunction of good and truth, faith and charity; concerning the nature of heaven and hell, and the laws of the Divine Providence. Yet of all the truths revealed, none is more surprising, more opposed to public opinion and open to ridicule and abuse than the teaching that the conjugial love between one man and one woman is the precious jewel of human life, and the very repository of the Christian religion.
     We find this teaching repeated throughout the Writings in many different ways, yet always with great emphasis and urgency. We are taught that conjugial love is from the Lord Himself, and that its reception by man and woman is that wherein all human love is centered. From this love flow forth all of our inmost and eternal states, our happiness, our delight, our peace, and our usefulness. Without the presence of conjugial love we can know and enjoy nothing whatever of the life of the Lord's heavenly kingdom. This amazing new doctrine challenges and upsets man's religious attitudes and practices concerning marriage from ancient times. Nowhere in this wide world, for thousands and thousands of years, has anyone been able to see the nature and importance of that internal conjunction between the spirit of man and the spirit of woman that is called conjugial love. The reasons for this are many, yet they all involve the fact that when man declined into externalism and ignorance, he lost the ability to see spiritual truth. Only gradually could the Lord prepare man's state through many years of revelation for that time when the spiritual truths relating to the conjugial could be revealed and understood.
     All things of the Lord's relationship to man and of man's regeneration involve the conjunction of two forms: as the Divine and the Human, the Lord and the church, love and wisdom, good and truth, faith and charity, will and understanding, liberty and rationality. How can it be otherwise than that these conjunctions of two forms should form and enter into all things of creation-and particularly those human forms, man and woman, who are the whole purpose and intent of the Lord's creation?

The Writings reveal how it cannot be otherwise. They show how the masculine and feminine are created as two distinct and different forms, just as are good and truth, but they were created to be conjoined. Neither can receive the fullness of the Lord's life by itself. Each must contribute to the other the life and use with which it was endowed by the Creator. Truth by itself is a cold and lifeless form. And love by itself is foolish and unable to grow. Each must contribute its quality to the other; it must be married and conjoined to the other that a new form may be born, which, because it partakes of both, can grow and develop forever.

[Photograph of Rev. Frederick L. Schnarr]

The descent of conjugial love from the Lord, and the means of its reception by man and woman, has now been revealed. The Lord shows us the quality of the conjugial that He would form in us as the precious jewel of all human life. He shows us how the exchange and conjunction of the masculine and feminine internals, and the love and wisdom therein, provide for the mutual and eternal delight, happiness, and growth of each. He shows the great power that is within this love, and yet the great mercy and gentleness wherewith it is expressed. He shows its purity and its cleanliness, free from selfish and conceited states.

He tells how it descends into the natural things of life, ordering the love of sex and making it chaste. He tells how it brings warmth and beauty to the bodies of angels, and how it provides ultimate delights that are utterly unknown to man on earth. From the Lord's description of the conjugial between one man and one woman do we wonder that all things of life flow into this love as a center, and there are nourished and given new life.
     Because this majestic and wonderful love is born and fashioned from the truths of religion, it is said to rest upon and in those truths; indeed, it is called the repository of the Christian religion.
     As we learn the truths revealed in the Lord's second coming about conjugial love, we see that everything taught about this sacred love reflects and confirms the truths that the Lord God is Divinely Human, and that Jesus Christ is that God. From no other conception of God could the nature and quality of conjugial love exist. Only the Lord Himself could reveal it as the crowning image and likeness of His own love and wisdom. The truths about conjugial love, and the truths about the Lord's quality and nature, must therefore go hand in hand. One rests in the other and cannot exist without it.
     The life of this beautiful gift which the Lord has now given, the knowledge of the conjugial, surely is stirring in the infant New Church that the Lord has established. It is the Lord's promise that this love will be resuscitated and given to those who receive the truths of the New Church in their hearts (see CL 81, 534). Swedenborg was told by the angels, "Tell the inhabitants of earth with whom you are that there is a love truly conjugial, the delights of which are myriad. As yet scarcely any of them are known to the world, but the world will know them when the church betroths herself to her Lord and becomes His bride" (CL 293:6).
HOW IS LITURGY MUSIC CHOSEN? 1989

HOW IS LITURGY MUSIC CHOSEN? CHRISTINE TAYLOR ON BEHALF OFLITURGY COMMITTEE 1989

Interest and questions (sometimes even anxieties) seem to be increasing among members of the General Church as we approach the time of the new Liturgy. This is very understandable because everyone hopes to open the book and find all the songs he or she "likes." Will they be there? And if not, why not? If there is a new song, why was it chosen?

     How does the Liturgy Committee arrive at its decisions? Certainly not by whim and fancy. Below is the criteria sheet which has been used to evaluate every piece of music that we have reviewed as a committee. A song needs to meet the "yes" requirement throughout with each member separately, and then requires a favorable committee decision.

     A Working Criterion for the Selection and Defense of Music in the Liturgy

     A.      TEXT

1.      Does it coincide with current doctrinal teachings?
          Yes           No
2.      Does it contain poetic integrity-construction, meter, rhyme, etc.?
          Yes           No
3.      Is the language structure, syntax and word usage clear and understandable? If archaic, can it be easily modified if desired?
          Yes           No
          Yes           No

     B.      TUNE

1. Is the melody singable by the average layperson, in terms of range, choice of intervals, rhythm, meter, use of repetition, contrast and cadences?
          Yes           No

2.      Does the music possess a high degree of musical integrity; that is, does it follow good part-writing practices, rhythmic consistency and contrapuntal devices?
          Yes           No
3.      Does the tune fit with the text in terms of metric, stylistic and emotional or affectional considerations?
          Yes           No

4.      Is the music reasonably free of referential connections to other texts which call to mind ideas or doctrine not a part of New Church worship?
          Yes           No

     C.      GENERAL COMPOSITE LITURGY

     1.      Does the selection of music for the Liturgy encompass a wide variety of styles, periods and cultures in sufficient number to sustain wide usage over a long period of time?
          Yes           No

     2.      Does the selection of music cover the majority of uses for music in worship?
          Yes           No

     3.      Are there sufficient examples of progressive difficulty to foster growth in congregational singing?
          Yes           No

     4.      Are there selections which permit varied vocal and instrumental approaches (unison, part-singing, descants, strophic, through-composed; organ, piano, guitar, handbell, strings, etc.)?
          Yes           No

     D.      ADDITIONAL CRITERIA

     1.      Is the length of the text justified by the music words, and/or vice versa?
          Yes           No

     2.      Is the accompaniment playable on either piano or organ? Does it enhance the melody and words in leading the congregation?
          Yes           No
          Yes           No

     3.      Is the material appealing to the church body?
          Yes           No

     All new submitted music, music presently used in various New Church organizations, the General Church Liturgy, Psalmody, Children's Hymnals, First Songs for Little Children and Lori's songs for Children, plus music from other sources, have all been reviewed in this manner by the committee, which was appointed by the Bishop. The committee members cover the interests of ministers, small societies, church schools, organists, choir directors and the cathedral congregation. Of necessity, for the purpose of meetings, the committee is made up of residents of Bryn Athyn or nearby.
     The committee members are Catharine Odhner, Lachlan Pitcairn, Kenneth Rose, Christopher Simons, Christine Taylor, Donald E. Dillard (secretary and consultant) and Rev. Alfred Acton (chairman). Both Richard Show and Lloyd Smith have generously given time to the work of the committee as well.
     Having reviewed all the material, we are now at the stage of compiling the music portion of the Liturgy, which includes the following categories: offices (musical portion), chants (harmonic and unisonal), general hymnody, festival hymns, folk hymns, children's hymns, psalmody, selections, doxologies and anthems.

ANGER 1989

ANGER Rev. JOHN L. ODHNER 1989

     SECOND IN A SERIES OF ARTICLES

     Fear of Rejection

     Perhaps the most basic of all human needs is the need to love and be loved. Giving love without receiving love is not enough. "Love wants to be loved; this is implanted in it. And in proportion as it is loved back, it is in itself and in its delight" (DP 92:2).
     This need to be loved is the fundamental reason why we all have a fear of rejection. Even the Lord has a need to be accepted and loved, because it is inherent in His infinite love (ibid.). Often people are afraid to express anger because they fear that others will not like it. In a regenerate person, this fear is healthy.
     A regenerate person will have a fear of doing anything to harm those he loves (see AC 8925, 7280, 3718). Of course, anger can be very harmful, especially when it involves aggression, contempt, cruelty or revenge. There is nothing wrong with avoiding such angry behavior out of fear that others may withdraw from you. In fact, it is healthy and spiritual to do so.
     There is also an unhealthy aspect to the fear of rejection. As love becomes twisted by selfish desires, the need to be loved also becomes distorted. A spiritually sick or immature person may want to be accepted not for the sake of a genuine relationship, but for the sake of status, influence or money. He will be quite concerned about what other people may think of him to the extent that he can use those other people in some way to gain power or pleasure. His fear of rejection is what the Writings describe as a fear of losing reputation, honor or favor.
     This kind of fear of rejection motivates many people who would otherwise be vengeful and cruel to curb the expression of their angry feelings. They seem to "outwardly bridle their selfish desires, chiefly in order to acquire the reputation of being wise and of loving justice and goodness, but with the end of getting honors and gain" (AC 5 159:2). These people "treasure in their hearts contempt for the neighbor, they breathe revenge, they take delight in his ruin, and even practice cruelties so far as they dare," but they are restrained by the love of reputation and
honor (see AC 2910:2; see also 7437e, 8870:2, CL 267:3, DP 73, DLW 415:2).
     By the way, good people may also be concerned about their reputation (see AC 9210:2), and they may make pretenses of friendship and caring, but if will be from a good motive (see CL 279-289, AC 3993:12, 1317e), and their primary fear will be fear of hurting another.

     Unfortunately, a person who is evil will restrain his anger only when it suits his purpose. As soon as you stop treating him like one of your preferred clients, he is likely to blow his stack. "Anyone who loves himself either holds in contempt or reviles or hates everybody else who does not serve him or who does not further his interests or who fails to show him favor; and in hating he breathes nothing but revenge and cruelty" (AC 2045:2; see also AC 7280:2). This kind of person wants to be "served, respected and adored" (AC 2057:3), and cannot tolerate rejection or anger in other people. He lives by the rule: "If you get angry with me, I will get twice as angry back." (The only exception is when he might lose status by displaying anger. Then his rule is "I don't get angry; (just get even,")
     How do we respond to this irresponsible venting of anger? Our response may depend on our own spiritual maturity. Unfortunately, many people interact on the level of what the Writings call "merely natural good" (AC 3469:4). They are naturally "nice." They respond to the venting of anger by tiptoeing around it, making every effort not to set the touchy person off (which suits him fine). Because of their heredity, upbringing or experiences, they find it easier to be nice than to be confronting. They are friendly and caring not from any spiritual motive but from habit, or from concern about what others may think. Such people don't care much for spiritual truth (see AC 3963e, 5032:4), and can easily be duped into thinking that good is evil and evil is good because they do not have strong principles (see AC 6208). They often allow themselves to be victimized by the evil, and sometimes complain about the hellish people around them (see AC 5032, 4988, 7761, 8002:2, 6208, NJHD 83:4).
     Dominating, manipulative people who cannot tolerate anger in others, and who have short tempers themselves, often seek out such "nice guys" to be their patsies and victims (cf. LJ 56, 70, AE 783:5, SD min 4717, 4719). The sick relationships these people form with each other are sometimes called in the Writings "friendships of love," or "interior friendships" (see TCR 446455, AC 4045, 4804, Faith 21, SD 4524). Good people often suffer a great deal by forming these close relationships before considering how sick the other person is spiritually and emotionally (ibid.).
     A person who is afraid to show anger because it might make someone else angry is in danger of being manipulated by any angry or controlling person who comes along.

Furthermore, being afraid of other people's disapproval may interfere with our spiritual growth by closing the internal mind and preventing reformation (see DP 139:5).
     Fear makes a person's heart melt when it comes to a real battle against evil (see AE 734:13). As the Lord said to Israel, "Today you are on the verge of battle with your enemies; do not let your heart faint, do not be afraid, and do not tremble or be terrified because of them" (Deut. 20:3). The most frequent commandment the Lord gives us is, "Fear not!" The reason is that spiritual people should not have the kind of fear that merely natural people have (see AE 696:24). They should fear God, not men (cf. W 69:2, Matt. 10:28, Luke 12:5, Isa. 4:7, Psa. 56:4).
     People who stand up for their principles will not always be respected. Jesus said to His disciples, You will be hated by all for My name's sake. But he who endures to the end will be saved. . . . Therefore do not fear them" (Matt 10:22, 26; cf. Luke 21:12-19). In our context this means, 'Do not be afraid that your zeal may make other people angry or reject you.'

     Sexual Differences in Expressing Anger

     Very often women will be more restrained in their expression of anger. This difference may be partly due to our cultural expectations or assumptions that women should be "nice" and never get angry. It is also due to the natural differences between men and women. With a man jealousy/zeal tends to be "a flame of wrath and anger, while with a woman jealousy/zeal tends to be restrained by various fears, by attitudes toward her husband, by her own feelings about love, and by concerns about showing via her anger how much she cares (see CL 379). Much of this restraint comes from the awareness that a husband will often react coldly to his wife's anger by emotionally abandoning her.
     "It is different with spiritual people." A spiritually growing woman will learn to express anger more openly, and a spiritually growing man will learn to accept the anger instead of reacting coldly. "The man's jealousy is transferred to the wife," so that the expression of anger is the same in both (CL 379).

     Projection

     Another reason why anger may not be recognized is that sometimes we project our anger (and other feelings) onto other people. A person who is angry will be quick to see anger in other people and will tend to interpret others' behavior as coming from anger even when it is not. This projection originates with the normal, healthy tendency we have to see things in terms of our own feelings.

     "To him who is glad at heart, all things that he hears and sees appear smiling and joyful; but to him who is sad at heart, all things that he sees and hears appear sad and sorrowful; and so in other cases" (AC 420).

     This tendency begins with the Lord, who sees in everyone a reflection of His own Divine love and wisdom. "The Divine can regard only the Divine; and it can regard the Divine nowhere but in things created by Itself" (DP 53). The Lord's view of the human race is like a person looking at his own reflection in a mirror (see DP 52). The same is true for each of us. We can only understand and relate to others by the way we see our own thoughts and feelings reflected in them. The more another person shares our outlook, experiences or priorities, the more readily we relate to him.
     A person who is good will tend to see only the good in others, and a person who is evil will see only the evil in others (see AC 1079). What makes projection unhealthy is that we may project our feelings onto other people and fail to realize that those same feelings are in us. We convince ourselves that the anger belongs to someone else as a defense mechanism to help us avoid admitting our anger, or to avoid taking responsibility for it.
     Just as people project their feelings onto other people, they project their feelings onto God. "The Lord appears to everyone according to his state" (AC 1838, HH 159). "With the merciful You will show Yourself merciful; with a blameless man You will show Yourself blameless; with the pure You will show Yourself pure; and with the devious you will show Yourself shrewd" (2 Samuel 22:26, 27).
     To angry people the Lord appears angry. They believe that the Lord is angry, when in reality it is they who are angry with the Lord. Their own anger and evil brings evil consequences on them, but they blame those consequences on God's anger with them (see AC 3131:3, 5798, 8483, 6997, 10618, AR 658, 673, AE 684:13). Because they are projecting their anger onto the Lord and other people, they do not see it or accept it in themselves.

     Misdirection

     Another reason why anger may be hard to identify is that it is sometimes misdirected. A person may show anger toward her children when her real (unrecognized) anger is toward her husband. Or a salesperson may give his customer a hard time because he is angry with his boss.
     One reason for this misdirection is that we may be afraid or perhaps unable to confront the person we are originally angry with. Instead, we vent our anger on someone less threatening. A form of this happens with evil spirits.

They want to kill the Lord but they can't, so they try to kill people who love Him instead (see TCR 312).
     Another reason for misdirection lies in the nature of unhealthy anger. A person who is in unhealthy anger wants to hurt others, but a person who is in healthy anger inwardly intends good to others, even the person he is angry with. "For this reason he who is in zeal can be good instantly, and when in the very act can be good toward others, but not he who is in anger" (AC 4164). In other words, a person in unhealthy anger spreads his anger around, while a person in healthy anger focuses his anger on the specific issue or person which offended him.
     It was an old custom with some nations when one person sinned, to punish his friends or family as well (see AC 5764). Some people still do this with their anger by venting it on everyone around when one person offends them. But this custom comes straight from hell (ibid.).

     Hidden Anger

     Often anger is unhealthy. When anger is spawned by resentment, hate or contempt, it can be very destructive, quite evil. And all evil tends to hide itself, make itself look good and proper. So we find that this hurtful anger may thinly disguise itself as sarcasm, passive aggressive behavior, or righteous indignation, or it may more carefully hide itself behind politeness, rationalization, sweetness, procrastination, forgetfulness, hard work, or any number of other behaviors which camouflage the underlying resentment and contempt.
     Earlier we mentioned the fact that everyone gets angry. One reason for this is that any kind of evil has anger within it. "An evil man is always angry against God" (AC 10618:3). "They who are in evil are indignant and angry against the good" (AC 8875). "In all evil there is anger against the Lord and against the holy things of the church" (AE 693:4). "All evil conceals in itself anger against what is good" (AC 693:7).
     Most of the time this anger lies hidden, concealed, inwardly stored up (see AE 693, AC 7280e). One might suppose that such anger might just as well remain hidden. However, as long as it is unrecognized, it cannot be properly dealt with. One passage describes love of self as "the deadliest enemy of God," which is inwardly in every person. "If you do not recognize it-"the passage continues, "for it does not desire to be recognized-it dwells securely, and guards the door lest man should open it" (DP 210).
     "Evils cannot be removed unless they appear" (DP 278). This does not mean that a person should do evil or vent anger just to make it appear, but that he should explore his thoughts, feelings and desires (ibid.) in order to identify the unhealthy anger which may be hidden.

"All evil which does not appear finds fuel for itself. It is like fire in wood under the ashes, and like corrupt blood in a wound that is not opened; for all evil that is kept in increases, and does not cease until it is all finished" (DP 278a:5). "Evils increase daily if not removed by actual repentance" (AR 836), and they cannot be removed until we are aware of them and accept their reality. Of course, unhealthy anger is the same way.

     Accepting Anger

     Once we become aware of our anger, we need to be able to accept it. We may be aware of anger, and yet have a hard time accepting it. One reason for accepting anger is because it may be healthy. If we take the position that all anger is bad and that angry behavior should be avoided, then healthy anger will also be repressed. Potentially, this could not only cripple us emotionally and even physically, but it could also mean that hurt could come to those we might otherwise have protected. Good healthy anger needs to be accepted.
     A second reason why anger needs to be accepted has to do with unhealthy anger as well. In this context, the fact that we may accept anger does not mean that we necessarily approve of it or condone it. Rather, it means that we accept the reality of the anger, and we accept as valuable the person who feels the anger. Acceptance means being able to say "I'm angry," and then going forward without denying, justifying, or being paralyzed with guilt.

     Accepted by God

     Ultimately, our ability to accept our feelings is tied to our sense of being accepted by God. If we believe that in spite of our imperfections and faults we are accepted by God, then we have a basis for accepting ourselves. If, on the other hand, we inwardly feel that we are not good enough to be accepted by God, then we will have a harder time accepting ourselves and handling rejection by others.
     A concept which has in the past been popular in the Christian Church is that God demands perfect righteousness. God cannot accept human beings as they are, because all of us fall short of completely obeying God's laws, and therefore all of us are deserving of eternal punishment from God. According to this theory, to make up for this lack in the human race, God sent His Son, whose perfect life could be accepted in the place of our imperfect lives, and whose death could be accepted in place of our punishment of eternal death demanded by God's "justice" (see Faith 44).

     This theory about God leaves one with (at best) some confusion about whether God loves people or would just as soon see them suffer. And one may wonder what kind of anger this God must have that He can only be appeased by witnessing His Son's crucifixion. This God can only accept us if our sins are "covered by the blood of Christ." He can accept Christ in our place, but He cannot accept us as we truly are. If we say "I believe" and pretend that we are saved, He will accept us for what we pretend to be, but not for what we are. And if we treat people well and try to do God's will and happen to have the wrong beliefs, He will throw us into hell fire to burn to eternity, rather than accept us the way we are.

     If we are in doubt about whether God can accept our anger, we may feel uncertain whether it will be accepted by others, and whether we should acknowledge it even to ourselves. Some of the results of not feeling accepted by God, ourselves or others because of our anger may be:

     We feel very guilty for being angry.
     We pretend we are not angry.
     We justify it, make excuses.
     We try to control the anger.
     We form knee-jerk reactions to the anger.
     We end up feeling even angrier.

     A healthier concept of God is that He loves everyone all the time, regardless of what they may have done or felt. "God never turns His face from man, and never casts man away from Himself; He casts no one into hell and is angry with no one . . . . And as He never turns Himself away from him He deals with him from goodness, love and mercy, that is, wills good to him, loves him, and is merciful to him"(HH 545). He is not a God who sends His Son to die, but one who comes to earth Himself, because He loves us and wants to be close to us and to help us in our struggles. "If I make my bed in hell, behold, You are there" (Psa. 139:9). He always understands how we feel, and never judges us for feeling that way. When the anger is healthy anger, God sees the love that motivates it. When the anger is unhealthy, He wants to help us in our struggle with it, so that through the struggle we may experience forgive- ness and healing. Of course, He does not approve of unhealthy anger, because it causes so much pain. But He accepts it. He loves us in spite of it. He can work around it. He can help us face it honestly.

     Knowing that we are accepted by God gives us one of the most powerful forces known to mankind: hope (cf. AC 6097, 2338, 1107, 5674:2). Knowing that God is on our side gives us an acceptance of our past, a confidence in our future and courage for the present. Some of the results of feeling accepted (in spite of our anger) by God, ourselves and others may be:

     We acknowledge our anger to God and others.
     We describe it honestly.
     We rationally decide whether the anger is appropriate.
     We can ask the Lord and others for help with the anger.
     We can choose to express the anger in a fitting way.
     We start to feel better about our relationships.

     Being aware of our anger and accepting it will not in itself solve our problems. If we are unaware of our anger or do not accept its validity and reality, there is little we can do about it. When we hide or deny it, justify or project it, we are finding ways not to deal with it. When we do accept it, we have made progress, but we still need to understand our anger and take responsibility for it.

     [To be continued]
TOUR OF SWEDENBORG'S SWEDEN 1989

TOUR OF SWEDENBORG'S SWEDEN 1989

     August 2-14, 1989

     Come tour the places in scenic Sweden where Swedenborg lived, studied, and worked. The itinerary includes Gothenburg, Skara, the episcopal seat of Bishop Svedberg, Mt. Kinnekulle, where Swedenborg wanted to build an observatory, "Sveden," the Swedenborg family estate, Stjamsund where Swedenborg studied with Polhem, Falun with its large copper mine, Uppsala Cathedral, which houses Swedenborg's sarcophagus, the University of Uppsala, and the University of Stockholm. During the tour and five days in Stockholm, meet Swedenborg scholars, hear lectures and see the many fascinating sights in Swedenborg's country.
     For a complete itinerary, write the tour's directors:

     Martha Gyllenhaal or Durban Odhner
     Academy of the New Church
     Box 278
     Bryn Athyn, PA 19009
     Phone: 215-947-4200

WRITINGS IN RUSSIA 1989

WRITINGS IN RUSSIA ERIN C. MARTZ 1989

     In this article I would like to briefly introduce to you those individuals in 19th-century Russia who apparently read Swedenborg. Several may have read the Writings in Latin or French, for these were common languages for the upper class. However, almost all of the Writings were translated into Russian, beginning in the 1850s (but had to be printed mainly in Leipzig, Germany). It is difficult to determine the extent of the distribution of the books because even in the 19th century, as in the present, censorship was strict. For instance, from The Diary, of a
Censor: Aleksander Nikitenko:

     31 May [1858] The word "progress" is banned from print. . . .
     4 July [1872] A new censorship law. Finis press! The minister of internal affairs can do as he pleases. Regardless of the specialized content of the book, he can confiscate it. If this law is applied, science and literature will be totally paralyzed in Russia.

     It is interesting to note that the year of the second diary entry, 1872, was the year the Russian translation of the decalogue (from T. C. R.) was published (but note the place: London). The translator was Princess Cleopatra Schakoffsky, a sister-in-law to the renowned Gen. A. N. Muraviev. (See the Intellectual Repository, March 16, 1872, for her letter to New Churchmen.)
     Who was Gen. Muraviev? Despite spending nine years of exile in Siberia for his strong advocation of the abolition of serfdom, he later was appointed governor of St. Petersburg. Around 1822 he had found Swedenborg's Doctrine of Life in French in a bookstore, and consequently read all of the Writings. More important were his continued efforts to free the serfs. He was president of the Nizhni Novgorod Committee for the abolition of serfdom, giving a speech to them on February 19, 1858:

     [It is] the hope of the Czar, the hope of our country, the hope of 25 million of our brethren, who look forward to the recovery of lost civil rights and the dignity of humanity. . . . [H]ow can this be brought about so long as men are regarded as productive agents like the brutes? How can this be brought about if we do not appeal to the spiritual life of a man glowing under the ashes: if we do not develop free labor? . . .

     In The Diary of a Censor in an 1835 entry, Muraviev is characterized as "building his earthly happiness on the saintliness of his spiritual convictions."

Even 23 years later he still was zealous in his work: ". . . Muraviev . . . spread rumors everywhere that the emancipation proposal existed only for show: there would be a lot of talk, they said, and with that, the whole matter would end" (ibid.). Yet his (as well as others') dream was achieved in 1861-serfdom was abolished, freeing over nine million men.

     Seances and the Scientists

     The second notable New Churchman in Russian history was A. N. Aksakov, who was little-known compared with his two brothers who were nationally famous as poets and editors. The New Church Magazine (Nov. 1863) described how, at the age of 17, Aksakov received Swedenborg's Writings from his professor. He thereafter "devoted his whole life to translating the works of Swedenborg from Latin into Russian," including Divine Love and Wisdom, The Four Doctrines, and Heaven and Hell. He also published two studies: one on the Gospel of John, the other on Swedenborg's rationality.
     Aksakov sent the great writer Fyodor Dostoyevsky a copy of Heaven and Hell, signed Jan. 8, 1877. (See the upcoming edition of New Philosophy for an in-depth study on Dostoyevsky and Swedenborg.) But Aksakov did not limit himself to studying Swedenborg, for he held a series of seances in 1876 and 1877 in order to demonstrate the power and reality of the existence of spirits to a group of scientists.
     In Aksakov's book Unntasked (in Russian, Razoblachenie), he describes the experiments these scientists performed in order to disprove the existence of spirits. This commission was headed by the renowned chemist Mendeleev (who later tried to expound his theories in a 400-page paper, "Materialism for the Judging of Spiritualism"). Dostoyevsky also attended one of these seances, and commented on it in his book The Diary of a Writer.
     In the preface to the Russian translation of Heaven and Hell Aksakov explained why he was so interested in spiritualism. In this preface he explained the principles of spiritualism, and that Swedenborg was the forerunner of the spiritualism movement. In addition, Aksakov believed that since there was such an interest in spiritualism, men probably would be receptive to rational explanations of the spiritual world.

     Poetic Participation

     The first poet who admits having access to the Writings during the 19th century was Vladimir Dal, who "since the early fifties had been a follower of . . . Swedenborg.

In 1852, in Niznili-Novogorod, he unriddled the Apocalypse with the help of Swedenborg's vocabulary of mysterious words." Later, Dal participated in the s?ances held by Aksakov (as stated in his book Cmmasked. Further, according to Diary of a Russian Censor (p. 358), he "developed a strong passion for spiritualism not long before his death."
     Another poet and writer "with mystical inclinations" was a man named Dmitri Merezhovsky. He was a strong leading figure in the symbolist movement in literature. In The Diary of Valery Bryusov Bryusov described Merezhovsky's belief that every man undergoes a personal judgment after death (a new Christian teaching introduced by Swedenborg). Further, in another book, Merezhovskv and the Silver Age (B. Rosenthal, 1975), Merezhovsky is said to have believed that "a new Christian intelligentsia will arise and lead Russia; religion and revolution will be reunited" (p. 184).
     In addition, Merezhovsky said that "this was and this will be. A religious flame crossed Russian society in her infancy and this flame will reappear in her adulthood . . . it will blaze upon her brow, as if dividing, in the language of fire, the new Advent of the Holy Spirit in the living spirit of Russia."
     To continue this apocalyptic theme is a 1918 poem: "Russia, my country-You are the Woman clothed with the Sun, To whom All eyes are lifted . . . I see clearly: My Russia, The God-bearer, Overcoming the Serpent . . . (from the poem "Christ Is Risen" by Andrei Rely).
     The "woman clothed with the Sun" is, of course, from the book of Revelation, as are other images in this poem. The author of this poem, Andrei Rely, had ordered the 1914 Russian edition of Conjugial Love (which is currently in the Star Collection in the Academy Library). This copy is inscribed with his real name, Boris Nikolaevich Bugaev, and is one of the 200 copies which were printed.
     Bely was famous for his apocalyptic and "symbolic poetry," a style which can most simply be described as "impressionism in writing." To continue the poem "Christ Is Risen" (form not preserved): ". . . The peoples inhabiting Thee have stretched out their hands through the smoke to Thy spaces that are filled with song, filled with the fire of a descending seraph. And my throat locks with emotion. I know: An airy vast is shed round each of us like a nimbus; each man's head glows with lightnings raying from this age's embered woes. And the Word that now stands midmost of the heart, of the storm-trumpeted spring, swelling the voiceful depths of its fiery throat, breaks prison: Dearly beloved, Sons-Christ is risen."
     If we apply Swedenborg's correspondences to this poem, we can read a deeper level into it.

"A woman clothed with the sun" (which Bely equates to Russia) is a New Church on earth; the serpent (which Russia is overcoming) signifies evils and falsities; the "seraphim" represents "the doctrine from the Word." Finally, Bely's words about "man's head glowing" (from the century's woes) refers to "those in faith alone," or the doctrine of salvation based solely on a certain belief.
     The above analysis, of course, is based on the supposition that Bely had access to Swedenborg's correspondences and intentionally used them. Bely's exposure to correspondences can be affirmed in another of his poems, "The First Encounter":

     (You, Charity-are like a rose,
     You, Faith-a quivering ecstasy,
     Hope, you are murmuring tears,
     Sophia-a lofty Swedenborg!)

     Having united your four forces
     Into a threefold deep reality,
     Receive me from the grave. . . .

     This idea of the sophia (Latin for wisdom) is an important image, both in poetry and philosophy in the-turn-of-the-century Russia. This idea will be discussed in the remainder of this article.

     The Muse of Sophia-Divine Wisdom

     It is evident from what has already been discussed that Russia was experiencing constant changes throughout the 19th century. These were very turbulent times, and apocalyptic writings increased in frequency up to the time of the 1917 revolution. Many actually thought this revolution was the second coming of Christ!
     There was a group of philosophers and theologians who wrote about not only the proper relationship of the church and state (Should the church head the state, or the church be subordinate?), but on the future conjunction of heaven and earth. Several of them wrote on the idea of the Divine Sophia, or Divine Wisdom, as an intermediate body between this and the next world. Only one writer will be discussed here, because of his definite exposure to the Writings as well as his importance in Russian philosophical history.
     The philosopher and theologian Vladimir Soloviev gave a series of lectures in St. Petersburg during the 1870s on the "Godmanhood," which many famous people attended (including Dostoyevsky). It is evident from the content of his lectures that by this time he had a thorough understanding of Swedenborg.

Only later, in an encyclopedia entry on Swedenborg which he wrote (published in Russian in 1900) does he admit his knowledge of Swedenborg. Also, a personal letter dated 1896 reveals that he had received a copy of Divine Love and Wisdom. Some of his ideas:

     In the divine organism of Christ, the active, unifying principle, the principle which expresses the unity of that which absolutely is, is obviously the Word or Logos. The second kind of unity, unity as produced, is, in Christian theosophy, called "Sophia," or Divine Wisdom. If we distinguish within the absolute in general between the absolute as such, i.e., that which absolutely is, and its content, essence, or idea, we will find the direct expression of the former in the Logos and of the latter in Sophia, as expressed or actualized idea. . . ("Lectures on Godmanhood").

     Hence, here we can see that Soloviev distinguishes two principles in the "man" part of the Godmanhood relationship. One is "the Word made flesh," a reference to Christ, or the Divine Human which fulfilled the letter of the Word; the second is the "Sophia" or mankind, which is comparable to Swedenborg's idea of the church universal (but he fails to make the distinction between this and the church specific). The unity of believers can either be as "a body of Christ," a "woman clothed with the sun"-a Divine Sophia, or else this group of men can be a type of "antichrist," which would not be conjoined with its "central unifying principle," or simply, with God.
     Soloviev explains that the freedom of "chaos" of western society is necessary because of a coming time, concerning which he writes:

     When Western humanity will be convinced by the very facts, by historic reality itself, that self-assertion of the will brings hopeless pessimism, the turn toward self-renunciation will pass from theory into life. Then Western humanity will be ready to accept the religious principle, the positive revelation of true religion (Lectures on Godmanhood, 1881-3).
     Soloviev stressed that faith and reason are not exclusive principles: "Faith without works is dead." Religion is a synthesis, an integral knowledge. "Reason of itself has no content," or "no independent access to reality." On the other hand, "faith alone is an existential or 'substantial principle'. . . yet it needs a 'rational' elaboration" (Georges Florovsky, "Reason and Faith of Soloviev," 1967, p. 283-6).
     Hence, along with conjoining faith and reason in each individual, Soloviev spoke of the reestablishment of universal Christianity. He predicts ". . . [O]nly an 'insignificant minority' of the true believers will accept the Truth, the majority siding with the antichrist.

Yet, after a violent but brief struggle, it is precisely the minority that will win. The practical task, within the limits of history, is still to present the Truth in such a way that everybody will be confronted with a clear choice . . . . The Divine Truth must be restated in definitive and unconditional terms. . . . Thus it is of decisive importance that 'a general instauration of the Christian philosophy' should take place. . ." ("Reason and Faith of Soloviev" by Florovsky, p. 293).
Are Soloviev's words still valid a hundred years later?
ATTENTION 1989

ATTENTION 1989

     The critically acclaimed Young Adults Convocation '89, for people ages 1440, is happening February 24-26. Topics such as salvation and prayer, and many more, will be discussed. The convocation is the opportunity to move your life light years ahead in the space of one short weekend. It's about Regeneration with a capital "r." There will be great musical entertainment on the evening of the 25th. For an application and more information write

     YAC '89
     Box 603
     Bryn Athyn, PA 19009

     or call Tori Odhner at 215-947-0964.
ACADEMY OF THE NEW CHURCH SECONDARY SCHOOLS 1989

ACADEMY OF THE NEW CHURCH SECONDARY SCHOOLS 1989

     1989 SUMMER CAMP

     The 1989 ANC Summer Camp will be held on the campus of the Academy of the New Church in Bryn Athyn, Pennsylvania from Sunday, July 9 until Saturday, July 15, 1989.
     The camp is open to boys and girls who will have completed eighth or ninth grades in May or June of 1989.
     Students will receive registration details during the first week in March. We try to send to every eligible student but sometimes miss someone. If you have not received the information form or know someone who may need information, please contact the Camp Director, William C. Fehon. Call him at (215) 947-4200 or write: Academy of the New Church, Box 278, Bryn Athyn, PA 19009.

AS TO UNDERSTANDING THE MALE AND FEMALE MINDS 1989

AS TO UNDERSTANDING THE MALE AND FEMALE MINDS VERNON GRAESER 1989

     An Example for Consideration

     Occasionally one reads, in New Church Life, an article concerning the functional relationships of men and women. Evidently, as I gather from some of the articles, the discussion is continuing as to what uses the Writings designate as a proper field for women. Such an article appeared in the October issue entitled "Masculine and Feminine" by George H. Woodard.
     This is a very interesting subject to us who wish to understand human nature and why the male and female minds given the same perplexity reach a different conclusion. This is evidently a bother to some New Churchmen. Mr. Woodard writes in his article, "It seems that many sincere New Churchmen have found themselves in a distressing bind between traditional interpretations of statements in Conjugial Love concerning the relative functions of men and women, and their own natural perceptions-perceptions based upon life in today's world and their desire to live that life usefully. Too many of us, probably, are following our own perceptions and shrugging off the apparent conflict, uncomfortably and with a feeling of guilt. We should make a real effort to find an honest reconciliation, for surely there must be one."
     Before going into what seems to be the point of view of the Writings concerning the masculine and feminine, I would like to say that personally I try to relate my thoughts and conduct to the obedience of Scripture and to the revelation of the spiritual sense of the Word as given in the Writings. The position the church takes on this matter, as long as I am true to what the Lord reveals, has no effect on me. It would seem to me that those who should feel any guilt would be those who knew in their heart what the Lord wanted them to do and then acted contrary to their conscience, perhaps for worldly reasons. Aside from this let us examine the basic difference between the human male and female as set forth in the Writings and as observed in everyday life.
     I think all will admit that the male is physically heavier and stronger than the female. But we must always remember there are exceptions. I once read of a woman wrestler in a circus who offered a reward to any one of her male patrons who could outwrestle her. She seldom lost a match.

     Both homo sapiens, male and female, have a mind possessing will and intelligence, or affection and understanding; but although they commonly possess these two factors, here on earth they do not possess them equally.
     According to the Writings (AC 568), ". . . the female sex is such, and so formed, that the will or cupidity reigns in them more than the understanding. Such is the entire disposition of their component parts, or fibres, and such their nature, whereas the male sex is so formed that the intellect or reason rules, such also being the disposition of their fibres and their nature. . . ."
     In determining the salvation or damnation of each human, the will plays the chief role. Such as the confirmed will is, such is a person's eternal destiny. As the affection of the Lord and the neighbor takes one to heaven, so the affection of the world and self takes one to hell. It's the will that forms the understanding in the sensual man and not the other way around.
     Divine Love and Wisdom 244: ". . . It further follows that the will leads the understanding and causes it to act as one with itself; also that whatever in the understanding agrees with the love which is in the will the love calls wisdom . . . . it will be seen that the will does nothing by itself apart from the understanding; moreover, that it is the will that by influx takes the understanding into partnership with itself, and not the reverse."
     However, with the saved the understanding first leads the will into good. This is called reformation. But in regeneration, good from the will is evident by its proceeding through the understanding into action.
     True Christian Religion 105, second paragraph: ". . . For in the first state his understanding plays the first part and his will the second; but in the latter state the will plays the first part and the understanding the second; but still the understanding acts from the will and not the will directed by the understanding."
     By applying these passages from the Writings to women (and I could produce many more passages along the same lines), we see women have a preponderance of that which takes them to heaven or hell, namely a will. Webster's New World Dictionary says the will is used to express futurity, usually with implications of intention, determination, compulsion, and obligation. And from the Writings we know that love dwells in the will. Whether the will loves the false and the evil or the truth and the good depends on whether the woman chooses to permit her understanding to lead her to love of the Lord and His Word or whether her will compels the understanding to justify her love of self and the world. Thus free choice is crucial to her future.

     A Specific Example

     Allow me to introduce as an example one of the women of the world in action, especially the one I admire so much, Margaret Thatcher, the Prime Minister of Great Britain. It seems the biography of her life contradicts the idea that men have a corner on intelligence. Rather it suggests Mrs. Thatcher is gifted intellectually and has used that intelligence to outdo many of her political male rivals. Margaret Thatcher is the first Conservative prime minister in this century to be elected to a third consecutive term, even outdoing that conservative hero of Britain, Sir Winston Churchill, who failed to effect his own re-election.
     Something should be known of Mrs. Thatcher's upbringing and history if one is to make a judgment concerning the will and understanding of her mind. How does her superior intelligence fit in with the Writings' statements claiming that men are predominantly intellectual while women are predominantly willful? Well, first of all, let us admit Margaret Thatcher is an exception to the general rule. Few women can match her intelligence.
     Born in 1925, Margaret Hilda Roberts showed early promise when she skipped a grade in elementary school and won a scholarship to Kesteven and Grantham Girls' School at the age of ten. There she was almost always at the head of her class. She was captain of games, and vice captain of the hockey team, and shortly before her graduation she was nominated head girl by her teachers. From her father, who was a Methodist lay minister among other employments, she always got the books she wanted, but no pleasures. She is quoted as saying, "I never went to a dance until I got to the university." During holidays she helped out in the grocery store. In her spare time she read about politics and international affairs.
     Miss Roberts' achievements were so numerous and impressive as she matured into a young woman that it is not possible to cover them in detail in this short article. Suffice it to say she won another scholarship, to Somerville, Oxford University. There she studied chemistry and X-ray crystallography, sang in the Bach choir, was elected president of the Oxford University Conservative Association, earned a B.S. degree in natural science and an M.A. degree from Oxford. From 1947-1951 Margaret Roberts worked as a research chemist. All during this time she regularly attended political meetings.
     At a Conservative party conference in 1949 she so impressed the chairman of the local party organization of Dartford, Kent, that she was invited to become the Tory candidate for Parliament there for the forthcoming election.

Although she did not win in that Labor-dominated constituency, she managed to obtain 36 percent of the total votes, which seems to have been quite a gain for her party.
     During her political activities she met and married Denis Thatcher, a fellow member of the Dartford Conservative organization. In 1953 the Thatchers became parents of twins, Mark and Carol. Mrs. Thatcher had begun in 1951 to study law and was called to the bar at Lincoln's Inn in 1954. During the next few years she practiced as a barrister, specializing in taxation and patent law. By 1957 she was determined to renew her bid for election to Parliament. The rest is history, which is much too involved for our purpose to be related here, except to say that after she became Prime Minister, she began the task of returning Great Britain into the free enterprise nation it once was. In this endeavor, as I see it, she has been successful.
     She has displayed an iron will in her dealings with her opponents. Hence she is known as the Iron Lady-"The resolute approach," the Tories labeled it. Said former Labor Prime Minister Sir Harold Wilson, "Mrs. Thatcher's image is that of the toughest man we've got." At a critical time during her first term, when many in her cabinet were demanding a U-turn on her economic policy, she uttered the now famous words: "The lady's not for turning." When Argentina invaded Great Britain's Falkland Islands in April of 1982, the Iron Lady was advised that the Gallop Poll showed 65 percent of the British people were in favor of some sort of negotiations with Argentina on the fate of the Falkland Islands. Margaret Thatcher, however, stood firm.
     Lord Harris of High Cross, head of the Institute of Economic Affairs, said of Mrs. Thatcher, "The key thing is not her brilliance of intellect or even her capacity for work; it is her courage to persist when everyone is ranged against her. She's all backbone."
     What Lord Harris is telling us is that Margaret Thatcher is exceedingly strong-willed; he places her firmness of will above her brilliance of intellect. Her nickname of the Iron Lady, her famous statement, "The lady's not for turning," and Sir Harold Wilson's statement that "Mrs. Thatcher's image is that of the toughest man we've got" all bear witness to the fact that Mrs. Thatcher's will is stronger than her brilliance of intellect, and fit in with the Writings' claim of the will in women being predominant over their intellect.
     If we examine the life of Prime Minister Thatcher we shall discover her ruling love is put into practice through a tremendous will. Her male counterparts may have furnished the ideas that are best and right for Britain, but Mrs. Thatcher has the superior love of these ideas and the will power to put them into action.

     I do not think Mrs. Thatcher climbed to her position as Prime Minister principally by means of her intellect; rather she indoctrinated herself with conservative political ideas picked up from her father (who was active in politics and Mayor of Grantham), plus the vast amount of material she read concerning the conservative view. Hilda Roberts, when ten years of age, was already running errands for the Conservative party. It was natural that some of her ideas would come from the men of that party. Her advantage over men was that she had the will to put into practice what the Conservative men she associated with only talked about. Mrs. Thatcher once said, "In politics, if you want anything said, ask a man; if you want anything done, ask a woman."
     As to what the Writings say on this subject, the following is quoted from Conjugial Love 175: "In the duties proper to men, understanding, thought, and wisdom act the leading part; but in the duties proper to wives, will, affection, and love act the leading part; and from these the wife does her duties, and from those the man does his. Their duties are therefore of their own nature different and yet are conjunctive, in a successive series. It is believed by many that women can perform the duties of men if only they are initiated into them from their earliest age after the manner of boys; into the exercise of them they can indeed be initiated, but not into the judgment on which the right performance of the duties inwardly depends. Women, therefore, who are initiated into the duties of men are constrained in matters of judgment to consult with men; and then, if free to act, they choose out of their counsels what favors their own love. It is supposed also by some that women are equally able to lift up the sight of their understanding into the sphere of light in which men are, and to view things in the same altitude, which opinion has been induced upon them by the writings of some learned authoresses. But these writings, explored in their presence in the spiritual world, are found not to come of judgment and wisdom, but of genius and eloquence; and the products of these two, from elegance and beautiful fitness in the composition of words, appears as if sublime and erudite, but only to those who term all ingenuity wisdom. That on the other hand man cannot enter into the duties proper to women and rightly perform them is because they cannot enter into their affections, which are entirely distinct from the affections of men."
     Now anyone who is fair-minded, after considering the improved economic state of Great Britain and its citizens after Margaret Thatcher served from February 1975 to the present time, must conclude Mrs. Thatcher has done a magnificent job as Prime Minister.
     Great Britain has gained world respect and is improving with the passage of time.

In the light of the facts as put forward in this article should we say that Mrs. Thatcher occupies an office that should be reserved for men? If only intelligence were needed in this position, the answer would be, yes! But Mrs. Thatcher had something the men did not have: an iron will! And that was what Great Britain needed as subsequent events seem to have proved.

* * * *

Information concerning Margaret Thatcher obtained from:
Reader's Digest, Oct. 1983, "The Lady's Not for Turning," pages 142-146
Reader's Digest, Nov. 1987, "She's All Backbone," pages 213-220
Current Biography 1975, pages 404-407.
NCL FIFTY YEARS AGO 1989

NCL FIFTY YEARS AGO 1989

The sermon in the February issue of 1939 was by the Rt. Rev. George de Charms. In it he pointed out that "every written revelation-regarded from without-is altogether finite. When so regarded, only the covering appears, and this by itself is but a dead and lifeless thing. It imparts no vision of God, even when it tells about Him. . . . Yet the language of revelation-unlike all other speech and writing-is Divinely ordered. And by this ordination it possesses a unique power-the power to bring Divine Truth within the range of man's finite comprehension. By this ordination it has the power to speak to man the words of the Lord, that through it the Lord Himself may teach him, giving understanding, enlightenment, and illustration in things spiritual and eternal."
HOSPITALITY COMMITTEE 1989

HOSPITALITY COMMITTEE 1989

The new hospitality contact in Bryn Athyn is Mrs. Ned (Neva) Asplundh, Box 176, Bryn Athyn, PA 19009. Phone (215) 947-7065.

HIGHLIGHTS FROM SWEDENBORG'S LETTERS 1989

HIGHLIGHTS FROM SWEDENBORG'S LETTERS Editor 1989

     Some Illustrious Person You Might Know

     Soon after the book Conjugial Love was published Swedenborg was sending copies to various people. Three copies went to a clergyman in Germany with the suggestion that he might pass a copy to some illustrious person he might know. (See NCL August 1948, p. 356.) A month later he offered to send nine more copies. The clergyman did not like this book and once called it "mere dreams," but he liked other things in the Writings and tried to promote them. When an illustrious person wrote to him asking about Swedenborg, he remembered what Swedenborg had said and sent the man a copy of Conjugial Love. The illustrious person was the duke Ludvig IX, a military specialist and the Landgrave of Hesse-Darmstadt.

     This illustrious and influential person then wrote to Swedenborg himself, and this led to Swedenborg's sending him letters that are of particular interest because written so late in Swedenborg's life. One of them is excerpted on page 590 of Posthumous Theological Works. On the 18th of June, 1771 Swedenborg wrote to tell him that the Arcana Caelestia was no longer available in England or in Holland but that he would try to get him a copy from someone in Sweden. He declared to the duke that the Lord promised to come again.

     And because He cannot now come into the world in person, it was necessary for Him to do this by means of a man who could not only grasp the doctrines of this church with his understanding but also publish them in print. And because the Lord prepared me from childhood for this, therefore He showed Himself in person before me and set me on this task. . . . He opened the sight of my spirit for me, and thus introduced me into the spiritual world, and granted me to see the heavens and the wonders there, as well as the hells, and also to speak with angels and spirits, all this now for 27 consecutive years. I swear to the truth of this. (This is from the translation in Small Theological Works and Letters published by the Swedenborg Society.)

     On July 1st Ludvig wrote to Swedenborg, and among other things asked him if the famous story of "the queen's secret" was true. Swedenborg wrote back on July 13th that "What is being said about the brother of the Queen of Sweden is true, yet this must not be regarded as some miracle but only as a noteworthy occurrence. . . ."

Swedenborg called his attention to other noteworthy occurrences about Luther, Calvin, etc., recorded in the book True Christian Religion which had just been published and was on its way to Ludvig in Germany. Swedenborg encouraged the man to use his influence in promoting this book, saying:

If it please you, would you arrange for some learned members of the clergy in your duchy to pass judgments on it and publish them; but I beg of you that learned members of your clergy be selected who love truths and are delighted with them because they are truths. Others will not see a gleam of light in that work, but everything in darkness.
MAGAZINE ARTICLES IN 1988 1989

MAGAZINE ARTICLES IN 1988 Editor 1989

     Efforts were made during 1988 to bring the name Swedenborg to more people. Getting the name of Swedenborg known was one way of giving more people the opportunity to know about the truths revealed in the Writings.
     We would mention here two magazine articles which have spoken of Swedenborg and also of the New Church, constituting excellent free publicity.
     There is a monthly magazine that has been published for ninety-six years by the Freemasons. The official publication of the supreme council of Freemasonry of the southern jurisdiction of the United States (Scottish Rite), it is entitled The New Age. The November issue has an article entitled Emanuel Swedenborg-A Giant Among Men. Here are some excerpts:

     It is fitting, on the 300th anniversary of his birth, that Masons take a brief look at Emanuel Swedenborg-scientist, inventor, philosopher, scholar, mystic, theologian. . . .
     Swedenborg believed that the Bible was the word of God and that Jesus was Divine. Much of his message revolves about the Wonder of God and man's duties to God and his fellowman. . . . It was a Christian message. In Heavenly Doctrine he said, "The Lord came into the world to save the human race which would otherwise have perished in eternal death-His passion on the cross was the last temptation and complete victory.
     Swedenborg was not a preacher and made no attempt to found a new church or religion, but after his death his followers did. The first Swedenborgian church, the Church of the New Jerusalem, was formed in London in 1787 and quickly spread to our shores with churches in Baltimore, 1792 and Philadelphia, 1795.

     The four-page article concludes with a quotation from Helen Keller, saying that her book My Religion "has been an inspiration to millions."
     A better known publication is the weekly new magazine Insight. The table of contents in the November 28th issue says: "For followers of religious thinker Emanuel Swedenborg this is a big year: It's the 300th anniversary of his birth. Devotees hope a new book and other commemorations will promote his ideas."
     One turns to page 58, and there is a two-page spread which includes a color photograph of the Bryn Athyn cathedral. The focus from the outset of the article is the new publication by the Swedenborg Foundation-Emanuel Swedenborg: A Continuing Vision. It is called "the most ambitious publication project undertaken by the Swedenborg Foundation" and its actual weight is given at 6 pounds 3 1/2 ounces! (See October NCL, p. 447.)
      In the articles we read:

     Swedenborg's followers hope that the year-long celebration will spur new interest in him.
     It was on April 6, 1744 that Swedenborg had the vision of Christ that called him to devote the remaining 28 years of his life to the interpretation of the Bible. From 1749 to 1771 he published some thirty religious volumes, all in Latin, summing up his religious views in True Christian Religion in 1771.

     Mr. Leon S. Rhodes is quoted as saying, "The whole attitude toward a life after death was changed by what Swedenborg had to say . . . . We don't consider him a mystic, but it is true that he did spend a lot of time talking to angels."
     The article notes that "Swedenborgians have spent much time debating whether his theological writings should be considered divinely inspired, the third and final part of Scripture." The General Church "based in Bryn Athyn, Pa., near Philadelphia" is said to have 4,000 to 5,000 members. This is pretty accurate as our actual membership is hardly more than 4,000, but this does not include many active people who have not taken out formal membership.
     We were pleased to notice recently an entry in the guest book of the Bryn Athyn cathedral. A visitor from Virginia wrote that the visit was prompted by the article in Insight! We have been told that the circulation of Insight is around a quarter of a million.
     The recent book Heaven, a History was reviewed in early December in the New York Times. As we go to print we look forward to a review in Newsweek. The book has many, many references to Swedenborg. Some will remember the writer from Germany, Dr. Bernard Lang, who visited Bryn Athyn a year ago this month.

ETHICAL BEHAVIOR 1989

ETHICAL BEHAVIOR H. Keith Morley 1989

Dear Editor:
     Some of the matters raised by Mr. Geoffrey Cooper in his article "The Fall and Decline of Ethical Behavior" (NCL November, p. 480) strike me as being deserving of confirmation and enlargement.
     Although his focus is on business, Mr. Cooper refers to "signs of ethical deterioration everywhere," for instance in government, education and even in college athletics. This is true, and we should not be surprised. All institutional behavior is simply a reflection of the behavior of the people who influence such bodies. And because of the generally disorderly state of the human race at the present time, it is inevitable that our organizations will similarly be disorderly.
     On the other hand, as pointed out by Mr. Cooper, there are books being written on the subject of business ethics. Moreover, most business schools now offer courses on the subject and in some cases this is a requirement for graduation. A prominent business magazine recently published an article praising the enlightened policies of a number of leading companies, drawing attention to their profitability. Nice guys don't necessarily finish last, they argued.
     We are living only a little more than two hundred years after the last judgment took place. Since that time, as I understand it, the Lord has permitted many evils to be manifested in the world, this being essential for the gradual progress of mankind toward the New Age. In course of time one would expect to see some signs of this progress. Might there even be signs already?
     In the Writings we are taught to adopt a positive attitude in our individual lives, trusting that the Lord will indeed establish His New Church on the earth as the crown of all the churches that have heretofore existed. Thus we should look for any positive signs of the advancement of the human race toward a more orderly state. We should avoid continual emphasis on the disorders.
     Just as a wise parent praises the good behavior of a child and is careful not to dwell unduly on his faults, so we should acknowledge the efforts being made to improve organizational ethics. Admittedly there is a long way to go, but at least the problem has been recognized and is being addressed.

     Thoughtful young people looking for a meaningful career can be deterred from entering the business world when all they hear are reports of unethical behavior. That is unfortunate because there are many honest business organizations today which provide an ethical environment for their employees. And, perhaps more important, there are unusually good opportunities in the business world for our young people to put their beliefs into practice and thus to influence others. They represent the few who have the means to discover and apply the principles of true leadership.
     Mr. Cooper has raised a topic that is of importance to us all and has provided some excellent commentary. Only the title seems capable of improvement. Instead of "The Fall and Decline of Ethical Behavior, why not use a positive one like "The Renewal of Ethical Behavior"?
     H. Keith Morley,
          Toronto, Ontario, Canada
PRAYER 1989

PRAYER Patricia K. Rose 1989

Dear Editor:
     Erin Martz's article (February 1988) and Donald Schmucker's letter (October issue) prompted reflection on the subject of prayer. As I mulled over their comments in my mind, I renewed my agreement with Erin's suggestion that perhaps a lack of trust in the Lord's Providence is the basis for many prayers. Yet, as Donald says, prayer is vital.
     It seems important that each of us ask himself, Why do I pray? When do I pray?
     Do I pray only when something deeply troubles me? Is the purpose to implore the Lord to bring about a certain result? If so, this is not a prayer of humility but one of lack of confidence in the Lord's guidance. Thy will be done if it agrees with mine.
     Or do I pray daily to ask the Lord's help and guidance, for myself and others, to give us the strength to flow with the stream of His Providence whatever situations we find ourselves in? If we have the humility to trust in His leading, and approach Him in prayer regularly, our relationship with Him will be close and supportive.
     The writings make some strong statements about the effectiveness of prayer:

     . . . they who are in temptations and not in some other active life than that of prayers do not know that if the temptations were intermitted before they had been fully carried through, they would not be prepared for heaven, and thus could not be saved.

For this reason, moreover, the prayers of those who are in temptations are but little heard, for the Lord wills the end, which is the salvation of the man, which end He knows but not the man; and the Lord does not heed prayers that are contrary to the end, which is salvation. . . . For in prayers from the Divine it is always thought and believed that the Lord alone knows whether it is profitable or not; and therefore the suppliant submits the hearing to the Lord, and immediately after prays that the will of the Lord and not his own may be done (AC 8179:3).

     And Jehovah said, Seeing I have seen the affliction of My people. That this signifies mercy toward those who are of the spiritual church after infestations by falsities is evident from the signification of "saying," in the historicals of the Word, as being perception; but when it is said of Jehovah, or the Lord, it does not denote perception but omniscience, because the Lord perceives and knows each and all things from eternity; and from the signification of "Seeing I have seen," when said of Jehovah or the Lord, as being mercy, for when the Lord sees anyone in misery, or in affliction, He is merciful to him (the Lord indeed sees all and thus is merciful to all, but it is not said that He is merciful with respect to any but those who receive His mercy, that is, who are in good). . . .

     And I have heard their cry from before their taskmasters. . . . [T]he Lord hears all, and thus brings aid to all, but according to the necessities. They who cry and implore Him for themselves alone, and thus against others, as the wicked are wont to do, the Lord hears, but He does not bring them aid, and when He does not bring aid, it is said that He "does not hear" (AC 6851, 6852).

     Should we pray? No, if our purpose is to give the Lord advice. Yes, if we want to keep in touch with the Lord, to develop a trust in Him, and ask His aid in our spiritual journey. As always, why we do things is paramount.
     Patricia K. Rose,
          Bryn Athyn, Pennsylvania
POSTHUMOUS WORKS 1989

POSTHUMOUS WORKS Chris Horner 1989

Dear Editor:
I followed with much interest the series of articles entitled "Priest and Layman Hand in Hand" by Rev. Dandridge Pendleton, which ran through New Church Life in 1983-84. We were led to believe, in the article published in the October '84 issue that there would be more to follow, but I have looked vainly for any continuation of the subject or any editorial comments, and have been disappointed that the series was not completed.

     I was particularly impressed by a provocative statement made by Mr. Pendleton in the first article in November '83. I believe he was a brave man indeed to make such a statement and I applaud him wholeheartedly. This was regarding the relationship between those works written and published by Swedenborg and those published posthumously; and expressing doubt as to the "plenary Divine inspiration" of those that were not published by him. Mr. Pendleton suggested that some people would react "with interest" to this view and others "perhaps with horror"! Apparently nobody was really interested or horrified by Mr. Pendleton's declaration, as there have been no clerical or lay comments on this aspect of his article. I have been disappointed particularly in the fact that there has been no priestly reaction, as I have never been able fully to accept any of the posthumously published writings as having "plenary Divine inspiration" and therefore being part of God's Word.
     It is not hard to set aside obviously preparatory works such as the Spiritual Diary and others of this nature, although no doubt they contain much spiritual truth; however, when we come to the Apocalypse Explained it is difficult to assign it to a lower category as it seems to elucidate difficult aspects of revelation brought out in earlier works, to a superlative degree. But why did Swedenborg, after virtually completing this work, set it aside and rewrite the exegesis of Revelation as the Apocalypse Revealed! Did it just happen that way? Was it an accident? Surely not, for AC 5508:2 states, "everything that befalls or happens, which men call accidental and ascribe to chance or fortune, is of Providence." Again in AC 6485 we are told that "all accidents are of Providence," and that there is no such thing as chance is apparent from nos. 6493 and 6494, while DP 70 speaks of "fortuitous and accidental" as "empty words."
     If we are to accept the Writings as the third testament of God's Word, is there any reason why we cannot conceive a canon in them as we do in the Scriptures? Swedenborg relies quite heavily on some of the non-canonical books of the Scriptures in a confirmatory capacity-especially the Epistles-when formulating doctrine. Is it not conceivable that we should use only those writings published by him as a source of derived doctrine and matter from the unpublished writings only where they confirm this?
     New Church scholars seem to have seized avidly on anything that has dropped from the pen of Swedenborg, translated it with relish and published it without discrimination as an authoritative addition to the revelation of the second advent.

Can we accept this unreservedly as commensurate with the published Writings? I feel that much of the misunderstanding between the General Church and other New Church bodies has been due to this very concept. Can we reconcile many statements in some of the unpublished writings with the teachings as presented in those that were published by Swedenborg himself!
     A case in point is no. 228 of the Spiritual Diary, which speaks of how the Lord in His infinite mercy raises spirits from hell into heaven, and thus intimates that those in hell will not remain there to eternity but will eventually put off their evil lusts and come into the sphere of heaven. This is destructive of the whole substance of the Heavenly Doctrine, which teaches that while in this world we choose our ruling love which can never be changed when we leave this mortal state and enter into the spiritual world (see NJHD 239, AC 6977, 3700, 967, 7181). AC 699 is unquestionably drawn from SD 228, but although Swedenborg "was permitted to comfort" the evil spirits, there is no mention made of their being raised out of hell into heaven. What is spoken of in SD 228 appears to be the removal of imprisoned good spirits in the world of spirits after the last judgment. This is true history, but can by no means be considered as doctrine, and there is much more of this nature in others of Swedenborg's works which were not published by him.
     Are we then to adopt the eclectic's method and accept from the Writings only those things which appeal to us as essential doctrine and reject those with which we cannot agree? Is not this the Adam and Eve story over again, the eating of the forbidden fruit? Are we to accept all that came from Swedenborg's pen as inspired doctrine? Is there not some hallmark that establishes which of the books written by the revelator are "plenarily Divinely inspired" and which are not? I am led to believe that there must be such a distinction, and as already stated, I feel that this has been demonstrated clearly under the auspices of the Divine Providence.
     As an elderly layman who has contemplated this matter with much soul-searching over the last thirty years, I would be happy to join hands with Rev. Dandridge Pendleton in this very important matter of the church's outlook. Can we be carried away too much by Swedenborg the man rather than think of him as the "servant of the Lord Jesus Christ" as on the title page of TCR, and the revelator of the second advent?
     Chris Horner,
          Tamworth, Australia

Received from Ghana 1989

Announcements

The following baptisms and confirmations have been reported from Ghana. Officiating at all of them was Rev. William O. Ankra-Badu.
PUBLIC WORSHIP AND DOCTRINAL CLASSES 1989

PUBLIC WORSHIP AND DOCTRINAL CLASSES Rev. LOUIS B. KING 1989

     GENERAL CHURCH OF THE NEW JERUSALEM

     Bryn Athyn, Pennsylvania, 19009, U. S. A.

     PUBLIC WORSHIP AND DOCTRINAL CLASSES

     USA addresses only

     Information on public worship and doctrinal classes provided either regularly or occasionally may be obtained at the locations listed below. For details use the local phone number of the contact person mentioned or communicate with the Secretary of the General Church, Rev. L. R. Soneson, Cairncrest, Bryn Athyn, PA 19009, Phone (215) 947-4660.

     UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

     Alabama:

     BIRMINGHAM
Dr. R. Shepard, 4537 Dolly Ridge Road, Birmingham, AL 35243. Phone:(205) 967-3442.

     Arizona:

     PHOENIX
Mr. Hubert Rydstrom, 3640 E. Piccadilly Rd., Phoenix, AZ 85018. Phone: (602) 955-2290.

     Rev. Cedric King, visiting pastor, 21332 Forest Meadow, El Toro, CA 92630. Phone: (Home) (714) 586-5142. (Office) (714) 951-5750.

     TUCSON
Rev. Frank S. Rose, 9233 E. Helen, Tucson, AZ 85715. Phone: (602) 721-1091.

     Arkansas:

     LITTLE ROCK
Mr. and Mrs. Kenneth Holmes, 2695 Mark Lane, Batesville, AR 72501. Phone: (501) 793-5135.

     California:

     LOS ANGELES
Rev. Donald Rogers, 5022 Carolyn Way, La Crescenta, CA 91214. Phone: (818) 249-5031.

     ORANGE COUNTY
Rev. Cedric King, resident pastor, 21332 Forest Meadow, El Toro, CA 92630. Phone: (Home) (714) 586-5142. (Office) (714) 951-5750.

     SACRAMENTO
Mr. and Mrs. Robert Ripley, 225 Woodlake Ln., Newcastle, CA 95658. Phone: (916) 663-2788.

     SAN DIEGO
Rev. Nathan Gladish, 7911 Canary Way, San Diego, CA 92123. Phone: (619) 268-0379. Office: (619) 571-8599.

     SAN FRANCISCO
Rev. Mark Carlson, 2520 Emerson St., Palo Alto, CA 94301. Phone: (415) 327-2788.

     Colorado:

     COLORADO SPRINGS
Mr. and Mrs. William Reinstra, 2386 Wood Ave., Colorado Springs, CO 80907.

     DENVER
Rev. Clark Echols, 3371 W. 94th Ave., Westminster, CO 80030. Phone (303) 429-1239

     Connecticut:

     BRIDGEPORT
Rev. Geoffrey Howard, visiting pastor, Bryn Athyn, PA 19009. Phone: (215) 947-6225.

     HARTFORD

     SHELTON
Mr. and Mrs. James Tucker, 45 Honey Bee Lane, Shelton, CT 06484. Phone: (203)-929-6455.

     Delaware:

     WILMINGTON
Mrs. Justin Hyatt, 2008 Eden Rd., N. Graylyn, Wilmington, DE 19803. Phone: (302) 475-3694.

     District of Columbia see Mitchellville. Maryland.

     Florida:

     BOYNTON BEACH
Rev. Daniel Heinrichs, 10687 E. Clair Ranch Rd., Boynton Beach, FL 33437. Phone: (407) 736-9235.

     LAKE HELEN
Mr. and Mrs. Brant Morris, 264 Kicklighter Rd., Lake Helen, FL 32744. Phone: (904) 228-2276.

     Georgia:

     AMERICUS
Mr. W. H. Eubanks, Rt. #2, S. Lee St., Americus, GA 31709. Phone: (912) 924-9221.

     ATLANTA
Rev. Christopher Bown, 3795 Montford Drive, Chamblee, GA 30341. Phone: (Home) (404) 457-4726. (Office) (404) 452-0518.

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     Idaho:

     FRUITLAND
(Idaho-Oregon border) Mr. Harold Rand, 1705 Whitley Dr., Fruitland, ID 83619. Phone: (208) 452-3181.

     Illinois:

     CHICAGO
Rev. Grant Schnarr, 73A Park Dr., Glenview, IL 60025. Phone: (312) 729-0130 (home) (312) 724-6130 (office).

     DECATUR
Mr. John Aymer, 380 Oak Lane, Decatur, IL 62562. Phone: (217) 875-3215.

     GLENVIEW
Rev. Brian Keith, 73 Park Dr., Glenview, IL 60025. Phone: (312) 724-0120.

     Indiana:

     CINCINNATI
Rev. Patrick Rose, 785 Ashcroft Ct., Cincinnati, OH 45240. Phone: (513) 825-7473.

     Kentucky:

     CINCINNATI
Rev. Patrick Rose, 785 Ashcroft Ct., Cincinnati, OH 45240. Phone: (513) 825-7473.

     Louisiana:

     BATON ROUGE
Mr. Henry Bruser, Jr., 6050 Esplanade Ave., Baton Rouge, LA 70806. Phone: (504) 924-3089.

     Maine

     BATH
Rev. Allison L. Nicholson, HC 33-Box 61N, Arrowsic, ME 04530.

     Maryland:

     BALTIMORE
Rev. Frederick Chapin, 37 Guinevere Court, Baltimore, MD 21237. Hone Phone: (301) 682-3397; Office: (301) 435-5418.

     MITCHELLVILLE
Rev. Lawson Smith, 3805 Enterprise Rd., Mitchellville, MD 20716. Phone: (301) 262-2349.

     Massachusetts:

     BOSTON
Rev. Grant Odhner, 138 Maynard Rd., Sudbury, MA 01776. Phone: (508) 443-7540.

     Michigan:

     DETROIT
Rev. Walter Orthwein, 395 Olivewood Court, Rochester, MI 48064. Phone: (313) 656-1267.

     EAST LANSING
Mr. Christopher Clark, 5853 Smithfield, East Lansing, MI 48823. Phone: (517) 351-2880.

     Minnesota:

     ST. PAUL-MINNEAPOLIS
Rev. Mark R. Carlson, visiting pastor, 807 Clover Court, Glenview, IL 60025. Phone: (312) 729-6130.

     Missouri:

     COLUMBIA
Mr. and Mrs. Paul Johnson, 103 S. Greenwood, Columbia, MO 65201. Phone: (314) 442-3475.

     KANSAS CITY
Mr. Glen Klippenstein, Glenkirk Farms, Maysville, MO 64469. Phone: (816) 449-2167.

     New Jersey-New York:

     RIDGEWOOD. N.J.
Mrs. Fred E. Munich, 474 S. Maple Ave., Glen Rock, NJ 07452. Phone: (201) 445-1141.

     New Mexico:

     ALBUQUERQUE
Mr. Howard Leach, 4215 12th Street, Albuquerque, NM 87107. Phone: (505) 892-0936.

     North Carolina:

     CHARLOTTE
Mr. John deMaine, 3509 Highridge Rd., Matthews, NC 28105. Phone: (704) 845-4058.

     Ohio:

     CINCINNATI
Rev. Patrick Rose, 785 Ashcroft Ct., Cincinnati, OH 45240. Phone: (513) 825-7473.

     CLEVELAND
Mr. Alan Childs, 19680 Beachcliff Blvd., Rocky River, OH 44116. Phone: (216) 333-4413.

     COLUMBUS
Mr. Hubert Heinrichs, 8372 Todd Street Rd., Sunbury. OH 43074. Phone: (614) 524-2738.

     Oklahoma:

     OKLAHOMA CITY
Mr. Robert Campbell, 3108 Eagle Pass Rd., Edmond, OK 73013. Phone: (404) 478-4729.

     Oregon-Idaho Border.-See Idaho, Fruitland.

     Pennsylvania:

     BRYN ATHYN
Rev. Kurt Asplundh, Box 277, Bryn Athyn, PA 19009. Phone: (215) 947-3665.

     ELIZABETH
Mr. Meade Bierly, 523 Snyder Ave., Elizabethtown, PA 17022. Phone: (717) 367-3964.

     ERIE
Mrs. Paul Murray, 5648 Zuck Rd., Erie, PA 16506. Phone: (814) 833-0962.

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     FREEPORT
Rev. Ragnar Boyesen, 122 McKean Rd., Freeport, PA 16229. Phone: Office (412) 353-2220 or Home 295-9855.

     KEMPTON
Rev. Jeremy Simons, RD 2, Box 217-A, Kempton, PA 19529. Phone: (Home) (215) 756-4301; (Office) (215) 756-6140.

     PAUPACK
Mr. Richard Kintner, Box 172, Paupack, PA 18451. Phone: (717) 857-0688.

     PITTSBURGH
Rev. Ray Silverman, 299 Le Roi Road, Pittsburgh, PA 15208. Phone: (Church) (412) 731-1061.

     South Carolina:- see North Carolina.

     South Dakota:

     HOT SPRINGS
Linda Klippenstein, 537 Albany, Hot Springs, SD 57745 Phone: (605) 745-6629

     Texas:

     AUSTIN
Mrs. Charles Grubb, 604 Highland Ave., Austin, TX 78703. Phone: (512) 472-3575.

     DALLAS-FORT WORTH
Mr. Fred Dunlap, 3887 Antigua Circle, Dallas, TX 75244. Phone: (214) 247-7775.

     HOUSTON
Dr. James Carter, 30 Williamsburg Ln., Houston, TX 77024. Phone: (713) 456-4057.

     Washington:

     SEATTLE
Rev. Kent Junge, 14812 N. E. 75th Street, Redmond, WA 98033. Phone: (206) 881-1955.

     Wisconsin:

     MADISON
Mrs. Charles Howell, 3912 Plymouth Circle, Madison, WI 53705. Phone: (608) 233-0209.
1988 DIRECTORY CORRECTIONS 1989

1988 DIRECTORY CORRECTIONS Editor 1989

On page 533 in the list of societies and circles the pastor of Chicago should be listed as Grant R. Schnarr.
On p. 532 the listing for Daniel Fitzpatrick should read: Resigned as Acting Pastor of the Stockholm Society in Sweden June 30, 1988. Currently unassigned.
ANNOUNCEMENT 1989

ANNOUNCEMENT 1989

A search committee is being formed to advise on the selection of a new principal for the Academy Boys School. Mr. Burton Friesen, who is serving in the capacity of principal, will be returning to full-time teaching at the end of the 1988-89 school year. Any candidate for this position should send his application and resume to the Rev. Geoffrey S. Childs, Chairman, Academy of the New Church, Box 278, Bryn Athyn, Pennsylvania 19009.
DEDICATION IN BOSTON AREA 1989

DEDICATION IN BOSTON AREA 1989

On April 8th and 9th, 1989, the Boston Circle of the General Church will be celebrating the dedication of the "Swedenborg Chapel," its new church building in Sudbury, Massachusetts.

104

Title Unspecified 1989

     New Church Life
Index
1971-1987

     Title
Author
Cross index

     General Church Publication Committee
1988

     Price $12.00 Postage $1.25

     General Church Book Center               Hours: Mon-Fri. 9-12
Box 278, Cairncrest                         or by appointment
Bryn Athyn, PA 19009                     Phone: (215) 947-3920

105

Notes on This Issue 1989

Vol. CIX March, 1989 No. 3
NEW CHURCH LIFE

106

     We are printing scores of extra copies of this issue to send to New Church college students in various localities.
     There are no letters this month, but we have had a record number of them recently, and perhaps we will have letters from some of the new readers to whom this number is being sent.
     Good comments have been coming about the "Favorite Passage" series. This is the 33rd consecutive issue to include a minister's favorite passage. In the current example, no. 214 of Conjugial Love is said virtually to be a book in itself.
     As you choose what you will read in this issue, do not pass by the article on the pitfalls of translation. At least read the first page and you may well find that the subject interests you more than you anticipated.
     The article with the long title on page 117 invites a certain attitude toward the facts of natural science and toward the efforts of those who have labored to make sense of them, "for they illuminate a world more wonderfully complicated and subtly constructed than any we could conceive of on our own."
     Were you one of the 635 people in the Bryn Athyn Cathedral last Charter Day who heard the address by Rev. Eric Carswell? Recall that he began with the question: "What are you most proud of in your life right now?" (See p. 134.)
     Note the announcement on p. 147 about the Canadian National Assembly. A more complete announcement will appear next month.

107

LORD LOVES YOU 1989

LORD LOVES YOU Rev. JEREMY F. SIMONS 1989

     "And it shall be in that do," says the Lord, "that you will call Me 'My Husband,' and no longer call Me 'My Master'" (Hosea 2:16).

     It is very difficult for you to understand the nature and intensity of the Lord's love for you. To give some idea of what this love is like, the Word compares it to such things as the love of a husband for a wife, of a father or a mother for a small child, and to the sweetness of two young people pledging their love for each other. We are invited to consider these loves, and then to realize how much greater His love is. "If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him?" (Matthew 7:11).
     Do you know the Lord as someone who loves you truly and dearly, and whom you can ask for these good things? In calling Himself "Husband" He is asking you to think of Him in this way-as one who is near, ready to grant your every need. In John there is a passage similar to the one from Hosea:

No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you" (John 15:15).

     There is love between true friends, just as there is between married partners. It is not only that one loves the other; they love each other. The Lord asks you to enter friendship with Him, and to be more than a friend, to be as it were a married partner to Him, linked by an eternal bond. You are asked to reciprocate, to love in return. In His teachings the Lord made it very clear how we are to go about loving Him:

As the Father loved Me so I have loved you. Abide in My love. If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love (John 15:9).

You are My friends if you do whatever I command you (John 15:14).

If you love Me, keep My commandments (John 14: 15).

     Clearly, "To believe in the Lord and to love Him is to do His commandments" (AC 10645:6; cf. AR 556e). You simply cannot love Him unless you keep His law. Yet He loves you whether you keep His law or not, and it is His love which gives you the strength to keep it. It is His love for the human race which has given all men the means to love Him in return. As we are taught in John:

108

For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life (John 3:16).

     To have everlasting life is to be able to love God, and so to enter that union with Him which He proposes to you. The "only begotten Son" is the Divine Truth (AC 3704:2, 7499; HH 86), which from His love He gave to the world. To believe in Him, as we have seen, is to do as He teaches.
     The Lord loves you. Will you love Him in return? In calling us friends He said, ". . .a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you" (John 15:15). You cannot love what you do not know, and so God came to earth to make Himself and what He is doing known. In His second advent He made Himself visible as never before, so that He can be known and loved as never before. We read:

This New Church is the crown of all the Churches which have up to now existed upon earth, because it will worship one visible God, in whom is the invisible God, as the soul is in the body. In this way and in no other is God's link with man possible, because man is natural, and so thinks in a natural fashion; and linking must take place in his thinking and so in the affection of his love, and this happens when a person thinks of God as Man (TCR 787).

     If you want to love God you must think of Him as a Man, not as a force or a presence, but as a Friend, a Husband, a Father. And this Man is visible only as He is known in His Word. The Word clearly teaches that He loves you. It teaches that He loves you like a parent:

Can a woman forget her nursing child and not have compassion on the son of her womb? Surely they may forget, yet I will not forget you (Isaiah 49:15).

Yes, I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore with loving kindness I have drawn you (Jeremiah 31:3).

     He loves you like a bridegroom:

I will betroth you to Me forever; yes I will betroth you to Me in righteousness and justice, in loving kindness and mercy; I will betroth you to Me in faithfulness, and you shall know the Lord (Hosea 2:19, 20).

For as a young man marries a virgin. . . . And as a bridegroom rejoices over a bride, so shall your God rejoice over you (Isaiah 62:5).

     He loves you whether you are willing or not, as He showed when He sorrowed over Jerusalem:

109

O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, but you were not willing! (Luke 13:34).

     If you are not willing, how can the Lord love you? The answer is that He is love itself, and love can do nothing else. This is simply its nature, and so this is the nature of God. We read in our lesson:

There are two things which make up the essence of God-love and wisdom. But there are three things which make up the essence of His love-loving others than oneself, wishing to be one with them, and devoting oneself to their happiness. The same three make up the essence of His wisdom, because love and wisdom are one in God (TCR 43).

     The Lord's love, and what it is, explains all of creation. "It is the essential of love not to love itself but to love others" (DLW 47). He created you only so that He could love you. Because He loves you He wishes to be one with you-to be close to you, to be joined with you as a Friend, a Father, a Spouse. This joining has eternal happiness as its result:

For every love breathes out an aura of joy from itself, and the Divine love breathes out the very height of blessedness, bliss and happiness forever; so God makes the angels and men after death happy from Himself, which He does by being linked with them (TCR 43:3).

     Could you love someone who had such things in mind for you? How could anyone have anything but love for Him? These are His intentions for every person, and He has the power to make these wishes come true. Yet He leaves you in freedom. He is always present with you, leading and bending you to love Him, but never forcing. We read:

God is always present, striving and acting in every man, even touching his free will, but never forcing it. For if He should violate man's free will, his dwelling place in God would be destroyed, and only God's dwelling place in man would remain (TCR 74:3; 6, AC 6205).

     If you freely love Him and put your trust in Him, He will bring you happiness, not only in heaven but in all things in this world.

For those who trust in the Divine all things advance toward a happy state to eternity, and . . . whatever befalls them in time is conducive thereto (AC 8478:3).

     This is called being in the "stream of Providence":

They who are in the stream of Providence are all the time carried along toward everything that is happy, whatever may be the appearance of the means. Those are in the stream of Providence who put their trust in the Divine and attribute all things to Him.

110

And those are not in the stream of Providence who put their trust in themselves alone and attribute all things to themselves (AC 8478:4).

When the Lord is with anyone He leads him, and provides that all things which happen, whether sad or joyful, befall him for good. This is the Divine Providence (AC 6303).

     So listen to Swedenborg's admonition:

My friend, shun evil and do good, and believe in the Lord with all your heart and with all your soul, and the Lord will love you, and give you love so that you can act, and faith so that you can believe. Then you will be impelled by love to do good, and by faith, which is trust, to believe. And if you persevere in this, you will be linked with Him and He with you, and this forever; and this is the essence of salvation and everlasting life (TCR 484).

     If you can do this, then the holy city, the New Jerusalem, will descend from heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. "And it shall be in that day " says the Lord, "that you will call Me 'My Husband,' and no longer call Me 'My Master'" (Hosea 2:16). For He loves everyone, and He is only waiting for our consent.
     "To Him who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood, and has made us kings and priests to His God and Father, to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen"(Revelation 1:5, 6).

     Lessons: Hosea 2:14-23; Matthew 7:7-12; True Christian Religion 43, 44 NCL FIFTY YEARS AGO 1989

NCL FIFTY YEARS AGO 1989

In the March issue of 1939 we find one of the many memorial addresses that the late George de Charms wrote. This was for Mary Pendleton, the wife of W. F. Pendleton. In the opening paragraph de Charms writes about the transition we call "death." "The angels hold the awakening spirit in a state of perfect peace, from which all sense of care, anxiety, and pain is banished. As soon as the power of reflection is restored, the mind is lifted up, as it were on a wave of joy that comes with the realization of life renewed. In this way the Lord provides in mercy that, as He opens the gates of eternity, it may be truly said of every human soul that enters, I was glad when they said unto me, Let us go into the house of the Lord."

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WHY THE LORD ALLOWED HIMSELF TO BE CRUCIFIED 1989

WHY THE LORD ALLOWED HIMSELF TO BE CRUCIFIED Rev. GEORGE DE CHARMS 1989

     A TALK

     The Lord's disciples thought that they loved the Lord, and indeed they did. But there was something of selfishness within this love that spoiled it. And if they were to come into heaven, this selfishness had to be removed. They loved the Lord because they thought He would set them free from the yoke of Rome, because they thought He would become a great general and lead the Jews in battle to triumph over their enemies, because they thought He would become the most powerful king in the world, collecting tribute from all other nations, and because they thought the Jewish people would become rich and they themselves would enjoy wealth and honor above all others.
     The Lord spoke to them of heaven and urged them to "seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness," promising that if they did this, "All these [other] things would be added unto [them]." But they were so intent upon the things of earth, the things they wanted for themselves, that they did not realize the meaning of His words. They thought only of a kingdom on the earth.
     When, therefore, the Lord was betrayed by Judas, arrested and condemned by Caiaphas the high priest, and delivered by Pilate to be crucified, they could not understand why this should be permitted. Even to the last they hoped that the Lord would do a great miracle such as would convince even His enemies of His Divine power, and would bring all men to worship Him. So when they saw the Lord die upon the cross, their hopes of earthly power died with Him. They knew not what to think. They could only stand afar off and watch in fear and wonder and in deepest sorrow. Yet this was the only way in which their love of the Lord could be cleansed from what was selfish.
     When they saw the empty tomb, when they beheld the Lord alive and knew that all the hatred of His enemies had been powerless to do Him harm, then for the first time did they see Him truly and know that His kingdom was not of this world. Then did they realize what He meant by seeking first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, seeking to serve the Lord and to do His will without thinking of themselves, but thinking only of how they might bring happiness to others.
     We also must learn that lesson. For we too begin by loving the Lord because we think He will give us what we want.

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And when He does not give us the things we long for, when He takes away from us the things that seem to give us most joy and happiness, we do not understand. It seems as if the Lord did not love us, or as if He were unable to help us because the devils of hell had power to prevent Him from doing so. It may even seem as though the Lord we loved had been put to death.
     Evil spirits do hate the Lord and try to kill Him. But they cannot harm Him in the least. If we let them, however, they can kill our love for Him, and in so doing make us evil like themselves.
     The disciples did not know how to love the Lord, but still they loved Him as well as they could. And even when the Lord had been crucified, they went on loving Him. Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of the Lord, and Salome, and other women who had followed Him, prepared spices to anoint His body. And early in the morning, the first day of the week, they came while it was yet dark and found the stone rolled away. And looking in, they saw that the sepulcher was empty. Then an angel told them that the Lord had risen.
     Later the Lord Himself appeared to them, spoke with them, and told them that He would be with them always if they would love Him and do His will. And great was their joy. Now they began to understand that the Lord is the God of heaven and earth, who had not come to establish a kingdom in this world, but to show men the way to heaven. They began to understand that to love the Lord truly they must forget themselves and think only of how they might bring happiness to others. In this they found a new and wonderful joy. And this is the joy of Easter.
     So is it also with all of us. We must learn how to love the Lord. That we may do so the Lord permits us to lose the things we want. He may permit us to fail, to suffer temptations so severe that we too may begin to think that He has forsaken us. But when this comes to pass, we too must bring spices to the sepulchre. That is, we must not allow our disappointment or our sorrow t6 take away our love of the Lord. We must go on trying to obey His Word and keep His law, even when we have no hope of getting anything for ourselves, doing this because we know that it is right, and because we love the Lord and wish to do His will.
     Then will we come to see that the Lord has not forsaken us, that He has been watching over us all the time, that He has allowed these trials to come upon us in order that whatever is selfish may be removed from our hearts. If we do this, the Lord will conquer the evil spirits who are trying to turn us away from Him. He will give us a new joy, a new blessing, far greater than any we have known before. And this is the real joy of Easter.

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DEATH OF A VISION 1989

DEATH OF A VISION Rev. MARK R. CARLSON 1989

     Like all the stories in the Lord's Word, the story of the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus has meaning for all areas of our life. The Lord's disciples were filled with awe and eager anticipation of a dream about to come true as Jesus rode into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday. At last it appeared that the majority of people accepted and adored Jesus as their Lord and King. And it looked very much as if Jesus were about to take control of Palestine and lead the Jews in a glorious revolt against Rome, returning their tiny country to a position of power, status, and grandeur, as in the days of Solomon.
     And who does not want these same things for our country and our personal life today? It was power, status, and grandeur that the disciples sought from Jesus. What could be better than to have these things and have them in the name of religion? And so immediately following the Last Supper a dispute arose among the disciples as to which of them was to be the greatest in the kingdom of heaven (see Luke 22:24). Their anticipation of worldly success was so high that they could not hear Jesus' repeated predictions concerning His death.
     And then it happened. He was gone. A predicted yet unexpected calamity ended it all. The anticipation of power, status, and grandeur pounded away with every stroke of the hammer. Their dreams poured out as useless as blood on the ground. They grieved more for the death of their vision than for the death of their Master. Disheartened and confused they wandered away, leaving the all-important burial arrangements to probable enemies. In an ironic twist, two Pharisees, Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimathea, saw to it that He was properly buried.
     The disciples represent the church, all the possible states of the church. And the church, my friends, is you and I-if we seek to follow the Lord. In their actions that Good Friday the disciples truly do show us something about ourselves. We grieve more for the death of our selfish visions of life than we do for the true calamities of life. We are easily discouraged and tend to abandon the Lord when our vision of how our lives ought to be is not forthcoming. We tend to leave loose ends; we fail to bring significant aspects of life to closure. Often we cannot even say "goodbye" properly to someone who is dying. And to make matters worse, it is often those whom we despise who step in and clean up after us when we shrink away in self-centered disillusionment.

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The bad news is that we all must go through such times of discouragement. The good news is that if we do not slip into total denial, out of the death of our vision can arise the true vision. The Lord did not die; only our first vision and expectations of Him must die. He did rise from the grave; He did appear again to His disciples at times when they least expected it, in ways they had never imagined. He came to them while they were attending to the everyday matters of living and being of service. He came to some simply walking, to others eating, to others catching fish.
Through the death of our vision the Lord teaches the true vision. Israel was never again to be a great nation, nor were the disciples to sit upon thrones. The true vision Jesus came to teach is that through His presence the smallest details of life, no matter how menial or apparently insignificant, can be transformed into intensely pleasurable opportunities for thoughtful, useful existence. The kingdom of God is not out there to be won but within to be found and experienced in quiet, peaceful ways. And so among Jesus' final words to us before returning to union with His infinite soul we find the simple statement, "May peace be with you" (Luke 24:36).
MINISTER'S FAVORITE PASSAGE 1989

MINISTER'S FAVORITE PASSAGE 1989

     To show the full beauty of my favorite passage in the Writings (CL 214) I have to cheat a little bit and add to it no. 162 of the same work. (They are both short passages, less than a page in total).
     Together they are a manual about friendship in marriage. They tell how the friendship one shares with one's married partner holds together a marriage. It helps us to weather the hard times; it gives warmth to the quiet times, and fun and laughter to our loving moments.
     The passage starts simply enough: "With those who are in love truly conjugial conjunction of minds and with it friendship increases." Of course they do, we say. We can also understand the idea that "friendship is as the face of love and also as its garment." Garments are things we put on and off, and no particular piece of clothing is essential. Friendship as the garment of love is like the things we do together-relaxing, working around the house, doing things for the children. The "face of love" is our ability to share our feelings about these things with each other.
     Friendship "adjoins itself" to love as the garment, and "conjoins itself" as a face.

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You see, the things we do together as married partners help keep us together, but they are experiences; they are not essentials. The feelings we share, however, bond us together. We feel in harmony with one another; we feel we have looked into each other's faces and communicated.
     But then the passage goes back to the time when love truly conjugial is not fully established-to the early days of marriage. It explains how friendship preserves our love and promotes it. "The love preceding friendship is similar to the love of the sex, and after the vows, that love grows feeble; but when conjoined with friendship, the love remains after the vows and is also made stable."
     What an incredible statement. Don't two people who get married think they are already good friends?
     Yes, but there is much of the body and not as much of the mind in their love. CL 162 says that their love is of the spirit from the body. If it stays that way, it won't last long.
     What brings their love into the mind? It is friendship. It is living together, and working together, and raising kids together, and sharing work and community and church together. It is taking out the garbage and washing the dog and balancing the budget and worrying about the mortgage payments. It is sharing how we feel about all these things. It is having fun together, sharing precious moments together, or turning to each other in our sorrowful ones.
     These things are the stuff of friendship. Love is above this. You can share these things with lots of people, but the fact is that you do it with your friend, your married partner.
     And here is the most wonderful part of CL 214: As we share friendship, so the Lord builds up our love. Why? Because by showing friendship we let Him come near. By the kind things we choose to do for our partners, by the decision to share rather than to shut them out, by the experience of communicating our feelings and thoughts, we invite His presence. And His presence brings true conjugial love.
     "Friendship introduces love and makes it truly conjugial."
     Then the love takes over and it ennobles and purifies the friendship too. "The love makes this its friendship also conjugial; and such friendship, being complete, differs greatly from the friendship of every other love."
     Every time I read this passage I feel awed by its implications, and its promise to all of us. It is so wonderfully idealistic, and yet so simple and practical. It tells how every married couple "falls in love twice." They fall in love at their betrothal and wedding, and then for a little while that love gets somewhat immersed in worldly concerns, and is not felt as keenly. Yet if they live in friendship, the love comes back, and then it is refined and made beautiful by the kindness they have shown to each other in the simple choices of life.

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     [Photo of Rt. Rev. Peter M. Buss]

     What hope there is for the troubled times that marriages may face if we consider the use of friendship. For we may not always feel in love, but we can show friendship. We have control, complete control, over whether we will be kind or thoughtful or restrained in our criticisms. Those choices (and they're not always easy, of course) are our way of praying to the Lord to restore our love. And He will, in greater abundance than we had hoped.
     The use of friendship in every phase of our marriages is something I hope we will explore more and more as we grow in our understanding of the special promises the Lord has given to His church about conjugial love. CL 214 is a book in itself: a manual on how to make our marriages work, and a promise of the wondrous time when inmost love and inmost friendship grow to all eternity.

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BREAD OF LIFE WITH HONEY FROM THE ROCK: A CHASTE UNION OF RELIGION AND SCIENCE 1989

BREAD OF LIFE WITH HONEY FROM THE ROCK: A CHASTE UNION OF RELIGION AND SCIENCE LINDA SIMONETTI ODHNER 1989

     The Writings say a lot of uncomplimentary things about learning and the learned in various places. We read that philosophy clouds the mind and the learned show a distinct tendency to atheism. Perhaps some of us in the New Church get the idea from this that if we immerse ourselves too deeply in the study of natural science, we'll wake up one morning and find that we've turned into secular humanists-duped by false appearances into a denial of God. I feel an impulse to reassure people that a New Church point of view can stand a thorough dunking in the
waters of science without getting waterlogged.
     The Writings make it clear that learning natural truths serves an essential use, and like other uses it can be abused. Factual and sensory knowledges give form to our thoughts; without them we wouldn't be able to think at all (see AC 3309, 3310:4, 5477). Our attitude toward them determines how they will influence us. If we begin with an affirmation of God and His commandments, the truths we learn will enlighten and strengthen our beliefs (see AC 2588:2), and will take on a heavenly form from the spiritual light which flows into them (see AC 4156). Natural truth learned from a negative attitude, on the other hand, leads to more negativity and insanity (see AC 2568:5). As Swedenborg writes in SD 1604, "The philosopher . . . becomes a wild boar in the woods, ranging about . . . in truths which he mutilates and slays." He sums up the distinction between use and abuse of natural knowledge in these words: "One is not by any means forbidden to develop the rational by means of factual knowledge, but one is not allowed to use it to harden oneself against the truths of faith which belong to the Word" (AC 2588:9).
     Yet some feel the need to arm themselves against a sea-change-a corruption of their integrity of outlook-with a smug and contemptuous attitude toward the discoveries and theories of natural science. A few years ago I came across a perfect example of this attitude, which I find neither useful nor appropriate, in an anonymous article titled, "Science in the Light of the New Church," reprinted in the recent continuation of the 19th-century serial, Words for the new Church. Although the article was obviously written at least 100 years ago, the fact that it was chosen for reprint indicates that the issues it raises a re still controversial.

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In challenging some of the assumptions the author makes, I hope to shed light on a true union of religion and science, and to show that they can complement each other as delectably as bread and honey.
     The article begins with a sentence few would dispute: "The New Church has no conflict with true science but is in full harmony with it and rests upon it" (p. 38). The dispute arises in the interpretation of this statement. The root of the problem, I believe, lies in the definition of "true science," which, according to the author, "penetrates deeper than the plane of the senses and unfolds infinitely more than natural thought can suggest or merely natural reason expound." The article continues, "Science is the knowledge of nature, and its philosophy gives us insight into the orderly arrangement of all things" (p. 41). These two statements strike me as inconsistent with each other; I agree with the latter and disagree with the former. If science is indeed the knowledge of nature, it cannot in itself penetrate "deeper than the plane of the senses"; only with the addition of a distinct philosophy can it unfold those spiritual vistas which lie hidden within it.
     Science works best as science when we confine it to the limited domain of nature alone. Thus it can serve as the vessel for spiritual truth. Why should we blame science for not being what it is meant to contain? When we try to force it to partake in what it supports, it doesn't work-as if the glass into which we poured our orange juice had pretensions to orange-juicedom. "Science in the Light of the New Church" makes precisely this error in presenting a philosophy of nature, derived from the New Revelation and including spiritual causes, and referring to it as a "brief outline, embracing some leading points in true science" (p. 44). It also describes "true science" as "the science which the church teaches" (p. 41). This clearly implies an intention to replace secular science with such a scheme, rather than to see the philosophy it expounds as internal to, distinct from, and harmonious with, natural science-even though the author does speak of "thousands of invaluable facts" which "will not be rejected, but will be examined in the light of the New Church" (p. 45).
     Natural science, of course, is more than just observations or "facts." It is a complicated structure organizing pieces of information and giving them meaning, of which portions periodically crash into rubble and are rebuilt to a different theoretical plan. But I don't even want to make too rigid a distinction between fact and theory, which can perhaps be seen as two points on a continuum of balance between observation and interpretation. Even scientific facts are subject to revision. (See below concerning the "fact" of spontaneous generation.)

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     Naturally enough, those constructs relying most heavily on theory and interpretation serve as the prime targets for opposing views. It is easy to say, as this article does, "The present classification of animals, including man, is imperfect" (p. 48). Many would say the same, and for many different reasons. The author elaborates: "Man, monkey, horse, bat and whale, because they all suckle their young and have warm blood, are huddled together into one class. In genuine science, man will be acknowledged as immeasurably above all the rest of creation" (ibid.). But man's unique relationship with the Lord, no matter how important, is outside the domain of biology and therefore not a fit criterion for judging man's place in a biological classification of animals. It is only man's body, not his soul, that concerns biology, and as to his body man is undoubtedly like an animal (see HH 110, DLW 61). People have no physical traits which cause their humanity-only traits which make their humanity possible. And those traits are obviously mammalian.
     Another "false theory" to which the article refers is the idea that "vital heat comes from combustion in the animal economy, or is simply a resultant of activity. This is merely an appearance, and is itself dependent on interior causes" (p. 43). It may well be true that "New Church philosophy is not satisfied with chemical theories of the origin of animal heat . . ." (p. 47, 48), but surely in the area of science it is legitimate to leave aside the question of final cause and inquire into the instrumental cause of life: to ask what life's substrate is, how it is structured, how it supports and enfolds the vital flame. The idea that life arises solely from chemical reactions is not an error of science (not, in fact, a scientific statement at all), but an error of philosophy. What can science discover about life in itself! Swedenborg abandoned his scientific search for the soul, realizing that all the good intentions and affirmative attitudes in the world could never make that breakthrough possible.
     I believe that the adulteration or inappropriate mingling of science with religion and philosophy is an abuse of doctrinal truth. Revealed doctrine can and should give rise to a philosophy for interpreting and ordering scientific findings in the light of spiritual truth. But spiritual truth cannot be used to predict the uniquely involved structure of the natural world, filled as it is with odd creatures and events. The element of unpredictability increases as we move up the scale from physics, through chemistry and biology, to the various branches of study about people-who, with free will, surpass every other created thing in the variety of their unforeseeable (not to say ridiculous) behavior.
     It can be illuminating to see the natural world as the "literal sense" of the created universe.

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Who would try to predict the nature of the Word in its literal sense purely from spiritual principles? The Word is (if I may so refer to it) a quirky and unpredictable document, a Divine accommodation to peculiar and unique human needs and circumstances. Human knowledge of interior truth can be used to interpret but not to predict the course of events in the Old and New Testaments. In the study of the Word as in natural science, nothing can replace observation.
And when the letter of the Word appears to contradict spiritual truth, as it often does, how do we respond? The Writings tell us how easy it is to twist the meaning of the literal sense, but anyone who professes belief in the Divine authority of the Bible would hesitate to reject it outright. Perhaps, though, people don't hesitate enough to reject the evidence of their senses-or more likely, someone else's concept for interpreting sensory evidence-when it appears to contradict spiritual truth. In our fallen condition the natural world is never completely transparent to the spiritual; in some cases, quite opaque. In the same way the Word often hides rather than reveals the truth it contains, to preserve our freedom of choice. Of course it is important in both cases to distinguish, as far as possible, what is God-given from the element of human perception; it is also important to judge human constructs by the right criteria. Ideas in natural science cannot stand or fall according to what philosophical system they appear to support.
The relative straightforwardness of the foregoing is complicated by Swedenborg's use of the science of his day to illustrate doctrinal points. "Science in the Light of the New Church" contains, for example, the statement, "Spontaneous generation is another fact in nature which today [100 years ago] finds scarcely anyone to defend it" (p. 49). The author proceeds to quote a passage from DLW 342 supporting the idea of spontaneous generation. The passage itself, though, is reassuring to those of us who differ on this point. First of all, Swedenborg recognizes the controversial nature of the issue: "Whether [noxious creatures] exist from eggs . . . or . . . from humors and stenches is a question." That all hatch from eggs, he says, "is not supported by general experience," and then he includes observations which imply the contrary. He sums up, "These facts favor the opinion of those who say that smells, effluvia, and exhalations themselves . . . also give origin to such animalcules" (emphasis mine). In appealing to scientific observation, and in avoiding a flat statement that spontaneous generation occurs, Swedenborg implicitly leaves us in freedom to say, "Evidence amassed since that time does not support the occurrence of spontaneous generation under current circumstances." He does not ask us to accept his statement in the teeth of contrary evidence.

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     The question of gender in plants can also be addressed. Swedenborg     states that plants are all male in relation to the earth, which takes a female role (see TCR 585). It is true that plants generally are not sexual in the same way that animals are-for one thing, they are much more flexible genetically. But among themselves plants contain both elements of the marriage of good and truth, just as individual men do, and they reflect this in their modes of reproduction, if not in general form or behavior (if we can even speak of plants behaving). Certainly the genetic mechanism in plants doesn't have the social and spiritual import that the animal and human division into two sexes has. Is that what Swedenborg meant by saying that plants don't have two sexes-that the terms husband and wife, mommy and daddy can't be applied to them? Sex, indeed, can be defined in a purely natural, biological way for the purposes of science, in terms of the exchange of genetic material in reproduction. We don't always have to be certain of exactly how it reflects the spiritual principles of male and female in every case, although a general awareness of this is a good perspective to have.
     It is true that to anyone who is at all open to it, the spiritual reality does shine through the natural, especially where life and consciousness are involved. Many people find this transcendent element hard to ignore, even when they can't explain it. Joseph Wood Krutch, in his warmly and gracefully written gem of a book, The Great Chain of Life, speaks of the surprising subtlety of function in the tiny amoeba, which includes sensitivity to light. After pointing out that man-made cameras imitate eyes found in nature except in their ability to see, he says:

Animals, so it seems, did not learn to see because they developed what we call an eye. On the contrary, they developed eyes because they were already able, in some sense, to see. And this ability to see is not in any way explained or accounted for by the fullest understanding of the optical principles involved in the highly developed eye itself (p. 8).

     From this reflection it is quite a short step to the principle that function is prior to form. And yet it arises from the perception of sight in itself as something beyond the ability of science (at least at its present stage of development) to explain.
     Is it true that in order not to pervert or be perverted by science we must stand disdainfully aloof from it and refuse to soil our hands with it? True, the "honey from the rock" which represents delight from scientific truth (AC 5620:6) can be mighty sticky stuff. But it's definitely worth the mess, and it lends an uncommon savor to the bread of life. Bread signifies celestial good. "and in the highest sense, the Lord Himself as to Divine good" (AC 3734).

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Divine good "is united as by marriage to Divine truth" (AC 2554), but it doesn't stop there. It flows into all levels of truth, even to the lowest sensory truths "which are little more than illusions," and joins itself even to them, although not as by marriage (ibid.). If Divine good does not disdain the lowest truths, why should we? All of the truths we receive are precious gifts from the Lord to help us grow in strength and joy.
     "What a destructive warfare will the church wage against an arrogant physiology and a falsely systematized botany!" exclaims the author of "Science in the Light of the New Church" (p. 50), incidentally showing how arrogance breeds more arrogance in response. More fruitful than smug superiority, in my experience, is an attitude of humility (but not worship or blind faith) toward the facts of natural science, and toward the efforts of those who have labored to make sense of them; for they illuminate a world more wonderfully complicated and subtly constructed than any we could conceive of on our own-a world that illustrates the Divine order in intricate and loving detail.
     Can't we dare to let our thoughts be shaped externally by the concepts of science, just as God dared to let His creation flow into the mold of the lowest things of nature, and become truly separate from Himself! The Writings say that every created thing, including the human body, is held in its form both from within and from without (see AC 3627, 3628:2). Our thoughts also need this dual shaping. From a point of view that affirms God as our infinitely wise and loving Maker, it is possible to follow the lead of natural truth as it is spelled out in the natural sciences, and to arrive at unforeseen insights. We are likely to find our view of God and His creation immeasurably enriched.

     Sources:

     "Science in the Light of the New Church," reprinted in Words for the New Church, Cincinnati, 1984.

     Krutch, Joseph Wood. The Great Chain of Life. Houghton Mifflin Co., Boston, 1956.
     In addition to the sources cited above, I would like to acknowledge the inspiration of Dr. Grant R. Doering's fine article, "Natural Science and the Spiritual Life," which appeared in The New Philosophy, October-December, 1984.

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PITFALLS IN TRANSLATING THE WRITINGS 1989

PITFALLS IN TRANSLATING THE WRITINGS Rev. N. BRUCE ROGERS 1989

     To the uninitiated, translating can seem an impossibly complex endeavor in its intricacies and knowledge required. To the somewhat initiated, it can begin to seem deceptively simple. The truth is that it is neither impossibly complex nor simple, but it requires more competence and proficiency than is generally appreciated by many novices. Snares and traps await the unwary, and even experts sometimes slip and stumble.
     I address this subject with reluctance, because when it comes to translation I am like the artist who would rather practice than teach. Not only are principles and application in any art difficult to reduce to organized analysis, but taking time to talk about them is for the practitioner a distraction from the work itself. In the present instance, my reluctance is further compounded by an unwillingness to use illustrations which may reflect criticism of colleagues, and this imposes a restriction: and I am aware, too, that whatever I say will in any case be neither exhaustive nor universally accepted. Nevertheless I undertake to make these remarks because it is an obligation of those forced to learn by experience to share with others something of what they have gained from it; and as one who has made his share of blunders, I may be able to offer some useful comments.

     Two Fundamental Reasons for Error

     Although I do not know the origin, there is a French adage I like to quote to my students:

Les traductions sont comme les femmes. Quand elles sont belles, elles ne sont pas fideles. Quand elles sont fideles, elles ne sont pas belles.1

     This has nothing enlightening to say about women, but it does represent a dilemma of alternatives often faced by translators. In relation to the Writings, it has frequently meant a choice between literal accuracy and modern idiom. In these terms, I think it true to judge that in the past, translators of the Writings have generally opted for literal accuracy. In more recent times, in order to make the language of the Writings appear more attractive to today's readers, we have seen a reaction against this approach and a greater effort to produce translations employing a more modern vocabulary and style.

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Yet to avoid Scylla is often to come upon Charybdis, and the navigation requires a skillful hand.
     The problem with literal accuracy is not only that it lacks charm and makes for difficult reading. It can also result in language that is actually unintelligible, misleading, or untrue to the intended meaning. On the other hand, the problem with idiomatic translation and attempts to modernize is that it requires even greater art and skill in the use of language, and it consequently allows even further opportunities for inadvertent errors and infelicities of expression. There are, in short, pitfalls in either approach; and though a middle course offers the best hope for successful achievement, it must deal at the same time with the hazards of both.
     In mentioning some of these pitfalls, I have chosen to take up first what we might loosely categorize as pitfalls in literal accuracy, and afterwards conclude with what we might loosely categorize as pitfalls in attempts to modernize. Others may wish to see these in a different light or order. My object is to survey classes or types of what I view as potential mistakes one can unwittingly make in translating the Writings, missteps which stand in the way of accurate and effective interpretation and communication.

     Attention to Words Rather Than Meaning

     The Writings themselves do not have much to say directly regarding translation. However, there are some statements which indicate that translation should focus on meaning:

. . . an interpreter translates the language of one person into the language of another, thus presenting the meanings [sensa] of the one person to the comprehension of the other (AC 5478).

. . . to understand words otherwise than according to their true meaning is to falsify them (AE 517).

     Swedenborg himself was critical of translators who paid more attention to individual words than to their meaning in context:

I had with me some people who in their bodily life had devoted their attention largely and for the most part not to the meaning of words, but to the words themselves. . . . and many of them had also employed themselves in translating the Holy Scripture. But I can report that when they were with me, whatever anyone wrote or thought was all so unintelligible and confused that I could scarcely understand a thing. Indeed, my thought was virtually held imprisoned, because they kept directing all my thought solely to the words, drawing it away from the meaning of the words . . . (SD 1950).

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For the more one pays attention to the meaning of words, the less attention he pays to the words themselves (as everyone may know in his conversations and in the things he reads), and the more one attends to the words of a speaker or writer, the more his perception of their meaning perishes (as everyone may also know if he focuses on it), and this indeed in proportion as his attention is directed to the meaning or to the words. . . (SD 1954).

Several times I have been shown that critical scholars or people who have been most knowledgeable in some language, such as Hebrew, indeed who have compiled lexicons and have translated Moses and the Prophets, have understood much less than others who were not critical scholars. For looking at words has the effect of drawing the mind away from meanings so that it sticks in the words; and when people have seized on some definition for a word. they have insisted on it, not caring about meaning, which they have even been able to coerce and forcibly compel to agree. They are accustomed to doing this in a thousand ways, once a literal definition has been assumed. . . (SD 2040).

It follows from this that they not only have a lesser understanding of spiritual matters because they stick in the material ideas or words, but some of them can also be led astray in the Word of the Lord when from just the words they seize on a different meaning and defend it out of love for themselves, and twist it. For once the definition of a word has been assumed, they then twist the meaning, which can be done in a thousand ways. . . (SD 2041).

     Failure to Interpret in Context

     This points up the first mistake a translator can make, and that is to become so involved in words that he fails to interpret particular terms and phrases in relation to the context in which they appear. To illustrate the importance of context, let us consider the phrase cupiditas aemulationis in CL 17:1.

Sunct hic dies festivitatis indicti a principe, ut animi relaxentur a defatigatione, quam cupiditas aemulationis aliquibus induxerat.2

     Aemulatio (rivalry) normally has a negative connotation. So does the word cupiditas with which it is here construed. But the passage is describing what goes on in a society of heaven, and "lust of rivalry" or the like does not suit the context. One has to reflect on what cupiditas aemulationis might mean in connection with fundamentally good people, and in that connection "drive to excel" becomes the more likely meaning intended, even though these same words in other contexts are almost always much more deprecatory.
     To take another example, in CL 79:6 we find the curious phrase, vidimus illos in umbra lucis.

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At first blush the oxymoron umbra lucis (darkness of light) seems so unintelligible as to represent some sort of error. The context, however, describes a city in which the people were so depraved that they saw darkness as light and light as darkness (see CL 79:4). Therefore, when a messenger comes running from the head man of the city and says, "Vidimus illos in umbra lucis," he means that they saw Swedenborg and his angel guide "under the dark cover of daylight"-lurking, so to speak, in the light, which to them was darkness. So the angel explains, "The reason we seemed to be under dark cover [in umbra] is that we were in. the light of heaven, and the light of heaven to them is darkness. . . ."
     These are but two of many examples which could be adduced to show the importance of interpreting in context. Swedenborg used terms flexibly, no doubt because of the quickness with which he wrote, and he relied on the intelligence of his readers to perceive his intended meaning. The translator has to pay attention to context, therefore, and to be willing to vary his terms accordingly. Failure to do so can result in renderings that are at best not readily intelligible, and which at worst may actually destroy rather than convey the proper idea.

     Unnecessary Use of Novel or Obsolete Terminology

     At the same time, a translator not only has to be concerned with the meanings of words in the context of the language he is reading, he must also be concerned with the meanings of the words he uses as a writer. A familiar pitfall here is to invent new words unnecessarily by simply anglicizing Latin terms rather than translating them. Some terms cannot be translated, primarily proper names, and a few obsolete ones may have to be retained-e.g. exinanition, storge-but most of the other anglicizations we have inherited from the past can and ought to be translated.
     I am indebted to the Rev. Frank Rose's Words in Words in Swedenborg3 for the following past examples of novel or obsolete terms either taken over directly from the Latin or anglicized, words which are not found in standard English dictionaries, not even in most unabridged ones:

animadvertence                    discerption, discerptor
cineritious                    ens rationis
congery                         existere
conjugial                         ex priori, ex posteriori
containant, continent          exsertions
coronis                         extra-conjugial

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habitacle                         principiates
immission                         procedere
impletion                         proprium, proprial
initiament                    reluctation
instaurate                    sacrimony
intranquil, intranquillity     scortation, scortatory
micro-uranos or microuranos     sophi
nidorous                         stupration
pellicacy                         transflux
philautia                         uncreate
prasinous                         vertumnus, vertumni

     The main trouble with these words, of course, is that they are at least odd and for the most part meaningless to most readers. Nor can readers find them or look them up in the ordinary dictionaries available to them. Through accustomed use, some of the terms have become familiar enough to some New Churchmen that they are meaningful to a degree-words such as conjugial, containant, initiament, intranquil, proprium, proprial, transflux, uncreate. But this does not help potential newcomers; and even in the case of lifetime members in the church, some of the terms remain unintelligible. I dare say that without considerable reflection and checking, some of them are not understood even by expert linguists in the church.
     The influence of Latin forms has also led to the use of some other novel or obsolete terms which are not found in current English. For example, acuition, inseated, nervelet. Many of these may be readily understandable, but most are unnecessary and only add to the jargon of the church.

     Unnecessary Use of Unfamiliar or Unidiomatic Terminology

     In addition to using novel and obsolete terms, another related pitfall in translating is to take the easy path of resorting to anglicizations or English cognates of Latin words which are still in current use, but which are not idiomatic or normally found even in most educated people's reading vocabularies. at least in the sense that the Writings use them. A few examples of unnecessary terms of this sort which many of us have grown up with but which are not familiar in standard English include the following:

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adscititious               excrementitious
adventitious               excogitate
cognition                    nagitious, flagitiousness
concupiscence               hyacinthine
contumely                    intermitted
coruscate                    tergiversation
ebullition

     To these should be added unidiomatic uses of words and phrases-terms which are found in standard English, but not in the way employed by translators who have been imitating the Latin forms and phrasing. Most of the adjectives used as nouns in previous translations fall into this category. So do some unusual plural forms, such as knowledges, goods (= good qualities, good deeds) and colds (= states or conditions of coldness).
     These terms-whether novel or obsolete, unfamiliar or unidiomalic-all have in common the tendency to draw the mind away from meaning to vocabulary, from the intended line of thought to the oddities and peculiarities of the language used. This is not good translation, even in the name of literal accuracy. The purpose of translation is to convey meaning, not to distract from it or obscure it. This is not to imply that any translator has ever knowingly or purposely set out to distract from or obscure meaning. But the pitfall is in the easiness with which it can be done in the hands of translators who do not or cannot take the time and pains to properly understand the meaning and find the words with which to express it in readily intelligible form.

     Misuse of Current English Terms

     More serious than the unnecessary use of unconventional terminology, however, is the use of familiar terms in ways that do not fit standard definitions. This too is a pitfall in literal accuracy and its natural tendency to favor anglicized forms of the Latin vocabulary. It is more serious because it is less obvious. Whereas unconventional terminology more or less advertises that there may be more to the meaning than the reader understands, misuse of current English terms can lull the reader into thinking he understands the meaning when he does not. Even if through training and experience he comes to understand the translator's peculiar uses of these terms, his own usage of them with the uninitiated can do more to mystify than enlighten. We can only wonder how many discussions of doctrine with inquirers have run aground because of the New Churchman's unwitting failure to communicate by the odd ways in which he uses his terms.

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     Not all of these instances, of course, are equally serious. Eccentric but relatively inoffensive are some occurrences of mistakes in grammatical function-e.g., the use of "sensory" (conventionally an adjective) as a noun, or the use of "ordinate" or "inflow" (nouns) and "sensate" (an adjective) as verbs. Many are more peculiar-e.g., the use of words like "substantiate" (a verb) or "doctrinal" (an adjective) as nouns.
     Other deviations from standard English usage, however, offer greater possibilities for confusion. I want to dwell on this point, because it represents a class of blunders made in the past which have constituted a most serious interference to conveyance of meaning. I simply cannot list all the terms that have been misused or the ways in which they have been misused; they are far too numerous-so numerous as to be almost a disgrace to the church. Nevertheless, in order to make the case, I will list some egregious examples of words and phrases whose "New Church" meanings do not match their standard definitions:

afflatus                    memorabilia
arcanist                    meritorious
consummate (verb)           religiosity
enthusiastic spirit          scientifics (noun)
fabulous faith               scientific truths
forensic                    selfhood, self-image (proprium)
genial love               singulars
genii                    sphere
generous horse               transcribe
generous wine               ultimate (adjective, noun)
historical faith          ultimate effect
honesty                    ultimate sense of the Word
human (noun)               ultimates of man
illustration               ultimates of nature
infant                    use (noun)

     To illustrate how misleading and misunderstood some of these terms can be, we need only compare how they have been used in the church with the definitions they are commonly accorded in speech and writing outside the church.
     The word "forensic," for example, in standard English is usually used in connection with legal matters, as in "forensic medicine," or "forensic law." It is never used as an antonym to domestic. In the Writings, however, forensis is sometimes used as an antonym to domesticus4; and so we hear in the church of a distinction between the domestic duties of women and the "forensic" duties of men-which in standard English would suggest that the men of the church should all be engaged in professions and occupations having to do with the law or public life (i.e., public service as an elected or appointed government official), whereas what the Writings mean in these places are simply occupational concerns of any kind as contrasted with domestic ones.

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     "Honesty is the complex of all the moral virtues,"5 or so we are taught. And what young person in the church on hearing this does not understand by it that to be moral, one only has to be truthful and forthright. But the Latin honestum means much more. As "the complex of all the moral virtues," it includes all moral virtues of the sort listed elsewhere-"temperance, sobriety, integrity, kindliness, friendliness, modesty, sincerity, helpfulness, courteousness, also diligence, industriousness, skillfulness, alacrity, generosity, liberality, magnanimity, energy, courage, prudence-not to mention many others."6 Not honesty, simply, but honorableness, the quality of behaving honorably, is the complex-the sum-of all moral virtues.
     Infantes are referred to in many places in the Writings, and translators have been tempted into rendering the term as infants. But in standard English, infants are babies, while the Writings almost always mean children capable of walking and talking,7 of playing with each other,8 of learning to behave themselves,9 of reading (or perhaps reciting from) the Word10-in short, little children from the time of birth to the time they begin to be instructed11 and to be introduced to the world.12 In one place Swedenborg records having seen an infantem five or six years old-a little child, to be sure, but not an infant.13
     As a translation of sphaera, the word "sphere" in the church has been extended in meaning to include the distinctive quality or air emanating from and surrounding a person or angel, place or thing; in standard English, however, this is properly called an aura or atmosphere. A person's sphere is the area of life or field of activity in which he moves or operates, not something that emanates from him.
     The adjective "ultimate" does indeed, in standard English, mean last, furthest or farthest, ending a process or series, which is also the general meaning of ultimus in the Writings. But there is a signal difference. In the Writings, the starting point is generally the Divine, and the ultimate is the furthest from Him. In standard English, the starting point is the viewpoint of man, and the ultimate is the furthest from the point at which he stands. Thus, whereas in the Writings something ultimate is the lowest or outmost in a series, in standard English it usually indicates the highest or greatest. The ultimate heaven, for example, in standard English would imply the highest or greatest heaven, whereas we know that in the Writings the reference is to the lowest or most external heaven.

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Similarly, the ultimate sense of the Word would be, in standard English, its highest sense, not the lowest or most immediately apparent one; and the ultimates of man would suggest his most human powers, certainly not the external parts of his body.
     Another much-abused word in the church is the noun "use," except in the phrase, "of use." In standard English, a person does not perform uses; one serves uses or performs (useful) services. One does not experience the delight of use but the delight of being useful. One does not have happiness from use in one's occupation but from being useful in it or from the usefulness of it. The uses in creation are not the uses but the purposes. "Evil uses" are evil purposes.14 In standard English, love of use just does not mean anything; but a love of being useful or a love of serving does. In the Writings, the noun usus has a range of meaning including useful purpose, useful thing, useful service, and the quality of being useful (usefulness); but except in the phrase, "of use," it is relatively seldom used in the sense of what is meant in standard English by the term "use."
     A word I did not list above is the word "sex." Sexus in the Writings is used to mean gender, but not in the phrase, amor sexus, a frequent phrase in Conjugial Love. In standard English, to refer to this love as a "love of the sex" is as meaningless as to refer to it as a "love of the gender"; nor does it mean a love of sex, that is, a love of having sexual relations. One might guess that the reference is to "the fair sex," but since from a feminine point of view it includes as well the masculine sex, what the phrase means is a love for the opposite sex. One cannot refer simply to "the sex" in standard English. One must specify "the opposite sex."
     Since I did include in my list the terms "selfhood" and "self-image" as renderings of proprium, to conclude this section I would like to say something about this word. It is a word that has never been satisfactorily translated. Generally it has not been translated but simply carried over as "proprium." We can sympathize with this, because there simply is no equivalent English term. The trouble with simply borrowing the term over into English, however, is that almost no one has anything but a vague idea of its meaning, even after two centuries of use. It cannot be found in most dictionaries. And "selfhood" and "self-image" are no better-"selfhood" because it is only vaguely related in idea, and "self-image" because it is a modern term and entirely wrong in definition. "Own," Of course, as a noun, just is not English, and besides, it too does not really convey much in the way of meaning.
     The fundamental difficulty with the word proprium is that it is used in more than one way in the Writings. I myself would outline its meanings as follows:

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     1.      Self I one's own person = a person referred to with respect to complete individuality (e.g. one's own self).15
           a.      Sense of autonomy, of independence; apparent independence; self-dependence16
           b.      Actual autonomy, independence; self-dependence17
     2.      Self = a person's nature, character, etc. (either inherent or acquired) (e.g. one's better self).18
           a.      Inherent nature, instinctive nature, native character (which in man is evil)19
           b.      Acquired character (which when acquired from the Lord is good)20
           c.      Essential or distinctive nature of something pertaining to self21
     3.      Self = personal interest; self-interest22

     I am forced to the conclusion that the word proprium has to be translated variously, according to context; and this will require care if the terms used to translate it are to convey the real meaning and at the same time not depart from standard English usage.

     (To be continued)

     NOTES

     1 "Translations are like women. When they are beautiful, they are not faithful. When they are faithful, they are not beautiful."
     2 "We have days of celebration here, proclaimed by the prince, to relax people's spirits from the fatigue that cupiditas aemulatinis may have produced in some of them."
     3 The Rev. Frank S. Rose, Words in Swedenborg and their Meanings in Modern English (General Church Publication Committee, General Church Press, Bryn Athyn, PA, 1985)
     4 As in CL 90:3. 91; cf. CL 9:3.
     5 AC 2915
     6 CL 164
     7 AC 3494:1
     8 CL 183:6
     9 AC 3494:1
     10 AC 1716. 2899
     11 AC 2280:2
     12 AC 1906:2

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     13 ES (SD) 4354
     14 See CL 183:8
     15 See usage in AC 214, 237, 249, 400 1, 5608:5, 5758:2, 8495:3, 10729; HH 158; DP 215:7, CL 331:3; TCR 361:2.
     16 See usage in AC 141, 146, 147, 150, 159, 1937:2, 4007:4, 4151:7, 5647, 8497:2; HH 278:2, DP 176, 186:2, 294:2.
     17 See usage in AC 149:2; DP 308:2.
     18 See usage in AC 155, 252, 256, 531, 1023, 1044:3, 1438:2, 1813:2, 1937:5, 2657:5, 2880, 3812, 3812:2, 3813, 4735, 5672, 6138:2, 10283; HH 8; NJHD 57, 145; DLW 114; TCR 658:5.
     19 See usage in AC 152, 154, 164, 210, 389, 633, 731,848:2, 1000, 1011, 1044, 1326, 1387, 1661:4, 2041: 3518, 4145:2, 4295:3, 5155, 10646:3; HH 158, 558; Lord 60, 61:2, 115; DLW 335:2; DP 206, 211, 215:7; TCR 382, 405:2.
     20 See usage in AC 155:2, 780, 1042:2, 1387:2, 1594:5, 1937:3, 1937:6, 1937:7, 4088, 4168, 4171; HH 277.
     21 See usage in AC 878:3, 9310; HH 551; CL 194:2.
     22 See usage in AC 4174, 8853. 8854; De Verbo 9:1 = 24:1.
WOMEN'S RENEWAL WEEKEND AT LUTHERLYN 1989

WOMEN'S RENEWAL WEEKEND AT LUTHERLYN 1989

"I will bring the blind by a way they did not know."

"He makes both the deaf to hear and the mute to speak."

     The Lord does guide each one of us step by step. Come to this weekend, where we can support each other in our individual journeys into His kingdom.

When:      April 14-16, 1989
Where:      Camp Lutherlyn, Prospect, PA (near Pittsburgh)
Cost:           $50.00

     For information, registration, and reading list contact:
      Shareen H. Blair
      341 Central Drive
      Mars, PA 16046
      (412) 776-6643

     Do you have a presentation, talent, or skill to offer? Contact:
      Tryn Clark or                Trish Lindsay
      3835 Smithfield Avenue      186 Iron Bridge Road
      E. Lansing, MI 48823           Sarver, PA 16055
      (517) 351-2880                    (412) 295-2316

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COMING TO SEE A VISIBLE GOD 1989

     CHARTER DAY ADDRESS

     If you were asked, "What are you most proud of in your life right now"? what would it be? If someone were going to write a newspaper or magazine article on your life, what would you like it to focus on? Would it be something that only a few people can appreciate or would it be significant to many? We can think of these questions in terms of our own lives, and we can also think of them in terms of the institutions that our lives are connected to. Every institution, large or small, that has any coherence, order or organization is dedicated to the accomplishment of some goal, and its success or failure in this work defines it. What is the Academy of the New Church fundamentally dedicated to? What can it be most proud of? The Academy is an educational institution dedicated to the growth of the New Church-specifically, to the growth of the New Church within the lives of high school and college students.
     How might we measure the growth of the New Church within an individual's life? We can define the essential quality of the New Church in many ways, and consequently can define what the Academy works to develop within the lives of its students.
     But before defining the essential message of the New Church, perhaps it would be useful to enumerate things that are nor part of it. We do not believe that having contact with an organization dedicated to the New Church inherently gives a person a special foundation for his life. Being a graduate of the Academy may not mean anything significant in a person's life. Neither do we believe that having a factual knowledge of New Church doctrine makes us better than other people. You could spend a lifetime reading the Old Testament, the New Testament and the Writings, and could listen to countless classes and sermons, and still be a rather miserable human being. No, mere factual knowledge or rational ability does not define the goal of the Academy of the New Church. On the other hand, the Academy is not just another prep school and private college. While working to prepare its students for active, contributing lives in this world, it does not define its success by adding up the number of top business executives, award-winning scientists and writers, or professional athletes that constitute its alumni.
     The Academy is dedicated to developing a way of life, one that recognizes the presence of the Lord within the individual human mind and the quality of order that He has inscribed on the world around us. This recognition is not a matter of airy abstraction.

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It is directly related to lasting success in this world. It is directly related to making a significant difference in this world that we live in. This fundamental recognition is the sure foundation for a life that really works, one that has a sense of confidence, a sense of fulfillment, a sense of peace within a broad and active life.
     We live in a world that admires accomplishment. It admires excellence. At tithes its definition of success is far too superficial. Many people exhaust themselves in the pursuit of a goal only to find that the shiny gold medal they sought seems more like plastic when they have achieved it. They chase after some elusive dream-the right college, the right job, the crucial promotion, a bigger house; and on and on it goes. And there are many times when their efforts begin to flag. They become discouraged and feel as if their lives are hollow. Like the youths and young men that the prophet Isaiah spoke of, they appear so capable on the outside, but on the inside they feel weary and faint. Perhaps they are dogged by a lurking sense of potential failure that accompanies their every action. Perhaps they are driven by their image of other people's success and accomplishment, always seeking to be the king of a nonexistent hill.
     When a person has come to recognize the Lord as He really is, and sees the order of the world we live in, he will not lack accomplishment compared to the driven individual. For some, these accomplishments will be as great as any human can attain. But this is not the crucial measure. It is not whether you can get your picture on the cover of a weekly news magazine. It is not a matter of how high you rise in the corporate structure or the size of your salary. The crucial measure is, what kind of an effect does your life have on those around yourself?
     How would you like to have an unbeatable strength? Imagine a force within yourself that could overcome all resistance. Those who have come to see the Lord and His order, and have brought that acknowledgment into their lives, can have such a force. By fighting all that would deny the Lord's life, a person can receive a power that conquers all without even thinking of fighting. The quality of this power is not aggressive or combative. It has an inner quality of peace and a profound sense of safety. Listen to this description of the power of truly wise love within a person's life:

Rational good never fights, no matter how much it is attacked, because it is mild and gentle, patient and yielding; for its nature is that of love and mercy. But although it does not fight, it nevertheless conquers all. It does not ever think of combat, nor does it glory in victory. It is of this nature because it is Divine and is safe of itself (AC 1950:2).

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     A person whose life has this quality would be awe-inspiring to be around. History shows some individuals whose lives seem to reflect this incredible inner strength and yet combine it with a certain restraint and peacefulness. Such a person would be a friend you could truly count on. His inner strength could bolster the daily efforts of others as they flag and grow weary.
     How do we gain this strength within our life? How does this strength relate to the Academy and to the New Church? This strength cannot take place without a sense of the Lord's presence in the things we care the most about.
     The first foundation for recognizing the Lord's presence is provided by parents and the home that a child grows up in. It is aided by learning about the Lord and the Word in church as the child gets older. This process of education is continued and broadened as the youth's initial naive concepts are corrected by greater knowledge and breadth of understanding. During those years of high school and college when a person shifts from being directed by significant adults through phases of being directed by peers, and eventually to the self-direction of a young adult, many habits of thought and life can take root. During this time the mind is less hindered by set patterns than often is the case in later life. It is during this time that the Academy seeks to bring a great gift to the lives of its students. Through its classrooms and teachers, its social life and day-to-day existence, it seeks to foster a knowledge of the Lord, not as a body of facts but as a living, loving presence within human life.
     Seeing the Lord's presence is not a matter of stacking up facts, learning rules and laws, or recognizing abstract relationships. In fact, we are told that it is only after an individual comes to a fundamental acknowledgment of the Lord that he understands anything of genuine truth. It is only after he acknowledges the Lord as his God, Creator, Redeemer and Savior that he begins to be enlightened (see TCR 766).
     Each of us here today can be a powerful force in helping others to recognize the presence of the Lord. Each of us can reflect something of His life in the way we live our own, or we can hide that life with our own needs, interests and wants. Each of us can have a tremendous impact on the lives of those around us. The Lord was born into the world partially to give us a living example of His love that we can follow. His example of love is not one that is sickly sweet, being falsely nice to all. At times it rose in powerful zeal. At times it challenged and prodded. But always the Lord's love, shining forth in His words and deeds, tried to lead to a better and happier life for those who would listen.
     Some have seen the Lord's words as a call to form a community of the saved. They have seen it as a reason to escape all that is imperfect and corrupt in the world.

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The Lord knew that we would have a tendency to think in these terms; that we would tend to project His warnings about evil out of the battlefield of our own minds and onto the world about us. Among His most powerful parables are those that speak of a person reaching out to help someone who did not look attractive, whole and perfect. The parable of the good Samaritan speaks of a person being willing to go out of his way to help a battered and naked man who could easily have shunned him if the tables were turned. The parable of the sheep and goats speaks of people being received into heaven because unknown to themselves they had helped the Lord-they had helped Him by reaching out to those who seemed least worthy. By serving the needs of the poor, sick, hungry, in prison, they had been serving the Lord.
     Can we too see other people's lives with all their flaws and recognize that wisely trying to help them is serving the Lord? Can a sense of the Lord's loving presence come to us when we look at the people who repulse us the most? Do you just shun the person who is socially obnoxious? Do you make life miserable for those who are out of step with your own limited expectations that have nothing to do with the Lord's order? Seeing the Lord also means seeing ways in which we can help lead others to a better life. Rarely will we help if we come across as being righteous, unrealistically rigid or depressingly negative.
     As we consider the day-to-day world that we live in, there is much that cries out for help. We daily have contact with people whose lives are diminished by all forms of natural and spiritual need. Our awareness of the widespread imperfections that exist can be overwhelming. Students have their problems and failings. Teachers have their problems and failings. Parents have their problems and failings. An awareness of all of these flaws could lead a person to burn out, to withdraw from a life that is filled to the brim with efforts to help others, to do his job, to make a difference in the world. If the evil spirits cannot get us to do what is evil directly, they try at least to weaken our attempts to be useful. It is in this battle that our sense of the Lord's daily presence is so important. If we lose the perspective of the Lord's work within our efforts to help others, our focus will tend to have no greater scope than that of a mole in the ground and our energies will grow weary and faint. But if we recognize that our efforts to make a better world are used and multiplied by the Lord far beyond what we could imagine, our perspective will rise far above the judgment of daily concerns like the flight of a magnificent eagle, and each day will bring new strength and energy.
     If we live our lives actively pursuing the work that each day places before us, we will make a tremendous contribution to this world.

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Some of you, given your talents and the opportunities that you will receive in your lives, will become successful or famous even by the measure of the natural world. For most of us this will not be the case, but if you likewise pursue your life actively serving those around you, you will be a center of an ever-expanding circle of good, like the ripples spreading out from a pebble dropped into a pond. Those who know you will be able to witness to the effect you have had on them. A person who writes about your life would be able to get a sense of this expanding circle of good for which you are a center, and nearly everyone who would read of it would nod his head and recognize how your life presents some of the best qualities of what it means to be human.
Each year the Academy of the New Church student body, faculty, board, parents and supporters gather here to renew a fundamental dedication to the Lord as He has revealed Himself to the New Church. We dedicate ourselves to a God who can be visible to us in all areas of life. It is this that makes the New Church the crown of all the churches that have ever existed. It is to this that we dedicate ourselves. May this sense of a visible God enter into the life of the Academy, raising our perspective and strengthening us in our daily work.
ACADEMY OF THE NEW CHURCH SECONDARY SCHOOLS 1989

ACADEMY OF THE NEW CHURCH SECONDARY SCHOOLS 1989

139

ANGER 1989

ANGER Rev. JOHN L. ODHNER 1989

     THIRD IN A SERIES OF ARTICLES

     Understanding Our Anger

     One reason we need to understand our anger is so we can decide how to act on it. For example, it may be either good, healthy anger or bad, unhealthy anger, and each of these might be handled in a different way. The questions in this section may give you insight that will help you know how to deal with your anger.

     Where does the anger come from?

     Anger is often a result of other feelings. Behind the anger is some hurt or fear, and behind the fear or hurt is some love. When someone or something you love is attacked, it causes hurt or pain which in turn causes anger.
     "Everyone is angry when his love and the delight of his love are attacked. All wrath and anger are from this source. The reason is that everyone's love is his life, wherefore to injure the love is to injure the life, and when this is injured, there takes place a commotion of the mind, and consequently anger and wrath" (AE 693).
     "Anger exists or is excited when anyone or anything goes contrary to anyone's love through which there is a relationship with anyone or anything. When this relationship is broken, the person is wrathful or angry, as though something had been lost from the delight of his life. This sorrow is turned into grief, and grief into anger" (AC 5034. cf. 5080).
     "When cut off from its delights, all love is such that it breaks out into indignation and anger, in fact into fury. Therefore, if the love is touched, especially the ruling love, the result is an emotion of the mind, and if the touch hurts, it is burning anger. From this it can be seen that zeal is not the highest degree of love, but is love burning" (CL 358).
     "Within all love is fear and grief: fear that it might perish, and grief if it does perish. There is the like fear and grief in marriage love, but the fear and grief of this love is called zeal or jealousy" (CL 371).
     Note here that anger may be tied to either grief or fear, that is, it may be the result of some injury or loss that occurred in the past or the result of some injury or loss that is anticipated. Several concepts should be clear from these teachings:

140

Anger is the product of love.
Anger results when the love is attacked or its delights destroyed.
Anger is an attempt to protect the enjoyment of a relationship with someone or something.
Anger results from hurt, grief or fear.

     In order to understand our anger fully, we need to understand these other emotions that are tied to the anger or cause it. Asking yourself the following questions may help.

Is there some other emotion (hurt, fear, grief) connected with the anger?
What kind of love is behind the anger?
What does the anger show I care about?
What am I trying to protect?
Do I feel a threat to any relationship with someone or something?
Is there some delight or pleasure 1 have lost or may lose?

     Understanding the other emotions associated with anger is important because it will help us decide how to respond to the anger. For example, you may find that in many cases, once you understand what it is you are trying to protect, the anger vanishes, because you realized that the issue is not important, or that the threat was only imagined. In other cases, you may realize that someone or something very important to you is being hurt and immediate action must be taken.

     What is the conflict?
     Conflict is one of the roots of anger. Passages already quoted show that anger is the result of an attack on one's love. This implies that there is some kind of opposition or struggle between two forces.
     "The cause of anger is everything that endeavors to destroy the delight of any love. It is called anger when evil assaults good, but zeal when good rebukes evil" (AC 2351).
     "Wrath and anger are frequently mentioned in the Word, but in the internal sense they do not mean wrath and anger, but conflict. This is because whatever conflicts with any affection produces wrath or anger, so that in the internal sense they are simply conflicts" (AC 3614).
     Often it is helpful in dealing with anger to define clearly and specifically what the conflict is that leads to the anger. Often there will be an obvious conflict between two people. Defining the issue is an important step to resolving the anger.

     Anger at One's Self

     Sometimes self-examination will show that the conflict is an inner struggle between two forces within the person.

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For example, you may be angry at yourself for not living up to your ideals, for having done something you regret. The anger may be tied to feelings of guilt or shame. On the other hand, when you have successfully struggled to do what you believe is right, you may feel angry about sacrifices you had to make along the way. You have won the battle but you are not sure it was worth it; you feel like a martyr. In both these cases, the conflict is inside you and the anger is inwardly directed.
     One of the times a person may experience this inwardly directed anger is during temptation. Temptation is actually a struggle between two forces within a person, between the evil spirits and the angels who are with the person. Often someone in temptation may feel that the hells are winning, and he may become angry with the evil he sees in himself. "It is known to those who have been in temptations and combats that they perceive in themselves things which disagree. So long as there is combat, they cannot be separated from them; but still they desire separation, and sometimes to such a degree that they are angry with the evil, and desire to expel it" (AC 1580).
     Temptations are conflicts between the good and the evil in a person, and they are also conflicts between the angels with a person and the evil spirits with him. The angels who are fighting for him are in zeal (see AC 8595), and the evil spirits who are attacking him are angry (see AC 2351). I suppose it is for this reason that anger when mentioned in the Word can mean temptation (see AC 9930:5).
     During temptations the angry or frightened feelings of the evil spirits are felt by the person as his own (see AC 986, 4627:3, 5036). For example, Swedenborg experienced spirits who could "not only excite selfish desires, but also inflame them greatly, sometimes to shameful anger and insanity, which is apparent when a person is in a violent rage." Swedenborg "knew no otherwise" than that it was from himself (SD 3782). I think of the man possessed by demons who came to the Lord for help. He fell down on his knees and said, "What have you got to do with me, Jesus?" (Luke 8:28). The evil spirits influencing the person were afraid and angry, and yet it appeared as if it were the possessed person's anger.
     The anger of evil spirits is directed against the good in him. The zeal of angels is directed against the evil in him. Both of these could be felt by the person as his own inwardly directed anger.
     Not all inner struggles are temptations. Only spiritually growing people experience true spiritual temptations. In the case of a spiritually sick person, the inner struggles are more likely to be "devastations." These take place when the good and true potentials that are in him from birth and upbringing are attacked and devastated by the growing cancers of contempt, revenge and lust.

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I presume that this kind of conflict would also be likely to result in inwardly directed anger.
     What am I thinking about?
     The thoughts we have always spring from our feelings. "All a person's thoughts are from the affections of his life's love, and there are no thoughts whatever, nor can there be, except from them" (DP 193). "Delights govern a person's thoughts, and the thoughts are nothing without them; but he thinks that they are only thoughts, when yet the thoughts are nothing but affections composed into forms"(DP 199). By examining our thoughts we can come to understand our feelings better. "A person examines the intentions of his will when he examines his thoughts, for in these the intentions make themselves manifest" (TCR 532).
     Anger isn't just a feeling. It brings a lot of thoughts with it. "When love is attacked, it rouses itself to anger in the understanding, this being done by means of various reasonings" (CL 360; see also AC 9144). Often the thoughts we have when we are angry are obviously angry thoughts. "I hate him. I'm gonna kill him." Sometimes our thoughts are a result of anger even when they do not appear to be from anger. As we have seen, anger often hides itself under a pleasant exterior. Even when the anger is hidden, it will have an effect on our thoughts, but we may not immediately recognize the thoughts as being angry ones. For example, when we are inwardly angry, it may be expressed in our thoughts by:

Worrying. When we aren't able to directly confront a person we are angry with, the anger may express itself in worried, anxious thoughts. "If there is no opportunity to resist, anxiety arises" (CL 361).

Lying. When unhealthy anger flows from the will into the understanding, it stirs up falsities (see AC 9144). When we tell lies, even though we may do it in a calm, sincere voice, it may spring from hidden anger.

Forgetting. Unhealthy anger not only spreads falsities throughout the mind, but it also obliterates the good and true thoughts we have (see AC 9244:2). People who have hidden anger may subtly sabotage others by forgetting the good things another has done or said, forgetting important appointments, forgetting where they have put things, forgetting promises, forgetting how to do simple tasks, and especially forgetting spiritual truths, like that the Lord loves everyone.

Thoughts of death. Some people find recurring thoughts of death coming into their minds. They may not be conscious of anger with another person, yet they find themselves frequently thinking of someone being in an accident, dying of cancer, etc.

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The thoughts seem to come unbidden out of nowhere, but in reality, "All a person's thoughts are from the affections of his life's love" (DP 193), and unhealthy anger is closely connected to a desire to kill. "He who hates anyone kills him every moment" (AC 3182:2; cf. 1010:2, 2609e).

These are just a few examples of the many ways anger can subtly express itself in our thoughts. Paying attention to these thoughts can help us understand whom we are angry with, what we are angry about, or why we are experiencing the anger in the way we are.

[To be continued]
In Our Contemporaries 1989

In Our Contemporaries 1989

     Among the images in our minds of the various societies of the General Church is the image of the local publication. These monthly productions have long been recognizable on church desks or pinned to church bulletin boards. But recently there is a new look. The computer has changed the faces of our publications. The Pittsburgh Reporter has a long and honorable history, but my, how it has blossomed! It's not just the tinted paper-it's the beautiful, clear print and the total elegance of the production.
     Besides the familiar publications with new looks we have a number of entirely new publications of which we will now mention only two. There is the San Diego Invitation, which is a textbook example of attractive graphics. And then there is the Phoenix Newsletter, which seems suddenly to have sprung full-grown from the head of Zeus, or at least to have arisen like Phoenix from the ashes. Crisp and pleasing in appearance, it is also rich in thoughtful content.
     How many church newsletters do you see regularly these days?
WHOLE WORLD 1989

WHOLE WORLD 1989

The whole world from things first to last is full of representations and types of regeneration.
True Christian Religion 687

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HIGHLIGHTS FROM SWEDENBORG'S LETTERS 1989

HIGHLIGHTS FROM SWEDENBORG'S LETTERS Editor 1989

     That Dramatic Letter to the King

     The month of June, 1770 is well-known to New Church people as the time of the completion of the book The True Christian Religion and the proclamation that the Lord God Jesus Christ reigns. It was the month before this that Swedenborg wrote a most remarkable letter to the king of Sweden.
     The letter protests first that copies of Conjugial Love that he had sent to Sweden from Holland had been confiscated on arrival. It protests that without Swedenborg's knowledge a committee on "Swedenborgianism" had been formed and that two men who believed in the Writings had become "to a certain extent martyrs" in the persecution they had undergone.
     Swedenborg had heard news that his books had been "entirely forbidden to be imported into this country," and further, that the Chancellor of Justice had "stigmatized my revelations as untrue and false. In reply to this I humbly beg to make the following statement:"

That our Savior visibly revealed Himself before me, and commanded me to do what I have done, and what I have still to do; and that thereupon He permitted me to have intercourse with angels and spirits, I have declared before the whole of Christendom, as well in England, Holland, Germany, and Denmark, as in France and Spain, and also on various occasions in this country before their Royal Majesties. . . .

     Before reading further excerpts, note the phrase "what I have done, and what I have still to do." In two months Swedenborg would have to take the finished manuscript of True Christian Religion and set sail for Holland where he had a year's work to do getting it through the press. Remember that he was 82 years old. What he meant by having declared his mission before such countries as Spain I do not know.
     Swedenborg goes on to say that if some insist that this is all inconceivable to them, he cannot put the state of his sight into their heads to convince them. He adds.

Nor am I able to cause angels and spirits to converse with them or to have miracles take place. But their very reason will enable them to see this if they thoughtfully read my writings, wherein is much that has never before been discovered, nor can be discovered in the absence of actual sight and of conversation with those who are in the spiritual world.

145

     He then urges the reading of CL 532-535 (which is the same as TCR 848, etc., not as yet published). This was the famous incident of the question, "What news from earth?" and Swedenborg's reply about the things that had been newly revealed. He continues:

If any doubt should still remain, I am ready to testify with the most solemn oath that may be prescribed to me that this is the whole truth and a reality, without the least fallacy. That our Savior permits me to experience this is not on my own account but for the sake of a sublime interest which concerns the eternal welfare of all Christians.

     We have noted in a previous editorial that the first use of the term "Swedenborgian" occurred in 1761. See September issue, p. 385. This letter and an enclosure with it uses the term several times and defines it as "the worship of the Lord our Savior."

     The above letter appears in Vol. 1 of Posthumous Theological Works, p. 594.
LITERARY OUTPUT OF GEORGE DE CHARMS 1989

LITERARY OUTPUT OF GEORGE DE CHARMS Editor 1989

     Our purpose here is not to speak of the books that have been published by this author. We would mention that although his book Commentary on a Harmony of the Four Gospels is out of print, a relatively new edition of his classic, The Life of the Lord, is available and this for the amazingly low cost of $8.00.
     We have been looking back over the contents of New Church Life, and we stopped counting when we had noted more than three hundred items that Bishop de Charms wrote for this magazine. Reading those titles struck us with something like awe at the production of this man's mind. How often students go back to his series on miracles published in 1958.
     The latest index of the Life covers the years 1971 to 1987, beginning ten years after de Charms's official retirement.*

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And yet we find four dozen articles published by him in this seventeen-year period. We believe that the last thing he specifically wrote for the Life was his 1985 review of Education for Use by Willard Pendleton. In 1984 we published a study entitled "The Divine of Use." Here we see a man over ninety years old reflecting on a seeming paradox: although God created nothing that did not promote the establishment of an angelic heaven, the material universe was formed of objects and of forces which could never become part of heaven" (p. 215). That same year we published a study entitled "The Corporeal Memory, An Eternal Bond Between Two Worlds." In its opening paragraph we read: "In essence, the material world and the spiritual world are completely different . . . . Nevertheless, everything a human being perceives by means of physical sensation, from earliest infancy to the end of life on earth, is indelibly impressed upon the interior substances of his mind, and is retained in the 'corporeal memory' to all eternity. Here he is pondering on the nature of our earthly life as it is related to the spiritual world into which George de Charms has now entered.
     * We have been told that the dates published in the January issue under the photograph of Bishop de Charms are all one year off, and that he became Assistant Bishop of the General Church in 1930 and Executive Bishop in 1938, retiring in 1961.
     Here is a sampling of the titles in New Church Life by George de Charms since 1971.

The Self-Evidencing Reason of Love
Is There an Esoteric Word?
Democracy as a Religion
Sickness and Regeneration
A View of Universal Religion
Why Bother with Doctrine?
The Nature of the Writings
Divine Providence in Historic Events
Is There a New Church Science?
Preparation for the Holy Supper
An Ordered Approach to Marriage

     It may be said that besides the well-known books published by this man there are books and books published in the pages of this magazine.
EXCERPT FROM THE CLOWES COMMENTARY ON LUKE 1989

EXCERPT FROM THE CLOWES COMMENTARY ON LUKE 1989

The commentaries of John Clowes were first published more than 150 years ago. Dr. David Gladish is now preparing them for publication in more modern form. Here is the entry on Luke 12:36 in the new form.

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"That when He comes and knocks they may open to Him immediately." In the spiritual world there actually are paths that lead to heaven, and there are gates every so often. People whom the Lord leads to heaven take the paths that lead there and enter through the gates. All the things that appear in heaven are correspondences, so the paths and gates are too: Paths correspond to truths, so they stand for truths, and gates correspond to entrance, so they stand for entrance. The Word mentions openings-doors and gates-frequently because there are paths and doors in the spiritual world, and angelic spirits actually take the paths and enter through the doors when they are going to heaven. These openings stand for entrance. People should open the door as if on their own volition by avoiding evils as sins and by doing things that are good (see Doctrine of Life for the New Jerusalem). The Lord's words in Luke (12:36) show clearly that this is so (AR 176, 217-18).
Knocking stands for the Lord's constant will to unite Himself with people and share with them the happiness of heaven. People have free will, from the Lord's presence in them, to abstain from evils. To the extent that they do abstain, the Lord opens the door and enters. So long as evil things are in a person's thought and will, the Lord cannot open and enter, since these things oppose it and shut the door. The Lord wants the person to abstain from evil and do good on his own volition, but believing that the ability to do so is not man's but the Lord's. For the Lord wants people to be receptive, and it is impossible to be receptive unless one acts as if on his own though it is due to the Lord. And in this way there can be something reciprocal in a person, which is his new will (AE 248).
CANADIAN NATIONAL ASSEMBLY 1989

CANADIAN NATIONAL ASSEMBLY 1989

     The Canadian National Assembly will be held in Toronto May 12-14, 1989, Bishop Peter M. Buss presiding. All friends and members of the General Church in Canada are welcome to attend.
     The theme "Opening Up" will be developed by several speakers, focusing on ways in which we can open ourselves up to the Lord's new truths, and through open-minded thinking open to our neighbors and their needs.
     For further information contact The Olivet Church, 279 Burnhamthorpe Road, Islington, Ontario, Canada M9B 124 (phone 416-239-3055).

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NEWS AROUND THE CHURCH 1989

     We surmise that Ulf Fornander is by now at work on the twentieth chapter of the Arcana Caelestia, which he is translating into modern Swedish. (An article about this appears in the July-September 1988 issue of New Philosophy.)
     In Korea, Dzin and Kim Kwak find that it takes them l 1/2 hours by bus to reach their church building, and they are hoping to move to a nearer location.
     In Freeport, Pennsylvania, Rev. Ragnar Boyesen is beginning a weekly class of Scripture study. Only half of those participating are members of his congregation.
     The Miami Circle has moved to a new location in Boynton Beach. See the photograph on page 150. More news from Florida and elsewhere coming in the April issue.
Title Unspecified 1989

Title Unspecified 1989

Announcements

[Photo of The Church Building at Boynton Beach, Florida]
PUBLIC WORSHIP AND DOCTRINAL CLASSES 1989

PUBLIC WORSHIP AND DOCTRINAL CLASSES Rev. LOUIS B. KING 1989

     GENERAL CHURCH OF THE NEW JERUSALEM

     Bryn Athyn, Pennsylvania, 19009, U. S. A.

     PUBLIC WORSHIP AND DOCTRINAL CLASSES

     Information on public worship and doctrinal classes provided either regularly or occasionally may be obtained at the locations listed below. For details use the local phone number of the contact person mentioned or communicate with the Secretary of the General Church, Rev. L. R. Soneson, Cairncrest, Bryn Athyn, PA 19009, Phone (215) 947-4660.

     (U. S. A. addresses next month)

     AUSTRALIA

     CANBERRA
Mr. and Mrs. Barrie Ridgway, 68 Hilder St., Weston, Canberra, A. C. T. 2611. Phone: (062) 881-777.

     SYDNEY, N.S.W.
Mrs. Michael Lockhart, 28 Dudley Street, Penshurst, N.S.W. 222. Phone: 570-4629.

     BRAZIL

     RIO DE JANEIRO
Rev. Cristovao Rabelo Nobre, Rua Lina Teixeira, 109, ap. 101, Rocha, CEP 20.970., Rio de Janeiro. Phone: (021) 201-8455.

     CANADA


Alberta:

     CALGARY
Mr. Thomas R. Fountain, 1115 Southglen Drive S. W., Calgary 13, Alberta T2W 0X2. Phone: 403-255-7283.

151

     EDMONTON
Mr. Daniel L. Horigan, 10524 82nd St., Edmonton, Alberta T6A 3M8. Phone: 403-469-0078.

     British Columbia:

     DAWSON CREEK
Rev. Glenn G. Alden, Dawson Creek Church, 9013 8th St., Dawson Creek, B. C., Canada V1G 3N3.

     Ontario:

     KITCHENER
Rev. Louis D. Synnestvedt, 58 Chapel Hill Drive, Kitchener, Ontario, Canada N2G 3W5.

     OTTAWA
Mr. and Mrs. Donald McMaster, 726 Edison Avenue, Apt. 33, Ottawa, Ontario K2C 3P8. Phone: (613) 729-6452.

     TORONTO
Rev. Michael Gladish, 279 Burnhampthorpe Rd., Islington, Ontario M9B 4Z4. Phone: (416) 239-3054.

     Quebec:

     MONTREAL
Mr. Denis de Chazal, 17 Baliantyne Ave. So., Montreal West, Quebec H4X 281. Phone: (514) 489-9861.

     DENMARK

     COPENHAGEN
Mr. Jorgen Hauptmann, Strandvejen 22, Jyllinge, 4000 Roskilde. Phone: 03-389968.

     ENGLAND

     COLCHESTER
Rev. Kenneth O. Stroh, 2 Christchurch Court, Colchester, Essex C03 3AU Phone: 0206-43712

     LETCHWORTH
Mr. and Mrs. R. Evans, 24 Berkeley, Letchworth, Herts. SG6 2HA. Phone: 0462-684751.

     LONDON
Rev. Frederick Elphick, 21B Hayne Rd., Beckenham, Kent BR3 4JA. Phone: 01-658-6320.

     MANCHESTER
Rev. Norman E. Riley, 69 Heywood Rd., Norden, Rochdale, OL11 5TH, England. Phone: 0706 54003.

     FRANCE

     BOURGUINON-MEURSANGES
Rev. Alain Nicolier, 21200 Beaune, France. Phone: (80) 22.47.88.

     HOLLAND

     THE HAGUE
Mr. Ed Verschoor, Olmenlaan 17, 3862 VG Nijkerk

     NEW ZEALAND

     AUCKLAND
Rev. Robin Childs, 132 Edmunton Rd., Henderson, Auckland 81, New Zealand.

     NORWAY

     OSLO
Mr. and Mrs. Klaus Bierman, Bakketoppen 10 A. 1165 Oslo 11. Phone: /(0) 2/ 28783.

     SCOTLAND

     EDINBURGH
Mr. and Mrs. N. Laidlaw, 35 Swanspring Ave., Edinburgh EH 10-6NA. Phone: 0 31-445- 2377.

     GLASGOW
Mrs. J. Clarkson, Hillview, Balmore, Nr. Torrance, Glasgow. Phone: Balmore 262.

     SOUTH AFRICA

     Natal:

     DURBAN
Rev. James P. Cooper, 30 Perth Road, Westville 3630, Natal, Republic of South Africa. Phone: 011-27-31-821612.

     Transvaal:

     TRANSVAAL SOCIETY
Rev. Andrew Dibb, P. O. Box 816, Kelvin 2054, South Africa. Phone: (011) 804-2567.

Zululand:

     KENT MANOR
Rev. James Cooper, visiting pastor
Mrs. D. G. Liversage, Box 7088, Empangeni Rail, 3910, Natal, South Africa. Phone: 0351-23241.

     Mission in South Africa:
Rev. Andrew Dibb (address above)

     SWEDEN

     Jonkoping
Contact Rev. Bjorn A. H. Boyesen, Bruksater, Furusjo, S-566 00, Habo. Phone : 0392-203 95.

     Stockholm
Rev. Erik E. Sandstrom, visiting pastor, Bryn Athyn, PA 19009.
Contact Rev. Bjorn A. H. Boyesen at the above address.

152

ARCANA CAELESTIA 1989

by Emanuel Swedenborg

     VOLUME SIX
of John Elliott's new English translation
Hardcover postage paid $15.25
Softcover postage paid $11.25

     General Church Book Center      Hours: Mon-Fri. 9-17
Box 278, Cairncrest                         or by appointment
Bryn Athyn, PA 19009                         Phone: (215) 947-3970

153

Notes on This Issue 1989

Vol. CIX April, 1989 No. 4
NEW CHURCH LIFE

154

     "When there is strife in the church, its beauty is lessened, its operations are disrupted, and the joys and delights within the church are damaged." The sermon "Unity" is by Rev. Fred Chapin of Baltimore.
     In the continuation of his article, Rev. Bruce Rogers speaks of translation as an art. Mrs. Cooper provides a review of Dr. Chadwick's artful translation of True Christian Religion, and in so doing she demonstrates something of the reviewer's art (p. 179).
     The fourth in the series of articles on anger deals with the differences between unhealthy anger and healthy anger.
     The ever-young Harold Cranch is the oldest minister to send us a favorite passage. It is apt that he takes this as an opportunity to reminisce.
     The memorial resolution on George de Charms written by Bishop Willard Pendleton was read at the Joint Council meeting on March 11th. This meeting concluded a week of highly successful sessions of the Council of the Clergy.
     No. 206 of Arcana Coelestia speaks of the serpents who seduce the world. This has inspired this month's editorial.
     Your attention is called to the announcement on page 194 about the Canadian National Assembly.

     MAPLE LEAF ACADEMY 1989

     The Maple Leaf Academy starts Wednesday, June 21st and ends on Thursday, June 29th. Send application requests to Rev. Terry Schnarr, 279 Burnhamthorpe Road, Islington, Ontario, Canada MOB 124.

     OFFICIAL DEPOSITORY

     The Swedenborg Library has been recognized as the official Depository Library for the Academy of the New Church and for the General Church of the New Jerusalem. All editors of New Church books and periodicals are asked to contribute copies to the Library, free of charge.
     A minimum of two copies of newsletters, periodicals, books, pamphlets, etc. should be deposited with the Library-one for a non-circulating collection to be preserved, and one circulating copy which can be used for research. Manuscript materials should be sent to the Academy Archives, housed in the lower floor of the Library.
     Louis B. King, Executive Bishop

155

UNITY 1989

UNITY Rev. FREDERICK M. CHAPIN 1989

     "Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation, and every city or house divided against itself will not stand" (Matt. 12:25).

     When the Lord was on this earth, His ministry was received in many different ways. The Lord was a great Healer to those who were suffering from physical diseases. To others the Lord was a great Teacher. The parables He told and the doctrine He preached astonished numerous people, causing them to reexamine what they were previously taught. However, the Pharisees regarded the Lord as a threat and as an enemy. The Lord was a threat to them because He encouraged the people to think for themselves about truth and not just accept the Pharisees' doctrine blindly. And the Lord's teachings were made more attractive to the people because of the miracles the Lord did as He taught. These miracles gave evidence to the people that the Lord was teaching them genuine truths. Therefore, the Pharisees vigorously tried to discredit the Lord's mighty acts.
     Finally, the Pharisees came up with a scheme. They accused the Lord of having His great power from Beelzebub. Beelzebub was a god of Ekron, one of the countries Israel had to deal with when they entered the land of Canaan. Beelzebub was one of the gods that the Israelites were commanded not to worship. Thus, the Pharisees were really accusing the Lord of deceiving the people. They claimed that the Lord's miracles appeared marvelous, but they were designed to lead the people away from Jehovah their God. The Pharisees hoped that this explanation of the Lord's miracles would cause the people to doubt His motives and they would therefore reject Him.
     However, the Lord was able to respond to this accusation and keep His popularity with His followers intact. The Lord simply said:

Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation, and every city or house divided against itself will not stand. And if Satan casts out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then will his kingdom stand? (Matt. 12:25, 26)

     If it were true that the Lord wanted to lead the people away from Jehovah, why would He teach the people to worship and obey Him? Why would the Lord acknowledge that He does these wonderful works from Jehovah if He wanted the people to neglect Him? This reasoning squelched the accusations that the Pharisees formed concerning the Lord's miracles.

156

     New Churchmen are wise if they remember the Lord's defense against the charge of satanic deception. Quite often the New Church is labeled as a cult and is accused of trying to lead people away from the Lord and the Word. If we are a cult, then our actions are directly opposite to our intentions. If we wanted to lead people away from the Lord, why do the Writings strongly teach in many places that all good and truth is from the Lord, and that we must direct our lives according to His teachings if we are to have genuine good and truths in our lives? If we are opposed to the Word, wouldn't we try to lead people to some other work to follow to replace the Word? Instead, the Writings plainly teach that we must read and study the Word and obey its teachings, not only in our actions but even in our thoughts and intentions. The truth is that the New Church is a Christian church. We worship the Lord Jesus Christ as the one God of heaven and earth, and we believe we must receive Him if we are to become spiritual. Since the Lord Himself was accused of being a follower of Satan, we should also expect the same. Nevertheless, the best response we can make to these accusations is to use the Lord's words, as we have just read, and respond as He responded.
     However, there is much more in this response than just a defense against cultism. This response also teaches us the importance of unity. Division results in destruction while unity results in life. Beauty, peace, and harmony can only come if there is unity. This is evident from the descriptions about heaven. The beauty and delights in heaven are indescribable. Yet they are only possible because of the unity that exists in heaven. If the unity there ceased to exist, the joys and beauty there would immediately crumble. However, the unity in heaven does not come from the angels themselves, but from the Lord alone. Nevertheless, the unity is made possible because the angels receive the Lord into their lives. The Lord is thereby able to arrange heaven in a perfect form whereby it becomes a world of spiritual delights and uses.
     Just as unity is absolutely necessary for heaven to exist and function, unity is also vital for the church on earth. Without a common bond in which all believers in the Lord can share, the church would disintegrate and become dead. The common bond that unites all the angels in heaven and all the members of the church on earth into a one is simply a genuine love to the Lord. All people who sincerely love the Lord have the desire to be conjoined with Him and to have the Lord lead their lives. Thus the Lord is received. And the common reception of the Lord is what unites the members of the church into a one and causes it to be alive.
     Therefore, the Lord alone forms the church and gives it life. The Lord alone unites. No one would be able to sustain the unity in the church if the Lord were absent.

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The Lord made this abundantly clear when He told His disciples shortly before He was crucified:

I am the vine; you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you call do nothing (John 15:5).

     The Lord alone unites the hearts of the members of His church and causes them to act for the benefit of others. The appearance is that we are the architects of working as a one. But if the Lord were absent, the church would crumble and separate into individual fragments. It is vitally important that we recognize and acknowledge that only the Lord can conjoin people together and cause them to act as a one.
     However, when we acknowledge that the Lord is the Source of all unity, we are not to let our hands down and do absolutely nothing. True, the Lord does the actual work of uniting people together, but He cannot conjoin us into the life of His church until we are willing to receive Him. We receive the Lord when we love Him. When we are willing to obey and live according to His teachings, we then willingly receive the life that comes from the Lord. Also, the Lord guides us so that we can contribute toward the function of His church on earth. As the Lord works in us, He enables us to become spiritually associated with all other members of the church who also are willing to receive Him. Each one of us has the opportunity of adding to the beauty and the effectiveness of the Lord's church just by receiving the Lord into our lives.
     Furthermore, we can make a concentrated effort of uniting ourselves with others who believe in the Lord and who strive to obey His Word. Yes, the Lord provides for the essential unition with others, but we still can put forth an effort to work with others and make a conscious contribution toward the church. One of the ways we receive the Lord into our lives is to seek to do good toward others. And we must strive to work in harmony with others and to do our part in sincerity for the sake of the church. If we find that we are in conflict and contention with another, the disharmony does have an effect on the usefulness of the church. This is why the Lord told His disciples:

Therefore, if you bring your gift to the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar and go your way. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift (Matt. 5:23, 24).

     When there is a strife in the church, its beauty is lessened, its operations are disrupted, and the joys and delights within the church are dampened. Each disruption in the church does affect everyone in some way. This is why the Lord taught that if we are in conflict with another, we must first seek to resolve the situation before we worship Him.

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Otherwise, the contention will have a negative impact on our worship of the Lord, and on the operation of the church as a whole.
     Indeed, everything created by the Lord is designed to contribute toward the rest of His creation. Nothing is created by the Lord to subsist alone. Every particular in creation is designed to serve a function that contributes to the operation of the whole. This phenomenon is beautifully illustrated in the human face. The face consists of a number of distinct parts. Each part has a distinct and vital job to perform toward the operation of the whole face. The eyes, nose, ears, and mouth all have responsibilities to the face. If each part does its job, the face operates effectively and harmoniously. But if one part malfunctions, the effectiveness of the face is hampered. Also, each part is arranged so that the face is made beautiful. But if the eyes, ears, nose, or mouth were to be separated and exist alone, it would be gruesome and ugly. Each part is designed to be in harmony with the other parts.
     The same is true for the church on earth. Each one of us is created by the Lord to perform a distinct and vital function for the operation of the whole church on earth. But we are created to perform our distinct uses in harmony with others who also provide distinct uses. When we receive the Lord's influx and mutually love others in the church, the Lord will unite the uses into a single form. And this form will be indescribably beautiful because each use is perfectly arranged to serve the whole. To work harmoniously together does not require that we all share the same opinion. Differences of opinion do not disrupt the beauty or the effectiveness of the church. What is necessary for the church to survive is the same love. Love conjoins people into a unity. As long as we share the common vision of the Lord's kingdom becoming more established on the earth, the structure and usefulness of the church will remain intact.
     But this vision starts with each one of us. Each person is the center of the church. No matter what the physical circumstances are, if we receive heavenly loves from the Lord, we will provide an essential function for the church on earth. Even those who are not able to attend worship services regularly because of physical limitations are still able significantly to help the church because of a unique reception of the Lord into their lives. If each one of us strives to receive the Lord, He will be the bond that will hold us together so that we act as a one. The Lord assures us, "Where two or three are gathered together in My name, there am I in the midst of them" (Matt. 18:20). Amen.

     Lessons: Matthew 12:22-30, Luke 9:46-50, AC 3451:2

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PITFALLS IN TRANSLATING THE WRITINGS 1989

PITFALLS IN TRANSLATING THE WRITINGS Rev. N. BRUCE ROGERS 1989

     (Part Two)

     Strict Adherence to the Same English Term When the Latin Term Shifts Meaning

     Consideration of the misuse of current English terms leads to the observation that most words in any language exhibit a range of meaning, and the range of meaning encompassed by one term in one language is seldom duplicated in the range of meaning encompassed by any single equivalent term in another language. This is something with which literal accuracy does not deal well. Even translators aware of this pitfall can be misled into thinking that if a term in the source language can generally be translated by the same one term in the target language, it can always be so translated. But the fact that something is generally true does not mean that it is always true.
     To illustrate this, let us consider the adjectives intellectualis and voluntarius. In the Writings, intellectualis usually means of or pertaining to the intellect or understanding, and voluntarius usually means of or pertaining to the will; and as such, they can generally be translated by the terms "intellectual" and "voluntary." However, when the Writings say that a man in contrast to woman is born intellectualis and to become intellectualis, so that he is an intellectualis form, does this mean that he is born intellectual and to become intellectual so that he is an intellectual form? In standard English, that would normally imply that the male by nature can be expected to possess or display superior intellectual powers; but we all know men who are the intellectual inferiors of many women. Again, when the Writings say that a woman in contrast to man is born voluntaria and to become voluntaria, so that she is a voluntaria form, does this mean that she is born voluntary, becomes voluntary, and is a voluntary form? In standard English, that would normally imply that the female by nature can be expected to have the power of willing or choosing-the only sense in which the term "voluntary" is applied to people; but the power of willing or choosing is not special to women but a power equally shared by men.
     In calling men intellectuales and women voluntariae, what the Writings are pointing out is that men are by nature intellect-oriented and women will-oriented, which is very different from calling them intellectual and voluntary. Men are not by nature necessarily intellectual, but they do tend to attach greater importance to things having to do with the intellect, which is why they are characteristically more argumentative.

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And women are not peculiarly voluntary in contrast with men, but they do tend to attach greater importance to human feelings having to do with the will, which is why they are characteristically more sympathetic. The adjectives intellectualis and voluntarius, in short, cannot always be properly rendered as "intellectual" and "voluntary," even though these terms are equivalent in general and can often be used.
     A more difficult dilemma is encountered when the translator is faced with a repeated term that shifts meaning in the same passage. Consistency demands a consistent rendering, but intelligibility demands a more flexible treatment. Consider the following statement in reference to conjugial love, in which the word usus shifts in meaning from "resulting good" to "intended purpose":

All delights have been gathered into this love, from the first to the last of them, because of the excellence of its usus, surpassing that of all other loves. The usus is the propagation of the human race and so of the angelic heaven. And because this usus was the ultimate goal [inisfinium] in creation, it follows that all blessings, felicities, delights, gratifications and pleasures which could ever have been conferred on mankind by the Lord the Creator have been gathered into this, its accompanying love.23

     One might be tempted to translate the word as "purpose" or "useful purpose" throughout, because in the third instance it is equated with finis (end or goal). However, this would imply that the purpose of conjugial love is simply the production of offspring, in contradistinction to other statements which make clear that this love has a variety of purposes, most of which are eternal, lasting into the life to come, whereas the production of natural progeny occurs only during comparatively few childbearing years in this earthly life. The procreation of offspring can also be accomplished without conjugial love.
     The initial meaning here, therefore, is not that the propagation of the human race is the purpose of conjugial love, but that it is its resulting good-the use it serves. And this use-the use it serves, not the purpose for which conjugial love exists in the first place-is then declared to be the ultimate goal in creation, the purpose for which all creation came into being. But in so saying, the writer has wittingly or unwittingly introduced a subtle shift in meaning, which the translator has to grapple with.
     In order to serve the demands both of consistency and meaning, here is how I would treat usus in this passage:

All delights have been gathered into this love . . . because of the excellence of the use it serves, surpassing that of all other loves.

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The use it serves is the propagation of the human race and so of the angelic heaven. And because this use or purpose was the ultimate goal in creation, it follows that . . . . [etc.]

     This faithfully repeats the word "use," but with modifiers to indicate its shift in meaning.
     To point up the confusion that can be introduced by strict adherence to the same English term when the Latin term shifts meaning, let us take as a final example the following passage:

Ex his patet, quod amor sexus non sit origo amoris vere conjugialis, sed quod sit primum ejus tempore, non autem fine; quod erim primum fine est, hoc in mente et ejus intentione est primum, quia primarium; sed ad hoc primum non acceditur nisi quam successive per media; haec non stunt prima in se, sed modo promoventia ad primum in se.24

     Here we have primum repeated six times in relation to both time and end, five times in the singular and once in the plural. Not only that, but it also overlaps in meaning with primarium. A strict translation of these terms might run something like this:

     It is apparent from this that a love for the opposite sex is not the origin of truly conjugial love, but that it is its first in time but not in end. For that which is first in end is what is first in the mind and its intention because it is primary. But no one reaches this first thing except gradually, through intermediate steps. These steps are not first in themselves, but are only means of advancement to that which is first in them.

     Compare this for clarity with the following rendition:

It is apparent from this that a love for the opposite sex is not the origin of truly conjugial love, but that it is its first stage, being first in time but not in end. For that which is first in end is what is first in the mind and its intention, this being the primary objective. But no one reaches this primary objective except gradually, through intermediate steps. These steps are not primary goals in themselves, but only means of advancement to that which is primary in them.

     The clarity is achieved by varying the terminology to make explicit the various implicit connections and relationships intended in meaning. As in the Latin, so in English the meaning is not distinctly expressed by the repeated use of the same term. Again, no doubt because of the quickness with which he wrote, Swedenborg used terms flexibly, and he relied on the intelligence of his readers to perceive his intended meaning. But in this day and age, in order to reach a readership of varying acumen and patience, the translator cannot afford to do the same. He cannot paint in broad strokes, but must exercise the care and skill it takes to clarify for the reader what the reader may not be able to clarify or have the patience to clarify for himself.

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     Grammatical Misconstructions

     In addition to infelicities and mistakes in the use of words in terms of their meanings and definitions, attempts at literal accuracy can also lead the translator into mistakes in grammatical construction. Although there is a fundamental grammar common to all languages, particular constructions by which that grammar is expressed vary from language to language. Nor are these constructions necessarily subject to logic. They, too, are a matter of accepted usage, and the translator cannot ignore this fact in his phrasing and still consider that he is writing correctly.
     A familiar mistake that has been made in the past, for example, is to express the Latin objective genitive by slavish use of the preposition "of." In some cases this construction is acceptable in English, but not in all cases. So in standard English we can speak of a love of country, in which country is the object of the word "love," but we cannot similarly speak of an affection of country. To express the object of an affection, in standard English one must introduce it with the preposition "for." Because of translators' mistakes in handling this construction, in the church we commonly hear of affections of truth, affections of good, affections of use, affections of knowing, and the like, in imitation of the Latin objective genitive. But because other similar phrases do not appear in the Writings or in translations of them, we do not speak of our having an affection "of" this or that person or an affection "of" this or that concrete thing. Rather we say that we have an affection for this or that person or for this or that thing. Affection and use of the preposition "of" to express the object of the affection is not the only but perhaps the leading example of phrases in which this error has been made, resulting from a mistaken mimicking of the Latin construction.25
     Another example of a grammatical mistake made in imitation of the Latin construction occurs in our use of the phrase "love to the Lord" (amor in Dominum). In standard English we can have love for or feel love toward, but we cannot have love to or feel love to someone or something. Love to someone or something is simply not an idiomatic phrase or normal grammatical construction. To distinguish amor in Dominum and amor erga proximum, I have in my work adopted the phrases love toward the Lord and love for the neighbor; others may have other ideas. But the point is to avoid carrying over Latin grammar into English grammar when English grammar is incapable of the identical or exactly parallel construction.

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     As in the case of unconventional or mistaken use of words, the trouble with unusual or nonstandard grammatical constructions is their tendency to draw the mind away from meaning to words, from the intended line of thought to the oddities and peculiarities of the language used. Even if the meaning can still be accurately inferred (and sometimes this can be difficult), still it hardly seems an adequate defense to justify English misconstructions on the basis of Latin morphology and syntax.

     Failure to Identify Antecedents or Make Them Explicit

     Every reader of the Writings in Latin soon discovers the frequency with which pronouns are used without immediately identifiable antecedents. Sometimes the antecedents appear earlier in the text, so early that the reader has to search for them; but very often pronouns are used without any explicit antecedent at all. Hence the phrases "he who . . . " or "those who . . ." which occur so repeatedly in our traditional translations.
     I used to defend these characteristics of the Latin on the grounds that Latin pronouns show both number and gender, and so provide more information than their English equivalents. But the fact is that in many cases English pronouns do indicate either distinctions in number or distinctions between references to persons and references to things, so that they do provide some of this information; and the information they provide is not enough.
     In my latter years, therefore, I have come to the opinion that the style of the Latin is itself difficult in this respect, and that the translator owes it to his reader in many of these instances to make explicit what the Latin intends but does not explicitly or immediately express. "One who. . ." or "people who. . .," for example, are preferable to "he who. . ." or "those who. . ."; and "the angels" or "the angel" is preferable to simply "they" or "he" when the preceding reference was simply to something having been said from heaven, or when the preceding reference to the angels or angel is now so far away that the reader may not readily remember it.
     It is a mistake, I think, not to furnish these antecedents, or to leave them so remote that the English reader has to infer them or search for them. Having been sensitized to this point by my own efforts to translate, I have gradually become aware that written English does not exhibit the same frequency of pronouns as does the Latin of the Writings. English prefers nouns, even if it requires their being repeated.

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     Failure to Check References

     It is common for the Writings to cite Scripture references, and sometimes they refer to themselves, that is, to other numbers in the same work or numbers in previous works. Not all of these references, however, are correct. Whether as a result of printers' errors or owing to mistakes by Swedenborg (and he does make mistakes in his numbers and numbering), some of these references are not to the places intended. In addition, in his citations of Scripture, Swedenborg followed the chapter divisions and numbering of verses found in Sebastian Schmidt's Biblia Sacra, which in turn-in the Old Testament-reflected the divisions and versification of the Hebrew; and in places these differ from those developed and established in the English tradition.
     So, for example, in English Bibles we find Malachi divided into four chapters; but in the Hebrew Bible and Schmidt, it is divided into only three chapters, chapter three comprising what has in the English been divided into chapters three and four. Or again, many of the Psalms include certain prefatory notes; and in the Hebrew Bible and in Schmidt, these notes constitute the first verse. The English tradition, however, does not recognize these notes as constituting a verse, but numbers as the first verse the initial verse of the Psalm itself that follows, so that the English numbering in these Psalms differs by one from the numbering found in the Hebrew Bible and Schmidt.
     Literal accuracy might suggest that the translator should strictly adhere to the referencing used by Swedenborg. But since in his Scripture references Swedenborg followed Schmidt, and since the English reader will naturally assume that the chapters and verses are cited in accord with those of English Bibles, the translator needs to intervene and, so to speak, translate these references into the English system.
     A particular opportunity for confusion arising from differences in the two sets of numbering occurs, for example, in Arcana 9349:4, which distinguishes three categories of laws given in Exodus 20-23: those altogether to be observed and done, those which may serve a use if one pleases, and those which have been abrogated with respect to use in the church today. The laws belonging in each category are identified only by chapter and verse, and since the English system numbers the last verse of Exodus 21 in the Hebrew and Schmidt as the first verse of chapter 22 and renumbers the rest of the verses in chapter 22 accordingly, all the references in the Latin of Arcana 9349:4 to these verses cannot be accurately found in English Bibles using the English system of numbering. One could simply footnote the differences, but since the author's intended references are clear, in an English translation for English readers it is much less complicated and more direct simply to convert these references into the English system.

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Of course, all the numbering of these chapters and verses should then be altered in an English translation, including in the transcriptions of the chapters preceding the expositions of them; but that is better and clearer, I think, than trying to reflect two referencing systems together, with the attendant opportunities for confusion and error that that offers.
     A similar alteration or translation of number references is even more required when references in the text are simply incorrect, that is, when the references are not to the places intended. In Conjugial Love 21:3, for example, we find mention of the ten virgins invited to a wedding, and the reference given is to Matthew 24:1ff; but in fact, the proper reference-and we can infer, the intended reference-is to Matthew 25:1ff. Or again, in no. 73:1 we find mention of the age which would not hold together, as iron holds together by itself, but which would become like iron mixed with clay, which does not stick together, and the reference given is to Daniel 2:49; but in fact, the proper reference, and again we can infer, the intended reference, is to Daniel 2:43. In no. 82:2 we find a reference to Apocalypse 1:5-7, 10-13, but the reference should include also verses 8 and 9.
     To show the extent to which some of these references need to be corrected and altered, consider for example the mention in Conjugial Love 26 of the four horns seen and then a man with a measuring line in his hand, where the reference given is to Zechariah 3:1ff. Checking with Schmidt and the Hebrew shows that the proper reference is to Zechariah 2:1ff. And this in turn, in the English Bible, translates to Zechariah 1:18ff, 2:1ff, because of the difference in the chapter divisions.
     As indicated, the Writings sometimes refer to themselves, that is, to other numbers in the same work or numbers in previous works, and in places some of these references are not correct. In Conjugial Love 193:1, for example, the essential and distinctive quality of men is declared to be wisdom, "as may be seen above in no. 197." Checking shows, however, that the reference should be to no. 187. Toward the end of the same number, 193:3, we find it said that "a wife receives into herself an image of her husband by assimilating his affections into her (see above, no. 183)," but the correct reference, and thus the intended reference, is to no. 173. Or again, in no. 214:1, to see that a union of minds increases in the case of those who are in a state of truly conjugial love, we are referred to the chapter on the conjunction of souls and minds by marriage, nos. 156-191. But this particular 156 is a repeated number, and the chapter ends its treatment with no. 181, not 191, which is found partway into the following chapter. To express the reference correctly, therefore, that is, to specify the series of numbers intended, nos. 156-191 has to be altered to read nos. 156[r]-181.

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     It is a pitfall, in sum, to assume that all the references one finds are already correct. Failure to check references and correct or alter ones that need correcting or altering only hands over to readers problems that the translator could have solved once and for all. And it may be fairly said, I think, that, whatever the reason, to the degree that the references in a translation are not correct, or do not conform to the system of referencing assumed by the reader of the target language, to that degree the translation fails to identify the passages meant by the author and so fails to convey what he really intended.

     Use of Informal Style and Terminology

     We turn now from what we loosely referred to earlier as pitfalls in literal accuracy to what we might loosely refer to as pitfalls in attempts to modernize. My observations here will in general be more brief, because, as I said at the outset, I am unwilling to use illustrations which may reflect criticism of colleagues. I am prevented, therefore, from producing much in the way of examples. Nevertheless, we can still speak in principle and offer some observations which may be of use.
     If we compare the vocabulary and style of the Writings with the vocabulary and style that Swedenborg used in his pretheological works, it is clear that in the Writings he attempted to write in a more straightforward manner in an effort to be as plain as possible. An insight into his intention in this respect may perhaps be seen reflected in his preface to The Infinite and final Cause of Creation, published in Dresden and Leipzig in 1734. In this preface he wrote:

You see here philosophy reasoning with respect to the Infinite and the soul, using familiar words and an unpretentious style, that is, expressing itself, so to speak, without the use of terms drawn from their metaphysical warehouse. The purpose is to prevent some strange or esoteric usage in vocabulary from holding the mind back as it tries to consider these matters all at once, or from distracting it with ideas that are foreign to the subject. When dealing with a lofty theme, one must take pains not to employ the slightest term that might create a hindrance. I have tried, therefore, to present this philosophy in the simplest way possible and only in the sort of language people normally use when they are speaking informally.

     However successful Swedenborg's attempt may have been in this and other succeeding works, it is apparent to the Latin reader that in the Writings he did manage for the most part "an unpretentious style," using a more limited vocabulary and writing largely "in the simplest way possible."

167

It would be a mistake, however, to conclude from this that he wrote informally. Granted, he did write in the preface quoted that he aimed to present his philosophy "only in the sort of language people normally use when they are speaking informally," but except for some places in the narrative accounts (memorabilia), in the Writings the language he used cannot be called informal, if by informal we mean casual or colloquial.
     In attempts to modernize the language of the Writings in translation, therefore, one pitfall is to confuse simplicity with informality, an unpretentious style with a colloquial one, and to use for that reason a conversational tone and style as though it represented the tone and style of the original. The tone and style of the original is neither conversational nor colloquial, and as the translator's task is to convey the meaning of the original, to be faithful he ought also to reflect its level of vocabulary and the manner in which it is presented. This does not require stodgy writing, but it does require a use of language in keeping with the style and terminology of the Latin.
     More serious than questions of fidelity, however, is the impact of a translator's phrasings on his readers and listeners. The Writings are books of religion, used in religious contexts, and as such they should command a certain seriousness of attention. Serious and reverent readers are put off by informality in tone and style, and it distracts them from the meaning and thought. Perhaps even more than an unconventional or mistaken use of words, use of an informal style and terminology tends to draw their mind away from meaning to words, from the intended line of thought to the language used. And one may well wonder how influenced new readers may be by doctrines presented in a casual and informal way. Form may not be essence, but it is form which conveys the essence, and as it does, it cannot help but affect the way in which the essence is perceived and received.

     Use of Idiosyncratic or Unusual Terminology

     Similar in effect to use of informal style and terminology is the use of idiosyncratic or unusual terminology. it, too, tends to draw the mind away from meaning to words, from the intended line of thought to the language used.
     In reporting his experiences with spirits of the planet Mercury, Swedenborg once recorded the following observation:

     There was a spirit from another earth who could speak with them adroitly, because he was able to do so readily and quickly, but who affected an elegance in his speech.

168

In a minute they began to judge concerning the things he was saying, commenting that he said some things too elegantly, some things too cleverly. As a result they paid attention only to see whether they would hear from him something they did not already know, casting aside in consequence such things as caused obscurity, which are chiefly affectations of elegance in speech and learning; for these affectations conceal the points themselves and in their stead put words, which are physical expressions of the points. For the speaker holds the mind in these expressions and wishes the words to be heard rather than the meaning of the words, so that he affects the hearing of another more than his mind.26

     This observation was made in reference to affectations of elegance, but it points up the fact that anyone who draws attention more to his words than to the meaning of his words affects the hearing of another more than his mind. This is even truer when the peculiarities of expression are so idiosyncratic to a particular speaker or writer that one cannot hear them without thinking of the speaker or writer. If the writer is a translator of the Writings and regularly uses such idiosyncratic or unusual terms and expressions in his translations, the effect is not only to draw attention away from meaning to words, but also to intrude himself into the text to the degree that it begins to seem as much a product of himself as it does the work of the author.
     Inevitably, attempts to break free from the pitfalls of literal translation will lead to some experimentation with the use of language, and a certain patience is called for while translators try to find forms of expression and terms suitable to intelligent and intelligible conveyance of meaning. But at the same time one must beware of going too far and falling into use of language so peculiar as to comprise a new jargon. If many of the terms and expressions in the old jargon have not served us well, introduction of new ones cannot be expected to serve us any better. At least some of the old terms and expressions have become familiar through use; new ones lack even that advantage.
     There is a saying: art conceals art. The art of the translator is to so conceal his art that it is not noticeable. If it becomes noticeable, it is no longer artful.

     Use of Strictly Modern Expressions and Vocabulary

     A related pitfall that awaits the unwary translator is the use of strictly modern expressions and vocabulary. These expressions may not be wrong in themselves, but they are likely to be idiomatic only to one country or another or to be out of keeping with the general context and setting of the Writings as a whole.

169

     Modern expressions out of keeping with the general context and setting of the Writings as a whole include technical terms peculiar to modern professions and sciences; terms associated specially with modern institutions and ways of life; formerly slang expressions which have only recently come into general use; terms associated with strictly modern concepts. These can generally be avoided by consulting a dictionary which indicates the time when words or phrases first came into use.
     As for expressions idiomatic to only one country or another, these too can generally be avoided if-as we have argued-the translator refrains from employing informal or colloquial terms and expressions, which are less likely to be in universal use than terms and expressions found in more formal speech and writing. Impossible to avoid, of course, are some national differences in spelling and punctuation. In Britain, for example, practices in punctuation have undergone changes in modern times which have not occurred in the United States; and British spellings of some words exhibit the influence of the French through which they came, whereas American spellings of the same words reflect more closely their Latin origins. But these superficial differences need not pose an obstacle to most readers, provided that on the level of terminology the translation adheres to terms which are in common use and uses them within the limits of their common definitions.

     Mistakes in Phrasing and Punctuation

     Attempts to modernize the language of the Writings in translation can lead not only to mistakes in the use of words, but to inadvertent mistakes in construction and the arrangement of phrases and clauses. Such grammatical and structural imperfections and lapses can make for difficult reading. So can longish, complex sentences. A typical instance is what we may call the separated subject-when the subject and verb of a clause are unnecessarily separated by intervening words and phrases which tend to interrupt rather than promote the flow of thought. For listeners hearing the text read, the subject and verb can become so separated that the subject is forgotten by the time the verb is reached.
     Faulty placement of words and phrases can also obscure the meaning, or strike the wrong emphasis so that the point becomes unclear or even lost. Unwitting mistakes in word order can sometimes deceive the mind into initial misinterpretations of meaning, and unfortunate word choices, too, can have the same effect. I refrain from offering examples from contemporary translations, for the reason I have stated, but I have examples before me as I write.

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The translator needs to remember that his readers and listeners will not wait till the ends of clauses and sentences to construe the meaning, but will construe it in the order that the words are presented. For this reason I recommend the use of at least one Latin consultant and one skilled English reader, to catch inadvertent errors of this sort which the translator himself fails to notice because of his already knowing the meaning intended.
     Actual grammatical errors we have found in some modern translations include the following: mistakes in use of the English subjunctive; failure to use the subjunctive in strictly hypothetical conditional clauses; misconstruction of object phrases so as to make the wrong word the object (e.g., to prevent his coming, rather than, correctly, to prevent his coming)-an error common to many writers; and failure to reverse the subject and verb in indirect questions, a common colloquialism and another growing error in writing.
     We have also found use of the definite and indefinite articles in some places to be peculiar or wrong. The definite article has been used in indefinite references, for example, and omitted in definite references.
     Some difficulties we have seen in the arrangement of phrases and clauses are due to faulty punctuation. Commas have been missing in places where they are needed to aid ready intelligibility. Or they have been inserted in places where they interrupt the thought and would have been better omitted. Sometimes the comma has been simply misplaced, or used incorrectly, where a semicolon or period should have been used instead.
     These kinds of mistakes are at worst confusing or misleading. At best they make a poor impression on the educated reader.

     NOTES

     23 Cl 68:2
     24 CL 98:3
     25 Because some translators have mistakenly rendered affectio with an objective genitive as "affection of . . . ," and others, properly, as "affection for. . . ." I can personally remember from my youth one sermon in which the preacher discussed what he imagined to be the distinction between the two phrasings, not realizing that the distinction did not exist in the Latin but only in translations; and following my once remarking on this, another New Church clergyman spent the better part of a day and a half with The Swedenborg Concordance trying unsuccessfully to find contrasting instances of affectio pro . . .
     26 EU 23

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ANGER 1989

ANGER Rev. JOHN L. ODHNER 1989

     FOURTH IN A SERIES OF ARTICLES

     Is the Anger Healthy or Unhealthy?

     We have already discussed the fact that the Writings speak of both healthy anger (zeal) and unhealthy anger. It's relatively easy to say that anger can be healthy. It is harder to determine which kind we are experiencing in a given moment.
     Perhaps the most obvious way to distinguish different kinds of anger is by looking at the way they are expressed. We might look for certain behaviors that we could label as either healthy or unhealthy. For example, one might say that anger is unhealthy if it is expressed by physical violence. Or one might say that it is healthy to talk about one's anger in a calm, rational manner.
     There is some validity to such a distinction between healthy and unhealthy behavior, but we should be careful not to judge anger on the basis of the behavior alone. The essential difference between these two kinds of anger is the attitude and motivation behind it, rather than the way it is expressed. The Writings state repeatedly that the two kinds of anger may appear the same outwardly. It would be unfair to assume that healthy anger has to express itself in a calm, restrained way. A person may scream, shout, break or throw things, punch, kick or even kill someone from legitimate, defensive, healthy anger. This should be apparent if we consider a person whose life or family is being threatened by a murderer, rapist, etc.
     The essential difference between healthy and unhealthy anger lies not in the behavior but in the motivation and attitudes involved. Before we judge the behavior, it is important to look at what is going on inside the person who is angry. One passage in the Writings explains three basic differences between unhealthy anger and healthy anger (or zeal). "It was said that in outer manifestation zeal appears as anger and wrath, both with those who are in a good love and with those who are in an evil love. But because the internals differ, the anger and wrath also differ" (CL 365). These differences are described in the next three questions.

     1. Am I attacking or defending?

     "The zeal of a good love is as a heavenly flame which never bursts out against another but only defends itself. And its defense against the evil person is as a defense, while the latter is rushing into the fire and being burned.

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But the zeal of an evil love is like a hellish flame which bursts out spontaneously and rushes upon another and wills to consume him" (CL 365).

     "A good man is solely in the . . . zeal of protecting; and rarely in any . . . zeal of attacking" (DP 252:2).

     2. Am I holding onto resentments, or looking for reconciliation?

     We can sometimes recognize unhealthy anger by how long it lasts. When we hold grudges and keep the anger around for a long time, it is an indication that we are not dealing with it in a healthy way.

     "The zeal of a good love instantly dies down and becomes mild when the assailant withdraws from the attack; but the zeal of an evil love persists and is not extinguished" (CL 365).

     "Even when there is reconciliation, these passions are still latent, like fire in the embers beneath the ashes; and these fires break out, if not in this world, yet after death" (CL 365).

     "They who have genuine charity have a zeal for what is good; and in the external man this zeal may seem like anger and flaming fire; but its flame is extinguished . . . as soon as the adversary repents. Whereas with those who have no charity, the zeal is anger and hatred. . ."(TCR 408).

     "Zeal that is like anger does not last long, but only until he against whom it is kindled repents and turns himself away from evil. Anger with the evil is different. Since it interiorly stores up in itself the hatred and revenge that they love, it lasts, and is rarely extinguished" (AE 693).

     3. Am I trying to hurt or trying to help?

     "The reason [why healthy anger dies down quickly] is that the internal of a person who is in the love of good is in itself mild, gentle, friendly, and benevolent. . . . Not so with the evil. With them the internal is combative, fierce, hard, breathing hatred and revenge, and it feeds itself on the delights of these passions" (CL 365).

     We spoke earlier of other emotions, such as grief and hurt, that are connected to the anger. Sometimes identifying the other emotions that are connected with the anger will help determine whether the anger is healthy or unhealthy.

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     Some of the emotions or attitudes connected with unhealthy anger may be "intense desire for revenge" (CL 375), contempt (AE 920), hatred (AE 881, 693:4), thinking, willing intending evil to another (AE 693:8, 746:18), lack of caring (AC 355-359, 1010, 6356). The presence of contempt in unhealthy anger is indicated in the Lord's comment: "Whoever is angry with his brother without cause is in danger of the judgment, and whoever says to his brother, 'Raca!' ['Worthless!'] shall be in danger of the council. But whoever says 'You fool!' shall be in danger of hell fire!" (Matthew 5:22).
     Attitudes associated with healthy anger may include caring, goodness, mercy (see AE 693), friendliness and good will (see CL 365). Of course, feelings of indignation, zeal, jealousy, hurt, Pain and grief may accompany either healthy or unhealthy anger. Since healthy anger results from a good love, it is actually a sign that a person cares. People who really care for others have a zeal which "may seem like anger (TCR 408). A person's charity "is known from his zeal for what is good and true, and just and right. He has charity if he is in zeal for punishing the evil for the end that they may become good" (SD 4547m). One reason why anger is a part of most close relationships is that we care a lot about those relationships, and when they are threatened or hurt, we feel angry. Perhaps we would not feel so angry or zealous if we did not care so much.
     Unhealthy anger is the opposite: a sign of apathy. It means that "charity has departed," that caring Is gone (AC 355-359, 1010, 6356). For example, it may mean that the person cares more about his possessions, ego, or pet project than he does for the people he associates with.
     How do I express the anger? The essential distinctions between anger and zeal focus on inward motivation and attitude rather than outward behavior. It is of course quite possible, even likely, that the inner attitude will have an effect on the outward behavior. When the inner attitude is looking toward defending, reconciling, and helping, it may temper the angry behavior. "While for the purpose of defending itself his external is rough, bristles up, and erects itself and so acts with severity, yet it is tempered by means of the good which is in his internal" (CL 365).
     Even though healthy anger or jealousy is a "fire blazing out," it will be expressed in a manner that is "just and sane" based on the man's wisdom: "It is evident that the zeal [of partners who love each other] is a just protection against adulteries. For this reason it is as a fire blazing out against violation and defending itself against it. From this it is evident that one who tenderly loves his partner is also jealous, but the jealousy is just and sane according to the man's wisdom" (CL 371).
     One passage states that "when internals are not seen, the zeals appear alike in their outer manifestation" (CL 363), implying that internals may be seen in some cases and not in others, consequently that healthy and unhealthy anger may appear alike in some cases and not in others.

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     Another passage describes the difference between healthy and unhealthy zealous behavior in preachers: "If [the delight] is of the love of evil . . . it excites a zeal which outwardly is harsh, rough, burning and flaming, and within there is anger, rage, and unmercifulness; but if it is of good. . .it is outwardly mild, smooth, thundering and flashing, and within there is charity, grace and mercy" (TCR 155:2).
     To illustrate this difference, I would say that healthy anger would not as likely be expressed by sarcasm, profanity, obscenity, name-calling, and aggression. Still, we cannot judge a person's anger simply by the violence of its expression. A person may express unhealthy resentments calmly and politely simply for the sake of appearances. Or on the other hand, a person may fall into sarcasm or obscenity out of habit or extreme frustration even when the anger itself is healthy. "Good spirits, when they are angry, sometimes burst forth all at once into such things as cannot be known to be different from what is from the worst. It sometimes happened that I have noticed certain dreadful things, supposing them the effusion of the worst spirits, but it appeared that they came from the upright when quickly angered, and indeed for the reason that they are not allowed to do good, thus they burst out into the opposite, through anger, as is also usually the case with an upright man when angry" (SD 3028).

     Similarities

     Both healthy and unhealthy anger
     are a product of one's love.
     involve some kind of inner or outer conflict.
     may be associated with other emotions.
     may be violet in their expression.

     Differences

     HEALTHY ANGER                    UNHEALTHY ANGER

belongs to good love               belongs to evil love
defensive                              aggressive
dies down quickly after attack     smolders as resentment even after seeming reconciliation
inwardly merciful                    inwardly vengeful

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intends good                         intends evil
a sign of caring                    a sign of apathy
looks to a person's salvation          looks to a person's condemnation
just, wise                              unjust, insane
outward anger is tempered by          outward friendliness is
inward friendliness                    poisoned by hidden anger
focused on aggressor               vented at anyone or everyone
similar with men and women          women's anger restrained, not accepted by men

     [To be continued]
NEW CHURCH ART: INFORMATION NEEDED 1989

NEW CHURCH ART: INFORMATION NEEDED Stephen Morley 1989

     At the Museum of Modern Art in Brussels a retrospective exhibition of the work of a Swedenborgian artist, Jean-Jacques Gailliard (1890-1976), is currently showing. You may have seen M. Gailliard's work at Glencairn: one, a portrait of Swedenborg, the other a triptych of Moses, John and Swedenborg, representing the threefold Word.
     Mme. Gailliard has asked that all who have works by her husband send their name and address to her daughter, who is preparing a catalogue. Please send this information to the following address and a form will be sent to you to fill out:

     Mile. Isabelle Gailliard
     12 rue Frani: Gailliard
     B-1060 Brussels
     Belgium

     Or you may contact the Glencairn Museum where we have the same form, already translated into English. (We would appreciate knowing the whereabouts of his works also.) The museum's address is P.O. Box 278, Bryn Athyn, PA 19009, USA (phone 215-947-9919).
     Stephen Morley,
          Museum Director

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MINISTER'S FAVORITE PASSAGE 1989

     "It is not so difficult to live the life that leads to heaven as is believed" (Heaven and Hell 528-Heading).

     This has long been one of my favorite numbers, but in addition I have many others. The Writings are full of beautiful and inspiring passages. Many exactly fit the immediate interests or needs of the reader. At that time the passage that meets his need becomes the favorite passage of the moment. Some are of such universal application to his life that they become lasting favorites, capable of rousing inspiring thoughts, positive action, or a complete change of mood, at any time.
     In my work as a traveling pastor there were many opportunities for small classes or private doctrinal discussions. In them I found need for brief, concise statements of our doctrine from the Writings. I would use them as soon as I could, to begin the discussion on the subject which interested or troubled the isolated member or newly interested friend. There are hundreds of brief, challenging, thought-provoking, or comforting quotations which quickly introduce a subject and lead naturally into an active discussion. All of these are among my favorite numbers.
Each one, at one time or another, helped to make my comparatively short and infrequent visits more effective.
     At the height of my travel work I was the only minister of the General Church serving the isolated in all the United States west of Chicago, from border to border. The trips would take from one to two and a half months, and on a full trip included as many as 72 stops. Where one of the stops was a metropolitan area I tried to make a personal call on every member or prospect in that area. It is easy to see that to be effective on these visits it was important to get into personal, doctrinal discussion as soon as possible. That is where favorite numbers became so important. As soon as I could get a lead on the dominant interest or concern of the member or prospect I was visiting, I would mention an appropriate number to start things off.
     The Writings are full of teachings which comfort the grieving or troubled; of stimulating ideas, and satisfying answers for those seeking a true religion. How comforting to one who has made a poor judgment and is suffering the consequences to read: "Everything which happens is of the Divine Providence" (AC 5508:2), and "There is no such thing as chance" (AC 6493e). How stimulating to one questioning the doctrines of the church in which he was raised to learn of our duty to use our own minds: "A thing is not true because the leaders of the church say so . . . . The Word is to be searched" etc. (AC 6047). How useful and satisfying to learn how we are to cooperate with the Lord in a proper "care for the morrow" (AC 8478).

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     Similar teachings are found for every personal problem or aspect of life today. Such teachings stimulate the thought in regard to marriage, raising children, our understanding of God, prayer, the uses of external worship, the uses of the church (despite small numbers), the reality and nature of the life after death, and the importance of each person. Individual reading of the Word, home worship, remains, and church support are all subjects of prime interest to the isolated, and the Writings provide not only the full answers to be studied and applied, but also the concise, stimulating numbers which stir our interest and begin our discussion or study.
     I found one brief statement of universal interest and widespread concern. It could rouse discussion when, seemingly, nothing else could. It is encouraging, stimulating, full of hope, and leads into so many other ideas. It is the brief heading from a chapter in Heaven and Hell. "It is not so difficult to lead the life that leads to heaven as is believed" (HH 528). If being more widely and more often used be the criteria, then this number must rank high among my favorites. It has encouraged those who had been discouraged or disheartened by the difficulties of regeneration. The explanation in number 530 can be expanded easily so anyone can see the truth that it is not so difficult to live the life that leads to heaven as many have been led to believe.
     The reasoning goes something like this. First: Almost everyone has a false idea of what a religious life should be. We are influenced particularly by the Catholic concept of the religious giving up this world and all of its pleasures and uses and devoting their existence to pious thoughts, prayer, and worship. This led to the development of the various orders of monks and nuns who dedicate their lives to such an ideal. The Writings quickly dispel this concept, pointing out that the life that leads to heaven is a practical day-to-day life, performing our uses, using our abilities, and enjoying the pleasures of life, together with shunning evil acts because these are sins against God and His order.
     Second: It is a fact that everyone must live the form of a moral and civil life to be accepted in normal society. Even an evil man, a criminal or confidence man must put on the external appearance of being honest and moral, and having personal integrity, or no one would accept him, and much less do business with him. He would even have difficulty in normal human relationships. Certainly the confidence man could not sell worthless stock or gold bricks if he could not impress people by an appearance of personal integrity; nor could a swindler succeed in his evil plans if he could not appear so honest and sincere that others trusted him.

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Such men, to succeed in their evil designs, must live a lie. It is much more difficult and stressful to live a lie than to live naturally, and almost everyone who tries to do so is discovered eventually. How much easier, then, to live a good moral life because you believe in it-no lie, no stress, just the normal life everyone must live to get along.

     [Photo of Rev. Harold C. Cranch]

     Third: The difference between such a life as led by the good and the evil is the motive from which it is lived. The evil put on the appearance of living a normal, good life to impress others. The good do it from a spiritual internal because it is in agreement with the Lord's teachings. The technique by which such a man can progress in spiritual life is clearly set out in paragraph 533. It is but necessary for him, when tempted to do something evil, to think that it ought net to be done because it is against the Lord's precepts.
     We are all living the form of the life which leads to heaven now. Is it not the part of wisdom to do it sincerely, and honestly, without hypocritical pretense? It is hard work to pretend constantly. One is almost sure to be found out. Why add stress to our lives by such hypocrisy? All we need do is live a normal civil and moral life in externals, as most people do, but with the motive and intention to live in this way because the Lord intends it. From this we can see that we are living the life that leads to heaven now. All we need do is add the proper motive and the Lord will bring it about, for it is not so difficult to live the life that leads to heaven as we have supposed.

179

TRUE CHRISTIAN RELIGION 1989

     TRANSLATED INTO ENGLISH

     Swedenborg probably began the writing of this work in Stockholm in October of 1769 and completed it on the 19th of June, 1770. On July 23rd he wrote to Dr. Beyer, "In a few days I shall depart for Amsterdam in order to publish there The Universal Theology of the New Church, the foundation of which is the worship of the Lord our Savior." He said that a "temple" should be built on this foundation.
     It was during the months in Amsterdam while Swedenborg was at work getting the book ready for the printer that John C. Cuno made the following observation: "He is now indefatigably at work; yes, I must say that he labors in a most astonishing and superhuman manner at his new work." Swedenborg managed to have it published almost exactly a year after the original manuscript had been completed. In June of 1771 a 541-page Latin volume was coming off the Amsterdam presses with the saying on the title page: ab Emanuele Swedenborg Domini Jesu Christi Servo.
     Two years later one of these Latin volumes found its way to Rev. John Clowes, who read it with great delight. Eight years later Clowes completed and published the first translation into English.
     The translation with which most of our readers are most familiar is by J. Ager. It was published in two volumes by the Swedenborg Foundation. Another familiar translation is the one by W. Dick published in 1950 by the Swedenborg Society in London. In more recent years the Society considered publishing a revision, but fortunately was able to come out on January 29, 1988 with the new translation by Dr. John Chadwick. In January of 1988 this magazine published excerpts from that new translation.
REVIEW 1989

REVIEW Lisa Hyatt Cooper 1989

     The True Christian Religion translated by John Chadwick; The Swedenborg Society, London, 1988

     The three hundredth anniversary of Swedenborg's birth occurred in 1988, and in celebration the Swedenborg Society published a new translation by Dr. John Chadwick of Swedenborg's last major work-The True Christian Religion.

     This new translation exhibits the virtue of radical freedom from traditions which have risen in the translation of Swedenborg's theological works.

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It is a virtue as a byproduct of the endeavor to present the message of the original in thoroughly modern English-the language as we actually use it-but it is also a virtue in itself. When we read familiar ideas in new language, two things happen: we see new dimensions in those ideas, and we are challenged to examine our old way of thinking.
     Dr. Chadwick's premier strength is his ear for idiom. I delight in such phrases as "the work of the devil" (3:2), "such a pitch of delirium" (4:2), "a bare title" (4:2), and "a tangle of incoherent ideas" (15:2). The translation refers to knowledge as fragmented" (4:3) and to the "universal terms" of a creed (2:1). The heading of paragraph 24 describes polytheism as "entirely the result of a failure to understand" God.
     Where we are used to hearing "goods," Chadwick uses "kinds of good" (e.g., 251 and 372:2). What has been translated before as "disposition" Chadwick calls "conditioning" (8:1). And those tongue-twisting "memorable relations" he refers to as "accounts of experiences" (e.g., 75:7).
     I even approve of the various renderings of homo, including its occasional translation as "man." Paragraph 8 is a good example. Early in the passage, where homo is spoken of in direct relation to God, Chadwick uses "man" (e.g., "God influences man" and "conditions which allow a man to be acted upon by God" 8:1). But as it progresses he shifts to "person" and "human being" (". . . must inevitably inspire a person with the idea of one God" 8:2; ". . . all human beings have this idea . . ." 8:3). In n. 368 he translates homo ecclesiae as "member of the church."
     English, unlike Latin, does not take kindly to frequent use of adjectives as nouns. To produce smooth, graceful language the translator will often have to make explicit the nouns implied by the Latin, and Chadwick does a good job of this. We find "inmost meaning" for intim[a] (6:1) and "various features" for varia (371:7). Good Latin style also allows far more frequent use of passive verbs than good English style does. And in changing impersonal passives to actives Chadwick also does not hesitate to use the pronoun "I," as in these examples: "as I asserted" for ut dictum est (literally "as was said" 6:3) and "I say 'insanity"' for [d]icitur phrenesis (literally "it is said 'insanity'" 4:2).
     One of the most helpful devices Chadwick employs is to expand on Latin prepositions. For instance, he speaks of "the good of love which arises from the truths of faith" and "the truths of faith which arise from the good of love" (n. 1) where "which arise(s) from" represents ex. In 369:3 he translates ex as "derived from" in the phrase "a natural link derived from the spiritual." Similar to this is expansion on the genitive (the possessive case).

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An example is 372:2, which refers to "the kinds of good which make up charity and the truths which make up faith" (for bon[a] charitatis et. . . ver[a] fidel). What the translator is doing is bringing out a relationship which really is implicit in the Latin of the original. I consider this a legitimate way to translate, and I find that it makes it much easier to follow the thread of argument or the train of thought.
     The passages which give me the most delight of all are the Scriptural quotations. In the first place, they are not set apart from the body of the work by a different size or style of type, or even by quotation marks. This is entirely appropriate, because Swedenborg did not cut out sections of Scripture and neatly sew them in; he wove them into the fabric of the Writings. He did not differentiate between paraphrase and quotation, and the application of today's strict rules of citation is awkward and counterproductive.
     In the second place, as Chadwick states explicitly in his preface, he is translating "the Latin of the quotations directly into modern English. Consequently the reader will find that their language does not always coincide with that of any modern Bible. . ." (p. vi). I find this refreshing. In the past, translators have sometimes attempted to force the English of a standard Biblical translation onto the Writings, and where it does not fit they occasionally did violence to the Latin of the Writings to make it fit, squeezing the foot into the shoe, or even chopping off a toe. Chadwick's policy frees him not only to present the actual wording of the Latin original but also to do it in modern English, with the advantages I mentioned above for familiar ideas in new language. Chadwick is almost apologetic about this. I quote again from his preface: "With some hesitation even the language of the Ten Commandments has been modernized. Some readers may regret this and feel that 'Thou shalt not kill' is more pithy and dramatic than the modern and more accurate 'You are not to commit murder'" (p. vi). I disagree. There is something direct and powerful in hearing the Lord speak to us in our own language.
     One final detail I would like to mention with whole-hearted approval is Chadwick's non-capitalization of "new church." In his article "On Translating The True Christian Religion" (see NCL, Nov. 1988 and Jan. 1989), he states, "I have consistently written 'new church' with a small 'n' and a small 'c' because it is not a title but a description; that is to say, it means a church which is new, not the New Church as the name of an organization" (NCL, Jan. 1989, p. 21). And one can agree with this approach, as I do, without necessarily agreeing that "the new church . . . was not intended to be a separate body of people. . ." (ibid.).

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     I feel ambivalence, however, about the translation of conjungo and related words as "link." It has the virtue of being a short word, and in some complex or wordy passages this is a more valuable quality than one might expect. But to my mind conjungo represents a very close connection and "link" a much looser one.*
     * I have two dictionaries which list synonyms for "join." One is the college edition of Webster's New World Dictionary (The World Publishing Co., Cleveland and New York, 1966), which contradicts my view. It says that "link stresses firmness of a connection (linked together in a common cause)." But The American Heritage Dictionary (Houghton Mifflin Co., Boston, 1976) states that "Link . . . impl[ies] a looser relationship. . ." than some of the other synonyms.
     In some passages "link" seems to work fairly well.

Therefore too after dying he comes into heaven, and there enjoys happiness depending upon how far the good and truth are linked (1).

Furthermore, what is faith but a link with God by means of truths . . . and what is love but being linked with God by means of various kinds of good . . . ?(369:3).

For He is in the first principles and beginnings of the whole of wisdom and the whole of Love, and with these man can have no link (370:1).

     . . .[F]or Jehovah came down and became man so that He could approach men and men could approach Him, thus establishing a link. . .(370:3).

     But in other places it does not work as well. To say that "[t]he Word produces a link with the Lord" (234) seems inadequate to me. It does produce a link, but it also joins man to God, which is a different thing. I feel the same about the following statements.

The link with the Lord is reciprocal, so that the Lord is in the person, and he is in the Lord" (371:1).

It is well known that invitations to meals and banquets serve as a means to establish links and associations in the world (727:1).

In addition, the link established with the Lord through the Holy Supper can be illustrated by the link between families descended from one ancestor (727:2).

     Furthermore, the frequency with which it crops up works against Chadwick's purpose in adopting the word. In the preface he explains his rejection of "conjunction" by saying "it gives the impression that some special kind of joining is meant; in fact the Latin word is not a technical term. . ." (p. v). But the text (especially 369-372) is so much denser with the word than any other text would be that it gives the impression that "link" is a technical term.

183

     There are a few other aspects of this translation which make me uncomfortable. Some of the vocabulary seems unnecessarily high-powered: "sycophants" (434:2), "abortions" as referring to half-formed ideas (183 heading), "denizen" (14:1), and "predicated or' and "predications" (31 heading). At other times it seems too informal. Paragraph 681 speaks of the second purpose of baptism as "getting to know the Lord." In 16:1 a misguided bishop explains how the Lord removes people's sin, regenerates them, and gives them "babyish" faces. Wouldn't "childlike" suit the context better?
     The syntax-the way the words are put together-is consistently informal, which can be a blessing. But sometimes it reaches a point that I have been taught to consider incorrect. For instance, 8:2 contains the phrase "both understood universally and in particular," where I would have "understood both universally and in particular." And 371:6 says that man "works as if of himself, to be precise, of himself from the Lord," where I would like to see "or, to be precise." Most of all, it is the participles that get to me. Don't these "dangle" or at least seem awkward?

The Trinity of Persons was unknown to the Apostolic Church, but was the invention of the Council of Nicaea, leading to its introduction into the Roman Catholic church . . . (l74 heading).

Since all have been redeemed, everyone can be regenerated, in each case depending on the person's state (579 heading).

Seeing that the Word is like this in its literal sense, it can easily be established that it could not be understood without doctrine (226:1).

     So in general I wish that the grammar were a little tighter and the vocabulary simpler. And I have other objections in some particular instances. But I offer two caveats: some of my criticisms may stem from differences between British and American English; and others might melt away if I were to walk in the translator's shoes any distance. Sometimes a difficulty in the text or in the transportation between languages remains hidden from the eyes of a cursory reader.
     But Dr. Chadwick's overall philosophy I welcome and applaud. And the results of his efforts will, I think, serve to link the new church more closely with the Lord.
     Lisa Hyatt Cooper

184

NEW RECORDED TAPE CATALOG AVAILABLE 1989

     The General Church Sound Recording Committee has just published a new catalog of its audio tape library. The catalog lists hundreds of cassette tapes that can be borrowed or purchased:

Church services-complete with music or lessons and sermon only
Family services
Festival services
Society doctrinal classes
Small-group classes
Seminars
Special events

     Catalogs are available for $5 a copy plus postage from the Sound Recording Committee, Box 278, Bryn Athyn, PA 19009. Or you can consult a catalog at the office in the Field House, which is open for phone and walk-in service weekday mornings. Phone: (215) 947-1889.
     Not listed in the catalog but available soon are the formal sessions and banquet of the Evangelization Seminar held on March 3 and 4.
FREDERICK EMANUEL DOERING TRUST 1989

FREDERICK EMANUEL DOERING TRUST 1989

     Applications for assistance from the above fund to enable Canadian students to attend The Academy of the New Church at Bryn Athyn, Pennsylvania, U.S. A., for the school year 1989-1990, should be received by one of the pastors listed below by May 15, 1989. The deadline is important in order to apportion the grants evenly, and to meet the deadline for immigration forms regarding student financing.
     Before filing their applications, students should obtain their acceptance by the Academy. However, it is important to ask for your application forms now, so that you can review the conditions that apply to the Doering Fund grants and be sure you qualify.
     Any of the pastors listed below will be happy to give any further information or help that may be necessary.

Rev. Michael D. Gladish           Rev. Louis Synnestvedt
2 Lorraine Gardens                58 Chapel Hill Drive, R.R. 2
Islington, Ont. M9B 424           Kitchener, Ont. N2G 3W5

Rev. Glenn Alden
9013 - 8th Street
Dawson Creek, B.C. V1G 1H1

185

MEMORIAL RESOLUTION FOR RT. REV. GEORGE DE CHARMS 1989

MEMORIAL RESOLUTION FOR RT. REV. GEORGE DE CHARMS Willard D. Pendleton 1989

     Joint Council of the General Church

     March 11, 1989

     We are mindful today of the many blessings that the Lord has conferred upon us through the instrumentality of His servant the Rt. Rev. George de Charms. It is fitting, therefore, that on this occasion we acknowledge our debt to the Providence which placed him among us.
     Born the son and grandson of New Church priests, George de Charms, as a young man, responded to a call to the priesthood. Having received his training in the Theological School of the Academy of the New Church, he was ordained in 1914, and for more than seventy years he had a profound influence on the life and thought of the church. Having put his hand to the plough, he never looked back, and in all matters pertaining to his office he was a devoted servant of the Lord.

     It is, then, in terms of those uses which were set before him that we think of Bishop de Charms today. From the outset he was at heart a pastor. His talents in this field of priestly endeavor were soon recognized by all who came under his leadership. Having served as pastor of the Philadelphia Society of the General Church, he was soon called to headquarters, where he distinguished himself as assistant pastor of the Bryn Athyn Society, it was during these years that his gifts as a teacher came to light, and he was called upon to devote much of his time to the work of instruction in the Bryn Athyn Elementary School.
     George de Charms, however, was not only a gifted teacher of children; he was also an outstanding theologian who possessed the unusual ability to accommodate doctrine to all ages and states. In this he excelled. It is no exaggeration to say that all who came under his tutelage were inspired by his insight into the New Testament account of the life of the Lord on earth. At this day his two texts, namely, The Life of the Lord and A Commentary on the Harmony of the Four Gospels, stand as enduring contributions to the collateral literature of the New Church.
     Not only was George de Charms a teacher; he was also a student of education. There is a difference. A gifted teacher is one who inspires his students, but an educator is one who enters with understanding into what is involved in the educational process. As evidenced in his work The Growth of the Mind, George de Charms opened the way to a deeper understanding of what is implicit in the concept of New Church education.

186

While it is true that this work is restricted by the psychological data of the period in which it was written, it nevertheless provides many spiritual insights into the process whereby man puts on what is human and, spiritually speaking, becomes man. For years this work will stand as a ready reference to all who are committed to the concept of New Church education.
     Some priests are pastors, some are educators, and some excel in the field of theological research. George de Charms, however, was endowed by his Maker with talents in all of these areas. Like the faithful servant in Scripture he put all of these talents to work, and due to his efforts the thought of the church has been deeply enriched. In so doing, he made a full return to his Lord.
     What is recorded here is all the more remarkable when we reflect on the fact that for twenty-four years of his career he was engaged in the time-consuming work of administration (1937-1961). As Bishop of the General Church he was called upon to make many decisions and to travel widely throughout the church. While administration was not his first love, he nevertheless responded to the many demands of his office and, in keeping with his own understanding of duty, did what was set before him day by day. For this and his many other accomplishments he earned the affection and confidence of the church, which has abided with him from the time of his retirement to this day.
     Above all else George de Charms was a modest man who rarely drew attention to himself. In matters of doctrine he was always firm, but in matters of opinion he was never insistent. As Bishop of the General Church he was primarily concerned about the freedom of the church, and to the best of his ability he sought to protect and promote it. What we are speaking of here is the essential of true leadership, for when freedom is forfeited through the undue exercise of the authority that pertains to an office, the uses of an organization wither and die. The primary responsibility of the episcopal office is to preserve the order that is basic to the freedom of the church, and in this the Rt. Rev. George de Charms sustained the ideal of government that was established and fostered by his two immediate predecessors. For this we are grateful, and we say in our hearts, "Well done, thou good and faithful servant."
     Be it resolved, therefore, that this resolution be spread upon the minutes of this meeting, and that it be published in the pages of the official organ of the church.
     Respectfully submitted,
          Willard D. Pendleton

187

"THESE ARE THE SERPENTS" 1989

"THESE ARE THE SERPENTS" Editor 1989

     It is pointed out in Divine Love and Wisdom 267 that it is quite possible to confirm things utterly false. It is possible to confirm "that there is no God, and that nature is everything and created herself; that religion is only a means of keeping simple minds in bondage." It is possible to confirm that adultery and other evils are allowable. "These and many like things the natural man is able to confirm and even to fill books with confirmations."
     When such things are confirmed by very bright people, the impact on ordinary minds can be troublesome. It was part of the mission of Swedenborg to counteract the misleading arguments of the learned.

Lest those who think in this way-as many do who from worldly wisdom are regarded as erudite and learned-should any longer mislead or seduce the simple in faith and heart, and induce infernal darkness respecting God and heaven and eternal life, and all else that depends on these, the interiors of my spirit have been opened by the Lord, and I have thus been permitted to talk, after their decease, with all with whom I was ever acquainted . . . (Heaven and Hell 312).

     In particular Swedenborg was permitted to meet the most educated and brilliant men whose learning might intimidate ordinary people. "I have talked with some who had written much in the world on scientific subjects of every kind, and had thereby acquired a worldwide reputation for learning" (HH 464). "It has been granted me to speak with many of the learned after their departure from the world; with some of distinguished reputation in the literary world for their writings. . . . Those that in heart had denied the Divine, whatever their professions may have been, had become so stupid as to have little comprehension even of anything truly civil, still less of anything spiritual" (HH 354). In one dramatic encounter Swedenborg and an angel spoke with a man whose books were internationally acclaimed. The man was so accustomed to being praised that he was totally taken aback when Swedenborg and the angel responded to one of his statements with the phrase, "Friend, you are insane." He seems to have been a victim of his own fame! They said to him, "Friend, you are very much deceived; you have been misled by your wisdom, which is a certain talent for writing, and you have been led by the glory of fame into proving what you do not believe."

188

After the conversation the man exhibited "a new intellectual sagacity" (TCR 35).
     We cannot judge who is inwardly an atheist or who inwardly qualifies to be ranked among the "serpents" who deceive the world. We can observe the effects of what some write and say. There are authors and university lecturers who may be likened to "serpents in the grass which bite those who pass by"(AR 143, 144). We will mention a man, famous for his many books, whose impact on human thought comes to mind in connection with a striking passage in the Arcana, a passage which defines the serpents of the world. They are people who are very confident in their own answers and who "excel in worldly learning." "If asked whether they know what conscience is, they would say it is a mere creature of the imagination, which may be of service in keeping the vulgar under restraint. . . . These above all others are the 'serpents' who seduce the world" (AC 206).
     The man we have in mind is Bertrand Russell. Winner of the Nobel Prize in literature, he is called "one of the most original, incisive, and significant minds of the twentieth century." He has taught at Harvard, the University of Chicago, the National University of Peking, the University of California and the College of the City of New York, where he gained a reputation for being an enemy of religion and morality. One encyclopedia says that his "vigorous and skeptical writings are having a profound effect on present-day thought."
     We are told to ask the "serpents" if they know what conscience is. In Russell's book Marriage and Morals he belittles conscience, saying in his concluding chapter: "What is called conscience, that is to say the unreasoning and more or less unconscious acceptance of precepts learnt in early youth, causes men still to feel whatever the conventions prohibit is wrong, and this feeling may persist. . . ." In the same chapter he laments the fact that some regard unfaithfulness in marriage as "something terrible," and complains that "moralists get married and keep each other in a mutual prison." (More on this subject next month.)
HIGHLIGHTS FROM SWEDENBORG'S LETTERS 1989

HIGHLIGHTS FROM SWEDENBORG'S LETTERS Editor 1989

Swedenborg Replies to an Accuser

The "Reply to Ernesti" is of particular interest among Swedenborg's letters for two reasons. First, he actually had it printed and took measures to circulate it. Could we say that it was the last thing he published? It was written after the publication of True Christian Religion. But perhaps "publish" is not the appropriate word. Pernetti says that Swedenborg "had it printed only to communicate to his friends."

189

     The other thing that makes it interesting is, of course, that he was actually responding to someone who publicly accused him.
     Here in part is what Swedenborg wrote (and printed).

I have read what Dr. Ernesti has written about me. . .and I have seen that it contains nothing but insults against me personally; nor have I noticed there one grain of reason against any matter that is in my writings. . . . I consider it beneath my dignity to fight this gentleman in like terms, that is, to hurl back insults and answer accusations with insults. . . . Please read what is written about the arcana that have been disclosed by the Lord through me Hi6 servant in no. 846-851 of my latest work entitled True Christian Religion and then make a judgment about my revelation; but do so from reason.

     Swedenborg does not spend time defending himself against the personal accusation but directs attention to the Writings themselves, and the terms or phrases he uses in this short note to refer to the Writings are quite interesting: "my writings," "[my] latest work," "my revelation" (meis scriptis, novissimo, opere, mea revelatione). And we note also a phrase that is famous among Swedenborgian scholars as it appears in no. 44 of Invitation to the New Church. It is the phrase "by the Lord through me" (a Domino per me).
     We will have more about the reply to Ernesti next month.
NO NEED TO WALK WITH DROOPING HEAD 1989

NO NEED TO WALK WITH DROOPING HEAD Bill Hall 1989

Dear Editor:
     Reading the Rev. Cedric King's favorite passage in New Church Life (September 1988) reminds me of Heaven and Hell no. 358. "Man may acquire riches and accumulate wealth so far as opportunity is given, provided it not be done with craft and fraud; he may eat and drink delicately, provided he does not place his life therein; also frequent places of amusement and talk about the affairs of the world. He has no need to walk as a devotee with a sad and sorrowful face and drooping head, but may be joyful and cheerful" (emphasis added).
     Bill Hall,
          Carlton, NSW, Australia

190

CHOICE 1989

CHOICE David Lister 1989

Dear Editor:
     New Church Life arrived today in England and I read with interest Fran Wilson, Ian and Fran Woofenden's letter on p. 38 (January 1989) with an amusing critique of Rev. Bruce Rogers' translation of Conjugial Love.

     My problem is to translate the experiences of my everyday life into the categories of Arcana Coelestia, and to wonder if I am talking about the same thing. To explain this I will describe an incident which I hope will ring bells with others.
     I have an Alfa-Romeo sports saloon-fun, flashy and fast, but very expensive to keep. Just before last Christmas I crashed into another vehicle, and this further expense prevailed on me, with promptings from my wife, to put it on the market and buy a slow, safe, solid, second-hand Datsun, which is very cheap to keep and very dull to drive.
     Turning over in my mind the relationship I have between these two cars, I read Genesis 29:9-11 and AC 3791:1 about the arrival of Jacob at the well where Rachel was coming to water her flock. He represents natural good, and his affection for her represents the desire of natural good to understand interior truths, that is, in my case, the desire to understand the conflict of desire between the Alfa and the Datsun. The Alfa represents Italian exotica, a daughter of Canaan perhaps, whereas the Datsun (it has a modified British Leyland engine) the good old-fashioned virtues of Padan Aram, and mother's brother Laban is parallel good springing from a common stock.
     Anyway, I decide for the Datsun: a severe self-denial!! A respected physician should surely have a better looking car! A great stone is lying over the mouth of the well. One needs a spot of Divine Natural Good to push it off. No room at the inn; we will make do with a manger though a respected God should really expect something better.
     I decide for the Datsun.
     Some days later I am sitting listening to my daughter playing a duet on a piano with a friend, and I am gazing at a grove of larch trees swaying in the wind outside. Yes, I say to myself for the umpteenth time, I will keep the Datsun. How beautiful the larch trees are, swaying in the wind. How hospitable of the Lord to offer me this seat with such a view. I feel at home, and kiss Rachel and lift up my voice and weep at the sight of the beauty of this interior truth-if you see what I mean.
     David Lister,
          Yateley, Hampshire, England

191

REPORTS FROM GHANA 1989

REPORTS FROM GHANA Robert A. Smith 1989

Dear Editor:
     I noted with interest and surprise the order of the announcements in the February issue of NCL. Listed as usual in alphabetical order were the baptisms and confirmations of those in the United States, Canada, Sweden, and France. In a separate listing were those from Ghana, all officiated by an ordained minister, Rev. William O. Ankra-Badu.
     Simple logic would dictate subtle, technical reasons for this distinction being made. The reasons may be good and sufficient but are not evident to this reader.
     I would hope my concern is shared by others. Could someone explain?
          Robert A. Smith,
               Glenview, Illinois

     EDITORIAL RESPONSE

     Yes, we can supply the "subtle, technical" data that made listings in the February issue unusual.
     There is no new policy on the handling of the records of official acts in the General Church. We have not handled different countries separately in the past, nor is there any thought of doing so in the future.
     These reports are first received by the Secretary of the General Church and are listed and filed for official record. Later they are turned over to New Church Life for the "Announcements" section. In the February issue more than one thing was not only unusual but unprecedented.
     A quick look at previous issues indicates that we have never had as many as ten official acts by a single minister reported in one issue. To have twenty-four by the same minister was something special. We noted this in the "Notes on This Issue" page, calling attention to the record number of baptisms and confirmations that had been received from Ghana, and alerting readers that they were being published together on the same page.
     This not only pointed up the record number, but it helped on the technical side. Normally we calculate two to two and a half pages per issue for announcements. In a hundred years I do not think we have exceeded three pages. But in the February issue we found ourselves working to try to get the announcements within four pages. By not repeating the name of a minister and the word "officiating" 24 times, more than half a column is saved. We did get it within four pages! These are subtle considerations in the effort to publish what is sent to us within a given space.
     Certainly it was not our intention to "differentiate" between baptisms in Ghana and elsewhere, but, if anything, to emphasize this unique occurrence.
     Editor

192

GEORGE DE CHARMS 1989

GEORGE DE CHARMS Sylvia Mellman 1989

Dear Editor:
     After reading Kurt Asplundh's moving resurrection address for Bishop George de Charms in the February 1989 New Church Life, I got to thinking there must be many people who feel as I do that this man was not only a great church leader, teacher, writer, etc., but also a personal friend. That was another of his great gifts. He was able to make me feel more than just "baby sister," the tenth child of Rev. Homer Synnestvedt. He was my friend and I could confide in him. We had so many happy times together that I always think of him with a smile. The enclosed picture shows that smile. It was July 1957 after a district assembly in Washington, not far from the Sterling Smiths'. The Bishop had preached (extemporaneously, of course) on the 121st Psalm. We decided a fitting ending to that most successful gathering would be to take the Bishop and his wife to see our mountain, Mt. St. Helen's, and Spirit Lake. This we did, and Fidelia snapped our picture and sent it to me. Note the lodge in the background. It is now buried under tons of volcanic ash and our mountain has no top. And now it is a material ending, but not a spiritual ending. The beauty, love and fun lives on, and the presence of my friend is still with me. He did so much to mold my life. Thank you, Bishop George.
     Your friend,
          Sylvia Mellman,
               Tamarac, Florida

     [Photo]

193

REPORT OF THE EDITOR OF NEW CHURCH LIFE 1989

REPORT OF THE EDITOR OF NEW CHURCH LIFE Editor 1989

     1988

     Our circulation has increased a little, going up from 1,842 in 1987 to 1,877 in 1988. Last year we reported on the various countries to which our magazine goes each month. We would mention now that by far our biggest geographic customer is the community of Bryn Athyn, which gets more than 300 copies (half of which are sent through inter-office mail). Glenview gets 72, and the Glenview reader, like others outside of Bryn Athyn, often gets an issue much later than we would wish. Even people in the Philadelphia area sometimes get their copies long after they are mailed. We regret this.
     In our last report we mentioned that the church news section needs more input, and we thank those who sent in news that brought us up from 30 pages to 37 pages in that category. Indeed we thank the dozens of people who wrote for the magazine during the year. In the monthly work of producing the magazine we are indebted to several people. To mention all who serve so efficiently and cheerfully would be prolix, but this year we would at least mention Mrs. Kenneth Rose. Patricia is wonderfully proficient at coordinating proofreading and typesetting, and sitting down with the editor each month to get the material we receive into a certain number of pages.
     Figures for the use of those pages for 1988 and the previous year are as follows:

               1988      1987                    1988 1987

Articles           219           223           Number of Contributors:
Sermons           52          54           Priests           40      42
Reports           31           54           Laity
Communications      54      60           Men           32      38
Announcements      30      30                Women      11      14
Church News      37      30                Total laity
                                                  43      52
Editorials           36      22          Total Contributors
                                                  83      94
Reviews           20           24
Directories      38           40
Memorials      4           0
Miscellaneous      38           59
Total pages      559           596
     Donald L. Rose, Editor

194

CANADIAN NATIONAL ASSEMBLY 1989

     TORONTO

     OPENING UP

     May 12-May 14

     OLIVET CHURCH
OF THE NEW JERUSALEM

     279 Burnhamthorpe Road, Islington, Ontario, M9B 1Z6 Tel: (416) 239-3054

     The Olivet Church warmly invites you to attend the Canadian National Assembly, which promises to be quite a "mind opening" experience.
     Bishop Peter Buss will open the assembly with the banquet address Friday evening focusing on open-minded thinking from the Doctrines.
     Rev. Terry Schnarr will add to this a review of the teachings of the Writings about variety.
     Rev. Dr. Ray Silverman will be our special guest Saturday morning, speaking on ways in which the Ten Commandments invite us to be open to the Lord and our neighbors.
     Rev. Glen Alden and Rev. Michael Cowley will, in the afternoon, touch on organizational issues as they discuss ways as individuals and as a church we can be more responsive to the needs of new people.

     To register contact:
JENNIE HOTSON, 41 Antrim Crescent
#1407,Scarborough,
Ontario M1P 4T1
TEL: (416)292-1036
BY APRIL 21st

195

ACADEMY OF THE NEW CHURCH THEOLOGICAL SCHOOL, COLLEGE AND SECONDARY SCHOOLS CALENDAR 1989

     One Hundred and Thirteenth School Year 1989-1990

     1989

     Sept. 5      Tues.      8:00 a.m.-Academy Faculty opening service and address
                     10:00 a.m.-Registration begins with Secondary Schools local students
                     5:30 p.m.-Barbecue for dorm students and parents
                     8:15 p.m.-Orientation for all new College students (Social Center)
                          Dorm students arrive (Secondary Schools by 8:00 p.m.)
6           Wed.      Registration of Secondary School and local students
                     8:00 a.m.-12:00 noon-Registration of all Theological School and College students
                     10:45-2:00 p.m.-College orientation for all new students
                    7:30 p.m.-Cathedral worship service for students, faculty, parents
7           Thurs. 8:00 a.m.-Opening exercises for Secondary Schools followed by classes
                     8:05-College classes begin
                     11:00 a.m.-College and Theological School Convocation
Oct. 20      Fri.           Charter Day:
                     8:00 a.m.-Annual Meeting of ANC Corporation (Pitcairn Hall)
                     10:30 a.m.-Charter Day service (Cathedral)
                     9:00 p.m.-Charter Day dance (Field House)
21           Sat.      6:30 p.m.-Charter Day banquet (Society Building)
Nov. 8-10      Wed.-Fri.      College registration for Winter Term
21           Tues.      8:30 p.m.-Secondary Schools Fall Term ends and Thanksgiving recess begins
22           Wed.      Fall Term ends for College after exams and scheduled student work
26           Sun.      Secondary School dormitory students return by 8:00 p.m.
27           Mon.      Winter Term begins in Secondary Schools
Dec. 3      Sun.      College dormitory students return by 8:00 p.m.
4           Mon.      Winter Term begins in College
15           Fri.      Christmas recess begins for all schools at noon

     1990
Jan. 2           Tues.      Dormitory students return (Secondary Schools by 8:00 p.m)
3           Wed.      Classes resume in all schools
15           Mon      Martin Luther King Day (school in session)
Feb. 19      Mon.      Presidents' Birthday observance
21-23           Wed-Fri. College registration for Spring Term
Mar. 1      Thurs. Deadline for College applications
8           Thurs. College Winter Term ends'
9           Fri.      Secondary Schools Winter Term ends. Spring recess begins for Secondary Schools after scheduled exams and student work*
18           Sun.      Dormitory students return (Secondary Schools by 8:00 p.m.)
19           Mon.      Spring Term begins in all schools
April 13      Fri.      Good Friday holiday for all schools
16           Mon.      Easter Monday holiday for Secondary Schools
May 11      Fri.      3:30 p.m-Semi-annual Meeting of Academy Corporation (Pitcairn Hall)
                     7:45 p.m.-Joint Meeting of Faculty and Corporation (Heilman Hall)
28           Mon.      Memorial Day holiday
June 7      Thurs.     Spring Term ends
8           Fri.      8:30 p.m.-Graduation dance (Field House)
9           Sat.      9:30 a.m.-Commencement (Field House)

     *See Catalog or Handbook for holiday regulations.

196

MIDWEST WOMEN'S RENEWAL WEEKEND 1989

Announcements

You are invited to the third annual Midwest Women's Renewal Weekend September 15-17, 1989 at the St. Joseph Retreat Center ten minutes west of Glenview, Illinois. Applications will be accepted between June 10 and August 25. For further information please write to Jocie Smith at 8 Park Drive, Glenview, IL 60025, or call her at (312) 729-0618.
PUBLIC WORSHIP AND DOCTRINAL CLASSES 1989

PUBLIC WORSHIP AND DOCTRINAL CLASSES Rev. LOUIS B. KING 1989

198

     SACRAMENTO
Mr. and Mrs. Robert Ripley, 225 Woodlake Ln., Newcastle, CA 95658. Phone: (916) 663-2788.

     SAN DIEGO
Rev. Nathan Gladish, 7911 Canary Way, San Diego, CA 92123. Phone: (619) 268-0379. Office: (619) 571-8599.

     SAN FRANCISCO
Rev. Mark Carlson, 2520 Emerson St., Palo Alto, CA 94301. Phone: (415) 327-2788.

     Colorado:

     COLORADO SPRINGS
Mr. and Mrs. William Reinstra, 2386 Wood Ave., Colorado Springs, CO 80907.

     DENVER
Rev. Clark Echols, 3371 W. 94th Ave., Westminster, CO 80030. Phone (303) 429-1239

     Connecticut:

     BRIDGEPORT
Rev. Geoffrey Howard, visiting pastor, Bryn Athyn, PA 19009. Phone: (215) 947-6225.

     HARTFORD

     SHELTON
Mr. and Mrs. James Tucker, 45 Honey Bee Lane, Shelton, CT 06484. Phone: (203)-929-6455.

     Delaware:

     WILMINGTON
Mrs. Justin Hyatt, 2008 Eden Rd., N. Graylyn, Wilmington, DE 19803. Phone: (302) 475-3694.

     District of Columbia see Mitchellville. Maryland.

     Florida:

     BOYNTON BEACH
Rev. Daniel Heinrichs, 10687 E. Clair Ranch Rd., Boynton Beach, FL 33437. Phone: (407) 736-9235.

     LAKE HELEN
Mr. and Mrs. Brant Morris, 264 Kicklighter Rd., Lake Helen, FL 32744. Phone: (904) 228-2276.

     Georgia:

     AMERICUS
Mr. W. H. Eubanks, Rt. #2, S. Lee St., Americus, GA 31709. Phone: (912) 924-9221.

     ATLANTA
Rev. Christopher Bown, 3795 Montford Drive, Chamblee, GA 30341. Phone: (Home) (404) 457-4726. (Office) (404) 452-0518.

     Idaho:

     FRUITLAND
(Idaho-Oregon border) Mr. Harold Rand, 1705 Whitley Dr., Fruitland, ID 83619. Phone: (208) 452-3181.

     Illinois:

     CHICAGO
Rev. Grant Schnarr, 73A Park Dr., Glenview, IL 60025. Phone: (312) 729-0130 (home) (312) 724-6130 (office).

     DECATUR
Mr. John Aymer, 380 Oak Lane, Decatur, IL 62562. Phone: (217) 875-3215.

     GLENVIEW
Rev. Brian Keith, 73 Park Dr., Glenview, IL 60025. Phone: (312) 724-0120.

     Indiana:

     CINCINNATI
Rev. Patrick Rose, 785 Ashcroft Ct., Cincinnati, OH 45240. Phone: (513) 825-7473.

     Kentucky:

     CINCINNATI
Rev. Patrick Rose, 785 Ashcroft Ct., Cincinnati, OH 45240. Phone: (513) 825-7473.

     Louisiana:

     BATON ROUGE
Mr. Henry Bruser, Jr., 6050 Esplanade Ave., Baton Rouge, LA 70806. Phone: (504) 924-3089.

     Maine

     BATH
Rev. Allison L. Nicholson, HC 33-Box 61N, Arrowsic, ME 04530.

     Maryland:

     BALTIMORE
Rev. Frederick Chapin, 37 Guinevere Court, Baltimore, MD 21237. Hone Phone: (301) 682-3397; Office: (301) 435-5418.

     MITCHELLVILLE
Rev. Lawson Smith, 3805 Enterprise Rd., Mitchellville, MD 20716. Phone: (301) 262-2349.

     Massachusetts:

     BOSTON
Rev. Grant Odhner, 138 Maynard Rd., Sudbury, MA 01776. Phone: (508) 443-7540.

     Michigan:

     DETROIT
Rev. Walter Orthwein, 395 Olivewood Court, Rochester, MI 48064. Phone: (313) 656-1267.

     EAST LANSING
Mr. Christopher Clark, 5853 Smithfield, East Lansing, MI 48823. Phone: (517) 351-2880.

199

     Minnesota:

     ST. PAUL-MINNEAPOLIS
Rev. Mark R. Carlson, visiting pastor, 807 Clover Court, Glenview, IL 60025. Phone: (312) 729-6130.

     Missouri:

     COLUMBIA
Mr. and Mrs. Paul Johnson, 103 S. Greenwood, Columbia, MO 65201. Phone: (314) 442-3475.

     KANSAS CITY
Mr. Glen Klippenstein, Glenkirk Farms, Maysville, MO 64469. Phone: (816) 449-2167.

     New Jersey-New York:

     RIDGEWOOD. N.J.
Mrs. Fred E. Munich, 474 S. Maple Ave., Glen Rock, NJ 07452. Phone: (201) 445-1141.

     New Mexico:

     ALBUQUERQUE
Mr. Howard Leach, 4215 12th Street, Albuquerque, NM 87107. Phone: (505) 892-0936.

     North Carolina:

     CHARLOTTE
Mr. John deMaine, 3509 Highridge Rd., Matthews, NC 28105. Phone: (704) 845-4058.

     Ohio:

     CINCINNATI
Rev. Patrick Rose, 785 Ashcroft Ct., Cincinnati, OH 45240. Phone: (513) 825-7473.

     CLEVELAND
Mr. Alan Childs, 19680 Beachcliff Blvd., Rocky River, OH 44116. Phone: (216) 333-4413.

     COLUMBUS
Mr. Hubert Heinrichs, 8372 Todd Street Rd., Sunbury. OH 43074. Phone: (614) 524-2738.

     Oklahoma:

     OKLAHOMA CITY
Mr. Robert Campbell, 3108 Eagle Pass Rd., Edmond, OK 73013. Phone: (404) 478-4729.

     Oregon-Idaho Border.-See Idaho, Fruitland.

     Pennsylvania:

     BRYN ATHYN
Rev. Kurt Asplundh, Box 277, Bryn Athyn, PA 19009. Phone: (215) 947-3665.

     ELIZABETH
Mr. Meade Bierly, 523 Snyder Ave., Elizabethtown, PA 17022. Phone: (717) 367-3964.

     ERIE
Mrs. Paul Murray, 5648 Zuck Rd., Erie, PA 16506. Phone: (814) 833-0962.

     FREEPORT
Rev. Ragnar Boyesen, 122 McKean Rd., Freeport, PA 16229. Phone: Office (412) 353-2220 or Home 295-9855.

     KEMPTON
Rev. Jeremy Simons, RD 2, Box 217-A, Kempton, PA 19529. Phone: (Home) (215) 756-4301; (Office) (215) 756-6140.

     PAUPACK
Mr. Richard Kintner, Box 172, Paupack, PA 18451. Phone: (717) 857-0688.

     PITTSBURGH
Rev. Ray Silverman, 299 Le Roi Road, Pittsburgh, PA 15208. Phone: (Church) (412) 731-1061.
South Carolina:- see North Carolina.

     South Dakota:

     HOT SPRINGS
Linda Klippenstein, 537 Albany, Hot Springs, SD 57745 Phone: (605) 745-6629

     Texas:

     AUSTIN
Mrs. Charles Grubb, 604 Highland Ave., Austin, TX 78703. Phone: (512) 472-3575.

     DALLAS-FORT WORTH
Mr. Fred Dunlap, 3887 Antigua Circle, Dallas, TX 75244. Phone: (214) 247-7775.

     HOUSTON
Dr. James Carter, 30 Williamsburg Ln., Houston, TX 77024. Phone: (713) 456-4057.

     Washington:

     SEATTLE
Rev. Kent Junge, 14812 N. E. 75th Street, Redmond, WA 98033. Phone: (206) 881-1955.

     Wisconsin:

     MADISON
Mrs. Charles Howell, 3912 Plymouth Circle, Madison, WI 53705. Phone: (608) 233-0209.

200

Swedenborg's Journal of Dreams
1743-1744
with Commentary
by Wilson Van Dusen

Edited from the original Swedish by G. E. Klemming
Translated into English in 1860 by J. J. G. Wilkinson
Edited by William Ross Woofenden
Swedenborg Foundation, Inc. 1989

Swedenborg Foundation, Inc. 1989

     1986

     Swedenborg Foundation, Inc.

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Notes on This Issue 1989

Vol. CIX May, 1989 No. 5
NEW CHURCH LIFE

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     The article by Glenn Alden on page 208 is especially valuable. What is meant by "the internal sense of the Word"? Here is a fresh and appealing answer to that question. It gives a sense of what is involved in correspondences. And speaking of correspondences we have good news. Later this month after being out of print for such a long time the Dictionary of Correspondences will be available again. Why is this such good news? Read the letter from Ruth Zuber on p. 236.
     "I'll never have friends. I'll never be happy." Could this be a self-fulfilling prophecy? See "An Intriguing Number" on page 212. This thought-provoking piece was vouchsafed to us with the understanding that we would not call it "a minister's favorite passage." However, unbeknownst to the writer we have supplied the letters "MFP" afterwards to make this the 35th in the series. Please keep the meaning of MFP confidential.
     Students from the Academy College were visiting Toronto, and they heard an outstanding sermon there. Requests came that the sermon be published in the Life. See "The Flow of Providence" on the opposite page.
     "The painful way to have our needs met is to be a martyr or saint in order to maneuver someone else into taking care of us. It's more healthy to take care of our own needs so that the things we do for others are freely given. The feeling that someone 'owes' us destroys the free giving and receiving that are basic to a caring relationship." John Odhner goes on to quote TCR 439 in the fifth installment of his series on anger.
     In this issue we publish the conclusion of the article "Pitfalls in Translating the Writings." Mr. Rogers says in his final paragraph that his purpose is "not to close discussion but to open it." He has succeeded in opening it, as we have two relevant letters in this issue and other comments coming. Mr. Rogers says in his article: "All of these kinds of errors have turned up in contemporary translations-some of them, I must confess, in my own. I have learned from experience to rely on my Latin consultants and English readers to help me catch. I hope, the majority of them." His article has been a very extensive one, but he submits it "not as a final statement but an introductory one."

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FLOW OF PROVIDENCE 1989

FLOW OF PROVIDENCE Rev. MICHAEL D. GLADISH 1989

     "Be it known that the Divine Providence is universal, that is, in things the most minute, and that they who are in the stream of Providence are all the time carried along toward everything that is happy, whatever may be the appearance of the means, and that those are in the stream of Providence who put their trust in the Divine and attribute all things to Him" (Arcana Coelestia 8478:4).

     If you have ever sat by a river of water and watched how the current flows-faster in the middle, more slowly at the edges, quietly in the deep places and with more or less turbulence in the shallow, rocky places, rippling and tugging at anything that falls or is placed in it, circling in little eddies in the backwaters-you can have some idea of the flow of order in the Lord's Divine Providence in human life. For the water in a river, and even in the current of the ocean, is symbolic of Divine truth which from good in the Lord's Divine mercy flows through all the events and programs of our lives to enrich and bless us whether we realize it or not.
     Of course the Psalmist referred to this phenomenon when he spoke of the "river whose streams shall make glad the city of God" (Psalm 46:4). And Isaiah also spoke of it when he said concerning Israel. "Oh, that you had heeded My commandments! Then your peace would have been like a river, and your righteousness like the waves of the sea" (Is. 48:18).
     There is something profoundly peaceful about a river. Even a little stream represents great power as we reflect on how in the course of time it carves an ever-changing pathway through soil and rock to reach its destination. Such power inspires peace because it puts our short-term anxieties in perspective and reminds us that we live in a world of marvelous and constant natural order, the laws of which are utterly free of whim or prejudice, moving steadily toward their goal of equilibrium and rest. Furthermore, the energy of a stream can be used to spin turbines and produce useful work, saving arduous labor.
     A river also represents the beauty and harmony of life as we note the variety of plants and animals always to be found in the vicinity of even the smallest creek. On a journey without a map, how do you find a river? Easy: look for the trees that line its banks. Part of the peacefulness of the river is in its ability to support and provide for life-an obvious correspondence with the truths of religion which support and provide for our spiritual life.

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     Big rivers are especially restful because in them we sense the grandeur of God. Whether we stand at a point of deep silence where the water flows unobstructed, or at the edge of rushing rapids, or at the base of terrific, thundering falls, somehow we know and feel the sublime majesty of our Creator there and find it at least a little easier to let our burdens go. It may not even be too much to say that something inside of us identifies with the flow of water as a symbol of the universal experience of life.
     Certainly the teachings of this church contain many references to rivers and currents of water in illustration of the principles that work in our spiritual lives. For instance, "There is actually a sphere elevating all toward heaven which proceeds continually from the Lord and fills the whole spiritual world, as well as the whole natural world. It is like a strong current in the ocean, which with hidden force bears a ship along. All those who believe in the Lord and live according to His commandments enter that sphere or current and are raised upward, but those who do not believe in Him have no desire to enter that sphere but turn aside and are caught up by the stream which flows into hell" (TCR 652:3, emphasis added).
     What a beautiful, reassuring concept! Notice that it takes us into an appreciation of the Lord's silent power as Me leads us, yet it reaffirms the vital principle of human freedom to enter that sphere of power or to turn some other way. In other words, it treats us as vessels with rudders and sails (or strong engines of our own), able to turn ourselves into the current of Divine Providence or against it. According to this teaching it is as easy as it is important for a person to know which direction he is steering, that is, either into or away from the current of Providence, and this is done by learning and practicing the commandments, the laws of order. But it may still be impossible to feel the operation of that Providence in itself, since this involves many hidden forces and effects. Let's just say by way of illustration that we might think we are in a terrible state of the doldrums (which is a sailor's term meaning no wind, hence no progress), but because of our commitment to the spiritual laws of order, we are actually in the very center of a strong current drawing us toward heaven. If we look down we do not appear to be moving at all, but if we look out to the landmarks around us, and especially if we look up to heavenly things, we will realize how forcefully the Lord is with us.

     Perhaps not many of us have experienced an ocean's current far from land. Most of us, though, can picture ourselves in a rowboat or a raft or canoe gliding peacefully along on a wide river. Let's think of ourselves leaning back or lying down in that vessel now. All is quiet and perfectly still, or so it seems until we pass swiftly under an overarching tree.

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And suddenly we see how we are being carried along. At this point we may be stirred to action-to make sure we don't go somewhere we don't want to go, or we may be soothed by the delightful feeling of making progress without any effort.
     Of course, there is no real progress without effort, so the analogy is only valid insofar as we bear in mind the determination necessary in the first place to get into the current. But there is also another way of looking at this picture in order to get a more comprehensive view, and that is to see all the elements in it as aspects of ourselves: we are not just the raft or the person on the raft being swept away by some outside force, but we are the raft and the river and the tree, and whatever other features we may find in the vision. This seems strange at first, maybe partly because we find it easier to blame outside forces for our life's direction than to take responsibility ourselves. But the New Church encourages us to take this more comprehensive view. We read, "Every delight that anyone has is from his love, nor can delight come from any other source. To act from the delight of love is to act from freedom, for a person is led by delight as something that is borne along by the current of a river" (DP 73, emphasis added).
     Here we find that the main current in the river of life is the delight of love operating silently within our hearts. The raft or vessel is the thinking part of ourselves, thinking either from the delight of love or about it as we glide along with the flow. In this view the surrounding landmarks, such as the over-arching tree, are the knowledges and perceptions that come to our awareness as indicators of our progress and direction. "Thought flows on its own delight like a ship in the current of a river. . ." (DP 198; see also DP 296:9).
     Even the obstacles, the rocks, the driftwood and the falls that interrupt the flow of our delight on this journey, are things within our own character that stand in the way of fulfillment and rest. These may be incorrect or useless ideas, harmful, disruptive tendencies, fear and self- centeredness-all sorts of things that may cause violent swings of emotion, damage to spiritual life and even total prevention of progress. Just think of how we get stuck in the eddies and backwaters of life, spinning around and around, getting nowhere fast, and why? Not because someone or something outside of ourselves pushed us aside, but simply because we turned aside to do something irrelevant, or fell asleep while we were meant to be steering toward the Lord's purpose.
     Here, now, is the fundamental question for the day: If the Divine Providence is like a river or a current in the ocean carrying us along toward what is good, and if our own delights are also like a river carrying us along toward whatever feels good, how is it that the Lord truly governs in our lives?

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The answer is that He governs most gently by influencing our loves, little by little, to get us on course, never forcing us but always providing us with new opportunities to recognize and follow His Word. We are not made to change suddenly (we are not created that way), but since we start out selfish and natural, we need to change our course as if of ourselves to get to heaven. So we read, "If man saw clearly the operations of the Divine Providence, he would go contrary to God and also deny Him, because man is in the delight of self-love, and this delight constitutes his very life. Therefore, when he is kept in the delight of his life, he is in his freedom, for freedom and that delight make one. If therefore he perceived that he is constantly being led away from his delight, he would be enraged as against one who desired to destroy his life, and would regard Him as an enemy. In order to prevent this the Lord does not manifestly appear in His Divine Providence, but by it leads man as silently as an imperceptible stream or favoring current bears a vessel along" (DP 186).
     Perhaps this seems deceptive of the Lord, but remember, no one is forced against his will. Rather we are drawn along by the power of love if we are willing, and the Lord moves us in His Spirit if we cooperate with Him. So as Paul said in the book of Romans, "we know that all things work together for good to those who love God. . ." (8:28), even though there may be an appearance of great danger and loss. Again, as Paul said, "If God is for us, who can be against us?" (Romans 8:31). Who indeed but ourselves if we turn against Him?
     "Be it known that insofar as anyone is in the stream of Providence, so far he is in a state of peace; also that insofar as anyone is in a state of peace from the good of faith, so far he is in the Divine Providence" (AC 8478:4).
     This is something to think about from the Lord no matter how or where the duties of life may carry us, no matter what the obstacles may be, no matter who may say otherwise. "Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the path of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful, but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in His law he meditates day and night. He shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that brings forth its fruit in its season, whose leaf also shall not wither; and whatever he does shall prosper" (Psalm 1).
Amen.

     Lessons: Psalm 46, TCR 350, 652, AC 8855, AR 756

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LESSONS

"The Lord draws all people to Himself, but as angels and men are finite, they can follow the current of the attraction only according to their measure, although the force of the attraction persists to infinity" (TCR 350).

"There is actually a sphere proceeding continually from the Lord and filling the entire spiritual and natural worlds which raises all toward heaven. It is like a strong current in the ocean which unobservedly draws a vessel. All who believe in the Lord and live according to His precepts enter that sphere or current and are elevated, while those who do not believe are unwilling to enter but withdraw themselves to the sides, and are there carried away by a current that sets toward hell" (TCR 652).

"A man has as the end that which he loves above all things; in each and all things he has regard to this; it is in his will like the hidden current of a river which draws and bears him away, even when he is doing something else, for it is what animates him" (AC 8855).

"Man does not know that hell is in the affections of the love of evil, and heaven in the affections of the love of good. He does not know and perceive it because the lusts of the love of evil derive from heredity that they are delightful in the will and thence are pleasant in the understanding; and a man does not reflect upon that which is delightful and pleasant because it leads his mind along, as the current of a swift river carries a vessel. Wherefore they who have immersed themselves in those delights and pleasures cannot come to the delights and pleasures of the affections of the love of good and truth any otherwise than as those who urge the oars against the current of the swift river with the strong power of the arms. But it is otherwise with those who have not immersed themselves deeply" (AR 756).
NCL 50 YEARS AGO 1989

NCL 50 YEARS AGO 1989

The May issue of 1939 begins with a six-page article by Rev. Alfred Acton on why Swedenborg discarded his anonymity, putting his name on the book Conjugial Love. Acton's final sentence is, "Perhaps another man or a future age will have greater light on this subject."

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YOU DO UNDERSTAND THE WORD 1989

YOU DO UNDERSTAND THE WORD Rev. GLENN G. ALDEN 1989

     When people listen to a minister expound the "spiritual sense" of the Word, they are sometimes very impressed, perhaps delighted, and yet rather overwhelmed by his ability, because of his background knowledge and experience, to see things they feel they could never see on their own. They may even become discouraged in their attempts to read the Word, feeling that they get so little out of it. In response to this feeling, I wanted to write about the nature of the Word, or how the Lord talks to us.
     The Word of God is truly a wonderful thing. If you look at it externally, as if it were any other book, especially if you don't believe in its power or Divinity, you might not see how it is any better than books by other writers. And yet for hundreds of generations, children and old men, wise and simple people have read this book, and the Lord has talked to them through its pages. People who know that the Word has a spiritual sense and who know the science of correspondences have read this book, and they have seen glimpses of the wisdom of the angels. And people who have never heard of the spiritual sense or correspondence, and yet who believed that it is God's Word, have read this book, and they too have seen glimpses of the wisdom of the angels.
     God speaks to all His children, on every level of human understanding at the same time. The words they hear with their ears, or see with their eyes, are the words of the written Word. Just as I can only communicate my mind to your mind through some medium, such as speech, facial expression, writing, body language or touch, so God can only communicate His mind to our minds through some ultimate medium. That medium is the written Word.
     Every word that you and I speak or write has an inner sense and an inmost sense-we could call them a spiritual and a celestial sense. For the words I speak express or contain my ideas. Those ideas are the inner sense of my words. On a still higher level the words I speak express my love or caring for my listener, and for the subject I am speaking about. What is even more amazing, you understand the inner and inmost senses of my words according to your own state of life. If I were talking to you about computers, you might understand the literal sense of what I was saying or you might not, depending on whether you had enough knowledges about computers to follow my ideas. But that would only be scratching the surface. Why was I talking about computers?

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What is the real message of my thoughts? Perhaps I am excited about the many ways that modern science can serve the Lord in helping to spread the Word. This might be something of the inner sense of what I was saying. If, as you listened to my speech about computers, you also loved to share the Word with other people, you might suddenly get a glimpse of what I was really thinking about. On the other hand, if you cared not at all for the use of the Word, you would never understand what I was really talking about, even if you knew more than I do about computers.
     And finally, within this inner message lies hidden the things I love. And most of all, when I talk, that is what I want to communicate to you-the things I love. And if you love the same things as I do, you will get the message, and you will feel that inmost, celestial sense of my words. But if you hate me, or if you do not love the things that I love, you will never feel what i feel as I am talking, even if you do understand the words I am saying.
     The words we speak are like tools we use to communicate our ideas and loves. If we don't speak the same language, or if one of us is ignorant about a certain subject, communication will be difficult. But the more we share the same inner loves, the less those external problems will limit our communication. There are many stories about travelers in foreign countries who couldn't speak a word of the language and yet met and fell in love with, and even proposed to and married, someone from that foreign country. They were able to communicate even though the words were lacking. They found other ways to share their interest and excitement in the things they both loved which brought them together.
     All that I have just said about human speech applies to the Lord's Word and more. God speaks and His words are contained in the written Word, in the Sacred Scriptures and the Writings. Those words are carefully crafted by the Lord so that they can communicate something of the Divine to even the most sensual and simple of individuals. At the same time, angels in the spiritual and celestial heavens are seeing the Lord's ideas clearly, and they are being moved by His loves.
     The human mind is comprised of levels or degrees that are discretely different and distinct. The degrees of the human mind parallel the degrees of heaven and reflect the relationship between heaven and the world. There is a fixed relationship between the degrees of human life. This relationship is called correspondence. Our words and actions correspond to our thoughts. This is why thought in the mind is able to move the body to action. And on a higher level, our thoughts correspond to our loves, so our loves generate thoughts in our minds, and through the thoughts they cause actions in our bodies. Correspondence is the link that enables something on the level of the spirit to move something on the level of the body.

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We all know some correspondential relationships. We know that if someone smiles, he is thinking happy or funny thoughts and is feeling joy or pleasure. We know that if he cries, he is thinking sad thoughts and feeling unhappy. All people know many correspondences, even though they may never have heard of correspondence. Someone else talks and very often they know by his facial expressions or body language what he is thinking and feeling, whether he is lying to them, whether he really cares about what he is saying. And they can do this even though they don't really know the correspondences at work. Correspondence is a reality. It is a fixed law of the relationship between the mind and the body, the spiritual and the natural. Swedenborg didn't invent correspondence any more than Newton invented gravity.
     When we say that the Word is written according to correspondences, we are saying that the Word is addressed to every level of the mind at once. The Lord is talking to our loves, our spiritual ideas, and our natural thought, in the knowledges of the written revelation. The literal sense contains and expresses the spirit and power of the Lord's love. Correspondence is the language that the Lord uses.
     The Lord is trying to talk to us in the written Word. How much we understand depends upon our state. To a certain degree, how much we understand is affected by how much we know. The more we know about the background and history of the Bible, the better we will understand the literal sense, or the Lord's message to our natural minds. And the more we know about the language of correspondence, the more fully and richly we will see spiritual and celestial ideas, if our minds and hearts are open. But we should remember that sometimes little children who are in innocence see the Lord in His Word more clearly than adults do as they hear the Word.
     Doctrine is also important to our understanding of the Word. If our minds are confused by false doctrines, like a trinity of three persons in God, or that man is saved by faith alone, it will be difficult for us to see the truth of the Word as we read it. Everything we read should be read in the context of true doctrine, which we can draw from the Word in places like the two great commandments, where that doctrine stands forth plainly.
     Sometimes we get discouraged in our reading of the Word, especially the Writings, because we feel as if we are understanding so little. But I think we should remember that there is much more to hearing the Lord's message than a clear, rational understanding of what He has to say. The thing that encourages me the most is the teaching that while we are in the world, even if we think naturally about the Word with our natural minds, still our internal mind is in the spiritual world and understands the spiritual sense of the Word.

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So we read in Arcana 5614:2:

If you will believe it, the interior thought itself of the man who is in good apprehends this [spiritual sense], because this thought is in the internal sense, although while in the body the man is deeply ignorant of it; for unknown to him the internal sense, that is, the spiritual sense, which is of the interior thought, falls into material and sensuous ideas that partake of time and space and of such things as are in the world, and therefore it does not appear that his interior thought is of such a nature; for his interior thought is like that of the angels, his spirit being in company with them. That the thought of the man who is in good is according to the internal sense may be seen from the fact that when after death he comes into heaven, he at once without any information is in the internal sense, and this could not be unless as to his interior thought he had been in this sense while in the world.

As you read the Word, your spirit receives what the Lord is saying beyond what you realize. And then, if you are shunning evils, and if you love the Lord and the neighbor, the ideas of your spirit come down into your natural thought. They may only come down a little bit; you may only understand a little. It will depend upon your state of mind, the correspondences you know, and the falsities you still believe, but it will come down. The Lord will give you the insight you need to change your life for the better.
CPO MANAGER POSITION 1989

CPO MANAGER POSITION 1989

     Applications are solicited to fill the position of Manager of the Consolidated Plant Operation. The Manager is responsible for an organization that maintains most of the church-related facilities in the Bryn Athyn area, including grounds, buildings and equipment.
     The job requires strong skills in management and interpersonal relationships. An engineering background and familiarity with construction are desirable.
     Interested persons should write promptly to Neil M. Buss, Box 278, Bryn Athyn, PA 19009.

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INTRIGUING NUMBER (MFP 35) 1989

     At this point in time I am three years into "the age of wisdom" whatever that means. I have searched avidly for signs of it (wisdom, that is) in myself, but all I've come up with is a big, fat zero. Maybe that's what becoming wise is: the realization that you aren't.
     In this connection, one of the numbers in the Word that has intrigued me is n. 178 of Divine Providence. The general subject under treatment is the fifth law of Providence: ". . . that nothing of the operation of Divine Providence should be evident to man's perception or senses, but that he should nevertheless know about it and acknowledge it." Within this general subject, the specific context of n. 178 treats of the destructive effect upon our "freedom in accordance with reason" that a sure knowledge of future events would have: "Anything that a man loves he wills to possess in effect, and he leads himself to it by means of his reason. Also . . . everything that a man contemplates in his reason is from a love for it to come into effect by means of his thought. If, therefore, he knew the effect or event by Divine prediction, his reason would cease to act, and with it his love; for love comes to rest with the reason in the effect, and from the effect then begins anew. Reason's essential delight is to see from love the effect in the thought, not after but before the effect is attained-that is, not in the present but in the future. This is the source of what is called hope, which increases and decreases in the reason in proportion as the man sees or anticipates the event. The delight is made complete in the event; and thereafter it [the delight] fades away, along with thought belonging to it. Thus would it be if the event were foreknown. . . Thus the very life of the mind would be diminished and pass away if the event were foretold" (DP 178).
     Read this number over several times, phrase by phrase; then pause and think about what each of those phrases is saying, and you will discover that this seemingly complicated series describes a very common occurrence in human life. Let's start with the assumption that there is something we want very, very much; the more we want it, the more we think about and plan how to get it in our reasoning faculty. Our mind becomes increasingly filled with hope and anticipation from the delight of our love or desire in our reason or thought. We are tremendously stimulated emotionally in and through our reason to achieve our objective in its ultimate fulfillment-its effect. Finally-success! We get what we wanted. Oh, happy, happy day! Hope is fulfilled; anticipation is rewarded.

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All our thinking and planning can be put aside, and we can simply savor and enjoy the fruits of our labor.

     Time passes, more or less, depending on our state. And then a strange thing begins to happen. Almost imperceptibly at first, we begin to feel restive. The long desired and cherished goal which we had achieved previously somehow fails to give us the satisfaction, the delight, the happiness that it had done before. Something stirs restlessly deep within us; we feel a gradually growing sense of undelight, a kind of emptiness. Life goes on as before; so far as we can see, nothing significant has changed, yet something within us is changing. We no longer feel happy as we did before. We don't feel really unhappy either, just kind of blah. Something has gotten lost along the way. It is our sense of wanting something, and hence our planning and working for it in and through our powers of reason; and from this a growing delight of new hope and anticipation in regard to the fulfillment of our love's desire. Our love stirs with increasing restlessness and frustration as it looks in vain for a new end, a new objective, that it may work toward. This continuation of our life's love necessitates that it be born anew as the beginning of each new state.
     There was something that piqued my interest the first few times I read this number. It was a frustrating experience because I could sense that there is something in this series that has a very practical application, but I couldn't figure out what it is. After trying a number of times to dig it out with my own intellectual acumen, I abandoned the search and stopped reading the number and thinking about it.
     Then, as has so often been the case, it happened. I was reflecting on the difference between "equilibrium" and "freedom" for a college class on the Divine Providence and suddenly, like a flash of lightning, n. 178 was there, filling my mind, and with it the answer I had searched and searched for without success. If we were to know the future from Divine prediction (the number says), love would cease, reason would become totally inactive, and all hope and anticipation would die. The problem, and the danger, is that we can do this to ourselves! We can all too easily assume the place of "Divine prediction" in relation to our own lives. We can say to ourselves: "I'll never achieve what I want to achieve." "I'll never become what I want to become." "I always do or say the wrong thing." "I'll never be good enough to go to heaven." "I'll never find a man/woman who can love me the way I need to be loved." "I'll never have friends." "I'll never be happy," etc., etc.
     What are we doing here? We are predicting our own future. We are pushing the Lord aside and making, as it were, our own "Divine prediction" in reference to our life.

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We are absolutely certain that these self-predictions concerning our future life will come to pass; there is no way to escape their inevitability because we have locked ourselves into those self-predictions just as surely as if the Lord Himself had predicted them to us. We are literally stuck with our self-predictions because we have made them with absolute assurance, just as if the Lord had foretold our future.
     Is there a way out of these self-created and self-fulfilling predictions? Yes, there is, but it isn't going to be easy. The first thing we have to do is recognize and acknowledge that we are, indeed, in a most serious dilemma, that the dilemma is, in fact, self-created, self-perpetuating, and self-fulfilling; and that as long as we remain in the dilemma, it will increasingly tighten its grip on us and cause our attitude, both toward the Lord and toward ourselves, to become increasingly negative and self-defeating in relation to everything of real value that He has made available to us to fight the battles of spiritual temptation against the hells.
     We must not allow ourselves to predict our own future by unwarranted negative attitudes toward ourselves, either in terms of our past, our present, or our future-negative attitudes in reference to our own worth or our own potential. For in such a total "downer" our self-assessment will fail to see the positive "messages"-the opportunities-that the Lord, by means of His all-knowing and all-powerful Providence, is continually sending our way. We will see only our self-predicted negatives; the positives will pass us by, unseen and therefore unresponded to. And so, sadly, the Lord will have to lead us by means of those self-predicted negatives, because they are the only things we give Him to lead us by in freedom. I say "sadly" because it is all unnecessary as far as anything that is of or in the Lord is concerned. We make it necessary by our negative attitudes toward ourselves, and therefore in our relationship with Him.
     I believe it is primarily in regard to this self-inflicted block between us and the Lord's leading that the Heavenly Doctrines show two faces. In instructing us concerning the steps of repentance, they tell us to look for the hidden evils that motivate our thoughts and actions. At the same time, outside of and as it were apart from the repentance series (whose focus is the ferreting out and combat against evils) they speak in a number of places (volumes) of "signs" or "indications" whereby a man may know that he is in a genuine state of spiritual enlightenment or spiritual good.
     Well, I could go on and on. I'm sure that in the minds of many of you I hate already gone on and on. Too bad. Your editor asked me to write, so I wrote. Any complaints should be heaped on his head, not mine.

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Finally, back to n. 178. This number has many extensions and ramifications, both as to the spiritual principle it enunciates and as to a whole host of natural applications, a few of which I have only touched on here, many of which I have not gone into at all. I leave these further extensions and ramifications to your reflection. Have fun with it.

[Photo of Rev. Dandridge Pendleton]
NEW BOOK AVAILABLE 1989

NEW BOOK AVAILABLE 1989

As we go to print we are assured that a new book, The Journey of Life, by Rev. Tom Kline will shortly be published. We will supply more information later, but you may wish to contact the General Church Book Center about it now. (See the Book Center ad on the last page of this issue.)

216

ANGER 1989

ANGER Rev. JOHN L. ODHNER 1989

     FIFTH IN A SERIES OF ARTICLES

     Take Responsibility for Your Anger

     This is the third of the three steps I suggest for dealing with anger. The first step, becoming aware of your anger and accepting it, focuses on being in touch with your feelings. The second step focuses on understanding your feelings. This third step is oriented toward making a decision and taking action as a result of the first two steps.
     Taking responsibility for your anger can mean different things in different situations, depending on circumstances, the nature of your anger, and the kind of person you are. Some of the options listed below will apply to any kind of anger; others will apply only to specific kinds of anger or specific situations. I will leave it to you to decide which suggestion may be appropriate for your situation.

     Don't Feel Guilty; Take Responsibility!

     A common response to angry feelings is guilty feelings. We may feel guilty because we believe that all anger is bad, or because we know our anger has hurt someone, or because we suspect that others disapprove of our anger. The Writings speak of guilt in both positive and negative ways. On the one hand, one should believe that evil is from hell, and "not appropriate evil to himself and make himself guilty of it"(DP 320). On the other hand, during repentance one is "to acknowledge his evils, to make himself guilty, and to condemn himself on account of them" (NJHD 160). Clearly these passages are referring to two different kinds of guilt, one unhealthy, the other healthy. Actually the Latin word for "guilty" (reus) could be translated as "responsible." "Taking responsibility" is perhaps a better way to describe the healthy kind of guilt.
     Feelings of guilt are one of the key weapons the hells use to destroy our spiritual life. They love to burden our consciences with things no one should feel guilty about (see AC 5386, 5724, SD 1240-1242), and to cause doubt and discouragement by bringing to mind our past evils (see AC 737). This kind of guilt may stop us from expressing the anger, yet it will not get to the root of the anger and will probably result in the anger increasing, because it does not lead to any real change.
     The following chart is a summary of my own sense of the difference between feeling guilty and taking responsibility.

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Feeling Guilty                    Taking Responsibility
(unhealthy guilt)               (healthy guilt)
involves. . .                    involves. . .

feeling of shame               feeling of humility, sorrow
desire to hide                    willingness to confess
fear of admitting problem     facing up to problem
being paralyzed               getting mobilized
staying stuck                    changing
looking backward               looking forward
asking, "Who is to blame?"     asking, "What can I do?"
feeling trapped               being free

     Don't Blame Others; Give Them Responsibility

     One of the most common responses to anger is to blame. Blaming other people for their behavior involves an assumption that they are choosing to behave that way, and a judgment that they are bad for behaving that way. We blame other people for hurting us, we blame them for making us angry. Or if they are angry at us, we blame them for being angry.
     Sometimes people will try to give up responsibility for their own anger by blaming others. They may say, "You are really making me angry." They may be trying to get you to change so that they will not be angry. Whether or not you need to change your behavior, you are not responsible for the other person's feelings. It is not up to you to make the person angry or make the person happy.
     Giving another person responsibility means allowing him to make a decision when you are angry. Sometimes we get angry at other people, but we never confront them. We assume they are hurting us intentionally or we expect them to know what we are upset about by reading our minds. We resent them and blame them, but we do not clearly communicate our anger to them. They may sense that something is wrong in the relationship, and yet not have any idea that we are angry with them. The anger festers as hidden resentment. We may think, If I showed my anger he would just leave. Or, I'm sure she couldn't care less whether I am angry. When we do this, we are deciding for the other person how he or she will respond to our anger.
     This kind of behavior puts us in a trap. By blaming others for our anger, we tell ourselves, It's his fault-I can't do anything about it. When we fail to confront the other person, or fail to give him a real choice about how to respond to our anger, we are saying in effect, I know he doesn't care-he would do the wrong thing anyway.

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Of course the result is that no one does anything about the anger. Blaming and not giving responsibility is a sure way to stay stuck in your anger.
     The desire to blame others comes from a lack of charity. "Those who have no charity . . . wish to try everyone and indeed to pass judgment on them. Their one desire is to discover what is evil in them, all the time having it in mind to condemn, punish, and torment. But those who have charity hardly notice the evil in another person, but instead notice all the goods and truths that are his; and on his evils and falsities they place a good interpretation" (AC 1079).
     The Lord never blames and never gives credit. "The Divine Providence . . . does not appropriate good to anyone, for good would thus become meritorious; nor does it appropriate evil to anyone, for thus it would make him guilty of the evil" (DP 321).
     Giving others responsibility also means allowing them to experience the consequences of their decisions. A woman is angry with her husband for abusing her, yet she keeps tolerating the abusive behavior in hopes that he may change if she just tries harder. He needs to experience the consequences of his behavior, whether that means getting locked out, coming home to an empty house, or going to jail.

     Be Grateful

     It is easier to deal with evil and hurt if we avoid unhealthy guilt and blame. This is based on the teaching that "If man believed, as is the truth, that all good and truth are from the Lord, and all evil and falsity from hell, he would not appropriate good to himself and make it meritorious, nor would he appropriate evil to himself and make himself guilty of it" (DP 320). The other side of this teaching is, of course, that we should avoid taking credit for the good we do.
     Very often anger is associated with thoughts of "merit," feelings that we deserve something for what we have done or been through, or that someone "owes" us. We might feel like a martyr: "Don't you see how much I've suffered? Think of my needs!" We might feel like a saint: "Look how good I've been to you!" Or perhaps like a savior: "You would be nothing without me! Where's your gratitude?" We have sweated, suffered and sacrificed, and now we feel we have a right to expect something back. We want what's coming to us.
     Usually all that comes is a big load of resentments. Chances are that the person we have been slaving and suffering for didn't want to be slaved or suffered over, doesn't have a lot of respect for martyrs and saints, and doesn't feel like paying in kind for all our hurts and labor. So we feel cheated, hurt, resentful, angry. The painful way to have our needs met is to be a martyr or saint in order to maneuver someone else into taking care of us.

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It's more healthy to take care of our own needs so that the things we do for others are freely given.
     The feeling that someone "owes" us destroys the free giving and receiving that is basic to a caring relationship. Placing merit in the work we do "conceals evils of which the doer is completely ignorant," such as a denial of God's working and grace in the person, looking for reward, destruction of love for the Lord and the neighbor, and the elimination of the joy of love freely given (see TCR 439).
     The antidote for this is to acknowledge the Lord: "in the doing of charity a person does not place merit in works so long as he believes that all good is from the Lord" (ibid.). Believing that good is from the Lord means seeing it as a gift. Note that it says all good, not just the good that is given to us, but the good we do as we work; not just the good in ourselves, but the good in the other person too. Even the strength we have to sweat and withstand suffering is a gift from the Lord. Remembering this and believing it makes resentments melt away, and brings the joy of freely giving because we have freely received.
     "If you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. And if you lend to those from whom you hope to receive back, what credit is that to you? for even sinners lend to sinners to receive as much back. But love your enemies, do good, and lend, hoping for nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Highest. For He is kind to the unthankful and evil" (Luke 6:33-35).

     Look Beyond the Behavior

     Many people "deal" with anger simply by avoiding any display of it. Their rule is "Anger is bad. Never show anger." One of the problems to this approach is that it never gets to the root of the anger, never solves the problem, and leaves us open to the same kind of anger in the future. Simply looking at our angry behavior is not sufficient.
     As we have seen earlier, the zeal of a good love and the zeal of an evil love may be expressed in similar behaviors. On the other hand, unhealthy anger may smolder beneath the surface unrecognized. For these reasons it is important that we look beyond the behavior to the attitudes and motives behind it.
     "True repentance is examining not only the actions of one's life, but also the intentions of one's will . . . . It is the will and thought that sin when the body sins. A person can in fact repent of evils that he has done in body, and still think and will evil; but this is like cutting off the trunk of a bad tree, and leaving its root in the ground, from which the same bad tree grows up again, and spreads forth its branches" (TCR 532).

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     Recognize the Consequences of Anger

     "For every idle word men may speak they will give account of it in the judgment" (Matt. 12:36). "Every least moment of a person's life has a continuous series of consequences to eternity" (AC 3854:3, 6490, 5122e, SD 2483, 2629, 2714, 3403).
     Anger is not "just words." It is a powerful emotion. Anger can hurt. Anger can help. A father is angry with his young child and loses control. He beats the child. The mother watches but does nothing, trapped by her own shame, fear and lack of resources. The consequence of the father's anger is that the child dies. But perhaps if the mother could have been in touch with her own anger, a healthy, zealous, protective anger, the child could have lived.
     There are many other situations in which the hurt caused by anger is much less obvious and still quite devastating. When anger leads to insults, putdowns, name-calling or sarcasm, it can leave deep emotional scars, even though there was no physical hurt. On the other hand, if someone is being hurt emotionally or socially, healthy anger expressed assertively may bring the hurt to an end and pave the way for healing.

     Make a Decision

     Part of taking responsibility for your anger is deciding how to respond. Often anger is an automatic reaction to a situation. For some people the automatic response is yelling. Kids fight: yell, "Stop fighting!" Door open: yell, "Who left the door open?!" Anything happens: yell. Don't think, just yell. For other people the automatic response is stewing, worrying. Why did she say that? How could she be so mean? How will I face her? What will I say? Boy, I'd like to tell her off. Over and over and over. Don't think, just worry. Or the reaction might be to overeat, or to drink, or to withdraw, or to be violent.
     The most precious gifts the Lord gives us, and the most important keys to dealing with anger, are freedom and rationality (see DP 71-99). Think things through, make a decision, and act on it. Change does not happen automatically. It only happens when we intentionally direct it. There are many possible ways to respond to our anger. Make your own choice about which one is best.

     Focus on Yourself

     Often our anger results from our needs not being met. If you did not get enough sleep, have not been eating right, have been working too hard, or are suffering in a relationship with someone else, you may feel anger that will not go away until those needs are met.

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We often feel anger when anything or anyone hurts us or hurts someone we love. In distinguishing healthy anger from unhealthy anger, it was noted that healthy anger comes from a love for others, while unhealthy anger comes from a love of self. If this is applied superficially, it can be misleading. We may think that when we try to change others' hurtful behavior it comes from a desire for their welfare, when in fact it may come from a need to control them (love of dominion), which is not healthy. Beneath the surface our reason for needing to change them may be so that we can maneuver them into meeting our needs.
We might think that it would be selfish if we were to stop being so concerned about changing the other person and pay attention to getting our needs met directly through our own efforts. However, it is healthier to meet our own needs for the sake of becoming more useful to others than it is to meet others' needs with the hope that they will in turn serve us (see NJHD 97, 98, 150-158).

(To be continued)
PITFALLS IN TRANSLATING THE WRITINGS 1989

PITFALLS IN TRANSLATING THE WRITINGS Rev. N. BRUCE ROGERS 1989

     (Concluded)

     Failure to Paragraph or Improper Paragraphing

     Modern readers prefer more paragraphing than was customary in the past. Indeed, the shorter and more frequent the paragraphs are, the easier they are to read. More paragraphing, I think, is wanted, but the divisions have to be made carefully. Just as a lack of paragraphing can sometimes obscure the thought, so can divisions made seemingly arbitrarily, independently of the line of thought.
     In his treatments, Swedenborg often appears almost to have been following an outline. The translator also has to think in outline form therefore-to detect the outline in the original before him, and to reflect it in the paragraphing he introduces.
     Swedenborg's punctuation provides help here, because he frequently used colons and periods to mark these divisions, at least in his published works-colons to mark lesser divisions, and periods to mark greater ones.

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Very often the translator can simply introduce new paragraphs at these points and accurately represent the development of thought.
     A pitfall here, however, is to think again that because this is generally true, it is always true. It is not always true; and sometimes the line of thought requires some other division. Swedenborg's punctuation does provide a fairly reliable guide, but the best counsel is to always find the outline and to let this make the determination.

     Inadvertent Doctrinal Errors

     In addition to mistakes in style and format, attempts to modernize the language of the Writings in translation can further result in errors of meaning and doctrine.
     Some of these errors of meaning may be owing to linguistic errors, when, through rephrasing, the original connections between words are changed and new connections substituted, so that precision of meaning is lost and the meaning even altered. Mishandling of phrasing either through misinterpretation or faulty writing may result in incorrect twists of meaning, so that descriptive statements are turned into prescriptive ones, for example, or vice versa.
     Some errors may result from a failure to interpret in context. The functions of clauses in context may be missed, for example. Consecutive clauses may be mistaken for final ones, or relative clauses of characteristic for simple relative clauses, and vice versa.
     Some errors may result from mistaken interpretation. Initial misinterpretations appealing to the translator may blind him to intended meanings. Modern concepts may interfere with interpretation and new ideas slipped in where they do not belong. Personal ideology either individually developed or gained from other educational training may impose theses which are foreign to the material.
     Ignorance of English usage and failure to check accepted definitions may lead to unfortunate word choices in writing, and choices that do not convey the right meaning. Misconceptions of the connotation of words can have a similar effect.
     All of these kinds of errors have turned up in contemporary translations-some of them, I must confess, in my own. I have learned from experience to rely on my Latin consultants and English readers to help me catch, I hope, the majority of them.
     More difficult to identify, however, are what I have come to call inadvertent errors of doctrine, errors not due to misinterpretation of the immediate material, but unwitting mistakes in phrasing which contradict doctrine delivered elsewhere.

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Even in the hands of expert linguists, inadvertent errors of this sort are almost inescapable-indeed, they are certain to appear-unless the translator or his consultants are at the same time experts in the doctrine as a whole, both in general and in particular.
     To successfully translate the work of any author, the translator has to make himself closely familiar with the background, viewpoints and thinking of the author, so familiar that he can, as it were, think along with the author and view things from his standpoint in the context of his life and world. So, for example, to become a successful translator of Cicero, he has to become first not only an expert in reading classical Latin, but also an expert in Cicero's particular life and times, his philosophy, his politics, his friends and enemies, his ways of expressing himself, and so on. As any experienced classicist knows, failure to do this inevitably results in mistakes in interpretation.
     It is the same with the Writings. One who is going to translate them cannot be too knowledgeable in the doctrine. By doctrine I do not mean the doctrine as drawn by or interpreted by any particular body of the church, but the doctrine as formulated and expressed by Swedenborg himself. The translator must make himself personally familiar with the entire corpus of the Writings and the doctrines in them, not so as to impose his own ideas, but to allow them to speak to him and through him, his own predilections and the predilections of others cast aside. To this he needs to add also knowledge of Swedenborg's personal mind-set and views as developed and expressed in his pre-theological works, in the context of his life and times. Even so, some errors of interpretation will creep in, but failure to become expert in these respects will inevitably make these errors all the more marked and frequent. Even if the translator avails himself of doctrinal consultants, not all doctrinal consultants are equally expert or as likely to consider the text as closely as the translator. There really is no completely satisfactory substitute here for the translator's own expertise in the doctrine.
     Expertise in the Latin, expertise in writing English or other target language, and now expertise in the doctrine-it all adds up to a tall order for a translator to fill. No wonder it is difficult to find translators adequate to the task. But the truth is that these are the requirements for successful translation, and it is a mistake to suppose otherwise. For the expert in the doctrine it is an error to suppose that he can translate if he is not at the same time an expert linguist. Conversely, however, for the expert linguist it is an error to suppose that he can translate if he is not at the same time an expert in the doctrine-or at least knowledgeable enough to avoid inadvertent mistakes which end up contradicting doctrine.

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     Treatment of Scriptural Quotations

     In the past, translators have customarily dealt with the Writings' quotations of Scripture by adhering to the language of the traditional King James Bible wherever possible. The temptation of the modern translator is to break free from this stricture and to employ renderings which seem to him in keeping with his general policies of translation. This bears examination. On the one hand, the language of the King James Bible is largely outmoded and has become often difficult, unintelligible, or misleading for the modern reader. On the other hand, quotations are not made to be different from their source but to cite the source, and unfamiliar renderings different from those of any modern Bible are unlikely to suggest that their authority rests with the source. Indeed, readers of variant renderings are left to wonder whether variations from the versions of the Bibles they know are variations intended by Swedenborg or variations introduced by the translator.
     It is, I think, another pitfall, therefore, to introduce unnecessary renderings not found in standard English translations. I should stress the word "unnecessary" because it is true that Scriptural quotations in the Writings sometimes differ in meaning from modern interpretations. Whether attributable to Schmidt, from whose Biblia Sacra came much of the wording in these quotations and the terminology used in Scriptural references, or whether attributable to alterations deliberately adopted by Swedenborg in variance from Schmidt, these differences in meaning must be reflected in translations and cannot be made to bow to modern interpretation. Unnecessary variations, however, are another matter. The reader ought not to be left to wonder about these when he finds them different from renderings in the Bibles with which he is acquainted or which are in general use in the world in which he moves. He ought to be allowed to have some indication when the differences really are differences in substance and not simply differences attributable to the personal tastes and preferences of the translator.
     Abandonment of the traditional King James Version in some places in the church makes the translator's policy here somewhat difficult. Even if he chooses to introduce variations in wording only when the variations really are owing to differences of substance in the Latin, he still has to decide now which English version of the Bible he will follow for his wording when there is no significant difference in substance. Which English Bible is presently used most generally in the English-speaking branches of the New Church? In the General Church it is now the New King James Bible. But what of other branches and in other places? What of the English-speaking world in general?

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     Since the King James Bible is still the most popularly used today, and since both the Revised Standard Version and, in the General Church, the New King James Version retain much of the essential wording of the King James Bible, these three seem to offer the currently most popular choices. They are for the most part also closer to the version produced by Sebastian Schmidt. Certain features of Schmidt's translation even suggest that he was acquainted with the King James Bible and may have been influenced by it.
     Whatever the decision, in order to provide the reader with some guide, it seems best that the translator adhere to some version, and he can do this if he specifies the version in some way, perhaps in a preface. The point is to provide the reader who does not read Latin, or who does not wish to have to consult the Latin, some reliable and available basis on which to distinguish variations in Scriptural quotations in the Writings that are variations in substance. To adopt a looser policy only introduces confusion and puts distance between the Writings' use of Scripture and the Scripture as it is otherwise known and used.

     Addendum

     This entire discussion is, as far as I know, the first of its type in the church for its extent. I have not had much in the way of antecedents to draw from in examining principles and warning of pitfalls in connection with translating the Writings. Like all first attempts, it will for that reason contain imperfections and shortcomings. We submit it accordingly not as a final statement but an introductory one, with the purpose not to close discussion but to open it.
     The common effort of translators is to serve the New Church and to promote knowledge and use of the Writings. If they can come to some agreements in their policies as translators, the church will benefit from the harmony. Where they cannot agree, at least they may be able to achieve some better understanding of why they cannot, which in turn may lead to some means of accommodation. The day and age is gone when we can afford to produce translations for our own individual constituencies, so to speak. Any means of accommodation and harmony that can be found must to some degree prove an advantage.
ALL EVIL TURNED TO GOOD 1989

ALL EVIL TURNED TO GOOD 1989

All the evil which the evil intend and do to the good is turned by the Lord into good.
Arcana Coelestia 4493:5

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"THESE SIGNS WILL FOLLOW. . . ." 1989

"THESE SIGNS WILL FOLLOW. . . ." Rev. NORMAN E. RILEY 1989

      "And these sings will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons: they will speak with new tongues; they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick and they will recover" (Mark 16:17)
     Many in this present age have taken these words from Mark's gospel, chapter 16, as their command to carry out the things mentioned in verses 17 and 18. Hence the widespread belief in what is called spiritual healing, speaking in tongues and, in some cases, taking up serpents.
     The question arises, "What is the attitude of the New Church toward this passage from the gospel of Mark?"
     I believe that a study of Apocalypse Explained number 948, and also of what the Lord taught at His first advent in respect to the Old Testament, furnishes us with an answer.
     With regard to AE 948 we are there shown that each age has been given a revelation of Divine truth that has been serviceable for its uses. And when the Lord came into the world He said, "it has been said by those of old time, . . . but I say to you. . . ." Also, after He had read from the book of the prophet Isaiah He said, "This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears." Although He did say. "I have not come to destroy the Law and the Prophets," He also said that He had come to fulfill them; to bring, that is, all that they contained into Himself. It was after His resurrection that He opened the understanding of His disciples that they might see in the Scriptures the things concerning Himself (see Luke's gospel, chapter 24).
     As it was at His first advent, so likewise has it been at His second. The former testaments have been fulfilled: their spiritual sense has now become the letter of the Word, in which He has made His coming: the Divine True from His Divine Human.
     All the healings, as indeed all the miracles, wrought by the Lord at His first coming were in connection with the work of redemption. When He left the world this work continued, for we read that it was of a threefold nature: (1) the subjugation of the hells, (2) the orderly arrangement of the heavens, and (3) the preparation for a new spiritual church. We also read that while the Lord was in the world He made His Human Divine Truth, but when He left the world. He united the Divine Good to the Divine Truth.
     The continuation of this work still required an ultimate representation in the world.

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It was for this reason that the disciples were given their commands.
     Now that the Lord has made His Human Divine, and has come again in the Divine True of His Divine Human, which is in the Word that is from Him and is Himself, the literal statement of Mark's gospel no longer applies. It is now the spiritual sense, presented in the letter of the Word for this age, which becomes the mandate for all who seek to follow the Lord alone.
     If men would look to the Word for this age, receive it as their sole authority in all the affairs of life, then they would be able to detect what is false within themselves, and also the false teachings being presented by those who claim to be born again in a single moment, and of those who believe that the Holy Spirit speaks to them directly, as is the case with the so-called New Age movements. For this is what is meant by casting out demons. When man follows the truth as presented in the letter of the Word for this age, the Lord is able to enlighten those truths within man and thereby give to him the ability to come into an internal understanding, open to the spiritual sense out of the Divine Human. This is to speak with new tongues; that is, a new doctrine, which will be spiritual out of a celestial origin. By means of the Word and out of its truths he will be able to shun the evils of the love of self and thereby receive a new, heavenly proprium from the Lord; this is to take up serpents. Against the truth, formed as a new way of life within man, evils and falsities will have no power. It is this which is meant by drinking any deadly thing which cannot hurt them. And finally where the internal has been made new according to the ruling loves of heaven, out of that internal a new external can be formed. This is to lay hands on the sick and they shall recover. Man is made whole not from externals but from internals, by the life of repentance, reformation and regeneration.
     Let us now read what the Lord Himself teaches. "Miracles are not wrought at this day as formerly, for they have a compelling influence and destroy freedom of choice in spiritual things, and cause a man from being spiritual to become natural. Since the Lord's advent, everyone has the capacity to become spiritual, and he is made spiritual solely by the Lord through the Word" (TCR 501).
     "Divine miracles proceed from Divine Truths and progress according to order, the effects in ultimates being miracles when it pleases the Lord that they should be exhibited in that form. . . . But magical miracles involve nothing whatever, being wrought by the evil to acquire to themselves power over others; and they appear in external form like Divine miracles. The reason they appear like this is that they flow from order, and order appears alike in the ultimates where miracles are exhibited; as, for example, the Divine Truth proceeding from the Lord has in it all power; hence it is that there is also power in truths in ultimates of order; therefore the evil acquire power to themselves by means of truths, and gain dominion over others" (AC 7337).

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     Divine miracles, it may be seen, are those done without the agency of man. The magical miracles are done by man invoking the Divine, yet they are only in touch with the diabolical crew, who succeed in bringing the miracle into effect by the misuse of the truth.
     The Lord also predicted that during the days of His second coming there would arise false Christs and false prophets who would deceive many. These things have come to pass and are to be witnessed in the many cults of our day.
     The lust of the hells is to seek to destroy everything of human worth, since the human is from the Lord Himself. By their deceit the hells endeavor to invade and persuade also those who have attached themselves to the cause of the New Church; this they do through the seeming overwhelming external evidence of the so-called miraculous healings, thus leading man to feel that "there must be something in it."
     The invitation of the Lord is to go to His Word, which far surpasses all revelations that have ever been, that man may come into the true belief of life.
NCL 100 YEARS AGO 1989

NCL 100 YEARS AGO 1989

     In 1889 this magazine had a feature called "News Gleanings." It is like "News Around the Church" which we are trying from time to time. In the May issue of 1889 we read about a publication in England.

     The Colchester New Church Monthly is a bright lantern of sound doctrine in England, even though it be the smallest of all New Church papers ever published. . . . In its April issue it contains an excellent, concise article by Mr. A. H. Appleton, showing seven reasons why Newchurchmen should separate themselves from Old Church organizations. The paper, which is sent gratis to any address, is well worthy of encouragement by all lovers of sound Doctrine, and the most practical way of giving this is to send it twenty-five cents per annum to cover the postage. This may be handed to Mr. Alfred Acton, agent.

     We calculate that Alfred Acton was then 22 years old. He had arrived from England two or three years previous to this. He was ordained in 1893, and from 1889 onward many studies by him appeared in this magazine (as witness, see NCL May issue 50 years ago).

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REPORT OF GENERAL CHURCH RELIGION LESSONS 1989

REPORT OF GENERAL CHURCH RELIGION LESSONS Rev. Frederick L. Schnarr 1989

     Last summer Bishop Peter Buss asked me to take over the directorship of the Religion Lessons program. What I have found, in an effort to get an overview of the entire program, are things extremely positive and exciting, as well as things that need a good deal of attention and development.
     One of the most positive and rewarding aspects of all this work is the caliber and dedication of the women who are faithfully creating and operating the different programs. Thanks to the leadership of Mrs. Robert Frazier, our various departments have been well staffed. Bonnie gives supervisory help to the following committees:

- Family Lessons Committee-Barbara Buick, chairman
- Festival Lessons Committee-Nancy Ebert, chairman
- Grade Lessons Committee-Bonnie Frazier, chairman
- Pre-school Lessons Committee-Peggy Mergen, chairman

     In an adjunctive relationship to these uses is the work done by Myra Asplundh with Sunday School materials, and the work done by the director with adult education.
     That most of these programs are still operating strongly is a credit to the volunteer time and effort these women and many others commit to these uses. Many children, especially those of preschool and primary ages, are using these materials. Some 330 children of all ages receive lessons through these programs.
     One of the exciting things on our schedule for next year is to continue redoing the grade lessons in an effort to more fully coordinate our lessons with the programs and projects of our New Church schools.

     A review of where we are, however, given the changing cultural times in which we live, and the accompanying changes in our family life practices and habits, suggests that we have to look closely at ways of meeting new states and new needs. I believe we have some serious matters to address, especially with lessons for our high school age students. In a report published in the Theta Alpha Journal in 1960 Rev. Karl R. Alden observed, "How to capture the imagination and cooperation of our high school students still remains an unsolved mystery."
     Since the sixties the high school participation in our lesson programs has steadily declined. Is this because high school students are negative to religion? A recent sampling of communications with them showed this is not the case. In fact, it shows a very affirmative state exists with most.

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     The problem is obviously complex, and there undoubtedly is not one simple answer. We are researching this matter in detail and noting with great interest the video lesson experiment being undertaken through the Midwest Academy with various groups of 9th and 10th grade students.
     Many things are involved in changing and reorganizing a major program. It is too early to define the ingredients necessary to make it successful, but we owe it to our young people to try with all our might. This much we believe already: we need

1.      Programs focused specifically to the high school state.
2.      A much-expanded system of communication with families and students.
3.      The use of modern technology, especially video, in presenting instruction in a more stimulating and personal manner.
4.      A restructuring of the use of our support personnel.
5.      A greater involvement of our pastors and ministers.

     By next year we hope to bring you a full report in this matter that is of vital concern to all of us.
     Rev. Frederick L. Schnarr,
          Director of Religion Lessons
MAPLE LEAF ACADEMY 1989

MAPLE LEAF ACADEMY 1989

     Come and have fun at Maple, and learn too. The cool, pleasant breezes off Wood Lake at Caribou Lodge will blow all your worries, cares, and anxieties away. Come relax and enjoy new friends, old friends, and yourself. Experience the best part of your religion. Be there, and you too will be singing, "We'll have a good time at Caribou, we'll be much better when we're through, we'll have a good time, at Caribou."
     Beginning June 21st and ending June 29th Maple will be held at Caribou Lodge about two hours north of Toronto, in the beautiful setting of Muskoka. The cost will be $155 Canadian, $130 U.S. Staff this year will include Rev. Terry Schnarr, Rev. Tom Rose. Mr. Denis Kuhl (probable), Mr. and Mrs. Jeremy Rose, Mr. Dane Synnestvedt, Miss Julia Wyncoll, Miss Kerry Wiebe, Miss Nancy Parker. Mrs. Betty Eller, and others.
     Send applications to Rev. Terry Schnarr, 279 Burnhamthorpe Road, Etobicoke, Ontario, Canada M9B 126.

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THESE ARE THE SERPENTS 1989

THESE ARE THE SERPENTS Editor 1989

     Number 310 of Divine providence speaks of ingenious men who confirm themselves against religious beliefs and who regard religious people as simple and stupid. Brilliant in their grasp of sense knowledge, they make an impression on the thinking of many. "As the ancients called a sensual man a serpent, and as such a man is more cunning and crafty and is a more ingenious reasoner than others, therefore it is said, The serpent was more subtle than any beast of the field" (DP 310).
     In our editorial last month we spoke of the saying in AC 206: "These above all others are the 'serpents' who seduce the world." We cannot judge who is inwardly an atheist, but we can observe what some people say about religious belief. "Only question them," the passage says. We have singled out the brilliant Bertrand Russell. In an interview in which he championed agnosticism he was questioned: "If you abandon religious principles, could mankind exist?' He answered, "Kindliness and tolerance only prevail in proportion as dogmatic belief decays."
     He was asked: "How do agnostics explain the beauty and harmony of nature?" His response was: "I do not understand where this 'beauty' and 'harmony' are supposed to be found. Throughout the animal kingdom animals ruthlessly prey upon each other. Most of them are either cruelly killed by other animals or slowly die of hunger. For my part, I am unable to see any very great beauty or harmony in the tapeworm."
     Let us focus on his sayings about marriage. The chapter on marriage in his book Marriage and Morals ends with the emphatic statement that people "must be free." One is reminded of the words of sinister spirits who laughed at Swedenborg and looked upon him as a simpleton. They said, "What is life with one woman alone but captivity and imprisonment? Here we break down the barrier of this prison, and delivering ourselves from servitude, set ourselves free. Who can be angry with a captive if he sets himself free?" (CL 79:5).
     Russell waxes eloquent on the theme of not being imprisoned in marriage. Although he grants that many can "for some years be entirely absorbed in one person," it is evident that "uninhibited civilized people, whether men or women, are generally polygamous in their instincts." He says, "There can be no doubt that to close one's mind on marriage against all the approaches of love from elsewhere is to diminish receptivity and sympathy and the opportunities of valuable human contact."

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A "restrictive morality," he says, tends to promote "a policeman's outlook upon the whole of human life." He laments married partners who "regarded themselves as each other's policeman." Appealingly he pleads, "Love can flourish only as long as it is free and spontaneous."
     "Can love be forced?" That is the question posed by spirits in a most eloquent defense of infidelity. This is in n. 500 of Conjugial Love, where we read:

     What is marriage but legalized whoredom? Who knows of any distinction? Can love be forced? Yet love with a wife is forced by covenant and the laws. Is not love with a married partner love of the sex. . .? Love of the sex is free when it is with any woman whatsoever. . . . Only the simple and the religious believe adulteries to be sins. Not so the intelligent. They, like us, view them from the light of nature.

     The sense of intellectual superiority continues with sensual reasoners after death. One said, "God, heaven, angels and the like are empty terms. . . . To us, who are more learned than the masses, religion is nothing but a bewitchment of the common people." That same man had his foolishness exposed until even he was ashamed (TCR 80). "I have seen such." Swedenborg testifies. Some were debating about nature and behaving like fools, "while among them there were some who in the world had been in stations of dignity, and some had been esteemed as learned and wise" (HH 508:4).
HIGHLIGHTS FROM SWEDENBORG'S LETTERS 1989

HIGHLIGHTS FROM SWEDENBORG'S LETTERS Editor 1989

You may sometimes hear reference to the "Reply to Ernesti." If you look through the glass case in the Swedenborg Library it will seem to you that this is an entire book, but if you open it up you find that the reply fills only about half a page! We quoted most of it in our last issue. Swedenborg says: "I have read what Dr. Ernesti has written about me on p. 874 of his Theological Library." But what was it that Ernesti had said that prompted Swedenborg to print and to circulate this "reply"? Johan Ernesti was a professor at Leipzig University. He was the editor and sole contributor to a little publication in which he acted as critic to anything written in the realm of theology. It is fascinating to know that as to his spirit Ernesti was associated with a man in the spiritual world who was "a judge and a critic of the writings of the present century" (TCR 137).*
* See NCL 1906, p. 286, and 1969, p. 8.

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     In 1760 the German magazine carried an eight-page review of Arcana Caelestia. In it Ernesti says, "It is not difficult to see that the author under this fantastic form endeavors to present naturalism and his own philosophical opinions."
     In 1763 the magazine reviewed the Four Doctrines. Ernesti there writes, "The personality and name of the author were known to us when we wrote the former review, but we must not mention it now any more than before." He adds, "it is to be deplored that a person, who in other respects is a learned man, should have gone so far astray, and that he should plague himself and his readers with such fantastic ambiguities.
     In 1766 Apocalypse Revealed was reviewed, and in 1767 Ernesti reviewed a theological work by Dr. H. W. Clemm, professor of theology in the University of Tübingen. This was the review that provoked Swedenborg. Clemm had a whole chapter on Swedenborg, and in it he proposes three possibilities regarding the Writings. 1) They could be mere phantasies. 2) They could be the blinding tricks of evil spirits. 3) They could be the truth. The reader is led to doubt the first two possibilities. What Ernesti did was to add a fourth possibility, namely, that the Writings were deliberate lies. This possibility he says is "undoubtedly the correct one." He actually names Swedenborg and characterizes the Writings as "fictions by which he would deceive the world." He strongly rebukes Clemm and others who would heed Swedenborg. At one point he says in his review: "This is too much! This would require an entirely new revelation, and this no theologian can admit!"
     This is why Swedenborg wrote his brief reply in which he invited people to read the Writings for themselves.
     A "History of Swedenborg's Reply to Ernesti" appears in NCL, 1890, p. 213, and a fascinating account of the whole story by C. T. Odhner appeared in 1912, including a picture of Ernesti and a facsimile of his magazine with a picture of a bear on the cover. The "Reply" may be found in Acton's Letters and Memorials and the original Latin in Small Theological Works and Letters, p. 198.

     GEORGE BUSH

     Professor George Bush is best known to New Church people as an early translator of the Spiritual Diary. There are several references to George Bush in Richard Gladish's biography of Richard De Charms (and also a couple in his biography of Benade). Gladish writes: "Another public figure who captured the interest of De Charms was Professor George Bush, a renowned Bible scholar who left the Presbyterian fold for the New Church about 1845."

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De Charms wrote in a letter to William Benade, "I am glad at heart that Professor Bush is coming out as he should and standing where he should." Bush corresponded with De Charms and helped him financially.
     In 1847 he brought out an edition of documents concerning Swedenborg to which he added opinions about Swedenborg by celebrated men. Bush was himself a celebrated man. He was a professor of Hebrew and oriental literature, teaching for sixteen years at New York University, while on Sunday he served as pastor of the First Society of the New Jerusalem in Brooklyn. His first book was The Life of Mohammed. He engaged in a widely noted debate in 1846 with Ralph Waldo Emerson, who "challenged his celebration of Swedenborg's philosophies."
     We are indebted to S. Goldman (Newsday, February 17th) for the note about the debate with Emerson. Goldman went to a lot of trouble to check out the Bush genealogy with experts. George Bush (who died in 1859) had a brother Timothy. Timothy's great-great-grandson was named George and is currently President of the United States.

     FROM THE GEORGE BUSH TRANSLATION

     Professor Bush translated Canons of the New Church into English, as well as the Spiritual Diary (now called Spiritual Experiences). Here are some quotations from the preface of the latter, presumably written by Bush.

     [The reader of the Spiritual Diary] will see that Swedenborg was an extraordinary instrument whom the Lord, in His Providence and mercy, has employed in these latter times to teach mankind. . . . He will further see that Swedenborg has, in consequence of a superior and spiritual discernment of God's Word, been enabled to draw forth thence the genuine doctrines of Christianity, and thus to settle the great and harassing controversies which have so long rent asunder the Christian Church; and lastly, he will see that the author has been the medium of conveying to mankind a great amount of most valuable knowledge concerning the spiritual or eternal world-of heaven and hell, and of the wonderful realities in relation to the states of men after death.
     But, it may be asked, what are the evidences of Swedenborg's mission, and of his extraordinary spiritual experience and illumination? The evidences are twofold, internal and external. The internal proofs are to be found in the works themselves; and the evidences of the extraordinary illumination which. by the especial providence of God, Swedenborg was permitted to enjoy for the sake of his fellow-men, will, we are certain, on an unprejudiced perusal and study of his works, be striking and convincing.

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And, be it observed, this internal or rational evidence is what the human mind, in any degree of development, chiefly requires; it is that which interiorly convinces the mind without infringing its freedom, and the calm, undisturbed employment of its rational powers; and it is to this evidence that the author uniformly appeals.

     DICTIONARY OF CORRESPONDENCES

     In July of 1985 we were reporting on the progress of the Latin lexicon of the Writings being produced by Dr. John Chadwick, and we described six different reference works. The newest of these was Words in Swedenborg, and their Meaning in Modern English. This popular booklet was reviewed by Kent Cooper in June of 1986. More recently the Swedenborg Scientific Association joined with other organizations to bring out Dr. W. R. Woofenden's Swedenborg Researcher's Manual. (This was reviewed in the Life last October.) There is a thirty-page section in this valuable work devoted to a glossary of terms in the Writings.
     We gave insufficient attention to the Dictionary of Correspondences which was published in 1841 and has long been out of print. We merely pointed out that efforts to bring this book out again in revised form finally led to the publication of the Dictionary of Bible Imagery by the Swedenborg Foundation in 1973. This attractive and excellent book was thought by some of us to replace that grand old dictionary of a century gone by. But we have found that there are people who dearly love that old dictionary. Their copies are falling to pieces, but they still use it often, and they do not think that the more recent dictionary performs the same use. We have been pleasantly astonished at how much that old volume is loved. One man in California felt so strongly about it that he sent thousands of dollars to the Swedenborg Foundation to ensure that it could be made available again.
     We congratulate the Foundation for carrying the work forward so faithfully, and we announce with great pleasure that the precious old volume is just now coming out again after all these years. This is wonderful news for those who have loved this book, and we expect that now we will find many others who come to see why they have treasured it. We have invited Ruth Zuber, who really appreciates this book, to share with readers something of her enthusiasm for its use. (See next page.)

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DICTIONARY OF CORRESPONDENCES 1989

DICTIONARY OF CORRESPONDENCES Ruth Zuber 1989

Dear Editor:
     Someone asked me not long ago which book of the Writings, or book about the Writings, had the biggest impact on my life. Without hesitation the choice was a small book (out of print for the past 27 years) called the Dictionary of Correspondences, with quotes taken from the Writings of Emanuel Swedenborg. The 5400 entries are mostly from the indexes of Arcana Coelestia, Apocalypse Revealed and Apocalypse Explained. It also includes words from a list that Robert Hindmarsh carried around with him.
     There was no indication on that day thirty years ago, as I first turned the pages, that this little book would become a valued friend and ally. I would have laughed if you had said it would. My throat that day was slightly sore, but still it was a surprise to wish my husband "Good morning" and have no sound come out of my mouth. How awkward! A strange day, no doubt, lay ahead. What did speaking or the sound of my voice really mean? I turned to our new purchase lying on the table and quickly looked up the word "sound." It read in part: "Sound and speech: Sound corresponds to affection and speech to thought, wherefore affection utters sound and thought utters speech. A.R. 875." Below, under "speak" it said, "To speak, in the internal sense, denotes to think, because thought is interior speech, and when man thinks, he then speaks with himself. The Lord continually speaks with man. but altogether differently with different men: with such as suffer themselves to be drawn away by evil spirits, the Lord speaks as absent, or at a distance, so that it can scarcely be said that He speaks, but with such as are led by the Lord, the Lord speaks more present; which may sufficiently appear from this consideration, that no one can possibly think anything good and true but from the Lord. A.C. 904." Interesting. It gave me food for thought during the day while not speaking. How quick and easy the small dictionary was to use! It felt good too to have read at once about something that piqued my curiosity. I looked forward to reading more about sound and speech from the reference numbers after the children were in bed that night.
     As time went on I would stop to look something up in the book more and more often.

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It was so convenient, so surprising and thought-provoking! It always left me wanting to study more on the subject since it was my own interests, needs or delights that led to looking up something in the first place. I remember thinking one morning not long after, what a burden it was doing several loads of diapers each morning! (We had four children under 3 1/2.) I grabbed the little book and read, "Burden s. [signifies] that which is from the proprium of man. Ap Ex. 208, Burden s. infestations from falses, and from thence combats." I sat down and gave it my full attention for a minute. Those diapers were such a pain lately. I thought about the falsity involved. It felt like a burden to have all those little people dependent on me. Would I prefer it otherwise? Oh, no! No! I thought. It was a privilege; I know that in clearer states. Help me love this burden, Lord, that is no burden except through the eyes of hell. I turned back to my work at the washing machine with a softened heart.
With this book at my call, I would constantly be reading from curiosity, concern or pleasure. The short references by themselves were useful, but even more so was my eagerness whetted to continue reading later on. The reference passages always led to widening subjects of interest, and suddenly, reading the Writings was a joy in my life rather than a duty! I could hardly wait for time to read. Reading the Writings was never boring again.
The size and weight of the book is a benefit, since it is easily carried along to study during those minutes of waiting here and there. I would browse through it and within minutes find something intriguing and worth pursuing later on the subject. Where previous attempts to discipline myself into a regular reading habit had failed completely, the availability and ease of checking into the meaning of something within moments of wondering about it increased my delight ten times over. Statements that made a big impact on my life in the living of it have been given to me through this little book. It is like getting the doctrine in nutshell form. It is easy to contemplate and really focus on a single sentence during the day, especially the beautiful and powerful ones given in the Dictionary of Correspondences. So many of these quotes became engraved in memory due to being sought out from my own loves. At one time in my life, troubled at not feeling any real affection for the Lord as a living person, I looked up "Love to the Lord" to find other places to read about it, and found a meaningful statement right there with the problem clearly implied. What a gem: "There is no other medium given of loving the Lord than charity. . . A.C. 4776." What a wonderful way to learn the doctrine, on the spot as you seek it in your life.

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     I love this little book. When I tried to order ten of them for Christmas presents a few years ago I was told it was out of print. I couldn't believe it! How could it be? Last year I was told that the Dictionary of Bible Imagery is considered a satisfactory replacement. I beg to differ! It seems to be an admirable effort as a reference book, but for me it is definitely not a replacement. For one thing, I find the Dictionary of Correspondences far easier to read, due to being in sentence form, and by the print being spaced across the page instead of in two narrow, choppy columns. Also, and most importantly, the correspondence, representative, or significative first given, when several are given, is the most essential to life. That makes a big difference to me. Opposite meanings are usually given last. Having the quotes given in sentence form makes the Dictionary of Correspondences worth reading as a book as well as a reference. It is a tremendous impetus to reading more, and would be an excellent book to give to young students to stimulate an appetite for the Writings.
     I referred to the book as a friend. Yes, and what a friend!-articulate, concise, guiding but never dominating, teaching, raising my thoughts to heaven daily, inspiring new efforts to regenerate, and giving a depth to any subject discussed that satisfies the longing soul.
     It is a great joy to hear that this book will be published again. I want to share that joy with your readers.
     Ruth Zuber,
          Huntingdon Valley, Pennsylvania
PRINCIPLES OF TRANSLATION 1989

PRINCIPLES OF TRANSLATION Rev. George F. Dole 1989

Dear Editor:
     There are many points in Bruce Rogers' paper for the Translators' Conference, now being published serially in New Church Life (March 1989, pp. 123-133), which call for response. I shall limit myself to five.
     The first is that his "unwillingness to use illustrations which may reflect criticism of colleagues" could be taken as a classic example of "charity" gone astray. It assumes that criticism is unwelcome, which is in itself a demeaning assumption; and it leaves the colleague with the task of deciding which of the rather sweeping generalizations may be intended to refer to his or her own work.
     This disadvantage may be illustrated by the second point I have chosen.

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The "effort to produce translations employing a more modern vocabulary and style" is assumed to be "in order to make the language of the Writings appear more attractive to today's readers." I would certainly see myself as one engaged in the effort described, but not primarily for the reason given. As I tried to state at the Translators' Conference, my effort toward more readable translations stems from the realization that Swedenborg consciously wrote, as Mr. Rogers also notes, "using familiar words and an unpretentious style," and the belief that the translator should, for the sake of fidelity, strive for a similar style. In fact, my translating grew directly out of the discovery that Swedenborg's Latin is, by and large, quite simple and clear. Before that discovery I felt that efforts at greater readability necessarily involved compromises in fidelity.
     I would note also that to value fidelity above "appeal" would seem to invalidate Mr. Rogers' decision to retain "conjugial" in the face of his conviction that it "conveys the meaning less distinctly than other renderings more idiomatic to the English language" and that "Some points of the doctrine have even been misinterpreted" owing to its use (see January 1989 issue, p. 28). While I recognize the dilemma and sympathize with any translator who faces it (see the classic footnote of the overruled translator at n. 14 of Divine Love and Wisdom, Standard Edition, for an earlier example), I can only wish that the issue were faced squarely in the presentation of principles.
     In fact (and this is the third point on my list), Mr. Rogers has created a problem for himself. He has set up a contrast between "literal accuracy" and "modern idiom," which is a contrast between apples and oranges. As he apparently recognizes in the case of "conjugial," the age of an idiom has no necessary connection with its accuracy. It is quite true that working with contemporary vocabularys more demanding than having recourse to cognates. It is also true, however, that cognates may be inaccurate, a classic example being the difference between existere and "to exist."
     Mr. Rogers himself has a brief section entitled "Unnecessary Use of Novel or Obsolete Terminology." I have not discovered a reconciliation of this section with the pejorative references to "more modern vocabulary," and surely one is needed.
     My fourth point involves an instance in which Mr. Rogers apparently overcame his unwillingness to use examples, for which I am grateful. He objects to "self-image" as a translation of proprium "because it is a modern term and entirely wrong in definition." As one who has used this translation, I can legitimately feel that this criticism is addressed to me.

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     The first objection is simply irrelevant, as indicated above. As to the second, it is inconsistent (and perhaps gratuitous) to refer to "self-image" as "entirely wrong in definition" and proceed to offer "self" as the essence of the definition in various contexts.
     More seriously, though, this objection seems to fall into the category of "mistakes in phrasing which contradict doctrine delivered elsewhere." His meaning l.b, "Actual autonomy, independence, self-dependence," is in direct contradiction to the fundamental statement in paragraph 14 of Soul-Body Interaction-"God alone acts; we let ourselves be activated, and to all appearances react with apparent independence, though more deeply, [this reacting is] from God."
     This is particularly evident in paragraph 308:2 of Divine Providence, which Mr. Rogers cites in support of meaning l.b. Unfortunately for his argument, "actual autonomy" is defensible here not as a translation for proprium but for hoc proprium, "this proprium (namely, the kind just described)." What is being said is quite clear.
     No one understands proprium to mean anything but living from oneself and therefore thinking and intending from oneself. But it follows from what has been said that this [kind of] proprium [i.e., actual autonomy] does not exist in human beings, and in fact that it cannot exist in anyone.
     Proprium, in short, is an appearance, an "image," and since it is the appearance of being a self, the translation "self-image" is perhaps not "entirely wrong in definition." It will not work in all instances (the one just cited is a case in point), but we agree that this is not to be expected. We should surely avoid "actual autonomy," since this is labeled erroneous by the Writings themselves.
     Lastly, it is a change to see a little worldly cynicism in the pages of New Church Life, and the French adage which Mr. Rogers quotes may be surprisingly apt.* It may be no more true of translations than it is of women, and I happen to believe that the Writings are surpassingly beautiful.
     Rev. George F. Dole,
          Sharon, Massachusetts

     * Les traductions sont comme les femmes. Quand elles sont belles, elles ne sont pas fideles. Quand elles sont fideles, elles ne sont pas belles."

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"CONJUGIAL" 1989

"CONJUGIAL" James R. Brush 1989

Dear Editor:
     My letter concerning the use in translation of the anglicized Latin word "conjugial" in place of its correct equivalent in English, "marital" or "marriage," appeared in the January 1989 issue of New Church Life. In accord with my request Mr. Rogers replied that use of the word "conjugial" had become so much a tradition that he feared his extensive work would fall into disuse if he were not to continue the practice. I believe it is of value to continue the dialogue and is the reason for this further contribution.
     It has been almost 200 years since the word "conjugial" first appeared in translation and has permeated every aspect of church life. It is admitted that it is difficult to replace an affectional habit with such long "roots." To not break it, however, has resulted in some rather serious consequences, especially in the present age. Though affectional, the term appears to have little rational content. Some would take exception with the latter assertion, stating that they know very well its meaning in relation to things marital. Some would assert that they perceive an even deeper and more profound meaning than simply the latter equivalent. What the latter mean, I must presume, is that which is more correctly presented by the expression "love truly marital." Such a love is stated to be achievable only by those who worship the Lord Jesus Christ alone (from whom that love originates) and who reject evils as sins against Him. The latter is to be distinguished from simple "marital love," a love of cohabitation with one of the opposite sex under some bonds of law, which is enjoyed by couples from the largest majority of world religions. It is common habit, however, to express both by the same term, "conjugial love," and the important distinction between the two is obscured. It is precisely this which makes the use of the term so problem-filled in missionary efforts. This I know from personal experience. Thus, we do damage to the uses of those efforts when we continue with the single term of obscuring effect. Our only alternative in this vital work of charity is to define and use both expressions and abandon "conjugial." And if there is this necessity in missionary work, then continuing its use among ourselves is of questionable utility.
     It can also be asked if our use of "conjugial" does not contribute to our own difficulties, both personally and as a teaching church. It is tragic that we have among us much divorce without apparent legitimate cause, as well as other disorders. We seem impotent in improving this state in the face of such extensive tragedies. But are not these disorders due to influx of the near total blindness concerning marriage from the world around?

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It is obvious that little has been grasped of the teaching or significance of "love truly marital" and its opposite love of adultery by those of our young affected. A revealing exercise would be to ask those in our Academy high school and college to define the term "conjugial love." It is crucial to convey to our young that the work which Mr. Rogers is translating' concerns the loves and hatreds of marriage and not, for example, archaic affections between the sexes existing in the eighteenth century.
     Tradition and its practices are the links holding all societies in its characteristic form. As such they appear golden with no admixture of lead. Yet we must remember the history of our predecessor which declared its traditions superior to Holy Scripture. Among those traditions, as we know, were the, in fact, meaningless expressions: "There are three persons in the One God" and "We are saved by faith alone." Further are these: "Once married by the Holy Catholic Church there is no divorce permitted-even if adultery be committed"; and finally, divorce on any grounds is well accepted in our Protestant churches. These traditions have caused endless, tragic damage to that church. Perhaps our own ministry's recognizing the limits of the good of tradition can easily lead us out of an obscuring practice to that which is most certainly firmer ground.
     James R. Brush,
          Scottsdale, Arizona
OAK LEAF CAMP 1989

OAK LEAF CAMP 1989

The camp will be held near Elgin, Illinois (one hour from Glenview) July 14-16, 1989. Program arranged by Rev. Mark Carlson. All ages are welcome. For information contact: Duncan Smith, 77 Park Drive, Glenview, IL 60025. Phone (312) 729-6246.
NOT GETTING OLDER, JUST GETTING BETTER 1989

NOT GETTING OLDER, JUST GETTING BETTER 1989

Old age in the internal sense does not mean old age, because the internal man, or man's spirit, does not know what old age is, but as the body or external man grows old, the internal passes into newness of life, man's spirit being perfected by age as his bodily powers diminish.
Arcana Coelestia 4676

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Church News 1989

Church News Various 1989

     Announcements

     BOYNTON BEACH

     The Miami congregation moved about fifty miles north to Boynton Beach in January 1988. This has been an exciting move which has allowed the New Church to serve members as far north as
Port St. Lucie, Florida, as well as south to Miami, due to the central location of Boynton Beach.
     Boynton Beach is an area which is not as highly developed as cities to either the north or south of it, thus making it a less expensive area to develop the church in, and for people to buy homes in, than many other locations in south Florida. While it is a less expensive area to settle in, it is right on the verge of a development surge, and is surrounded by rapidly developing areas. There is also a variety of possibilities in the area for winter homes, or retirement villages and homes. This makes the Boynton Beach area an ideal place for people to move to because the economic growth of south Florida is very high, providing good job opportunities and great opportunities to buy a home and settle in the area.
     The New Church at Boynton Beach is situated on a 2.8 acre site. The house which originally stood on the property has been totally renovated, and is now the manse. Temporarily the manse living room is our chapel, but it has numerous times exceeded its capacity of about 45 people.

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Construction will begin on our driveways, parking and drainage in April, and once plans are completed, we hope to break ground for our church building in July.
     Since moving to Boynton Beach 15 months ago, our average attendance has increased by 50%, and we have had eighteen local visitors who had not previously attended our services in south Florida. Four families with young children have moved to the area in the last nine months. We have started a preschool end a regular Sunday School which is held every Sunday. We plan to start a nursery and a young people's discussion group.
     We gladly welcome visitors from other societies to our warm and balmy climate. Anyone interested in further information can contact the pastor or our information committee headed by the Daniel Fitzpatricks, 5880 Corson Place, Lake Worth, FL 33463: phone: (407) 642- 6611.

[Photo of The Manse at Boynton Beach]

     News Around the Church

     The notable news this month is the Canadian National Assembly taking place from the 12th to the 14th in Toronto. The elegant advertisement for it appeared in the April issue.
     Last month saw the dedication of the church building in Sudbury, Massachusetts. Sudbury is just west of Boston. We will try to get a photograph. We have heard that some 80 people attended.
     An evangelization seminar took place in Bryn Athyn on March 3rd and 4th. The British Conference sent Rev. Clifford Curry to exchange ideas. Mr. Curry brought with him a copy of a new book by Dr. Michael Stanley entitled Essential Readings from Swedenborg.

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The good news is that this was not published by any New Church organization, but by a commercial publisher. The seminar provided a full and excellent program culminating in a banquet addressed by the Rev. Dr. John Roach. Dr. Roach kept us enthralled for a lone time that seemed like a short time. He told about his discovery of the Writings and about a major book he is writing about the new doctrines. The first volume is completed.
     Dr. Ray Silverman has visited Atlanta where he will become the pastor in July. Meanwhile his Inquirers Class is booming in Pittsburgh. Of the thirty-six people who attended the first in a series on the Ten Commandments, twenty were newcomers.
     Rev. Christopher Bown has recently visited England and spent some time in Colchester where he will take up the work of pastor this summer, as Rev. Kenneth Stroh is retiring and moving to Bryn Athyn.
     The Toronto Society considered for a while moving to a new location, but they have now decided to stay where they are, and an insert called The Olivet Invitation in their monthly publication indicates that there is a new spirit of enterprise in Toronto.
PUBLIC WORSHIP AND DOCTRINAL CLASSES 1989

PUBLIC WORSHIP AND DOCTRINAL CLASSES Rev. LOUIS B. KING 1989

     GENERAL CHURCH OF THE NEW JERUSALEM

     Bryn Athyn, Pennsylvania, 19009, U. S. A.

     PUBLIC WORSHIP AND DOCTRINAL CLASSES

     Information on public worship and doctrinal classes provided either regularly or occasionally may be obtained at the locations listed below. For details use the local phone number of the contact person mentioned or communicate with the Secretary of the General Church, Rev. L. R. Soneson, Cairncrest, Bryn Athyn, PA 19009, Phone (215) 947-4660.

     (U. S. A. addresses next month)

     AUSTRALIA

     CANBERRA
Mr. and Mrs. Barrie Ridgway, 68 Hilder St., Weston, Canberra, A. C. T. 2611. Phone: (062) 881-777.

     SYDNEY, N.S.W.
Rev. Douglas M. Taylor, 22 Dudley Street, Penshurst, N.S.W. 2222. Phone: 57-1589.

     BRAZIL

     RIO DE JANEIRO
Rev. Cristovao Rabelo Nobre, Rua Lina Teixeira, 109, ap. 101, Rocha, CEP 20.970., Rio de Janeiro. Phone: (021) 201-8455.

     CANADA

     Alberta:

     CALGARY
Mr. Thomas R. Fountain, 1115 Southglen Drive S. W., Calgary 13, Alberta T2W 0X2. Phone: 403-255-7283.

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     EDMONTON
Mr. Daniel L. Horigan, 10524 82nd St., Edmonton, Alberta T6A 3M8. Phone: 403-469-0078.

     British Columbia:

     DAWSON CREEK
Rev. Glenn G. Alden, Dawson Creek Church, 9013 8th St., Dawson Creek, B. C., Canada V1G 3N3.

     Ontario:

     KITCHENER
Rev. Louis D. Synnestvedt, 58 Chapel Hill Drive, Kitchener, Ontario, Canada N2G 3W5. Phone: (Home) (519) 748-5605; (office) (519) 748-5802.

     OTTAWA
Mr. and Mrs. Donald McMaster, 684 Fraser Ave., Ottawa, Ontario. K2A 2R8. Phone: (61) 725-0394.

     TORONTO
Rev. Michael Gladish, 279 Burnhampthorpe Rd., Islington, Ontario M9B 4Z4. Phone: (Church): (416) 239-3055.

     Quebec:

     MONTREAL
Mr. Denis de Chazal, 17 Baliantyne Ave. So., Montreal West, Quebec H4X 281. Phone: (514) 489-9861.

     DENMARK

     COPENHAGEN
Mr. Jorgen Hauptmann, Strandvejen 22, Jyllinge, 4000 Roskilde. Phone: 03-389968.

     ENGLAND

     COLCHESTER
Rev. Kenneth O. Stroh, 2 Christchurch Court, Colchester, Essex C03 3AU Phone: 0206-43712

     LETCHWORTH
Mr. and Mrs. R. Evans, 24 Berkeley, Letchworth, Herts. SG6 2HA. Phone: 0462-684751.

     LONDON
Rev. Frederick Elphick, 21B Hayne Rd., Beckenham, Kent BR3 4JA. Phone: 01-658-6320.

     MANCHESTER
Rev. Norman E. Riley, 69 Heywood Rd., Norden, Rochdale, OL11 5TH, England. Phone: 0706 54003.

     FRANCE

     BOURGUINON-MEURSANGES
Rev. Alain Nicolier, 21200 Beaune, France. Phone: (80)-26-62-80 (home). 80-26-69-08 (office).

     HOLLAND

     THE HAGUE
Mr. Ed Verschoor, Olmenlaan 17, 3862 VG Nijkerk

     NEW ZEALAND

     AUCKLAND
Rev. Robin Childs, 132 Edmunton Rd., Henderson, Auckland 81, New Zealand.

     NORWAY

     OSLO
Mr. and Mrs. Klaus Bierman, Bakketoppen 10 A. 1165 Oslo 11. Phone: (0) 2 28783.

     SCOTLAND

     EDINBURGH
Mr. and Mrs. N. Laidlaw, 35 Swanspring Ave., Edinburgh EH 10-6NA. Phone: 0 31-445- 2377.

     GLASGOW
Mrs. J. Clarkson, Hillview, Balmore, Nr. Torrance, Glasgow. Phone: Balmore 262.

     SOUTH AFRICA

     Natal:

     DURBAN
Rev. James P. Cooper, 30 Perth Road, Westville 3630, Natal, Republic of South Africa. Phone: 011-27-31-821612.

     Transvaal:

     TRANSVAAL SOCIETY
Rev. Andrew Dibb, P. O. Box 816, Kelvin 2054, South Africa. Phone: (011) 804-2567.

     Zululand:

     KENT MANOR
Rev. James Cooper, visiting pastor
Mrs. D. G. Liversage, Box 7088, Empangeni Rail, 3910, Natal, South Africa. Phone: 0351-23241.

     Mission in South Africa:
Rev. Andrew Dibb (address above)

     SWEDEN

     Jonkoping
Contact Rev. Bjorn A. H. Boyesen, Bruksater, Furusjo, S-566 00, Habo. Phone : 0392-203 95.

     Stockholm
Rev. Erik E. Sandstrom, visiting pastor, Bryn Athyn, PA 19009.
Contact Rev. Bjorn A. H. Boyesen at the above address.

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SWEDENBORG AND HIS INFLUENCE 1989

Editors: Erland J. Brock, General Editor
E. Bruce Glenn
Carroll C. Odhner
J. Durban Odhner
Cynthia H. Walker
Jane K. Williams-Hogan

     During 1988, the tricentennial of the birth of Emanuel Swedenborg. many events took place to celebrate the contributions of this extraordinary man. February 7-9, 1988. The Academy of the New Church hosted an international symposium. Scholars from Australia, Germany, Sweden, the United Kingdom, and the United States of America came to Bryn Athyn. Pennsylvania, to present the products of their research into the contributions and influence of Swedenborg in many areas of human culture. This book opens with a short biography of Swedenborg prepared by Dr. Williams-Hogan. Then follow the papers in the order of their presentation at the symposium.

     The Academy of the New Church
1988

     Hardcover, 492 pages $24.95 plus $1.60 postage

     General Church Book Center      Hours: Mon-Fri. 9-17
Box 278, Cairncrest                         or by appointment
Bryn Athyn, PA 19009                         Phone: (215) 947-3970

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Notes on This Issue 1989

Vol. CIX June, 1989 No. 6
NEW CHURCH LIFE

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     A letter in this issue notes that a church not governed by tradition is "open to change when it thinks it sees clearly a better way"(p. 285). In the wedding service in the new Liturgy a traditional custom will no longer be commended. The change of place of the bride and groom (bottom of page 96 of the current Liturgy) is the custom in question. An explanation of this will be forthcoming in the Life.
     "The power of the Writings lies not simply in the fact that they contain Divine truths, but in the way these truths invite influx from the Lord out of heaven. Men can pick up the Writings, read them, and see nothing. Men can also pick up the Writings, read them, and be affected, deeply and profoundly, by the wonder of what they read." (See the sermon beginning on the opposite page.)
     The heading of TCR 779 begins: "THE SECOND COMING OF THE LORD IS EFFECTED BY MEANS OF A MAN TO WHOM THE LORD HAS MANIFESTED HIMSELF. . . ." Questions arise concerning the relationship between the messenger and the message. Erik E. Sandstrom addresses this subject in the article "Swedenborg: A Willing Actor in a Divine Play."
     Parents take note. In the favorite passage this month Rev. Grant Odhner speaks as much as a parent as he does as a minister in calling attention to the love of children (p. 271). Parents and teachers should also take note of the book review in this issue. Those who have read Johnny's Trail speak highly of it and say it should be better known.
     In no. 55 of Invitation to the New Church there is reference to "the books concerning the miracles of Paris." Those books contained striking drawings of people who had been miraculously cured. One showed a woman who, upon being cured, allegedly lifted her crutches aloft and lightly ran up a flight of stairs. Swedenborg looked at these illustrations. We have reproduced one in this month's first editorial.

     GENERAL CHURCH SECRETARY RETIRES

     Rev. Lorentz R. Soneson will retire as Secretary of the General Church effective June 30, 1989.
     Since September of 1978 Mr. Soneson has served in this capacity with a constant willingness to do whatever was needed. He has fostered a spirit of good will in the personal contacts which this position entails, and has not let matters of health detract from his devotion to the use. We are grateful for all he has done.
     Louis B. King, Bishop

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JUNE 19TH 1989

JUNE 19TH Rev. PATRICK A. ROSE 1989

     "And He shall send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other" (Matt. 24:31).

     In the year 1771, at Amsterdam, there was published a book entitled The True Christian Religion, Containing the Universal Theology of the New Church Foretold by the Lord in Daniel VI/ 13, 14; and in the Apocalypse chap. XXI:1, 2. This was the book we usually refer to more briefly as True Christian Religion. Perhaps we should also refer to it as Universal Theology, as was sometimes done in the earlier years of the New Church. Within its pages are contained a systematic and detailed exposition of the theology of the New Church. Theology might be defined as the "study of God," and in True Christian Religion it is said that "to show that the Divine trinity is united in the Lord is the chief object of this work" (TCR 108).
     Even from the title page it is plain that this was no ordinary book. The author lists his name as "Emanuel Swedenborg, servant of the Lord Jesus Christ." The Lord Himself, by means of His servant, was presenting this book before the world. It was a work of Divine revelation.
     True Christian Religion was not quite the last book of the Writings to be written, but it was the last to be published during Swedenborg's lifetime. As such it marked a milestone in the establishment of the New Church. When this book was finished the previous year (in 1770), a wonderful thing happened in the spiritual world, something recorded in a note (it is entitled, in the Latin, Memorandum-something to be remembered) at the end of the book. "After this work was finished, the Lord called together His twelve disciples who followed Him in the world, and the next day He sent them all forth throughout the whole SPIRITUAL WORLD to preach the GOSPEL that THE LORD GOD JESUS CHRIST reigns, whose kingdom shall be for ages and ages. . ." (TCR 791, emphasis as in first edition). It is added that this took place on June 19th, 1770, which is why this date of June 19th has been traditionally celebrated as the birthday of the New Church.
     Over the years much has been written in the New Church about the significance of this event-the Lord's calling together once more His twelve disciples and His sending them out to preach the new gospel throughout the whole spiritual world.

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     The actual passage in which this is recorded is very brief. There are two other passages in True Christian Religion which refer to this event (TCR 4 and 108). From these two other passages we learn that the disciples were, at that time, angels, that each apostle was given a particular province, and that they were carrying out the Lord's command to preach this new gospel "with great zeal and industry."
     Little else is said, though. Indeed, we can easily find ourselves wishing that more had been said about what was obviously an event of the greatest significance. Many questions come to mind. Why was it that the same twelve men were called together once more? What was so special about these particular twelve that they should be chosen once again to promulgate the gospel-this time the gospel of the second advent? We are told that these disciples were chosen, but we are not specifically told why. Perhaps the reason is that thereby we might be encouraged to reflect upon the subject for ourselves-reflect upon what it is about the New Church which required that it begin with the twelve disciples being gathered together and sent out once more by the Lord. In this regard several possible lines of thought come to mind.
     First of all, the very fact that these men were the same disciples who followed the Lord in the world underlines and emphasizes the fact that the Lord's second advent rests firmly and absolutely upon His first advent. In a very real sense it is a continuation of the same work. While the Lord was in the world He clearly told His disciples that He would come again. "I have yet many things to say unto you," He told them, "but ye cannot bear them now" (John 16:12). And, on being asked what would be the sign of His coming (Matt. 24:3), He told them that "the sign of the Son of Man" would appear in heaven, and "all the tribes of the earth" would "see the Son of Man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory" (Matt. 24:30). The first advent, then, looked forward to a second advent. When the Lord did come again, the revelation which constituted the second advent was based upon the first. Near the beginning of the very first book of the Writings to appear before the world it is said clearly and emphatically: "in the following work, by the name LORD is meant the Savior of the world, Jesus Christ, and Him only" (AC 14). It was the same Lord who had been born into the world who was now coming once again, coming to continue His work of establishing His church upon earth: ". . . the Christian Church which was founded by the Lord when He was in the world . . . is now for the first time being built up by Him" (TCR 674). He came once again, this time to firmly establish a church truly Christian: ". . . the Christian Church, such as it is in itself, is just now in its very beginning. The former church was Christian in name only, not in fact and essence" (TCR 668).

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     By sending out once more His twelve disciples, those same twelve who had been commissioned to preach the gospel after the first advent, the Lord made it plain that the New Church is that true Christian Church which He could not fully establish at His first advent but toward which that advent looked.
     A second reason the twelve disciples were re-commissioned may well have been that these men were especially suited to the work. By choosing the same men once more, the Lord Himself could emphasize the intrinsic connection between His two advents. At the same time, these very men could well have been ideally suited to the work in a number of ways.
     Perhaps the most obvious advantage these men had lay in the fact that they had known the Lord personally. They could personally testify to, and thus confirm, what the Lord Himself showed by choosing them-that Jesus Christ, the same Jesus Christ who had walked on earth, was the Lord God of the New Christian Church. Such a confession by those who had actually seen and known the Lord when He was in the world would have had great power (cf. EU 40).
     Another advantage possessed by the twelve disciples lay in the variety of their personalities. The gospel is the gospel no matter who preaches it, but each man preaches in a different way, depending on the nature of his intelligence, perceptions and ability (see TCR 154:1). Now the twelve disciples had a representation similar to the twelve tribes, namely, "all things of love and faith, consequently all things of the church" (AC 4535:6). For this reason the Lord selected a variety of personalities so that "those men were chosen who would be like the things which they represented" (SD 1217). We are told that "each apostle was assigned a particular province" in the spiritual world (TCR 108), and we can well imagine that the variety amongst the disciples and amongst these provinces was such that each of the disciples was perfectly suited to preach the gospel in his own particular section of the spiritual world.
     When the Lord first selected His disciples, He did not simply select them on account of their variety. He selected a group of men who shared a common characteristic. They were not learned leaders of the Jews but "men of lowly condition" (SD 1216). Their minds were not filled with the falsities which, in general, darkened the minds of the learned at that time. For this reason they were more ready to grasp and believe the things of faith (ibid.). These were men who had not closed their minds to the truth with the conceit of self-intelligence, the conceit of learning, and the excessive absorption of falsities. This is why they were ideally suited to become followers of the Lord in His first advent and teachers of His gospel. For the same reason they would have been ideally suited to preach the gospel of the second advent.

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At the time of the second advent, as at the first, one of the greatest obstacles to the reception of the truth lay in the spirit of denial which prevailed especially with "those who have much worldly wisdom"(HH 1). Indeed, one of the primary reasons for the second coming was to dispel this "spirit of denial" before it infected also "the simple in heart and the simple in faith" (ibid.).
     The twelve disciples had minds that were open to the truth, and it is in this regard especially that we can draw conclusions with direct application to ourselves.
     A third reason the Lord sent forth His twelve disciples at the establishment of His New Church was, surely, that He might show us that all of us must also become disciples if we are to receive the truths of the second advent.
     The sending forth of the twelve disciples into the whole spiritual world to establish the New Church must, inevitably, represent the establishment of this same church in the individual mind. The note at the end of True Christian Religion (n. 791) quotes a verse from Matthew 24. This sending forth of the disciples into the spiritual world is, we are told, what is meant by the Lord's words that He would send His angels and gather together His elect from one end of heaven to the other (see Matt. 24:31). This is one of the things which the Lord, while in the world, had told His disciples would happen at the time of His second coming.
     The sending forth of His angels, which the Lord speaks of in Matthew, thus refers to the sending forth of the disciples into the spiritual world in June of 1770. It also refers, though, to something else. In the Arcana Coelestia the same words are explained in a different sense. They are indeed said to refer to the "setting up of a New Church" (AC 4060:7), but the setting up of this church would be by "the influx of holy good and holy truth from the Lord through angels" (AC 4060:8); it is also said that by "angels" are here meant things "that are from the Lord and concerning the Lord" (ibid.). Elsewhere, in Heaven and Hell, where this same verse in Matthew is explained, it is said that the angels who would be sent forth with a trumpet and great voice "signify heaven as a source of Divine truth" (HH 1). In Doctrine of the Sacred Scripture the same signification is given, and it is said that the gathering together of the elect from one end of the heavens to the other "signifies a newness of the church in respect to love and faith" (SS 14:2).
     This is how the New Church is established. When the disciples were sent forth by the Lord throughout the spiritual world to preach the truth concerning the Lord, it was not they but the truth itself which established the New Church in the spiritual world. It is the same with us.

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The disciples, as angels or messengers of the Lord. represented "heaven as a source of Divine truth" (HH 1). The establishment of the New Church in the mind of the individual person involves the reception of this Divine truth from heaven.
     This emphasis upon heaven as the source of the truth which will establish the church is important. It does not mean that the truths of the Writings are from the angels. Heaven is not from the angels but from the Lord. What it means is that the same Divine truth which is with the angels is also to be with men on earth. When we read the Writings, we are reading the Heavenly Doctrines, the doctrines of heaven. With the New Church, more than was the case with any previous church, the church in heaven and the church on earth are to make one.
     There is to be an influx from the Lord through the church in heaven into the church on earth. The power of the Writings lies not simply in the fact that they contain Divine truths, but in the way these truths invite influx from the Lord out of heaven. Men can pick up the Writings, read them, and see nothing. Men can also pick up the Writings, read them, and be affected, deeply and profoundly, by the wonder of what they read. Light from the Lord can flow into their minds from heaven, enlightening them, and causing them to see that what they are reading is the living truth of the Lord Himself. Only with this influx can the church be established in the minds of men. Men are called to the New Church "not by visible angels, still less by trumpets and by great voices, but by the influx of holy good and holy truth from the Lord through angels" (AC 4060:8).
     Those who would receive the New Church must, therefore, open their minds, open their minds so that, like the early disciples, they are able to receive light from heaven and so readily grasp and believe "those things which are of faith" (SD 1216).
     We are not to be led by ourselves. We are not to close up our minds with conceit and self-love, but, with humility and the willingness to learn and obey, we are to turn to those wonderful things the Lord has taught us in His second advent. Only then can light from heaven shine into our minds so that "the holy city, New Jerusalem," might come "down from God out of heaven" (Rev. 21:2).
     "To be a disciple of the Lord is to be led by Him and not by self, thus by the goods and truths which are from the Lord, and not by the evils and falsities which are from man" (AC 10490:7).

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ANGER 1989

ANGER Rev. JOHN L. ODHNER 1989

     SIXTH AND CONCLUDING ARTICLE IN A SERIES

     Take Action

     One of the problems we have with anger is that it keeps coming back again and again. One of the reasons this may happen is that we may be constantly experiencing new situations and states in which there are new frustrations and threats. Another reason may be that we keep experiencing the same old threats, frustrations and pains over and over and over. If the same anger keeps coming up repeatedly, it may be due to a failure to act.
     Many people deal with their anger emotionally and intellectually, but do not take any action as a result. Accepting and understanding anger can bring temporary quieting of the anger, but making a permanent change depends on actual implementation. "Charity and faith are only mental and perishable things unless they are focused on works and coexist in them when possible" (TCR 375). The following actions may help you deal with anger in a real and permanent way:

     Try something different

     I might shout at my kids for fighting with each other. When shouting doesn't work, I keep on shouting, [shout more loudly. It takes me a while to realize that what I am doing is not working, and doing more of it simply means more failure. It's the same sort of logic that says, if you can't drive away a grizzly bear by hitting it once or twice with a flyswatter, try hitting it five or ten times.

     Pray

     Pray for the person you are angry with, or pray for the people you need to protect. Pray for help in understanding and directing your anger, or help in fleeing from angry spirits. Often it is difficult to pray about anger, either because we believe that the Lord does not accept anger, or because we are angry with the Lord and do not want to talk with Him. If we pray anyway, it may help us overcome those barriers.

     Read the Word

     Many places in the Word speak directly to issues of anger. You might try reading the chapter in Conjugial Love entitled "Jealousy," or Apocalypse Explained 693.

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Reading the Sermon on the Mount or the Psalms may be helpful too.

     Make Amends

     In the Old Testament there is a law: "if fire breaks out and catches in thorns, so that stacked grain, standing grain, or the field is consumed, he who kindled the fire shall surely make restitution" (Ex. 22:6). In the internal sense it is not talking about fire catching hold of thorns, but of anger flaming up, catching hold of sharp words or vicious thoughts, and destroying the fruits of other people's labor (see AC 9143-9147). The commandment to make restitution applies especially to hurt that has been caused by anger (see AC 9 147). If you have hurt someone as a result of unhealthy anger, or if someone is angry with you because of something you did wrong, consider how you might right the wrong or in some way make it up to that person.

     Convert Unhealthy Anger to Healthy Anger

     The Writings sometimes speak of how a person's negative characteristics can be converted into positive ones. For example, a person who tends to get angry may through regeneration become
a person with great zeal (see SD 2351). In the section "Understand Your Anger" we described in some detail the differences between healthy and unhealthy anger. These differences have implications for helping you convert your anger to zeal.

- Deal with the anger quickly. Healthy anger does not last long. Avoid holding grudges, mulling over ancient wounds, storing up the anger. As the Bible says. "Do not let the sun go down on your anger" (Eph. 4:26). Anger is a little like fresh fish. If you clean it up and serve it right away, it is quite good for you. If you keep it hanging around. though. it starts to stink pretty badly.

- Act defensively. Healthy anger is not aggressive. Take whatever action is needed to protect innocent people, but avoid attacking another either directly or indirectly. Aggressive expression of anger may make a person "feel better" temporarily, but studies show that when anger is expressed aggressively, the aggressive behavior is reinforced, and is more likely to return (Alberti and Emmons, Your Perfect Right, p. 110).

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- Be ready to make up. Healthy anger has within it the intent to be friendly, to protect one's relationships. Resist impulses to get revenge, and to express contempt or hate. Try to identify with caring, friendly, merciful feelings, if not while you are angry, at least afterwards. Think of the other person as your friend or at least a potential friend. Perhaps one reason you are angry is because you care a lot about the person.

- Place limits on the expression of your anger. The expression of healthy anger is tempered by the inner good will. Avoid profanity, obscenity, sarcasm, insults, aggression or cruelty.

- Be fair and reasonable. Healthy anger is "just and sane." Try to understand both sides of the issue. Give the other person the benefit of the doubt. Look for ways to make it a win/win situation rather than a win/lose situation. Be willing to compromise on issues that are not essential.

- Focus on the issue. Identify who or what is the occasion for your anger. Speak directly to the person involved, if possible, rather than venting your anger indiscriminately on the nearest or least threatening person.

- Accept anger in women. Recognize that many people, especially women (who are often expected to be always "nice"), need to learn to express their anger more assertively. Holding the anger in because of fear of rejection may help a person survive, but it is not a sign of a healthy, honest and spiritually loving relationship.

- Identify evils to avoid. Healthy anger is from good love, and unhealthy anger is from evil love. Often the unhealthy anger is tied to evils such as a desire for power, greed, adultery, excessive love for possessions, neurotic pride, various kinds of addiction, or the need to control other people for selfish purposes. Overcoming these or other evils will pave the way for healthier attitudes and desires, and therefore healthier anger, to take their place.

- Try to help. Healthy anger has within it good will, a desire to help. Look for ways to help the person you are angry with. If the person has done something hurtful, the best way to help the person may be to allow him to be punished or to suffer the natural consequences of his actions (see TCR 408, AC 2417:7, 5008:3, 4730:3, 2447:3).

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In other cases, you may be able to help a person more directly even while you are expressing anger with him.

There are many different actions that you might take. The action that is appropriate is more likely to be apparent to you if you have already made an effort to accept and understand your anger. Many of the following actions are appropriate in only a few situations, but they illustrate the wide range of options that may be available to you.

Call the Police if the person you are angry with is doing something illegal, like wife abuse or child abuse or destroying property.

Burn off Energy. Anger can generate a fight or flight response, pouring adrenalin into your body, preparing you for physical action. Work off this energy by running or racquetball.

Read Books. There are many books which may help you deal with anger. There are books specifically about anger, such as The Angry Book by Dr. Theodore Isaac Rubin. Books about assertiveness, such as Your Perfect Right by Dr. Robert E. Alberti and Dr. Michael L. Emmons, may help you find positive ways to express your anger. Many books about parenting, marriage and interpersonal psychology and physical abuse deal with issues relating to anger as well.

Talk with Trusted Friends. Talking with others can give you perspective, emotional support, and time to think clearly. Use humor. Sometimes a tense, angry situation can be turned around with an appropriate joke.

Write an Honest, Open Letter. Document your anger. Put it in black and white so both you and the other person can see more clearly exactly what the issues are.

Talk Honestly with the Person(s) Involved. Often the issue can only be resolved by a face-to-face confrontation. In many cases this is the fastest and simplest way of dealing with anger. It is amazing how many people use this only as a last resort, or even hang onto their anger for years rather than face the person directly.

Separate Yourself from the Other Person. if someone is repeatedly abusing you or violating your space and your rights, you may be able to help the situation by physically removing yourself or the other person.

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Get Counseling. You may not be able to fully accept and under stand your anger on your own, and there may be issues involved which require the counsel of a trained psychologist or physician.

Do Nothing. You may consider the options and decide that the best thing at present is to do nothing. If this is the case, do nothing consciously and decisively. Don't settle on doing nothing simply because it is the easiest, most obvious or least risky solution.

     There are many other options. File a lawsuit. Punch a pillow. Go for a long walk. Just say no. Quit your job. The list could go on and on. Keep in mind that many of these options would be quite inappropriate in many situations. Talking with friends may be mere gossip. The police cannot help if nothing illegal has been done. Humor may be hurtful sarcasm. Some people get counseling just to avoid talking directly to the person they are angry with. An action that is useful one time will be hurtful another.
     The important thing is that you determine for yourself which action is appropriate and take that action. Don't let yourself feel as if there are no options available to you, and don't, on the other hand, let yourself get confused by so many options that you make no decision at all. Decide on a course of action and try it. Then if it doesn't work, you can try something else. Often the best solution can only be found by trial and error.

     The End of Anger

     Most of us do not really enjoy being angry. Perhaps that is one reason why we often put off dealing with our anger. Even though anger can be healthy, it is certainly not a perfectly ideal state that we should be striving for. "Zeal is not the highest degree of love, but it is love burning" (CL 358). Sometimes it is easier to ignore our anger or push it aside rather than to accept it, understand it, and take responsibility for it. But the anger is there for a reason, and if we ignore it, it will damage our spiritual, emotional and possibly physical health.
     Anger could be compared to pain. Pain is not pleasant, but it is there for a reason-it tells us that something is wrong, that we need to pay attention to part of our body. If we simply ignore the pain or mask it with painkillers, serious illness or injury could result. In the same way anger tells us there is something wrong that we need to pay attention to. If we ignore it, it will cause our well-being to suffer.
     Even if the anger is unhealthy, it has a reason for being there. "Evils are permitted for a purpose, that there may be salvation." "Unless a person were allowed to think according to his will's love, which is implanted in him hereditarily, that love would remain shut in and would in no case come to the person's sight; and when the love of evil does not appear, it is like an enemy in ambush, corrupt blood in an ulcer, poison in the blood, or corruption in the breast.

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If these are kept shut in, they cause death. But indeed when a person is allowed to think the evils of his life's love even so far as to the intention, they are cured by spiritual means, as diseases by natural means" (DP 281).
     Anger is provided or tolerated by the Lord for the sake of healing. Wherever there is anger, there needs to be healing. When the anger is unhealthy, it is a block to a genuine relationship. When the anger is healthy, it is because something else is troubling the relationship. In either case, facing the anger can set the stage for freer communication and caring. We cannot experience the joy and peace of close relationships simply by "saying 'Peace, peace!' when there is no peace" (Jer. 6:14, 8:11)
     Even more important than the fact that anger indicates a need for healing is the fact that anger is a promise that there can be healing. The presence of anger may be a sign that a relationship is in the process of improving, because

- The Lord permits evil only when it can be turned to good.

- The fact that there is anger often indicates that people still care about the relationship.

- Anger brings out issues which otherwise might be hidden barriers between the people.

     So when you are working on your anger, keep in mind the state of peace and reconciliation which is the goal of healthy anger, and the goal the Lord has for us. "These things I have spoken to you that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world" (John 16:33).
ARIZONA MOUNTAIN CAMP 1989

ARIZONA MOUNTAIN CAMP 1989

You are invited to the Arizona Mountain Camp, July 5-9, 1989 in the cool of the mountains overlooking Tucson. This is an all-ages camp-Liz Rose, organizer, Rev. Frank Rose, minister. For further details please write: Sunrise Chapel, 8421 East Wrightstown Road, Tucson, AZ 85715 (Phone 602-298-1245).

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SWEDENBORG: A WILLING ACTOR IN A DIVINE PLAY 1989

SWEDENBORG: A WILLING ACTOR IN A DIVINE PLAY Rev. ERIK EMANUEL SANDSTROM 1989

     Swedenborg Birthday Address

     Introduction: The Role of Revelator

     As we turn once again to consider Swedenborg and his role in the second coming of the Lord, one question which always recurs is about the relationship between the messenger and the message. How is revelation transferred from the mouth of the Lord down to the human race? How does the Lord reveal Himself!
     In connection with Swedenborg, the question is even more pertinent, for of all the revelators, we know the most about him. What do we know, for example, about Moses or John by comparison?
     However, the Writings make it clear that, all revelators, thus Moses, John and Swedenborg, did experience certain things in common. The process was the same, but with vital differences in method.
     First the similarity. All revelators underwent two quite separate phases of their work. On this we read from Doctrine of the Lord 52: "We read of the prophets that they were in vision, and that Jehovah spoke to them. When they were in vision they were not in the body but in their spirit, in which state they saw things such as are in heaven. But when Jehovah spoke to them, they were in the body and heard Him speaking. These two states of the prophets should be carefully distinguished."
     These two distinct phases were also experienced by the New Testament revelators, since John is also included with Moses etc., in Apocalypse Revealed no. 36, talking about the same thing: "In the state of vision the eyes of their spirit were opened and the eyes of the body were shut; and then they heard what the angels spake or what Jehovah spake through the angels, and they also saw the things which were represented to them in heaven. And then they sometimes seemed to themselves to be carried from place to place, the body remaining in its place. In this state was John when he wrote the Apocalypse; and sometimes also Ezekiel, Zechariah and Daniel. . . . But as to the Word, it was not revealed in a state of the spirit or in vision, but was dictated to the prophets by the Lord by the living voice."

     Swedenborg includes himself in this dual process. He of course was in a state of vision, and so he says after mentioning John's visions: "I can testify that it is so, from the experience of many years" (Ibid.).

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     Two Distinct Phases

     The return into the state of the body is necessary in order to write down what has been revealed. Thus the Word is not revealed in a state of the spirit or in vision (see Ibid.). We must gently push out of our minds any idea we may have of Swedenborg writing down what he heard or observed in heaven while at the same time hearing or seeing these things.
     He did no such thing! All of his experiences in the spiritual world first took place, and later, after Swedenborg returned into natural light, he could write these down. But there was a problem with remembering, as we shall see shortly.
     So with the Word of the Lord, first there is the message to be recorded, then the recording of it.
     The recording of the Word of the Old Testament was by means of the voice of Jehovah, which is why it so often says, "The Word of Jehovah came unto me, saying. . . ." In Lord 53 over a hundred instances are listed just from the book of Jeremiah. But in all cases, the message was first received, sometimes together with visions. Only later, after visions had ceased, was the message dictated so that it could be recorded. On this second process, the process of recording what had already been seen, we read: "No other historicals are recorded in the Word, and in no other order and no other words are used to express them, than such as in the internal sense may express these arcana" (AC 1468).
     It is clear from this that not everything that was witnessed in phase one of the revelatory process is recorded in phase two. So, in the Old Testament only those parts of the history of the Israelites were recorded which could be so written as to contain a spiritual sense. And in the New Testament it says at the end of the Gospel of John, "And there are also many other things that Jesus did, which if they were written one by one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that would be written" (John 21:25). So the gospels, and the whole New
Testament, are a select account.
     The same with regard to Swedenborg: only those things which the Lord chose to be recorded were so recorded. At times Swedenborg states that he was not allowed to describe some things or say some things. And angelic conversations were recorded the way the Lord brought them to recollection. This is the problem of remembering what angels said.
     So, back now to the problem when Swedenborg returned from phase one, or from a state of vision, into phase two, or into a state of inspiration, to write the Word of the Lord.

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The problem was, simply stated, that Swedenborg could not recall or express anything seen in heaven or anything the angels had said. It was quite simply beyond human expression.
     He knew this by an experiment he conducted, which is recorded in the book De Verbo, or The Word of the Lord from Experience. He noticed the difference between the spiritual and natural states, and now comes the experiment: "The difference between the natural, the spiritual and the celestial is such that there is no ratio between them, for which reason the natural can in no wise by any approximation approach toward the spiritual, nor the spiritual toward the natural; hence it is that the heavens are distinct.
     "This it has been given me to know by much experience; I have often been sent among the spiritual angels, and I then spoke with them spiritually, and then, retaining in my memory what I had spoken, when I returned into my natural state, in which every man is in this world, I then wished to bring it forth from the former memory and describe it, but I could not; it was impossible" (De Verbo 4).
     Swedenborg here found that it was impossible to communicate what he had heard the angels talking about, or what he himself had said. He also states that the things he heard were "unutterable and inexpressible, as we read happened with Paul" (De Verbo 6).
     If this was the case, why then does it say at the end of Conjugial Love 81: "And there, from the state of the spirit, I returned into that of the body, in which state I wrote down the things that were seen and heard"? It seems we must insert what he says in De Verbo 4 and 6 in between the phrase, "from the state of the spirit" and the phrase, "I returned into that of the body." We will have to add: it was impossible. He could not report what he had heard and seen to anyone on earth.

     How the Writings Could Be Written

     This problem focuses on the actual act of writing down the Word of the Lord. Since we know that the Writings have been written, how was what was impossible made possible?
     First, it is declared possible in the very same reference, which we now continue to read: "Sometimes I was let into the perception and understanding of the subjects [the angels] were conversing upon; [they] were full of arcana concerning the Lord, redemption, regeneration, providence, and other similar things." (Incidentally, these topics all occur in the True Christian Religion. So although inexpressible, they have, as we know, found expression in print.)

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     Continuing the quote: ". . . after which it was given me to understand that I could not utter nor describe them by any spiritual or celestial expression, but that nevertheless they could be described even to their rational comprehension by words of natural language. And it was told me that there is not any Divine arcana which may not be perceived, and even expressed naturally, although more generally and imperfectly" (De Verbo 6).
     The Doctrine of Faith amplifies this statement, and this is a good one for all of you to remember next time you hear a sermon or a class, or a Swedenborg birthday address that you cannot understand! To quote. "A common remark is that no one can comprehend spiritual or theological matters because they are supernatural. Spiritual truths, however, can be comprehended just as well as natural ones; and even if they are not clearly comprehended, still as soon as they are heard, it is possible to perceive whether they are true or not. This is especially the case with those whose affection is excited by truths" (Faith 3).
     There is not any Divine arcanum which may not be perceived, and even expressed naturally. Spiritual truths can be comprehended just as well as natural ones. In other words, the Writings can be written, read and understood. What a relief!
     There still remains a problem, however: in many places in the Writings, the internal or celestial senses are said to be contained one within the other. Apocalypse Revealed 959 is an excellent example, explaining how the Word descends through the heavens, taking with it from each heaven a sense which becomes as it were concentrically contained within each lower sense, all of which are housed in the lowest, which is the literal sense. To quote: "The Word was dictated by the Lord, passed through the heavens of His celestial kingdom, and the heavens of His spiritual kingdom, and thus came to the man through whom it was written; wherefore the Word in its first origin is purely Divine. This Word, as it passed through the heavens of the Lord's celestial kingdom was Divine celestial, and as it passed through the heavens of the Lord's spiritual kingdom was Divine spiritual; and when it came to man, it became Divine natural. Hence it is that the natural sense of the Word contains in itself the spiritual sense, and this the celestial sense, and both a sense purely Divine, which does not appear to any man nor indeed to any angel."
     We now have to ask: Is this description universal to all forms of revelation? Do the Writings also have layers of meaning?

     Process and Method of Revelation

     We now begin to show the reason for the title of this address: Swedenborg, A Willing Actor in a Divine Play. For the method of revelation has been changed, although the process has been the same.

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What I mean is this: all revelators have first seen or heard heavenly things; second, they have been inspired to write down what was seen and heard, but only after they each time had ceased to experience what was to become the message. This is the process, which is always the same.
     But by the method, the Writings explain that the angel of the Lord was used to dictate the Word of the Old Testament (e.g., HH 254), and also the New Testament (see AC 98 18:14), whereas when the Writings were given to the human race, the angels are noticeably absent. It is the Lord alone, directly, who speaks in the Writings. It is impossible to recollect anything any angel says.
     Let us see this point close up.

     (a) The Old Testament Angel of Jehovah

     The Old Testament was dictated by angels and spirits, who thus were the angel of Jehovah. In Heaven and Hell 254 we read on this process: "I have been told how the Lord spoke with the prophets through whom the Word was given. [He spoke] through spirits who were sent to them, whom He filled with His look, and thus inspired with the words which they dictated to the prophets, so that it was not influx but dictation. And as the words came forth directly from the Lord, each one of them was filled with the Divine and contains within it an internal sense, which is such that the angels of heaven understand the words in a heavenly and spiritual sense while men understand them in a natural sense. Thus has the Lord conjoined heaven and the world by means of the Word" (HH 254).
     The angel of the Lord is here used to reveal the Word. As we saw already, when the Lord reveals the Word by means of angels, just such words are chosen so that the literal sense can contain heavenly arcana in the internal sense (see AC 1468). Thus the Word descended through the heavens to the man who wrote, so that the "natural sense of the Word contains in itself the spiritual sense, and this the celestial sense, and both a sense purely Divine" (AR 959).

     (b) The New Testament Holy Spirit

     Does this method apply also to the New Testament? The process of first seeing what is to be revealed and then of revealing it is common to all revelators, as we saw earlier. John of the New Testament is banded together with Moses of the Old; and so is Swedenborg. The process is always the same.
     But did the method of revealing the New Testament differ from the Old Testament method?

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     The Writings, or the Lord in them, answer: The Holy Spirit inspired the New Testament. In the Old Testament it had been "the Word of Jehovah came unto me saying," or similar words; but in the New Testament the Holy Spirit is mentioned. To quote: "The Holy Spirit was first when the Lord had come into the world, for it goes forth out of Him from the Father" (TCR 158). Thus everything the Lord said was "representative and significative of Divine things" (AC 2900), constituting a "new covenant" (AC 9396:8). In short, the New Testament came from the Holy Spirit, while the Old came from the angel of Jehovah.
     Regarding the Holy Spirit, the teaching is as follows: "'The Holy Spirit was not yet, because Jesus was not yet glorified' [means] that while the Lord was in the world, He Himself taught Divine truth; but when He was glorified, which was after the resurrection, He taught [Divine truth] through angels and spirits. This holy thing which proceeds from the Lord and flows into man through angels and spirits, whether manifestly or not, is the Holy Spirit mentioned" (AC 9818:14).
     To summarize this point: on earth the Lord spoke the truth from His own mouth. He spoke representatively, in parables. However, just as in the Old Testament, first things happened and later they were recorded; so here: first the Lord's life on earth was lived out, without any written record. Only after His resurrection, thus long after these events had passed into memory, did the Lord recall them from the memories of selected individuals, and inspire a written record.
     Thus for example the gospels were written in phase two, long after phase one had passed away. And the Apocalypse was first witnessed by John and then recorded, which is why he was told, "What you see, write in a book. . ." (Rev. 1:11).
     But the main point to notice is that the Lord once again spoke through angels and spirits after His resurrection. The New Testament has a literal sense containing an internal sense, just as the Old.
     The Lord foretold how He would reveal the New Testament. He said, "These things I have spoken to you while being present with you. But the Helper, the Holy Spirit. . . . He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you" (John 14:25, 26). "These things I have told you, that when the time comes, you may remember that I told you of them. And these things I did not say to you at the beginning because I was with you" (John 16:4).
     To be strictly technical, these two quotes were first spoken by the Lord while He was yet with them, and decades later the Lord inspired John to recall these words in this precise sequence so that they contain a spiritual sense within the literal context. But John says the same truth that the Writings do.

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We may assume that the internal sense here, which is nowhere explained in the Writings, is precisely as stated in the literal sense. John says, "The Holy Spirit will bring all things to your remembrance." The Writings say that the Lord after the resurrection spoke by "using angels and spirits" (AC 9818:14), which was the Holy Spirit flowing into man, whether manifestly or not.
     The point here is that after the resurrection, the Lord again used angels and spirits. Thus the New Testament also contains a spiritual sense for angels resting within a literal sense for men. Although the New Testament gospels are a record of the life of the Lord on earth, and even though while the Lord was on earth He Himself spoke the Divine Truth, nevertheless, after His resurrection, when it came to inspiring the writing of the gospels, He again used angels and spirits. For without a parable spake He not unto them. The time had not yet come to speak plainly of the Father, or to give the Spirit of Truth. The New Testament, just as the Old before it, is significative as to every word and sentence (cf. Arcana treatment of Matthew chapter 24).
     In fact, the angels who announced the Lord's resurrection at Easter can be seen as the angels through whom the New Testament was inspired. Perhaps they were spiritual angels, since their heaven was formed only after the Last Judgment which took place with the crucifixion (see AC 8054).

     (c) The Writings: Plainly of the Father, Using No Angels

     I now wish to begin the final section of this address by quoting a passage which has altered part and confirmed another part of my thinking regarding the nature of the Writings. It brings into focus Swedenborg's part as revelator also. It deals with an actual change in the way the Lord proceeds. To quote: "When the Lord came into the world and thereby made the Human in Himself Divine, He put on just that which was with the angels of the celestial kingdom, thus He put on this sovereignty. For previously the Divine transflux through that heaven had been the Human Divine; it was also the Divine Man which was presented to view when Jehovah so appeared; but this Human Divine ceased when the Lord Himself made the Human in Himself Divine. This shows how the case is with this secret" (AC 6371, emphasis added).
     Let us clarify that the Divine transflux here mentioned is the angel of Jehovah, or the angels and spirits used to dictate the Old and New Testaments, mentioned already. That was how the Divine Human appeared prior to the advent on earth. But this Divine Human is in fact called the Human Divine (cf. AC 2813). It was the Lord or Jehovah flowing through the heavens.

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When He reveals Himself, the Word descends through the heavens, as we began to show in this address. But now it says that this transflux ceased when the Lord was resurrected. In other words, after the resurrection, the Lord no longer flowed through the heavens. He does not speak or reveal Himself through angels and spirits any more. The angel of Jehovah came to an end as a method of revelation.
     Now we have to assume that this does not alter the revelation of the New Testament, since we just saw that after the resurrection, the Lord again spoke through angels and spirits. This was because the New Testament, as the Old, had to contain a spiritual sense to conjoin the heavens with the human race. There is "the Old Covenant and the New Covenant" (see TCR 730), meant by "Moses and the Lamb"(Rev. 15:3, AE 936).
     But if we are to understand the Lord and His method of revealing Himself in His second coming, we have to understand the Lord's own role on earth and how He took over the celestial angels' sovereignty. One consequence was that the angels were no longer involved in the actual writing of the revelation of the second coming. Angels can dictate a literal sense to contain a spiritual, but they cannot express heavenly arcana to the human comprehension. "It is impossible."
     In summary: The Old Testament was written through the Angel of Jehovah (through the Divine transflux or Human Divine); the New Testament was written by the Holy Spirit from the glorified Divine Human, yet through angels and spirits; and the Writings were written by the Holy Spirit from the glorified Divine Human directly, but apart from angels and spirits.

     [To be concluded]
NCL 100 YEARS AGO 1989

NCL 100 YEARS AGO 1989

In 1889 the 69th annual convention of the Convention Church was held in Washington, D.C. Much of it is written up in the June issue of the Life, and we find this entry on page 94:
A large number of New Church ladies and gentlemen visited the Executive Mansion, and were tendered a special reception by President Harrison.

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PRAYER 1989

PRAYER OLIN DYGERT 1989

     It surely was a pretty thing. Or so I thought. About 14 by 20, I guess. Inches, I mean. A gilt frame-and not smooth-kind of carved, if you know what I mean. It hung on the wall just back of the dining room table, and my place at that table was at the other end, exactly opposite the prayer. For that's what it was-the Lord's prayer. Mighty pretty. Mighty pretty! The letters were, I suppose, in Old English or something or other: red and maybe green or black on a white background. Mighty pretty.
     A small child, maybe three and not more than four, always notices things like that and appreciates their beauty. And, thanks to my mother, I could read by the time I was four-not big words but simple words. So, with help I soon was able to read it all and say it too. It was, I'm sure, about the second thing I ever committed to memory, the first being, "Now I lay me down to sleep." Remember that one? The prayer was:

     Our Father, who art in heaven,
     Hallowed be Thy name.
     Thy kingdom come; Thy will be done,
     On earth as in heaven.
     Give us this day our daily bread and
     Forgive us our trespasses as
     We forgive those who trespass against us.
     Lead us not into temptation but
     Deliver us from all evil; for Thine
     Is the kingdom, and the power,
     And the glory, for ever. Amen.

     Not too many years went by until I was introduced to the King James Bible. And there, in Matthew, I was able to read how Jesus, the Christ, had given it to His disciples for their use. And for our use too.

     Later still, after I had listened to long, windy prayers here and there, I began also to appreciate some of the admonitions given us by Jesus at the time He gave us the prayer: not to be as the hypocrites are, who love to pray standing in the churches and on street corners that they may be seen by men, but for us to pray to our Father in secret, and He who seeth in secret shall reward us openly, and not to use vain repetitions as the heathen do, because our Father knows our need before we ask Him.
     "Go into your closet and pray"? So He said. Did He mean that literally? Yes and no, I think. You can shut out the world without going into another room.

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Important at times. At other times the Lord's prayer in unison by more than one seems seemly to me, and, I trust, to God.
     Then there are other, shorter prayers, such as the blessing, whether it's "God is great: God is good: we thank Him for this food," or, as I like, "Dear Lord, please be our Guest at this meal; bless this food and each of us everyone." Then there's "May the Lord bless us and lead us and guide us and direct our steps and teach us and inspire us in what to think, what to say, and what to do." For, what is prayer but talking to God? Better yet, it is talking with God!
     Still, I must tell you again, that was a mighty thing on that wall. Mighty pretty!

     SPEECH WITH GOD

     Prayer, regarded in itself, is speech with God, and some internal view at the time of the matters of the prayer, to which there answers something like an influx into the perception or thought of the mind, so that there is a certain opening of the man's interiors toward God. . . . Arcana Coelestia 2535 MINISTER'S FAVORITE PASSAGE 1989

MINISTER'S FAVORITE PASSAGE 1989

     As a person who has been immersed in the work of parenting of late, I find myself noticing CL 405 again and again. It is about parental love. (Nos. 404-407 are all on the subject.)
     The love that a parent feels for a child is a marvelous gift! To experience it is to know the Lord's love. If I might sneak in an additional passage:

The essence of love is loving others than oneself, wishing to be one with them and devoting oneself to their happiness. . . . That this is the nature of Divine love is to be known from its sphere which pervades the universe. . . . [This sphere] particularly affects parents, since it is this which makes them dearly love their children, who are other than themselves, makes them wish to be one with them, and devote themselves to their happiness (True Christian Religion 43, 44).

     Not surprisingly, the Writings use parental love in describing love for the neighbor and its delight. A person in neighborly love "desires his neighbor's welfare as much as his own, even more than his own, and enjoys the delight which springs from that love while he acts kindly to him, much the same as a parent feels in acting kindly to his children" (DP 275).

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     At the same time, parental love and its delight is not received as an unselfish love and delight to begin with. It only mirrors spiritual love, until we experience it as part of a broader love: a love for the common good. Here is the passage that I have been finding so challenging and delightful. Its first and second parts draw a vital contrast in parental attitude.

With spiritual partners the love of infants is the same in appearance as the love of infants with natural partners, but it is more tender, inasmuch as it exists from the innocence with themselves, and from a closer reception and a more present perception of this innocence . . . . But after they have tasted the sweetness of the innocence present with their infants, spiritual fathers and mothers love their children in a far different way than do natural fathers and mothers. Spiritual people love their children for the spiritual intelligence and moral life of those children, thus for their fear of God and their actual piety or piety of life. At the same time they love them for their devotion and application to uses serviceable to society, thus for their virtues and their upright conduct. It is mainly from their love of these that they provide for their needs and supply them. And therefore if they do not see such virtues in them, they distance their mind from them, and what they do for them is done solely from duty (Conjugial Love 405:1).

     Now comes the contrast:

     With natural fathers and mothers the love of infants is indeed also from innocence, but as received by them, this innocence is wrapped around their own love. Hence it is from their own love and at the same time from innocence that they love their infants. They kiss and hug them, carry them about, press them to their bosoms, fondle them beyond measure, and regard them as being one heart and soul with themselves. Then, after their state of infancy, and up to adolescence and beyond, when innocence is no longer operative, they continue to love them, but not from the presence with them of any fear of God and actual piety or piety of life, or of any rational and moral intelligence. They pay little and indeed scarcely any attention to their internal affections and hence to their virtues and good conduct. They see only the external things which they themselves favor. To these they adjoin, fasten, and cement their affections. In this way they shut their eyes to the faults of their children, excusing and favoring them. They do this because with them the love of their progeny is also a love of themselves. And the love of oneself clings to its object on the outside, but does not enter into that object, just as the object does not enter into it (Conjugial Love 405:2).

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     [Photo of Rev. Grant H. Odhner]

     The teaching in (1) about spiritual parental love squares with every teaching about true love in the Writings. Genuine love is a love for the good and the true elements in others; it is not a love of their "person" apart from these. To love someone's virtues is to love the Lord, their Source. It is also to love that which will bring good-not only to the child (in this case), but to all the individuals whom the child will touch, and so to society.
     Some might regard CL 405:1 as a "hard saying." Who can avoid loving one's children, even when they fail to exhibit "virtues"? Who can "distance" one's mind from them and support them out of mere "duty"? Admittedly, this is a rather painful thing to do, however we may define "distancing the mind" and "duty."
     Yet, what a beautiful and compelling concept of true love we have here! Surely, being faithful to this concept cannot help but bring us into communion with the stabilizing peace and good will of a vast community of unselfish human beings, both in this world and in heaven-and into communion with the Lord Himself, who is the Source of the common good and all its blessings!

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REVIEW 1989

REVIEW Vernon Graeser 1989

Johnny's Trail by Anne Eliot Crompton, Swedenborg Foundation, New York, New York 10010

     The postman brought it: a beautiful, attractive, sturdy, hardcover book of a hundred pages, suitable for younger teenagers, written in easy-to-read elementary words. The title of the book and the picture on the cover are a giveaway to any New Church or Swedenborg Foundation member as to who the man in the illustration is. Reading it should touch the heart of the reader, as it did mine.
     I was deeply impressed by the apparent research and knowledge the authoress compressed into this little book without going into some of the complicated language used in the Writings. This enabled her to impress on the minds of the young some important truths revealed to us through Swedenborg. At the end of the book she totals up these truths in sixteen sentences.
     Also to her credit, one reads the book for the thrill of adventure and romance without being conscious of being indoctrinated with religious truth. As an authoress, Anne Crompton had to have: a comprehensive knowledge of our history before and after the war with Britain in 1812, an ample knowledge of Swedenborg's life and what he taught, some knowledge of the Indians and their territory, and a detailed knowledge of Johnny Appleseed.
     Anne has done a marvelous job of weaving fiction and fact together without destroying fact. Although the book has fiction in it, she points out that the fictional characters are very much like the people Johnny used to know. The events in the book are based on the legend of Johnny Appleseed, which is as close to truth as one can get. Anne makes allowance for our ignorance of some of the terms then in use but of which we now have no knowledge by giving us a small glossary of some of the terms of that bygone age. Included in the back of the book is a short sketch of Swedenborg's life. One can't call it a biography; it's too short; but it imparts to the uninitiated some important facts on which to build.
     To give you some idea of the contents of Johnny's Trail I have recorded the main events in the first three chapters of this eighteen-chapter book.
     The year is 1812, and a war between England and the United States is raging. Persis, a plump fourteen-year-old blond girl, has been tied to a sapling after being captured by Indians, allies of the British. One of the Indians owns her.

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Johnny Appleseed walks unannounced into the Indian camp where she is held prisoner. Johnny is small and somewhat thin with a sparse black beard and straight black hair. He wears a tin mush pot with a handle on it for a hat. His shirt is a coffee bag with head and arm holes. His breeches end in tatters just below the knees. His feet are bare. He has no gun, only a knife, a walking stick, and a pouch stuffed with a Bible and a book by Swedenborg. The pouch is fastened to a leather strap slung around his left shoulder. He also carries a smaller pouch containing snuff and his meager essentials. This pouch is fastened to a rope belt around his waist. With his hands held up in the air he walks up to Eagle Feather and says, "Hey."
     He smokes a pipe with the Indians, who think he is crazy, and strikes up a bargain with Eagle Feather-his snuff for the girl. Her owner agrees. The girl's leg, fastened to a sapling, is cut loose. It is numb from lack of circulation. Johnny grabs her hand and pulls her running into the wilderness. As she limps along with Johnny pulling as hard as he can, the Indians roar with laughter, but not for long, soon they are in hot pursuit.
     As Persis and Johnny confuse and outdistance the Wyandot Indians, they encounter a pit, twenty-five feet deep, in which prowls a lively, large, grey wolf. Someone has trapped it. Persis begs Johnny to move on before the wolf gets free, but Johnny looks down into the pit and studies how he can free the wolf. Knocking down the rotten branch of an oak tree with his bare hands, he slants it sideways down into the pit. The wolf climbs up the branch to face Johnny. The two stare intensely at each other. By this time Persis has climbed up a large oak tree. Finally the wolf turns around and walks off into the bushes. From then on the wolf follows Johnny and Percy (as he now calls Persis) at a distance. At one time the wolf even brings them a rabbit for dinner.
     Johnny helps Persis out of the oak tree, and the two resume their jogging. Persis is tiring and the sun is low in the west. On one of the trails they encounter a burnt-out homestead. Nothing is left but ashes. "Work of the Wyandot Indians," says Johnny. In the adjacent ground they find a grave with a cross at its head. Johnny reads the inscription on the cross to Percy because she is unable to read. "Percy," says Johnny, "you're right wore out. I think we had better rest for the night. We'll sleep aloft. Always wise in unknown territory." Sleeping in a tree doesn't appeal much to Percy, but Johnny picks a mighty maple. He shows Percy how to sleep in the crotch of a tree.
     The next morning Percy wakes up and looks about the maple tree in which they spent the night. Johnny is close beside her, still asleep. Percy notices his trim and muscular build, rather thin but very muscular, a physical marvel.

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She has to relieve herself, but the wolf is sitting down at the bottom of the tree. She wakes Johnny by taking the tin mush pot off his head. Almost immediately Johnny speaks, "This is the day the Lord hath made; let us be glad and rejoice in it." Johnny descends the tree first to allay Percy's fear of the wolf. The two go into opposite directions. After their needs are taken care of, they rejoin and continue to the nearest settlement. On the way they run across an ancient horse, too old to work, driven into the woods by a farmer anxious to be rid of him. Johnny knows the horse will perish in the coming winter. Having a tender heart, Johnny makes a foxgrape collar and rope for the horse, gives him the name of Pegasus, and hands the rope to Persis. "You lead him, Percy," he says. "Maybe we can find him a home." (At this point in the book I felt that Johnny Appleseed had been educated somewhat since he knows the old ancient tale of the winged horse Pegasus.) Persis had had a memory lapse and can't remember much of bygone days, but slowly her memory is returning.
     After their night's sleep in the branches of the large maple, Johnny and Percy start out on the trails again. Occasionally they find burnt-out homes and slaughtered settlers. Percy's memory keeps improving. When Percy was six, her mother died, she recalls. "So did mine," says Johnny. "They are both angels in heaven now," says Johnny. No wonder they call him crazy, thinks Percy.
     It seems Johnny is acting as a scout for the settlers. He scouts the frontier and informs families of the activities of the British and Indians. As Persis runs behind Johnny she slims down and becomes more attractive. The continuous jogging and the meager rations gleaned from the forest vegetation have quickly eliminated her excess weight.
     Johnny knows all the frontier settlements between Lake Erie and Mansfield, Ohio. In the past he has planted uncounted apple seeds in the uninhabited forests of these districts. When the seeds bring forth seedlings, Johnny visits the frontier homesteads and sells them to the farmers. There is scarcely a family Johnny does not know. Besides being a salesman, Johnny is also a missionary. Everywhere he goes he quotes Scripture and the writings of Swedenborg. Who would be better qualified to investigate the doings of the Indians and the British in these districts than Johnny Appleseed? He runs like a deer through the forest paths that lead from one frontiersman's home to another. When he reaches a home, there is usually a lull. Everyone seems to be his friend. Even the dogs and the children know Johnny. He gives them the news of the marauding Wyandot Indians and the British. He also transacts business and gets a free meal.
     At his stops everyone wants to know who the fourteen-year-old blond girl is.

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"Bought her from a Wyandot Indian with my last bit of snuff," Johnny tells them. "She had been captured from some settlement they raided. Can't remember her past. I'm trying to find her relatives and get her a home."
     I could go on and tell you the rest of the contents of the book, but then you might not want to read it. The remainder of the book is of more interest than what I have already related, but to arouse your curiosity I will tell you a little about the best segment in the story. Percy (Persis) falls in love with Johnny and by degrees makes this known to him. Every time I read this portion of the book I found myself wishing he would take the hint and return her affection, but Johnny doesn't seem to perceive her intentions, or hasn't made up his mind, or is a confirmed bachelor. Does Johnny marry her? I kept hoping he would as I read on. He finally reaches a decision, but if you want the answer, read Johnny's Trail.
     I feel this is an excellent book; it makes one a better person for having read it. Yet while reading it, you do not have to prod your mind to keep reading. It's the type of book you don't want to lay aside when you reach the end. I felt rather sad I couldn't follow Johnny through to the conclusion of his life. This book suggests:

1.      The Bible and the Writings are compatible.
2.      One should always love the Lord, the neighbor and all living things.
3.      God's Providence rules over all.
4.      All things exist in the world from a Divine origin.
5.      Man can adapt himself to live according to Divine order.

     Vernon Graeser
NCL 50 YEARS AGO 1989

NCL 50 YEARS AGO 1989

It is evident from the June issue that our church was going through hard times fifty years ago. Bishop de Charms spoke frankly of the difficulties. Due to economic depression the publication of New Church sermons had been discontinued, New Church Life was "materially reduced," ministrations to the isolated were drastically decreased, "and in other ways the normal flow of affection and thought was seriously hindered." The Bishop saw a need for more instruction. He said, "I am afraid that we have relied too heavily upon early instruction, and have not provided sufficiently for its extension beyond the period of formal training."

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HIGHLIGHTS FROM SWEDENBORG'S LETTERS 1989

HIGHLIGHTS FROM SWEDENBORG'S LETTERS Editor 1989

     When Swedenborg was in Amsterdam finishing the work of getting TCR through the press, he met Rev. Johannes Venator. Venator returned to Germany, and there was the recipient of one of Swedenborg's last letters. Written on July 13, 1771 the letter began:

I hope that my latest published work, called True Christian Religion, has come into your hands.

     Swedenborg mentioned the widely circulated story of "the Queen's secret." (Ten years previous to this he had amazed the queen by telling her something from her deceased brother.) He emphasized that this was no miracle. It was merely a confirmation or testimony that he had been "introduced by the Lord into the spiritual world." This had been brought about so that "doubts may no longer flow into the human mind concerning its own immortality." On the subject of miracles he invited Venator to read in True Christian Religion that he had so recently received. (We will quote from this in a moment.)
     In his reference to miracles we get Swedenborg's reaction to voluminous lists of miraculous cures during that century. There was a certain French priest by the name of Francois de Paris. The man was born two years after Swedenborg and died at the age of 37. He never did any miracles nor ever claimed to, but he had led a life of self-denial and devotion to the poor. Many people visited the grave of this saintly man, and some began to claim miraculous cures of infirmities. Within four years after the man's death the stories of miracles had become so notorious that the Archbishop of Paris instituted an investigation. The conclusion was that there was no truth to the stories, and the Archbishop tried to discourage veneration of this tomb. But then a Monsieur Montgeron visited the tomb and there had a religious conversion. Thereafter he labored to list the miracles effected at the tomb of Francois de Paris. The stories (illustrated with before and after pictures) filled two volumes.

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     Swedenborg had looked at these books, and in his letter to Venator he wrote:

They who do not believe unless they see miracles can easily be carried off into fanatical notions. I have seen two volumes full of miracles done by a certain Paris, which yet are nothing but pure lies, being partly fantastical and partly magical.

     In Invitation n. 55 the so-called miracles of Francois de Paris are mentioned among the things that earned some people a lot of money but taught nothing of truth from the Word nor showed the way to heaven.

     [Drawing that Swedenborg examined this picture of a "miraculous cure."] See "Notes on This Issue."

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     Swedenborg concluded the letter saying:

At this day faith will be established and confirmed in the New Church only by the Word itself and the truths which are derived thence; if these shine in a certain light before the eyes of those who read my last work, it is a sign that the Lord is present and enlightens; because He is the Word itself, and also the truths that are derived thence. Farewell in the Lord.
     Emanuel Swedenborg

     The phrase about a certain light calls to mind a phrase in n. XLIX of the Coronis. The phrase is: . . . until the Divine truths revealed by the Lord in the work entitled True Christian Religion are seen in light and acknowledged."
     Most of the letter to Venator appears in Vol. I of Posthumous Theological Works, p. 593.
     From TCR on the subject of miracles:

     It is asked at the present day why miracles do not take place as formerly; for it is believed that if they were to occur, there would come from everyone a hearty acknowledgment. But miracles are not now wrought as formerly because they compel [belief] and take away man's freedom of choice in spiritual things, and make man natural instead of spiritual. Everyone in the Christian world, since the Lord's coming, has the ability to become spiritual, and he becomes spiritual solely from the Lord through the Word; but the capacity to become so would perish if man were led to believe through miracles, because, as just said, miracles compel and deprive man of freedom of choice in spiritual things; and everything that is compulsory in such matters betakes itself to the natural man, and closes the door, as it were, to the spiritual man, which is the truly internal man, depriving it of all power to see any truth in clear light, with the result that man then reasons about spiritual things from the natural man alone, which sees everything truly spiritual inversely (TCR 501:1)
THESE ARE THE SERPENTS 1989

THESE ARE THE SERPENTS Editor 1989

The Evidence Is Growing

Do people sometimes say that the more we advance in scientific knowledge the more we will be inclined to believe in the spiritual world? Do people sometimes say that as we probe into the nature of matter itself we become more and more convinced that there is something higher and more interior? Some people may, but a religious outlook will not necessarily result from the accumulation of scientific data. It could go the other way. Each new discovery can become to the atheist a confirmation of his disbelief.

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For, just as the religious person may have the feeling that just around the corner will be discoveries that "prove" his beliefs, so also the atheist may feel that any day now there will be sufficient material evidence to prove that religion and other superstitions are false.
     Early in the Arcana Coelestia we read of scientific advances becoming means to greater blindness.

In ancient times those were called 'serpents' who had more confidence in sensuous things than in revealed ones. But it is still worse at the present day, for now there are persons who not only disbelieve everything they cannot see and feel, but who also confirm themselves in such incredulity by knowledges (scientifica) unknown to the ancients, and thus occasion in themselves a far greater degree of blindness. (This is from AC 196, which we will quote further presently.)

     It works both ways. A series in Divine Love and Wisdom invites the reader to consider discoveries in the plant and animal kingdoms that confirm a belief in the Divine (DLW 351 et cetera). We are told to consider the "wonders" that are in nature. In a previous editorial we quoted a man who was asked to consider the beauty and order of nature and (although very well informed) replied that he did not see beauty and order.
     The series in DLW does not speak of "proofs" but of confirmations, and it ends up by warning the reader against the confirmations of a purely natural outlook and urges confirmations in favor of the Divine. The final phrase in this invitation to see confirmations of the Divine is: "There is no lack of evidence" (DLW 357).
     The very same data can be viewed from a different perspective. In a Scriptural story a serpent that was on the ground bit people and threatened their lives. But the same serpent was lifted up on a pole, and those who looked upward at it were healed of their serpent bites (Numbers 21).
     There is a certain "simplicity" in those who lift their eyes above natural things, but it is not an uninformed simplicity. AC 197 talks about the admonition to the disciples to be as shrewd as serpents but "as simple as doves." And this brings us back to AC 196 about those "serpents" who blind themselves with knowledge. They deny the existence of the spirit saying, "It is nothing because I do not feel it: that which I see and touch I know exists." But the number concludes as follows:

Not so the simple in heart: if these are questioned about the existence of spirit, they say they know it exists because the Lord has said that they will live after death; thus instead of extinguishing their rational, they vivify it by the Word of the Lord.

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VISITOR FROM THE BRITISH CONFERENCE 1989

VISITOR FROM THE BRITISH CONFERENCE Rev. Clifford Curry 1989

Dear Editor:
     I am writing to you through the pages of New Church Life to express my thanks for the wonderfully warm and openhearted reception that was extended to me by so many members of the General Church, clergy and laity, during my recent visit to Bryn Athyn.
     It seems a long time ago that this Conference minister asked if, due to shortly being involved with setting up an "Outreach Team" here in England, it would be appropriate to attend the Evangelization Seminar due to be held at Bryn Athyn in March '89, and I thank Bishop Peter Buss not least for his response unhesitating and, as I now realize, typically warm to that initial phone call.
     Subsequently Bishop Louis King's invitation to the Council of Clergy meetings, which I was only too pleased to accept, greatly added to the enjoyment and value of the trip for me, and I am most grateful for this opportunity to express my personal gratitude to him. I only hope I did not convey the wrong impression of the "average Conference minister" to the meetings (were there such a person).
     Despite his capabilities Swedenborg was, as you will well know, occasionally at a loss for words to adequately express what he had experienced directly. The indirect medium of the printed page has severe limitations, and I experience a similar sense of the inadequacy of language as I sit here writing this letter. The further lack of names is because there are too many and Don will never print this.

     Since childhood I have been well aware of the divisions among the New Church organizations on this earth, and the sense of mistrust that has all too often existed. What I did not recognize so clearly until now was that in comparison with that use which unites us, the misunderstandings and differing viewpoints pale into insignificance.
     One of the teachings that has been wonderfully confirmed for me by my visit as a representative of the British "General Conference of the New Church" to these meetings are the opening words of Divine Love and Wisdom: "Love is the life of man." I was surrounded by open smiling faces, warm handshakes, and as I got to know people, even warmer hugs wherever I went. What that did for my own inner life I can only put this way.

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     Have you ever been given a present by someone that maybe you don't know particularly well, and for whom you perhaps have been able to do some small service? He or she watches smilingly as you open the wrapping and you find you don't know quite how to respond. A voice inside you says, "Yes, just what I wanted but this is too good for me."
     As I understand it, heaven is unity in diversity, and the church when in order reflects this. Today I deeply rejoice in a whole variety of new friends. I felt at one with a whole community of folks who share a love that is a vital part of the life of this particular man. There has been no sense whatsoever of "the Jews have no dealings with the Samaritans." To take a favourite quotation from Apocalypse Revealed, "The seven candlesticks are 'the church . . . various according to reception' and compared to one crown with many jewels or one human body of many organs" (AR 66, emphasis added; cf. TCR 763 on a need for color and contrast in the church).
     I have come away from the experience feeling a great desire to see further fostered a spirit of brotherhood (or should it be sisterhood?) among the New Church organisations on this earth. We have a lot to offer each other. More to the point, without losing our individuality or fudging the issues, in cooperation we have more to offer to the Lord in seeking the increase of His kingdom-a heaven of angels from the human race-than we can possibly have in competition.
     Once again, to everyone, thank you so much and, fellows, if you are over "this way" don't forget to look me up. Till then, the Lord bless and keep you in His peace.
     Rev. Clifford Curry,
          Lancaster, England
"SWEDENBORGIAN" 1989

"SWEDENBORGIAN" Rev. Donald K. Rogers 1989

Dear Editor:
On page 145 of the March 1989 edition of New Church Life it is stated, "We have noted in a previous editorial that the first use of the term 'Swedenborgian' occurred in 1761 . . . . This letter and an enclosure with it uses the term several times and defines it as 'the worship of the Lord our Savior.'"
My concern is that this statement might mislead people into thinking Swedenborg approved of the term "Swedenborgian." In my opinion he did not. I base my opinion on another of Swedenborg's letters, in which he writes, "More to the same purport has also been adduced from one of my works, an extract from which may be found in the printed 'Minutes' of the Gottenburg Consistory.

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This doctrine they there call 'Swedenborgianism'; but for my part I call it 'Genuine Christianity'" (Vol. I of Posthumous Theological Works, p. 581). To me this statement shows that Swedenborg really did not approve of the term "Swedenborgianism," especially when we consider that this was written to a personal friend, Dr. Beyer, with whom he could be completely open.
     So when Swedenborg writes about "Swedenborgianism" in his letter, we could mentally read into it, "What they call 'Swedenborgianism' I for my part call 'the worship of the Lord our Savior.'" Therefore, I feel that far from trying to define "Swedenborgianism" and thus approving of the use of that term for our religion, Swedenborg disapproved of the term and was trying to make that clear.
     I bring this up because the ignorant and uninformed believe that we in some way worship Swedenborg. I feel Swedenborg realized this and wanted to make it clear: They call us Swedenborgians (meaning followers or even worshipers of Swedenborg), but we are genuine Christians, worshipers of the Lord our Savior, Jesus Christ. It is one thing to be mistakenly called Swedenborgians by those who don't know us, but when we approve of or even call ourselves Swedenborgians, I feel we only confirm in the minds of the ignorant and uninformed what they already suspect.
     Rev. Donald K. Rogers,
          La Crescenta, California
"ANGER" 1989

"ANGER" Rev. Erik E. Sandstrom 1989

Dear Editor,
     Even before Rev. John Odhner's series "Anger" is over, I wish to thank him for this therapeutic treatment.
     Anger springs from the love of self. Wars spring from the same source. But perhaps too often we are told that all anger is wrong. We must not forget the "zeal" or "indignation" which John Odhner has treated under the heading of good anger.
     I hope readers will take hope from this series and be able to sort out which anger is destructive to spiritual progress and which is an outlet which prevents war! For temptations induced by hell are like civil wars.
     Wars are permitted, we read, because if "evils were repressed by any act of Providence, . . . they would remain shut in, and like a disease, such as cancer and gangrene, they would spread and consume everything vital in man" (DP 252).

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     "No man can be withdrawn from his hell by the Lord unless he sees that he is in hell and wishes to be led out. This cannot be done without permissions. . . . This is why there are wars" (ibid.).
     And that is why there is anger. Evil anger can be shunned; good anger, or zeal, can direct society toward badly needed solutions. Again, my appreciation.
     Rev. Erik E. Sandstrom,
          Bryn Athyn, Pennsylvania
IS "CONJUGIAL" ONLY TRADITION? 1989

IS "CONJUGIAL" ONLY TRADITION? Rev. Daniel Goodenough 1989

Dear Editor:
     In the continuing controversy over the English word "conjugial" it is often implied that the principal reason for retaining "conjugial" to translate conjugialis is people's affection for traditional usage. I strongly agree with James R. Brush that this is no valid reason for using

"conjugial." But I seriously doubt that tradition plays a very large part, although I recognize that opponents of "conjugial," unsympathetic with the reasons offered for keeping the word, feel that unthinking tradition is its only support. But would a church governed by tradition have changed from the King James Version of the Bible as readily as it seems to have in just a few years? The Liturgy soon to appear-not to mention observation of many developments in the General Church in recent years-should suggest a church open to change when it thinks it sees clearly a better way.
     The word "conjugial" surfaced once more at this year's Council of the Clergy meetings, and found both opposition and support. "Marital," "marriage," and "married" all have support, but I have heard substantial arguments raised against each of these as well. One younger minister who has served effectively in church growth argued that the word "conjugial" is just not a problem in evangelization; he found newcomers readily learned the meaning of "conjugial" and preferred it to other translations. (This also was my own experience as a newcomer some thirty years ago.)
     Sometimes it is argued that Swedenborg, in using conjugialias, intended nothing unique with the word and merely formed an adjective from conjugium, the noun for "marriage." It has been argued that he makes no effort to define conjugialis, which he would have done if he meant to coin a new word. But in fact Swedenborg does explain how conjuialis means something distinct.

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A well-known Latin word for "marital" already existed-conjugialis-and in Conjugial Love this word is carefully distinguished from conjugialis. In a discussion of love truly conjugial (amor vere conjugialis) CL 98 states, "The subject here treated of is love truly conjugial, and not the common love which is also called conjugal [conjugalis] and which with some is no other than a limited love of the sex."
     The only other use of the word conjugalis in this book is in paragraph 203, where it is again distinguished from conjugialis: "The conjugial [conjugiale] of good and truth . . . from the soul passes into the parts that follow, even to the ultimates of the body; and . . . it is changed by the person himself in many ways, and sometimes into the opposite which is called the conjugal [conjugale] or connubial of evil and falsity." Surely these passages contrast conjugialis with the common love called conjugalis. Do not these passages suggest conjugialis has a more spiritual meaning than is implied in ordinary words relating to marriage, such as "marital"?
     As a matter of fact, examination of Swedenborg's very first use of conjugialis strongly suggests that he intended it as a different word to express a different concept of union between man and woman. I know of no appearance of conjugialis earlier than Rational Psychology 203-207 (written in 1742, before his spiritual eyes were opened). Here he clearly uses it as an adjective for marriage, but for a much more spiritual concept of marriage than was recognized at his time: a marriage between souls that would survive death and endure in heaven-"a heavenly love on earth." Two who are in this love, he says, "will be consociated in the heavens. But such marriages and such loves are not entered into and perfected by chance but by the special providence of God." Surely this first usage of conjugialis, with implications very unusual for Christendom in 1742, suggests the word did in fact mean something substantially beyond marriage in the sense understood by society then or now.
     This can be confirmed by one's own reading of Conjugial Love. Yes, the meaning of the word shifts with context, but ask yourself, at each appearance, what type of love is being described as conjugalis. In the large majority of cases the love called conjugalis is not marital or married love in the sense normally understood in society, but rather a spiritual married love between souls, the same "heavenly love on earth" that Swedenborg glimpsed in Rational Psychology 203-207.
     Just as remarkable. I think, is Swedenborg's failure to use conjugialis or conjugalis (or any such word) in a passage written shortly before he wrote Rational Psychology.

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In Economy of the animal Kingdom 649 (published in 1741) Swedenborg briefly described a love, higher than the plane of sexual lust, between man and woman. He called it a "purer" love, "conjoined with a representation of another person in one's self, and of one's self in another, or of a certain most intimate connection" between the two-a description that lovers may recognize. But he gave this "purer" love no name, and in fact said it did not have any name of its own. Standard Latin equivalents of "marital" or "married" he evidently felt were not appropriate for this "purer" love, and he had not yet hit on conjugialis. Apparently he was conscious of looking for a word different from known words to describe this love, and by the next year, in Rational Psychology, he had found a satisfactory one.
     Of course we are not compelled by his use of conjugialis to use a distinctive English word, but there are substantial grounds for believing the word conjugialis is generally used in a distinctive way. Not always, no. Swedenborg is almost never 100% consistent in his use of words, and instances can always be found where words have a somewhat different sense. CL 344, for example, speaks of the amor conjugialis with polygamists, while the very next paragraph explains that polygamous love is NOT amor conjugialis! We should not expect complete consistency, but conjugialis usually describes a spiritual married love.
     I believe the principal reason that many people want to retain "conjugial" derives from a perception and sense that the word refers predominantly to a distinctive higher, heavenly love.
     Rev. Daniel Goodenough,
          Bryn Athyn, Pennsylvania
TRANSLATIONS 1989

TRANSLATIONS Barrie Ridgway 1989

Dear Editor:
Lest it may appear as if my letter in the January 1989 issue of New Church Life were written in response to Mr. John Chadwick's comments in December 1988 issue, let me assure readers that this was not the case. At the time of writing I had not even received my Dec. 1988 copy of NCL.
I have now read both Mr. Chadwick's comments and those by Rev. Bruce Rogers in January 1989 NCL concerning their new translations of the Writings. Unfortunately, my concerns have not been eased but have actually increased, and I still maintain that Rev. Bruce Rogers has given us a confusing translation. [See editorial footnote.]

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     With these new translations we now have the beginnings of a proliferation of copies which use different terminology to describe the same things. This is confusing, if not dangerous. Whilst it is necessary to translate the Writings from the Latin, it is essential that the translations maintain the integrity of the Lord's Word. Any adulteration of the Word by man would be dangerous, not only for the New Church but for the world at large. Our acceptance of "simpler" translations is also, therefore, a comment on our own integrity and spiritual development. The comments by Mr. John Chadwick (NCL. Dec. 1988 and Jan. 1989), Mr. Woofenden et al (NCL Jan. 1989), and Rev. Bruce Rogers (Jan. 1989) should therefore be of great concern.
     Mr. Woofenden is of the view that the Writings should be in a form readily understood by the world at large. Mr. Chadwick is of the view that the spread of the New Church should be from within the old Christian Church. He also makes it clear that he regards the Writings as coming from Swedenborg rather than being the Lord's Word.
     Whilst such views are not held by the General Church, they must, insofar as they are held by translators of the Writings, influence the integrity of the Writings. Translating the Writings is not simply a matter of translating Latin into modern English. It is a matter of retaining scarcely understood Divine truth in a form which we can read and study even if our states are such that we cannot understand them. The purpose of translating the Writings is thus not, as stated by Mr. Chadwick, to present to English readers what Swedenborg wrote, but of translating them as close to the Latin as possible to ensure that the integrity of the Lord's Word is not lost.
     The Lord has given us the Word. By means of it we may be conjoined with heaven. Great care must be taken, therefore, to ensure that we do not change in any way the words and meanings He has given us lest we start replacing Divine ideas with worldly ones, thus closing off conjunction with heaven.
     Given that the Writings are Divine, translators of the Writings are severely limited in their ability to render them faithfully into other languages. They will also be limited by their own states of regeneration and their perceptions of the Writings. For instance, does the translator see the Writings as simply the works of an enlightened Swedenborg, the Word limited to the internal sense of the Bible, or the Word in fullness having an internal sense into which one comes with enlightenment?
     An example of the care we need to take to ensure that we do not falsify the Lord's Word when translating it may be seen from Rev. Bruce Rogers' comments in Jan. 1989 NCL where he says that he retained the term "conjugial love" for emotional reasons-because it is a well-loved term in the church.

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[See editorial footnote below.] He would rather have used the term "married love." Obviously, no translation of the Writings should be emotionally based. But more important, the term "conjugial love" (translated almost in the Latin) was given by the Lord to describe a Divine state-the Divine marriage, that is, the marriage of the Divine good with the Divine truth. Conjugial love in human marriage on earth and in the heavens descends from that Divine marriage. To translate "conjugial love" as "married love" would replace a term in the Writings to express a Divine state with one which reflects the limited understanding of natural, worldly man's idea of worldly marriage, using it to define a Divine state entirely beyond man's comprehension, thus reversing the correct flow from the Lord to man.
     One hears ministers pleading for revised translations on the ground that the existing ones are too difficult to understand. I do not believe that the Lord would have given us the Word in a form too difficult for us to understand. If we cannot understand it easily, it is perhaps because in our hearts we are not really attempting to make it a part of our lives. Also, we need to see that our understanding of the Word increases in accordance with our state of regeneration. As we all know, regeneration does not occur overnight.
     Whilst the General Church cannot be said to regard the Writings as only the works of an enlightened man, it nevertheless embodies a wide variety of opinion on the nature of the Writings. Inasmuch as it tries to be all things to all people it cannot be a strong church, nor can it develop fully in a doctrinal context. As we all know, the church encompasses beliefs ranging from the Writings being regarded as the internal sense of the Bible to being the Word with an internal sense into which we come through regeneration. I would, however, ask whether the former is not in effect a denial of the second coming of the Lord. Nowhere do the Writings define the Word as the Bible. In fact, the Writings define the Word as being Divine truth. They also say that the Word has within it an internal sense into which we come with regeneration. To call the Writings the Word but then to limit their extent is, it would appear to me, a denial of their Divine authority. To hold such a view must necessarily limit one's understanding, and to deny the internal sense would close the mind to the whole process of regeneration.
     Such views will surely retard the development of the church. An observer of the General Church might well be excused for thinking that our long-term trends are towards the external. Increasingly we appear to be preoccupied with our institutions, our hymns, "more easily understood" translations, whether we can be more relevant to the outside world, and with our church social life. But where is the effort towards greater doctrinal advancement?

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I do not think it is apparent amongst the laity. Neither do I see it in the published sermons, which, overall, seem to indicate a more superficial content than those published several decades ago.
     And the more external we become, the more we will demand, and get, "more easily understood" translations.
     Now, more than at any other time, we need a doctrinally strong congregation, with strong leadership, which is prepared to stand up and defend the principles of a religion based on the belief that the Writings are truly the Lord in His second coming. This must also include the translations we are prepared to accept.
     In order to protect the truth of the Word, it seems essential to prevent a proliferation of translations. In addition, given our small numbers, a proliferation would be very costly. Would it not be possible for all translations to be subject to the prior, unanimous approval of a committee comprised of the leaders of the three main, doctrinally distinct organizations, namely, the Lord's New Church, the General Church, and the Conference/Convention/Association?
     Barrie Ridgway,
          Canberra, Australia

     [Editorial note: Since Mr. Ridgway resides in Australia and receives his copies by sea mail, he had not seen the March, April and May issues when he wrote this letter. Those issues contain extensive material from Mr. Rogers on translation, as well as comments from other readers. Unless readers at such a distance get their copies by airmail, they will be at a disadvantage in an ongoing discussion. This is a limitation of such discussion which we have had to live with in this magazine.]
WORDS AND PITFALLS 1989

WORDS AND PITFALLS John Sabol 1989

Dear Editor:
I do not think that there are pitfalls in translating if we use common sense. We all understand the use of the word "soul," yet in Apocalypse Explained, paragraph 750. there are listed seven different ways in which "soul" is used: 1) Man, 2) The life of the body, 3) The life of man's spirit, 4) The life of man's understanding, 5) Divine truth, 6) Spiritual life from truth, 7) Life in general.
So proprium has one general meaning, but I will accept Rev. N. Bruce Rogers' threefold outline in the March NCL and meditate on it.

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     It seems to me that the New Church should have a Latin and English side-by-side translation of the Writings, not so much for ourselves but for future generations. Having a Latin and English translation will help clear up the difficulties that Mr. Rogers is concerned about. Thus the reader can always refer to the original Latin as he reads the Writings.
     In his opening line Mr. Rogers says, "To the uninitiated, translating can seem an impossibly complex endeavor." I can vouch for this. For some time I have passed out a poster with "HONESTY IS THE COMPLEX OF ALL MORAL VIRTUES, DECORUM IS ONLY A FORM OF IT!" DO I now change it to "HONORABLENESS (the quality of behaving honorably) Is THE COMPLEX (the sum) of ALL MORAL VIRTUES, DECORUM IS ONLY A FORM OF IT!"?
     It has seemed to me that Swedenborg meant "honesty" rather than honorableness. The Latin is honestum est complexus omnium virutum moralium, decorum est modo forma illisu.
     If we believe in a New Church distinctiveness, we should not be afraid of obsolete words, for if we use them they are not obsolete. The word "proprium" need not be a problem, and to substitute a word like "ego" does not seem adequate.
     John Sabol,
          Iselin, New Jersey
News Around the Church 1989

News Around the Church 1989

     The society in Washington D.C. has a choir again! The choir has been dormant for almost ten years but is emerging anew.
     The New Church school in Detroit is anticipating a significant upswing in attendance. An effort is being made to get back the desks that the school sold to society members.
     In Japan this month Mr. Tatsuya Nagashima hopes to complete his translation of Coronis into Japanese.
     The Phoenix Circle is by no means alone in actively discussing a name for their church. In April a poll was taken in Phoenix and the two favorites were: The New Church of Phoenix and The New Christian Church of Phoenix, with variations of "in" and "at" as the preposition.

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Church News 1989

Church News Various 1989

     BOSTON

     The new church of the Boston Circle is set on a three-and-a-half-acre plot of woodland that was once a farm in the 1850s outside the village of Sudbury, about thirty miles west of Boston.
     The property contains a manse, a barn, and outbuildings. At one time it was a factory whose owner built an adjoining high-ceilinged, pine-paneled social room with windows on four sides. That is our present chapel. The old barn contains the pastor's study, a nursery, three Sunday school classrooms, and the large ground floor (heated by a wood stove) is used for our suppers. There is future potential in the barn and the outbuildings, some of which are now used for reception and coatroom.
     Bishop Louis B. King set the fitting tone to the dedication service when he told the children that each of us is building a temple in our minds from the sands of truth we learn, that the sands of truth become a rock on which to build the place for us to receive the Lord. He also reviewed for the adults the whole process of man's regeneration, told in the stories of the Old and New Testaments, leading to the similar transformation that the Lord went through on this earth in order to bring new order to the heavens as well as the earth. Our oldest member, Nadia Williams, as a representative of the whole congregation, presented a copy of the threefold Word for our altar. It is in the original Hebrew, Greek and Latin.
     Every age level of our congregation participated in preparing for the event. At the service a chorale was sung by our teenagers, and a soloist and an adult quartet sang, accompanied on the piano by Carla Zecher from Maine.
     The festivities began the night before, Saturday, at a banquet when the 81-year history of the General Church presence in Massachusetts was recalled in a speech, and when our pastor, Rev. Grant Odhner, commended Laird Pendleton for all the work he had done to make the new building possible. Laird spoke of our wandering days in Massachusetts when we were much like the Children of Israel, moving from place to place and setting up our tents in new locations. Ray Guiu, Rev. George McCurdy, Bishop King and our pastor spoke. Preceding them Joel Hoo presented a plaque to hang in our future library dedicated to Nadia Williams in affectionate recognition of her constant and inspirational support of the New Church among us.
     Two meals, our Saturday banquet and a Sunday luncheon, were ably coordinated by Sarah Odhner and Wendy Hoo. We were waited upon at the tables set up in the barn, and many other families had a hand in the preparation and serving. The younger children decorated dessert cakes by lettering "The New Church" in red on the white frosting.
     We were honored by the presence of some of our former pastors, Rev. Messrs. Harold Cranch (and his wife Jean) and George McCurdy. The Convention ministers Rev. Messrs. Clayton
Priestnal and Stephen Ellis and nine of our good friends from the Boston, Cambridge, and Cape Cod Convention churches shared the event with us. Other out-of-state visitors were Melinda
Nemitz from Maine, Ellie Pekala from Virginia, the Leonard Gyllenhaals and Nathaniel Brock from Bryn Athyn.
     An outside sign to identify us to the surrounding community was erected just in time for the dedication, and we thank Charlotte Klein, Joel and Wendy Hoo, and the pastor for their able expedition. It reads: "Swedenborg Chapel: The New Church: Sunday Services 10 a. m."

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It was designed by a local artist following a Toronto Society scheme developed by Richard Cook.
If you read our history, you will observe that we are like so many societies, groups and circles-a highly mobile congregation, drawing members on Sundays from a 60-mile radius and often longer distances from New Hampshire, Maine and the Cape. (Only seven of our twenty families live a half-hour drive from the church.) Happily we gain strength by a stable center in our resident pastor, Rev. Grant Odhner, who serves our needs so inspirationally with devoted energy and in such a caring manner. Under his wing our flock numbers about 91 adults, children, infants and college students in the Boston environs, and 18 isolated on Cape Cod, in New Hampshire and Maine. The weekly Sudbury services represent fewer people since distance, climate, family work habits and vacations vary the attendance pattern. Many former families have moved to other societies. Fortunately we have gained new faces each year to replace them. We still have among us one member who belonged to the first Abington group (Dorothy Freeman) and five members who date from our Foxboro days. Nadia Williams

[Photos of Left: Mrs. Nadia Williams with her grandson Benjamin Robinson and Right: Presenting a copy of the Word during the dedication ceremony]

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[Three photos of sign outside church; Rt. Rev. Louis B. King and Mrs. Williams and her grandson Benjamin Robinson. We are grateful to Eleanor Pekala for these photographs.]

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"URGENT TO BE RECEIVED" 1989

     On the 19th of June, 1938 Rev. G. T. Hill preached a sermon at the annual Conference (in London) under this title. His text was: "The Spirit and the bride say, Come!" (Rev. 22:17). It was published in The New Church Herald, and again in New Church Life that year (p. 408). The sermon includes these words:

     Not merely as a Church Body are we called by the Lord, but each of us has been led of the Divine Providence into the knowledge of His Second Coming. The Lord has some special use for each of us in His Church; otherwise we should not have been called. Those who are truly of the Church will say. "Come!" They will earnestly desire to receive the things of heaven as they are given in the Revelation of His Second Advent. They will adore the Lord Jesus Christ in His Divine Humanity, because He is the one God of heaven and earth their Savior. The Divine Word will be an opened Book in which the light of heaven shines. The spiritual world will be real to them, for they will have a clear understanding of the destiny and nature of man as a spiritual being. By them the order of life in the world will be seen to be controlled by the hand of the Divine providence.     They will be truly enlightened, and their hearts will be warmed to an appreciation of the mercy of the Lord. . . .
     Should we not be joyful that, of the Lord's mercy, we have seen these things? Should we not he ardent to receive them? The Lord has opened His Word the fullness of His Divine Wisdom-the vehicle of His Love. Shall we be indifferent to it? Let others pass it by, but we can only open our hearts to the Lord in His Coming and receive Him with joy and gladness.
SECRETARY'S REPORT 1989

SECRETARY'S REPORT E. Boyd Asplundh 1989

     General Church of the New Jerusalem Corporation

     SECRETARY'S REPORT

     for the year ending December 31, 1988

     MEMBERSHIP

     During the calendar year 1988 the membership of the Corporation increased to 820. There were 29 new members (9 men and 20 women), 10 deaths and one resignation. As of March 10, 1989, the date of the annual meeting, two additional members had died, but four men and three women had been added to the register, bringing total membership to 825.

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     MEETINGS

     Since the last report of the secretary, published in New Church Life Vol. CVIII, March 1988, two annual meetings have been held-on March 11, 1988 and March 10, 1989. At these meetings reports were heard from officers, and directors were elected. At the 1989 meeting, women were elected for the first time. Also at that meeting a bylaw amendment was adopted granting indemnity to officers and directors as permitted by the law governing Pennsylvania corporations.
     At the organizational meeting of the Board of Directors held March 11, 1988, officers were elected and routine resolutions were adopted. Notable changes were the election of Rt. Rev. Peter M. Buss as Vice President and E. Boyd Asplundh as Secretary, Mr. Stephen Pitcairn having relinquished this office after more than thirty years of dedicated service.
     In preparation for the May 14, 1988 meeting, several directors had been asked to prepare short presentations and to lead in the discussion of various aspects of the general topic, "How can we better cooperate with the Lord in bringing forth works of charity in His church?" At this meeting the new Teacher Career System, developed by Rev. Frederick Schnarr and thoroughly reviewed by the Salary Committee, was formally adopted.
     A special agenda had been prepared for the October 1st meeting by an "Action Committee" appointed by Bishop King. The meeting, which was an all-day affair, resulted in much useful interchange on a variety of topics important to the life of the church. It is not possible to summarize the discussions, or even to list all of the topics covered, in this brief report.
     On January 21st, 1989 another extended meeting was held, following a similar format, again generating much useful discussion. At this meeting Mr. Eyvind Boyesen of the Kempton Society was elected to fill the unexpired term of Mr. Roger Schrock, also of Kempton, who had resigned as a director.
     A regular meeting of the Board of Directors was held preceding the annual meeting of the Corporation on March 10, 1989. Reports were heard from officers and committee heads, a highlight being Mr. Neil Buss' report for the Real Estate Finance Committee on activities in Boynton Beach, Florida, and Seoul, South Korea.
     Immediately after the annual meeting of the Corporation, a brief organizational meeting of the board was held, at which the officers were reelected and routine banking resolutions were passed. A current list of directors follows:

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     Terms Expire 1990
E. Boyd Asplundh                    Bryn Athyn
Theodore W. Brickman, Jr.           Bryn Athyn
Neil M. Buss                     Bryn Athyn
Henry R. Dunlap                    Atlanta
John A. Frost                    Durban
Geraldo C. Gomes                    San Diego
Albert D. Henderson                Glenview
James F. Junge                    Bryn Athyn
Brian L. Schnarr                    Bryn Athyn
Robert A. Smith                    Glenview

     Terms Expire 1991
Peter H. Boericke                    Bryn Athyn
Eyvind H. Boyesen                    Kempton
James B. de Maine                    Seattle
B. Reade Genzlinger                Bryn Athyn
Dale B. Genzlinger                    Detroit
Terry K. Glenn                    Bryn Athyn
Murray F. Heldon                    Hurstville
H. Keith Morley                    Toronto
Garold E. Tennis                    Bryn Athyn
Phillip R. Zuber                    Washington

     Terms Expire 1992
Edward F. Allen, Jr.                Phoenix
Margaret I. Baker                    Bryn Athyn
Roy B. Evans                         Colchester
Thelma E. Henderson                Glenview
Denis M. Kuhl                         Kitchener
Robert D. Merrell                    Bryn Athyn
Duncan B. Pitcairn                 Bryn Athyn
William B. Radcliffe                Washington
S. Brian Simons                    Connecticut
James G. Uber                         Pittsburgh

     Ex Officio Members
Peter M. Buss                    Bryn Athyn
Louis B. King                    Bryn Athyn

     Honorary Life Member
Willard D. Pendleton                Bryn Athyn

     E. Boyd Asplundh,
          Secretary

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MEN'S WEEKEND IN OCTOBER 1989

Announcements

A men's weekend is planned for October 6th-8th in Linden Hills. Michigan. The topic for discussion will be "Masculine Leadership in the Church, Family, and Community." For information contact Rev. Brian Keith, 73 Park Drive, Glenview, IL 60025 (phone 312-724-0129). Or contact Mr. Don Synnestvedt, 921 Burnham Court, Glenview, IL, 60025 (phone 312-729-4206).

300

SWEDENBORG RESEARCHER'S MANUAL 1989

SWEDENBORG RESEARCHER'S MANUAL William Ross Woofenden 1989

     Here we have an admirably organized compilation of information on Swedenborg's own literary output and on books, periodicals, and pamphlets about it.
     The first part is a chronological list of all available titles written by Swedenborg, from his poetical efforts written in 1700 when he was twelve, to the Coronis and the Consummation of the Age in 1771 when he was eighty-three.
     The second part lists about 200 examples of collateral literature which the editor chose to include because he considers them important or because he wants to warn that they are "hostile, untrustworthy, or essentially worthless."
     The third part is a glossary of Swedenborgian terms, a concise, clear listing of words and definitions.
     Part four gives, succinctly and clearly, key concepts found in Swedenborg's writings, scientific, philosophical and theological.
     The last section is a catalog of the major documentary collections of Swedenborgiana worldwide. Those included are in Sweden, England, United States, Switzerland and Australia, with descriptions of many of the unique possessions.
     The book closes with an astonishingly comprehensive index.

Swedenborg Scientific Association
1988
Hardcover, 366 pages $19.95 plus $1.25 postage

     General Church Book Center      Hours: Mon-Fri. 9-12
Box 278, Cairncrest                    Or by appointment
Bryn Athyn, PA 19009                    Phone: (215) 947-3920

301

Notes on This Issue 1989

Vol. CIX July, 1989 No. 6
NEW CHURCH LIFE

302

     It is summertime in the northern hemisphere, and we may find more time for reflective reading. Well, if you are in the mood for reflection, settle yourself down with the first installment of Walter Orthwein's presentation on creation. Your mind may be boggled pleasantly from time to time. "It might be objected that there is a difference between a human being, such as Beethoven, and the earth, but the difference may not be so great as we think" (p. 320). "Did you know that there may be three quarters of a ton of termites for every person in the world?" (p. 321). "Our universe-which actually is like a bubble, the physicists tell us-is created by God withdrawing Himself, imposing limits upon Himself, making room, so to speak, within Himself for something else to be" (p. 327). "There is a very close and exact correspondence between the creation of finite matter and the regeneration of a human being; in fact, I am tempted to say that the process in both cases is one and the same" (p. 329). This is only the first installment. There will be more reading for reflection in August and beyond. The bibliography will appear at the end of the whole series.
     And speaking of reflection, a one-line quotation to reflect upon is: "Everyone's God is that which he loves above all things" (see p. 333).
     A sermon suitable for a young couple to read as they look to their wedding is the one in this issue entitled "You Can't Take Love for Granted." The sermon has a wide practical appeal.
     "In Our Contemporaries" this month (p. 332) is addressed to the most recent issue of Theta Alpha Journal.
     We have several ministerial announcements this month, for which see page 343.

     A JOURNAL DEVOTED TO THE STUDY OF THE FIVE CHURCHES

     We have received the first issue of the annual literary issue of the Glencairn Museum newsletter. It is entitled Covenant. The editor is C. Edward Gyllenhaal. Articles in this 74-page issue relating to the Ancient Church are written by Richard L. Goerwitz III, Horand K. Gutfeldt, Harold C. Cranch and B. Erik Odhner.
     For information write to Eleanor Dillard, Office Manager, Glencairn, Box 278, Bryn Athyn, PA 19009.

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YOU CAN'T TAKE LOVE FOR GrantED 1989

YOU CAN'T TAKE LOVE FOR GrantED Rev. PETER M. BUSS 1989

      "If a wicked man turns from all his sins which he has committed, and keeps all My statutes, and does what is lawful and right, he shall surely live; he shall not die. None of the transgressions which he has committee shall be remembered against him; because of the righteousness which he has done he shall live. . . . But when a righteous man turns away from his righteousness and commits iniquity and does according to all the abominations that the wicked man does, shall he live? All the righteousness which he has done shall not be remembered, because of the unfaithfulness of which he is guilty and the sin which he has committed; because of them he shall die" (Ezekiel 18:21, 22, 24).

     These are words of comfort and of concern. We do not need to be afraid of the penalty for past sins if we repent. The Lord won't remember the weaknesses of bygone days. On the other hand, we cannot trade on our past goodness if we sin in the present.
     The message is very clear. It is what we do in the present that matters. We cannot build up credit with the Lord and then sin for a while. Our old goodness is then of no use.
     This text highlights a most important rule of life. It is simply this: You can't take love for granted. If someone loves you, you must continue to court that love, in the present and in all the days that are to come.
     At first this might seem like a disquieting idea. Does it mean that we can never be sure of someone's love? Does it mean that maybe one day someone we love will stop loving us? Not at all. Just as the Lord's own love is always pouring into us, so He inflows into the hearts of a married pair constantly, and produces the disposition to love each other.
     The point is that we must receive the Lord's love. We must do something to make it our own. In the same way We must receive, freely act to receive love, from someone else, or else it will wither away for the lack of nurturing.
     No one likes to be taken for granted, because the person who is doing so seems to be saying, "You don't mean very much to me." Yet we have a tendency to take love for granted, and to take advantage of it. A young couple gets married. He loves her deeply at first, and by his actions and his attention shows her how he feels. But then he gets involved in his work and used to having her at home. He comes home late and tells her his problems, but when she tries to get him to help with the children or to discuss the problems at home, he tells her how tired he is and how he doesn't have the energy to deal with those things now.

304

Slowly he stops communicating with her as a treasured, special person. He comes home and turns on the television (insisting on the channel he wants), or buries himself in a book or a hobby.
     She continues to give of herself, showing understanding for the pressures he's under, and he finds that her service to his emotional needs is pleasant. Instead of giving in return he expects support more and more. He is trading on her love, taking it for granted. After all, she's his wife; she promised to love him; he is sure of her love. Sometimes, perhaps, he is kind and attentive, but more and more it is when he wants something.
     She cannot help it. Her love begins to wither away. You see, in the past it fed itself on the respect she felt for him and on the sense that his concern for her was an unselfish, caring one. Maybe he thought it was. But his behavior in the present is untrue to that love. It is saying, more loudly than words, that he does not think her love is worth courting and nurturing.
     This is an extreme example, but perhaps it points to a tendency in all of us to assume the love of somebody instead of seeking that love anew.
     We mustn't do so. We cannot take love for granted; we must seek it anew each day. For it is a spiritual law that although love is always offered to us by the Lord, it is not ours unless we choose it and continue to choose it in the present.
     Let us reflect on this idea. First of all, notice how all the things of this earth are constantly being created anew. The food your body eats doesn't last. You need to eat again and again. Almost all the cells of your body are renewed regularly. Your garden is constantly changing because it is being recreated by the Lord. A tree grows; even the mountains are not the same, although they change more slowly.
     This is because if a thing is to last, it has to be recreated constantly (see CL 86; cf. 183). It is the nature of love to act. Love has to act each single day. If it stops acting, it begins to wither.
     Why does the Lord require that love be renewed each day:, Because the one thing that we have that is truly our own is freedom of choice. When we choose something, it becomes ours. We don't exercise that choice once and not again. We feel life as our own because we exercise choice all the time. The Lord wants us to choose love again and again and again, and in each choice to find our blessedness. More than anything He wants us to choose, again and again, to love that one person who will be closer to us than anyone else.

305

     There is another reason for this aspect of love. When we fall in love with someone, we are far from perfect. There is someone else we love a great deal-ourselves. Love of self is actually the opposite of true conjugial love, and if we don't actively choose, and continue to choose, conjugial love, we revert to the natural state into which we were born-loving ourselves the most.
     We must not take love for granted. Yet, people may ask, shouldn't we expect some gratitude for past kindness? Doesn't the care of the past mean anything in the present? The Writings certainly speak of such gratitude. A husband, for example, regards his wife with kindness and favor because she bore their children, and fed and cared for them "with unwearying care" (CL 284). Yes, we owe a debt of gratitude for past kindness. But that is very different from expecting gratitude for past kindness! For a husband to feel gratitude is proper. For a wife to require it is not, and certainly she must not trade on it.
     But aren't there times when we have to take someone's love for granted? What about when we are sick or under tremendous pressure? If a man is facing such things, won't he hope he can count on his wife to support him? Inevitably he will be somewhat wrapped up in himself. If he is sick, he will be concentrating on getting well; if under great pressure, most of his effort will be spent on getting through each day. He will be asking a great deal of the person who loves him.
     At such times his wife would want him to count on her love, to take it for granted, and not to worry that he is giving so little in return. However, that cannot become a permanent condition. Sometimes we receive more than we give, but it should be with the intention that the time will come when we can reverse the roles and let our love be an active force going out to benefit the other. A dependent role can only be temporary in any healthy relationship.
     What about the dependency of old age? Don't aged parents have to take their children's love for granted? Don't they have to resign themselves to receiving far more than they give? Yes, they do. But have you noticed how much people of the older generation worry about this? They worry about being a burden. Why? Because the love inside of them, which is not old but is ever young, is longing to be active, to nurture and give to those it cares for. They feel, very deeply, their inability to return kindness, and they show it by expressions of gratitude.
     We cannot deny that age brings infirmity, pain, and frailty, and people have to concentrate more on themselves than they would if they were healthy. But it is also a fact that we do not fully appreciate as yet the true contribution which the older generation makes to our society.

306

We notice it sometimes. We see a grandparent smile and it lights up the room. We see how little children sense the innocence in those who have reached the age of wisdom. But as a culture we tend to measure someone's contribution to society in terms of things done, not as much in the sphere of love which flows forth, often silently, to touch the lives of others. One day the Writings will enable us to become truly sensitive to the contributions which old age can make to our culture.
     In the meantime the aged appear to take love for granted, but they don't. They are perhaps more truly receptive of it than anyone else.
     Are there not some people whose love we can take for granted? How about a mother's love, or a grandfather's? Will it not always be there, no matter how little we court it? In one sense, yes, but the simple fact is that the quality of such a love will be dependent on how we treat it. If we abuse it, it will change shape over the years. From being a beautiful and trusting thing it will become more reserved. It will have certain calluses where it has been hurt; there will be a quality of sadness in it. And if we court it, it will deepen and become both more mature and more gentle.
     But let us return to marriages. If love is to endure, it must be cultivated each day. It can feed for a little while on the past, but not forever.
     Does it not get recharged by our memories of past states? Don't we love to look back on our courting days, on our honeymoon, on the day when our first child was born? Don't we indulge ourselves with those familiar words, "Do you remember. . .?"
     Of course we do. Every state of love in the past which we have freely chosen remains with us as a part of our lives. It is indelibly stamped on our spirits and it can return. One of the beautiful teachings in the Word, however, is that when we freely recall these states, when we choose to remember them, they cease to be memories of the past; they become a part of the present. Not only does the memory return, but all the joy of that state, and it becomes a present joy.
     Yes, it is true that love builds on the past. It grows stronger with each new memory. The point is that it does so because in each present moment we choose to remember our love and we choose to make it our own. Those words, "Do you remember. . . ?" are a way of saying, "I love to remember because I love you."
     Let us never take love for granted. Let every New Church husband continue to court his wife for as long as he lives upon this earth and to eternity in heaven.

307

He won't court her as he did before they were married, but he can be solicitous of her good opinion, eager to behave in ways that will serve her, thrilled in a deep and mature way by the fact that she continues to love him. Let every New Church wife actively accept her husband's love and foster it, and use the wisdom with which the Lord has endowed her to turn his affections into useful paths.
     The same principle applies to all human relationships. Whether with children, parents, or friends, we should nurture the friendship or the love that we share. For it is a paradox of life that if we never take love for granted, we can be sure it will always be there. If we work each present moment to foster it, every act of choice brings with it a new delight, and that delight adds itself to all the ones that have gone before, and our love grows from a small stream into a mighty river.
     But even the Amazon River needs to be replenished at its source. By our acts of choice we keep in touch with the Author of love, and He will ensure that there is an ample supply for us every day of eternity. Amen.

     Lessons: Ezekiel 18; CL 461:5. 86, 183:3, 4

     Conjugial Love

     461:5 (part of a memorable relation) To this the Wisdoms responded: "Delight is the all of life with all in heaven, and the all of life with all in hell. With those who are in heaven it is the delight of good and truth, but with those who are in hell it is the delight of evil and falsity; for all delight pertains to love, and love is the esse of man's life. Therefore, since man is a man according to the nature of his love, he is a man according to the nature of his delight. The activity of love is what makes the sensation of delight. In heaven its activity is with wisdom: in hell it is with insanity. In their subjects both activities present themselves as delight, but the heavens and the hells are in opposite delights because in opposite loves. The heavens are in the love and thence in the delight of doing good, but the hells are in the love and thence in the delight of doing evil. If, therefore, you know what delight is, you know what heaven and hell are, and what their nature.

     86. That good and truth are in created subjects according to the form of each is because every subject receives influx according to its form. The preservation of the whole is nothing else than the perpetual influx of Divine good and Divine truth into forms created by that influx. Thus subsistence or preservation is perpetual existence or creation. That every subject receives influx according to its form may be illustrated in various ways, as for instance by the influx of heat and light from the sun into plants of every kind. Each one of these receives this influx according to its form, thus every tree according to its form, every shrub according to its, every herb and every blade of grass according to its form.

308

The influx is the same into them all, but the reception, being according to the form, causes each species to remain the same. It may also be illustrated by the influx into animals of every kind, according to the form of each. That influx is according to the form of each thing can be seen even by a rustic if he gives heed to the fact that various wind instruments, such as pipes, flutes, comets, trumpets, and organs, give forth sound from the same blowing or inflow of air according to their forms

183:3, 4 Some among that conjugial gathering then said to the angels. "We have heard that the origin of conjugial love is Divine-celestial because it is from influx from the Lord into men's souls, and that, being from the Lord, it is love, wisdom, and use, these being the three essentials which together make the one Divine essence, and nothing can proceed from Him and flow into man's inmost which is called his soul save what is of the Divine essence; also that, in their descent into the body, these three essentials are changed into things analogous and correspondential. Therefore, we now ask you first. What is meant by the third essential-the proceeding Divine which is called use?"

The angels replied: "Without use, love and wisdom are merely abstract ideas of thought, and after some tarrying in the mind, these pass away like the wind; but in use the two are brought together and become a one which is called real. Love, being the activity of life, cannot rest unless it is doing something; nor can wisdom exist and subsist except when doing something from love and with it; and doing is use. Therefore we define use as the doing of good from love by means of wisdom. Use is good itself. Since these three-love, wisdom and use flow into the souls of men, it can be evident whence comes the saying that all good is from God; for every deed done from love by means of wisdom is called good, and use is also a deed. What is love without wisdom but something fatuous? and, without use, what is love together with wisdom but a slate of the mind:' But with use, love and wisdom not only make the man; they are the man. Indeed, and this perhaps will astonish you, they propagate man; for in man's seed is his soul in perfect human form, covered over with substances from the purest things of nature, from which, in the mother's womb, is formed a body. This use is the supreme and ultimate use of Divine love by means of Divine wisdom."

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SWEDENBORG: A WILLING ACTOR IN A DIVINE PLAY 1989

     (Concluded)

Not "Through" but "Out of' Heaven

     The Lord no longer flows through the heavens (see AC 6371). What is the alternative? It is to flow out of heaven.
     This in fact taught in a number of passages of the Writings: On earth, the Lord acted of Himself from the Father (TCR 153). That is to say, Jehovah the soul flowed in and into the Lord, but not through Him. So also our human soul flows in and into our body, but not through it. "The internal acts in and into the external, but not through it, for the internal meditates a thousand things, and from these the external chooses only such as are suited to its use. . . . The soul acts in and into the body, not through it, the body acts of itself from the soul. . . . The Lord acts from Himself or from the Word in and into man and not through him" (TCR 154). Thus "the Lord operates of Himself from the Father and not the reverse" (TCR 153).
     This means, in effect, that our bodies are not puppets operated by our souls so that we have no choice. Instead, we decide and select how to use the soul's power.
     It means also that the Lord is not actually above the heavens, as a Father, in the spiritual sun. He is only seen there, instead, the Lord is actually present in the spiritual world, among the angels. We read in Divine Providence 162: "it is said that man is led by the Lord through the angelic heaven and from it; but it is only an appearance that he is led through the angelic heaven, while it is the truth that he is led from that heaven. The appearance that he is led through the angelic heaven arises from the fact that the Lord appears over that heaven as the Sun; but the truth that man is led from that heaven arises from the fact that the Lord is in that heaven as the soul is in man" (DP 162, emphasis added).
     We see from this that the Lord is actually in heaven and not above it. His Holy Spirit is the Lord speaking out of heaven from His glorified or Divine Human.
     The Lord put Himself into this condition while on earth. For on earth the Lord read His own Old Testament. At an early age the Lord knew not only that it dealt with Himself and His own nature but also that it was written by Himself. We read: "in His childhood the Lord did not will to imbue Himself with any other knowledges than those of the Word, which was open to Him . . . from Jehovah Himself, His Father, with whom He was to be united and become one: and this the more because nothing is said in the Word that does not in its inmosts have regard to Him and that has not first come from Him" (AC 1461).

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     The Word was open to the Lord. He had His Divine eyes opened, from the Father within, to see the internal spiritual, celestial and Divine senses contained within the literal context. He saw Himself as both the subject and the source of the Word.
     Not only that: The Lord saw into the spiritual world and saw the entire universe, and that it was His. He saw the entire human race, past, present and future, and that He was to save it. He was tempted by all the hells and arranged the heavens around Himself in preparation for temptations. He knew all His own states, and which hells would come against Him next. He gave the angels strength to combat against the hells on His behalf, but that strength could only be given in step with His own single combat and victories over the hells. (See AC 1605, 1999, 1791, 2519, 2171, 5121, 1806e, 1807e, 1786, 1919, 1701, 4075, 2786, 2795.)

Swedenborg, the Willing Actor

     Do we perhaps notice here that everything we usually ascribe to Swedenborg first happened to the Lord? The Lord read the Word, and from His own soul it was revealed "by means of continual conversations with the Father" (AC 1999, 1791), not only that the Word had to do with Himself but had also come from Himself (see AC 1461). He could thus see all the senses contained within the literal sense. That was at the first advent.
     At His second advent the Lord gave Swedenborg to experience the same thing. Swedenborg saw the internal sense of the Word "from the Lord alone while he was reading the Word" (TCR 779).
     Again, the Lord at His first advent saw into the spiritual world. He saw all the heavens, the world of spirits, all the hells, the whole human race, the whole universe, the whole Gorand Man.
     At His second advent Swedenborg was given to visit all of these and see parts of the same visions. The Lord inspired Swedenborg at the second coming to record what the Lord Himself had experienced and seen at His first.
     Swedenborg could not have been given any of these experiences, or been inspired to draw out the spiritual sense of the Scriptures, unless the Lord Himself had already experienced the same things at His first advent.
     Again, just as the Lord was tempted as part of the glorification, so Swedenborg was also tempted.

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First Advent Origins

     We conclude that Swedenborg was given the same kind of experiences that the Lord had at His first advent. That is how the Lord revealed the Writings.
     The Writings must thus have been conceived at the first advent, and been the Spirit of Truth which no one at that time could bear as yet. The Writings must, however, have been involved in the Lord speaking to the two disciples en route to Emmaus, when He opened all the books of Moses and the prophets and expounded in them all the things which had to do with Himself (see Luke 27). And in Mark 4:34 we read, "And when they were alone, He explained all things to His disciples." We can only imagine that what He then said would be very familiar to us readers of the Writings!
     About the tranflux ceasing, and the Human Divine becoming the Divine Human, we read a summary of the whole glorification: "Jehovah, who is the Lord as to the Divine essence, descended and took upon Himself a Human by conception Divine, and by birth from a virgin such as is that of another man; but this He expelled, and by Divine means made Divine the Human that was born, from which proceeds all the Holy. Thus the Divine Human became an essence by itself which fills the universal heaven . . . . This, then, is the Lord, who as to the Divine Human is alone Man, and from whom man has it that he is man" (AC 3061, emphasis added).

The New Jerusalem Is Heavenly Doctrine

     The Divine Human which is now an essence by itself, filling the universal heaven, is the Lord proceeding out of heaven. When He reveals Himself, it is consequently out of heaven. That is why the New Jerusalem was seen coming "down out of heaven, from God." It did not descend through heaven, but out of heaven.
     The words are: "I saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God." This means in the internal sense, "John was carried away into the third heaven, and his sight was there opened, before whom was made manifest the Lord's New Church as to doctrine, in the form of a city" (AR 896).
     The New Jerusalem is thus identified as the doctrine coming from heaven. The Heavenly Doctrines, or the Writings, were thus written by the Lord alone, without any angels having any part in the actual composition. This is clear since that composition took place in phase two, after all visions and contact with the spiritual world had ceased.

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     And since for the first time angels were nor used to dictate the Word, but the Lord spoke directly onto the pages of Heavenly Doctrine, the rules of an internal sense within a literal sense do not apply. Heavenly or Divine Doctrine is plainly spoken: "It is called Heavenly Doctrine, because it was revealed to me out of heaven: for to deliver this doctrine is the object of the present work" (NJHD 7, my emphasis).
     The Writings are the finished product of the Lord's revelation of Himself at His second coming, and are thus meant by the Holy City, New Jerusalem. Which book of the Writings would you expect would state this truth? None other than The New Jerusalem and Its Heavenly Doctrine, the very first number: "By the city Jerusalem which comes down from God out of heaven is meant the Heavenly Doctrine of that Church" or New Church (NJHD 1).

Conclusion

     The Writings are thus from the Lord Himself, from the glorified Divine Human, as an essence by itself (see AC 3061), speaking His Heavenly Doctrine out of heaven. All of the heavens are thus contained in the Writings. The Heavenly Doctrines do express heavenly wisdom, which is inexpressible or unutterable to humans using any spiritual or celestial language. Angels cannot possibly express these doctrines to men, nor can men utter a syllable of angelic wisdom. It is a wisdom which is impossible to transfer to mankind by means of angels.
     However, it is far, far from impossible for the Lord to so reveal it. He was on earth. He saw the spiritual sense while He was yet here on earth. He saw the spiritual world with His Divine eyes while He was yet here on earth. When He was glorified, He took with Him the ability to give to anyone the same experiences He had. As the Lord said, "No one knows the Son except the Father. Nor does anyone know the Father except the Son, and he to whom the Son wills to reveal Him" (Matthew 11:27).
     The Lord, as the glorified Son, willed to reveal Himself to Swedenborg. His specially prepared servant. He chose Swedenborg through whom to reveal the Father plainly. The Lord alone revealed the spiritual sense of the Word of the Old and New Testaments to man by opening it up to Swedenborg "while he read the Word" (TCR 779). "No angels wished to say anything about doctrine or the Word" to Swedenborg. "No spirit dared"(DP 135). Only the Lord could reveal by these means to all of us what the angels find impossible to express to men, or what men find impossible to speak when they return out of the spiritual back into the natural state.

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In short, the Lord gave Swedenborg to re-experience the same kinds of states that He Himself had experienced while on earth. The second advent is thus a spiritual completion of the first. What essentially happened in the first advent is completely and finally given its own expression in the second advent. It is the Lord's own doing. The Writings are directly from His own mouth since no angel could ever say anything comprehensible for human ears. They are the ultimation of the glorified Divine Human in the heavens, indeed "Our Father who art in the heavens." The Writings were seen by John on Patmos as a Holy City, New Jerusalem. That city is Heavenly Doctrine, given to the New Church and to all in the world who wish to drink of the clear water of the river of life flowing through the New Jerusalem. That river means, in the internal sense, "the Apocalypse now opened and explained" (AR 932).
The Divine Play was completed by the Lord at His first advent. For His second advent He prepared a willing servant to witness in phase one, and to record and print in phase two, all that the Lord Himself had seen and heard on earth. In honoring Swedenborg, we honor the role of actor in the Lord's play. And by reading and hearkening to the Writings as the Word, we put ourselves voluntarily into the role of persons willing to be regenerated, following the pattern of the Lord's own glorification.
NCL 50 YEARS AGO 1989

NCL 50 YEARS AGO 1989

Earlier in 1939 Alfred Acton wrote an article about why Swedenborg discarded his anonymity. Dr. Acton concluded with these words: "Perhaps another man or a future age will have greater light on the subject" (see our May issue, p. 207). Subsequent to this, Dr. Acton discovered a Swedish publication dated 1763, Guide to the Selection Theological Library by Alnander. Swedenborg may not have seen this publication for quite a while. But in the July issue of NCL 1939 Dr. Acton suggests that "it is not improbable that the public notice of his authorship, given by Alnander, did later influence [Swedenborg] to publish his next work, Conjugial Love, under his own name."
In the same issue is the memorial address of Louis B. Pendleton, author of The Wedding Garment and The Invisible Police. "Several generations, within and without the church, have been charmed by the tales of Louis Pendleton."

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CREATION BY MEANS OF THE WORD 1989

CREATION BY MEANS OF THE WORD Rev. WALTER E. ORTHWEIN 1989

     Some Reflections

     "In the other life there appear two statues, partly of flesh and partly of stone, placed at the boundary of the created universe. . . and it is said of them that hey swallow those who think about what the Divine was doing from eternity until it created the world" (Arcana Coelestia 8325:3).

     Introduction

     "That all things that are real have come into existence and do come into existence through the Divine truth that is from the Lord, and thus through the Word, is a secret that has not yet been disclosed" (AC 5272:2).
     I am looking at a tree out my office window, at the way the trunk divides and branches, the tree balancing itself as it reaches upward and outward-one trunk, a pair of trunks, branches, innumerable twigs. Division becomes multiplication, and from the multiplicity comes wholeness. From the one, many; from the many, one. There is tremendous grace in the form of a tree, balance and rhythm, as if the very dance of life had been suspended and fixed in a pattern for us to see. I think this is how it is with creation: first there is the One, but within the One a division, and from that a multiplication, and then a whole universe, full of life.
     In reflecting upon creation you might as well look at a tree. The subject of how the universe began tends to lead into thoughts of mind-boggling measurements of time and space, worlds too vast or too minuscule to be comprehended. But the Writings note that creation is the same in small things as in great. You can see it as well in a tree, or in one leaf from a tree, as in the whole galaxy (see DP 3:2, 332; DLW 80, 155).
     Beneath the tree is a rock; beyond the tree are the stars. The Lord is the Rock. He is the Tree of Life. He is the bright and morning Star. He is all these things. But they are not He. They have no other existence than from Him.
     It is given man to wonder. We look at the marvels of creation; we look at the stars in the night sky and wonder how this great universe came about and what our place is in it. The quest to understand, which begins with faith, leads through science, and then into philosophy and finally theology.

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The universe can no more be understood only physically or scientifically than a human being can.
     The natural man is impressed by size and numbers. Contemplating the extent and age of the universe can produce a rather delightful sensation of giddiness, but where does it lead? The spiritually healthy and sane thing is for the contemplation of creation to lift the mind to the Creator. When a wise man "sees the immensity of the heavens, he does not think of their immensity but of the immeasurable and infinite power of the Lord" (AC 1807). The heavens are telling the glory of God!
     How God creates the universe is a deep mystery. Our understanding of it will grow as our understanding of the Writings grows. This understanding depends upon growing enlightenment, of course, but also finds support in natural science. Divine truth rests upon the ultimates of nature, so it seems to me that our potential for understanding the Word will grow as our understanding of nature grows. And vice versa! One of the developments resulting from the end of the first Christian Church was that science was freed from religious dogma-though one might observe that scientists may still be bound by their own dogmas. Why in Providence was science set free if not to help prepare for the New Church?
     For example, the great discovery of physics in the early 20th century was that matter is a form of energy, expressed in Einstein's famous equation. E = mc2. Surely this scientific principle helps us understand more fully what the Writings mean when they say that love is substantial, and that there is a conatus embodied in natural substance; and perhaps it would not be going too far to say that we couldn't really understand such teachings until that scientific discovery had been made. In any case, having the natural model helps us grasp the meaning of the spiritual truth more fully.
     The gulf between religion and science is being bridged. The science of today cannot avoid theological questions-scientists themselves raise them. The theological implications of scientific discoveries and theories are overwhelming. Physicists may not like the intrusion of mysticism into science, but their own theories have opened the door to it.
     But now that science is getting into questions of a religious nature, how much light is religion able to lend? It would seem that religion has not progressed as much as science. My feeling is that science is reaching out its hand to religion (more or less reluctantly perhaps), while the state of religion is such that it is unable to reciprocate. The spirit of truth has gone out of the Christian Church. Christian thought has not only not progressed; it has decayed; and so those who would reconcile science and religion are turning to the east to find expressions of the spirituality of which modern science is so suggestive.

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     The Writings of the New Church, however, restore spirituality to Christianity. The spirit of truth is strong in the New Church, and it is revealed rationally. In the Writings the potential for a spiritual understanding of scientific theory has been given. The religion end of the bridge which is sought between science and religion rests in the New Church.

     Time

     ". . . in God . . . there is nothing of space and time; nevertheless, the beginnings of these are from God. . ." (TCR 31).
     One of the veils in which God hides Himself is time. "No man hath seen God at any time. . ."(John 1:18). The reason is that God is not in time. He came into time and space for our sake, but when we truly see Him we are lifted above these limitations of nature.
     What is time? It is a mystery. Einstein expanded our understanding of it, but the theory of relativity only deepens the mystery; and quantum theory deepens it still more. The physicists tell us that space and time a re really just two aspects of the same thing, a continuum which they call "spacetime." (The Writings say as much: TCR 31:3, CL 328e, DLW 160, 161.) Time is a property of matter; it came into existence with the creation of the natural universe. The things the physicists tell us about time are hard to grasp, but I think we can come to terms with the nature
of time by considering its use.
     We know that the universe was created for the sake of man (see AC 6697). The natural world, in which "forms of uses up to man are continually raised out of the ground by the Lord," is simply the means to that end (see DLW 171). But why is it necessary for us to be born in nature? There would seem to be two main reasons: first, that from nature the soul derives a fixed and permanent foundation; and second, that we need to live in time.
     Perhaps living in time is itself the means for providing the soul's permanent foundation. The memory must be at least part of that permanent outer plane of the soul acquired in nature; if memory is all that is meant by the limbus, as I believe some have suggested, then time must be the essential thing, and the expanse of space is just the means for providing a field of time for us to live in.
     In any case, time is necessary for the formation of the mind. In time we pass through successive states, which are gathered together in the memory, where they exist simultaneously.

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There we can compare and contrast them, and know their quality, and build in the present upon the wisdom gained from states that have gone before. And of course this is true not just for the individual but for mankind as a whole.
     In the memory it is as if various past states were all still present, and we can see them there and examine and judge them with a degree of objectivity impossible while still in them. Thus in the memory a plane is provided from which time may be transcended, as wisdom is distilled from the natural experiences stored there. The angels, having gained the wisdom attained in this way during their lives in the world, are free to live in an eternal present. They no longer need to remember past states from this world, although they remain in the memory, now quiescent, as the foundation of their wisdom. We too, having extracted whatever good we can from past states, should let them go. I believe this is what the Lord meant when He said, "Follow Me and let the dead bury their dead" (Matt. 8:22). Perhaps, too, this is part of what is meant by the Lord's "overcoming the world" (John 16:33). In this world of time we have tribulation, and our bondage to time itself accounts for much of it, but the Lord lifts us out of time.
     When man is in a state of love . . . he is in an angelic state; that is to say, as if not in time . . . he takes no note of time, for he is then in the internal man. By the affection of genuine love, man is withdrawn from bodily and worldly things, for his mind is elevated toward heaven, and thus is withdrawn from the things of time (AC 3827).
     The verse being explained is: "And Jacob served for Rachel seven years. And they were in his eyes as a few days, because of the love he had for her" (Genesis 29:20).
     In this world, time provides the stage(s) on which we can view our successive states, know their quality, and from the insights so gained have the mind opened to a perception of eternal truth. This takes place as they are judged in the light of the Word, outwardly at first, but more and more interiorly as regeneration advances. Time and memory make it possible for us to judge a former state from the greater enlightenment of a succeeding state, thus "to number our days that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom" (Psalm 90:12).

     From Eternity

     "Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever Thou hadst formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, Thou art God" (Psalm 90:2).
     What was God doing before He created the world? Swedenborg pondered this question.

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"But lest I should be driven to madness by such speculations I was raised up by the Lord into the sphere and light in which the interior angels dwell. . ." (TCR 31:3). Only in such light, in which the idea of space and time is "somewhat removed," can understanding be gained.
     The question of what God was doing before He created the world is invalid because it is rooted in space and time, and implies a separation of the Creator from His creation. Did the world ever not exist? Yes. Was there ever a time when the world did not exist? No. Time is measured by the motion of our world, or material things. ". . . God did not create the world in time, but . . . times were introduced by God with creation" (TCR 31:3; cf. CL 328).
     The world was created not in time but from eternity (see DLW 156; see note A at end). But "from eternity" is a hard concept to grasp. The Writings note that it is possible to conceive of "to eternity" in terms of time but not "from eternity"(DLW 156). ". . . eternity must be thought of not from time but from state; and then the meaning of from eternity can be seen" (HH 167; AC 3404:2). It requires some effort of thought to gain this view of eternity, which is such as the angels have, but it is attainable.
     "From eternity" means from the Divine. To say the world was created "from eternity" simply means it was created from Divine love by means of Divine wisdom. (See DLW 36, 76, etc.)
     It is natural to think of the beginning of the universe as being back in time-about 15 billion years ago, scientists say. They seek traces of this beginning far out in space, which is also back in time, or within the atom. "Radio telescopes have detected the cosmic . . . background radiation, the distant echo of the event called the Big Bang," Carl Sagan notes. "The fires of creation are being observed today" (Sagan, p. 65). Brave words! And by the way, what is fire?
     The key to understanding the universe is supposed to be in the first few trillionths of a second after the beginning of the Big Bang. "It is there," Stephen Hawking says, "that the ultimate answer to all questions about the universe-life itself included-lies" (Boslough, p. 94).
     But the teaching of the Writings that "subsistence is perpetual creation" gives us a different slant on the problem (see DP 3:2, CL 86, 183:5; AC 9502, 10076:5, etc.). It leads us to think of the universe as being created, rather than having been created at some point in the past. The universe arose in time (or, equally, time arose with it), no doubt about that, but the real beginning is to be found not back in time, not out in space, but "up" or within, spiritually, on a higher plane of reality. ". . . what is before signifies what is within . . . "(AC 10550, emphasis added: cf. LJ 9).

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No matter how far back in time we investigate we will not find the actual beginning of creation.
     The creation of the universe and of all things of it cannot be said to have been wrought from space to space, or from time to time, thus progressively and successively, but from eternity and from infinity (DLW 156).
     In his recent book A Brief History of Time, Stephen Hawking notes that according to some of the latest theories, there may have been no Big Bang, no beginning to the universe. "But if the universe is really completely self-contained, having no boundary or edge, it would have neither beginning nor end: it would simply be. What place, then, for a creator?" (Hawking 116, 140, 141). But we would add the words "in time" to any denial of creation. And if it is accepted that in fact there was no Big Bang, that would seem to agree with the principle that "subsistence is perpetual creation." Having an indefinite space-time boundary does not mean the universe was not created.
     Therefore, even if it turns out that the universe can be understood in terms of equations which do not require a moment of creation, that does not mean it never was created. It simply means that the moment of creation is every moment. The universe is in a perpetual state of creation.
     Where does anything begin? It begins with its essence, or soul. What if we were to ask, "Where did Beethoven come from?" Shall we study his family tree? Shall we take the evolutionary approach and say that he came from apes? Would this tell us where Beethoven came from? No, it wouldn't even tell where the physical form came from, really, much less the man whose form it was. The only way to answer the question truly is to consider his spirit, since the spirit is the man.
     Now if we were to say that his soul came from his father, that would be correct, though it would be more accurate to say his soul came from God through his father. And his father's soul came from his grandfather, and so on back in time; but follow that progression and you aren't getting any closer to Beethoven's real source. The soul, or life, belongs to the Lord alone. The human father's form is impressed upon it, but the essential life and development within that form is unique with each individual, and that is from the Lord alone. Beethoven the unique personality and genius that was Beethoven came from the Lord.
     The answer to where the world and the whole universe begins is the same. The beginning was not eons ago in time, but is on a higher dimension, the spiritual plane, and beyond that in the Divine.

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     Nothing in nature comes forth except from a spiritual, because nothing is possible without a soul. All that is called soul which is essence, for that which has in itself no essence has no existence, for it is a non-entity, since there is no esse from which it comes forth. Thus it is with nature. Its essence from which it exists is the spiritual, because this has in itself the Divine Esse, and also the Divine active, creative, and formative force. . . . Nothing in nature exists except from the spiritual, because no effect is possible without a cause" (AE 1206:2, emphasis added: cf. AC 10634).

     Gaia

     ". . . the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea" (Isaiah 11:9).
     It might be objected that there is a difference between a human being, such as Beethoven, and the earth, but the difference may not be so great as we think. In saying this I am not at all going along with the naturalistic tendency to reduce mind to nothing more than a function of material substance-just the opposite! It now strikes me that what we call natural matter may have something of mind about it. We know that the body is simply the covering that the soul weaves for itself (see Influx 11, 12). Furthermore, every natural thing has a kind of soul, or spirit, about it (see SD 2757). Every created thing, from an ordinary rock to Beethoven, exists from spirit (see DLW 340).
     Nature in itself is dead; but nature has not been left to itself, and is full of life from the Divine. Life is indivisible-where there is life there is God. The doctrine of degrees in the Writings makes it possible for us to say this and yet avoid the pitfall of pantheism.) Some believe that what we call "mind" is only something natural, but in fact I would say that even what we call "nature" is not only natural but is endowed with, or partakes of, that spiritual activity which we call "mind."
     A British scientist, James Lovelock, has published a theory which attempts to show that the earth itself is a living organism, called Gaia, after the Mother Earth of the Greeks. According to this idea, the earth does not just happen to provide an environment capable of supporting life, but the living organisms on earth actually create and regulate the environment. The earth has an "automatic control system" which regulates the chemical composition, temperature, etc., of its environment, just as the human body does (Lovelock, p. 57). The earth is living and intelligent; it exhibits mind.
     In his book Lovelock presents very interesting evidence and reasoning to support his idea. The conventional belief is that life on the planet is able to survive only because-as a matter of sheer good fortune-a hospitable environment happens to exist.

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It is further assumed that life on earth is terribly vulnerable to any disruption in the environment, such as changes in the temperature, which could be caused by any number of circumstances. But Lovelock proposes a radically new view of the earth. According to the Gaia hypothesis, the air, ocean and land surfaces of the earth form a complex system which has the capacity to regulate the environment and maintain the conditions necessary for life.
     The earth, in this new view, is not an inanimate object on the surface of which life just happens to exist, but is more like a home whose environment is continually monitored and adjusted by the occupants as they open a window, turn up the thermostat, rearrange the furniture, and so on, to adapt their environment to their needs.
     Lovelock sees actual cooperation between the rain forests in South America and the glaciers in Alaska, between termite colonies in Africa and great masses of plankton floating in the North Sea. Did you know there may be three quarters of a ton of termites for every person in the world? I didn't either, but it is very reassuring. Termites are ubiquitous over much of the earth, and because of their great numbers emit large quantities of methane. Rain forests and plankton absorb carbon dioxide and give off oxygen. Between these and other organisms the mixture of elements in the air is kept in a fine balance. The oxygen level, for instance, has remained at about 21 per cent, whereas a few percentage points more or less would make life impossible. It is an immense system and immensely complex, but very precise.

     Here is an example of Lovelock's argument. About three and one-half billion years ago, perhaps half a billion years after life first appeared, the heat of the sun was 30 per cent less than it is today. Now even a two per cent decrease in the heat received by the surface of the earth is enough to bring about an ice age. One would think, therefore, that the earth must have been deeply frozen when the sun's heat was so much less than at present, or else it should be boiling now. But neither is the case, due to the earth's ability to regulate its own environment. The temperature on earth is determined by how cloudy the atmosphere is, how dark with vegetation or bright with snow the surface is, as well as other factors, such as the percentage of ammonia in the atmosphere. The earth's forests and seas, glaciers and volcanoes, and all living things, work together with amazing intelligence to keep the temperature of the planet within that narrow range necessary for the continuance of life (see Lovelock. pp. 23ff).
     Does this mean we can stop worrying about the destruction of the Amazon forest and the greenhouse effect? No.

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Lovelock believes it is possible that man's tampering could exceed the limits of the earth's ability to compensate and maintain its life-supporting environment.
     Among scientists there are degrees of acceptance of the Gaia theory. Some reject Gaia because of its implication of purpose, and perhaps even altruism on the part of the cooperating life-forms. The idea of various creatures living for the sake of others and for the whole biosystem goes against the Darwinian theory of natural selection. But this element of purpose is precisely why the Gaia hypothesis is attractive to one who believes in God.
     It seems to me that there is a groping toward the doctrine of the Gorand Man, and ultimately the Divine Human, in such ideas as Gaia and the anthropic principle in quantum theory (discussed elsewhere in this paper). Those who make the hypotheses may have no such intention, and even resist any religious application of their ideas, but the direction in which their thought leads is undeniable. A general rule is that all true ideas come from the Lord through heaven; and if an idea has truth in it, it points back to the Lord, even if the one who gives form to the idea on earth does not intend this.
     The teachings of the New Church tell us that all life is from the Lord; that really there is only one, indivisible, Life. Life is not creatable (see DLW 4, 76; Influx 11:4). Moreover, the spiritual world is ordered like the body of a man, with each part belonging to and serving the whole. Since the natural world corresponds to the spiritual, does it not seem right that a similar order should exist on earth:, The organisms that cooperate to regulate the environment are not doing this consciously, but the whole system testifies to the existence of an earth-mind. Similarly, the various organs of the human body are not individually conscious, but they cooperate to maintain an environment supportive of life in the body. Therefore, I would go beyond Gaia and say that the whole earth is not just living, but, in a sense, human. Anything that lives is in some sense human or bears some relation to humanity, because all life is from the Lord, who is Human.
     If man is a microcosm, as the Writings say, then the macrocosm must also bear the mark of humanity. The Gaia hypothesis (perhaps renamed the Zeus hypothesis) could therefore be extended to include the whole universe, whose incredible organization, which is such as to allow for the existence of life, is against all odds. This is the general theme of The Cosmic Blueprint, subtitled "New Discoveries in Nature's Creative Ability to Order the Universe," by Paul Davies. (See also the same author's God and the God and the new Physics, 164-176.)
     The innumerable glands in the human brain, where life is in its first beginnings, are compared to the multitude of stars in the universe.

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The countless angelic societies in the heavens are in the same order as these glands, and the goods and truths flowing down from those societies are like the rays going forth from the stars and bearing their heat and light to the earth (see D LW 366). This number leads me to think of the starry sky as being an image of the mind of God-a poetic thought, which is perhaps more descriptive of the actual reality than would at first appear. Creation takes place in, and is forever contained in, the Divine. In this sense the Lord's words, "Abide in Me," are always fulfilled (John 15:4). There is nowhere else to abide.
     The Gaia hypothesis seems to fit in nicely with what we are taught concerning the spiritual world. It is organic; in its organization it is like a grand man. Heaven is constituted of angels, but it is made by the Lord (see HH 7). The environment of heaven is formed by, or through, the angels who live there. Similarly, all life on earth is bound into an organic whole. The order of natural life on earth is constituted of all living things, but it is made by the Lord, who is behind the finely balanced natural system.
     This is why I say that the answer to where the earth came from is the same as the answer to where Beethoven came from. Both are living beings. It is true that the whole earth, or the whole universe, is immensely complex, but is a man any less complex? Both are highly organized forms-the macrocosm and microcosm. Size is irrelevant; the organization is the key, it represents the Divine Source. It is true that the earth does not have the kind of conscious mind that a man does, but in both cases such mind as there is is from the Lord.
     Science seeks a natural explanation for the creation of the universe, but I doubt such an explanation is any more possible for the whole universe than it is for a single human being. In both cases nature goes only so far and then there is spirit. ". . . natural things come forth from spiritual things as effects from their causes" (AC 88 12:5). Creation, then, occurs in the realm of the spirit, and that is where we must seek the secret of it.

     Out of Himself

     ". . . out of nothing, nothing comes. . ." (TCR 76:4).
     The paradox of creation is that it involves the existence of something other than God, who is by definition infinite. If God is infinite, how can there be anything else? But if there isn't anything else, if everything is part of God, how can we avoid pantheism?
     The Writings reject the doctrine that arose in the Christian Church that God created the universe out of nothing, and say instead that God created the universe out of Himself.

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And yet . . ."although God created the universe out of Himself, there is nothing in the created universe which is God" (DLW 283). How can this be? The dilemma, which the Writings call a "Gordian knot," is solved by the doctrine of degrees. Created substance, although created by God, is not continuous from Him (see DLW 55). Creation is not immediately from Being itself, the Writings explain, but from created and finite things (see DLW 4).
     The best way to understand this, I think, is to learn from the model of our own humanity. The Writings themselves point us in this direction:

The angelic idea about this is that what is created in God from God is like that in man which he has drawn from his life but from which the life has been withdrawn, which is of such a nature as to be in accord to his life but still is not his life (DLW 55; cf. TCR 76:4, DLW 291).

     I feel that my understanding of what this means is very limited, but there is much food for thought here. What is it that is drawn from a man's life but from which his life is withdrawn? One example would be his children. "Spiritual offspring" perhaps? But what are they?
     Carl Sagan thinks the creation story in Genesis is an archetypal representation of the universal human experience of being born. (See the chapter "The Amniotic Universe" in Broca's Brain, pp. 301-314). Actually, there is a correspondence between the creation of the universe and human birth, and especially a person's spiritual birth (see AC 9336:4). All creation was once inside the Creator-its emergence is a kind of birth. The universe was "born" from God, or "separated" from Him as an offspring from its parent.
     Note the relation of the words "parturition" and "separation," and the idea of birth in the word "Genesis." The Latin word parturio, "to be in travail or labor," also has the meaning of "to brood over, meditate." In both cases there is an implication of creativity (see Thass-Thienemann, p. 17). "And the Spirit of God brooded over the face of the waters" (Gen. 1:2) "as a hen broods over her eggs" (AC 19).
     What about a person's sphere? Perhaps it is a "spiritual offspring." It is derived from his life, and yet in its effect on others becomes independent of him. In any case, heaven was created through the Divine sphere of good and truth (see AC 9502). The Lord's sphere, which is likened to the sphere of affections and thoughts which encompass each angel, is the sun of the spiritual world, the first of creation (see DLW 291). "That sun is not God but is a Proceeding from the Divine Love and Divine Wisdom of God-Man" (DLW 290).
     In one sense the Lord's sphere is never withdrawn.

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Not only did God create the universe out of Himself, but its existence is maintained by Him every moment. It is more accurate to say the universe "is" created than "was" created. Nothing in all creation could subsist apart from Him. ". . . to subsist is perpetually to come forth" (AC 9336:4). But in another sense the Lord is continually withdrawing His Divine life from created things (which is something I will consider more fully in the next section).
     The first emanation from the Divine is the spiritual sun, and from it three spiritual atmospheres were formed (see DLW 173-176, 290, 302-306, AC 9502, 9877). At the same time a natural sun was created, and through it three natural atmospheres, encompassing the spiritual atmospheres as a shell its kernel. The earth was then created from the spiritual sun through these atmospheres as mediums, and the natural bodies of men are formed of earthly substances (see DLW 306, TCR 76:3; cf. LJ Post. 312).
     An illustration of how natural substance is derived from spiritual atmospheres, suggested to me by Rev. Stephen Cole, would be the precipitation of water from clouds. From the vapor comes a heavier, grosser substance. The illustration breaks down in that the vapor itself is composed of water droplets, so in a sense nothing new is being formed. But take it a step further back, to the formation of water from hydrogen and oxygen. These two gases, combined, can produce a watery atmosphere from which water could be precipitated. Let the hydrogen be Divine love, and the oxygen Divine wisdom. These two Divine substances combined produce the atmospheres from which all creation is "precipitated."
     All the substance in the universe, before its natural formation, may be said to be "in solution." It had already been created but was not yet "precipitated." That is, it existed as an atmosphere emanating from the Divine, which was already on a discretely lower plane than the Divine itself. The process whereby there is a localized "congealing" of the spiritual atmosphere to form natural substance is not really the creation of a world but only a later stage in its development. This perspective agrees with the view of matter in modern physics, as being a localized "disturbance" of a universal field. The nature of the disturbance which precipitates creation will be discussed later.

In all forms of uses there is a kind of image of creation . . . . Natural forces contribute nothing whatever toward forming this image of creation, for the image of creation is spiritual. But that this image may be manifest and perform use in the natural world, and may stand fixed and permanent, it must be materialized, that is, filled in with the matters of that world (DLW 315).

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     We tend to think of the world as living and substantial, while the space it floats in is empty and devoid of life. C. S. Lewis suggested that just the opposite is more accurate, in this striking passage from one of his works of fiction:

     Suddenly the lights of the Universe seemed to be turned down. As if some demon had rubbed the heaven's face with a dirty sponge, the splendor in which they had lived for so long blenched to a pallid, cheerless and pitiable grey. It was impossible from where they sat to open the shutters or roll back the heavy blind. What had been a chariot gliding in the fields of heaven became a dark steel box dimly lighted by a slit of window, and falling. They were falling out of the heaven, into a world. Nothing in all his adventures bit so deeply into Ransom's mind as this. He wondered how he could ever have thought of planets, even of the Earth, as islands of life and reality floating in a deadly void. Now, with a certainty which never after deserted him he saw the planets--the "earths" he called them in his thought as mere holes or gaps in the living heaven excluded and rejected wastes of heavy matter and murky air, formed not by addition to but by subtraction from the surrounding brightness. And yet, he thought, beyond the solar system the brightness ends. Is that the real void, the real death? Unless . . . he groped for the idea . . . unless visible light is also a hole or gap, a mere diminution of something else. Something that is to bright unchanging heaven as heaven is to the dark, heavy earths . . . (Lewis, pp. 39, 40. The idea that what we call "light," the swiftest thing that touches our senses, is a slow, heavy substance to spirits is further discussed on pp. 94, 95 of this novel.)

     Material substance increases in perfection toward the interiors because it was created from within. Materialization is a process of receding from perfection (see AC 10194, 10634). The manna that fell upon Israel in the wilderness was a materialization of Divine love. The addition of the gross natural body to the Bread of heaven, while useful in this world, was still a stepping down of the perfection of Divine love. The same is true of all earthly substance. There is a fullness about it which spirit needs in the realm of nature, but it is less living than the spirit from which it comes.

. . . since atmospheres in their progress toward lower things decrease in activity, it follows that they constantly become more compressed and inert, and finally, in outmosts, become so compressed and inert as to be no longer atmospheres but substances at rest, and in the natural world, fixed like those in the lands that are called matters (DLW 302).

     I think the finite does not so much come out of the infinite as the infinite withdraws itself and so creates the finite within itself. Nature is where the Divine "rests," or where its activity has relatively ceased (cf. AC 10634, 10194).

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Natural matter is relatively thick, heavy, inert, cold, still, and dead. But it retains from its spiritual origin a conatus to bring forth uses (see DLW 303). "For out of the earth forms of uses are continually raised by the Lord the Creator, in their order up to man, who as to his body is also from the earth" (DLW 171). The earth is thus the seminary of the heaven, not just because men are born here, but because all the uses of humanity have been infused or involved into the earth itself, into the very ground, by the Creator. The whole earth is organic and living, as the Gaia theory says; but more than that, this Mother Earth embodies all those uses which, when raised up by the Lord, give form to the human organism.
     As a model of how the finite is contained within the infinite, I would suggest a bubble suspended in the water of the sea: the bubble is contained within the sea, totally surrounded by the water, but is not part of the water. Similarly, the finite is contained within the infinite, within God, but is itself not infinite, not part of God. The bubble is simply where the water is not; it is a negative thing, a small area where the water is absent, yet owing its formation and whole existence to the water around it. The bubble apart from the water is nothing, a non-thing.
     This illustration is imperfect because a bubble in the ocean is not nothing, but consists of air that pushes back the water. But let's say that in this model the air in the bubble is derived from the water. God separates the oxygen from the hydrogen and thus forms air. In Him they are conjoined as water, but in creating He separates these elements of His own Divine substance in order to form something else. In our model, then, the air does not push back the water so much as the water recedes and infills the space created with air derived from itself.
     Similarly, our universe-which actually is like a bubble, the physicists tell us-is created by God withdrawing Himself, imposing limits upon Himself, making room, so to speak, within Himself for something else to be. That something else, the created universe, is entirely dependent upon, and entirely defined by, the infinite Divine from which it is derived. God created it out of Himself, not as something separate but by forming a "bubble" of finiteness within His infinity. Obviously the bubble has no existence apart from the surrounding substance, yet it is distinct from that substance.
     The whole universe is said to be like an expanding bubble, or a balloon. This model accounts for the curvature of space in the theory of relativity, and the fact that the galaxies all seem to be receding from one another. (I am using the bubble or balloon as a general model; actually, there are quite distinct variations of the inflationary universe. The landmark observation that the universe is expanding was made by Edwin Hubble in 1929.

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The bubble theory, as an alternative to the Big Bang, originated in 1981. See Boslough, p. 105 ff.)
     I like this model because it seems to provide a good explanation for the distinction the Writings make between the infinite and the indefinite (see AC 6232, DLW 155). Space, like the surface of a sphere, is boundless, but not infinite. The natural plane of creation is on the "surface" (or as we say, the ultimate), while the infinite is within. God is not outside the "bubble" of finiteness but within it, as energy is in an atom. And yet, paradoxically, although He is within, it is contained within Him.
     There are innumerable tiny "bubbles" of finiteness (or simply "finites," as they are called in the Principia) at the heart of all matter, which is composed from their motion in relation to one another.

     Divine Self-Denial

     "I lay down My life that I might take it again" (John 10:17).
     The key point is simply that creation begins with a withdrawing or self-limitation of God. It is, in this sense, a negative rather than a positive thing. This is reflected in the spiritual law that says, "Cease to do evil; learn to do good," or that we must shun evils as sins against God. "Thou shalt not . . . ." When we obey, when we restrain ourselves, submit ourselves, put limits on ourselves, good flows in and we are recreated spiritually. Our spiritual creation begins with setting limits, within which we can be formed anew.
     The process of regeneration is, therefore, like a mirror image of natural creation. We must cease to do evil in order to be recreated, while, in a sense, God "ceases to do good" in order to create something less than His pure, Divine, infinite good. Nature in itself is dead. As to his proprium, man is dead; in himself he is nothing but evil. When the loves of self and the world rule, we lack spiritual life. It is in saying "No" to these dead things that we create space in nature for God to flow in. There is an interesting symmetry here. God says "No" to Himself to create nature; we must say "No" to nature, to our natural self, in order to be re-created by God in His image and likeness.
     It seems to me that creation must involve a diminution of the life flowing forth from God, because in God's presence nothing else could exist, just as the life-giving rays of the sun would destroy life if they were not tempered by the earth's atmosphere. This Divine self-denial is represented in the Lord's dying on the cross in order to give life to the world. We too must take up our cross and lose the life of self in order to gain eternal life (see Matt. 16:24, 25).

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     Bishop de Charms, in his "Lectures on the Philosophy of Swedenborg's Principia," uses the example of a rapidly twirled lighted punk to illustrate how a motion within the Divine creates the limits, or boundaries, which are the basis of all natural substance. Spinning rapidly in the dark, the glowing tip of the punk creates the appearance of a ring of light. "And now if we could imagine [the glowing point forming a] spiral turning in upon itself to form a circle of spirals, it would produce the appearance of an orb flattened at the poles. Yet even then there would be nothing there except a single point in rapid motion" (p. 25).
     The motion of the first natural point thus produces "finites" out of which all finite substance is formed. But what is the first natural point? And what is meant by its turning in upon itself! Bishop de Charms suggests that God, in accommodating His infinite life to reception by men and angels, produces limited forms of love and wisdom in a corresponding way (p.25). ". . . although Swedenborg described the first and second finites, even as he described the first natural point, in terms of geometry and mechanics, he was, in his own mind, ascribing to these two also living qualities of love and wisdom" (p. 31).
     This, I think, is the key. We must think of the first natural point not in mechanical but in human terms, as an operation of love and wisdom. There is a very close and exact correspondence between the creation of finite matter and the regeneration of a human being; in fact. I am tempted to say that the process in both cases is one and the same (cf. AC 9336:4). Love is the life of man, and is also the essential substance from which all nature is formed.
     God created the universe out of Himself, out of His Divine love, His Divine energy. He did this by "turning in upon Himself." But what does that mean? How can 1 express it? He willed the Divine proceeding to curve back upon itself; He set up an inner-directed spiral or vortex within His own Divine substance. Bishop de Charms used a lighted punk as a model. Lillian Beekman set forth the image of a whirlpool in the ocean, opening up a hole in the water (see NCL 1910:721). But these are natural illustrations. Can we understand this Divine inner directedness in more human terms?
     Perhaps we can think of it more in the sense of what we mean when we say a person is turned in upon himself. When we say a person is turned in upon himself we usually mean something negative, that he is "self-centered," but with God there is only goodness to be found by turning in upon Himself. A person who is self-centered is centered on nothing, since man has no self of his own, and to do this is evil; but God's center is only good.

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     Divine Self-Consciousness

     "I AM WHO I AM."

     The prerequisite for denial of self is consciousness of self. The distinguishing characteristic of humanity is consciousness, and more precisely, self-consciousness. This is the faculty that makes it possible for us to examine ourselves, condemn our evils, and choose good. Animals have a kind of consciousness, but because they lack the interior degree of the mind, do not have the power of reflection men have. Animals are not self-conscious.
     I assume that there is a "God consciousness" which is as inconceivable to us as our consciousness is to an animal. The Lord's thoughts are higher than our thoughts (see Isaiah 55:9). What the nature of Divine self-consciousness or self-reflection is I do not know, but my hypothesis is that there is such a thing and that it is the source of creation. I think I would equate it with "pure motion" or energy, that is, pure love.
     "In the beginning God . . ."(Genesis 1:1). "And God said unto Moses, I AM WHO I AM" (Exodus 3:14). "In the beginning was the Word" (John 1:1). "And Jesus said unto them . . . Before Abraham was, I am" (John 8:58). These passages suggest a connection between the Word and the Lord's awareness or identification of Himself, that is, the Lord's perception of good in Himself. Right after the Lord says, "My thoughts are not your thoughts"-a statement of self-awareness, or reflection upon His own mind-He says, "so shall My word be that goeth forth out of My mouth" (Isaiah 55:8, 11).
     "Self-conscious" is a strange expression; it implies a separation of the self from itself. God is One, but there is also a certain duality within His absolute unity. Is it just a perceived duality or an actual duality? Perhaps there is no difference, if, as I am suggesting, the duality arises with the perception of it by God in Himself, the perception itself being the second "part" of the Divine nature.
     Truth, we know, is simply the form that good takes in the mind. So Divine truth, or the Word, is the form of Divine good and it is axiomatic that the very first formation of it takes place in the Divine Mind. The first consciousness of good as something must have been in the Mind of God, and that perception, the first truth, was the Word in the beginning. In fact, all consciousness of good in us, any perception of good we have, is still really the Lord's perception in us of something that actually exists only in Himself, since all good is His.
     Consider also that this perception (that God alone is good) is the Word that makes us. The reason is that the Lord is Being Itself, and our being consists in nothing other than perceiving that truth. This is our true being; the being we have from the appearance of self-life is an illusion.

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The angels perceive that they have no life of their own, and they delight in that perception; it is their very life. The great paradox of human existence is that the only existence we have is the awareness that we have no existence apart from God! That, I believe, is the true human proprium, the "vivified own," as the Writings call it (see AC 155). The truth is, only the Lord has an Own, but our perception of that truth gives us an as-if-of-self existence.
     Whatever else Descartes meant by "I think, therefore am," that phrase expresses this deep truth. The ability to think about God, to know God as outside and above yourself, and as the Source of your life-that very thought, and it alone-is the evidence and cause of your existence. In perceiving the deeper truth behind the sense of self-life which the Lord has given us-that is, the truth that He alone lives-we actually gain the only life there is for us. It is a wonderful paradox! ". . .whosoever will lose his life for My sake shall find it" (Matt. 16:25; John 12:25).
     This creating, forming, life-giving perception, which begins in the Divine and which in us is always from God with us, is the essential Word. Our consciousness of God begins with, and is forever nothing other than, God's consciousness of Himself in us.
     Human life, I think, is simply the form of that Divine consciousness. It is the origin of the Lord's Divine Human and of our finite humanity thence derived. To say we are made in God's image is the same as saying God imagines us.

     And Moses said unto God. Behold, when I come unto the children of Israel, and shall say unto them. The God of your fathers hath sent me unto you, and they shall say to me. What is His name? what shall I say unto them?

     And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM. . . (Exodus 3:13, 14).

     . . . and they shall call His name Immanuel . . . God with us (Matt. 1:23).

     And Jesus said unto them. Verily, verily, say unto you. Before Abraham was, I am (John 8:58).

     . . . because I live ye shall live also (John 14:19).

     In a word, we are because God is (DP 46e).

     [To be continued]

     Note A: CL 328 almost seems to contradict this. ". . . nature is from God, not from eternity but in time-that is, she is from God together with her time and with her space." I think, however, that the meaning is just that nature can only be seen as arising in time because time arises simultaneously with it. If nature is "from God," it must in some sense be "from eternity," because God is eternal. That nature is "from eternity" is plainly stated in DLW 156.

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In Our Contemporaries 1989

     One article in the spring issue of Theta Alpha Journal begins as follows: "Homosexuality is not simply an 'alternative life-style,' as some represent it to be."
     This is followed by another article which begins: "in order to see the teachings of the Word about homosexuality in their proper perspective, and not apply them so harshly as to discourage . . . those who have at one time or another been caught up in a homosexual relationship, we need to look at possible causes."
     These two articles are introduced in thorough and thoughtful editorial notes from which we quote the following:

     In this issue we bring up the difficult subject of homosexuality. It's one we might prefer to ignore, but many issues surround it. . . .
     We begin the discussion with John Odey's article-a clear statement of doctrinal and scriptural teachings about the evil of homosexuality. Then, an excerpt from a study by Rev. Willard Heinrichs explores possible physical and spiritual causes for it, and calls our attention to the teaching that we are to make civil and moral, but not spiritual judgments. These are only some of the important aspects of the subject. . . .
     Homosexuality, according to Eli Siegel, founder of Aesthetic Realism, grows out of contempt for everything in the world outside of self (particularly one's mother, and then all women), and a desire to conquer and dominate. . . . Several hundred people, through personal consultations with Aesthetic Realism faculty, have deeply changed their orientation from homosexual to heterosexual. Their testimonials in Siegel's book tell how completely their views of the world changed; many started as confirmed promiscuous gays and have now been happily married for years. . . . I feel it's so important for any homosexual with a desire to change to know that change is possible. The Aesthetic Realism Foundation is located at 141 Greene Street, New York City, 10012 (212-777-4490). Women who want to change from lesbianism also can talk with foundation consultants. . . .

     As always there are several fascinating articles in the Theta Alpha Journal. To mention one other, there is a presentation called THE GIRLS SCHOOL; A PATHWAY TO LIFE. This consists of four speeches given at the Theta Alpha Charter Day luncheon last fall.

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MINISTER'S FAVORITE PASSAGE 1989

     When I was a freshman in high school at the Academy, Rev. Karl R. Alden began each religion class with the recitation of several key numbers from the Writings. Together with the list of the books of the Word (from AC 10325), he had us memorize and understand them. He also encouraged us to learn the Sermon on the Mount for a perfect grade. They were all important and very useful numbers, but to me one stood out above the rest and still does: "Everyone's God is that which he loves above all things" (AE 935:2). To me this key statement demonstrates the Divinity of the Writings. It explains the first commandment in a positive way, leading into the meaning of all the others. The God that we in the New Church worship is the Lord Jesus Christ. The Writings teach that we are to love Him above all things by obeying the precepts of His Word, by not thinking or doing evil, by not loving self and the world for the sake of self, by shunning the evils forbidden in the Decalogue as sins against God, by praying to Him, by following the internal meaning of the commandments, the blessings, and by following the directives of the faith of the New Heaven and the New Church (see TCR 1-3, Exodus 20, Matthew 5-7). These things, including loving the good in others, are to be a part of our everyday life.
     One of our most appreciated and successful books used for evangelization is taken from AE 935 and following numbers which explain the Decalogue. We know it by the title Spiritual Life and the Word of God. But I have always been interested in what well-meaning and sincere people of the church universal (see HH 308, SS 104) think about God before reading the Writings or hearing about them.
     In answer, two incidents come to mind. One occurred several years ago at an inn in Wisconsin. A man sat down beside me and we engaged in conversation about the pleasant weather and the Providence of God in arranging it. I turned to him and said, "Sir, do you mind if I ask who to you is the God?" He looked to the right and the left to make sure that his answer was heard by me only, then he said, "Why, the Lord Jesus Christ, of course. He is the only God. Who else is there? But don't say anything more. People here wouldn't understand and you won't see me again." Then he got up and slipped out of sight. I was profoundly moved by that incident and experienced nothing like it until very early in the morning of Swedenborg's three hundredth birthday. I had turned on a religious program and was watching and listening to the dialogue between a Christian minister and a husband and wife who were also family counselors.

334

[Photo of Rev. Robert H. P. Cole] The subject was understanding and forgiveness. The wife was saying that to her the highest thing of all to be desired in life is the good, the spiritual good, of your partner. The minister said that Christ should be the center of your life, and that true charity is important. Then the woman said, "Yes, we should look to the Lord, the one God, Jesus Christ, in all things of our lives, and receive His love as we give our love to others, forgiving them when they hurt us, as we would want to be forgiven by them and Him, because some of the things we do and say hurt Him also and interfere with the ways He seeks to help others." Again, I was profoundly moved.
Loving the Lord above all things involves an appreciation of His purposes of creation, a heaven from the human race, a continuing series of kingdoms-animal, vegetable, mineral, and human (see AE 926). Further, it involves the fulfillment of all things from His Divine Human and from His Divine Love and Wisdom, the presentation, reception and renewal of the affections and thoughts of angels and good spirits in myriads of forms and ways in the grand man of heaven and in the theater of the earth, forever.
There are, I firmly believe, many in the church universal who have a true idea about the Lord our God, that He is Jehovah of Hosts, that He is Jesus Christ, that He has returned in His Divine Human to the hearts and minds of people on earth, and that He is to be loved above all things.

335

     People from many religions are looking for a true and satisfying "umbrella faith." They want to find God in the important things of their lives no matter what doctrinal directions they come from. We who are of the New Church need to help provide such a fulfilling faith for those who desire it. We need to show how the three languages of the Word-Hebrew, Greek, and Latin-can best be used in their original form and in appropriate terms, for instruction and amendment of life therefrom. We also need to show how the affection for interior and internal truth in and from the Word of the Lord God Jesus Christ, and its application to life, is the source of spiritual happiness and eternal peace. This to me is what is involved in the words, ". . . for everyone's God is that which he loves above all things."
     The first commandment. "Thou shalt not worship other gods," includes not loving self and the world; for he that loves self and the world above all things worships other gods; for everyone's God is that which he loves above all things.
     Apocalypse Explained 935:2 NEW CHURCH TEACHER 1989

NEW CHURCH TEACHER 1989

The bulletin of the Education Council, New Church Teacher, was first published in January 1985, and since then has appeared regularly three times a year. Its purpose is to provide information about New Church educational studies and activities. Although primarily for those who are teachers, it may also appeal to any who are interested in the church's educational endeavor. If you haven't yet seen New Church Teacher, and would like a sample copy, send your request to:

Nancy H. Woodard, Editor
Cairncrest, Box 278
Bryn Athyn, PA 19009

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NEW GENERAL CHURCH PRESS BUILDING 1989

NEW GENERAL CHURCH PRESS BUILDING Lorentz R. Soneson 1989

     In commemoration of the move to its own brand new building, friends and supporters of the General Church Press had a gathering on June 23, 1989. About thirty invited guests assembled to tour the new facilities and wish well to the full- and part-time employees.
     Leon Rhodes introduced Bishop Peter Buss to propose a toast to the church. He responded with well-chosen words telling how the Lord's Word is to be spread on this earth. He reminded the group that the Lord chose this earth in particular where there are skills to reproduce the written Word for all to know of its contents. Further, he described how the Writings were prepared through His servant, Emanuel Swedenborg, and carefully reproduced through the press in England, where there was religious freedom to do so.
     Then Mr. Rhodes asked Rev. Larry Soneson to recall some of the history leading up to the formation of the General Church Press in our organized church body.
     Mr. Soneson noted that it was in Leon and Judy Rhodes' home, over eleven years ago, that a committee gathered to plan how the church could initiate such an ambitious program. Present were Sanfrid Odhner, who worked in the publication world, Martin Klein (another printer), Lennart Alfelt, the curator of the Swedenborgiana Library, and Larry Soneson, the newly appointed head of Cairncrest, where the General Church offices were housed. They envisioned the needs, the professional talent and the necessary financial support to launch it.
     Mr. Rhodes found a small group of underwriters. They purchased a commercial printer and phototypesetter. A printer, Steven Morrow, and a graphic artist were hired, and the beginnings of the General Church Press came into being.
     New Church Home was the first church publication produced on the new equipment, with photographs prepared in a darkroom in the basement of Cairncrest. The laundry room was wired for the new press, and graphic artist tables were set up in the "stone room."
     The following year New Church Life was taken over from the Lancaster Press, where it had been published for so many years. The first book, Additions to the Concordance by Rev. Donald Rose, was printed shortly thereafter. Soon the workload was doubling each year.

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     The new facilities, all on one level, permit truck delivery of large paper for cutting to size, humidity control, and a capacity to print books, pamphlets and church magazines. The General Church Press will also handle labeling, stuffing, and mailing of church publications and letters.
     Richard McCollum, who manages the Press, assisted by Lisa Alfelt (daughter of Lennart), expressed thanks for the support of his staff and this new phase of development.
     The Board of Directors of the General Church plan to visit this new building in the Cairncrest complex at their September meeting.
     Lorentz R. Soneson
31ST GENERAL ASSEMBLY 1989

31ST GENERAL ASSEMBLY 1989

The 31st General Assembly of the General Church of the New Jerusalem will be held at Carthage College in Kenosha, Wisconsin, from Wednesday, June 12 through Sunday, June 16, 1991. The Immanuel Church in Glenview, Illinois, has kindly agreed to host the event, with Mr. Robert A. Smith as the committee chairman. At this assembly the membership present will be called upon to act upon the Council of the Clergy's nominations for the next Executive Bishop and the Secretary of the General Church.
The program and other information will be given in later issues of New Church Life.
HOLINESS OF IGNORANCE 1989

HOLINESS OF IGNORANCE 1989

     He who does not acknowledge that there are infinite things with which he is not acquainted beyond those with which he is acquainted cannot be in the holiness of ignorance in which are the angels.
     The holiness of ignorance does not consist in being more ignorant than others, but in the acknowledgment that of himself a man knows nothing, and that the things he does not know are infinite in comparison with those he does know; and especially does it consist in his regarding the things of the memory and of the understanding as being of but little moment in comparison with celestial things; that is, the things of the understanding in comparison with the things of the life.
     Arcana Coelestia 1557

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REPORT OF THE GENERAL CHURCH VIDEO COMMITTEE 1989

REPORT OF THE GENERAL CHURCH VIDEO COMMITTEE Rev. Geoffrey H. Howard 1989

     This is a new report, the first from a new committee. The General Church Video Committee became officially established by the Bishop as a committee of the General Church in May 1988. Previously it existed as an ad hoc committee bearing the title of The Video Committee, under the chairmanship of Rev. Alfred Acton.
     The Bishop established this committee under the auspices of the General Church for the following reasons:

     1.      It was seen that the video medium could bring far-reaching benefits to the church as a whole.
     2.      A central committee located in Bryn Athyn could begin to obtain quality video equipment. This would eliminate duplication of equipment by the General Church, the Academy, and the Bryn Athyn Society, and thus conserve our financial resources.

     In June our committee drew up the following statement of goals:

     The General Church Video Committee exists for the sake of promoting and developing the following goals:

     1.      To act as the coordinating committee of the General Church in regard to official video productions made by the General Church, the Academy of the New Church, the Bryn Athyn Society, and other General Church centers.
     2.      To encourage the training of personnel capable of operating our equipment.
     3.      To record on the video medium, services of worship, events and programs which will be of value and interest to the New Church public.
     4.      To establish video recordings of people and events of historical interest.
     5.      To propagate through the video medium the knowledge of the Heavenly Doctrines and generally to develop this medium to serve as an effective tool of evangelization for the New Church.
     6.      To develop and perfect this medium employing artistry to represent the power and beauty of our doctrines and of the memorabilia in particular.
     7.      To convey the philosophy of the New Church and to portray the ideals of New Churchmanship in general.
     8.      To establish a central library of General Church video material.

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     This committee is still in its infancy. While we have a small library of available material in existence, we would like it to be known that these productions are for the most part of inferior quality. They do not reflect the technical capability which we will have in the near future. Nor do they reflect the artistry we are striving for. They are nothing more than first attempts to capture programs that are currently happening and which are readily available.
     Our budget at the present time has been very slim. However, thanks to a few generous donations, we are beginning to acquire equipment that will enable us to make quality recordings. In this regard we are well on the way.
     In a few months we will be establishing a full video studio in the basement of Cairncrest. This will provide us with the facilities where quality productions can be made.
     We have also formulated a rudimentary marketing plan with the help of Walter Childs and a college class which he teaches. This has helped us to map our short-range and long-range plans.
     At the present time we have the challenge of showing the church the potential which the video medium holds, and of eliciting its support. If we succeed, we believe new tools of communication will come to the fore which will open many new doors, and hopefully serve the many and varied needs of the church.
     Rev. Geoffrey H. Howard. Chairman,
     The General Church Video Committee
MIDWEST WOMEN'S RENEWAL WEEKEND 1989

MIDWEST WOMEN'S RENEWAL WEEKEND 1989

You are invited to the third annual Midwest Women's Renewal Weekend September 15-17, 1989 at the St. Joseph Retreat Center ten minutes west of Glenview, Illinois. Applications will be accepted between June 10 and August 25. For further information please write to Jocie Smith at 8 Park Drive, Glenview, IL 60025, or call her at (312) 729-0618.

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HIGHLIGHTS FROM SWEDENBORG'S LETTERS 1989

HIGHLIGHTS FROM SWEDENBORG'S LETTERS Editor 1989

     Swedenborg's Autobiography

     At the beginning of the massive three-volume collection known as Tafel's Documents there is a letter from Swedenborg under the heading: "Swedenborg's Autobiography." This is a letter of about two pages which Swedenborg wrote in England in August of 1769. In Cyriel Sigstedt's Swedenborg Epic she quotes the entire letter in an appendix besides employing it in the story on pages 383-386. The original Latin of the letter and several interesting particulars about it are to be found in Small Theological Works and Letters published by the Swedenborg Society in 1975.
     Here are some interesting parts of this letter written at the age of 81.

     In 1716 and later, I frequently talked with Charles XII, King of Sweden, who greatly favored me, and in the same year he honored me with the office of Assessor in the College of Mines, an office which I then filled until the year 1747, in which year I resigned, retaining however half the salary of that office to the end of my life. I gave in my resignation solely to the end that I might the better devote myself to the new function enjoined on me by the Lord. A higher rank of dignity was then offered me, but this I absolutely refused, lest pride should thereby invade my mind.
     In the year 1719, I was ennobled by Queen Ulrica Eleonora and named Swedenborg, and from that time on, in the Assemblies which take place every three years, I have been numbered among the Nobles of the order of knighthood.
     I am an Associate and member of the Royal Academy of Sciences of Stockholm, by invitation. . . .
     In the year 1734, I published at Leipzig Regnum Minerale in 3 volumes folio. In the year 1738, I made a journey to Italy, Venice and Rome, staying for a year. . . .
     The King himself with the Queen and the three princes their sons, show me great favor. Once also, being invited by the King and Queen to their table. I ate with them-which otherwise is not granted to any save the great-and likewise at a later time with the Crown Prince.
     But the things recounted above I regard as of comparatively little moment: for what towers above them is the fact that I have been called to a sacred office by the Lord Himself, who, in the year 1743, most graciously manifested Himself in Person before me, His servant, and then opened my sight into the spiritual world and granted me to speak with spirits and angels, and this has continued even to the present day.

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From that time I began to publish in print various arcana seen by me and revealed, such as arcana concerning heaven and hell, man's state after death, true Divine worship, the spiritual sense of the Word, besides much else of the utmost value, conducive to salvation and wisdom.
My traveling at times from my own country to foreign parts was from no other cause than the desire to perform uses and to disclose the arcana given to me. For the rest, I possess means that are sufficient, and neither seek nor desire more.

Notice that he gives 1743 as the date of his "call." People have understandably related this to the reference to a "call" in TCR 779. But there seem to have been progressive stages of the "call," and we may speak of that another time.
"THESE SIGNS WILL FOLLOW" 1989

"THESE SIGNS WILL FOLLOW" Dolores Burnham Soderberg 1989

Dear Editor,
"These signs will follow. . ." by Rev. Norman E. Riley in New Church Life (May 1989, pp. 226-228) interested me for the reason of trying to condense it. The article is a well explained treatise to show just what the New Church would understand of the two verses (17 and 18) from Mark 16. However, it seems more of a doctrinal class than a simple setting forth of a process. Admitted, we need the doctrinal class, and as a laywoman I would like to put it forth as a simple process. For any one of us in the church to explain to someone unfamiliar with these ideas it is too much. Therefore, my approach would be a condensation of what I read.

Man is made whole from internals by a life of repentance, reformation and regeneration, as outlined in Mark 16:17, 18 as follows:

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     Look to the Word.
     Receive it as the sole authority.
          Then one is able to detect
          falsities in self,
                falsities of teachings of others.
                beliefs that the Holy Spirit speaks directly.
          And that is "casting out demons."

     When one follows the truth
          then truth is heightened so that one comes into a new understanding,
          and that is "to speak with a new tongue."

     Out of these truths one will be able to shun the evil of the love of
          self and receive a new heavenly proprium,
          and that is "to take up serpents."

     Truth that forms a new way of life in man are forms that cannot be
          availed by evils and falsities,
          and that is "any deadly thing."

     This new form is the internal that will form a new external.
          and that is to "lay hands on the sick, who recover."

     It seems to me that many have struggled as I have in how to present these ideas to self and others. This, you might say, is an exercise lesson for me to cogitate on and work into making it a presentation of my own. True, and hopefully an idea for others.
     Dolores Burnham Soderberg,
          Arlington Heights, Illinois
ANNOUNCING BRYN ATHYN'S FIRST BED AND BREAKFAST 1989

ANNOUNCING BRYN ATHYN'S FIRST BED AND BREAKFAST 1989

A very reasonable and very convenient bed and breakfast establishment now exists in Bryn Athyn.
For reservations contact Suzanne S. Synnestvedt, 717 Fettersmill Road, Huntingdon Valley, PA 19006-phone (215) 947-0470.

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MINISTERIAL CHANGES 1989

MINISTERIAL CHANGES Louis B. King 1989

     Rev. Christopher Bown has accepted a call to serve as pastor of the Colchester Society effective July 1st, 1989.
     Rev. William Burke is moving from Atlanta, Georgia, to Charlotte, North Carolina. Charlotte is the new center of the Southern District of the General Church of the New Jerusalem.
     Rev. Mark Carlson has accepted a call to serve as assistant pastor of the Glenview Society effective July 1st, 1989.
     Rev. Eric Carswell has accepted a call to serve as pastor of the Pittsburgh Society effective July 1st, 1989.
     Rev. Robin Childs has been appointed as assistant to the pastor of the Glenview Society, serving also as principal of the Midwestern Academy, effective August 1st, 1989.
     Rev. Nathan Gladish has been appointed acting pastor of the San Francisco Bay Area Circle effective June 1st, 1989, visiting from San Diego.
     Rev. Daniel Goodenough has been selected as the next Dean of the Theological School of the Academy of the New Church effective July 1st, 1990.
     Rev. Kent Junge has resigned from the ministry effective March 23rd, 1989.
     Rev. John Odhner has been appointed acting pastor of the Los Angeles Society effective July 1st, 1989.
     Rev. Donald Rogers has resigned from the ministry effective June 30th, 1989.
     Rev. Ray Silverman has accepted a call to serve as pastor of the Atlanta Society effective July 1st, 1989.
     The Hatboro-Horsham Group has been recognized as the Hatboro-Horsham Circle of the General Church of the New Jerusalem effective March 21st, 1989. Rev. Robert S. Junge has been appointed as pastor to the circle, and Rev. Andrew J. Heilman as assistant to the pastor.
     Louis B. King, Bishop

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CORRECTION 1989

CORRECTION Editor 1989

     Announcements

     Rev. Ragnar Boyesen apologizes for mixing two reports in the June 1989 issue. The name "Lindsay" was incorrectly added to the report of the baptism of Ian Reade Heilman. The correct report is as follows:

     Heilman-At Freeport, Pennsylvania, February 26, 1989, Ian Reade (born November 29, 1988), son of Mr. and Mrs. Glenn Heilman (Miriam A. Messerly), Rev. Ragnar Boyesen officiating.

346

News Around the Church 1989

News Around the Church Editor 1989

     According to the monthly Adviser, published in South Africa, a group of New Churchmen in Cape Town are hoping to become an official group of the General Church.
     Just under forty students graduated from the Bryn Athyn Church School on June 8th.
     Just under fifty students graduated from the Academy high schools on June 10th, and there were 27 graduates from the junior college and nine from the senior college.
     The New Church folks in Seattle are enjoying a sequence of visiting weekend pastors. They recently had visits from Rev. Messrs. Dan Goodenough, Don Rose, Alfred Acton and Bishop King. The June issue of their publication, The Searcher, has thanks from Anne (Mrs. Harold) Kunkle for help in wrapping copies of Heaven and Hell and getting out mailings of sermons and letters to interested contacts. During May there were 214 mailings. Fifty-two of these went to Seattle, 69 went to the rest of Washington, 81 went to Oregon and 12 to other states and Canada.
PUBLIC WORSHIP AND DOCTRINAL CLASSES 1989

PUBLIC WORSHIP AND DOCTRINAL CLASSES Rev. LOUIS B. KING 1989

     GENERAL CHURCH OF THE NEW JERUSALEM

     Bryn Athyn, Pennsylvania, 19009, U. S. A.

     PUBLIC WORSHIP AND DOCTRINAL CLASSES

     Information on public worship and doctrinal classes provided either regularly or occasionally may be obtained at the locations listed below. For details use the local phone number of the contact person mentioned or communicate with the Secretary of the General Church, Rev. L. R. Soneson, Cairncrest, Bryn Athyn, PA 19009, Phone (215) 947-4660.

     (U. S. A. addresses next month)

     AUSTRALIA

     CANBERRA
Mr. and Mrs. Barrie Ridgway, 68 Hilder St., Weston, Canberra, A. C. T. 2611. Phone: (062) 881-777.

     SYDNEY, N.S.W.
Rev. Douglas M. Taylor, 22 Dudley Street, Penshurst, N.S.W. 2222. Phone: 57-1589.

     BRAZIL

     RIO DE JANEIRO
Rev. Cristovao Rabelo Nobre, Rua Lina Teixeira, 109, ap. 101, Rocha, CEP 20.970., Rio de Janeiro. Phone: (021) 201-8455.

     CANADA

     Alberta:

     CALGARY
Mr. Thomas R. Fountain, 1115 Southglen Drive S. W., Calgary 13, Alberta T2W 0X2. Phone: 403-255-7283.

     EDMONTON
Mr. Daniel L. Horigan, 10524 82nd St., Edmonton, Alberta T6A 3M8. Phone: 403-469-0078.

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     British Columbia:

     DAWSON CREEK
Rev. Glenn G. Alden, Dawson Creek Church, 9013 8th St., Dawson Creek, B. C., Canada V1G 3N3.

     Ontario:

     KITCHENER
Rev. Louis D. Synnestvedt, 58 Chapel Hill Drive, Kitchener, Ontario, Canada N2G 3W5. Phone: (Home) (519) 748-5605; (office) (519) 748-5802.

     OTTAWA
Mr. and Mrs. Donald McMaster, 684 Fraser Ave., Ottawa, Ontario. K2A 2R8. Phone: (61) 725-0394.

     TORONTO
Rev. Michael Gladish, 279 Burnhampthorpe Rd., Islington, Ontario M9B 4Z4. Phone: (Church): (416) 239-3055.

     Quebec:

     MONTREAL
Mr. Denis de Chazal, 17 Baliantyne Ave. So., Montreal West, Quebec H4X 281. Phone: (514) 489-9861.

     DENMARK

     COPENHAGEN
Mr. Jorgen Hauptmann, Strandvejen 22, Jyllinge, 4000 Roskilde. Phone: 03-389968.

     ENGLAND

     COLCHESTER
Rev. Kenneth O. Stroh, 2 Christchurch Court, Colchester, Essex C03 3AU Phone: 0206-43712

     LETCHWORTH
Mr. and Mrs. R. Evans, 24 Berkeley, Letchworth, Herts. SG6 2HA. Phone: 0462-684751.

     LONDON
Rev. Frederick Elphick, 21B Hayne Rd., Beckenham, Kent BR3 4JA. Phone: 01-658-6320.

     MANCHESTER
Rev. Norman E. Riley, 69 Heywood Rd., Norden, Rochdale, OL11 5TH, England. Phone: 0706 54003.

     FRANCE

     BOURGUINON-MEURSANGES
Rev. Alain Nicolier, 21200 Beaune, France. Phone: (80)-26-62-80 (home). 80-26-69-08 (office).

     HOLLAND

     THE HAGUE
Mr. Ed Verschoor, Olmenlaan 17, 3862 VG Nijkerk

     NEW ZEALAND

     AUCKLAND
Rev. Robin Childs, 132 Edmunton Rd., Henderson, Auckland 81, New Zealand.

     NORWAY

     OSLO
Mr. and Mrs. Klaus Bierman, Bakketoppen 10 A. 1165 Oslo 11. Phone: (0) 2 28783.

     SCOTLAND

     EDINBURGH
Mr. and Mrs. N. Laidlaw, 35 Swanspring Ave., Edinburgh EH 10-6NA. Phone: 0 31-445- 2377.

     GLASGOW
Mrs. J. Clarkson, Hillview, Balmore, Nr. Torrance, Glasgow. Phone: Balmore 262.

     SOUTH AFRICA

     Natal:

     DURBAN
Rev. James P. Cooper, 30 Perth Road, Westville 3630, Natal, Republic of South Africa. Phone: 011-27-31-821612.

     Transvaal:

     TRANSVAAL SOCIETY
Rev. Andrew Dibb, P. O. Box 816, Kelvin 2054, South Africa. Phone: (011) 804-2567.

Zululand:

     KENT MANOR
Rev. James Cooper, visiting pastor
Mrs. D. G. Liversage, Box 7088, Empangeni Rail, 3910, Natal, South Africa. Phone: 0351-23241.

     Mission in South Africa:
Rev. Andrew Dibb (address above)

     SWEDEN

     Jonkoping
Contact Rev. Bjorn A. H. Boyesen, Bruksater, Furusjo, S-566 00, Habo. Phone : 0392-203 95.

     Stockholm
Rev. Erik E. Sandstrom, visiting pastor, Bryn Athyn, PA 19009.
Contact Rev. Bjorn A. H. Boyesen at the above address.

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JOURNEY A personal meaning to the EXODUS story with special applications to MARRIAGE 1989

JOURNEY A personal meaning to the EXODUS story with special applications to MARRIAGE THOMAS L. KLINE 1989

     Paperback. 100 pages Postage paid $4.90

     General Church Book Center      Hours: Mon-Fri. 9-17
Box 278, Cairncrest                         or by appointment
Bryn Athyn, PA 19009                         Phone: (215) 947-3970

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Notes on This Issue 1989

Vol. CIX August, 1989 No. 8
NEW CHURCH LIFE

350

     The sermon on the opposite page was delivered on Mother's Day this year. It has been slightly adapted for more general use.
     Have you noticed a difference in the paper we are using? A few months ago we received a letter from Richard L. Goerwitz III which eloquently and persuasively made the case for acid-free paper. We responded with an avuncular acknowledgment and the rejoinder that, alas, acid-free paper was much more expensive than paper made from the trees of the forest. Mr. Goerwitz responded with both commendable patience and some facts and figures. The April issue was the first on the new paper.
     We thank Cynthia Walker for thinking of us as she was going through the "wonderful assortment of documents that bring alive the heartening effort of so many personalities in the history of the church." She found a letter written in 1926 by Helen Keller (see p. 385). We have eight letters in this issue, three of them having to do with the word "conjugial." We will almost certainly have more on the subject. This is somewhat cumbersome and even redundant, and yet we believe it will be useful.
     Note to writers: If you send something to us on disk, please put it in Word Perfect 4.2 if you can. In any case identify the nature of your disk when you send it. It seems such a short while ago that we printed our first item without having to go through the typesetting stage, and now it is fairly common.
     We apologize to people who have written things that have been delayed. The long piece on creation by W. Orthwein has crowded our issues of late. Judging from first reactions it has been well worth it! Another factor in our postponing material is that exceeding the number of forty-eight pages makes a very significant difference in putting the magazine together. We have a collating machine that is impressive to look at, even when it is not in action. As it turns out, it can put up to 48 pages together in a single exhilarating step. Going beyond 48 pages introduces time-consuming steps.

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GENTLENESS 1989

GENTLENESS Rev. Grant H. ODHNER 1989

     "Your gentleness has made me great" Psalm 18:35 (II Sam 22:36).

     When David sang these words to the Lord, what did he mean by them? It is not easy to guess. Strange to say, in context he was speaking of God's raw, unbounded power and of God's assisting him to military victory. In verse 35 he is singing. "You have also given me the shield of Your salvation; Your right hand has held me up." Then all of a sudden he says, "and Your gentleness has made me great" (or more accurately, "Your humbleness has made me great").
     Aside from the perplexing context, I was delighted to find this thought. We like to think of God as love, and we like to think of love as humble and gentle. As I reflected on the qualities God gives to women, this passage struck a chord. Don't all good men sense that women's gentle love "makes them great"-enriches their lives-in a way that nothing masculine can? But before we address the connection between women and gentleness, let us return to David and gentleness in general.
     The idea of the Lord as humble is an amazing thought for David to have had. For while humbleness and gentleness are certainly a big part of the Christian concept of God and of human spirituality, we read relatively little about them in the Old Testament.
     Humility does indeed have a place in Old Testament thought. The greatest leader, Moses, was said to be "very humble" (Num. 12:3). And in the Psalms and Prophets, written mostly later in the centuries before the Lord's coming, humbleness becomes more important. The Psalmist sang that the Lord "guides the humble . . . , and the humble He teaches His way" (Psalm 25:9). "The meek shall inherit the earth, and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace." "The Lord lifts up the humble" (Ps. 147:6). "He will beautify the meek with salvation" (Ps. 149:4).
     Still, the dominant themes in the Old Testament do not bring to mind gentleness and humility. We read a great deal of war, violence, and the prowess of heroes throughout both the historical books and the prophets. We read a lot about Divine commands, about obedience and disobedience, about Divine retribution. Jehovah is certainly shown as loving and tender at rare intervals, but the emphasis is on His power and His zeal for man's "rightness" with Him through conforming to His law.
     Jesus Christ introduced a whole new spirit into religion.

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He invited us to see beyond a God concerned primarily with right behavior and with earthly rewards and punishments, to see a God concerned with the human heart and attitude. He showed us a God whose spirit was consistently loving and gentle, and whose love and gentleness were to be imitated. So, we find, early Christians knew and believed that "The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control" (Gal. 5:22f). And we find them encouraging each other to put off the "old man" with its desires and passions and put on the "new man." "Put on tender mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, long-suffering; bear with one another, and forgive one another. . . . Even as Christ forgave you, so you must do also" (Col. 3:12f).
     The early Christian Church was strong on the virtue of gentleness, and this was owing, without a doubt, to the demeanor of the Lord Jesus Christ Himself. While not denying His own Lordship, He presented Himself as a humble servant. "I am among you as one who serves." "The Son of Man did not come to be ministered to, but to minister, and to give His life a ransom for many." He also rejected the sword. In an age where people seized power mostly by violence, the Lord took power through words and the gentle touch of His hands. He did not inspire fearful allegiance through a sphere of harsh authority. On the contrary, He opened His arms and said: "Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am meek and humble in heart. . ."(Matt. 11:28f). And Jesus taught us to be humble, echoing the words of the Psalmist with new force: "Blessed are the meek for they shall inherit the earth" (Matt. 5:5). He repeatedly spoke out against pride and exalting oneself. He taught us to humble ourselves like little children, and that he who humbles himself shall be exalted (see Matt. 18:4, 23:12; Luke 14:11, 18:14). These sentiments were not in themselves new, but surely we could see them in a new way, as primary reflections of the Divine love.
     From this newly seen idea of the Lord, we can look at the whole Word and see that He is inherently humble and gentle in His dealings with us. The Lord's leading is a gentle leading. Swedenborg was once given to experience this leading: the influx was "like a most gentle and almost imperceptible stream, the current of which does not appear but still leads and draws" (AC 6474).
     The gentleness of the Lord's leading stems from His love. From love He prizes our sense of freedom and self-life, and He nurtures them as the apple of His eye. Love knows that a willing and happy relationship depend upon these. We see this in the way He inflows through affections. He doesn't flow in directly with thoughts; if He did, we would have no conscious life of our own.

353

Nor does He flow in with affections that are contrary to our present nature or personality. He flows in through spirits and angels who are in a similar state as we are. And He leads us to new affections gradually, bending but never breaking, introducing new feelings only when we are willing and able to receive them. Thus He leads us gently to Himself.
     As the Lord is gentle, so do we become as we acquire a love like His. We become sensitive to the way we impact others. We learn that while our thoughts and ideas speak loudly, our affections speak loudest. We realize that by virtue of our own and others' affections, our very existence and presence leads others, for good or for ill. Love, then, brings with it a sense of stewardship, a sense of responsibility to care for others' states as well as our own. And with this comes gentleness. For this reason, "in the other life," we're taught, "goodness manifests itself by gentleness and sweetness" (AC 8111). Quoting more fully: "In the other life every spirit's quality manifests itself by an influx, which is the communication of his affection. Uprightness manifests itself by gentleness and sweetness-by gentleness, in that he fears to do hurt, and by sweetness, because he loves to do good" (EU 50). And so it is taught, "A spiritual man, in himself, is . . . like a dove as to gentleness" (Coro. 30:2). His love for others, and his respect for their freedom, demand this.
     Looking at human beings developmentally, we see that gentleness does not come at once. Some people are born with a more or less gentle disposition, but this is not true gentleness. Gentleness that comes easily is instinctively used for selfish purposes; it becomes a tool for "getting along" and making life easier on oneself. True gentleness is gentleness born of a holy fear of harming others and of an unselfish desire to do well by them.
     This genuine love and holy fear come through the truth. Unless love is guided by truth, and disciplined by it, it cannot be elevated to become of a spiritual quality. As a result, the Lord wills that we learn the truth from an early age, that we be guided by law as well as by love. People typically go through a stage in which they have truth, but do not yet have much true love. Our first rational life is of this character. The person in this stage is described in Arcana Coelestia as follows: "He is quick to find fault, has no patience, is against all, sees everyone as being in error, is instantly prepared to rebuke, to chasten, and to punish, shows no pity, does not apply himself and study to redirect people's minds; for he views everything from the standpoint of truth, and nothing from the standpoint of good" (AC 1949:2).
     If, however, we are willing to be led by the truth that we grasp with our first "rational," if we are willing to be led to try to live a good life, we are gradually softened through the trials of walking this path (see AC 3318:34).

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Our truth-oriented thinking gradually comes under the control of a spiritual love: we become governed by loving purposes (which are what truth is given to help us see). Our rational life then takes on a whole new quality, characterized by what the Writings call "rational good." This "good" is described in the following passage: "Rational good never fights, no matter how much it is assailed, because it is gentle and mild, long-suffering and yielding, for its nature is that of love and mercy. But although it does not fight, it nevertheless conquers all. It does not ever think of combat, nor does it glory in victory. It is of this nature because it is Divine and is of itself immune from harm; for no evil can assail good; indeed it cannot even remain in the sphere where good is" (AC 1950:2).
     Doesn't this description remind us of Jesus' gentle wisdom? of a New Testament spirit of thinking? [The apostle James wrote: "Wisdom that is from above is . . . peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits. . ." (3:17).] And don't we hear echoes of the Old Testament mentality in the description of the first "rational"?-with its harshness, warfare, chastening, rebuking, punishing from a strict sense of law?
     And can't we also see another general parallel here? When we think of the first "rational life" described, it is easy to think of a man, especially a young man. Men do excel in thinking from truth apart from their feelings. And young men tend to be proud of their mastery of facts and their ability to apply them. It is easy for them to lose sight of others' feelings and of higher considerations than the readily apparent ones. This leads them toward an intellectual harshness and combativeness.
     And just as the first description brings men to mind, the second one brings women to mind. Listen to the Writings' general characterization of the intelligence of men and women: "In itself the intelligence of women is modest, elegant, peaceful, yielding, gentle, tender. And the intelligence of men in itself is grave, harsh, hard, spirited, fond of license. Such is the nature of women and such is the nature of men. This is very manifest from the body, face, voice, speech, bearing, and manners of each. From their body, in that with men the skin and flesh are hard, but with women soft. From their face, in that with men it is harder, more resolute, rougher, darker, also bearded, thus less beautiful, and with women, softer, more yielding and tender, fairer and hence more beautiful. From their voice, in that with men it is hard but with women soft. From their speech, in that with men it is fond of license and bold, but with women modest and peaceful. From their bearing, in that with men it is more vigorous and firmer, and with women less vigorous and weaker.

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From their manners, in that with men they are more unrestrained, with women more elegant" (CL 218). From these general portraits, which ring so true, we can see what men would be like without women. It is of the Lord's merciful Providence that just as women's loving nature can become spiritual in quality by being elevated by a sight of truth, so men's truth-oriented nature can become softened and directed to good by being joined with love.
     The Writings make it clear that each sex needs the other in order to do this. This is not the appearance. The appearance is that each sex is mentally independent. Indeed, each does have the ability to love, and each has the ability to grasp truth. But the deeper reality is that the kind of wisdom which exalts human life cannot be given to woman apart from man and his struggle with the path of truth; and the kind of love which makes us essentially human cannot be given to man apart from woman.
     Of course, there is a marvelous balance here. But our purpose today is to give glory to the gentler sex. (We probably do not do this enough.) When we think of the patience and gentleness of love that we all aspire to, it must become apparent to men how vital women are. Where would the human race be without the love of mothers? without their relative softness, mildness, yieldingness? Without them, could we learn to love in a considerate way, tenderly, without force? Could people come into "rational good" apart from women's influence and example? When we read of the gentleness and sweetness that all good spirits exude as they touch others' lives, is attaining this state conceivable apart from women? Let us all rejoice that the Lord brings His love into human life in all its beauty, tenderness, exquisite softness. May we all come to cherish it as the heart of our wisdom and end of our strivings.
     And may we men recognize our need for the love that comes to us through women. For, in the words of the Writings, ". . . without that love there is no interior pleasantness of life. Therefore, if men are to exalt their life by that love, it is incumbent on them to be courteous with women, soliciting and entreating them for this sweet addition to their life with civility, deference, and humility" (CL 297). Amen.

     Lessons: Deut. 32:10ff; Hosea 11:1, 34, 8; Isaiah 46:3f, 49: 15f, 66: 12f; Luke 9:51-56; AC 7068.

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CREATION BY MEANS OF THE WORD 1989

     Some Reflections (Part two)

     BY REV. WALTER E. ORTHWEIN

     The Origin of the Divine Human

"The Lord implanted the Human in the Divine by His own power" (AC 2643).

     This refers to the glorification, but I believe the glorification itself followed an order established from the beginning of creation-an order whereby the human was implanted in, and thus created from, the Divine. ". . . the Lamb was slain from the foundation of the world" (Rev. 13:8).
     How did the Lord first "implant the Human in the Divine?" The essence of humanity, I think, is the ability to know good and truth, and to know them distinctly. To know good, to be conscious of it, is to perceive truth, since this consciousness of good is what truth is in the deepest sense. Thus there is no experience of good apart from an experience of truth. The two cannot be separated really, but the distinction is inherent in man's experience of them. God is one, the Writings explain, but "distinctly one" (DLW 14, 34). That is, we may distinguish the two qualities of good and truth in Him. This distinction was first made by God in Himself, as we've said-He saw the good in Himself, and that seeing was the Word. At the same time, making this distinction, which is an essentially human distinction, He implanted the Human in the Divine. This would further explain why the Son of God (the Divine Human) has always been identified with the Word (as in John 1:1-3).
     This idea fits in with the teaching that the universe "could be created only in God from God" (DLW 55-56; may also be translated as "in God by God"). The essential creation came with the distinction of good and truth by God in Himself; what followed was merely the further definition and successive formation of its first esse. The first esse, from which all created substance is derived, was the Divine Esse; but the successive formations of it were through descending discrete degrees; otherwise the created universe would be continuous from God and would be God (see DLW 4).
     "And God said, Let there be light. . ." The first proceeding of Divine love and wisdom, by means of which all things in the universe were created, was the spiritual sun (see DLW 152-154).

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Perhaps we can identify this first light, the spiritual sun, with the Divine self-consciousness, of which we have been speaking. The spiritual sun would be the first appearing of that substance created in God from God which is in accord with His life and yet is not His life (see DLW 55).
     The essential Divine Human, then, as I see it, is the distinction of the Divine good and Divine truth which first takes place in the Divine Itself. These Divine essences are "distinctly one," as the heat and light of the sun. An image of this distinction is thus impressed upon all created things, finding its highest expression in the human male and female. ". . . a universal conjugial sphere proceeds from the Lord and pervades the universe from its first things to its last, thus from angels even to worms" (CL 92). Note that this view of things further explains the essential connection between (in fact, oneness of) conjugial love and humanity: they stem from the same source, the distinction of good and truth by the Lord in Himself. The Human is male and female.
     The use of the distinction is that there may follow a willing reunion of the distinct qualities. The various truths that come to us are like fragments of humanity waiting to be joined together by love into the image of God (see Note B). "Truths conjoined from good present the image of a man" (NJHD 24e). By "man" is meant intelligence and wisdom, and thus also the Word (AR 609; cf. WH 11). The Word, then, is the form of that Humanity which proceeds from the distinction and dynamic interaction of good and truth in the Divine. The Word is from the Lord, and is Himself (see TCR 777). All of this shows that the Word which makes us human does so by impressing upon us the image of that Humanity which God implanted in Himself in the beginning.

The Word is presented before the Lord as the image of a man, in which and by which heaven is represented in its whole complex, not as it is but as the Lord wishes it to be, namely, an image of Him (see AC 1871).

     The Word in the Beginning

     "And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and He that sat upon him was called Faithful and True . . . and He had a name written that no man knew but He Himself . . . and His name is called the Word of God" (Rev. 19:11, 13).
     God's self-consciousness, then, is the Word in its first origin above the heavens-the Word in the beginning, without which (or whom) nothing was made. The first limits, the first bounds upon the Divine, grow out of that first distinction made within the Divine by God.

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Everything that followed was created by means of the Word (successive finitions), but the first creation of all was the Word itself.
     It is the very nature of words that they establish limits; they "define" things. To name a thing is to set a fence around it, as it were, which distinguishes it from everything else. The Word "defines" God; it is His definition of Himself. And in so doing it defines (or makes finite) everything else, which is the same as creating everything else. As Bishop de Charms observes, there can be no limits upon God-the limits are all outside of God.

     [Swedenborg] shows how God can be omnipresent in His creation, and at the same time avoids the error of pantheism. He teaches that the universe was not created out of nothing, but out of the Divine substance; not by producing some new or different kind of substance, but solely by creating limits. God is infinite, that is, He has no limit. Whatever, therefore, is limited is the very antithesis of God. The entire universe consists of nothing but limits, and therefore it is outside of God. It is just what God is not (de Charms, p. 24).

     Creation by means of the Word-defining, setting limits-is God's definition of Himself in that whatever is not so defined or limited is Divine. The Divine in itself cannot be defined; it is ineffable; but it is as if defined by the act of creating-the definition in this case being not what is within the limits but what is outside them. God and His Word are thus one, God being the Infinite, the Word being the established limits of finiteness. Furthermore, since the essential of humanity is to know God (This is what makes man human, and I think it is what makes God
Human), we can substitute the words "Divine" and "Human" for God and the Word (by which God is known) and see that they also are one. "I and My Father are one" (John 10:30).
     The definition of a thing, the word for it, essentially is the thing. In Hebrew the same word is used for "word" and "thing"-dabar (see AC 5075, 5272). The Word is "Divine truth, from which all things that are real have their existence" (AC 5272). Until there is a word for something, it really doesn't exist. In George Orwell's 1984, you remember, the government intended to control people's lives by controlling the language. By eliminating all words for "freedom" in the language (called "newspeak"), it would be easy to keep the thing itself from existing. It would be inconceivable, and that which is not conceived cannot be born.

. . . every man as to his spirit . . . is in company with angels and spirits, although the external man is not aware of this; and because he is in company with them, he is also with them in the universal language, and thus in the origin of words (see AC 5075).

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     This is why names and language have always been endowed with supernatural power. The supreme example is the Lord's name in the Old Testament, which was not to be pronounced. To Adam was given the privilege of naming the animals (see Genesis 2:19). ". . . the ancients, by the 'name, understood the essence of a thing, and by 'seeing and calling by name,' they understood to know the quality"(AC 144). This is why the idea of a mantra or secret name was widespread in the ancient world as the key to magic. In many stories, to know a person's name is to possess power over him. "Rumpelstiltskin" is a familiar example. Some in the New Church still observe the custom of keeping a baby's name a secret until the baptism.

     No living creature could reproduce as many different sounds as could man, due to man's versatile vocal apparatus and his ability to construct musical instruments. This gave man enormous power, for if he knew the particular keynote sound of an object he could reproduce it and thereby gain possession of the energy with which the object was charged. To be able to wield this indwelling force . . . was the key to all magic" (Tame, p. 211).

     The Lord promises a "new name" to those who overcome evil, meaning Divine truth will be written in their hearts (see Rev. 3:12). The great power in names and words reflects the creative power of the Divine Word.
     The Lord's Word not only tells us what is real, but in describing reality it creates it. The Word is the very first telling or describing of what exists. The natural world exists from the spiritual, and heaven is the Word. ". . . as the Lord is the Word, heaven is also the Word, since heaven is heaven from the Lord, and the Lord through the Word is the all in all things of heaven" (TCR 272).
     The refrain in the first chapter of Genesis is, "And God said . . . ," and with each utterance of His Word the world was created. Moreover, each new thing that was defined, or finited, added to the definition of Himself. At the beginning of this paper I said that God is a tree. It can just as well be said that God is not a tree. Naming the tree defines it as "not God." The limitation is on the tree, not the Divine, but recognizing the tree as a distinct entity adds to our definition of God, especially when it is known that all things in nature correspond to some Divine quality. When all things are named, the un-named is God. ". . . He had a name written that no man knew but He Himself."
     Natural matter, as science tells us, is a form of energy or motion. In the Genesis story, creation begins with the Spirit of God moving upon the face of the waters. That Spirit is energy, "the Divine energy and operation proceeding from the one God, the Lord God the Savior," and it is also the Divine truth (TCR 139).

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The "energy" or motion at the heart of all matter is therefore the Word-the Word that was in the beginning. Thus all things bear the name of God, whose "name is called the Word of God."
     Consider the use the Word serves in our lives. It circumscribes them, that is, sets limits upon our thoughts and actions. In so doing, it progressively "defines" us, or molds our character, and thus creates us. It gives us a new "name," a new quality of being. The Word sets up boundaries beyond which we must not go, like the boundary established at the base of Mt. Sinai when Moses ascended into the mount to receive the Word from God (see Exodus 19:12).
     The first boundary the Word sets up is that between the Divine and the human-we learn from the Word that God is the Source of all life, and that we live from Him alone. The Word "defines" God so that He might be receivable by our finite minds. It defines Him as a Man. The doctrine revealed in the written Word does this, of course, but prior to that the Logos, or Word in the beginning, actually makes God Human by distinguishing good and truth in Him. Again, this is why the Word is identified with the Divine Human. "And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us. . ." (John 1:14).
     The Lord's body is His Humanity, which is Divine good united with Divine truth. This is the "flesh," or the Bread of Heaven, which we must receive in order to live. It is in the Word, and is the Word. "Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God" (Matthew 4:4). "I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live forever: and the bread that I will give is My flesh, which I will give for the life of the world" (John 6:51). "And I took the little book out of the angel's hand, and ate it up. . ." (Rev. 10:10; cf. Ezekiel 3:1). Bringing these passages together makes it evident that the Lord's Humanity and the Word are the same. I believe this was so from the beginning. From the very beginning the Word was made flesh, that is, made God Human.
     To summarize: the Word makes God Human, and it makes Him Human to us, and in so doing it makes us truly human. The Word begins with the perception of good by God in Himself. That perception, that initiament of all truth, is the implanting of the Human in the Divine, giving it "flesh." And the Word ends with the Lord's perception of the good He has implanted in us, by the Word as the means, making us human. "I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last" (Rev. 22:13).
     My thesis, then, is that the Word came into existence simultaneously with creation, and is always an integral part of every beginning.

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It is God naming Himself, giving definition or formation to the Divine. The Divine motion, or in-turning, from which all creation arises is the Word that was "in the beginning." From that Divine motion comes all human emotion. From that self-identification of Divine love comes all human ability to know love. Adam named the animals, meaning that it is given to man to know the source and quality of the affections in him, and thus to exercise rational dominion over them. We are also given to know the Divine source of all loves, and submit ourselves to His will. We not only know the name of human emotions, but also the name of the Divine motion from which they flow. In revealing the Lord's holy name, and impressing that name upon us, the Word gives us to eat of the tree of life (see Rev. 2:7, 3:12, 22:14).

     Hidden in a Mirror

     "Verily Thou art a God that hidest Thyself. . ."(Isaiah 45:15).

     He hides Himself in the letter of the Word, which veils the Holy Spirit of truth within. But perhaps even more is meant. The Lord hides Himself by turning within, and, as we've said, this Divine in-turning is the Word in its beginning. This is why the Word was with God in the beginning-the beginning of creation and of the Word were one and the same process. There are two foundations of truth, the Word and nature (see SD 5709). God hides Himself in all creation. No man has seen God at any time. He is revealed only in the Lord Jesus Christ, the Word made flesh (see John 1:14, 18).
     The Word is said to be a "mirror" in which we see God (AR 938). What does this mean? I think it means more than that we see God reflected in the Word. Consider the real use of a mirror: it isn't for seeing another but for seeing yourself. The first person to see God in the mirror of the Word is God Himself. This sight of Himself, or of His own Divine good, is the initiament of all Divine truth, that is, the Word.
     This idea is not without precedent-it appears in the Hindu Upanishads, dating from about the eighth century B.C. "In the beginning, there was only the great Self . . . Reflecting, it found nothing but itself. Then its first word was, 'This am I.'" (Campbell, p. 44, but see Note C). This Self, called Brahman, is said to be "pure consciousness" (The Upanishads, p. 62). An Egyptian creation myth has the creator-god fertilizing himself and thus producing the gods of the earth and sky, Geb and Nut, who then give birth to the universe (Feat, p. 190). However it is expressed, the key idea is that of a duality arising in God, from which all creation follows. The ancient Chinese conceived of it in musical terms-out of the One note there came a vibration of yang and yin, upon which all creation was founded.

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     This One Vibration, the origin of all matter, energy and being, was considered to be the enunciated Word of the Supreme. Since each of the twelve Cosmic Tones was but an aspect-a twelfth-of this One Vibration, the Chinese felt that literally every note of their music, being a reflection of one of the twelve tones, was also an earthly manifestation of the One Great Tone. Each note of music, indeed, was performed as a conscious celebration of, an homage unto and an invocation of, the Father Tone (Tame, pp. 41, 42).

     The fact that there were twelve tones derived from the One reminds us of the Lord and His twelve disciples.
     But how could there be any duality in the Great One? The answer, I propose, is that the Two are simply the One reflected, or reflecting on Himself. The duality arose with the first distinction, that between light and darkness, when God said, "Let there be light." However, "the darkness and the light are both alike to Thee" (Psalm 139:12).
     The ability to reflect upon self is a uniquely human faculty. Knowing what is good and true, and loving it, depends upon this faculty of self-consciousness, To love what is good, or to love God, means not loving self; and how can there be any choice about this unless self can be known? Self could not be loved unless it were known. Animals are not conscious of self; they are not subject to self-love, but neither is altruism possible for them. In order to love the Lord or another person more than self, we have to know self. "Know thyself" is said to be the prerequisite of all wisdom. To know the self as a distinct entity, distinct from God and from other persons, might be called the first truth. Newborn babies, I believe, do not have a self-identity; it is something that dawns upon them later. I would relate this arising of self-consciousness to the Lord's words, "Let there be light." in the Divine this first reflection upon self produces the spiritual sun, with its "distinctly one" heat and light.
     Thus, out of the Divine consciousness of self there arises the distinction between good and truth, which provides the basis for all creation. My thesis is that everything in creation exists from a dynamic relationship between two things. Between body and soul a man exists. Between the letter and the spirit the Word exists. Between Divine good and Divine truth, between Divine mercy and Divine justice, the Divine Human exists. The very first distinction between good and truth is the distinction between Divine good and the Divine perception of that good. This perception and the good which is perceived are really one, but distinguishably. They are "distinctly one."

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     The word "reflect" means to bend back, and "reflection" is an act of bending back. We use "reflection" in reference to the image seen in a mirror, and also as meaning quiet thought, especially thought about one's own state. Both these senses are present in regard to the Lord and creation. His reflection upon Himself produced the Word in which He is reflected for us. No wonder it is said that "there are more arcana in the doctrine of reflection than in any other whatsoever" (AR 733).

     The first motion in the process of creation is when the Lord "turns back" or reflects upon Himself. In so doing He hides Himself. ". . . thou shalt see My back parts, but My face shall not be seen," the Lord told Moses (Exodus 33:23). And yet the Lord's face is seen by those who love Him and keep His commandments; it is seen reflected in the mirror of His Word, not just in its letter but as living truth in their own minds (cf. AC 10578). It is also said of Moses, who represents the Word, that the Lord knew him face to face. "And there arose not a prophet since in Israel like unto Moses, whom the Lord knew face to face"(Deut. 34:10). Note that this does not contradict Exodus 33:23, quoted above, since it does not say that Moses saw the Lord's face, but that the Lord knew Moses face to face. One sees oneself face to face in a mirror, but the mirror does not see. Moses-the Word-is the mirror.
     The Word is our mirror too. The human mind is a vessel into which the water of life is poured. "Whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life" (John 4:14). In the still "waters" of the Word we see ourselves. ". . . the doctrine of faith effects nothing with a man unless the Lord grants that he should reflect. Therefore, men learn from the Word what is good and true in order that they may reflect thence upon themselves. . ."(SD 737). As the prophet Nathan told David: "Thou art the man" (II Samuel 12:7).
     It is in this "well" also that the Lord's reflection may be seen when the sun of heaven rises. And this is our true creation as human beings-to receive the image of God in ourselves. "And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters . . . And God said, Let us make man in our image. . ." (Genesis 1:2, 26).
     Compare the saying of Descartes quoted above to what the Writings say about reflection: ". . . it is only reflection which causes spirits and angels to know that they are of such and such a quality. . ." (SD 2221). And, the number continues, when it is realized that reflection does not belong to him who reflects but "belongs to that which inflows, then it [is perceived] that we are only organic powers, and that reflection is given by the Lord. From no other source can it come." Where there is reflection there must be both something that reflects and something that is reflected; the reflection is proof of the existence of both.

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Thus, "I think, therefore I am" becomes "I reflect, therefore I am because God is."
     Reflection is a human faculty, but the whole universe reflects the Divine. "Every created thing is . . . like an image of God in a mirror" (DLW 56). The doctrine of correspondences reveals that all nature images God. Again, the Gaia hypothesis strikes a chord. If the world reflects God, then it must be living and have something about it of human mind. ". . . without reflection there is no life" (SD 1905). It follows that where there is reflection, there is life.

     It must be understood that all things that proceed from the sun of the spiritual world, in the midst of which is Jehovah God, have relation to man; and therefore whatever things come forth in that world conspire toward the human form, and exhibit that form in their inmosts; thus all objects there that are presented to the sight are representative of man (see TCR 66).

     The same is true, less perfectly, of this world.

     Tremulation

     "Then the earth shook and trembled. . ."(Psalm 18:7).

     I never have been able to quite get a grasp on what "pure motion" means, but I can imagine a motion existing between two "parts" of the Divine, or between God and His reflection in Himself. If such a motion is the basis of natural matter, it would be as if "pure motion," since the substances being moved, because they are Divine, are forever uncreate and invisible. It seems to me that there can be no real motion in the Divine, only apparent motion, or alternation between good and truth. There can be no actual motion within the Divine because good and truth are one in God. The distinction between them is a human thing. Pure motion, I think, must mean Love itself, unknowable in any absolute sense by man, and yet made knowable by the Word.
     "No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He hath declared Him" (John 1:18). "No man cometh unto the Father but by Me. . . . " (John 14:6). On the other hand, "No man can come to Me except the Father who hath sent Me draws Him. . ." (John 6:44). Clearly, "I and My Father are one" (John 10:30), but distinctly. They are distinguishable by man, but more than this there is an actual distinction within the Divine itself. From the dynamic relationship (motion) of the two essential Divine qualities of love and wisdom there proceeds the Holy Spirit or energy which is within all created substance.

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     I have often wondered why the Lord permitted even the appearance of three Divine persons in the letter of the Word, so open to misinterpretation. I suppose part of the reason the error was permitted was to prevent profanation of the deeper truth. But now I see that the more general reason is simply that this is the appearance. Creation does not come from One, but from Two and Three sent by the One. "For where two or three are gathered together in My name, there am I in the midst of them" (Matt. 18:20).
     In any case, whether the Divine motion is actual or just a perception (and if it is a perception that originates in the Divine itself, as I've suggested, I suppose the distinction is meaningless), creation begins with motion. Whatever its nature is in itself, the motion is detectable as the energy which forms material substance.
     Our hypothesis is that creation begins in the Divine, with the interaction of Divine good and truth following their distinction by God in Himself. Or we could say by the interaction of the Divine and the Human, since, as has been said, the distinction of good and truth in the Divine is what makes the Human. Good and truth undistinguished are Divine; distinguished they are Human. From the One there arose the Two: the Great Self and its reflection, good and truth, or the Divine and the Human. And from that Divine marriage all creation is born. (Again, note the relationship between the word "parts" and "parturition." The birth of the universe begins with God's division of Himself into "parts.")
     Now let us consider the nature and effect of this interaction. When two things exist, a tension is established, and the potential for an alternation between them. So I think the best way to describe the interaction, or the dynamic which begins creation, is to say that it sets up a vibration, or tremulation. In turn this produces a universal "co-tremulation," which is the fundamental motion at the heart of all substance.
     In his first philosophical treatise, On Tremulation, Swedenborg endeavored to show that "our vital force consists mostly of little vibrations, that is, tremulations" (pp. vii, 5). C. Th. Odhner, who wrote a preface for the work, noted that "even in Swedenborg's latest theological writings there will be found many traces of the principles and arguments first presented in this little treatise" (pp. xiii).
     The tremulation begins in the fluid which is contained in the membranes, which must be in a state of tension, and is communicated "so that almost the whole body is brought into a state of subtle co-tremulation, which causes sensation" (p. ix).
     "An expanded membrane is the best medium of tremulation" (p. 2). I wonder if the limbus, or cutaneous envelope composed of the finest things of nature, which remains with a person after death, might not be such a membrane.

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In any case, the general rule is that our lives depend upon a surface, or continuous series of membranes, capable of receiving tremulation. I would add that while the membranes of the body provide this on the physical level, the "terminations" of the degrees of the mind provide it on the spiritual plane.
     This quivering motion in which life resides is the most subtle of all motions; it cannot be seen or measured. Perhaps this tremulation is what is meant by the "tacit respiration of the body" that continues for a while after the detectable heartbeat has stopped (see HH 447, 449). It must also be the pulse and respiration of a spirit (see DLW 391).
     My suggestion is that the source of this life-sustaining tremulation is the Divine alternation between good and truth described above. It is the Divine vibration or cosmic sound from which all life and all created things exist. It is God's heartbeat. It is the same as that Divine "energy" called the Holy Spirit. When Swedenborg experienced resuscitation in the spiritual world, the first thing was that "a communication of the pulse of the heart with the celestial kingdom was established. . ." (HH 449). Perhaps this is why the Most Ancients could leave this world so easily-their hearts were in sync with heaven. Mystics have always listened to their hearts.
     The first word in Genesis, bereshith, "in-beginning," is derived from the word rosh, meaning "head," which in turn is related to raash, "to tremble or shake." It is assumed that the shaking of the head is the underlying concept. I would suggest that "a shaking of the head" is just another way of saying "a tremulation or undulation of wisdom," that is, waves of energy proceeding from the Logos.
     Here is a nice symmetry: as the tremulation is received by membranes, so the written Word also was impressed upon membrane or skin, that is, parchment. "The reception of life in the lowest degree [may be compared to] the influx of light into . . . a transparent membrane" (TCR 34e).

     The Holy Spirit

     Parenthetically, note that this concept agrees with the teaching that the Holy Spirit is sent not by the Father but by the Son from the Father (see TCR 153; cf. AC 8127e). The distinction of God into Divine and Human is an essential prerequisite for the Holy Spirit-there can be no alternation or "tribration," no proceeding Divine energy, without that distinction. On the other hand, the existence of the Holy Spirit also depended upon the Lord's transcending that distinction, to unite His Human nature with the Divinity of which it was begotten.

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Before the glorification the Holy Spirit was not (see John 7:39, TCR 140).
     My thought on this is that the difference between the Spirit of God that creates and the Holy Spirit that recreates is mainly that in regard to the latter there is a conscious response to the Lord as our Creator. It is not our consciousness but the Lord's consciousness within us. The creative principle is the same whether called "the Spirit of God" or "the Holy Spirit"-the difference is in the possibilities for reception. The holiness or Spirit of Truth proceeding from the Divine does not change, but human reception of it does change.
     Similarly, God was always Human, even before the glorification; but after the glorification we mortals could enter into the consciousness of God's Humanity. Again, it is not our consciousness but a sharing with us of the consciousness that the Lord attained in Himself. The Human became God's own in the sense that His consciousness of it now extended into the finite human plane also.
     The tremulation now is between that complete Human and the Divine with which it is united, whereas before, the tremulation was between good and truth in the Divine, and that tremulation itself constituted the Human in the Divine. The Divine Human then was merely an operation of the Divine in itself; and the proceeding Divine was not the Holy Spirit, sent by the Son, but only the effect of the interacting good and truth in the Divine itself. The effect may have been similar, but the means changed at the time of the glorification.
     I do not think that the glorification depends upon our perception of it, but on the other hand, it is certainly fulfilled in us.
     Returning now to tremulation, our very existence is said to depend upon a kind of "sympathetic vibration," whereby one membrane affects another, like that among the strings of a lute, provided they are tuned in the same key (Tremulation, p. 14, 56). Swedenborg observed that a whole musical instrument, or even a whole gallery, may vibrate from an outside sound (p. 2). Porous wood is best for conducting the sound vibration.

     The all-wise God of nature has therefore created in man a great cavity, surrounded by a very porous cranium, so that it is like the body of an instrument from which the membranes receive a higher tone or pitch, for the effecting of sensation in the body (p. 33).

     The various atmospheres emanating from the Divine serve to communicate the Divine "vibration"-the Logos?-to the human body, where they are received first by the brain and are then communicated throughout the whole body by a continuous system of membranes and their respective fluids (p. 30).

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Different human temperaments arise from differences in the tension of the membranes, or vital sounding-boards, upon which the Divine Word plays, thus affecting the rate of vibration (p. 50).

     It also frequently happens that a person falls into the thought of another person . . . that is, that his membrane trembles from the tremulation of the other person's cerebral membranes, just as one string is affected by another, if they are tuned in the same key (p. 6).

     This "sympathetic vibration" must also be the basis of the communication of all thoughts and feelings in heaven (see HH 2, 73, 268; DP 224:3). I would apply this idea of "sympathetic vibration" also to the Holy Spirit, which is said to proceed from the Lord to man, and then to be transmitted "through men to men" (Canons, Holy Spirit section, ch. IV).

     . . . in order to be heard, the Divine must first become human; and it [does so] when it passes through the heavens and. . .is presented in a human form, and becomes speech, which speech is uttered by spirits, who, when in this state, are called the Holy Spirit (AC 6982).

     A phonograph provides a useful model for this. A sound vibration is impressed upon the record, which then duplicates the sound when played: The point is that our minds are formed by the Divine sound, the Lord's Word. Man is a recipient of life. The life proceeding from the Lord is accommodated through the various atmospheres so as to be receivable by us. We not only receive it but it forms us for reception. Is heaven heaven because the angels live there, or is it more that the angels are angels because the form of heaven has been impressed upon them? As the familiar New Church saying has it: they are received into heaven who receive heaven in themselves during their lives in this world.
     ". . .the tremulation flows with the rapidity of lightning over membranes and nerves, from one end to the other, in an instant making the most subtle waves over the whole expanse, like the oscillation in water or in the atmospheres" (p. 31). This reminds me of the declaration in the Gospel, that "as the lightning . . . shall . . . the coming of the Son of man be" (Matt. 24:27).
     It also reminds me of the words in Genesis: "And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters." Does not this refer to a "tremulation . . . making subtle waved"? The Spirit of God is the pure motion from which all things exist and live, from rocks to the human mind. The movement upon the waters in Genesis is repeated in each individual life: "the first motion or tremulation takes place in the fluid which is distributed over all the membranes. . . "(Tremulation, p. 74).

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     Heaven comes to us in waves. Life itself is sustained by alternations. "While the earth remaineth, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night, shall not cease" (Genesis 8:22). "Wave" is one of a number of other words that could be used for tremulation: vibration, oscillation, alternation, fluctuation, undulation. The key idea is that of a motion that is recurring or cyclical, a movement between two points, like that of a pendulum. The Divine origin is between good and truth, but the pattern on earth is broader: between life and death, good and evil, joy and sorrow. Without such contrasts, without the "ups and downs" of life, we could not live.

     We could not possibly appreciate joy, goodness, love, truth, justice, sunshine, peace, or harmony except by contrast with their opposites. The ancient word to Israel, "I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore, choose life," is a law for all ages. We cannot choose life unless death is present; nor can we even think life without some knowledge of its opposite" ("Waves of the Universe" by J. S. David, NCL 1919:395).

     At the feast of the harvest in Israel, the priest was to wave the first sheaf of the harvest before the Lord. "Waving," the Writings explain, "denotes vivification, for truths are not living in man until they are in good" (AC 9295). Truths become fruitful when they come to "rest" in use.
     Spiritually, the creation story treats of the formation of the human mind by Divine truth, and since the Lord alone regenerates man, He is said to "rest" after the heavens and the earth are finished (Genesis 2:2, 3). But if, as I have suggested, the same Divine Logos that makes man is also the energy within all matter, the creation story in Genesis does in fact apply to the macrocosm as well as to the microcosm in the human mind. In this view, the proceeding Divine Word literally is earth and flesh, and all other substance. ". . . truth and good . . . are the all in all things" (TCR 224). In this sense all ground is "holy ground"-the Lord rests in it.

     Morphogenetic Fields

     Biologist Rupert Sheldrake has proposed a controversial "hypothesis of formative causation," according to which there are actual fields of information which influence the structures both of living organisms and inanimate matter. According to Sheldrake, all matter has a field of memory associated with it which guides its formation and various processes. He calls these "morphic" or "morphogenetic fields." Their effect is quite real, and they transcend time and space. Thus, they are reminiscent of spiritual causation.

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     The first time a new molecule is created or a crystal grows there comes into being a morphogenetic field, which is a kind of memory of the processes involved. Then, when a similar process takes place, it has the advantage, Sheldrake says, of being guided by information from the morphogenetic field. With more and more repetitions of the process, the field builds in strength and is more active in controlling the direction of the process. The effect is compared to skiers going downhill. The first skier must find a path between the trees and hillocks, but the ones who come after are guided by the tracks and are thus able to move faster and avoid false trails. Actual experiments have provided evidence for the theory. For example, it was found that once a new crystal has been synthesized in a laboratory, the next time it is much easier to grow; and this held true even when the laboratories were on different continents. Once a morphogenetic field is built up it assists in the arrangement of atoms in a lattice.
     Sheldrake hypothesizes a whole hierarchy of morphogenetic fields to guide all the processes involved. The fields direct not only the formation of structures but their actual behavior. Observation of learned behavior in animals provides additional evidence for the theory. For example, once some sheep learned how to get across a cattle grid, other widely separated flocks who had never been able to do it before picked the tactic up as if out of the air.

     . . .The processes of nature, he suggests, are far more subtle than is presently supposed and, in fact, contain an aspect that is very close to what we would normally call mind. Matter and mind, it would appear, are no longer distinct and different substances, but may be a part of a much larger spectrum (Peat, 163-165).

     A fascinating aspect of this theory, as I understand it (which is minimally), is that it explains why "nothing is so powerful as an idea whose time has come." Once an idea has been seen and put into words, it is as if a receptacle for it has been opened up on earth. Or, in terms of tremulation, once there has been a response to the tremulation anywhere, there exists the possibility of a sympathetic response elsewhere. A classic example is the explanation for evolution reached simultaneously by Darwin and Wallace, or the simultaneous discovery of calculus by Newton and Leibnitz.
     I am not sure how far to push a synthesis of Sheldrake's theory and the doctrine of tremulation, but I see some connection. He calls the process he hypothesizes "morphic resonance."
     An essential part of the concept of tremulation is that there must be a membrane or some other outmost structure to contain the motion.

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From the fact that a fallen tree continues to live as long as the bark is intact, ". . . it is evident that it is the pleasure of nature to place what is chief and most noble in what is most ultimate, and that all life must depend on this ultimate" (Tremulation, p. 47).
     A resting place, an outmost, is essential. Perhaps we could call the whole human race on earth a "membrane," since it is the outmost or foundation upon which heaven rests (see LJ 9). The limits of a thing are its membrane. Nature, in its upward progression, terminates in man. Thus, at the upper limits of creation there is a human "membrane" between nature and the Divine. The "foundation" is also a sounding board or springboard from which the vibratory motion of creation rebounds to its Source. In man the Divine returns to the Divine. In an individual, each degree of the mind must "terminate" in a plane "in which the good that flows from the Lord rests" (AC 5145:3). The thoughts and affections expressed in angelic speech are nothing other than modifications of the light and heat of heaven (see HH 239). In their minds, the waves of good and truth proceeding from the Divine reach their terminus and come to rest. There is a response, though, in the "membrane" of the mind, which is quickened by this "brooding Spirit." Thus the angels are moved to speak and act, and so live as to give glory to God. The supreme termination of all, I think, is the earth itself, the ultimate of creation, from which there can be a return to the Creator (cf. DLW 167). ". . . the substances and matters of which lands consist are endings and closings of atmospheres which proceed as uses from the spiritual sun" (DLW 310; cf. 167).
     In the ultimates of natural matter, the Divine tremulation comes to rest. Natural matter is relatively inert, yet it is charged with energy (as the splitting of the atom demonstrates). I picture the earth, therefore, as a kind of "sounding board," filled with Divine potential, and "echoing" the Logos that formed it. "The end of creation . . . is that all things may return to the Creator. . ." (DLW 167).
     Everything in nature is such an "echo," but the fullest and most perfect is man. The spiritual potential involved in the whole world in the beginning is evolved in man. It is "raised up" out of the earth by the Lord into man, for whom everything was created (DLW 170, 171). "And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground. . ."(Genesis 2:7). Perhaps we could say that while in the Lord the Word itself was made flesh, echoes of the Word are made flesh in every man. " . . . let the whole earth be filled with His glory" (Psalm 72:19).

     (See following page for Notes B and C.)

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Note B: The words "logic" and "legend" come from the same root, logos, an interesting connection. "Logic" has to do with reasoning, while a "legend" is a story that comes down from the past. The Lord's Word contains elements of both logic and legend. It is a story-outwardly a series of stories, but inwardly one story, the story of the Lord-and it contains doctrine or teaching (logic) that follows from the story, and also explains the story. "Come now and let us reason together," the Lord says (Isaiah 1:18).
     The more immediate root of "legend" means "to gather." The Greek words for "to say, speak" (logos) and "to gather" (Greek legein, Latin legere) are related. I suppose this is because thoughts and feelings are gathered together in words. In the spiritual world, especially, one word contains very many ideas.
     Other related words are: "legible" (readable); legato (Italian "tied"), meaning music played smoothly; "legion" (a large military force); and of course "religion." Many truths are "tied up" in religion. Words gather truths together like the threads in a rope, and all else is "out of bounds," like the people of Israel behind the fence around the foot of Mt. Sinai. Note C: I looked up this passage in my Mentor paperback of the Upanishads, and the reflecting upon selfidea was not so clearly stated, if present at all. I assume Joseph Campbell was familiar with variant texts.

     (To be continued)
In Our Contemporaries 1989

In Our Contemporaries 1989

In the May issue of Lifeline is an article by Rev. Brian Kingslake entitled, "Swedenborg and the African." Mr. Kingslake, who worked for over twelve years with the African New Church, points out that the greatest numbers of people associated with the New Church are among the peoples of Africa. He writes,

It was evidently clear to Swedenborg himself that the African was to play an important role in the development of the New Church on earth and in the spiritual world. His Writings between 1748 and 1771, that is to say, throughout practically the entire period of his enlightenment, revert continually to this subject, presenting piecemeal a unique study of African psychology seen from within.
Very little was known of Africa in Swedenborg's lifetime (l688-1772). He had been dead for 23 years before Mungo Park's ill-fated explorations of the Niger. Livingstone was not born until 1813.

373

Practically the only contact at that time between white man and black was in connection with the infamous slave trade, to which Swedenborg never alludes. Probably he had never met an African in this world, unless it was one of those pathetic half-dazed Negro boys from America affected by fashionable ladies during the reign of Queen Anne. His suggestion that the future of the New Church might lie in Africa must have seemed ridiculous to his contemporaries. How could these highly intellectual doctrines be adopted by peoples who at that time were regarded as quite primitive? Even today people ask me: "Do they really understand the doctrines?" But time is vindicating Swedenborg in this as in other things. He knew the African genius from contacts in the spiritual world, long before, and better than, it was known on earth.

Mr. Kingslake later says:

In the world of flesh [the Africans] were allowed by their tribal laws to marry several wives, but they are monogamous from religious conviction, and thoroughly understand conjugial love. Swedenborg witnesses a convocation of angels in the world of spirits, selected from among the learned of the different kingdoms of Europe, gathered together to deliver their sentiments on "the true origin, virtue and power of conjugial love. The prize for the best answer was a golden mitre, richly adorned with precious stones. No satisfactory answers were given until an African onlooker came modestly forward and begged leave to speak. When he had ended, an angel appeared in the east, and a voice from heaven was heard saying: "The mitre shall be for the African."

The Swedenborg Foundation magazine Chrysalis, Vol. III, issue I, is devoted to the subject of "Aspects of African Spirit." It includes an article by Dr. J. Durban Odhner on Swedenborg's mysterious African, and one by Rev. Jeremy Simons entitled "A Missionary in Sierra Leone."
NCL 100 YEARS AGO 1989

NCL 100 YEARS AGO 1989

The front page of the Life 100 years ago this month began as follows: "The subject of New Church education is beginning more and more to occupy the attention of the church." Then we are told of four schools that have been established: Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Chicago and Berlin.
All four are still flourishing, three having changed their names to Bryn Athyn, Glenview, and Kitchener. And the subject of New Church education continues to occupy the attention of the church.

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NEW CHURCH-NEW AGE 1989

NEW CHURCH-NEW AGE ROBERT KIRK 1989

     One of the phrases which impressed itself on my mind during our 1988 Conference was "New Age Christians." I heard it used in one of the debates by somebody who referred to how, as New Age Christians, we should be presenting our teachings. It has taken me some time to grasp the essence of the "New Age" concept. Indeed the concept is so general that it can apply to a vast range of ideas and philosophies, some of which would be acceptable to us as a Christian church, but there are others which would not.
     The New Age outlook is characterized by seeking alternative ways of looking at traditional perception and forms of knowledge. It takes in forms of alternative medicine, methods of faith healing, courses in meditation, or investigation of psychic phenomena. Some of these things interest New Church adherents and are sometimes introduced into weekend schools organized by New Church groups.
     My favorite daily paper, The Guardian, now has a weekend supplement which has a regular New Age feature. There seems to be a common theme running through the articles on the New Age page. The writers seem to be examining alternative forms of experience which will help explain the existence and purpose of life. Often New Age articles are written by people who have become dissatisfied with both traditional church teaching and plain materialism; most of us in the New Church will have sympathy for this attitude of mind. What perhaps we would find disconcerting is that their search for a satisfactory basis for living often takes them into various forms of mysticism or even pagan witchcraft. At any rate, many New Age writers seem to be wanting to abandon rationality from their method of explaining man's existence, and to opt for an internal or intuitive approach.
     This marks more than an alternative religious attitude; New Age outlook changes the emphasis of our scientific understanding and methods. In the west, scientific method has traditionally been one of dissection and analysis. Nowadays there is growing interest in developing our understanding of whole systems and the interrelationship of things. The general interest aroused by the killing of seals or dumping of toxic waste grows from worry over the effects of these things on our planet's ecosystem. In holistic medicine there is an interest in treatments which consider the whole person rather than specific symptoms.

375

     Holism has always been a feature of eastern science, and it is not surprising that as holistic ideas take root in our present culture there should also be a corresponding interest in eastern religious practices. Both religious and secular sections of society are beginning to reflect this interest; local colleges run courses in Yoga, and many people are attracted to religious centers which practice contemplative meditation. All of these are part of the New Age ethos.
     I am sure that the speaker at Conference who impressed me with his phrase "New Age Christians" was thinking of the new spiritual era marked by the establishment of the Lord's New Church. This, we believe, is characterised by a revelation of truth received through man's internal states. For Swedenborg, who was instrumental in revealing these truths to us, heaven can be discovered by experience from within. He seems then to be advocating a contemplative path to reach an experience of God and the heavenly life which has a New Age flavor.
     The New Age phenomenon poses a problem of identity for us. We need to adapt our largely conventional religious patterns of organization to place greater emphasis on the contemplative path which Swedenborg used. Yet there are aspects of the New Age concept which are inconsistent with Christian faith.
     Perhaps, though, as we are living in a society which has largely rejected conventional religious attitudes, we worry too much about precise statements of faith. Swedenborg's concern was to express deep universal truths which are beyond doctrinal statements. He saw that heaven cannot be composed of people all of one religion but of people of many religions. What makes heaven is when people live a truly loving life of use and service without concern for personal merit or gain. If this forms part of the New Age ethos we should not reject it completely.

[Reprinted from the May issue of Lifeline, published in England by the General Conference of the New Church]
FIRST FLEET BOOKS-A NEW CHURCH MYTH? 1989

FIRST FLEET BOOKS-A NEW CHURCH MYTH? 1989

Mr. Neville Jarvis has a study in the June/July issue of the New Age under this title. His concluding paragraph says that "we now can be certain that an assortment of the Writings of Emanuel Swedenborg did come to Australia on board the HMS Sirius with the First Fleet; they were distributed amongst the officers and crew, and were read."

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HIGHLIGHTS FROM SWEDENBORG'S LETTERS 1989

HIGHLIGHTS FROM SWEDENBORG'S LETTERS Editor 1989

     Last month we talked about Swedenborg's autobiographical letter of August, 1769. We quoted the dramatic statement: "I have been called to a sacred office by the Lord Himself, who, in the year 1743, most graciously manifested Himself in Person before me, His servant. . . ." The reference to a "call" (vocatio) we have related to a passage in True Christian Religion. The Latin of Swedenborg's letter is:

ab Ipso Domino vocatis sim ad munus sanctum, Qui Se in Persona clementissime manifestavit coram me servo suo, anno 1743 . . . .

     The TCR passage says:

The Lord manifested Himself before me, His servant, and sent me to this office. . . .

     And then we read of the "call."

From the first day of that call I have not received anything whatever pertaining to the doctrine of that church from any angel, but from the Lord alone while I have read the Word (TCR 779).

     The Latin is:

Dominus coram me Ipsuis servo Se manifestaverit, et miserit ad hoc munus,. . .a primo illius vocationis die, non quicquam, quod ecclesiae illius doctrinas attinet, ex aliquo angelo, sed a solo Domino, dum legi Verbum,. . .

     The word usually translated as "office" in renderings of Swedenborg's letter has also been translated "duty." "I have been called to a sacred duty." The Lord "sent me to this duty." The word munus means "a service, office, function, duty."
     Having written that autobiographical letter in August, Swedenborg left England at the end of the month and headed for Sweden to continue the service or duty to which he was committed. A few weeks after arriving in Stockholm he wrote a letter to his friend Dr. Beyer, the concluding paragraph of which is intriguingly autobiographical, and of this we will speak another time.

377

PROFOUND BUT CLEAR 1989

PROFOUND BUT CLEAR Lisa Hyatt Cooper 1989

Dear Editor:
     In a letter to you in the June 1989 New Church Life Mr. Barrie Ridgway calls for translations of the Writings that are "as close to the Latin as possible." I'll just bet you that John Chadwick and Bruce Rogers are desperate to see the same thing. As Mr. Ridgway says, the Lord did not give us the Word in a form too difficult for us to understand. So why should the translators he asked to? The Latin of the Writings is very easy; the ideas are deep but the language is simple. So if translators are to be faithful to the Latin, they must write in clear, smooth, understandable English. It will still be the Lord who is speaking to us, and so the content will still be as profound as ever one could desire.
     Lisa Hyatt Cooper,
          Willow Grove, Pennsylvania
Kent Cooper 1989

Kent Cooper 1989

Dear Editor:
I would like to add a few points to what my wife (the real linguist in the family) has written in response to Mr. Ridgway's letter, and in part to John Sabol's letter in the same issue.
First: It is not the revising of translations but time that changes the meanings of words. While it is true that the Lord does not make the Word too difficult for us to understand, the process of linguistic evolution does not extend us the same courtesy. Consider the verb "prevent" as used in Matt. 17:25 in the King James Version: Peter went into the house and "Jesus prevented him." The Latin roots of the word, and the English word of 1611, mean "come before." Here, "anticipate" might be best, but other words or phrases would do better in 2 Samuel 22:6, Psalm 18:5 and 18, Psalm 119:147-8, Isaiah 21:14, and elsewhere. Of the seventeen occurrences of "prevent (-ed, -est)" listed in Cruden's Concordance, one (Amos 9:10) looks as if it might fit the modern meaning, but I am not a Hebrew scholar. There is no clue in the word itself or in many of its contexts that we should be thinking about a different meaning.

378

We can be left understanding a passage not just incompletely but wrongly. Jesus did not stop Peter from coming into the house. Although the difference in time elapsed makes this example more obvious, we cannot stop the same process from altering the meaning of our translations of the Writings. If the same English word can have such a different meaning after 378 years, how much more dangerous is it to assume that an English word which looks the same as a Latin word is a good translation for it?
     Second: We could keep on using old words or phrases whose meanings have changed or even disappeared from current English. We could even simply keep using the same old translations rather than try to update them. But then we are the cause of whatever difficulty people have in understanding the Word. We are "adulterating the Word," making it harder to understand than it should be, by a sin of omission.
     Last: All translation changes meaning, and there is no escaping this because there is no perfect equivalence between languages, especially when one (or both) of those languages is living and changing. But when two translations are different, we have no basis for assuming that the older one changes the meaning less. If we assume anything, it should be that the meaning of the older translation is no longer what it was to its translator.
     Kent Cooper,
          Willow Grove, Pennsylvania
TORONTO, THE FACTS 1989

TORONTO, THE FACTS Michael D. Gladish 1989

Dear Editor:
Your new regular feature, "News Around the Church," is fun to read, and informative. I wish I weren't writing my first response to make a correction!
In the May issue, page 246, you noted that the Toronto Society had "considered for a while moving to a new location." This is not really true, although in a pastoral letter in February the pastors suggested that it might be something the society would like to consider in view of the cost of housing in this beautiful, rapidly growing city. The response of the society to this suggestion was a resounding affirmation of commitment to stay where we are and continue as we have been doing to reach out to the millions of people at our doorstep with the wonderful truths of the new revelation.

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     Toronto-and Etobicoke (pronounced E-to?-bi-koe) in particular-is an ideal location for the growth and development of the General Church. Ten minutes from the airport, twenty minutes from center city, surrounded by old and new development and yet at the same time within a minute's walk of open parkland almost anywhere you choose to live, it offers full employment at good salaries and is a vibrant urban center alive with opportunities on many levels and in many spheres. Both city planners and church members are working to address the problems associated with the high cost of housing, and in the meantime there are plenty of compensations that help make up for this one major challenge.
     Olivet Church members are pleased to welcome readers of the Life to Toronto at any time to show you the benefits of joining this progressive society at 279 Burnhamthorpe Road, Etobicoke. Call the church at 416-239-3054 for more information, or Nancy Wyncoll at 416-622-5260 for guest accommodation.
     Michael D. Gladish,
          Pastor,
               Olivet Church, Toronto, Canada
EXPRESSIONS IN A DIFFERENT LIGHT 1989

EXPRESSIONS IN A DIFFERENT LIGHT Dan Carter 1989

Dear Editor:
Coming from the Old Church, I have noticed that there are common phrases used, such as, "redeemed by the blood of Christ," "saved by faith alone," and "paid the price for sins." One maxim we use in the New Church is, "shun evils as sins against God." Once, while teaching Sunday School, I wanted to use this phrase but didn't know what to think about that word "shun." From Roget's Thesaurus, here are some other expressions which are pretty nifty (noteworthy, monstrous, not to be sneezed at): we must shun evils, avoid evils, steer clear of evils, fight off evils, evade evils, turn away from, keep at a distance from, and get out of the way of, evils. And we must certainly set our face against evils. Another point to using Roget's Thesaurus the positioning of antonyms next to the desired word. The Writings speak about knowing good better by contrasting the evil. Wouldn't it be grand to try to understand overworked expressions in a different light?
In response to Rev. Dan Goodenough's "Is 'Conjugial' Only Tradition," I'd like to say that the piece was well written and informative. However, the example used to show Swedenborg's inconsistency, CL 344 and 345, is, to me, consistent.

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The term "love" is used even with infernals although what they have isn't love. It is a perverted love hatred. Beauty is with the infernals too, but they change it into ugliness. And, likewise, amor conjugialis is with polygamists but polygamous "love" is not amor conjugialis. The Mona Lisa's smile can be innocence and beauty to the good, lewd to the evil. It all depends on how we receive.
Dan Carter,
Greenville, West Virginia
CONJUGIALIS 1989

CONJUGIALIS Rev. William Ross Woofenden 1989

Dear Editor:
     The letter to the editor in the June 1989 issue by my good friend Dan Goodenough cried out to me for a rebuttal of sorts and sent me scurrying for my old college textbooks on logic. They led me in turn to classify Dan's letter as a clear example of argumentum ad captandum (to please the reader), possibly also ad verecundiam (reverence for the authority), and unquestionably (in the historical context of the New Church) ad infinitum!
     I have no quarrel with people who "love" the word "conjugial"-for any reason whatever-be it for its mellifluous sound, or for the sake of "pleasing the crowd," or out of a "sense of reverence for authority," or what have you, as long as they don't insist on adding to their personal feeling about the word the idea that it really is a technical term, part of a specialized Swedenborgian vocabulary with a single usage relevant only to New Church theology.
     This is not to suggest that there is not a unique New Church teaching about the true and mutual love that ideally exists between married partners. But it is to insist that the word "conjugial" alone does not necessarily convey that meaning. It has been argued well (and at times approaching the ad nauseam stage) that when Swedenborg was intent on making himself absolutely clear on this point he used the phrase amore vere conjugialis (usually translated "love truly conjugial").
     Goodenough is, I believe, on quite shaky ground to use as part of his argument the two instances in the book Conjugial Love where the word conjugale occurs, in nos. 98 and 203, especially the former, which-because of the inclusion of the word "also"-gives strong presumptive evidence that we are dealing here with a printer's error, and that Swedenborg probably used the word "conjugial" in both places.

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Had his intent been to compare "conjugial" with "conjugal" it would make no more sense in Latin than in English for him to write, "The subject here treated of is love truly conjugial and not the common love which is also called conjugal." One would simply omit the word "also" and write, ". . . and not the common love which is called conjugal."
     For the "flip side" of this argument, one might call the reader's attention to the five instances where conjugalis crops up in TCR, twice in n. 805 and three times in n. 847. For in the original Latin edition the last sentence in 805 reads, in part, "amor vere canjugalis" (love truly conjugal), Swedenborg having just described it as mutuo et conjugali amore (mutual and conjugal love)! Or so it appears as it came from the printer. The Rotch edition and the Swedenborg Foundation standard edition both render the phrase "true marriage love." The 1950 edition of the Swedenborg Society has "love truly conjugial," whereas, curiously, the new 1988 version has "true love of married couples." (It should be added that of the four editions cited here, only the now superseded 1950 edition footnotes the original Latin of both 805 and 847.)
     Much the same is true of 847, where, in conversation with angels, Swedenborg is telling them about still another matter that had been revealed, namely, De Amore vere Conjugali, et de spiritualibus ejus Deliciis (about love truly conjugal and its spiritual delights). To which the angels replied, "Who doesn't know that the delights of conjugal love surpass those of all other loves?"
     But, of course, the translators have "fixed this up," either by editing the text to read "conjugial" (as in the Swedenborg Foundation standard edition and both the 1950 and 1988 Swedenborg Society editions-perhaps arguing that these, after all, are virtually verbatim repetitions of paragraphs found in Conjugial Love where the printer used the "right" word!) or, in the case of the Rotch edition, translating the phrases in question, "true marriage love" and "delights of marriage love." Now, as we say, would it not seem that "the shoe is on the other foot"?
     For these and a number of other reasons, when I put the word "conjugial" in the glossary of my Swedenborg Researcher's Manual, I defined it very carefully and deliberately as follows:

CONJUGIAL A word coined by an early translator to reflect Swedenborg's preference for the spelling conjugialis (instead of conjugalis). It refers to things belonging to marriage and the love married partners have for each other. Generally used positively.
     Rev. William Ross Woofenden,
          Sharon, Massachusetts

382

Title Unspecified 1989

Title Unspecified Richard L. Goerwitz 1989

Dear Editor:
     Recently there appeared a letter to the editor in which the writer argued for a distinction between amor conjugalis and amor conjugialis (see June NCL, pp. 285-7). His basic argument was that Swedenborg used conjugialis in a special sense to denote a higher kind of marital love. In support of his position he cited two passages in which Swedenborg contrasted it with conjugalis. The conclusion of this letter was that people want to retain the English term "conjugial" not out of mere knee-jerk traditionalism, but out of a genuine desire to capture the distinctive sense of the underlying Latin word. My great fear is that the writer's explanation of why people want to retain the English term "conjugial" will be seen as an actual argument for doing so-something he never explicitly advocated.
     If in fact we must adopt a distinctive expression for true marital love, we should follow Swedenborg's lead and co-opt a previously existing word with an agreeable sense. After all, Swedenborg did not simply dream up conjugialis. It is a perfectly legitimate, though less common, variant of conjugalis, one whose basic sense would have been fairly transparent, at least on a low level, to anyone who read it. Put differently, conjugialis is simply a poetic or literary synonym for the common Latin word conjugalis. If any distinctive sense adheres to it in the Writings, it is not on account of any novelty in the word itself, which simply means "marital"; rather, it is on account of the context in which this word is used.

     Back in 1794 when John Clowes first translated Amor Conjugialis (Conjugial Love), the term "conjugial" was a much better choice than it is now.1 Most educated people in his day could read, write, and often speak, Latin. Though "conjugial" was then a pure neologism,2 most moderately learned readers were used to seeing Latin words in English, and though the word might have seemed a bit odd, they would at once have grasped its basic meaning.

383

Unlike the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries, however, the term "conjugial" today is opaque. Even the most educated readers do not immediately grasp its basic sense (except insofar as they confuse it with "conjugal," which in modern parlance tends toward the meaning "sexual"). Put in translators' terms, English "conjugial" no longer comes across as the author originally intended it. It therefore represents, by definition, a poor translation.
     1 The first English edition (1790) had adopted "conjugal" (Hyde #2404). Clowes was the first to adopt "conjugial" (Hyde #2405), which has been retained, often against the objection of translators, in nearly all translations since that of Clowes. See, for example, Samuel M. Warren's sentiments as expressed in Louis H. Tafel's 19 15 revision of his work (New York, 1915). Warren had earlier (l907) published the work as Marriage Love. William Frederic Wunsch published a translation entitled Marital Love (New York, 1938). Neither of these ever caught on.
     2 See the Oxford English Dictionary's entry, which labels it explicitly as a Swedenborgianism, noting that by 1828 it had become a matter of traditional usage, and was retained in the liturgy of that time in place of "conjugal" because of its familiarity to the listeners.
     Why is it that despite the better judgment of some translators (see footnote 1), and despite its deviation from Swedenborg's original intent, we today retain the term "conjugial"? The answer is, I believe, economic. Simply put, translations that use words like "marital" (Wunsch) and "marriage (love)" (Warren) don't sell. There is no point in paying a translator for several years' work only to publish a work which no one will read!
     As for the reason behind this economic factor, one might point to a basic, and in this case unwarranted, conservatism about terminology in our church. As was mentioned above, the Latin word conjugialis, though less common, bears the same basic sense as conjugalis (marital). A truly accurate translation would therefore simply adopt a poetic or less common variant of English "marital," just as Swedenborg did with conjugialis. N. Bruce Rogers' suggestion of "married (love)," though far from perfect, strikes me as apt enough.
     The author of the letter mentioned at the outset argued that our retention of the term "conjugial" reflects not a conservatism about terms but rather a perception that the word has a distinctive sense in the Writings. It is indeed true that Swedenborg uses the Latin word conjugialis in ways that are unique to him. This, however, does not justify our deviating from his original intent by creating opaque and recondite terms. We should instead model our terms after his own, utilizing words for "marital" which still convey the same basic sense. That Mr. Rogers has been prevented (see NCL, Jan. 1989, p. 28) from doing this very thing seems to me a rather sad commentary on the value we place on his excellent professional judgment, and reflects the very sort of traditionalism about terms that has been claimed not to play a part in this debate! (See James Brush, NCL, Jan. 1989, pp. 27, 28 and May 1989, pp. 241-2.)
     Richard L. Goerwitz, III,
          Chicago, Illinois

     Editor's Note: We are indebted to the writer of the above letter for persuading us to use acid-free paper for this magazine.

384

WELL DONE 1989

WELL DONE Gordon S. Kuphal 1989

Dear Editor:
     I have just finished reading the second part of Rev. Bruce Rogers's article, "Pitfalls in Translating the Writings." I thoroughly applaud his wise and forward-looking attitude to translation. I admire him too for his decision not to quote disapprovingly from earlier translations.
     May I say also that I enjoyed Lisa Hyatt Cooper's review of John Chadwisk's translation of True Christian Religion. I was delighted by the last sentence of her review in which she used two of John Chadwick's innovations. I can just imagine the twinkle in her eyes as she composed this sentence.
     Gordon S. Kuphal,
          Brightlingsea, England
VIOLA RIDGWAY-A TRIBUTE 1989

VIOLA RIDGWAY-A TRIBUTE Rex D. Ridgway 1989

     Viola Ridgway, that truly lovable, indefatigable and scintillating lady who graced the New Church scene for nigh on a century, never tiring in her efforts to lend her heart and strength to the church and all its activities, has, almost unbelievably, gone from our immediate midst. With her passing, a very big gap has been opened, and one that no other, I am sure, can ever fill. It takes more than most of us have got to be able, at 90 years of age, to do what she loved to do for her church and for others.
     It was many years ago, about seventy, that as a very young lady she went to Durban and the church society there. Her lovely character and endless work for the church, and her valiant efforts in bringing all of us young people together into a big happy church family, was an example which made its indelible mark on all of us who were privileged to know her. I feel sure that she will never be forgotten in the history of the church, for Viola was and always will be a true Christian lady.
     Rex D. Ridgway,
          Canberra, Australia

385

NOTES FROM THE ARCHIVES 1989

NOTES FROM THE ARCHIVES CYNTHIA WALKER 1989

     The archives of the Academy contain a wonderful assortment of documents that bring alive the heartening effort of so many personalities in the history of the church. Going through a box of materials, I have come across a copy of a letter Helen Keller wrote to Rev. Paul Sperry, Oct. 10, 1926. The special challenges that Helen Keller faced in daily living, of her courage, and the spirit that helped her overcome handicaps of being deaf and blind have been well documented. Her book, My Religion, has been a wonderful testament to the teachings of the Writings. But reading this letter which vividly pictures her striving in a much more personal way, I feel a sense of privilege and awe. Perhaps others may find it inspiring as well. More of the story can be found in the Nov. 9, 1927 issue of The New-Church Messenger, pages 331-343, where part of the letter has been printed. It is interesting to note that she typed the letter herself, "and without a wrong letter." Here it is:

Dear Mr. Sperry:
     I have been having a bad conscience about not writing to you with regard to the new book on Swedenborg which you asked me to consider preparing. At first I thought I should answer your letter within a few days, after I had decided whether I could prepare such a book or not. The more I thought of it, the more deeply interested I became in the undertaking. I began trying to clarify in my own mind my impression of Swedenborg and his works. Had I a clear conception of his personality? How could I explain to an impatient and skeptical public his extraordinary claim of having been for twenty-seven years in daily communication with the spiritual world? Did I have a sufficient grasp of his peculiar experience to present it helpfully to others? I read everything I have in raised print on Swedenborg, and then I confess, I felt overwhelmed by the subject. I was discouraged at the idea of writing a book about a man whose life was so unique, so wonderful that anyone who studies it must become as humble as a little child.
     Yet I was reluctant to tell you I could not do it because it would be such a joy to me if I might be the instrument of bringing Swedenborg to a world that is spiritually deaf and blind. I put off from day to day writing to you with the hope that I might have something worthwhile to send you-a plan, at least, of a book. I have written about forty pages, approaching the subject from different angles; but I am not satisfied. I am still listening for the right word that shall dispel all darkness and confusion.
     However, if there is no set time for publication, I might, with your assistance, manage to get the book together and finish it this year. You see I have no one to help me in this particular kind of task, and of necessity I work very slowly.

386

It takes time to look up the passages I want in my big Braille books; then it is tedious copying them, as I have to keep taking my hand off the page to write out a sentence and finding the place again. It would help me tremendously if there were some method of indicating the passages I wished to use and you could arrange to have the copying done; also if you would be kind enough to suggest ways of constructing the book. For construction is not one of my strong points.
     I had thought of beginning the book with a biographical and appreciative account of Swedenborg, followed by a long chapter on love-the sum and substance of his teachings-and short chapters on his conception of the attributes of God, of life, of happiness, immortality and correspondence or sacred symbolism, and ending with a chapter showing that Swedenborg's message is like the rock smitten by Moses, yielding sweet streams of healing water, even an abundance of truths for those who hunger and thirst in their pilgrimage through an age of materialism and selfishness. But I am not sure that what I have in mind would meet [the] need of the present moment. I cannot read the books that would especially help me, and that hinders me a good deal. I am in arrears of several years with New Church literature. I have repeatedly declined to speak or write on subjects that really interested me because I could not have read to me the current books on these matters.
     Of course you are aware of the difficulties of presenting Swedenborg's doctrines in a simple, direct and popular form, especially in this country. There is among us a distressing indifference to all things of faith, and an impatience at any effort to explain the laws of life in spiritual terms . . . . Of one thing I am sure; any effort is worthwhile that brings comfort to Limited, struggling human beings in a dark, self-centered age; and Swedenborg's message has meant so much to me! It has given color and reality and unity to my thought of the life to come; it has exalted my ideas of love, truth and usefulness; it has been my strongest incitement to overcome limitations. The atmosphere Swedenborg creates absorbs me completely. His slightest phrase is significant for me. His Divine Love and Wisdom is a fountain of life I am always happy to be near. I find in it a happy rest from the noisy insanity of the outer world with its many words of little meaning and actions of little worth. I bury my fingers in this great river of light that is higher than all stars, deeper than the silence which enfolds me. It alone is great, while all else is small, fragmentary. Were I but capable of interpreting to others one half of the stimulating thoughts and noble sentiments that are buried in Swedenborg's writings, I should help them more than I am ever likely to in any other way. There is a year of hard work before me; but I should like to begin it with the feeling that I had rendered my fellowmen such a spiritual service. . . . With kindest greetings, in which Mrs. Macy joins me, I am
      Faithfully yours,
          Helen Keller

387

SWEDENBORG SOCIETY 1989

     Report of the 179th Annual General Meeting

     The 179th annual meeting of the Swedenborg Society was held in Swedenborg Hall on Wednesday, 10th May, 1989.
     In the annual report for the year ended 31st December, 1988, Mr. Chadwick first referred to some of the main events in the tricentenary year, the year in which the 300th anniversary of the birth of Emanuel Swedenborg was celebrated throughout the world. He noted that it had, very early on, been agreed that 1988 should not be a jamboree for the "converted," but should be used as an opportunity to make more well-known the name of Swedenborg. He mentioned in particular the Barbican Event, which he felt had been the highlight of the year, and paid tribute to the New Church College which had organized the excellent workshops held during the day. One most welcome spin-off was the support and cooperation which the Society received from the Swedish Embassy in London, as well as from H. E. Mr. Lars Bergquist, Swedish Ambassador to the People's Republic of China, who had been the principal speaker at the evening meeting at the Guildhail School of Music.
     The Society had made a substantial contribution to the tricentenary celebrations in the publication of John Chadwick's translation of True Christian Religion of worldwide significance, and volume six of John Elliott's translation of Arcana Caelestia.
     Mr. Chadwick also referred to the most enjoyable opera performances put on in Swedenborg Hall by Mr. Kenneth Campbell and Piccola Opera, and went on to note the large number of additions to the library of books published especially for the tricentenary. Of particular interest, received after the year end, had been Serbo-Croat translations of Heaven and Hell and Helen Keller's My Religion.
     The council had been saddened recently to hear of the death of Mr. Stanley Wainscot, who had worked for the Society from 1945 to 1983. As librarian he had been largely responsible for the preparation of the three-volume catalogue of the Reference Library and Archives, which had received high commendation from outside scholars.
     Mr. Chadwick noted that during the year, on a suggestion from Mr. Mann, the council had reorganized its workload. A number of sub-committees had been appointed, each with one councillor as a leader, to take responsibility for different aspects of the work-for example, publishing, marketing, the magazine, meetings, finance and investments and premises.

388

It was hoped that this will involve councillors more closely in the work and speed up the decision-making process.
     The chairman of the council paid tribute to Mr. G. Roland Smith, who had most ably led the Tricentenary Committee, coordinated every aspect of the Barbican Event, arranged the Soderberg lecture, and kept a watching brief on all other events. In addition he had been responsible for the design of the publicity and material and, most notably, the design of the TCR dust jacket and covers. A great debt of gratitude was owed to him.
     Mr. Chadwick expressed the council's thanks to Mrs. G. P. Dawson for her outstanding work for the Society as librarian and as secretary of the Advisory and Revision Board, in addition to her assistance in the office and shop. Mrs. F. C. Elphick had also given much welcomed help in these areas, and we were most grateful for her regular, voluntary attendance. Following the resignation of Mr. Brian Furey, Mr. Eoin McMahon had been appointed caretaker, and we welcomed him and Mrs. McMahon. The tricentenary celebrations and the major refurbishment work to the premises had made 1988 an exceptionally busy year, and the council had greatly appreciated the services of the manager and secretary during this time. In closing, Mr. Chadwick expressed his personal thanks to them and to his fellow councillors for their unfailing support, patience and loyalty.
     The honorary treasurer, Mr. Norman Turner, then read the auditors' report and presented the Accounts and Balance Sheet for the year ended 31st December, 1988. As stated in the annual report, the year had been a non-standard year on three counts. Firstly, the tricentenary celebrations, which had given rise to exceptional expenditure, secondly, the placement of the management of the Society's investment portfolio with the Gross Fund Division of the Society's brokers, Quilter Goodison Company, and thirdly, the major refurbishment work which had been begun in 1988. This had involved work to the exterior of Swedenborg House and refurbishment of the common parts of No. 21, the areas used by the Society's tenants. The council had been advised that such improvements would mean that higher rentals could be obtained for the offices, and Mr. Turner noted that the Society had in fact just completed a new lease with one of its tenants for a much increased rental. The 1988 accounts showed payment of about L40,000, for refurbishment work, but this was only part of the total contract amounting to approximately L120,000. In order to pay for this work, investments had been realized, providing about L75,000, cash. In spite of this, the deficit on the income and expenditure account had been only L25,000.

389

     The treasurer then referred to the Arcana Caelestia Printing Reserve, now standing at L80,000, and said that it was planned to begin drawing on this reserve in 1990, when volume seven should be published. The Property Reserve, standing at ?25,000., would be drawn on in 1989 to offset part of the refurbishment cost, and it was hoped that it will not be necessary to realize further investments to cover this expenditure.
     In conclusion, Mr. Turner noted that in spite of the realization of L75,000, of investments in 1988 the market value of the portfolio had dropped by only L5,000, and he felt that the Society's finances were reasonably safe although 1989 would be a marginal year.
     Election results:

     President: Dr. Freda G. Griffith, MBE, PhD, BSc
     Vice-President: Mr. N. H. Pettersen, MA
     Honorary Treasurer. Mr. Norman Turner, BSe
     Members of the Council: Mr. David W. Gath, Mr. David Clover,
Mrs. Renee Lewin, Rev. Dennis Duckworth.

     The president expressed regret at losing the services of two members. Mr. A. T. Chadwick had joined the council in 1977, and had served as chairman from 1981 to 1989, and as vice-president for 1988-1989. His eight years as chairman had been momentous ones, and had included the beginning of the publication of the new Arcana Caelestia and the Tricentenary Year, and the council thanked him very much for all his work. As a token of appreciation the president presented to Mr. Chadwick a copy of the Swedenborg Foundation publication Emanuel Swedenborg: A Continuing Vision, which he accepted with many thanks.
     Mr. Nicholls then referred to the retirement of Mr. David Mann, who had served as president from 1973-76, vice-president from 1976-79, and chairman of the council for five years (1976-81). In addition he had always been willing to offer his wise counsel on a wide variety of subjects and solutions to problems which to other members had seemed insoluble. The president presented Mr. Mann with a copy of Emanuel Swedenborg: A Continuing Vision, and Mr. Mann expressed his appreciation of this gift.
     Mr. N. H. Pettersen referred to the Serbo-Croat translations of Heaven and Hell and My Religion mentioned previously, and said that for many years religious works of any kind had been forbidden in Yugoslavia, and there was a tremendous thirst there for anything of this nature. The entire stock of the two translations had apparently been sold out within a few months of publication, and it was a great encouragement to hear of this interest.

390

     Honorary life membership was conferred on H. E. Mr. Leif Leifland, GCVO, and on H. E. Mr. Lars Bergquist, in view of the support and cooperation which the Society had received from the Swedish Embassy in London and from Mr. Bergquist.
     The president's address was entitled "Swedenborg and the Businessman." This will be published in the Swedenborg Society Magazine.
     The meeting closed with a blessing pronounced by Rev. F. C. Elphick.

(Note: The above was excerpted from a report received from Miss Madeline Waters.)
News Around the Church 1989

News Around the Church 1989

     We have before us an impressive glossy poster written almost entirely in Korean. In English under a photograph are the names of Mr. and Mrs. Donald McQueen. We are sure that the Korean letters below identify Rev. Dzin Kwak. Evidently this is an advertisement that attracts people who would like to study the Bible and learn English at the same time. It sounds like an excellent project for getting people to come and learn something about the New Church.
     The Dictionary of Correspondences (advertised on page 396 of this issue) has been selling well. Our May issue gave it particular attention, and then it got considerable exposure at the New Church Day banquet in Bryn Athyn. Toastmaster Brent Pendleton wound up an interesting program with a lightning fast quiz. Those sitting at a winning table all received copies of this dictionary. Those at another table received T-shirts with another popular New Church book featured on it: Window to Eternity by Bruce Henderson. Mr. Pendleton also presented copies of the dictionary to the four speakers at the banquet: Messrs. Thomas Brecht, Gregory Coffin, Zenon Harantschuk, and David Lexie.
     Mr. Neville Jarvis has done some study bordering on detective work. Is it merely a New Church myth that the flagship of the First Fleet that arrived in Australia in 1788 carried copies of the Writings. Some students were beginning to doubt this, but Mr. Jarvis has put the matter straight in an article in the June/July issue of the New Age, published in Australia. Books of the Writings were on that ship, and they were read and discussed by people on board.

391

ORDINATION 1989

Announcements
Rose-At Mitchellville, Maryland, May 21, 1989, Rev. Thomas Hartley Rose into the second degree, Rt. Rev. Louis B. King officiating.
NCL FIFTY YEARS AGO 1989

NCL FIFTY YEARS AGO 1989

     In the August issue, 1939, there is a report of a "Middle West Assembly" held in Detroit, Michigan. At that time the visiting pastor in the area was Rev. Norman Reuter. He reported that a hundred people attended the assembly, 41 from Michigan, 26 from Ohio, 19 from Ontario, 10 from Illinois, and 4 from Pennsylvania. One of the speakers, Rev. F. Waelchli said, "The great end of our labors should be that the General Church may become a spiritual brotherhood, conjoined in spiritual affections and thought and in mutual love and church uses."

     Tribute to the Swedenborg Foundation

     During the year ending April 1, 1939, the Foundation distributed 18,074 books of the Writings. The editor of New Church Life pointed out that since its incorporation in 1850 the Foundation had given away nearly a million volumes of the Writings.
PUBLIC WORSHIP AND DOCTRINAL CLASSES 1989

PUBLIC WORSHIP AND DOCTRINAL CLASSES Rev. LOUIS B. KING 1989

394

     California:

     LOS ANGELES
Rev. John L. Odhner, 5022 Carolyn Way, La Crescenta, CA 91214. Phone: (818) 249-5031.

     ORANGE COUNTY
Rev. Cedric King, resident pastor, 21332 Forest Meadow, El Toro, CA 92630. Phone: (Home) (714) 586-5142. (Office) (714) 951-5750.

     SACRAMENTO
Mr. and Mrs. Robert Ripley, 225 Woodlake Ln., Newcastle, CA 95658. Phone: (916) 663-2788.

     SAN DIEGO
Rev. Nathan Gladish, 7911 Canary Way, San Diego, CA 92123. Phone: (619) 268-0379. Office: (619) 571-8599.

     SAN FRANCISCO
Mr. and Mrs. Philip C. "Red" Pendleton, 2261 Waverley Street, Palo Alto, CA 94901.

     Colorado:

     COLORADO SPRINGS
Mr. and Mrs. William Reinstra, 2386 Wood Ave., Colorado Springs, CO 80907.

     DENVER
Rev. Clark Echols, 3371 W. 94th Ave., Westminster, CO 80030. Phone (303) 429-1239

     Connecticut:

     BRIDGEPORT
Rev. Geoffrey Howard, visiting pastor, Bryn Athyn, PA 19009. Phone: (215) 947-6225.

     HARTFORD

     SHELTON
Mr. and Mrs. James Tucker, 45 Honey Bee Lane, Shelton, CT 06484. Phone: (203)-929-6455.

     Delaware:

     WILMINGTON
Mrs. Justin Hyatt, 2008 Eden Rd., N. Graylyn, Wilmington, DE 19803. Phone: (302) 475-3694.

     District of Columbia see Mitchellville, Maryland.

     Florida:

     BOYNTON BEACH
Rev. Daniel Heinrichs, 10687 E. Clair Ranch Rd., Boynton Beach, FL 33437. Phone: (407) 736-9235.

     LAKE HELEN
Mr. and Mrs. Brant Morris, 264 Kicklighter Rd., Lake Helen, FL 32744. Phone: (904) 228-2276.

     Georgia:

     AMERICUS
Mr. W. H. Eubanks, Rt. #2, S. Lee St., Americus, GA 31709. Phone: (912) 924-9221.

     ATLANTA
Rev. Ray Silverman, 2119 Seaman Circle, Chamblee, GA 30341. Phone: (404) 452-0518.

     Idaho:

     FRUITLAND
(Idaho-Oregon border) Mr. Harold Rand, 1705 Whitley Dr., Fruitland, ID 83619. Phone: (208) 452-3181.

     Illinois:

     CHICAGO
Rev. Grant Schnarr, 73A Park Dr., Glenview, IL 60025. Phone: (312) 729-0130 (home) (312) 724-6130 (office).

     DECATUR
Mr. John Aymer, 380 Oak Lane, Decatur, IL 62562. Phone: (217) 875-3215.

     GLENVIEW
Rev. Brian Keith, 73 Park Dr., Glenview, IL 60025. Phone: (312) 724-0120.

     Indiana:

     CINCINNATI
Rev. Patrick Rose, 785 Ashcroft Ct., Cincinnati, OH 45240. Phone: (513) 825-7473.

     Kentucky:

     CINCINNATI
Rev. Patrick Rose, 785 Ashcroft Ct., Cincinnati, OH 45240. Phone: (513) 825-7473.

     Louisiana:

     BATON ROUGE
Mr. Henry Bruser, Jr., 6050 Esplanade Ave., Baton Rouge, LA 70806. Phone: (504) 924-3089.

     Maine

     BATH
Rev. Allison L. Nicholson, HC 33-Box 61N, Arrowsic, ME 04530.

     Maryland:

     BALTIMORE
Rev. Frederick Chapin, 37 Guinevere Court, Baltimore, MD 21237. Hone Phone: (301) 682-3397; Office: (301) 435-5418.

     MITCHELLVILLE
Rev. Lawson Smith, 3805 Enterprise Rd., Mitchellville, MD 20716. Phone: (301) 262-2349.

     Massachusetts:

     BOSTON
Rev. Grant Odhner, 138 Maynard Rd., Sudbury, MA 01776. Phone: (508) 443-7540.

395

     Michigan:

     DETROIT
Rev. Walter Orthwein, 395 Olivewood Court, Rochester, MI 48064. Phone: (313) 656-1267.

     EAST LANSING
Mr. Christopher Clark, 5853 Smithfield, East Lansing, MI 48823. Phone: (517) 351-2880.

     Minnesota:

     ST. PAUL-MINNEAPOLIS
Rev. Mark R. Carlson, visiting pastor, 807 Clover Court, Glenview, IL 60025. Phone: (312) 729-6130.

     Missouri:

     COLUMBIA
Mr. and Mrs. Paul Johnson, 103 S. Greenwood, Columbia, MO 65201. Phone: (314) 442-3475.

     KANSAS CITY
Mr. Glen Klippenstein, Glenkirk Farms, Maysville, MO 64469. Phone: (816) 449-2167.

     New Jersey-New York:

     RIDGEWOOD. N.J.
Mrs. Fred E. Munich, 474 S. Maple Ave., Glen Rock, NJ 07452. Phone: (201) 445-1141.

     New Mexico:

     ALBUQUERQUE
Mr. Howard Leach, 4215 12th Street, Albuquerque, NM 87107. Phone: (505) 892-0936.

     North Carolina:

     CHARLOTTE
Mr. John deMaine, 3509 Highridge Rd., Matthews, NC 28105. Phone: (704) 845-4058.

     Ohio:

     CINCINNATI
Rev. Patrick Rose, 785 Ashcroft Ct., Cincinnati, OH 45240. Phone: (513) 825-7473.

     CLEVELAND
Mr. Alan Childs, 19680 Beachcliff Blvd., Rocky River, OH 44116. Phone: (216) 333-4413.

     COLUMBUS
Mr. Hubert Heinrichs, 8372 Todd Street Rd., Sunbury. OH 43074. Phone: (614) 524-2738.

     Oklahoma:

     OKLAHOMA CITY
Mr. Robert Campbell, 3108 Eagle Pass Rd., Edmond, OK 73013. Phone: (404) 478-4729.

     Oregon-Idaho Border.-See Idaho, Fruitland.

     Pennsylvania:

     BRYN ATHYN
Rev. Kurt Asplundh, Box 277, Bryn Athyn, PA 19009. Phone: (215) 947-3665.

     ELIZABETH
Mr. Meade Bierly, 523 Snyder Ave., Elizabethtown, PA 17022. Phone: (717) 367-3964.

     ERIE
Mrs. Paul Murray, 5648 Zuck Rd., Erie, PA 16506. Phone: (814) 833-0962.

     FREEPORT
Rev. Ragnar Boyesen, 122 McKean Rd., Freeport, PA 16229. Phone: Office (412) 353-2220 or Home 295-9855.

     KEMPTON
Rev. Jeremy Simons, RD 2, Box 217-A, Kempton, PA 19529. Phone: (Home) (215) 756-4301; (Office) (215) 756-6140.

     PAUPACK
Mr. Richard Kintner, Box 172, Paupack, PA 18451. Phone: (717) 857-0688.

     PITTSBURGH
Rev. Eric H. Carswell, 299 Le Roi Road, Pittsburgh, PA 15208. Phone: (Church) (412) 731-7421.

     South Carolina:- see North Carolina.

     South Dakota:

     HOT SPRINGS
Linda Klippenstein, 537 Albany, Hot Springs, SD 57745 Phone: (605) 745-6629

     Texas:

     AUSTIN
Mrs. Charles Grubb, 604 Highland Ave., Austin, TX 78703. Phone: (512) 472-3575.

     DALLAS-FORT WORTH
Mr. Fred Dunlap, 3887 Antigua Circle, Dallas, TX 75244. Phone: (214) 247-7775.

     HOUSTON
Dr. James Carter, 30 Williamsburg Ln., Houston, TX 77024. Phone: (713) 456-4057.

     VIRGINIA:

     Richmond
Mr. Donald Johnson, 13161 Happy Hill Rd., Chester, Va 23831. Phone: (804) 753-9508.

     WEST VIRGINIA:
Mrs. Thelma Smith, Rt. 1, Box 447, Peterstown, WV 24963. Phone: (304) 753-9508.

     Washington:

     SEATTLE
Rev. Kent Junge, 14812 N. E. 75th Street, Redmond, WA 98033. Phone: (206) 881-1955.

     Wisconsin:

     MADISON
Mrs. Charles Howell, 3912 Plymouth Circle, Madison, WI 53705. Phone: (608) 233-0209.

396

DICTIONARY of CORRESPONDENCES-REPRESENTATIVES and SIGNIFICATIVES 1989

     The Key to Bible Interpretations

     A Concordance to Swedenborg Expositions

     Fourteenth Edition
Reprinted by
SWEDENBORG FOUNDATION, INC.
NEW YORK CITY
Green Hardcover, Similar to Standard Set of the Writings
Cost $12.00 plus postage $1.25               Total $13.25

     General Church Book Center               Hours: Mon-Fri. 9-12
Box 278, Cairncrest                         or by appointment
Bryn Athyn, PA 19009                     Phone: (215) 947-3920

397

Notes on This Issue 1989

Vol. CIX September 1989 No. 9

398

     The title of the sermon on the opposite page is edifying in itself. The Lord is "inviting each of us to look at how we will accept the reality of growing old . . . ." The sermon suggests that every day brings opportunities to "practice dying."
     Since belief in reincarnation is so widespread, we are pleased to begin in this issue a treatment of the subject.
     In this issue we conclude the series of reflections on creation, including such topics as "The Song of God" and "To Be Human Is to Hum." Has science "in its own mysterious way" discovered the truth contained in the Writings that "there could be no universe without man!"? (See p. 418.) "The more we penetrate into the core of nature, the more complex the universe is seen to be. At the same time, it seems, the explanation for it all must become ever simpler" (see page 421). This has been a stimulating series, to say the least.
     The inscription in Swedenborg's handwriting, "This book is the Coming of the Lord" has intrigued readers of the Writings for many years. In this issue Geoffrey Howard takes a close look at the context of this remarkable saying (p. 428).
     There are two items in this issue on translation, and this brings us to the fact that on the one hand this subject seems to evoke many letters but that on the other hand some readers find all this talk of translation to be overwhelming. We are considering the possibility of turning some of our mail on translation over to another publication! The New Philosophy has a regular feature called "Translator's Corner."

     1989 CHARTER DAY

     All ex-students, members and friends of the General Church, and friends of the Academy are invited to attend the 73rd Charter Day exercises to be held in Bryn Athyn, Pennsylvania, Friday and Saturday, October 20th and 21st. Highlights: Friday, 10:30 a.m.-cathedral service; Friday, 9:00 p.m.-dance; Saturday, 6:30 p.m.-banquet.
     If you are ordering tickets for both the Charter Day banquet and the Theta Alpha luncheon, please make one check, made payable to the Academy of the New Church, to the attention of Mrs. David Roscoe.
     The deadline for picking up tickets is 10:00 a.m. at the Academy switchboard, Benade Hall, on Friday, October 20th. (See also p. 443.)

399

PRACTICE DYING 1989

PRACTICE DYING Rev. MARK CARLSON 1989

     "Most assuredly, I say unto you, when you were younger, you girded yourself and walked where you wished; but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will gird you, and carry you where you do not wish" (John 21:18).

     These words were among the last Jesus would speak to His disciples. They were directed to Peter, but they were meant to be heard by all His disciples, including those of you listening in this morning. The occasion is remarkable on two counts: first, it was indeed the last visit the disciples would have with the Lord before His ascension, and second, the location was a beach on the Sea of Galilee. Most of us would probably agree that there is something special about a beach; it is a place we associate with warmth, both physical and emotional. It is a place for fun, for family togetherness, and a place for meditation.
     Picture the scene in your minds. The disciples had been fishing with little success all night long. It is now close to dawn and they are tired and discouraged. Suddenly a strange man appears in the dim light on the beach nearby. He calls to them: "Children, have you any food?" They answer, "No." Now they are more discouraged because not only have their labors been for nothing; now they can offer no hospitality. The stranger calls to them to cast their nets on the other side of the boat. They then catch more than their nets can handle. And now the sun is just beginning to show streaks of light above the deep blue mountains to the east of the lake. The surface of the water is glassy smooth; all is quiet except for the creaking of the oars as the weary disciples row toward shore.
     Suddenly, John thinks he recognizes the stranger as His master, Jesus. He calls out, "it is the Lord." Then Peter plunges into the water to greet Him, breaking both the silence and the placid calm of the water. As they row to shore the Man has a small fire burning in the sand, with fish laid on it and bread nearby. The scent of the fresh fish cooking fills the morning air. Their breakfast is ready.
     It is in this beautiful, calm, warmly moving setting of a breakfast at the beach that the Lord speaks His last words with the disciples. And what does He say on this most important occasion? Usually our attention is drawn to the Lord's beautiful discourse with Peter about the nature of love and the feeding of His sheep.

400

But Jesus' very last words all deal with the subject of death, words which taken literally seem to prophesy that Peter will die a martyr's death: "Most assuredly I say to you, when you were young, you girded yourself and walked where you wished; but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will gird you and carry you where you do not wish.
     And then there are the Lord's more abrupt words to Peter, which when taken literally seem to indicate that John will live to see the Second Coming: "If I will that he remain till I come, what is that to you?"
     Now, it is clear that John did not live to see the Lord's Second Coming, and we do not know for certain the fate of Peter, though tradition has it that he did indeed suffer a martyr's death in Rome. In any case, could it be that the Lord was using this occasion to indicate such a minor thing as how and when two of His disciples would die? And when we observe that John died in old age, never having witnessed the Second Coming, are we to believe that Jesus was somehow mistaken? It hardly seems likely. For almost two thousand years every well-read Christian has known that John did not live to see the Lord's Second Coming.
     What was He talking about then? Why, that morning on the beach, does He speak of the demise of Peter and John? There must be more to it than that! On several occasions Jesus hinted that there was deeper significance to the words He spoke, as when He said, "Those who have ears to hear, let them hear" (Matthew 11:15). And the gospel writer openly states that Jesus always spoke in parables in fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy (see Matthew 13:34). It seems clear that the last words of Jesus were another invitation to look more deeply into everything He did and said. So let us look more deeply at what Jesus said that morning.
     First, we must understand that Jesus chose His twelve disciples to picture the twelve basic stages or states of spiritual development. He also used them to stand for different types of people who manage to get stuck in one or another of these developmental states. Peter represents the state of spiritual development when the highest principle one lives by is a certain zealous desire to know the truth, but the truth then learned is held merely as a matter of factual knowledge. Peter was always eager to learn from Jesus, but his commitment to Jesus was weak. So we see Peter denying Jesus three times before the cock crowed on the morning of His crucifixion.
     John, on the other hand, stands for the state of spiritual growth in which one actually lives according to the truth he has learned.

401

Living the truth opens one to receive a solid and abiding love for the neighbor. Peter represents a beginning, infantile state of spiritual life when truth is merely known, the rock upon which all is built, while John stands for the spiritual end in view, when the mind or spirit is reborn into the quality of mutual love. John is therefore said to be "the disciple whom Jesus loved" (John 21:20).
     Perhaps now we may understand why the Lord told Peter that His death would be a difficult process, while implying that John would live long and see His Second Coming. And note why Jesus bring John into the conversation. It is because Peter, acting out of the state of one who is stuck in the stage of holding truth merely as knowledge, is jealous of John. Peter, after being given such a grim prediction concerning his death, asks Jesus point blank about John's demise. He blurts out, "Well, what about this man?"
     Jesus responds to Peter's pettiness with a tone of gentle rebuke when He says, "if I will that he [John] remain till I come, what is that to you?" It is almost as if the Lord is saying to Peter, and to all those stuck in the state of faith alone that Peter represents: "Get off it!"
     There can be little doubt that many of us are stuck in the state of Peter for much of our natural life. We have some knowledge of the truth, but we just don't get around to doing much with what we know. Like Peter, our follow-through is weak. We know we don't act very loving and that we have bad habits and sick attitudes that need work. But change seems so difficult. And so it is that Peter's pettiness and jealousy often remain part of our character.
     The following words of the Lord to the Peters of the world should give pause for thought. "When you were younger, you girded yourself and walked where you wished; but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will gird you and carry you where you do not wish" (text).
     Here the Lord is inviting each of us to look at how we will accept the reality of growing old, and particularly the reality of our own death. If we remain like Peter, His message is that we will resist our death at every turn; we will attempt to remain in control, even as we lose control. "You will stretch out your hands, and another will gird you and carry you where you do not wish."
     If we identify ourselves with our bodies and define our identity by what we can do in the world, frustration and misery will be our lot as we grow old and approach death. And worst of all, we may grow ill-tempered and bitter when we could be enjoying the serenity and wisdom of old age.

402

     How shall we deal with the Peter within? How shall we handle the part of our minds that wishes to remain in control, the part that resists really knowing the truth, the part that resists growing old, the part that resists letting go, the part that resists dying?
     We must practice dying. Like most things, death is not something we can do gracefully without practice. Practice dying.
     How, you might ask, can I practice dying? First, remember the actual death of your body is the easy part. In fact, the Lord assures us that when this happens it will be one of the most remarkable experiences of our life. It will be more than pleasant; in fact, it will be quite enjoyable. It is all the stuff that comes before death which is difficult. There might be pain and illness to deal with-being clothed by another, being carried by another. How many of us right now could accept death without resistance or bitterness? Certainly we could die, but could we die well?
     What if this very moment were your last? What if that were it? Whatever thought that was in your mind right then, that was your last thought-that thought. What if we all died in that moment? That was it, no refunds. All the work done, or not done, until that moment was all the work of a lifetime. To whatever degree you had the truth in your heart in that moment, to whatever degree you were able to let go of your name, your idea of yourself, your family, your possessions, that would be the degree of love and wisdom that would accompany you into the next life. Think about it.
     The truth has not really affected the Peter within us. He lives with the fantasy that he will somehow live forever in the natural world. It is not that he lacks the knowledge of the impending demise of his body; rather he does not have the sense of it. He acts and feels contrary to what he knows to be the truth. So it is that many of the thoughts and feelings of our daily life are a contradiction. We know we are going to die, that we could in fact die any moment, that we are in fact dying a little every moment. The Lord tells, and all experience teaches, that natural life is a fatal disease. We know we must leave all this behind, perhaps tomorrow, but we are insensible to the full impact of what dying truly means. We must practice dying.
     The Lord gives each of us many opportunities to practice dying each day. These opportunities involve the challenge of accepting change and the personal losses which change inevitably brings. We are invited each day to let go of the fantasy that we are in control of our lives. We are invited each day to see the beauty and wonder of the universe as though it were our last day to observe it.
     Have you ever noticed how when we are about to leave a place we love and it seems likely we will never return, suddenly everything seems more beautiful, more precious?

403

Friends become more valued, every moment becomes savored as the smallest details of life draw our attention. At such times we are in touch with the true beauty and value of it all in a way we had not been when we labored under the fantasy that we would surely see it all tomorrow.
     Those who know they are leaving for good, those approaching death, often report a tremendously heightened awareness of the richness and the beauty of life, usually accompanied by a sad realization that they had not truly lived until they really knew they must die. If we would only practice dying during our days of strength and vigor, remembering how tenuous and fleeting our present circumstance truly is, perhaps we might more completely experience these precious moments. If we practice dying, perhaps we may taste more deeply of the richness of our life the beauty of a sunset, the marvel of a snowflake, the smile on a child's face, the love for children, friends, family and spouse.
     Most of all we need to practice dying by giving up the illusion that we are in control of our life. It is so difficult to give up the notion that we can make our lives just the way we want them to be, that we can make our spouse or our children into projects for our control. The truth is that nothing and no one is truly within our control. We are not even in control of our bodies. They get sick, they get old, and they die. The one and only thing we can control is the direction of our spiritual growth. If we are growing spiritually it will not matter that our bodies weaken, for we will sense our spirits growing strong.
     If we practice our own death, the Lord's prophecy to Peter will no longer be our prophecy. In learning to live the truth by letting go and accepting the Lord's will for us, we will have become like John, "the disciple whom Jesus loved." The prophecy concerning his death will become our prophecy. As our bodies die, our spirits will remain light and free, and we shall receive the vision of the Lord's Divine Humanity-His Second Coming.
     As our spirits grow we will not mind being dressed by another, or carried by another, because we will have no need to assert our control or our fantasy of self-sufficiency, nor will we have difficulty receiving the care we need. Rather, we will love those who care for us even if they carry us where we do not wish to go. And though our care-givers be precious in our eyes, our spirits will eagerly fly away when the Lord calls us home. "Those who wait on the Lord shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint"
(Isaiah 40:31). Amen.

404

REINCARNATION 1989

REINCARNATION JOHN W. ODEY 1989

     Part I

     Do we come back? That is, do we, after having passed on, return to this world in another earth-life?
     Belief in reincarnation is very old. In one form or another it is found in a great variety of cultures, from the very simple to the very advanced.
     People believe in reincarnation for many reasons, of course, but most of them originate in two very basic needs: the need to believe that human life does indeed survive death, and that eventually the scales of Divine justice, relative to the development of human life, must come into balance.
     These are legitimate concerns, and they raise legitimate questions. To some, obviously, those concerns and questions are addressed better and answered more satisfactorily by the teaching of reincarnation than by any other belief. But are they actually? Or are there better answers? Are there answers more in harmony both with Divine revelation and human nature itself!
     To the extent that believing in reincarnation helps one to accept the fact that human life does indeed go on after death, it is a step in the right direction, of course. It seems that some people find it difficult to believe in a real and, above all, human spiritual world, distinct from the natural world. So they tend to think of human existence largely in terms of life here on earth. For them, believing in reincarnation may be useful and satisfying, and may help them to grow spiritually, which, after all, is the real purpose of religion.
     But if we can think a bit more spiritually, as the teachings of the Lord's New Church enable us to do, we find that reincarnation actually has very little to support it, and is not very satisfying. The more we know about the spiritual world and our own personal relationship with it, the less sense does reincarnation make.
     The reincarnationist presupposes that a certain amount of spiritual development must take place before one can pass on from a lower to a higher plane. This, of course, is essentially true. But he assumes that such development must take place during a lifetime here on earth, and that is not true.
     The difficulty lies in thinking that the spiritual world, as such, is a world of final perfection. It isn't. From the standpoint of eternity it is really a world of beginnings.

405

     The spiritual world is not a nebulous, impersonal, non-human world of "disembodied souls." On the contrary, it is the most completely human world we possibly could imagine. It is an ever-growing, ever-evolving people world-a world wherein our highest hopes, our deepest and most profound desires and aspirations, can be continually, increasingly, eternally realized. Above all, it is not a world so pure, so esoteric, that we must earn the right to enter it by a blameless earth-life, or several earth-lives if need be. We are spiritual beings from our conception; and from our conception, as to our spirit, we dwell in that world. The only thing that happens at death is that we lay aside the material body we have occupied in the natural world and, in the spiritual body we have always had, begin our conscious existence in that world which has been our "inner home" all along.
     If we do indeed pass through several "lives" during the course of our development, those "lives" are nothing but developmental states we go through in the spiritual world itself. There can be no such thing as returning to earth in another earth-life. Even if that were possible (which it isn't), there would never be any need for it. The spiritual world is a world of unfoldment-in whatever direction we choose. Whatever our own personal happiness entails, whether something profound or simple, positive or negative, God-loving or self-loving, it is there, in the spiritual world, that we most completely and most freely find it.
     The spiritual world, in a complex, simply shows forth the inner life, the overall mentality, of mankind as a whole. It embodies every possible degree of human life, from the lowest to the highest. It encompasses the good, but also the evil, the heavenly, but also the hellish. For some, who have been deprived of the opportunity on earth, it is the happy starting point of real spiritual-and thus real human-growth. For others it is simply a more vigorous and fruitful continuation of growth already achieved on earth.
     For others, unfortunately, it is a negative unfoldment. When the unbelief begotten of self-love becomes so ingrained and confirmed that it becomes a part of a person's very life, real spiritual growth cannot take place. The personality, as it were, closes in upon itself. All that is then possible are behavioral changes initiated externally. That is why the spiritual world has to have its "underworld," just as the natural world does.
     The point is simply that in God's eternal kingdom every person, no matter what his beginning, is free to be and to become that which he most deeply loves and aspires for, whatever that may be, and this without recourse to a succession of earth-lives.

406

     Normally, spiritual growth, as to its essentials at least, takes place on earth. Swedenborg, you know, speaks of earth as the "seminary of heaven." We begin earthly; we were meant to become heavenly. We start out in a natural state; we were meant to grow into a heavenly state. In God's grand design, heaven-the kingdom of love, in other words-was meant to be our proper eternal home, and life here on earth a preparation for that.
     But if for any reason such preparation cannot be carried out adequately on earth, then it can be in the spiritual world. It is accomplished in that intermediate realm Swedenborg calls "the world of spirits."
     The world of spirits, to use Swedenborg's terminology, is the great preparatory abode of the spiritual world, designed to carry on and to fulfill those developmental states and processes which may have only just begun on earth. In the spiritual world the limitations of time, place, circumstance, and just plain materiality do not exist. Spiritual development can proceed much more quickly, freely, and effectively than it ever could here on earth, even though development on earth is generally the norm. As a matter of fact, spiritual development would really be hindered, not helped, by coming back to this world in another earth-life, simply because it would then be necessary to take on again the limitations in the natural world.
     Every least "seed of good" implanted by the Lord in the mind from infancy on, either directly through people in this world or indirectly through people on the other side, is capable of infinite expansion in the spiritual world, no matter how small it may seem to be, if for some reason its growth and development are prevented in this. In the realm of the spirit, the only thing necessary for growth is the desire to grow. In justice, inequity, ignorance, and just plain lack of opportunity do not exist. Nothing can bind us except we ourselves. Nothing can stand in the way of our growth except our own desire not to grow.
     Yet even though our life on earth is normally a step-by-step preparation for our life in heaven, actually the primary purpose of birth in the natural world is simply to give the human spirit a "point of fixation," as we might say, or an outermost plane, which will make it possible for it to exist later in the spiritual world, in an organized human form, or substantial human spiritual body, which otherwise would not be possible. This outermost plane (which Swedenborg calls the "limbus") becomes a part of the individual and remains forever, even after its material covering, the physical body, has been laid aside at death. It is really the outer part of the spiritual body, just as our flesh and bones are the outer part of our natural body.

407

     The fact that we are born on the natural plane primarily in order to give our spirit its basic human form so that we can exist eternally in the spiritual world as individuals helps us to understand how even the lives of those who die in infancy or early childhood can have meaning. Reincarnation completely fails here, for surely such individuals have not been able to further their spiritual development during their short time on earth! The truth is that once the necessary basic human form has been laid down through birth in the natural world, further development can and does take place in the spiritual world if it is cut short in this world. It is not necessary to come back in another earth-life.
     In reality, the soul being what it is, it would simply be impossible for us to come back to this world in another earth-life even if we wanted to. Just as an apple can never again become the seed-form it once was, so we can never again become the human seed-form we once were.
     Many people think of the soul as some kind of formless, bodiless "spiritual entity" which can exist independently of the human form as a whole. One of the most common beliefs is that the soul is a kind of Divine "spark" which was infused into man at some point, endowing him with immortality, as when it is said, "And God breathed into man the breath of life, and man became a living soul." Another is that the soul is somehow created by God in the spiritual world, and that it then takes on an earthly body (or several bodies in several earth-lives) in order to gain spiritual growth. A variation of this is that the soul can come back either masculine or feminine, or even as some animal.
     Such ideas are simply not true. Actually, the soul as such does not exist prior to conception. Certainly the life of the soul, the life within the soul, is eternal, for it is God's own life. But the soul itself, that inmost part of our being into which God's life first flows and through which it operates, is not eternal. It is a created, finite form. It does not, nor cannot, pre-exist.
     The soul is not simply some kind of essence which is infused into us, and which can exist separately from the rest of our being. It is simply the inmost receptacle, the inmost organized human form, into which God's life flows. It is the inmost level of our being, far above conscious thought, where we first-meet God and He us. And it is God's life, dwelling therein, which gives us the consciousness of living, and our sense of individuality. It gives us the feeling that we live from ourselves, and that there never could have been a time when we didn't exist.

     (To be continued)

408

CREATION BY MEANS OF THE WORD 1989

CREATION BY MEANS OF THE WORD Rev. WALTER E. ORTHWEIN 1989

     Some Reflections (Part three)

     The Song of God

     "Then the Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind, and said . . . Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth? . . . when the morning stars sang together. . .?" (Job 38:7).

     The name of the great sacred poem of the Hindus, the Bhagavad-Gita, means the "Song of God." It is a beautiful phrase, which I think is actually a very accurate description of what this universe is. From a scientific point of view, the matter of the universe is made out of atoms. But what is an atom? It is not a particle or a thing, though we often think of it in those terms. It is more like a wave or a vibration. This old idea has found a new home in science. Moreover, atoms, and subatomic particles, exhibit resonance. "In other words, some scientists are beginning to regard the atom as a kind of tiny musical note" (Tame, p. 219). What a thought!
     There is much more in this vein in Mr. Tame's book, The Secret Power of Music. For example:

. . . the relationships in the periodic table of elements, from which all matter is formed, resemble the overtone structure in music. . . . It becomes clearer and clearer to me that the actual structure of tone in music and the actual structure of matter are the same. In other words: matter is music (p. 228).

     Imagine stones falling into the water of a pond, with wavelets spreading out in concentric circles, crossing through each other, perhaps even bouncing off the shore and returning, so that they intersect again and again with indefinite variety. The endlessly complex angles of intersection are the bases of all natural forms. This gives a picture, though very simple and two-dimensional, of creation by tremulation. Each created thing is a localized expression of the underlying motion which is the ground of being of the whole universe. Then picture some iron filings on a piece of glass being brought into a pattern by a magnet; this illustrates how the Song of God orders human life. In ancient China this idea was taken very literally. They ". . . were convinced that life patterns follow music patterns; as in music, so in life; and that a stable music ensured a stable state" (Tame, p. 63).

409

     The idea that natural matter is a kind of "frozen music" may be more than just a poetic metaphor. The basis of music is mathematical. The Pythagoreans believed "all is number," and not just in the sense that things can be counted, but that everything actually consists of number. This is an abstract thought, but I believe the root of matter is abstract, that is, spiritual; in other words, the Logos. In this connection, I was amazed to read that one of the foremost contemporary physicists, John Wheeler, believes in a universe constructed out of thought-forms, or the basic movements of logic.

     Indeed, Wheeler has also speculated that the world is created out of logic. At first sight this may appear to look as if he is simply saying that the universe is constructed "along logical lines" or that it can be described by logic, for how can a material form have its ground in the contextless dance of logical forms? However, when pressed on this topic, Wheeler is clear that he does not mean logic in the sense of propositions that are about something: "No, it's not in that sense that I'm talking about logic. I'm talking about logic in the sense of the nuts and bolts, if you will, out of which the world is made, just as Einstein and Clifford were talking about geometry as the magic building material out of which the world was made" (Feat, p. 205; see Note D).

     Sound waves can be transformed into beautiful visual images. A German physicist, Ernst Chladni, developed what became known as the Chladni plates around 1800. In his experiment, violin-shaped metal plates were covered with a layer of sand, then a bow was drawn across certain points on the edge of the plate. The pattern of the waves of vibration were then captured in the sand. The effect may be duplicated using various other materials, such as paste or maple syrup. (See Tame, pp. 216, 217.)
     More recently, a Swiss doctor and scientist has experimented with a more sophisticated apparatus in which the pitch of the vibrations can be controlled with a dial, and the effects are captured on film. Some of the results strongly resemble phenomena in nature, such as cell division.
     To see the intricate and beautifully symmetrical interactions of sound waves of various frequencies passing through the liquid is like seeing the creation itself when the Word went forth into the celestial waters.
     The Divine tremulation, the Logos, first formed the atmospheres, successively denser, and from them were made the heavens and the earth. Divine motion-the Spirit of God moving-"precipitated" them, as the motion of an airplane wing through the air precipitates a contrail (condensation trail). As noted previously, creation is not immediately from Being itself, but from created and finite things (see DLW 4).

410

     "And God said, Let there be light. . . ." Light divided produces colors. Similarly, the Lord's Word in the beginning, the Divine Logos, is like one pure note in which all music is contained. The whole spectrum of sound, or of wisdom, is derived from that one Divine note. It is the essential simplicity, perfect in itself, from which all the complexity of creation is derived (see DLW 155, 229; AC 10194). ". . . there are innumerable things in the first created substance. . ." (DLW 229e). Notice how this agrees with the Big Bang theory of creation. If there was in fact a Big Bang, it was a cymbal crash at the beginning of the opening chord in the celestial symphony.
     In terms of light, heaven is a rainbow; in terms of sound, it is a choir. Each angel of heaven has a place in the celestial choir. They all respond or "resonate" to the Divine Logos, each on his own frequency. The Divine tremulation that creates heaven and earth resounds in them.
     A phrase from Goethe comes to mind, which harks back to our earlier thoughts on the Divine self-denial and death, the division of God into "parts," and the travail of birth, involved in creation: "Color is the pain of light." The Lord's outer garment was divided, torn asunder, while He was on the cross. Even so must it pain Him when His Word is perverted by an out-of-tune human mind. ". . . the sound of his speech grates in the heavenly aura like the gnashing of teeth . . ."(TCR 173:2). But when received and poured forth by loving hearts, each single note is joined with all others in a heavenly choir. By means of regeneration, the Lord assembles the disordered parts of our fallen humanity into a harmonious whole, a cosmos. "What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder" (Matthew 19:6).

     The Bach Flowers

     Those of you who are students of homeopathy may be familiar with the Bach flower remedies, originated by an English physician, Edward Bach, in the 1930s. A follower of the alchemist and physician Paracelsus (1493-1541), Bach believed that disease is due not primarily to physical causes, but to disturbing states of mind which interfere with a person's normal happiness. With Paracelsus, he believed that a sphere radiates from all living things, and he became convinced that the vibrations of certain plants could have a beneficial effect upon a person whose vibration was "out of tune." As he put it, "herbal remedies have the power to elevate our vibrations, and thus draw down spiritual power, which cleanses mind and body, and heals." His cure was not to attack the disease, but to flood the body with beautiful vibrations from wild herbs and flowers, in the presence of which "disease would melt away as snow in the sunshine" (Tompkins, p. 308).

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     Walking through a field early one morning, he was struck with the thought that each dewdrop must contain some of the properties of the plant upon which it rested. He collected the "potentized" dew from various flowering plants, and this became the basis of his remedies. Altogether Bach produced 38 remedies and wrote a philosophic booklet to go with them. This elixir of flowers is still used-I have a bottle on my desk as I write this.
     Bach compared his remedies to the effect of beautiful music, or arrangements of color, or any uplifting, inspiring influence. The fact that his name is the same as that of the great composer strikes me as a nice example of Jungian "synchronicity."
     The idea that we are affected by vibrations is widespread and very old. It especially appears in the philosophy of music. I was surprised to discover how much literature there is on the mystical origin and effects of music. The real purpose of music for the ancients was to align man with the vibratory essence of all matter and energy-in other words, the Logos, celestial order, or God Himself.
     The greatest composers have always worked primarily for the spiritual improvement of man. I know of no biography more touching than Beethoven's. The "tragedy" of his deafness leads us to reflect that there are no accidents. The sounds of earth were stilled to him that he might hear the harmonies of heaven. Along with torment, he knew incredible joy, and the bliss of loving God and his fellow man; and his deepest motive was to communicate those states to the world in his music. In the margin of his manuscript of Missa Solemnis he wrote: "From the heart, may it reach other hearts." J. S. Bach also composed "to the glory of God."
     The power of music to elevate man is clearly taught in the Word, leading us to reflect upon the source of that power.

     It has twice happened that I have heard in the streets music from stringed instruments which so soothed the spirits that they scarcely knew but that they were in heaven, for they were exhilarated to such a degree as to be, as it were, transported out of themselves. I perceived their joy, which was abundant; and even now, while I write, that music. . .continues. The spirits are so changed by it that they scarcely seem the same. Wherefore I joked with them, saying it was no wonder the evil spirit of Saul was so changed when he heard David playing upon the harp. . . . They replied that they were in such a state that now they could neither think nor do anything whatever of evil, because the gladness they experienced penetrated their interiors (SD 1996, 1997).

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     And again, from Conjugial Love:

     After supper they returned . . . each to his own chamber, and slept until morning. Then on awakening, they heard from the houses around the public place the singing of young women and girls. . . . It was the affection of conjugial love that was then being sung. Deeply affected and moved by its sweetness, they perceived a blessed pleasantness implanted in their joys, exalting and renewing them (CL 19).

     There is much in this world that is disharmonious, but it is wonderful to think that inwardly we are bathed every moment in life-sustaining waves of cosmic sound emanating from the Divine. It is the Lord's Word, reechoed through the heavens. The Word is in every sense-spiritual, mental, and physical-the source of life! I think this tremulation proceeding from the Divine must be what the ancients meant by "the music of the spheres." The key is to be in harmony with it.
     The supreme harmony from which all creation springs is that which exists between Divine good and Divine truth. As the poet Goethe wrote of Bach's organ works: "It is as though eternal harmony were conversing with itself, as it may have happened in God's bosom shortly before He created the world" (quoted on a Columbia record jacket, MG 30072, "The Bach Album," Philadelphia Orchestra, Eugene Ormandy, conductor).

     To Be Human Is to Hum

     Scientists speak of a Big Bang as the source of creation, but it would be more accurate to speak of a Big Hum. I can't help but see a relation between the words "human" and "hum," and I believe there actually is one. In any case, to be human is to be formed by and respond to the Divine tremulation or vibration-or "hum"-which we have been discussing.
     Bereshith, "in the beginning." A trembling, a vibration, of Divine wisdom-a hum; the Song of God that creates and preserves the world and human life.

     "Hum" is an obvious example of onomatopoeia, but I wonder if "human" doesn't have a similar origin. Words like "hum" or "buzz" or "hiss" are very basic words, mere imitations of a sound (e.g. that of a bumblebee). It seems to me that "human" also might have a similar origin; it is a very basic concept. Man is a "hum-man," that is, a being who owes his existence to the Big Hum at the center of all creation. All beings spring from this same source, but only man can be somewhat conscious of it, and cooperate in bringing his life into harmony with it.

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     Those who are not in harmony with it are such as the Lord referred to when He said: ". . . we have piped unto you, and ye have not danced . . ." (Matthew 11:17). Such as these lack true humanity. At the time of the Lord's first advent, the whole church on earth had fallen into such a state. "I beheld the earth, and, lo, it was without form and void; and the heavens, and they had no light . . . I beheld, and, lo, there was no man. . ." (Jeremiah 4:23, 25). Those who are not "tremulated" by the Word are not human in the deepest sense; they have not learned the Divine song. Redemption is to respond to that song. "And they sung as it were a new song before the throne. . .and no man could learn that song but the hundred and forty-four thousand which were redeemed from the earth" (Rev. 14:3).
     It is the song of the earth and of human life. It made the world and it makes us. The identification of man and the earth is well known. Adam was formed from the dust of the ground. In Hebrew the word Adam may mean "man" or "red earth." Our word "world" is derived from old Germanic words meaning "man" and "age," so the world is a "man age." (The wer sound in world is the same as in "werewolf," a man-wolf). In the Writings, all uses are said to arise out of the earth to man, who is the form of all uses. Man is the microcosm, a universe in miniature. In English, "human" and "humus" are related, both words echoing the cosmic hum.
     The same basic sound is present in certain other words with great spiritual significance. For example: OM, or Aum, the mystic syllable of Hindu and Buddhist monks. The full mantra is: Om manipadme hum ("Om! The Jewel in the Heart of the Lotus! Hum!"). In Tibet, the Hum is pronounced Hung, reminiscent of the sound of a large bell. The deep, resonant Om is supposed to echo the roar of eternity and also the great stillness of pure being. When intoned with the prescribed vibrations, it invokes the Divine.
     In Hebrew, the Hum sound would be written with the he, meaning spirit, and mem, meaning water-the Spirit of God brooding upon the face of the water.
     The Om, the sacred cosmic vibration from which all things exist, is the Word of God and the essence of humanity; and it is also the origin and sustaining cause of all matter in the universe. This same sound is in "Adam," also. Notice too the relation between "Adam" and the Hebrew word for blood, dam. If the Hebrew word for blood is in fact derived from the cosmic sound that pervades all creation, or the Logos, this agrees with the teaching that the Lord's blood is Divine truth.

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In a general sense, then, everything that exists is literally "washed in the blood of the Lamb" (Rev. 7:14). The truth of the Lord's Word comes from love, the same source as the red color of blood (CL 34, DLW 380). To be washed in the Lord's blood is to be in harmony with Divine love.
     Our word "amen" from the Hebrew is very similar. In the pantheon of Egypt we find the prefix "Amen" attached to the name of Ra. C. T. Odhner identifies AMEN or AMEN-RA with the Divine existere or standing forth, or "the Divine Human from eternity." In the hymns to Amen-Ra it is said: "Thou are the Lord of intelligence, and knowledge is that which proceedeth from thy mouth," and he is called "the creator of all things." He is also referred to as "the first Divine substance which gave birth unto the other two Divine substances. The Being . . . who hath made everything which hath come into existence . . ."(Correspondences of Egypt, p. 75, 76). Again, notice the theme of a division in the Great One as being the source of creation.
     By the way, Ra himself, the first of the gods, emerged into being by pronouncing his own name, which fits in exactly with my thesis that the origin of the Word and all creation is a kind of Divine self-consciousness. The power to rule, sought by Isis, could only be obtained by forcing the god to reveal his secret name-another example of the power of names.
     In heaven everyone receives a new name which exactly expresses his spiritual condition. A name is a sound. I think, then, that a man's quality, represented by his name, could also be described as his own personal "melody." The rule is that "influx is according to efflux," which I would paraphrase in this connection as "the harmony a person receives depends upon how well he resonates to it." The Word emanates from the Divine, and how we receive it, how in tune we are with it, is our true name.
     I believe there is a connection between the words "sound" and "son," both being derived from the Latin sonus. The relationship is apparent in the French word for sound, which is son, and in our word "sonar." In any case, there has always been an identification between the Logos (Word) and the Son of God, Jesus. The Word is both Sound and Son, or vibration and consciousness. Once again, this reinforces the idea of the Word as the Divine Human.
     In Genesis, each stage of creation begins with, "And God said. . . ." This truth is echoed in the belief of many ancient people that life and matter were created through a Divinely uttered word or words. Subsistence is perpetual creation because continued existence depends upon the perpetual sounding of the Word.

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Whether spoken of in terms of words or numbers, the idea is the embodiment in all creation of a sacred order, which continues to reverberate. The numerical relationship of the planets was responsible for the Pythagorean harmony of the spheres, a concept which Pythagoras probably got from Egypt. And in Job we read of "the sweet influences of the Pleiades"-again, a reference to the cosmic song that pervades the universe (Job 38:31).
     The idea of a Divine sound emanating from a higher dimension of reality is poetically expressed in Psalm 19: "The heavens declare the glory of God . . . Day unto day uttereth speech . . . There is no speech nor language, where their voice is not heard."

     The Anthropic Principle

     ". . . unless God were a Man the universe could not have been created" (DLW 285).
     A widely held scientific view of the universe is that it is only through sheer good fortune, against fantastic odds, that man has any place in it at all, and then only temporarily. A universe without man is entirely conceivable, in fact probable. But, as the Writings make clear, the creation of the universe and the creation of man are inextricably conjoined. Compare the bleak materialist view with the view of creation the Writings give us:

. . . the visible universe, resplendent with countless stars, is so immense, and yet is only a means to the ultimate end of creation, which is a heavenly kingdom, in which the Divine can dwell. For the visible universe is a means for the existence of earths, and of men upon them, from whom is the heavenly kingdom (AC 6698).

     The effort of this paper has been to show that the human spirit and the created universe spring from the same source, the "vibration" emanating from the interaction of good and truth in the Divine, which vibration is the Word. It is also, as I have tried to show, the potential Divine Human, which later became actual in the Lord's glorification. The distinction between good and truth in God is what first "implanted" the Human in the Divine. To whatever extent this theory is true, it brings out new significance in the statement that "unless God were a man the universe could not have been created." The Humanity of God is thus impressed upon all things in creation. We might say that the whole universe is summed up in man.

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     Previous to creation God was love itself and wisdom itself and the union of these two in the effort to accomplish uses. . . . Evidently, therefore, the universe was created by God to give existence to uses; and for this reason the universe may be called a theater of uses. And as man is the chief end of creation, it follows that each and all things were created for the sake of man; and therefore each and all things belonging to order were brought together and concentrated in him, to the end that through him God might accomplish primary uses (TCR 67).

     The symmetry between the creation of the world and human regeneration, both by means of the Word, is clearly expressed in the Writings. " . . . the case with the new creation of man-which is his regeneration-is the same as with the creation of heaven and earth" (AC 9336:4). God creates out of Himself; man is regenerated by being drawn out of himself. The Logos goes forth out of God, echoes from the earth, and in returning to its Source draws man out of his earthly nature and takes him to the Lord.
     According to the quantum theory, the reality observed depends upon the observer. I was going to explain the physics underlying this statement, but it's all so obvious and elementary that I suppose there's no need. Suffice it to say that there is plenty of support in science for taking a "holistic" approach. The bottom line is that the observer determines the nature of what is observed.
     For example, light is said to be composed of photons. "Photon" is the name given to the smallest particle, or quantum, of light. But before its location is determined by observation, it isn't a particle, but a wave. It is not a wave of substance, but of probability-that is, the probability of the particle being in such and such a location or having such and such a property, such as rotation or energy. The usage here is similar to that in the phrase "crime wave." The observer, by the kind of observation he makes, "collapses" the light wave into a particle with a specific location; before that its existence is a probability wave. Light may thus be said to consist of either waves or particles, depending upon the kind and stage of the experiment used to detect it. The main point is that the observer, by his very act of observation, determines the reality that exists. Or, even more strongly, he creates it.
     There are several variations and possible applications of the principle. In some, the uncollapsed particles are called "ghost particles," and whole "ghost universes" are postulated. It is not clear to me how real the "parallel universes" consisting of such particles are; "real" is among the many concepts that gets turned upside down in quantum mechanics.

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Some physicists would even apply the quantum theory in such a way as to allow for "retroactive causation."

     . . . there are a number of theories in modern physics that involve retroactive causation . . . . the quantum theory requires a sort of reversed time causality, inasmuch as an observation performed today can contribute to the construction of reality in the remote past. This point has been emphasized by the physicist John Wheeler: "The quantum principle shows that there is a sense in which what the observer will do in the future defines what happens in the past-even in a past so remote that life did not then exist."
     The precise nature of reality, Wheeler claims, has to await the participation of a conscious observer. In this way, mind can be made responsible for the retroactive creation of reality-even a reality that existed before there were people (God and the New Physics, 39, 110-111).

     Obviously, the author notes, the idea that a cause can act backwards in time to produce a prior effect is filled with paradoxes. Could you influence prior events in such a way as to prevent your own birth, for example? Last year I was talking to a man who has been showing interest in our church (now attending regularly) who had several odd ideas, one being that we choose which sex we will be born. This simply made no sense to me at all, but now I wonder if perhaps there is something to it. I still can't see it, but at least it sounds "scientific" now.
     Now there is a particular application of this quantum theory known as the "anthropic cosmological principle," which states that the universe is as it is because man is as he is. There are two versions of this principle, called strong and weak; the strong anthropic principle states that the whole vast universe exists simply for our sake. "This is very hard to believe," Hawking says (Hawking, p. 126). But notice how it agrees with the New Church view.
     In a nutshell, the hypothesis is: if the universe were different than it is, we would not be here to ask questions about it; it is as it is because we are here to ponder it. Thus there is in the anthropic principle also an element of "retroactive causation" (a term I never tire of using, and one that I hope to figure out a way of applying very practically in settling connubial spats).
     This whole approach to things occasions many interesting arguments. For example, imagine you pick up one pebble at random among the many thousands on the beach. What was the chance you would pick that particular one, or one with that very size, shape, and color? Has a miracle occurred? No, because after you have already picked the pebble up, it isn't fair to speak of the odds against your picking that one.

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It is meaningless to discuss probability a posteriori. The same point can be made in regard to the existence of the universe: there is nothing miraculous about its structure; it simply is the way it is. To speak of the existence of a universe with no conscious observers in it is meaningless for conscious individuals. According to the anthropic principle: "the universe must be such as to admit conscious beings at some stage" (God and the New Physics, p. 171).
     All of this makes me think that science, in its own mysterious way, has discovered the truth contained in the Writings that there could be no universe without man! Of course, the anthropic argument is used as an argument against design, whereas we believe that the universe definitely was designed for man. But still, I like the binding together of man and the universe in the anthropic principle.
     Schrodinger's Cat: The famous challenge to this idea is the paradox of "Schrodinger's cat," after physicist Erwin Schrodinger who proposed it as a hypothetical application of the quantum principle on the macroscopic plane of existence. Imagine a cat in a sealed box in which cyanide is or is not released, the trigger being operated by a quantum process with a 50-50 probability. Is the cat dead or alive? According to the quantum theory, it cannot be said to be either-in fact, it is neither!-until the box is opened and the cat is observed in one condition or the other. It remains suspended in a schizophrenic "live-dead" condition.
     Putting aside all question of cruelty to cats, it does seem to me that we have our own instances of "Schrodinger's cat" in the Writings. I am thinking, for example, of the teaching about conjugial pairs being born (CL 229). Conjugial pairs are born, but I wonder whether this is determined prior to their meeting and falling in love. They "meet as if by fate, see each other, and then instantly, as from a certain instinct, they know that they are mates. . . ." Perhaps it becomes true at that moment that they were born for each other. That present state, their present "observation" of each other, determines the nature of their birth, although it was years in the past. Of course the Lord is not bound by space and time, and in His providence they were always "born for each other." But for them this truth does not become real until they meet and it is realized.
     What are the chances of finding your conjugial partner? What are the chances of picking up any particular pebble on the beach?
     Conjugial pairs are born for each other, but with conditions. From early youth they must cherish the conjugial and seek their true partner from the Lord, and spurn wandering lusts (CL 49e). But what if they each took another path, so completely that they never came together either in this world or the next? In what sense, then, would it be true that they were born for each other?

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Would this have any meaning if the potential were never fulfilled? It would seem not, in which case they can be said to become born for each other only upon the fulfillment of this destiny. In a sense, then, the nature of their birth is determined retroactively.
     The same principle applies in regard to the prophecies of the Lord's birth. Some are even written in the present tense (e.g. "Unto us a Child is born. . ."), reflecting the fact that the prophecy and its fulfillment make a one spiritually. Nor were they understood until the Lord was born. And in a sense they are becoming more true as our "observation" of the Lord becomes more perfect. The ancients worshiped God as a Man partly based on what He would become. God was always Human, but not down to outmosts, or the "flesh and bones" which the Lord made Divine when He was in the world. Yet the ancients had a view of God as a full Man; the immediate cause of it was that the Lord appeared through angels, but wasn't there a deeper ("retroactive") cause in the glorification yet to come?
     Does not this same principle also apply to the Word? Is the Old Testament about the nation Israel or about the Lord? It depends upon how you look at it. The Old Testament becomes something entirely new when seen in light of the New Testament; and the nature of both testaments is made new in light of the Writings. The Writings "collapse" the Old Testament into an account of the Lord's life. It might be said that the previous testaments always had the internal sense, and that they are not changed by the Writings, and this is true. But if the internal sense were never seen, in what sense could they be said to have it? Since spiritual truth is a matter of perception, it becomes actual only when perceived. The Writings make possible this perception, and in that sense may be said to "create" the internal sense of the Old and New Testaments. Before being observed, the internal sense is only a "ghost." However this may be, it is certainly the case that the story of the Lord's glorification was recorded in the Old Testament long before the event. Is not this an instance of "retroactive causation?"
     Many religious questions seem similar to "Schrodinger's cat." For example: if the Lord knows someone is going to end up in hell, why, in His mercy, does He go ahead and create that person? There are a number of parts to the answer to this question, but a general rule is that the Lord creates everyone for heaven, and no one is born for hell. To ask whether the Lord knows an individual's final destination before the person is born is to introduce the element of time into something that is outside of time. The person doesn't exist before He is born, and the outcome of the process that begins with his birth is determined by his own free choices.

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Until the final choice has been made, there continues to be only one end in sight at his birth, namely heaven. In addition, it must always be remembered that the Lord is above time; there is no before and after with Him.
     Generally speaking, I believe that the Lord knows that a particular person will end up in hell even at the time of that person's birth. But in a certain sense He doesn't know it because it isn't true at the time of birth. It becomes true later on, and only then also becomes true even at the moment of birth. The cat isn't dead until observed dead.
     According to the quantum theory, the kind of observation that is made actually determines the nature of things. If this is true in regard to what we think of as objective material, it must be all the more true in regard to spiritual things. (One of the interesting points I've gleaned from various books is that the distinction between mind and matter, presumably so absolute, is breaking down.)
     The angels see the good in a person, and overlook or put a good interpretation on the bad as far as possible (AC 1079). Perhaps it could be said that, in so doing, they actually make a person good. Whereas the devils, seeking to condemn, by the very nature of their observation make a person bad. To some degree this works in this world, too. It is easier to be good when in the company of those who see good in you.
     But most of all, when I read about the anthropic principle I thought of the teaching that the purpose of creation is a heaven from the human race. This was the single end that God had in view in creating it (TCR 13). This is our "anthropic principle."
     The Writings say that "the First continually regards the last as an end" (AE 1209:3). Therefore, can we not say that the end is present in the beginning, and thus determines the nature of the beginning? The First is God, the end is man. God had man in mind from the beginning of creation. And . . ."what is created last (i.e. man) is the basis of all the things which go before" (LJ 9). From this it follows that the nature of the created universe is as it is because of man. This, it seems to me, is our version of "the anthropic cosmological principle."
     Whether we say that God regards man as the end, or Himself in man as the end, it is the same thing, since the purpose of man is to know God and be conjoined with Him. ". . . the First continually regards the last. . . ." God is the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, and thus continually regards Himself in creation. The circle of life that begins in Him ends in Him.
     I share Stephen Hawking's skepticism about the idea that man's observation determines the nature of creation, but what if the "observer" is THE MAN, that is, the Lord Himself!

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Then the anthropic principle seems very true.
     Remember the Gaia hypothesis. Life did not just arise and thrive on earth because, by good fortune, there is a suitable environment for it; but the life on earth actually creates this environment. The environment and the life are part of one system. Could we apply this to the whole universe, and say that it does not just happen to be habitable by man, but man makes the universe? Man "creates" it by being what he is since it was made for him.
     With all this in mind, I would go back to the point that God distinguishes the good and truth in Himself, and add that He does this through man. The appearance is that we make the distinction, but in actuality it is God through us making the distinction. Man did not exist at the beginning of creation, but nevertheless, our "observation" now, our distinguishing of good and truth in God now, is/was instrumental in the creation of the universe.
     I admit this is a far-out idea, but no more so than the ideas of the universe evolving in the science of physics, which seem so fantastic. It is an idea that could be terribly misconstrued, but any thought of man-"such miserable dust" as man-ascending to the throne of creation is only laughable in light of the Word.

O Lord our Lord, how excellent is Thy name in all the earth! Who hast set Thy glory above the heavens. . . . When I consider Thy heavens, the work of Thy fingers, the moon and the stars which Thou hast ordained: what is man, that Thou art mindful of him?

     Conclusion

"Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for Thou hast created all things, and by Thy will they are and were created" (Revelation 4:11).
     Science continues to seek a Gorand Unified Theory (GUT, as it is called)-a single mathematical explanation of the several forces operating in the universe. Whether such a thing is possible remains to be seen. Stephen Hawking thinks perhaps it is, but notes that if achieved, great as it would be, physics would then become rather boring (see Boslough, p. 131 ff.). Somehow I doubt that man will ever attain such complete understanding of creation that there will be no questions left to relieve the boredom. Theoretical physicists may be left out in the cold, however, as computers take over their work, which could happen within the next 20 years or so (Boslough, p. 150).
     The more we penetrate into the core of nature, the more complex the universe is seen to be.

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At the same time, it seems, the explanation for it all must become ever simpler. There is a great simplicity at the heart of creation. Words are so cumbersome, and I have envied the scientists with their equations. In a way, their language is closer to the language of heaven (HH 263). I was impressed in my reading by the fact that science is reaching the limits even of metaphor. On the other hand, I do not believe a purely scientific or mathematical explanation of the universe can ever be sufficient. No equation can express the Divine Humanity from which all things exist.
     Our Gorand Unified Theory is the doctrine of the Gorand Man.
     Perhaps the truest understanding is in the form of a response. Somehow out of all this abstract thought it came to me that what really matters are simple acts of kindness. As for this great universe in which we live, our best hope for understanding is in the perception that came to Jacob long ago: "And Jacob awakened out of his sleep, and he said, Surely the Lord is in this place; and I knew it not. And he was afraid, and said, How dreadful is this place! this is none other but the house of God. . ." (Genesis 28:17).
     One thing have I desired of the Lord, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to enquire in His temple (Psalm 27:4).

Note D: I have been fascinated by the "Mandelbrot Set" that my colleague Rev. Stephen Cole makes on the computer. Very intricate and beautiful forms appear on the screen, whose construction is purely mathematical (a new branch of math called fractal geometry, discovered by Benoit B. Mandelbrot in the 1970s).
     The designs are indefinite-you can focus in on a tiny section and magnify it, and within it there will appear just as much complexity as was seen in the larger form; this continues endlessly, with certain patterns being repeated, but with variety. It is the same as with nature.
     Moreover, the designs resemble natural forms, such as the spiral-shaped heads of fern fronds. Such patterns keep echoing through the designs that appear on the screen, just as they do in nature. In both cases, I would say, the forms are visual representations of logic or number.
     The designs in the Mandelbrot Set are very similar to Mandalas, the concentric forms expressive of the Center in religion and psychology. I was amazed, after having seen Stephen's Mandelbrot Set a number of times, to open up a book I had recently purchased about the Mandala and see an exact replica of the main recurring form in the Mandelbrot Set in a "Mandala of the curve of developing consciousness" (Mandala by Jose and Miriam Arguelles, Shambhala, Boston, 1985, p. 109).

     (Bibliography follows)

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BIBLIOGRAPHY

Barrow, John D. and Frank J. Tipler, The Anthropic Cosmological Principle, Oxford University Press, N.Y. 1988 (In another book, The World Within the World, Barrow has a section arguing that the anthropic principle is not a valid argument for the existence of God.)

Beekman, Lillian, "Swedenborg's Argument of Creation. The Logos," New Church Life, 1910:45

Beekman, Lillian, Swedenborg's Cosmology, Academy Book Room, Bryn Athyn, 1907

Boslough, John, Stephen Hawking's Universe, Wm. Morrow and Co., N.Y.1985 (More understandable than Hawking's own book, and interesting in its focus on the man's mind.)

Campbell, Joseph, with Bill Moyers, The Power of Myth, Doubleday, N.Y. 1988 (Very readable, interesting interview with Moyers. Joseph Campbell died shortly afterwards. He is somewhat critical of the Bible.)

David, J. S., "Waves of the Universe," New Church Life, 1919:390. A beautiful article.

Davies, Paul, God and the New Physics, Simon and Schuster Inc., N.Y. 1983 (The best survey of the new physics I've seen. Strong arguments for belief in God are presented, although with an escape route for each. But the requirements for avoiding the Divine are admittedly so improbable!)

Davies, Paul, The Cosmic Blueprint (New Discoveries in Nature's Creative Ability to Order the Universe), Simon and Schuster, N.Y. 1988

de Charms, George, "Lectures on the Philosophy of Swedenborg's Principia," delivered at the Educational Council meetings in August 1963 in Bryn Athyn. Reprinted from The New Philosophy.

Dossey, Larry, M.D., Space, Time and Medicine, Shambhala, Boulder, Colorado (An amazing book. Brings together a number of scientific theories with very interesting applications to human health, our view of time, and death. This man spoke at the Swedenborg Foundation's Tarrytown symposium last summer.)

Eddington, A. S., The Nature of the Physical World, Macmillan, N.Y. 1929 (Interesting thoughts on waves and vibration.)

Hawking, Stephen W., A Brief History of Time (From the Big Bang to Black Holes), Bantam Books, N.Y. 1988 (My feelings about this book were well expressed in a newspaper column by Charles Krauthammer. Each sentence is simple enough . . . but what does it all mean? "Incomprehensible in a very interesting way," says Krauthammer, in his article: "Book Proves Physics a Fiction," Detroit News, Dec. 6, 1988.)

Lewis, C. S., Out of the Silent Planet, The Macmillan Co., N.Y. 1965 (The first in his so-called space trilogy, followed by Perelandra and That Hideous Strength.)

Lovelock, James E., Gaia, A New Look at Life on Earth, Oxford University Press, N.Y. 1979

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Lovelock, James E., The Ages of Gaia, W. W. Norton and Co., N.Y., 1988

Odhner, C. Th., Creation in the Spiritual World, Academy Book Room, Bryn Athyn, Pa. 1915

Odhner, Hugo Lj., Creation, Academy of the New Church, Bryn Athyn, Pa.1964

Peat, F. David, Synchronicity (The Bridge Between Matter and Mind), Bantam Books, N.Y. 1987

Sagan, Carl, Broca's Brain, Random House, N.Y. 1979

Sheldrake, Rupert, A New Science of Life (The Hypothesis of Formative Causation), J. P. Tarcher Inc., Los Angeles 1981

Sheldrake, Rupert, The Presence of the Past (Morphic Resonance and the Habits of Nature), Times Books, N.Y. 1988

Swedenborg, Emanuel, The Infinite and the Final Cause of Creation, Swedenborg Society, London 1902

Swedenborg, Emanuel, On Tremulation, Massachusetts New Church Union, Boston 1899. Reprinted by Swedenborg Scientific Association, Bryn Athyn, Pa. 1976

Swedenborg, Emanuel, The Principia or the First Principles of Natural Things, Swedenborg Society, London 1912

Tame, David, The Secret Power of Music (The Transformation of Self and Society Through Musical Energy), Destiny Books, Rochester, Vt. 1984 (A wonderful book. A very conservative yet mystical philosophy of music.)

Thass-Thienemann, Theodore, The Subconscious Language, Washington Square Press, N.Y. 1967 (A scholarly and creative psychological approach to word origins.)

Tilson, Victor R., "Revelation and Applied Science-The interest to New Churchmen of modern inventions which tend to eliminate time and space," New Church Life 1924:15 (Interesting thought at end on Lord's resurrection body.)

Tompkins, Peter, and Christopher Bird, The Secret Life of Plants (A Fascinating Account of the Physical, Emotional, and Spiritual Relations Between Plants and Man), Harper and Row, N.Y., 1973

Upanishads, Breath of the Eternal, The, Mentor Books, N.Y., 1957

Van Till, Howard J., The Fourth Day (What the Bible and the Heavens are telling us about the Creation), Eerdmans Publishing Co., Gorand Rapids, Mich. 1986 (Written by an astronomy professor at Calvin College in Gorand Rapids, Michigan. Van Till has been criticized by his fundamentalist brethren for undermining faith in the Bible with his radical theory that the creation story is symbolical.)

Young, Louise B., The Unfinished Universe (A radical new view that the universe is perfecting itself), Simon and Schuster, N.Y. 1986 (A poetically written scientific view of the universe. Some good literary quotations.)

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NEW TRANSLATION OF TRUE CHRISTIAN RELIGION 1989

NEW TRANSLATION OF TRUE CHRISTIAN RELIGION Rev. ERIK SANDSTROM 1989

     Comments on Lisa Hyatt Cooper's Review

     In a recent careful review of Dr. John Chadwick's new translation of the True Christian Religion, Lisa Cooper brought out things good and not so good-mostly good-in it. (See NCL April 1989.)
     I should like to comment on two features, one of which Mrs. Cooper is hesitant about, and the other that she gives "wholehearted approval" to. Personally, I do not feel happy about either of these two, namely, the adoption of the term "link" for our customary "conjoin" and "conjunction," and the use of lower case letters for the "new church."
     In giving his reason for changing from "conjunction" to "link," the translator himself says, "[The word 'conjunction'] is now hardly acceptable English, except as a term of grammar or astrology. I have decided to banish it, and it is usually replaced by 'link.' I know some of you will protest, but 'link' is familiar from telecommunications and similar contexts, and I think it does the job Swedenborg intended by his use of conjunctio" (NCL, Nov. 1988, pp. 477, 478).
     Dr. Chadwick would be the first to agree that translating is not just a matter of using a dictionary and substituting a word in one language for a word in another. The task is to carry the meaning as accurately as possible from one to the other. So what is the real, implicit meaning of conjunctio (or the verb conjungo)?
     I think that meaning is contained in the concept of "You in Me, and I in you." That concept was introduced by the Lord in His first advent, and was more deeply explained in His second. It is new in true Christianity. The parallel is in the vine and the branch. The Lord first taught this new doctrine in His farewell address to His twelve (see John 14-16, particularly chapter 15). Is the branch "linked" to the vine? It is a matter of word usage and judgment. It seems to me that "link" suggests "side by side." It may also conjure up the idea of "chained." The order itself of creation is involved in the relation between the vine and the branch: it is one of dependency and at the same time of mutuality and reciprocity. And the relation is the same between God and man: dependency and at the same time mutuality and reciprocity-provided the Lord has been allowed to regenerate His child. As for me, I cannot think of an English word that better expresses this relationship than "conjunction." And is there any word in our language that comes closer to the original's conjunctio?

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     The secret is in the law of the "as of self." The branch lives as of self from the vine, and man does so from the Lord. The True Christian Religion goes into the particulars of this law. When the Word is stored up in a person, then "the person speaks and acts of himself from the Word, but not the Word through him"; or, "The Lord of Himself or from the Word acts in a person and on him, but not through him, because the person freely acts and speaks from the Lord when he does so from the Word" (TCR 154:5). Therefore also "as if of" is equated with "of-from": "[The man] works as if of himself, to be precise, of himself from the Lord" (TCR 371:6, emphasis added).
     We may also think of a true marriage between a husband and a wife. "She is my heart, and I her lungs" (CL 75:5)-heart in lungs through feeding, and lungs in heart through oxygenation. Is this mutuality better expressed by "conjunction" than by "linking"? Even the New King James Version, though trying to modernize, retained the word "join" in the familiar words, "What God has joined together. . . ." I think we would react against "linked together" for better reasons than that of unfamiliarity.
     As for the other matter-lower case letters in "new church"-let me again quote the translator: "I have consistently written 'new church' with a small 'n' and a small 'c' because it is not a title but a description; that is to say, it means a church which is new, not the New Church as the name of an organization" (NCL, Jan. 1989, p. 21).
     With Dr. Chadwick's reason for the small letters I emphatically agree (and I suspect this was also what met with Mrs. Cooper's "wholehearted approval"), but with his conclusion I do not. The New Church, in the Writings, is not the name of an organization. It is nevertheless a name, namely, that of a new dispensation or of a new spiritual era in mankind's history. It follows in line with these other major church dispensations: the Most Ancient Church, the Ancient Church, the Israelitish Church, the Christian Church. These are names of spiritual periods in history, and Dr. Chadwick uses capitals for them-even for the first two, which, unlike the last two, would not require capitals by reason of containing a proper name (see TCR 762, 786, new translation).
     I do not claim that "new church" should always be capitalized. Generally it is a question of whether the indefinite or the definite article is implied; and since in the Latin there are no articles, there may be times when interpretation is called for. I would, for example, use small letters in a statement like this: At the end of the Jewish Church the Lord established a new church, which was later called Christian. And similarly: At the end of the Christian Church the Lord set up a new church, which was to be called the New Jerusalem (see AE 948:2).

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     But when the reference is to "the kingdom which shall not be destroyed," signified in Daniel 7:14, namely, the kingdom that followed after "the dominion of the four beasts had been taken away" (Daniel 7:3, 12), we are concerned with the New Church, the Lord's bride and wife. This is the fifth church in the cavalcade of churches in the world, the morning state that is to arise for all mankind after "the absolute night, in which the previous churches ended" (TCR 760).
     The New Church in the Writings is always this new spiritual era, which "shall be for ever and ever, as foretold by Daniel (7:13, 14) and in Revelation (11:15)" (TCR 791). It is true that the Writings also imply the need of organizations, as witness the chapter on ecclesiastical government in NJHD 311-325, but the New Church itself is always a spiritual entity-that which "comes down from God out of heaven" (Rev. 21:2). And, as is well known, Swedenborg never took any steps to set up an organization. His mission was to write and publish the truths of the Lord's second coming, and let these truths build the church. Therefore, the Writings do what the Gospels did; that is to say, in each advent the Lord set forth the law of His kingdom, leaving it to men, as from themselves, to organize that kingdom.
     I should like to mention the title page of the TCR in support of the above. After the main title, "The True Christian Religion," we have the telling subtitle, "Containing the Complete Theology of the New Church as foretold by the Lord in Daniel 7:13, 14 and in Revelation 21:2, 3." And this might be a suitable time to quote those two passages in full. (They also occur, the second passage expanded, on the page opposite the title page of the original edition.) Daniel's prophecy reads: "And I saw in the night visions, and behold, One like the Son of Man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of Days, and they brought Him near before Him. And there was given Him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve Him: His dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and His kingdom that which shall not be destroyed." And the words from Revelation are: "And I John saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a great voice saying, Behold, the Tabernacle of God with men, and He shall dwell with them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself shall be with them, their God."
     So "The True Christian Religion" declares itself to be the theology-the law-for that kingdom, and for its capital city: the city of doctrine. The city has a name: New Jerusalem; and the kingdom has a name: New Church.

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THIS BOOK IS THE COMING OF THE LORD 1989

THIS BOOK IS THE COMING OF THE LORD Rev. GEOFFREY H. HOWARD 1989

     If we could place ourselves in the position of one of the first readers of the Writings, sooner or later we would have come upon certain statements claiming that these doctrines embodied the truth of the Lord's second coming. "This second coming of the Lord is effected by means of a man to whom the Lord has manifested Himself in Person, and whom He has filled with His Spirit, that he may teach the doctrines of the New Church from the Lord by means of the Word" (TCR 779). What would our reaction be to this amazing claim? Without question it is one of the more remarkable assertions which appear in the Theological Writings given through Emanuel Swedenborg.
     Our attention becomes more sharply focused upon this declaration as we contemplate the impact of a certain inscription which Swedenborg was commanded to write on two of His Theological Writings in Holland. On the flyleaf of these two books he wrote: "This Book is the second coming of the Lord, written by command." One of these books has been found, and it is now preserved in the British Museum in London. The book in question was the original manuscript of The Brief Exposition.
     In a small fragmentary work entitled Sketch of an Ecclesiastical History of the New Church Swedenborg refers to this inscription, and gives us the following account:

     When the Brief Exposition was published, the angelic heaven from the east to the west, and from the south to the north, appeared of a deep scarlet color with the most beautiful flowers. This took place before myself, and before the kings of Denmark and others.

At another time it appeared flamy, most beautiful.

     In the spiritual world there was inscribed on all these books: "The Lord's Advent." The same I also wrote by command on two copies in Holland (Ecc. Hist. 7, 8).

     A copy of the original inscription penned by Swedenborg appears below. It was written in his own handwriting in Latin.

     [Handwriting below]

     "THIS BOOK IS THE ADVENT OF THE LORD."

     "Written by command."

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     Let us ask an important question. Why was the Brief Exposition singled out to be one of the books upon which the Lord commanded Swedenborg to write such an inscription?
     When we examine the contents of this book we find that it compares and contrasts the creeds of Christianity with the doctrines of the New Church. It exposes the falsity of Christian dogma and emphatically states that the two bodies of doctrine are totally incompatible. Through its bold assertions the genuine truths of the New Heaven and the New Church became lucidly clear, it was published in Amsterdam in 1769, being written some twelve years after the Last Judgment. Following the judgment the new heavens became established and also the Heavenly Doctrines were becoming published on earth. We are also told that the spiritual sun could then shine with greater brilliance. As a result people on earth who found the Writings and who were moved by their truths were given to see a wholeness and unity to the Word of God.
     The publishing of the Brief Exposition brought a new peace to the angelic heavens. Swedenborg noted that when it was published, the angelic heavens were radiant. They "appeared of a deep scarlet color, with the most beautiful flowers." Why did they appear that way? The Writings help us to see the reason. "By 'scarlet' is signified 'the truth of the Word from a celestial origin'"(AR 723). Truth from a celestial origin is the truth which envelops love. It is in fact the very face of love, or the means whereby love becomes seen. The following teaching sheds even more light on this appearance of the heavens. "When the sphere of [the good of mutual love and its truth] is presented to view in the lowest heaven, it appears of a scarlet color, because that which flows down from the celestial heaven and appears beneath takes its color from flame, and beneath becomes scarlet from the shining whiteness of the light of the middle heaven, through which it passes" (AC 8468).
     Accompanying this scarlet glow of the heavens flowers also appeared. Again the Writings explain why. "Flowers [signify the Lord's] Divine intelligence. For Divine good united to Divine truth proceeding from the Lord' is received . . . in the first or lowest heaven as Divine intelligence" (AE 458:3).
     Thus we can see that this beautiful scene in heaven, when the Brief Exposition was published, furnishes us with a representative picture of the Divine intelligence of the Lord descending through the heavens. It was like the forecast of a new sense of peace which the Lord would bring to pass as the communion between angels and men would take increase. The effects of the second coming could now begin to take place in the hearts of those who would embrace the doctrines of the New Church.

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     We would now like to turn our attention to the references which are written adjacent to the inscription. Four of these refer to passages in the Arcana Coelestia (AC 2513, 4535, 6895, and 8427 p. 19), and a final one refers us to the Apocalypse Revealed (AR 626).
     We should note that these references have been a source of debate among some scholars. Were they actually written by Swedenborg, or were they added later by someone else? The handwriting appears to be his, but the numbers seem to be written with unusual care. But it may be argued that if something was commanded to be written by the Lord we would expect special care to be taken.
     The following points are some of those that have been raised by those who feel doubtful about attributing them to Swedenborg.

     1.      He makes no mention of these references in the Sketch of Ecclesiastical History from which we have quoted above.
     2.      The reference to AC 8427 is followed by a page number (p. 19, which probably was the correct page number in the original Latin volume). The appearing of this page number is indeed curious because invariably, when Swedenborg referred to other statements in the Writings, he used numbered paragraphs.
     3.      Lastly, in the reference to AR 626, the upper case "A" appears to be written in a style which Swedenborg seldom used. (Other students of Swedenborg's calligraphy claim that he does occasionally use this style of "A".)

     Personally, I have little doubt that Swedenborg penned those numbers. The handwriting appears to be his, and the objections cited above are by no means conclusive denials. Despite these points, it is very interesting to study the contents of these passages, for each one seems to define some aspect of the second coming. The further purpose of this article is to examine briefly the content of each of these references.
     Let us then proceed to consider the content of the first reference, AC 2513. We find that it treats of the internal sense of the words from Genesis: "That God came to Abimelech." As Abraham journeyed through the land of Canaan he came to Gerar in the territory of the Philistines. As he approached Gerar he foresaw a danger. Abimelech, the king, would probably want to take Sarah, his beautiful wife. To acquire her he would probably kill Abraham to eliminate any opposition to his desire. For the purpose of saving his own life Abraham told Abimelech that Sarah was his sister. Abimelech took Sarah, but that night he had a dream, and in that dream it is said, "God came to Abimelech. That this means the Lord's perception regarding the doctrine of faith is clear from the meaning of 'God coming' and from the meaning of 'Abimelech'; for 'God coming' plainly means perceiving, since perception is nothing else than the Divine coming or influx into man's ability to understand. . ." (AC 2513).

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     Here we are presented with the idea that the Divine coming may be viewed in the context of a personal presence of the Lord in the human understanding. The ability to perceive something to be true comes from the presence of the Lord disposing the receptacle of the mind to see the verity of truth.
     The second written reference is AC 4535. This number occurs in one of those inter-chapter sections of the Arcana. At this point an explanation is being given about the internal sense within Matthew 24. That familiar chapter portrays the Lord speaking with His disciples during His last week, and answering their question, "What will be the sign of your coming and of the consummation of the age?" We quote from this passage: "The preliminary sections of previous chapters. . . explained what the Lord foretold about His coming, or the consummation of the age. Frequently in those sections it has been shown that His coming or the consummation of the age means the last period of the church, which in the Word is called the Last Judgment. . . . The church reaches its consummation when no charity exists there any longer, nor consequently any faith. . . . That in the church of the present day, called the Christian Church, scarcely any trace of charity or consequently of faith survives there, and that the close of the age is accordingly now at hand, will of the Lord's Divine mercy be shown further on" (AC 5435).
     Here we are presented with statements regarding the consummation of the age, that state when charity and faith cease to exist and the church in question no longer serves the true ends of the Lord. The events are presented in their historical chronology, as they happened at the time of the second coming. But, it should also be remembered that such a statement has ample application to our own regeneration, but nevertheless it is here couched in the framework of history.
     The third reference written was AC 6895. This passage explains the internal sense of certain words which the Lord spoke to Moses when He appeared to him in the burning bush. The Lord told Moses that He had chosen him to lead the Children of Israel out of Egypt. Moses said, Who shall I say has sent me? The Lord said, tell "the sons of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you. . . . Go and gather the elders of Israel together, and say unto them, Jehovah the God of your fathers has been seen by me, the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob, saying, visiting I have visited you" (Exodus 3:14-16). Arcana Coelestia 6895 explains these last words: "Saying, Visiting I have visited you. That this signifies His coming to those who are of the spiritual church is evident from the signification of 'visiting,' as being the coming of the Lord, which precedes the last time of the church, which time is called the 'Last Judgment'. . . .

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That by the 'coming of the Lord' is not meant His appearing with angels in the clouds, but acknowledgment in hearts by love and faith, also His appearing from the Word. . . . This coming is meant by the coming of the Lord which takes place when an old church is rejected and a new church is set up again by the Lord . . . . By 'visiting to visit' in the spiritual sense is meant liberation from falsities and thus initiation into what is of the Lord's church and kingdom, thus the coming of the Lord in love and faith with those who will be of the new church."
     In this interesting passage we are again shown how the historical sequence of the second coming also bears a relationship to the personal advent of the Lord into the heart and life of the regenerating man.

     The reference to AC 8427 reveals the internal sense of certain words spoken by Moses to the Children of Israel after the Lord had promised to supply manna for them in the Sinai desert. Moses and Aaron said to the people: "At evening you shall know that the Lord has brought you out of the land of Egypt. And in the morning you shall see the glory of the Lord. . ." (Exodus 16:6, 7). The Arcana reveals the following message: "And in the morning, then ye shall see the glory of Jehovah. That this signifies that in the beginning of a new state there will be the advent of the Lord is evident from the signification of 'morning' as being the beginning of a new state; . . . and from the signification of 'the glory of Jehovah' as being His presence and advent. That 'glory' signifies the presence and advent of the Lord is because in the supreme sense 'glory' signifies the Divine truth which proceeds from the Lord, and the Divine truth appears before the eyes of the angels as light and brightness from the Sun which is the Lord" (AC 8427).
     Here again we see a similar teaching that when a new heavenly state is born it is brought about by the advent of the Lord. Again this leads our thought to the personal coming of the Lord in the life of the regenerating man.
     The final reference is to Apocalypse Revealed 626, explaining the spiritual significance of a passage in Revelation 14. In that chapter John saw the Lamb standing on Mount Zion with the 144,000 having the Lord's name written on their foreheads. Harpers from heaven were heard playing their instruments and singing a new song. But only the 144,000 could sing that song. Then John "saw another angel flying in the midst of heaven" (Revelation 14:6). The internal sense is expounded: "And I saw another angel flying in the midst of heaven, having the eternal gospel to proclaim unto them that dwell on the earth.

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This signifies the annunciation of the Lord's advent, and of the New Church about to come down out of heaven from Him. . . . By 'another angel' is signified something . . . new out of heaven from the Lord in the church. By the 'eternal gospel' is signified the annunciation of the coming of the Lord and of His kingdom. . . . By 'them that dwell on the earth' are signified the men of the church to whom the annunciation will be made. The reason why it also means to announce that the New Church is now about to descend out of heaven from Him is because the Lord's coming involves two things, the Last Judgment and after it the New Church, which is the New Jerusalem" (AR 626).
     Throughout the Writings there is a message of eternal moment. This passage speaks of the Lord's second coming both as to its historical fact and also as to His reception by the man of the church.
     So in summary, let us ask what we learn from these passages that appear beside the quotation which Swedenborg wrote on the Brief Exposition.
     Do they not help us to define more clearly just what is meant by the second coming of the Lord? It is a fact that the Lord made His second coming through the agency of His servant Emanuel Swedenborg. It is an historical fact that the Last Judgment occurred in the spiritual world in the year 1757. After that judgment the Lord restored order to the heavens. Before, during, and after that judgment there was the gradual descent of a new revelation from God out of heaven.
     However, the ultimate purpose of these new teachings was to provide opportunity for the living, spiritual New Church to descend into the hearts and minds of those who follow the Lord God Jesus Christ who is revealed as the Bridegroom and Husband of the church.
THERE IS A GENERAL FEELING 1989

THERE IS A GENERAL FEELING 1989

There is a general feeling emanating from God and flowing into men's souls that there is a God, and that He is one. God influences man, as is evident from what everyone admits, that God is the source of every good thing which is good in itself and is present in man and done by him.
TCR 8 (Dr. Chadwick's translation)

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PROJECT "LIBRARY CHECK" 1989

PROJECT "LIBRARY CHECK" Editor 1989

     During one week this summer Sam Moore, as part of his job at the Swedenborg Foundation, mailed books of the Writings to a hundred libraries. That was not a typical week, but it was a shining example of work that is being done this year.
     Many of our readers have heard something of work done by such people as Gretchen Lindsay and Laurie Klein of Bryn Athyn in getting books of the Writings into libraries. In fact a number of our readers have on occasion participated in sporadic efforts along this line. It is such an obvious thing to do, and we have heard of people whose life in the New Church began with the finding of a book on a library shelf.
     In recent months a tremendous amount of work has been done by Mrs. R. Hayes of Amarillo, Texas. She has it down to a science. She gets a list of libraries and sends them form letters. They can mark books of the Writings that they would welcome free of charge. She then sends the list on to the Swedenborg Foundation. The Foundation sends a communication to the library about the books and then ships to them the ones they have designated. Mrs. Hayes has done this for libraries in more than half of the fifty states!
     Rev. Lawson Smith reports that our Washington Society has been getting experience in this work, and having covered the libraries in Maryland, is reaching out farther.
     I remember the day I visited the Bodleian Library at Oxford University and looked at a set of the Arcana Caelestia that had been placed there by an anonymous donor around the year 1758. The donor has been identified as Emanuel Swedenborg.
     It has been pointed out that some libraries will relegate books to the basement or even discard them if they are not borrowed within a certain period of time. For this reason some people have made it a practice to visit libraries and borrow the books if they do not find indication that they have recently been taken out. There have been some who have left the address of their church book room tucked in the pages of a book of the Writings.

     Project "Library Check" Is This:

     We are suggesting a project with a target date of March 1st, 1990. We are inviting our readers to go to at least one library in their area to ascertain if it carries any book of the Writings. Please send us the result of your investigation.

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You may be bold enough to ask if the library would like to receive some book it does not have. But you might prefer simply to inform us that such-and-such a library does not have such-and-such a book and we could arrange to have it offered.
If you live in a circle or society the project might be coordinated to involve a number of people visiting several libraries. This project is intended mainly to gain a better picture of how the situation is now in the libraries of this country with respect to the Theological Writings of Emanuel Swedenborg. Is your library one that has recently received books? If so, are they in the religion section and easy to find?
We will assemble information received by March 1st and will publish a report.
IS SWEDENBORG IN YOUR LIBRARY? 1989

IS SWEDENBORG IN YOUR LIBRARY? 1989

In the summer issue of Logos (Swedenborg Foundation) it is reported that the Foundation mailed books to 1,055 libraries since 1986.
A story on this includes a map showing the part of the U.S.A. recently covered.
KNOW WHEN YOU ARE SILLY AND STUPID 1989

KNOW WHEN YOU ARE SILLY AND STUPID 1989

     A function of Divine Revelation is to show what is good and what is evil. In reading Divine Revelation or hearing preaching from it, one can measure and evaluate elements of one's life.
     The Word sometimes confronts us with our own foolishness. For example, in Luke 12 the thoughts of a person bent on worldly acquisition are portrayed. "But God said to him, 'You fool!'"
     The purpose of this is to turn us into the way of wisdom. It is eminently wise to be devoted to one's married partner, and if we get into states which tend to turn us from the married partner it is genuinely helpful (if humiliating) to know that it is a downright silly situation. Attractions outside of our marriage are not love but a form of self-love that is taken up with imaginations in one's own mind.
     A precept of wisdom is alluded to in n. 77 of Conjugial Love. It goes like this:

     So far as one loves his consort alone he becomes heavenly and internal, and so far as he does not love his consort alone, he becomes natural and external, and then loves only himself and the images of his own mind and is silly and stupid.

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HIGHLIGHTS FROM SWEDENBORG'S LETTERS 1989

HIGHLIGHTS FROM SWEDENBORG'S LETTERS Editor 1989

     Swedenborg's Childhood

     In August of 1769 Thomas Hartley wrote to Swedenborg advising him to write something about his life. The same month Swedenborg wrote back saying, "After meditation on these words, I have been led to comply with your friendly counsel, which is that I communicate something of my life." This little "autobiography" we quoted last month. It had nothing about his childhood in it.
     He returned to Stockholm and for some reason at the end of a letter to Dr. Beyer introduced a biographical paragraph which has become familiar to New Church people.
     He wrote: "Here I will relate something of my first youth. From my 4th to my 10th year I was constantly in thought concerning God, salvation and the spiritual sufferings of men, and several times revealed that at which my father and mother wondered, saying that angels must be speaking through me" (Nov. 14, 1769).
     Here he was 81 years old making this striking statement about his childhood. It is interesting that three years previous to this, Oetinger had asked him about his life. "One thing more I ask-that you write an account of your life. . . ." Oetinger was writing on Dec. 4, 1766, and he was responding to a letter from Swedenborg which had said, "I was introduced by the Lord first into the natural sciences and thus prepared, and this from the year 1710 to the year 1744 when heaven was opened to me." He saw a preparation beginning when he was 22 years old pursuing the sciences. Was it only in his final years that he saw the earlier part of his life as a preparation?
     He was eighty-three years old when he wrote in Invitation to the New Church, "It has pleased the Lord to prepare me from my earliest youth to perceive the Word, and He has introduced me into the spiritual world, and has enlightened me. . . ."
     He was approaching the age of eighty-four when he wrote to a German duke describing his life's mission and saying that the Lord "prepared me for this from my childhood" (Letters and Memorials, p. 739).
BOOK JUST RECEIVED 1989

BOOK JUST RECEIVED 1989

We have received from Mr. Tatsuya Nagashima the second volume of True Christian Religion in Japanese.

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TRUTHS FROM THE WORD 1989

When a person learns truths from the Word, he comes into communion and consociation with angels beyond what he knows.
TCR 347:2

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RIGHT REV. LOUIS B. KING, BISHOP 1989

RIGHT REV. LOUIS B. KING, BISHOP PUBLIC WORSHIP AND DOCTRINAL CLASSES 1989

     Announcements

     GENERAL CHURCH OF THE NEW JERUSALEM

     Bryn Athyn, Pennsylvania, 19009, U. S. A.

     PUBLIC WORSHIP AND DOCTRINAL CLASSES

     Information on public worship and doctrinal classes provided either regularly or occasionally may be obtained at the locations listed below. For details use the local phone number of the contact person mentioned or communicate with the Secretary of the General Church, Cairncrest, Bryn Athyn, PA 19009, Phone (215) 947-6811.

     (U. S. A. addresses next month)

     AUSTRALIA

     CANBERRA
Mr. and Mrs. Barrie Ridgway, 68 Hilder St., Weston, Canberra, A. C. T. 2611. Phone: (062) 881-777.

     SYDNEY, N.S.W.
Rev. Douglas M. Taylor, 22 Dudley Street, Penshurst, N.S.W. 2222. Phone: 57-1589.

     BRAZIL

     RIO DE JANEIRO
Rev. Cristovao Rabelo Nobre, Rua Lina Teixeira, 109, ap. 101, Rocha, CEP 20.970., Rio de Janeiro. Phone: (021) 201-8455.

     CANADA

     Alberta:

     CALGARY
Mr. Thomas R. Fountain, 1115 Southglen Drive S. W., Calgary 13, Alberta T2W 0X2. Phone: 403-255-7283.

     EDMONTON
Mr. Daniel L. Horigan, 10524 82nd St., Edmonton, Alberta T6A 3M8. Phone: 403-469-0078.

     British Columbia:

     DAWSON CREEK
Rev. Glenn G. Alden, Dawson Creek Church, 9013 8th St., Dawson Creek, B. C., Canada V1G 3N3.

     Ontario:

     KITCHENER
Rev. Louis D. Synnestvedt, 58 Chapel Hill Drive, Kitchener, Ontario, Canada N2G 3W5. Phone: (Home) (519) 748-5605; (office) (519) 748-5802.

     OTTAWA
Mr. and Mrs. Donald McMaster, 684 Fraser Ave., Ottawa, Ontario. K2A 2R8. Phone: (61) 725-0394.

     TORONTO
Rev. Michael Gladish, 279 Burnhampthorpe Rd., Islington, Ontario M9B 4Z4. Phone: (Church): (416) 239-3055.

     Quebec:

     MONTREAL
Mr. Denis de Chazal, 17 Baliantyne Ave. So., Montreal West, Quebec H4X 281. Phone: (514) 489-9861.

     DENMARK

     COPENHAGEN
Mr. Jorgen Hauptmann, Strandvejen 22, Jyllinge, 4000 Roskilde. Phone: 03-389968.

     ENGLAND

     COLCHESTER
Rev. Christopher D. Bown, 2 Christ Church Court, Colchester, Essex C03 3AU Phone: 0206-575644.

     LETCHWORTH

Mr. and Mrs. R. Evans, 24 Berkeley, Letchworth, Herts. SG6 2HA. Phone: 0462-684751.

     LONDON
Rev. Frederick Elphick, 21B Hayne Rd., Beckenham, Kent BR3 4JA. Phone: 01-658-6320.

     MANCHESTER
Rev. Norman E. Riley, 69 Heywood Rd., Norden, Rochdale, OL11 5TH, England. Phone: 0706 54003.

     FRANCE

     BOURGUINON-MEURSANGES
Rev. Alain Nicolier, 21200 Beaune, France. Phone: (80)-26-62-80 (home). 80-26-69-08 (office).

     HOLLAND

     THE HAGUE
Mr. Ed Verschoor, Olmenlaan 17, 3862 VG Nijkerk

     NEW ZEALAND

     AUCKLAND
Mrs. H. Keal, 4 Derwent Cresc., Titirangi, Auckland 7, New Zealand.

     NORWAY

     OSLO
Mr. and Mrs. Klaus Bierman, Bakketoppen 10 A. 1165 Oslo 11. Phone: (0) 2 28783.

443

     SCOTLAND

     EDINBURGH
Mr. and Mrs. N. Laidlaw, 35 Swanspring Ave., Edinburgh EH 10-6NA. Phone: 0 31-445- 2377.

     GLASGOW
Mrs. J. Clarkson, Hillview, Balmore, Nr. Torrance, Glasgow. Phone: Balmore 262.

     SOUTH AFRICA

     Natal:

     DURBAN
Rev. James P. Cooper, 30 Perth Road, Westville 3630, Natal, Republic of South Africa. Phone: 011-27-31-821612.

     Transvaal:

     TRANSVAAL SOCIETY
Rev. Andrew Dibb, P. O. Box 816, Kelvin 2054, South Africa. Phone: (011) 804-2567.

Zululand:

     KENT MANOR
Rev. James Cooper, visiting pastor
Mrs. D. G. Liversage, Box 7088, Empangeni Rail, 3910, Natal, South Africa. Phone: 0351-23241.

     Mission in South Africa:
Rev. Andrew Dibb (address above)

     SWEDEN

     Jonkoping
Contact Rev. Bjorn A. H. Boyesen, Bruksater, Furusjo, S-566 00, Habo. Phone: 0392-203 95.

     Stockholm
Rev. Erik E. Sandstrom, visiting pastor, Bryn Athyn, PA 19009.
Contact Rev. Bjorn A. H. Boyesen at the above address.
CHARTER DAY 1989

1989

     (See page 398.)

     Banquet Tickets

     Tickets can be purchased by contacting Mrs. David Roscoe at the Academy switchboard, Academy of the New Church, P.O. Box 278, Bryn Athyn, PA 19009 (215-947-4200). Please order by Friday, October 13th. They can either be mailed (please send a self-addressed, stamped envelope) or held at the switchboard for pickup by 10:00 a.m. Friday.
     Tickets can also be purchased in Bryn Athyn at the Development Office in Pitcairn Hall, and the College Office in Pendleton Hall. Tickets will also be on sale in the society building before and after Friday Suppers in October.
     The banquet is Saturday, October 21st at 6:30 p.m. Ticket prices are: Adults $8.00 and Students $4.00. Tickets will be sold at the door, but if possible please purchase your tickets early.
     Checks should be made payable to the Academy of the New Church.

     Theta Alpha Luncheon Tickets

     Tickets for the Theta Alpha luncheon, preceding the annual meeting on Saturday, October 21st, must be purchased in advance no later than Monday, October 16th. This is to assure that no one will have to be turned away at the door. Tickets will be sold in the same fashion as the banquet tickets. Price is $4.00 for adults and students.

444

GROWTH OF THE MIND 1989

GROWTH OF THE MIND GEORGE DE CHARMS 1989

     Reprinted 1989

     Growth of the Mind is more than a description of children's behavior. One of its features is the division of the development of the mind into seven three-year stages paralleling the days of creation. We certainly claim no lineal descent from The Growth of the Mind for Jean Piaget's work which more recently put forth a similar stage theory for cognitive growth. Erik Erickson, beginning with a first stage of trust and mistrust, and famous for his description of the adolescent's identity crisis, also had a theory of stages. Still more recently Laurence Kohlberg, probing the way children make moral decisions, described the stages of moral development. And within the last few years James Fowler has become well known for his theory of the stages of faith in human development.
     In short, a whole school of developmental psychology has developed around the stage theory. The bench marks that all of these theorists use are remarkably consistent with those in The
Growth of the Mind. This is a strong confirmation.
     But what is particularly interesting about Bishop de Charms's work is that in contrast to the others, his stages are tied to and even drawn from the sequence of the stories in Scripture. His goal was to see in a human way what the Lord was trying to achieve with a child. If we can just glimpse this, then we can cooperate with Him. If we can see education as a step-by-step preparation for heaven, or preparation for freedom, we can then feel a sense of lasting meaning in the process. The nitty-gritty chores take on a new and rewarding perspective. We as parents and teachers can contribute our daily part to a process with eternal meaning.

     Hardcover postage paid $11.25

     General Church Book Center      Hours: Mon-Fri. 9-17
Box 278, Cairncrest                         or by appointment
Bryn Athyn, PA 19009                         Phone: (215) 947-3970

445

Notes on This Issue 1989

Vol. CIX October, 1989 No. 10
NEW CHURCH LIFE

446

     The sermon in this issue is one for the generations. It is a sermon to ponder. "What happens if the hearts of the one generation are not turned to the other? What happens if one set of perceptions feels threatened by another?" (See p. 449.) This is a sermon particularly suitable to be published for the attention of readers throughout the church.
     Project Library Check: We are glad to have some first responses from the September editorial on this subject. This effort is not intended to be comprehensive. It is an effort of small steps. The saying goes, "Better to light one candle than to curse the darkness." We are confident that in some areas the time spent visiting a single library will prove to be an inspiration. It is fascinating that our friends in the Washington, D.C. area have received "a number of calls" as a result of putting books in local libraries (see p. 475).
     The new Liturgy: We found some useful thoughts from fifty years ago about a liturgy (see p. 473). When will the new Liturgy of the General Church be published? This is a question that few people will venture to answer, but you can say that you read somewhere (in New Church Life to be specific) that it will probably be printed by May of 1990.
     Many of our readers were present at the graduation ceremonies in June and heard the excellent talk by Mr. Robert Merrell. It makes welcome reading in the present issue. Please remember that graduation ceremonies are available from the Sound Recording Committee, and with the various valedictories they make most interesting listening.
     The Boy Scouts of America now has an award particularly for New Church scouts. Getting a Boy Scout award specifically for the New Church is not a simple task. We have invited Mr. Robert Zecher to tell us in detail how this was accomplished (see p. 476).
     John Odey, who concludes his article on reincarnation, is from California. He has an article in the spring issue of Theta Alpha Journal.

     The August issue of the Brain/Mind Bulletin has a review of Emanuel Swedenborg, A Continuing Vision. The opening sentence is quite something. It reads as follows:
     Even at $75.00, Swedenborg, A Continuing Vision is the richest book for the dollar we have seen in 14 years of reviewing books for Brain/Mind Bulletin.

447

TURNING THE HEARTS OF THE FATHERS TO THE CHILDREN 1989

TURNING THE HEARTS OF THE FATHERS TO THE CHILDREN Rev. LOUIS D. SYNNESTVEDT 1989

      "And he will turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers, lets I come and strike the earth with a curse" (Malachi 4:6).

     A baby is born. The baby stretches with a newly discovered freedom as it exercises its little arms and legs. As it cries, we become aware of its helplessness and vulnerability to hurt. It closes its soft eyelids and sleeps, and we find ourselves in awe of the wonder of life. Almost without our realizing it, the Lord is creating a bond between parent and child through the states of innocence and peace that He sends through the angels present with all little ones. At this stage of life, what parent does not have hopes and dreams of a growing relationship and trust with his offspring in the years that lie ahead?
     There is, however, another side of the story. A new baby places stress upon a marriage and upon the parents' ability to cope. These little bundles of love need care, attention and more than a little extra work. The task of parenthood is not always easy through a baby's times of colic, teething and sickness. And in those first months and years there are new challenges. Somehow these little creatures begin to develop a will and temperament that is decidedly their own, different and separate from that of their moms and dads.
     There surely is a need for a Divine guide. He, after all, is our heavenly Father. He created us and fashioned us in His image and likeness. This gives us the ability to love as He loves, to become wise as He is wise, and to be creative as He has created us. Yet, our ability to reflect our Creator is always limited. While we possess the potential for blessings, we also have the potential to hurt and be hurt. Not all of us may be parents, but we are all children. And in order to benefit the most from our human condition and inner potential, we must respect the law of generation, that is, the Lord's command that the hearts of fathers be turned to their children, and the hearts of children to be turned to their fathers.
     "Children are an heritage of the Lord, and the fruit of the womb is His reward" (Psalm 127:3). This beautiful statement is often tested for the individual parent when the innocence of childhood recedes (see CL 398). Love is challenged when caring for a child becomes wearisome. Children grow up to be teenagers, who are often rebellious in their attitude if not in their actions. And teenagers grow into adults, who may not always show appreciation for the efforts that went into their caring and development over the years.

448

     "Honor your father and your mother that your days may be long upon the land which the Lord your God is giving you" (Exodus 2:12). This statement too is challenged when children, whether adolescent or adult, dwell upon the shortcomings of those who raised them. Parents are not always worthy of their children's honor, yet honor nevertheless is to be bestowed.
     Let us think of our text as a message from the Lord for healing wounds between generations and for our happiness in our relationships between parent and child.
     But there is a spiritual meaning to these words that takes us beyond the more obvious meaning. On a deeper level, we may be able to understand how the Lord works to bridge the gap, not only between generations but between ideals and visions of how best to accomplish uses and achieve commonly held goals.
     On the deeper level, offspring refers not to the flesh-and-blood children we are and may have, but to spiritual states of feeling and thought that are born. "Marvel not that I said to you, you must be born again, said the Lord to Nicodemus (John 3:7). This clearly refers to an inner sort of generation, a birth of love and faith that occurs within the spirit of a person who is willing to follow the Lord.
     Spiritual offspring are born to the Lord as Father, and the church as a nurturing womb where truths are received and allowed to bear fruit. Our reading from the work Conjugial Love contained the following: "The spiritual offspring which are born from the marriage of the Lord with the church are truths, from which are understanding, perception, and all thought and goods, from which are love, charity, and every affection" (CL 121).
     So let us again consider the words of our text: "And he will turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers, lest I come and strike the earth with a curse."
     Very powerfully these words convey the importance of flesh-and-blood parents and children being reconciled to one another in their hearts in order that peace might come to the society of men on this earth.
     Yet parents and children are more than just flesh-and-blood beings. They are spirit. And spirit is mind and heart-or what is the same thing, understanding and will. When there is a clashing between generations, it is not merely a clashing of the natural life, but a failure of spiritual life to become integrated and harmonized.
     Consider the thoughts, perceptions, affections and the manner in which charity is expressed with a generation of parents.

449

Such a spiritual life and setting is as a father to a similar kind of spiritual effect with the generation of children. Are the hearts of the fathers turned to the children, and the hearts of the children to the fathers?
     For example, our fathers in the New Church had the perception that the Word in its literal and spiritual sense is the Lord speaking to them. All truth and all answers are to be found in the Word that the Lord has revealed. This perception bore fruit in the lives of people who read the Sacred Scriptures and Heavenly Doctrines and gained from them light and wisdom for their lives.
     Another generation comes along. They have the perception that the Lord in His Providence has led others to grasp important truths without the direct benefit of the Word as it is revealed to the New Church. This perception has borne fruit in the lives of those who have had their horizons expanded from contact with humble and sincere people of other faiths. As well, there are those who have had their effectiveness in dealing with human relationships enhanced through insights gained in the field of psychology, for instance.
     What happens if the hearts of the one generation are not turned to the other? What happens if one set of perceptions feels threatened by another? Our text states the implicit result: the earth is smitten with a curse. The earth here refers to the church of the Lord on earth which will fail to receive blessings which the Lord is patiently preparing to impart. The real root of the curse is pride-the pride that subtly speaks in the mind of the generation of parents. "We saw and believed wonderful truths. We must not give up until we make our children see our way of thinking." Or else, "Our children simply do not see the light! We perhaps should just give up trying." And in the mind of the generation of children, the deceptive serpent of pride says, "We see truths that our parents are incapable of seeing. We cannot give in and accept the half-truths they are imposing upon us." You can see how the stage is set for misunderstanding, strife and the resulting alienation between father and son and between mother and daughter.
     In the example mentioned, the one generation may push for the idea that the Word alone is to be read when seeking truth or guidance. If you go elsewhere, you are necessarily turning your back upon the only real help there is. The implicit message is, "There is nothing of any real spiritual good anywhere else than in the New Church." Or, "We don't trust your ability to discern what is true or false if you leave the protective confines of the church's institutions and trusted doctrinal leaders." The curse is an imposed stumbling block before genuine inquiry and communication with others.

450

     The newer generation, in its pride, may be in fact pursuing its good to the exclusion of the good of the past. As one is searching the world over for truth, the revealed Word may be overlooked. Other philosophies may be embraced because of the truth they contain, and the Writings are searched only to confirm the notions gained from elsewhere. Implicit may be a rebellious spirit which says of the older generation, "What do we need them for? Do we not have everything we need on our own?"
     Old ideas and new ideas. Which ones are right? But that is the wrong question. Rather we should ask, How do ideas old and new fit together?
     The old idea was that the father is the head of the household. The new idea is that fathers can be directly involved in the parenting of young children. Which idea is right? If we feel the old one is wrong, we may be giving up the important leadership role fathers and husbands are meant to have. If the second one is wrong, then fathers may not only be putting an undue burden on their wives in raising their children, but the fathers may miss out on the communication of innocence the Lord would give them through their babies and young children. The challenge for us is not to decide which view is right, but how to blend together these differing views of fatherhood.
     The old idea was to discipline your children in the virtues of orderly behavior and respect for elders. The new idea is to promote self-expression and individuality. How easy it is for those with a disciplined approach to life to impose that discipline upon children at the expense of honest feelings and discovering who a child really is. On the other hand, in pursuit of what one perceives as a failing of the past, how easy it is to go to the other extreme and fail to place self-control and manners very high on the parenting priority list. The greater challenge, as well as the greater blessing, is to bring both concepts into the active, working process of raising your children.
     Turning the hearts of fathers and children to one another involves mutual respect, not only of the persons involved, but also the ideas, values and loves that may tend to characterize one generation from another. But as we are talking about the realm of the spiritual offspring of perceptions and affections that need to be harmonized, we need not confine the discussion to the generations as we think of them. For one thing, not all of one generation think the same way. Rather, we may focus upon what is the relationship between any new idea with the old ones in which it is surrounded. Any person, old or young, can receive new insights from the Lord as a result of his or her spiritual growth. How will these new ideas be received in the individual's own mind? How will it be received by others within the church family?

451

     Do old ideas alone receive attention and rule the day? Are new ideas like the proverbial little children who are to be seen and not heard? In other words, "Let us see your new idea but don't think you are going to get anywhere with it." On the other hand, do we find ourselves in such a negative spirit that we seek every opportunity to expose the tried and true to ridicule, embracing every new idea that comes along as the fickle chase after their fads?
     Friends, let us turn the hearts of the fathers to the children. Think of how the following teaching applies to new ideas, new ways of doing things that have promise of helping the neighbor: Jesus said, "If a son asks for bread from any father among you, will he give him a stone?. . .Or if he asks for an egg, will he offer him a scorpion?" (Luke 11:11, 12). Yes, this teaching tells fathers how to provide for their children's needs. But yes, it also applies to nurturing along new perceptions, new insights into the life of charity we strive for in our human relationships. If a son, meaning a budding new concept, desires the food of motivating love, will we fail to see that need by supplying it with the hard stone of faith in our old way of doing things? Or if a deep urging to perform a useful work is asking for an egg of a new state of spiritual growth, will we offer instead the scorpion of preconceived opinion that is sure to kill any newly emerging life or endeavor? (See AR 428.)
     "Let the little children come to Me and forbid them not" is an admonition that applies to any state of innocence-of willingness to be led by the Lord (Matt. 19:14). It applies whether that tender state is found in a child, in a friend, in a group of individuals who are working toward a common goal, or even when such a state is born in your own mind.
     Let us open our minds to innocence in all its forms as we find it in others and in ourselves. And let us look to our spiritual heritage, holding fast to those spiritual values that do not change but which make possible all genuine growth and progress. Attempting to harmonize old and new can be as rewarding and, at the same time, as challenging as caring for the babies which the Lord sends us. So let us ever be mindful of these words that close the Old Testament and provide a bonding link with the New Testament and the Lord's coming. May these words ever serve as the Lord's reminder for us to hold onto the past while nurturing the adventure into the future.
     "And he will turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers, lest I come and strike the earth with a curse" (Malachi 4:6). Amen.

     Lessons: I Kings 12:1-15; Matt. 10:3442; CL 120, 121

452

CHOOSE JOY 1989

CHOOSE JOY ROBERT D. MERRELL 1989

     Academy Commencement Address, 1989

     Chancellor King, President Childs, members of the corporation and faculties, honored graduates, and other friends of the Academy.
     Today is a day of great joy for most of these graduates, and for me too. It might be tinged with sadness because of the coming separation from the close friends that most students share, and maybe a little fear about new directions coming up, such as more school or a new job. But generally there is unabashed joy. And this is wonderful because, as we just heard from John 15:11, the Lord came on earth so that we might have joy, and have it fully.
     One large contributor to our joy today is that so many caring people have come here to honor these graduates and this great school.
     But what is joy? Webster says that joy is an emotion of gladness or happiness, but I like what the Lord tells us in Arcana 4459:5, that "heavenly joy is to love the neighbor more than ourselves, and the Lord above all . . .," and in Conjugial Love 5:3, He tells us, "heavenly joy is the delight of doing something which is of use to oneself and to others." I guess I believe that the Lord created us to experience joy, and His joy comes from feeling our joy as His own. Please notice that we are encouraged by the Lord to do useful things, not only for others but for ourselves too.
     I believe that the Lord enables us and encourages us to choose to enjoy ourselves. And He especially fills us with delightful feelings when we are of service to others, and feel their delight as our own.
     Reflect for a minute on some of your own past joys. Perhaps it was just sitting around talking and laughing. There is something delicious about being with our close friends, even when it is only by phone. Sometimes joy results from an opportunity to do something thoughtful for an old person or a sick friend. Maybe it was just some really hard work and the delight was in getting it done and feeling that it was well done. How about being with little children, or holding a new baby? We all know about joys. So why don't we all just stay joyful?
     Let me tell you a little sad story. There was this boy who grew up in a family of girls. His father was very strict, and it sometimes seemed to him even cruel. He had no brothers and no friends. He struggled through school and became an engineer. He got married to a nice girl and had many children. At work he had some success and became pretty powerful.

453

He gradually became sick, and through no fault of his own he began to lose power and influence. Meanwhile, at home his children began having many major problems, and his wife became increasingly distant. This story gets so sad that I won't tell you any more.
     Now let me tell you a short and much happier story. There was this boy who grew up in a very happy home. He had many sisters who loved him and he loved them. His father did the best he could and taught him how to love work and feel the pleasures of accomplishment. While he had no brothers, he enjoyed his sisters, and he gathered playmates from all over his neighborhood. He was not a great student in high school because he was too busy having a good time, but by college he took it more seriously and did very well. He married a very fine girl and had six children whom he loved very much. He found a good job and had a very exciting career. When he became ill, he grew through the experience and became a gentler and more understanding person, and maybe even learned some humility. This story probably continues about many wonderful grandchildren and a beautiful retirement, but I don't know yet.
     As most of you have already guessed, both of these stories are my own, and at times one or the other feels true. I prefer the latter.
     But why do so many of us have two stories running around in our heads?
     As Scott Peck wrote as the first line of his book The Road Less Traveled, "Life is difficult." He goes on to point out that once we grasp this truth, we can transcend it and instead choose a useful, happier life.
     I have a very cheerful friend whom I asked one day, "Jack, why are you always happy?" He replied, "I had a bad day once and really didn't like it so I gave it up."
     This silly statement had a lot more wisdom in it than I thought at the time. It is such a nice illustration of the fact that we have the opportunity to choose our response to life's events.
     The expectation that life is without pain is what gets us in trouble.
     We can easily go along thinking we are living an orderly life according to the Lord's Word, then suddenly-difficulty!
     Someone we love dies, a child is seriously ill, we lose a job, or our marriage feels that the love has disappeared. Now we are talking serious difficulty. We can easily feel betrayed by the Lord. After all, we were living according to His will, and then this awful thing happened. (And some of these things can feel like forever.) Imagine a young couple not too long married having a deformed baby! Even the best of us must think, "Why me?" The prospect of caring for this needy child for many, many years can seem overwhelming at first.

454

     But it is amazing how the Lord supports us through our friends at times like that. After some pain, followed by some gradual growth, we can learn that we choose our response to circumstances.
     We find that the bad thing is not out there but in here. It is our response that makes it bad or good. It is how we feel about it.
     When I honor and value my wife, I feel honored and valued by her and vice versa. Also my children-clearly the worst relationships I have ever had with my own children occurred when I dishonored them and showed them that I did not value them.
     The same applies at work or in the community.
     My point is that I condition my own environment by the choices I make. But the Lord came that I might have joy!
     Every day we can invite the Lord to speak to us as we read His Word and pray for a knowledge of His will for us.
     Right about here my wife suggested that I forget the speech and just sing, "Don't Worry, Be Happy!"
     I wouldn't want to be accused of giving graduates advice, so I will only share a short list of things that have given me real joy in my life.

1)      A day with my family at San Diego Wild Animal Park
2)      Loving and honoring my wife
3)      Loving and honoring my children. In short, feeling their pain as my pain and their joy as my joy.
4)      Giving loving support to my friends and receiving it too
5)      Working hard and feeling as though I accomplished something
6)      Worship, especially with little children around me singing
7)      Reading the Word and understanding any of it
8)      Serving the church, especially personal support to our ministers. (After all, who ministers to them?)
9)      Listening to music
10)      Seeing these wonderful graduates
11)      Being asked to speak today
12)      Coming to the end of this speech. (That's one you can share.)

455

REINCARNATION 1989

REINCARNATION JOHN W. ODEY 1989

     Part II

     If we choose good, no matter how small its seed, spiritual growth begins. And the wonderful thing about this regenerative process, which Jesus referred to as being "born anew" when He talked to Nicodemus, is that it never really ends. If on the other hand we choose evil and persist in that choice, we must continue to suffer the disorder inherent in it. But we pay that debt, if not here on earth, then in the spiritual world after death, not in other earth-lives.
     Actually, the specific application, on a personal basis, of the belief that our present condition is the result of something we did in a previous life becomes so tangled in confusion, uncertainty, and speculation that it becomes an impossible task. What good does it do to believe, for example, that I was born deformed because of some sin I had committed in my previous incarnation unless I can know, and know beyond all doubt, exactly what it was? Unless I can know that, how in the world can I ever repent of the evil responsible for that sin? And if perchance I die soon after birth because of that deformity, must I be born back into the world again so that I can correct the problem I never had a chance to correct in my previous incarnation? How unreasonable can we get?
     Did you ever experience going to a place you knew you had never visited before and seemed to be entirely familiar with it, just as if you had actually been there? Varieties of this sort of thing, whether experienced consciously or in a hypnotic state, are considered strong evidence of reincarnation. There are even cases of individuals who seemingly "regress" to the point of taking on the mind and personality of someone known to have lived before, being able to recount events and incidents impossible to know except through direct witness or personal participation. To the reincarnationist, this kind of thing involves actual recall of past lives, and it is considered almost incontrovertible evidence of the truth of reincarnation.
     It is nothing of the sort. All such things, of whatever kind, are actually only various aspects and phenomena of the tremendously complex interplay and interaction that constantly goes on between our own mind and the invisible spiritual world our mind inmostly touches and actually inhabits. The spiritual world is not "far away" somewhere. It is in us and around us. The only reason we usually do not see into that world is that ordinarily the "senses of the spirit" are not consciously opened to that degree.

456

But influx from that world into our own mind continuously goes on even though we do not realize it.
     There is really only one thought-world (or spiritual universe if you prefer), and we all share that world in common. Its differences are simply differences of state, since time and space, as we know them in the natural world, do not exist there.
     The extensive and complex intercommunication which takes place throughout the spiritual world is a mind-to-mind relationship, and it involves both those in the spiritual world and those in the natural world alike-all of us.
     It is because we all share a common thought-world that we can experience such things as telepathy, clairvoyance, and other psychic phenomena. It is because of this, too, that we can experience the inner mental presence of someone, of our own or another era, so acutely and so intimately that to all intents and purposes the mind and personality of that other person becomes our own.
     There is a brief reference to this kind of thing in Swedenborg's Heaven and Hell. With reference to one aspect of the speech of angels and spirits with man, he writes: "An angel or spirit is not permitted to speak with a man from his own memory, but from the man's memory; for angels and spirits have a memory as well as man. If a spirit were to speak from his own memory with a man, the man would not know otherwise than that the thoughts then in his mind were his own, although they were the spirit's thoughts. This would be like the recollection of something which the man had never seen or heard. That this is so has been given me to know from experience. This is the source of the belief held by some of the ancients that after some thousands of years they were to return into their former life, and into everything they had done, and in fact had returned. This they concluded because at times there came to them a sort of recollection of things that they had never seen or heard. This came from an influx from the memory of spirits into their ideas of thought" (n. 256).
     But regardless of the exact nature of the phenomena in question, it all has to do with varieties of spiritual influx-varieties in the interaction of one state with another, and thus with the mind-to-mind relationship we have been talking about. In the world of the spirit it is state-spiritual state-that rules. In that world it is similarity or dissimilarity of state which determines presence or absence, nearness or farness, connection or disconnection, between people, and this not only between people in the spiritual world itself but between people in the spiritual world and people in the natural world.

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     One of the most important teachings of the New Church is that the natural is derived from the spiritual. Everything in the natural world has its counterpart in the spiritual. Natural energy is thus spiritual energy, natural substance spiritual substance, natural form spiritual form, and so on, on a lower plane.
     Closely connected with this is the fact that the outward phenomena of the spiritual world, from which the phenomena of the natural world are derived, are actually externalizations of the state, the basic mentality, of those who are there. That is why, for example, there can be a spiritual London (or any other place, of course) as well as a natural London. Londoners take their mentality along with them when they pass into the spiritual world; the spiritual London they live in is that mentality in outward form. As long as the mentality lasts, so does the spiritual location, regardless of earth-time.
     We have all had the experience of feeling especially "at home" in certain places and not in others. There is nothing mysterious about this. It simply is due to a likeness or unlikeness between our own state and the state of people living in those places or associated with them in some way on the "other side."
     Time and space, of course, are not factors, since we are talking about the world of the spirit. We may never have actually been to London, for example, but if we are closely connected mentally and emotionally with Londoners in the spiritual world, we will feel very much at home should we actually visit it (and we may very well find ourselves living in the spiritual London after we pass on!).
     We can experience this kind of thing even if the earthly place no longer exists. If it still exists in the spiritual world because of the continuing mentality of those who lived in that place on earth. we can feel a special closeness to, even familiarity with, the place that was once there if we share inwardly that mentality.
     Knowing the exact location of things in some place we have not been to before is simply an intensification of this whole process. It is a mind-to-mind communication between our own mind and the mind of someone in the spiritual world who once actually lived there or had firsthand knowledge about it for some other reason. This knowledge seems to originate in ourselves but it doesn't. It originates in the mind of someone who is spiritually close to us but whose presence we are not aware of.
     Yes, we can indeed recall past lives, but only someone else's, never our own. (We never had any.) The knowledge relative to such past lives flows into our own mind by a kind of telepathy, although it seems to be entirely our own.

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When we experience such things, it is only evidence that we are very much in tune with the spiritual world we inwardly inhabit. Mentally we are simply communicating with someone else.
     With all due respect to those who honestly and sincerely believe in it, reincarnation is simply not true. It is not in accord with what we are as human beings, nor with our relationship with God. It is not in accord with what we now know, through the writings of the New Church, about the spiritual world, and our own relationship with it. It is not in accord with the principles of spiritual growth as they apply to reformation and regeneration.
     And let us never have any doubt whatever with regard to the ends of Divine justice, or the realization of personal fulfillment and growth. Both can be and are much better served in the spiritual world, if they cannot be in the natural world, than they ever could be in a long succession of earth-lives!
     The spiritual world we all enter after death is the starting-point of a never-ending existence unfettered and unobstructed by any kind of limitation other than that which we might make for ourselves. What we make of that existence is entirely up to us. Certainly the opportunity to change is never taken away. And just as certainly, all heaven becomes our support in any effort we might make to become better men and women.
     In that larger human form which the spiritual world is we all have a place. We all have a function. And that place, that function, is our highest happiness. It is a happiness which can never be measured by someone else's happiness. Nor can it be measured by what someone else thinks our own happiness should be. It is just ours and that is enough. For us personally the cup is full.
LIKE THE STEPS OF A LADDER 1989

LIKE THE STEPS OF A LADDER DAVID F. GLADISH 1989

People are showing an interest in twelve-step programs in overcoming various problems. In the May issue of 1988 Rev. Michael Cowley commented on n. 36 of Divine Providence which mentions twelve steps.
I was struck with the concept of steps when rendering a number from the Arcana in preparing a rewrite of the Clowes Commentary on John. At John 1:51number 3701 is quoted. The number concludes with reference to the steps of a ladder. Perhaps as we read this number we see something of the spiritual reason why those practical programs work.

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     Consider the following (my translation):

     Hereafter you shall see heaven open, and the angels of` God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man (John 1:51).

     "The angels of God ascending and descending" is a reference to infinite and perpetual communication, and therefore a union. It means that there is ascent from the lowest levels and then, when the sequence is reversed, descent. This is apparent from the fact that "angels" means something of the Lord's divinity. This is what they stand for when mentioned in the Word. In the present case, they stand for divine truth, since they are called angels of God. The term God is used when the internal sense is about truth, but the term Jehovah is used when it is about good. . . .
     Without more explanation it is clear that ascending and descending, in the highest sense, refers to infinite and perpetual communication (but AC 3539, 3548 and 3556 explain about ascent and descent).
     But the church is unacquainted with this process, which is the process of a person's regeneration, and which is described here in the internal sense. I can explain more about it.
     We know that people are born with the characteristics of their parents, grandparents and also great-grandparents from the distant past. Thus a person inherits the evils that all his ancestors have accumulated, one by one, so that on his own he is nothing but evil. As a consequence, he is in ruins, so far as both his understanding and his will are concerned. On his own he wants nothing to do with goodness, so he understands nothing about truth. What he calls good-in fact, what he thinks is good-is evil, and what he calls truth-in fact, what he believes is truth-is false: like loving himself more than others, wanting better things for himself than for others, wanting someone else's property, and living just for himself, not for others except when it suits him. He calls these things good and also true because in himself he wants them. Moreover, if anyone crosses him, or tries to cross him, in regard to those good things and truths, as he calls them, he hates the person, seeks revenge and wants him destroyed. He tries to do this and takes pleasure in doing it. So he confirms himself in those things through action the more frequently he does them.
     When a person like this enters the other life, he is prompted by the same desires, since the characteristics that he took on through his life's activities in the world remain, and his delight is obvious. Therefore, he cannot live in any heavenly community, where all the people instinctively favor others more than themselves, but he lives in a hellish community that is governed by a delight like his own.

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     This makeup is what needs to be eradicated during a person's life in the world, which can only be accomplished through regeneration by the Lord-that is, by accepting a completely different will and from it a different ability to understand; in other words, by becoming new in both will and understanding. But to do this he first needs to be reborn, like a baby. He has to learn what is evil and false and also what is good and true. For without knowing the facts he cannot absorb any good, because as he is, he accepts only evil as good and only untruth as truth.
     With this end in view, knowledge is fed into him that is not totally opposite to what he knew before, such as the facts that all love starts out from himself, that he should first be good to himself and then to others, that he should be good to people who outwardly seem poor and unfortunate whatever they are like inside, that he should also be good to widows and orphans because they are widows and orphans, and, ultimately, to all enemies, whoever they are. He learns that in this way he can be worthy of heaven. Concepts like these belong to the infancy of his new life. In some ways they are part of his former life, or bear the stamp of his former life, but they also derive partly from his new life, so they introduce him to this new life. Thus they are concepts compatible with things that lead to the formation of a new will and a new way of understanding.
     These are the lowest forms of good and truth, where regenerating people begin. Since these forms of good and truth are compatible with deeper forms of good and truth, or forms nearer to divine truths, they also serve to root out the false concepts that the regenerating people used to think were true.
     But people who are regenerating do not just learn these things as facts; they learn them as a way of life, for they act on these truths. They act on these truths due to their new will, which the Lord puts into them without their even knowing it. To the extent that they draw on that new will, they also draw on these things that they know. They put them into action and they believe. But to the extent that they do not draw on their new will, they can learn about these things yet not put them into action, because to that extent they are just studying the facts, not how to live them.
     This state is the infancy and childhood of a new life. In the adolescence and young adulthood of a new life, a person is not concerned with what someone seems to be outwardly; he is concerned with the goodness in him-first in civil life, then in moral life, and ultimately in spiritual life. Then the person begins to put goodness first and love it, and he loves someone for goodness. Finally, when he is still more complete, he makes an effort to be good to those who have goodness, in keeping with the kind of goodness that they have.

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Eventually he takes pleasure in being good to them because he finds pleasure in goodness, and also satisfaction in things that reinforce goodness. He accepts these reinforcements as truths, and they are truths-truths of his new way of understanding. They flow from the good qualities of his new will.
To just the extent that he takes pleasure in the goodness and finds those truths pleasant, he feels displeasure in the evil qualities of his former life, and finds its false concepts unsatisfying. So the qualities of his former will and of his former way of understanding are now separated from things in his new way of understanding. This is not governed by his response to knowing those things but by his response to doing them. So he now sees that the truths of his childhood were upside-down by comparison and are gradually being reorganized-reclassified-so that the ones that used to be first now come later. So the "angels of God" ascended as if by stairs from earth to heaven in the truths of his infancy and childhood, but afterwards the "angels of God" descended as if by stairs from heaven to earth in the truths that come with his adulthood. (Arcana Coelestia 3701)
NCL 100 YEARS AGO 1989

NCL 100 YEARS AGO 1989

A writer in the October issue of 1889 identifies a phenomenon which perplexes him. There are New Church people who have a constant urge to find fault with the Writings! He says he can understand the faultfinding if it comes from those outside the church, but he is totally bewildered by the inclination of some so-called Swedenborgians to seek out difficulties in the Writings. He finds it "most perplexing" to find New Church writers who "seem to seize every chance to find some flaw in or some fault with those doctrines without which there could be no New Church." He is all the more perplexed to find that some are unwilling to be shown that what they thought were flaws were not so in reality.
One is reminded of a saying in the Arcana Caelestia about people who doubt and say they need proof. Even if the proof were given "thousands of objections would flow in" (AC 1886 preface). It sometimes seems to be a matter of temperament. Some people are vulnerable to doubts and misgivings. Another passage says: "Once when I was thinking of the influx of life from the Lord and was revolving some doubts, it flowed in from heaven that no attention should be paid to thousands of objections and reasonings from fallacies" (AC 6469).

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HISTORY OF THE BOSTON CIRCLE OF THE GENERAL CHURCH OF THE NEW JERUSALEM 1989

     A Paper by Nadia Williams on the Evening Preceding the Sunday April 9, 1989 Dedication of the Sudbury, Massachusetts, Church

     This paper is full of the names of individuals. I felt it important to recognize each of them since the real church is in the heart and mind of each person. Without individual devotion to the Lord, there would be no church on earth. Sharing what is in our hearts and minds with those who also believe furthers individual growth. Listening to those who differ from us enriches our perception and strengthens belief. These two processes, sharing and listening, coupled with working out a way we can be useful to each other and to others, are the group function of our gatherings. For continuity of our joint endeavors we rely heavily on our minister and our parent organization, the General Church.
     The history which I am about to recall to you is thus interlaced with the names of devoted individuals, caring pastors, and mention of the support of our parent body, represented today in the presence of our Bishop.

Boston Circle of the General Church of the New Jerusalem

     The General Church presence in the Massachusetts area began in 1908, eighty-one years ago. The devoted efforts of our New Church families are primarily responsible for keeping the church presence here alive for its first sixty years. These families were: the Freemans, the Furrys, Helen Colley Scrimshaw, and the Frosts.

     FIRST PERIOD (63 Years)

     The Abington Congregation

     The Sharon-Foxboro-Mansfield Group

     Abington. On April 6, 1908, ten members, including the pastor and his wife, resigned from the New Jerusalem Church (Convention) in Abington, Massachusetts, to form their own new group. Rev. Thomas Stark Harris had been the pastor for eight years. His congregation had grown as he tried during his pastorate to make his church a popular social church for the community. In recent years, however, he had become convinced that the Writings must be given more "authority" and needed to be preached more vigorously. As a result of this, he saw members leave and others put pressure on him to stop this doctrinaire approach. A faithful few agreed with him.

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     The ten whose resignations were accepted were: John Dingley McKenny (Dorothy Freeman's grandfather), Burton Reed Freeman and Emma Anna Freeman (Dorothy's parents), Thomas Stark Harris and Eva Maria Harris, Susan Brown Robbins, Mary Rebekah Cox, Ida Harriet McKenney (Dorothy's aunt), Mrs. Alice Caroline Caldwell, Mrs. Mary Churchill Lemon.
     The following Sunday, April 12, the group held its first service at the Abington parsonage of Mr. Harris. Twenty persons attended the morning service, and another service was held that evening.
     On April 15th the group had its first visit from a member of the General Church, Mr. Seymour Nelson from Glenview, Illinois, in town on business. (He may have been the treasurer or member of the board of the General Church at that time.)
     His visit was followed by one on May 9th by Rev. W. H. Alden from Bryn Athyn, who preached for two Sundays, mornings and evenings. During his visit, applications for membership in the General Church were signed by all those who had resigned, except Mrs. Lemon who changed her mind. (Subsequently Miss Ellen Elizabeth Taylor, Mrs. Irene Shaw Hollis, and Gracie Mae Leach signed applications.)
     Their signatures on the application forms would make the Abington people individual members. Then, as a group they could ask to become a legal part of the parent body with a minister, provided Mr. Harris could continue as their minister. He would be asked to attend theological classes and meetings at the General Church center in Bryn Athyn.
     At the time of Mr. Alden's visit the group was holding services Sundays and weekday evenings in a front room dedicated solely to church uses at the home of Miss Ida McKenney, since the pastor had moved from his former parsonage to another house.
     Two months later, July 19, Mr. Alden came again with Miss Rita Buell and Mr. and Mrs. Raymond Cranch.
     Rev. William H. Alden was a good choice as an ambassador to the group. He had grown up in Bridgewater, Massachusetts, where his Alden family was part of the Bridgewater Convention New Church. He graduated from the Convention theological school, and was appointed to be assistant pastor at the 22nd Street church in Philadelphia, in charge of the book publishing. He was known to Mr. Harris and many of the resigning members. After seventeen years in the ministry he had begun to see the General Church view of the doctrines. He talked of his new stance and made friends with people in Bryn Athyn. As a result, in 1906, he was asked to give up his Convention job and moved with his family to Bryn Athyn. He reported his investigative visit as follows:

464

This movement is unprecedented in the history of the church in New England, where, until now, the Academy has made no visible impression. The leaders in New England do not yet believe it. One of them said to me on the occasion of my recent visit, "There are no Academy people in Abington. My dear Mr. Alden, you know New England. You know that the thing is impossible. The situation is entirely personal. Mr. Harris found that he could no longer find work in the Convention and so has taken up the General Church. Those who go with him are his personal friends: that is all. As soon as they find out what the Academy is, they will no longer desire to be connected with it. . . ." But personal experience has shown that this estimate is entirely wrong, and that the friends in Abington, in joining the General Church, have acted according to rational conviction (NCL 1908, p. 488).

     Another visiting minister that first year was Rev. Richard H. Keep from Atlanta, Georgia.
     Seven years later, in 1915, Mr, Harris and his family moved to Arbutus, Maryland, when he became pastor of the General Church society there, but he maintained his connection with the Abington Group for the rest of his life.
     Back in Abington, Massachusetts, in 1908, regular services continued to be held at the church center for the new group, the front room in Miss Ida McKenney's home at 29 Orange Street. She lived on the first floor, and her sister's family, the Burton Freemans, lived upstairs.
     They installed an organ and arranged the room for church services. It was dedicated May 17, 1908, and was never used for other than church purposes for the next thirty years. After Mr. Harris left, lay services were conducted here faithfully every Sunday, even if it was only the Freeman family. Mr. Freeman played the organ, and he and his wife Emma Anna took turns reading the lessons and sermons sent by the General Church from Mildred Pitcairn. A Sunday School was held for the Freeman, Caldwell and Harris children conducted by Mary Cox and the young Gracie Leach (who also wrote the congregation reports to New Church Life over the years).
     Every year after 1916, when Mr. Harris moved south, he returned to give summer services. They had a Friday supper and class, and another weekday class or two. Other isolated General Church members from a wider geographical area made a point of attending the gatherings. On his trip north Mr. Harris also visited a group in Meriden, Connecticut, and made summer trips to others in New England and Canada. During the thirty-two-year Abington period, there were also visits from other General Church ministers: Bishop W. F. Pendleton in 1910, Rev. Gustaf Baeckstrom in 1914, and some theological students at other times.

465

     When Burton Freeman died in 1938, Rev. Homer Synnestvedt came to Abington to conduct his funeral. Freeman's wife Emma died a few years later, and also Miss Ida, Dorothy Freeman's brothers by that time had moved to other cities. One brother, Donald, had married and moved to Bryn Athyn (where he was in charge of maintenance at the school). The Freeman house was sold. There were no more Abington services although the elderly Mr. Harris kept in touch with the seven individuals by correspondence until his death in 1940.
     The next fourteen years (1941-1954) comprised a hiatus when no General Church services were held in Massachusetts.

     Sharon, Foxboro, Mansfield

     Sharon. A new center for General Church activity began when the W. Harry Furry family, formerly members of the General Church Philadelphia Advent Society, moved north to Sharon after Mr. Furry took a job with the Foxboro Company (a Honeywell competitor). Helen Colley Scrimshaw, living in Quincy, Mass., got in touch with them.
     The New Church Life reports that in July 1954 a group of people from eastern Massachusetts met in Sharon. They read a sermon by Rev. Harold Cranch, discussed it, sang hymns and chants for fun, and had dinner together. Mrs. Gracie Tupper (formerly Gracie Leach) concludes the report, "Mere words cannot express our joy in meeting together, and we hope to continue our new friendships with subsequent meetings" (NCL Oct. 1954).
     The group met again with Rev. David Simons present, and voted to form the Sharon Group, electing a treasurer and secretary. "Who can guess [reported the chronicler] what may develop from this small group meeting first on July 23, 1953?" (NCL Dec. 1954).
     Gracie Tupper let Dorothy Freeman know of the new group, and soon the two of them were driving the twenty or so miles to participate.

     Foxboro. Two other New Church families moved to the Foxboro area. Mr. Furry heard of young David Frost's inventive talents and lured him to work for his company. David, a recent graduate of Stephens Institute, was living in New Jersey with his wife, Babs Simons, and they moved to Mansfield. This triggered the retirement plans of David's parents, Francis and Elsie Frost. They too were living in New Jersey. Elsie's father, Rev. Thomas S. Harris, who had lived with them for many years, had died in 1940.

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Why shouldn't the parent Frosts consider for their retirement years living in their ancestral homeland, near their oncoming grandchildren?
     Francis was the son of a Convention minister, Rev. Albion F. Frost, who had held New Church pastorates in Detroit and Chicago. His mother, Rosalie Matilda Laible Frost, had been a member of Mr. Harris' group in 1908, coming over from nearby Bridgewater. She also had Richardson ancestors, who built the oldest seventeenth-century house in Mansfield. As a widow, she brought Francis up in Bryn Athyn, where she worked for their support in the book room until her death in 1920.
     The Frosts bought their new home in Foxboro, and the Furrys found another house in East Foxboro, while the Furry son Bob and his wife Lois started housekeeping in Mansfield near the David Frosts, a good nucleus for a continuing group. For sixteen years (1954-1970) the Furry and Frost families kept up services in their homes, weekly with their families and about five times a year with a larger group when Rev. Cairns Henderson became a regular visiting minister. He was succeeded by Rev. Messrs. Robert Junge, David Simons and Kenneth Stroh.
     By this time there were a number of young people, graduates of the Academy schools, living in the Boston area, some with children. They were contacted by the Frosts and swelled the group to over eighteen: Hans and Inga Synnestvedt, Gerry and Charlotte Klein, Frank and Lois Palmer, Nanette de Maine, Tom and Nadia Williams, Harry and Betty Budlong, Hannah Grover. Others from nearby Rhode Island and Connecticut came on occasions, Mrs. Ralph Fitzpatrick (Marie Lou Synnestvedt), the Claeres, and the Alan Soderbergs.
     When in 1970 Rev. Lorentz Soneson was made pastor to the newly created Northeast District, he made his residence in Connecticut, and it was now possible to have Massachusetts services on a regular ten-times-a-year basis.

     Mansfield. The group looked for a place to rent. A lovely little wooden Gothic Convention church no longer used in Mansfield was offered them. They held two services there, but felt they could not afford to take over the expenses and maintenance required. Mr. Furry found that as a member he could obtain the upper hall and downstairs social room in the Mansfield Masonic Temple (not used on Sundays). Its rental fit the group's budget. Here they met regularly for over two years, and even hosted in 1965 a two-day joint assembly with Connecticut in a nearby community church at which Bishop Willard D. Pendleton gave the principal address.

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     SECOND PERIOD (17 Years)

     Newtonville, Boston, Wayland, Sudbury

     Newtonville. In 1971 a head count showed many more families living north and west of the Boston area than in southern Foxboro. The Synnestvedts were able to arrange for the once-a-month rental of the Newtonville Convention church beginning in the fall, since Newtonville members had dwindled and, like us, they did not have weekly services. More individuals in the Boston environs could now attend. New faces seen at these Newtonville gatherings were: Jonathan and Hannah Cranch, Bob and Charis Dike, Richard and Ruth Lufkin, Malcolm and Wendy Cronlund, Christopher and Joan Lynch, Cynthia Lynch, Doug and Diana Petersen, Joel and Wendy Hoo, Holland and Sylvia Shaw, Walter and Lit Childs, Geoffrey and Marie Meyers, Sarah Acton, Wendel and Gwen Barnett, Richard Gardam and his wife and mother, Zoe Iungerich, and a number of college students. Bob and Muriel Genzlinger came down from Maine regularly, and hosted the first four Pine Needle camps at their place, 1972-1975. At the start Harry Furry played the organ, succeeded by Zoe Iungerich, then a paid professional.
     During the Newtonville period the Massachusetts Group felt strong enough to sponsor a two-day New England District Assembly, held in a Framingham motel, May 1974, with a banquet at the Boston Convention church. The assistant bishop, Louis B. King, and our pastor, Mr. Soneson, presided. Both the Convention ministers, McCurdy and Woofenden, gave meeting talks. This was the first time I met Grant Odhner, an ANC college student who joined his brothers, sisters and parents coming from their New York State home.
     In 1976 our group participated in the first Junior Pine Needle summer camp for children, hosted by the Connecticut Group at the Brian Simons home. In subsequent years the Massachusetts Group provided helpers at the camp.
     While doctrinal classes in Newtonville were held, at first, on Sunday afternoons (following a brown bag lunch as had been our custom in Mansfield, or phoning for Kentucky fried chicken), the growing number of restless infants forced a shift to classes in the homes.
     Within a year or so, parents felt anxiety that the crowded facilities in the downstairs Newtonville annex used for nursery and children's classes was not appropriate. The classes were held in the pantry and kitchen and the little ones crawled in a drafty social room on a bare wooden floor.
     Rev. George McCurdy, pastor of the Boston Convention Church, who had been attending some of our doctrinal classes and preached for the group on one occasion, was aware of the Newtonville annex limitations.

468

The Boston church had held one of its Swedenborg birthday celebrations there during our tenure. They had invited Inga Rosenquist Synnestvedt, the one Lord's New Church member of our congregation, to give the principal talk. The Boston church had for many years used this occasion for a time to invite participation with the other Massachusetts Convention churches, and also to share the Swedenborg birthday celebration with sister New Churches. Rev. Messrs. Theodore Pitcairn and Philip Odhner had given talks in the past and some of us had attended.
     Mr. McCurdy discussed our Newtonville annex difficulties with the Boston church council and members. As a consequence, they generously invited us in October 1977 to use their chapel, well-equipped nursery, classrooms, social hall, and professional organist on Sunday afternoons for our monthly gatherings. This led in a few months to their offer of joint weekly services Sunday mornings, suggesting we combine our two Sunday Schools and share committee work. Two of the General Church families with children (the Synnestvedts and Cronlunds) had for a year or so been attending the Boston church on the intervening weeks when there was no Newtonville service. An active Sunday School was taught by Lois McCurdy and some Academy student helpers at the church. Mrs. McCurdy also directed a two-week New Church summer camp for young people at Blairhaven in Duxbury, assisted by theological students.

     Boston. When we joined forces with our kind hosts, more new General Church members and their children were among us: Laird and Freya Pendleton, Gordon and Jill Prichett, Terry and Eileen Glenn, Richard and Elsa Stroh, Scott and Dolores Barry, Beki Budlong. Dennis and Linda Heaton joined us. On occasion the families of Donald and Kerry Woodworth, Frank and Marcia Kennedy, and the Donald Cronlunds came up from Cape Cod. Some new college students attended.
     Rev. George McCurdy ministered to the joint group for a year and a half, much of the time commuting from his new home in Pennsylvania to serve us. He was followed by the General Church minister Rev. Harold Cranch for two years. Joint services, classes, seasonal celebrations and social events were held in the beautiful, well-equipped Boston church, and we served on many different committees. For a while we kept up our custom of having potluck suppers and doctrinal classes in homes and some Convention members joined us.

469

We made many new friends among our sister church members, and soon the pastor moved the weekday classes to the church building for their convenience.
     In the spring of 1982 General Church members felt it was time to sever our weekly connection with the Boston church when it became apparent that the majority of the Boston Convention congregation did not want us as permanent members, nor did they want a second resident General Church minister. This was important to the General Church couples, who felt a General Church minister saw doctrinal education as a priority for the adults as well as the children (adult classes on the Writings and children's classes on the Bible as interpreted by the Writings).

     Wayland. The separating General Church group found rented guarters west of Boston, in Wayland, near the homes of families with the most children. Our new minister was Rev. Grant Odhner, and we could again call ourselves the Boston Circle of the General Church of the New Jerusalem, our status being granted March 1975 in our Newtonville phase. The Wayland congregation numbered 82 in the Boston area (42 adults, 35 children, teen, and infants, five students attending Boston College), plus occasional visits from the eighteen isolated members and children under our pastor's care (on Cape Cod, New Hampshire and Maine).
     Over the years, in our previous locations, many of our former members had moved away, but they were replaced by the families of John and Wenda Critchlow, Alfred and Bonnie Sandstrom, David and Karla Kloc, "Missy" Espe, Greg and Kristin Bibler, Carl and Carolyn Heilman, Steve and Jan Campbell Zemba, Faye Kolin. The families of Owen and Kendra Cole and Kurt and Melinda Nemitz have come occasionally from Maine, as have the young Woodworths from Cape Cod, and our New Hampshire friends, the Tylers, Don Blair, and Janet Dristy (now married to Mark Farrell and living in Massachusetts).
     We have also loved seeing the college students during our Shir Tikva years. For five years the Shir Tikva Jewish temple, with most generous hospitality, rented us space in their commodious colonial style building on route 20, Wayland, where we continued to have regular weekly Sunday services, Sunday School, and Christmas festivities. Members' homes were open for doctrinal classes, some subsidiary weekday children's classes, and many of our social events, banquets, and picnics.
     Perhaps this period is characterized best by noting the numerous new births, growing children, and the increased involvement required by all the members to continue a schedule of weekly gatherings.

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More women and men learned how to conduct and share teaching the children's classes, led by the pastor and our devoted leader Wendy Hoo. Usher duties included many maintenance functions and were shared by all the family units. No longer could we rely on a paid professional for our music as we had in the past nine years. Three of our talented pianists performed this use: Inga Synnestvedt, Don Blair, and Sarah Odhner, often accompanied by the other singing Synnestvedts.
     In the spring of 1983 we joined the Connecticut Circle for a weekend retreat at the Kennedys' on Cape Cod. And in the spring of 1988 we hosted a two-day District Assembly at Shir Tikva and a Natick hotel. Our pastor arranged for a variety of lay and ministerial New Church speakers from the surrounding areas. We continued our helping role in the Connecticut four-day summer Pine Needle camp where our children met others of their church.

     Sudbury. The year 1988 stands as a landmark. In June we finally purchased our own building with the mortgage help from the parent church. Our newly erected sign labels us to the surrounding community as "Swedenborg Chapel, The New Church" at 138 Maynard Road, Sudbury.
     The property includes a manse for our pastor and his family of five, as well as heated space for church services, Sunday School classes, pastor's office, and occasi6nal church suppers. It also offers future potential in its big barn and adjoining wings, and three and a half acres of beautiful woodland. More new couples with their children have come to our area or joined us from the environs: Eric and Pam Olson, the Chris Nunez-Brenda Synnestvedt family, Charlotte Klein, Stephen Klein, David and Marion Bullard, Peter and Julia Robinson, Sarah Brock, Bronwyn Woodworth, Bradley Heilman, Michael Lemole; on occasion from Vermont Charlie and Bobbie Stein Hitchcock, and from Maine the Steve and Jennifer Wagoners, and Carla Zecher (who adds so much to our music).

     THIRD PERIOD: Today (1989) and the Future

     So here we are, having adjusted for almost a year to our new space, turning it into a working, breathing entity. Our congregation now numbers 109 (48 adults, 37 children and young teens, six college students in the Boston area, plus the isolated 18 or so from Cape Cod, New Hampshire, and Maine).
     On April 9, 1989 our building was dedicated to all the uses involved in our worship of the Lord Jesus Christ as now revealed in His second advent. May the Lord gives us His blessing for the future years.

471

HIGHLIGHTS FROM SWEDENBORG'S LETTERS 1989

HIGHLIGHTS FROM SWEDENBORG'S LETTERS Editor 1989

     A Temple Must Be Built

     We are bringing this series of editorials to an end, and as we do so we feel we must mention a letter of particular importance.
     Why is one letter more important than another? A formal letter to a king might be considered more important than a note to a friend or a publisher. Well, the letter we mention this month was sent to three universities and to the Swedish Chancellor of Justice.
     It is relatively short and easy to find. Perhaps the easiest way to find it is on page 599 of Vol. 1 of Posthumous Theological Works in "Theological Extracts from Swedenborg's Correspondence."
     The date was July 23, 1770. Swedenborg had completed the writing of True Christian Religion a month previous to this, and he had witnessed the sending out of the twelve apostles to proclaim the gospel that the Lord God Jesus Christ reigns. He was about to leave Sweden for the last time, taking the manuscript to the press in Amsterdam.
     There are two features in this letter that interest us here. First is the saying that a temple is to be built. The letter begins:

In a few days I am leaving for Amsterdam where I will give to the press the whole theology of the New Church, the foundation whereof will be the worship of the Lord our Savior.

     Then he stated in a strangely emphatic way that a "temple" was to be built on that foundation. What did he mean? It is an open question. Was it his way of saying that a formal church should be established?
     One clue that might support this thought is the fact that he had just finished writing TCR where he described seeing a temple in heaven. That temple signified the New Church, and particulars in that temple had to do with the New Church, including "the conjunction of that church with the angelic heaven"; also the priesthood and preaching (see TCR 508).
     Although we are not sure what was meant, it is evident that discussion of whether Swedenborg advocated the existence of a formal New Church should include considering of this letter to which he obviously attached considerable importance.

472

The other feature of the letter which strikes us is the reference in it to the Gothenburg trial, that is, the long proceedings of the Gothenburg consistory against two university teachers, Beyer and Rosen. Swedenborg states that this trial was:

the most important that has been before any council for 1700 years, because it concerns the New Church. . . .

Note: See Letters and Memorials, p. 730, and small Theological Works and Letters, p. 278, for the original Swedish.
FIFTY YEARS AGO THIS MONTH 1989

FIFTY YEARS AGO THIS MONTH Editor 1989

     In the October issue of 1939 the editor had an item entitled "Gleanings from the Journals of the Church." It included a friendly statement from Rev. Richard H. Teed concerning the basic unanimity of all New Church people regardless of their organizational membership.
     A cordial reply by Rev. Cairns Henderson (then residing in Australia) concluded with the following words: "We on our part cherish our distinctive faith, as we know you do yours, and it is neither our thought and desire, nor yours, that we should surrender these and aim at corporate unity. But where there is essential unity in charity, differences in the understanding of doctrine will not divide; and it is our conviction that the effort toward such unity-which will leave us still in our distinct organizations-is demanded by charity.
     "It is our belief that the New Church exists in every body organized in its name, and that each must have a high regard for the freedom of the others; and we believe that in the measure that we so regard each other's freedom, look upward to the Lord, and forward rather than to the past, a state will be reached in which our distinct churches will not be divided, but be as so many jewels in the crown of a king."
     A filler in the same issue is headed "Distribution of the Bible." It speaks of translations sent to Eskimos in North America and peoples in Asia and Africa. It reports that the Bible Societies had distributed a total of eleven million copies of its editions of the Bible.
     We would comment here that the Bible Societies are doing tremendous work in the late 1980s. More than 800 thousand new Bibles have been put into circulation so far in 1989.
     A news release dated July 17, 1989 reports that in India parts of the Bible are currently being translated into 82 languages. Millions of people in India speak Tamil, but "few of them are yet Christian." We are pleased to add that at least two books of the Writings are translated into Tamil.

473

Also in that issue is an article on the uses of worship subtitled "An Appreciation of the Revised Liturgy." (This is particularly interesting as we look to another revision of the 1966 Liturgy.) The writer in 1939 says:

. . . we see upon reflection that worship consists almost entirely of words-of words spoken or sung, of words taken from the Lord's Word for the enlightening of our minds and the salvation of our souls. Let them not be mere words, but the true faces of our thought, and the meaning of our loves. It is the Lord who puts these words into our mouth, as the means of bringing forth our hearts and minds into expressions suitable to the worship of Him for our own sakes.
Let us think intently of the words we speak in worship, of the meaning of the thing that is said, and not allow the words to escape our lips uncomprehended. Let them sink down into our ears. Their meaning should be our meaning. Thus can the offices of worship open up new communication with those in heaven.
WHAT ABOUT CINCINNATI? 1989

WHAT ABOUT CINCINNATI? Rev. Patrick A. Rose 1989

Dear Editor:
     I read with interest the letter from Rev. Michael D. Gladish, pastor of the Olivet Church in Toronto, Canada. Having visited Toronto on quite a number of occasions in the last twenty years, I would certainly agree that, apart from expensive housing, Toronto must indeed be a great place to live.
     It should be noted, though, that Cincinnati, Ohio, is equally vibrant, exciting and dynamic. Like Toronto, it is a beautiful city, though in its own way. Cincinnati is built on beautiful hills along the banks of the great Ohio River. In the case of Cincinnati, the fact that it has very affordable housing is an added bonus.
     Please feel free to phone the church at (513) 772-1478 or the pastor's home at (513) 825-7473 if you would like to know more about a church society located in an area that is both remarkably beautiful and remarkably affordable.
     Rev. Patrick A. Rose,
          Cincinnati, Ohio

474

GEORGE BUSH 1989

GEORGE BUSH Rev. L. R. Soneson 1989

Dear Editor:
     In the May 1989 New Church Life appears an editorial about Professor George Bush, great-great grand uncle of the current President of the United States. An early translator of Spiritual Diary, he was pastor of the First Society of the New Jerusalem in Brooklyn in the mid-nineteenth century.
     While searching the picture collection at the Swedenborg Library in Bryn Athyn, I found these portraits of him.
     Rev. L. R. Soneson,
          Bryn Athyn, Pennsylvania

     [Two photos of George Bush]

475

PUTTING BOOKS IN LIBRARIES 1989

PUTTING BOOKS IN LIBRARIES Rev. Lawson M. Smith 1989

Dear Editor,
     I was pleased to see your "Library Check" piece in the September issue, and I would like to share a little of what we have been doing in the Washington, D. C., area.
     For an evangelization project we have been placing books in libraries. Gretchen Lindsay wrote an article for the Missionary Memo years ago telling how she did this. I went to visit her, and she inspired me to try it here.
     The American Library Directory lists all the libraries in each state. Many, such as legal and medical libraries and other specialized collections, are clearly unlikely to be interested in the Writings. But otherwise, we have called all the libraries listed in Maryland and the District of Columbia, plus some in northern Virginia. Colleges, hospitals and public libraries are the three largest categories. Prison libraries are not listed here, so that could be a separate project.
     When I call, I represent myself as an agent of the Swedenborg Foundation to disassociate the project from a particular church. Some librarians are willing to accept some books immediately. Others want to see a list. We have a letter with a book list in our word processor, including a prepaid return postcard with boxes to check. I guess that 80-90% of the libraries have accepted our books. Each book has a sticker in it with a Swedenborg Information phone number in it, and we have had a number of calls as a result of distributing these books. Someday some of these seeds may really germinate and grow. If we manage to get Swedenborg's name better known, and people begin to look for his works, the library project will be a good foundation.
     The Washington Society has donated time, telephone, postage, plus copies of Warren's Compendium. The Swedenborg Foundation very generously donates all the rest of the books, about twelve different paperback titles. Most libraries do not want everything we offer, but most of them take two or three, and many take more.
     This is a project almost anyone can help carry out. The Swedenborg Foundation is glad to have people working as "field distributors," placing books in Libraries. If you would like to help with evangelization but are not sure how, this might be a good way to begin.
     Rev. Lawson M. Smith,
          Mitchellville, Maryland

476

BY ANY OTHER NAME 1989

BY ANY OTHER NAME Rev. Erik E. Sandstrom 1989

Dear Editor:
     "Amor conjugialis" is a real, created thing, now described by the Lord as to its "rational comprehension by words of natural language." No matter into what terms the Latin is translated, the concept will remain identical to the way it has always been. For example, "marriage love" will be just as "rare" at this day as "conjugial love" ever was. You will still receive it only in step with regeneration, etc.

     Let us not "stop short in terms" or "dispute about words apprehended by few." Let us just recall that terms should not affect the doctrine, but that the doctrine should affect the terms.
     And while we are still deciding about it, if newcomers find "conjugial love" hard to fathom, just try saying it is a "born-again marriage love." The ideal might become so popular that someone in the future will suggest using a special term for it!
     Rev. Erik E. Sandstrom,
          Huntingdon Valley, Pennsylvania
NEW CHURCH BOY SCOUTS AWARD 1989

NEW CHURCH BOY SCOUTS AWARD Robert F. Zecher 1989

     As you requested, here is the saga of the "Open Word Award":

     In 1987 the troop committee for Bryn Athyn Troop 97 decided to look into a religious award for New Church scouts. I agreed to check into the mechanics, and Rev. Tom Kline volunteered to write up a set of suggested requirements.
     I called the Boy Scouts of America in Irving, Texas, and was referred to the Director of Religious Relationships. He was not too keen on the idea of a separate religious award for another "small" church, and suggested I contact a group called PRAY (Programs of Religious Activities with Youth) in St. Louis. They indicated they would be only too happy to include our church in the overall religious awards programs for Protestants. I declined this association and called Texas back.
     After I advised the Religious Relationships Director that we would create, administer and fund the award, he suggested I write to the Religious Relations Committee of the Boy Scouts of America (a group of representatives of various denominations which support scouting) and outline our award plans.

      (Continued on p. 480.)

477

Church News 1989

Church News Ruth Motum Greenwold 1989

     Announcements

     COLCHESTER, ENGLAND

     To say goodbye to our pastor of seven years. Rev. Kenneth Stroh and his wife Janina were given a rousing send-off with a society party on June 17th. After a delicious buffet supper, we first celebrated New Church Day, Mr. Stroh reading a paper he had originally given fifty years ago entitled "What the Church Means to Me." There was the presentation of gifts to the children and young people.
     The oldest member there, ninety-year-old Mrs. Ellen Colebrook, presented the Strohs with a framed photograph of the church chancel decorated for Harvest Festival 1988. Organist David Clover gave them two watercolors of local town scenes, and six-year-old Emily Wyncoll came forward with a basket of red and white carnations and roses for Mrs. Stroh. Other gifts were money (to buy something for their home in Bryn Athyn) and Wedgwood pieces from the London Society.
     "First Grade" (which in England means "of the highest quality"), our church guitar, drums and piano group, augmented with three extra guitars and two young lady vocalists, kept the party dancing, and entertained throughout the rest of the evening.
     Since July 1st Rev. Chris Bown has been leading the society and finding out what makes us tick. We hope he will enjoy his work in Colchester and will stay for many years.
     Ruth Motum Greenwold
News Around the Church 1989

News Around the Church 1989

     The "No Exit" cafe of Chicago has become so well known as a center of New Church worship it almost seems sad to report that a move has taken place. But it is not sad. It is a step up. The "No Exit" for all its charm was no longer adequate to the group's activities. We quote from the August issue of Chicago News.

     THIS IS YOUR LAST WARNING-WE MOVED

     "We have found the exit at the No Exit Cafe! . . . we re-emerge at a new location. It is the Old Town School of Folk Music, 909 W. Armitage, in Old Town/Lincoln Park.
     "At this new location we will have facilities for Sunday School and Nursery, discussions, special music before the service. Services will continue there every Sunday at 11:00 a.m."
     Directions are provided both for driving and for going by bus.

480

"If lost, call the Old Town School of Folk Music at 525-7793."
A "12 Step Course" began on September 26th. "This 12 Step Fellowship is open for everyone. It is a service of the New Church to the community and also a forum for members and non-members to learn how and to find support in our individual regeneration."
NEW CHURCH BOY SCOUTS AWARD 1989

NEW CHURCH BOY SCOUTS AWARD Robert F. Zecher 1989

(Continued from p. 476.)

I did so, describing the General Church as being worldwide, and mentioning also our schools, college, recognition by the Armed Services, etc., and received encouragement from the chairman to continue. At the same time I approached the Bishop about a formal Boy Scout committee, which the Board of Directors quickly approved.
     I was then invited to attend the national meeting of the Religious Relations Committee, which conveniently was held in Washington in February of 1988. At the meeting I presented our "case" and described the New Church to about sixty representatives of many churches. The outline of the award and a copy of artwork for the medal which I had obtained from a medal supply house were referred to an Emblems Subcommittee for final approval. No one objected to the award, perhaps because there were representatives from a great many "unusual" religions at this meeting, all supporting scouting enthusiastically.
     We received final approval in March 1988, and spent the next year (due mainly to delays on my part) putting together the award pamphlet and having the first medals made. This all came together for the ministers' meetings last March (1989), and in April the National Boy Scouts officially put the Open Word Award into their program and began publicizing it. Medals are on display at the six regional centers of the Boy Scouts of America, the award is described on the Religious Emblems bulletin sent out to all councils, and this summer a description of all the religious awards was featured in Scouting magazine.
     After a couple of revisions we are now printing the pamphlet which describes the requirements. It also advises the boy how to go about completing them, and tells him where some of the necessary information can be obtained. These pamphlets, which include an application and sign-off sheet, will be on display at National Scout Headquarters in Irving, and at each of the scout shops throughout the country. They will be available from our Boy Scout Relations Committee here in Bryn Athyn, and we will send a few to each of our General Church pastors. The medals are available only from the committee.

481

     We will also send a package of information to each General Church pastor describing how to administer the award, and probably to General Convention and Conference headquarters as well. The award will be available to scouts anywhere in the world who are baptized members of a recognized New Church.
     The General Church has already received some publicity in our local (Valley Forge) council regarding the Open Word Award and national exposure through the Religious Relationships Committee of the Boy Scouts. Since the article in Scouting magazine, we also have requests for displaying the medal and pamphlet from two councils and a boy scout museum. I am sure there will be others.
     This program, which was originally designed to allow our own scouts to realize the compatibility between scouting and the teachings of the New Church, may contribute, in an indirect way, to our evangelization efforts as well.
     Robert F. Zecher,
          Chairman, Boy Scout Relations Committee
PUBLIC WORSHIP AND DOCTRINAL CLASSES 1989

PUBLIC WORSHIP AND DOCTRINAL CLASSES Rev. LOUIS B. KING 1989

482

     SACRAMENTO
Mr. and Mrs. Robert Ripley, 225 Woodlake Ln., Newcastle, CA 95658. Phone: (916) 663-2788.

     SAN DIEGO
Rev. Nathan Gladish, 7911 Canary Way, San Diego, CA 92123. Phone: (619) 268-0379. Office: (619) 571-8599.

     SAN FRANCISCO
Mr. and Mrs. Philip C. "Red" Pendleton, 2261 Waverley Street, Palo Alto, CA 94901.

     Colorado:

     COLORADO SPRINGS
Mr. and Mrs. William Reinstra, 2386 Wood Ave., Colorado Springs, CO 80907.

     DENVER
Rev. Clark Echols, 3371 W. 94th Ave., Westminster, CO 80030. Phone (303) 429-1239

     Connecticut:

     BRIDGEPORT
Rev. Geoffrey Howard, visiting pastor, Bryn Athyn, PA 19009. Phone: (215) 947-6225.

     HARTFORD

     SHELTON
Mr. and Mrs. James Tucker, 45 Honey Bee Lane, Shelton, CT 06484. Phone: (203)-929-6455.

     Delaware:

     WILMINGTON
Mrs. Justin Hyatt, 2008 Eden Rd., N. Graylyn, Wilmington, DE 19803. Phone: (302) 475-3694.

     District of Columbia see Mitchellville. Maryland.

     Florida:

     BOYNTON BEACH
Rev. Daniel Heinrichs, 10687 E. Clair Ranch Rd., Boynton Beach, FL 33437. Phone: (407) 736-9235.

     LAKE HELEN
Mr. and Mrs. Brent Morris, 264 Kicklighter Rd., Lake Helen, FL 32744. Phone: (904) 228-2276.

     Georgia:

     AMERICUS
Mr. W. H. Eubanks, Rt. #2, S. Lee St., Americus, GA 31709. Phone: (912) 924-9221.

     ATLANTA
Rev. Ray Silverman, 2119 Seaman Circle, Chamblee, GA 30341. Phone: (Office) (404) 452-0518.

     Idaho:

     FRUITLAND
(Idaho-Oregon border)
Mr. Harold Rand, 1705 Whitley Dr., Fruitland, ID 83619. Phone: (208) 452-3181.

     Illinois:

     CHICAGO
Rev. Grant Schnarr, 73A Park Dr., Glenview, IL 60025. Phone: (312) 729-0130 (home) (312) 724-6130 (office).

     DECATUR
Mr. John Aymer, 380 Oak Lane, Decatur, IL 62562. Phone: (217) 875-3215.

     GLENVIEW
Rev. Brian Keith, 73 Park Dr., Glenview, IL 60025. Phone: (312) 724-0120.

     Indiana:

     CINCINNATI
Rev. Patrick Rose, 785 Ashcroft Ct., Cincinnati, OH 45240. Phone: (513) 825-7473.

     Kentucky:

     CINCINNATI
Rev. Patrick Rose, 785 Ashcroft Ct., Cincinnati, OH 45240. Phone: (513) 825-7473.

     Louisiana:

     BATON ROUGE
Mr. Henry Bruser, Jr., 6050 Esplanade Ave., Baton Rouge, LA 70806. Phone: (504) 924-3089.

     Maine

     BATH
Rev. Allison L. Nicholson, HC 33-Box 61N, Arrowsic, ME 04530.

     Maryland:

     BALTIMORE
Rev. Frederick Chapin, 37 Guinevere Court, Baltimore, MD 21237. Hone Phone: (301) 682-3397; Office: (301) 435-5418.

     MITCHELLVILLE
Rev. Lawson Smith, 3805 Enterprise Rd., Mitchellville, MD 20716. Phone: (301) 262-2349.

     Massachusetts:

     BOSTON
Rev. Grant Odhner, 138 Maynard Rd., Sudbury, MA 01776. Phone: (508) 443-7540.

     Michigan:

     DETROIT
Rev. Walter Orthwein, 395 Olivewood Court, Rochester, MI 48064. Phone: (313) 656-1267.

     EAST LANSING
Mr. Christopher Clark, 5853 Smithfield, East Lansing, MI 48823. Phone: (517) 351-2880.

483

     Minnesota:

     ST. PAUL-MINNEAPOLIS
Rev. Mark R. Carlson, visiting pastor, 807 Clover Court, Glenview, IL 60025. Phone: (312) 729-6130.

     Missouri:

     COLUMBIA
Mr. and Mrs. Paul Johnson, 103 S. Greenwood, Columbia, MO 65201. Phone: (314) 442-3475.

     KANSAS CITY
Mr. Glen Klippenstein, Glenkirk Farms, Rt. 2, Maysville, MO 64469. Phone: (816) 449-2167.

     New Jersey-New York:

     RIDGEWOOD. N.J.
Mrs. Fred E. Munich, 474 S. Maple Ave., Glen Rock, NJ 07452. Phone: (201) 445-1141.

     New Mexico:

     ALBUQUERQUE

Mr. Howard Leach, 4215 12th Street, Albuquerque, NM 87107. Phone: (505) 892-0936.

     North Carolina:

     CHARLOTTE
Rev. Bill Burke, 6010 Paddington Court, Charlotte, NC 28226. Phone: (7074) 846-6416.

     Ohio:

     CINCINNATI
Rev. Patrick Rose, 785 Ashcroft Ct., Cincinnati, OH 45240. Phone: (513) 825-7473.

     CLEVELAND
Mr. Alan Childs, 19680 Beachcliff Blvd., Rocky River, OH 44116. Phone: (216) 333-4413.

     COLUMBUS
Mr. Hubert Heinrichs, 8372 Todd Street Rd., Sunbury. OH 43074. Phone: (614) 524-2738.

     Oklahoma:

     OKLAHOMA CITY
Mr. Robert Campbell, 3108 Eagle Pass Rd., Edmond, OK 73013. Phone: (404) 478-4729.

     Oregon-Idaho Border.-See Idaho, Fruitland.

     Pennsylvania:

     BRYN ATHYN
Rev. Kurt Asplundh, Box 277, Bryn Athyn, PA 19009. Phone: (215) 947-3665.

     ELIZABETH
Mr. Meade Bierly, 523 Snyder Ave., Elizabethtown, PA 17022. Phone: (717) 367-3964.

     ERIE
Mrs. Paul Murray, 5648 Zuck Rd., Erie, PA 16506. Phone: (814) 833-0962.

     FREEPORT
Rev. Ragnar Boyesen, 122 McKean Rd., Freeport, PA 16229. Phone: Office (412) 353-2220 or Home 295-9855.

     HAWLEY
Mr. Grant Genzlinger, 4 Main St., Hawley, PA 18428.

     KEMPTON
Rev. Jeremy Simons, RD 2, Box 217-A, Kempton, PA 19529. Phone: (Home) (215) 756-4301; (Office) (215) 756-6140.

     PITTSBURGH
Rev. Eric H. Carswell, 299 Le Roi Road, Pittsburgh, PA 15208. Phone: (Church) (412) 731-7421.

     South Carolina:- see North Carolina.

     South Dakota:

     HOT SPRINGS
Linda Klippenstein, 537 Albany, Hot Springs, SD 57745 Phone: (605) 745-6629

     Texas:

     AUSTIN
Mr. Robert Grubb, 909 East Riverside Dr., Austin, TX 78703. Phone: (512) 447-6811.

     DALLAS-FORT WORTH
Mr. Fred Dunlap, 3887 Antigua Circle, Dallas, TX 75244. Phone: (214) 247-7775.

     Virginia:

     RICHMOND
Mr. Donald Johnson, 13161 Happy Hill Rd., Chester, VA 23831. Phone: (804) 748-5757.

     West Virginia:
Mrs. Thelma Smith, Rt. 1, Box 447, Peterstown, WV 24963. Phone: (304) 753-9508.

     Washington:

     SEATTLE
Mr. Thomas Andrews, 5035 NE 180th, Seattle, WA 98155. Phone: (206) 365-2194.

     Wisconsin:

     MADISON
Mrs. Charles Howell, 3912 Plymouth Circle, Madison, WI 53705. Phone: (608) 233-0209.

484

JOHN PITCAIRN: UNCOMMON ENTREPRENEUR 1989

JOHN PITCAIRN: UNCOMMON ENTREPRENEUR Richard R. Gladish 1989

A Biography

Published by
The Academy of the New Church
John Pitcairn Archives

     $20.00 plus postage $1.60

     General Church Book Center          Hours: Mon-Fri. 8:30-12:00
Box 278, Cairncrest                     or by appointment
Bryn Athyn, PA 19009               Phone: 215-947-3920

485

Notes on This Issue 1989

Vol. CIX November, 1989 No. 11
NEW CHURCH LIFE

486

     At the beginning of the current school year the President of the Academy gave an address to the faculties about distinctive New Church education. We publish herein the beginning of this address (p. 501) and will have the conclusion in next month's issue.
     One of the deaths reported on page 530 is of Danny Goodenough, an eighteen-year-old who recently graduated from the Academy. Notice that the location given is in Montana. The memorial service was held in Bryn Athyn on August 19th, and it turned out to be one of the largest gatherings in the history of the cathedral. The memorial address appears in the autumn issue of The Academy Journal. We will speak about this in a later issue. Note for now that the sermon on the opposite page was written and given in Toronto soon after the news of Dan's death was received.
     The Assembly photo on pages 508 and 509 was taken in 1988. See "NCL Fifty Years Ago" on page 498.
     Last month's report on the Scouts award has stirred interest, and we hope to give further report next month.
     One of the classes in the theological school this year has five students in it. It has been observed that they come from five different continents. What is the total enrollment of the theological school this year? And what of the college and high schools and local schools? See page 524.
     Project library check is turning out to be interesting and pleasant. We have already had a few cards and letters from widely scattered areas. (Remember that on March 1st we will compose a report on information received.) We have learned that a library in Ohio is missing two volumes of the Spiritual Diary. We have learned that a theological library in California has had the book Divine Providence for twenty years, and that it has been borrowed ten times (whereas Heaven and Hell was borrowed only seven times.) A library in Arizona has an ancient (1778) translation of Heaven and Hell.
     There were more adult baptisms in 1988-1989 than perhaps in any previous year, and the number of weddings is also unusually high (see p. 493).
     Chrysalis Magazine offer, Christmas season only: The Swedenborg Foundation will send four issues for the price of three. Your friends will receive the "Tree of Knowledge" issue with notification of your gift in December, 1989, and three more issues in 1990. Send the names of your gift recipients, and you will be billed $20 for each gift subscription of four issues, to Dept. X, Swedenborg Foundation, 139 East 23rd Street, New York, NY 10010.

487

SEVEN WAYS TO BENEFIT FROM EVIL AND DISORDER IN THE WORLD 1989

SEVEN WAYS TO BENEFIT FROM EVIL AND DISORDER IN THE WORLD Rev. MICHAEL D. GLADISH 1989

     "Woe to the world because of offenses! For offenses must come, but woe to that man by whom the offense comes" (Matt. 18:7).

     If God is wise and loving, as we believe He is, then all that He does must be in the interest of what is right and good. If God is understanding and cares, as we believe He does, anything He withholds or permits must also arise out of His Divine judgment and justice. So there is no need, really, to try to justify the way things work in the world in order to accept them (or God). First we ought to accept them (and God), and then we will be able to understand and benefit from them all.
     The cynic will say, "Sure, first you assume the unprovable, then you interpret everything else in its light." But why not? With this approach at least we are looking for something that makes sense-ultimately perfect sense, and we have the confidence to know that there is some good in everything.
     Still, it is hard to find the good sometimes. It is hard when we are sick or injured, hard when success in work or in relationships eludes us, hard when someone we love is hurt or taken from us, and hard in general when things are not going the way we think they should. It is hard to find the good and so, really, to see God when evil is as forcefully present in the world as it is. But try we must, for it is our heritage, our destiny to see God, and it is our birthright to feel His presence in Divine good.
     When we were small and we played with candle flames, we quickly discovered that fire can hurt. So we learned not to play with it, or, if we did play with it, to do so very carefully. Even as children we soon knew enough not to blame the fire for our own carelessness if we got burned, for we became aware that it is the nature of fire to burn. In other words, we learned the law of cause and effect. Later, perhaps, we began to see that this law is constant and that it is one of the Lord's laws by which He governs the universe and holds it in order.
     Why, then, when we are older and we build houses in high fire-risk areas, or in flood plains, or on top of old toxic waste dumps, should we suppose that God will (or even might) suspend His laws of order by not allowing some disaster to happen? Wouldn't it be better to take responsibility in these areas and be prepared for likely problems? It is the same everywhere, and the fact that we may not know what to expect does not take away the law of consequences in itself.

488

     This is where the doctrine of accountability, or imputation, comes in. Just as we are not held spiritually accountable for things that are beyond our conscious knowledge or control, so it is not necessary for us to suffer spiritually for them even though we may suffer great losses naturally. There is a big difference! Suppose two men have identical "accidents": one becomes bitter and discouraged, gives up and becomes a drain on society; the other digs deep and finds inner strength, accepts a new challenge and becomes an inspiration to many. The doctrine of this church is that we are free to choose either response because it is not what happens to us in life that counts but how we respond to it, "not what goes into the mouth but what comes out of the mouth that defiles [or defines] a person"(Matt. 15:11).
     Jesus referred to this doctrine in the words of our text: "Woe to the world because of offenses! For offenses must come, but woe to that man by whom the offense comes!" (Matt. 18:7).
     Note that He did not prophesy woe to the ones who are offended but rather "to that man by whom the offense comes!" Of course the victim will be hurt, but that hurt is nothing beside the grief that will come upon the sinner himself. In fact, the "victim," so called, can become the victor in every way if he or she has the right attitude about dealing with the offense dealt against him or her.
     Again, the Lord pointedly told people that natural incidents were not necessarily tied to spiritual states when He spoke, in Luke 13, about some Galileans who had been killed along with their sacrifices under the reign of Pilate. He said, "Do you suppose that the Galileans were worse sinners than all other Galileans because they suffered such things? I tell you, no; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish. Or those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them, do you think that they were worse sinners than all other men who dwelt in Jerusalem? I tell you, no; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish" (vv. 1-5).
     The point is, we are not judged by the events and circumstances of our lives; we are judged by what we are inside. So we are also taught, "Evils are permitted for the sake of the end, which is salvation" (DP 249), and "Every evil has its limits beyond which it is not permitted to go" (AC 1311:2, 1857, SD 2151).
     The end of salvation is reached through a permission of evil when we take note of the evil to learn something about ourselves. And the limits beyond which evil cannot go are set so that we can learn without being spiritually overwhelmed. We read, "The Lord does not take away evil, but withholds man from it . . . and keeps him in good" if he is willing (AC 8364, emphasis added). So as He Himself said, "In the world you will have tribulation, but be of good cheer: I have overcome the world" (John 16:33).

489

Through the Lord's help we too can "overcome the world."
     Now, given the existence of evil, the problems of disorder, the reality of the misfortunes we face, how can we turn them to some good? How can we actually benefit from them?
     There are many ways we can put evils and falsities, even personal tragedies, to work for us. First, we can use them for contrast. Every artist knows that dark scenes and shadows make the bright parts of a picture stand out. Ugliness also makes the beauty of life stand out more noticeably when it appears. So we are made more conscious of the blessings of health when we are confronted with sickness. The Lord referred to this doctrine when He healed the blind man as told in John 9. The disciples asked Him, "'Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?" But Jesus answered, 'Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but that the works of God should be revealed in him'" (vv. 2, 3). Through the contrast and through His power to overcome the evil of blindness the Lord revealed His mercy in an unforgettable way.
     Today, even without such dramatic miracles (which incidentally do nothing to make people any better spiritually), we can still see the value of looking for good through contrast with evil. Sometimes, sadly, it takes the loss of a loved one for us to realize how very much we did value his or her presence. This can be tragic but still has a positive side in that now we recognize how much we depended on him or her, and we see more clearly the work we need to do for our own spiritual growth.
     It sounds trite, but it is also true that if we suffer a loss, break a leg or develop some peculiar disease, we can still say to ourselves: "There is something to learn, something to be done in this situation." Maybe somebody in the hospital bed next to us needs our comfort, influence, or positive attitude. On the other hand, maybe we need to be withdrawn from the active sphere of our work so that we can reflect and do something in a quiet state under the limitations imposed on us.
     Third, seeing evil around us can introduce us to a sense of pity and mercy that is absolutely necessary to human life. It can make us gentler and more sensitive to all the people we meet. Naturally we have to beware of self-pity when we feel hurt or wronged, but seeing anything pitiful, even in ourselves, can help make us aware that unseen evils and difficulties may also be affecting others.
     Again, seeing evil around and outside of us, seeing the dreadful nature of its consequences in external life, we can become aware of corresponding evils within us and their dreadful consequences. For example, when we hear of a murder, or maybe even see one, we are shocked, outraged, appalled, maybe even frightened for our own lives.

490

But we can use the experience to our benefit if we will realize that natural murder corresponds to spiritual murder, and spiritual murder is hatred. When we see the implications of that in our lives, we have really got something to work on, for we all know anger and the hatred that is hidden in it. The same applies to every evil and disorder around us, for every one represents something we have to deal with in ourselves.
     A fifth and closely related use of outward evil or misfortune in our lives is that if approached in the right way, it can lead us to a better perspective on the whole concept of loss and deprivation. Remember, the degree of injury inflicted on anyone as a victim depends entirely on what is important to the person. If my car is stolen and I don't care about or need a car anyway, that is no great injury to me. If I suffer an accident so that I can never run again and yet I never run anywhere anyway, that is no great injury to me; I carry on just as before. So when we think of the little child crippled in an accident, we are conscious of the limitations he will suffer as he grows older, but that child may not be conscious of those limitations at all. He will simply continue to receive and thrive on the affections and the love and the knowledge that he learns in the sphere of his family and friends. He learns to feel deprived because of the cultural situation into which he grows, but he may not be hurting nearly as badly as we think.
     In this context the New Church has a most beautiful and inspirational vision of the real value of spiritual life beyond the natural so that we need not fear any worldly loss but can with confidence forsake the whole thing: sell what we have, cut off the hand that offends, take up the cross, whatever is necessary, to follow the Lord, for in the truest perspective of things, spiritual life is all that matters. "It is more profitable that one [or all!] of our members perish than for our whole body to be cast into hell" (Matt. 5:29). And besides, "What is a man profited [even] if he gains the whole world [but] loses his own soul?" (Matt. 16:26).
     A sixth and again closely related application of the awareness of evil and disorder is the motivation it brings to set things right. For example, quite apart from the issues of pity and sensitivity to others, it is really true that none of us likes pain, so the presence of pain not only indicates that something is wrong but it moves us to do whatever is necessary to get rid of it. Let's say one of us has a throbbing headache. It doesn't seem fair, we don't know why, we haven't done anything to "deserve" it, but it's driving us crazy. So we analyze and reflect, examining ourselves and our environment; we do research, go to a doctor, and eventually find out there is a gas leak in our home or some poison in our diet.

491

All of a sudden we discover that the Lord has given us that pain for a good reason, that is, to find the cause and deal with it before it kills us! Many illustrations in the same vein could be given. The point is, although it may be natural and superficial at first, the motivation to correct a disorder "to ease the pain" is genuine and can lead to the next step of real reform.
     Finally for now, a seventh use of the presence of evil in our lives can be seen when we consider the importance of free will in the whole scheme of life. True, it would be a beautiful world without any evil or disorder, without any tragedy or pain, but it would not be our world, for then we would not be truly free. "Ah," you might say, "but if we were enlightened and understood the consequences of evil, none of us would be foolish enough to choose it! We would be free but we would all choose good." A nice idea but it simply doesn't work. We can be told a hundred ways why something is good for us and still choose not to do it. Basically that is the reason people are in hell.
     Neither the will nor the understanding can be forced or the one forced would merge into the spirit of the other who leads or dominates him and he would die-not as to the flesh, of course, but as to the spirit, the feeling and conviction that was uniquely his own. Fundamentally this is what all the wars and political upheavals in the world's history have been about: people would rather die physically than spiritually by losing their individuality, identity, initiative, their sense of the ownership of life, their freedom to respond each in his or her own way.
     This gift of free will involves not only the possibility of evil but the very great delight and satisfaction of correcting it. We all love challenges; we love to solve problems. In fact, where we face no challenges at all we quickly become bored and feel useless. So in permitting evils the
Lord not only provides for free will but He also offers the opportunity for each one of us to take responsibilities that lead to real fulfillment in overcoming them. True, there are plenty of challenges centered on positive things, on growth and development of wisdom, understanding and love. So, again, this argument is not meant to justify the presence of evil in the world, but to show one of seven spiritual benefits we can gain from it, given the fact that it exists.

     Let's review the seven again:

1.      By contrast with evil we learn better to appreciate the good.
2.      Some tragedies put us in a position of real use to others-and to ourselves-if we are alert to the opportunities.
3.      Human suffering can arouse real pity, mercy and sensitivity toward others, a most necessary quality in natural and spiritual life.

492

4.      Outward evils can help us to see corresponding inward evils in ourselves.
5.      Natural losses can help us focus on the far greater value of spiritual life in comparison.
6.      The pain of evil and disorder can motivate us to change, to reform.
7.      It is a source of great delight and personal satisfaction to accept the challenge (in freedom) and take the responsibility to overcome evils in ourselves and in the world generally.

     Of course there are some losses we can never fully recover: we can't bring a loved one back from the other world; we can't stop the progress of certain diseases. But whatever the situation, we can work to improve the conditions of life for others and for the future. Many of the world's great remedies and inventions have come as a direct result of human response to personal loss and tragedy. Even if we can't solve the problems at hand, it is still true that no one can offer comfort to others better than someone who has experienced the same loss himself.
     Finally, remember there are many kinds and many levels of human loss. It is not just the outward tragedy that ought to arouse our concern, but also the more profound losses on the moral plane: the loss of innocence, the loss of virtue, integrity, and the meaning of service to others. On the spiritual plane the world also suffers the greatest loss of all in lack of faith in a believable God, in Providence, and in the true meaning of the Sacred Scriptures. What can we do about these terrible evils in our lives? How can we turn them to good? Just the same as we would any outward evils by the application of the same seven principles outlined here for a start. But most of all, by the will and effort to pray to the Lord, to hear and really understand His Word as it applies in our lives, and to make whatever changes are necessary to become part of the solution, not part of the problem.
     "Woe to the world because of offenses! For offenses must come, but woe to that man by whom the offense comes!" (Matt. 18:7).

     Lessons: Lamentations 3:22-36; Matt. 18:1-14; AC 8958-8961; 8966, 8967; DP 275 ANNOUNCEMENT CONCERNING SURREY, ENGLAND 1989

ANNOUNCEMENT CONCERNING SURREY, ENGLAND 1989

On September 22, 1989 Bishop King recognized the Surrey Group in England as the Surrey Circle. The Rev. Frederick Elphick is the pastor of the circle.

493

COUNCIL OF THE CLERGY 1989

     MEMBERSHIP

     During the year ending June 30, 1989, two men were inaugurated into the second degree of the priesthood.
     At the end of the twelve-month period the Council of the Clergy consisted of three priests of the episcopal degree, seventy-four in the pastoral degree, and eight in the ministerial degree, for a total of eighty-five. Of these, three were mainly or essentially employed by the General Church, eleven by the Academy of the New Church, forty-five were engaged in pastoral work, thirteen were retired, and thirteen were unassigned.
     In addition to the above figures the General Church has five priests of the pastoral degree in the South African Mission, besides the superintendent.

     STATISTICS

                                   1988-89     1983-84     1978-79
Baptisms
      Children                    170           140           152
      Adults                         70           30           41
      Total                         240           170           193

Holy Supper Administrations
      Public                         248           253           280
      Private                         48           44           60
      Communicants                    6,389      5,838      6,113

Confessions of Faith                    24           32           31

Betrothals                         41           23           33

Marriages                              79           48           57
     Blessings on Marriages          1           1           6

Ordinations                         2           10           8

Dedications
      Churches                    1           0          1
      Homes                         7           11           10
      Other                         0          0          1

Funerals and Memorial
     Services                         66           53           46

     Rev. Lorentz R. Soneson

494

ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF THE GENERAL CHURCH OF THE NEW JERUSALEM 1989

     Between July 1, 1988, and June 30, 1989, one hundred twenty-two new members were received into the General Church. Two members resigned, and two were dropped from the roll. Fifty-five deaths were reported. On July 1, 1989, the roll contained four thousand one hundred and thirty-three members.

                                                  Other
                                    U.S.A.      Countries Total
Membership, July 1, 1988                2,835      1,235      4,070
New Members (Certs. 7603 to 7724)      87           35           122
Losses: Deaths                          39           16           55
Resignations                               2           0           2
Dropped from Roll                          2           0           2
Membership, July 1, 1989                2,879      1,254      4,133
Net Gain during the period July 1,
     1988, through June 30, 1989           44           19           63

     NEW MEMBERS

     UNITED STATES

     Alabama: Birmingham
Bancroft, Miss Kimberly Anne
Wade, Miss Jennifer Ann

     Arizona, Flagstaff
Wilson, Ms. Tammie Lea

     Arizona: Oracle
Plank, Mrs. Julia Lee (Carter)

     Arizona: Pima
Waddell, Miss Nancy Patricia

     Arizona: Tucson
Cusato, Mrs. Esther G. Gasbarre
Pemberton, Mr. Donald Eugene, Sr.
Youens, Mr. Robert Blake

     California: Palo Alto
Synnestvedt, Mr. Robert Glenn
Synnestvedt, Mrs. Robert Glenn (Ghaida Hamam)

     California: Pomona
Lindsay, Miss Karen Elizabeth

     California: San Diego
Walker, Mr. Marvin Wayne

     California: San Jose
Evans, Miss Freja Jeanne

     California, Van Nuys
Campbell, Miss Tracy Ann

     Florida: Delray Beach
Lawson, Mr. Robert George

     Georgia: Atlanta
Johns, Miss Sherryn

     Georgia: Norcross
Burke, Mr. Stuart Tracy
Burke, Mrs. Stuart Tracy (Edwina Jayne Riley)

     Illinois: Glenview,
Brickman, Miss Cynthia Lynn
Day, Mrs. Elvin K. (Kathleen M. Barthel)

     Illinois: Mt. Prospect
Lawler, Mr. Thomas Patrick
Lawler, Mrs. Thomas Patrick (Laurel Joan Neubauer)

495

     Indiana: Merrillville
Lepley, Mr. Brian Keith

     Missouri: Plate
van Zyverden, Mr. Charles Owen
van Zyverden, Mr. Gregory

     New Jersey: Fort Lee
Oz, Mrs. Mehmet C. (Lisa Jane Lemole)

     New York: Brooklyn
Carter, Mr. Glenn Martin

     North Carolina: Charlotte
Collins, Mr. Scott Hunter

     Ohio, Sandusky
Smith, Mr. Donald Goodwin Cole

     Pennsylvania: Abington
Fletcher, Mr. Joseph Garner
Fletcher, Mrs. Joseph Garner (Deborah Elizabeth Hecker)

     Pennsylvania: Bryn Athyn
Asplundh, Miss Robin
Brock, Miss Rebekah Louise
Buss, Mr. Gary Neil
Buss, Miss Pamela Elisabeth
Buss, Mr. Peter Martin, Jr.
Coffin, Mr. Gregory Pendleton
Darkwah, Mrs. Simpson Kwa-Beng (Florence Agyeiwah Amoah)
Elphick, Mr. Derek Peter
Genzlinger, Mr. Marc Kent
Grubb, Mr. Mark Stephen
Henderson, Mr. Brian Douglas
Hogan, Mrs. C. Patrick (Shelly Scott)
McCollum, Mr. Richard Charles
Synnestvedt, Mrs. Dan Alan (Lisa Marie Bruell)
van Zyverden, Mr. Willem Jacobus
Vehmasvuori, Mr. Vesa Johannes
Welch, Mr. Warrick John Acton
Welch, Miss Wendy-Lee Patricia

     Pennsylvania: Dowingtown
Soneson, Mrs. K. Karl (Gale Arlene (Cuthbertson) Ainey)

     Pennsylvania: Elizabethtown
Bierly, Mr. Meade Goodman

     Pennsylvania: Horsham
Bostock, Mr. Glenn Harris
Bostock, Mrs. Glenn Harris (Cheryl Ann Christina Dale)
Engelke, Mr. Bryant Odhner
Engelke, Mrs. Bryant Odhner (Janet Birchman)

     Pennsylvania: Huntingdon Valley
Acton, Miss Leah
Adams, Mr. Randall Lee
Adams, Mrs. Randall Lee (Kimberley Ann Poole)
Bedford, Mr. Allen Joel
Betz, Mrs. James G. (Amy Henderson)
Brickman, Miss Julie Ann
Brown, Miss Madeleine
Cole, Mr. Russell Snowden
Cole, Mrs. Russell Snowden (Peggy Bailey)
Gladish, Miss Gillian Sylvia

     Pennsylvania: Indiana
Hammond, Miss Katherine Marie

     Pennsylvania: Jenkintown
Opalesky, Mrs. Lynn Remaily

     Pennsylvania: Kempton
Boyesen, Mr. Dag
Kerr, Mr. Garrett Rhodes

     Pennsylvania: Langhorne
Genzlinger, Miss Blake

     Pennsylvania: Meadowbrook
Baeckstrom, Miss Monica Ann

     Pennsylvania: North Wales
Peirce, Mr. Sumner Lloyd

     Pennsylvania: Pittsburgh
Blair, Miss Laura Jean
Lovato, Miss Cynthia Christina
McClenahan, Mr. Robert Curran
McClenahan, Mrs. Robert Curran (Tibby Canfield)
Pollak, Mr. William
Wilson, Ms. Rebecca

     Pennsylvania: Southampton
Kline, Mrs. Kenneth William (Jacqueline Ross)

     Pennsylvania: Willow Grove
Clark, Mrs. Jeffrey Alan (Christine Renee Roth)

496

     Pennsylvania: Wrightstown
Cronlund, Mr. Kenneth Robert

     South Carolina: Mauldin
Ratts, Miss Janet Esther

     Washington: Bellevue
de Maine, Miss Kara Anne

     West Virginia: Greenville
Carter, Mr. Luther Daniel, Jr.
Carter, Mrs. Luther Daniel, Jr. (Joan Louise Brown)

     West Virginia: Morgantown
Hill, Mrs. Daniel D. (Susan Christine Uber)

     Wisconsin: Dickerville
Griffin, Mrs. Richard Kenneth (Kim Bea Wilson)

     CANADA

     Alberta: Gorande Prairie
Scott, Mr. Darrell Brent

     British Columbia: Dawson Creek
Bouchard, Mrs. Paul J. (Tracie Viola Friesen)
Friesen, Mr. Rodney D.
Friesen, Mrs. Lance (Suzanne Fay Milner)

     British Columbia: Silver Valley
Kilbee, Mrs. Faron James (Danelle Carolynn Friesen)

     British Columbia, Silver Valley
Friesen, Mr. Blair Ellis
Friesen, Mrs. Blair Ellis (Theresa Bernice Kathleen Fisher)

     Ontario: Etobicoke
Jin, Mr. Yong Jin (John)
Jin, Mrs. Yong Jin (John) (Young Soon Yoon)
Orchard, Mr. Christopher G. Laurence
Posey, Mr. Lawrence

     Ontario: Islington
Schnarr, Miss Clare Louise

     Ontario: Kitchener
Bellinger, Mr. James Walter
Kuhl, Mr. William James

     Ontario: Oshawa
Hovland, Mr. Eric Alfred
Hovland, Mrs. Eric Alfred (Darlene Celia Graham)
Johnston, Mr. John Alexander

     Ontario: Ottawa
Macdonell, Miss Shirley Mary Mildred

     Quebec: Montreal
Stroh, Miss Deborah Yvonne

     DENMARK

     Denmark: Rodovre
Bruell, Mr. Robert Michael

     SWEDEN

     Sweden: Mansarp
Boley, Miss Carina Elisabeth

     AFRICA

     Camperdown
Browne, Mrs. Edward David Wellesley (Jane Elizabeth)

     Ghana: Accra-North
Akosah-Mensah, Mr. Robert
Smith-Mensah, Mr. Kwamiha Bronya

     Ghana: Tema
Afful, Mr. Godfrey Bassah

     R.S.A.: Clermont Twsp.
Stole, Miss Nonhlanhla Elaine

     R.S.A.: Durban
Crockett, Mrs. Richard Laurence (D'Renee Hildred Waters)

     R.S.A.: Green Point
de Chazal, Miss Laura Louise

     R.S.A.: Johannesburg
Maunga, Mrs. Simon (Adelaide Hlatyweka)
Mtshali, Rev. Johannes

     R.S.A., Noordhoek
Brathwaite, Mrs. Sheila Rachel

     R.S.A.: Orchards
Ball, Mr. Jarred Melville

497

     R.S.A.: Strand
Rabone, Mr. Arthur

     R.S.A.: Westville
Cox, Mrs. Gregory Quentin (Karen Renee Haygarth)
Gillespie, Miss Nerena Beatrice

     DEATHS
Abele, Mr. Harry D., Jr., October 18, 1988, Philadelphia, Pa. 75.
Acton, Mrs. Daric Edward (Sarah Schoenberger), February 9, 1989, Freeport, Pa. 85.
Bond, Miss Eunice May, July 14, 1988, Cambridge, Ontario, Canada. 78.
Boyesen, Mr. Randi Hdidal Boyesen, April 7, 1989, Oslo, Norway. 84.
Bradfield, Mrs. Thomas (Jean Bellinger), September 22, 1988, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. 65.
Brecht, Mr. Frederick Ronald, December 1, 1988, West Palm Beach, Fl. 55.
Burnham, Mr. Elmer Crebert, November 7, 1985, Sarver, Pa. 89. (delayed report)
Carter, Mrs. Morden (Norma Margaret Wemyss), August 23, 1988, Newmarket, Ontario, Canada. 85.
Clymer, Mrs. Bruce (Phillis Cooper), May 8, 1989, Bryn Athyn, Pa. 66.
Cowley, Mrs. William J. (Ingrid Odhner), May 1, 1989, Meadowbrook, Pa. 69.
Dahlin, Mrs. E. C. (Dagmar Ruth Astrid Rosander), 1986, Rockford, Il. 78. (delayed report)
Day, Mr. Elvin William, 1987, Dearborn, Mi. 80. (delayed report)
de Charms, Rt. Rev. George, December 28, 1988, Bryn Athyn, Pa. 99.
Doering, Mr. George Cooper, February 3, 1989, Laurel, Md. 78.
Dowling, Mr. Franklin Earle, February 11, 1989, Westernport, Md. 94.
Down, Mrs. A. Frederick (Edith Augusta Scott), February 27, 1989, Kitchener, Ontario, Canada. 94.
Elphick, Miss Edith Louisa, June 3, 1987, Kent, England. 86. (delayed report)
French, Mr. Harold Malcolm, Chicago, Il. (delayed report-date unknown)
Fuller, Miss Alice Tindle, July 15, 1988, Rancho Bernando, Ca. 93.
Graeser, Mr. Vernon Wilkinson, June 8, 1989, Gorand Rapids, Mi. 69.
Grant, Mr. William Charles, March 24, 1989, Dundee, Il. 52.
Gyllenhaal, Mr. Kurt Pendleton, January 17, 1989, Cleveland, Oh. 34.
Hafner, Mr. Joseph Richard, July 30, 1988, Meadowbrook, Pa. 59.
Holmes, Mr. Bruce Edgar, February 15, 1989, Glenview, Il. 59.
Jansen, Mrs. Roy (Lois Blair), December 26, 1987, Sarver, Pa. 92. (delayed report)
Junge, Miss Virginia, January 3, 1989, Glenview, Il. 86.
Kline, Mr. Glenn E., October 25, 1986, Pasadena, Ca. 82. (delayed report)
Knapp, Mr. Carl Theophilus, 1988, Sarasota, Fl. 84.
Knapp, Mrs. Carl Theophilus (Alice Virginia Johnson), February 24, 1989, Sarasota, Fl. 79.
Lark, Miss Barbara Russell, March 29, 1989, Portsmouth, Oh. 87.
Leeper, Mr. Robert Fulton, August 25, 1988, Atlanta, Ga. 89.
Longstaff, Miss Corlett Alice, January 7, 1989, Middleburgh Hts., Oh. 51.
McFadden, Mrs. Valera Lenore (Johnson), April 28, 1988, Ontario, Ca. 78. (delayed report)
Merry, Mrs. Frank Septem (Joyce Melville Ridgway), July 13, 1988, Somerset West, Cape, RSA. 79.

498

Newall, Mrs. Leonard (Elsie Violet Godfrey), March 22, 1989, Enfield, Middlesex, England. 99.
Nickel, Mrs. John H. (Agatha Klippenstein), December 8, 1988, Hanover, Ont., Canada. 91.
Parker, Mr. Edward John Upton, November 2], 1988, Etobicoke, Ont., Canada. 88.
Patient, Mrs. Laurence (Emily Jane Cower), April 18, 1989, Watford, Herts., England. 88.
Regelman, Mrs. William Harry (Cosette Kavanaugh), March 26, 1989, St. Louis Park, Mn. 91.
Ridgway, Mrs. Kenneth H. (Viola Maude Heath), April 6, 1989, Bryn Athyn, Pa. 90.
Salinas, Mrs. Norah Price, February 21, 1989, Sedgwick, Me. 78.
Scalbom, Mrs. Larry(Marjorie Mildred Petersen), October 14, 1988, Minneapolis, Mn. 59.
Scott, Mrs. Gladys Isabel Carter, September 28, 1988, Kitchener, Ont., Canada. 70.
Simons, Mrs. David R. (Zee Gyllenhaal), October 25, 1988, Bryn Athyn, Pa. 69.
Stebbing, Miss Lois Eileen, August 2, 1988, Bryn Athyn, Pa. 79.
Suster, Mr. Jerry Jaroslav, 1988, Alexandria, Va. 80.
Synnestvedt, Mr. George, February 14, 1989, Bryn Athyn, Pa. 90.
Synnestvedt, Mr. John Ralph, Jr., March 29, 1989, Chicago, Il. 61.
Turngren, Mr. George, January 4, 1989, Chicago, Il. 93.
Vincent, Mr. Fairley, July 26, 1988, Auckland, New Zealand. 88.
Waelchli, Mr. Fred Edwin Earl, March 6, 1989, Fort Belvoir, Va. 54.
Wainscot, Mr. Albert Stanley, April 2, 1989, Surrey, England. 90.
Walter, Mrs. Harry C. (Myra Saunders), April 29, 1989, Hatboro, Pa. 100.
White, Mr. John Alexander, January 13, 1989, Scarborough, Ont., Canada. 105.

RESIGNED
Anderson, Mrs. Harold P. (Beulah Edna Estey), February 14, 1989, Illinois.
Feltman, Mrs. Howard B. (Frances Bond Mackle), July 1, 1988, Pennsylvania.

DROPPED FROM ROLL
Little, Mr. Terry Russell, 1989, Ont., Canada
Little, Mrs. Terry R. (Diana Linda Rodych), 1989, Ont., Canada
NCL FIFTY YEARS AGO 1989

NCL FIFTY YEARS AGO 1989

The November issue of 1939 has a photograph taken at the thirty-second British Assembly. We cannot reproduce this photograph, but we invite particularly our friends in Colchester and London to go to the bound set in the library and look at page 505. Compare it with the photograph in the middle of this issue of the most recent (1988) British Assembly.

499

REPORT OF THE BISHOP OF THE GENERAL CHURCH 1989

     July 1, 1988 to June 30, 1989

     How important is the New Church? This past year has provided many opportunities for us to appreciate the important mission which the Lord has placed before us. Reflect on these teachings: "If the Lord's church were to be altogether extinct on earth, mankind could in no wise exist. . . . [T]his was the cause of the Lord's coming into the world, for unless, out of Divine mercy, He had come, the whole race of mankind must have perished, for the church was at the point of destruction" (AC 637).
     "From these words it is clear that without the Lord's coming into the world no one could have been saved. It is the same today; and therefore without the Lord's coming again into the world in Divine truth, which is the Word, no one can be saved" (TCR 3).
     This year has seen renewed commitment to the uses of worship and evangelization. Our General Church Office of Education has functioned admirably to encourage and support the effective operation of our schools in New Church societies. The important work of translation of the Word has been accelerated in a number of areas, with increased recognition that this preservation of the Divine text will increasingly become a General Church responsibility. To finance these important areas, the Leonard E. Gyllenhaal Fund was fully subscribed during this past year.
     As laymen and priests, we have courageously faced disorders within the organized church. Only the Writings can show us how to oppose and overcome the evils of our heredity and environment. There is as much of the world within us as outside of us and, like all other human beings, we are vulnerable to the attacks of the hells.
     This year particularly we have had more occasions to draw closer those many New Churchmen in the sister bodies of the New Church, recognizing our mutual dependence upon the Lord's presence in His new revelation.
     The Writings have been given to the New Church so that we may study and use them in our life, for the benefit of our own regeneration and the inspiration of those who may share them and their strength with us. I am pleased also that the church seems to be developing more insights into the uses to be performed by the women of the church while maintaining a strong commitment to the distinctive teachings concerning the differences between the sexes.
     All in all this has been a productive and happy year, with much hope for the future.

500

     Statistical Activities

As Bishop of the General Church:
Annual Council of the Clergy meetings
Bishop's Consistory-weekly
Bishop's Council-2
Bishop's Representatives-4
Board and Corporation meetings-4
British Assembly
Church dedication-1
Education Council meetings
Episcopal visits-35
General Church Evening
Joint Council meeting
Ordinations into the second degree of the priesthood-2
Perth, Australia Summer School
Total services conducted (on episcopal visits: festival, public and private)-6
Worship and Ritual meetings-weekly

General Church in Canada:
Annual GCIC meetings
Episcopal visits-4
Total services conducted (festival, public and private)-6

As Chancellor of the Academy:
Board and Corporation meetings-5
College chapel-8
Commencement service
Faculty opening worship
Secondary Schools opening chapel
Teaching assignment: Theol C and Theol D
Theological School Faculty meetings-monthly

Ministrations in Bryn Athyn:
Arcana classes-Tuesday evenings
Bryn Athyn Church School worship-4
Cairnwood Village classes-Wednesday mornings
Society doctrinal classes-3
Total services conducted (festival, public and private)-38

     Louis B. King,
          Bishop

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[Photo of Clergy at Australian Summer Camp, 1989 Couples from left: John and Mary Teed, Trevor and Joy Moffatt, Dick and Jul Keyworth, Louis and Freya King, then Ian Arnold, John Sutton]
DISTINCTIVE NEW CHURCH EDUCATION 1989

DISTINCTIVE NEW CHURCH EDUCATION Rev. GEOFFREY S. CHILDS 1989

     A Talk to the Academy Faculties

     September 5, 1989

     A recent popular movie entitled "The Dead Poets Society" deals with a private preparatory school with long traditions. At the opening ceremony of the school, four student leaders carried banners defining the foundation principles of the school. These were: tradition, discipline, honor, and excellence. If rightly understood, these goals convey much that is valuable. Yet the four guidelines of this private school were ineffective in meeting strong needs of certain students. The administration and faculty were weak in a very vital area. And a terrible tragedy, a student suicide, came out of this.
     If we had to limit our guiding principles to a small number, what would they be? What would convey the true distinctiveness of New Church education and the Divine uses such education can perform?

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I would like to end this talk with suggestions for such principles, and also hear your own.
     But first I would like to broaden the approach, and search out the universals or generals which qualify our whole New Church approach and educational philosophy, then follow this with a question: How do we derive from these universals an applied framework of principles that orient each discipline? Professor Bruce Glenn gave a paper on such applications entitled "Distinctiveness in Action (Or Why Are We Here?)" in November of 1971. And then the next question: In classroom teaching, how do we make distinctiveness come alive for our students? And finally, what would you put as four or five foundation principles on your New Church banners?

     Universal Principles

     Why bother with universal principles? Why not simply use some practical teaching techniques and get right to it? A response to this is that it is our living philosophy that guides us, that motivates us. And through this we hope to creatively assist and lead our students. For example, if we don't believe in a God, the Word, charity or eternal life, this will lead to spiritually dead education. We will give our students a stone, not bread. And their hearts and minds will suffer from inner famine and thirst.

     1)      The leading principle with us is the first reality of life: "The Lord God Jesus Christ reigns" (TCR 791). This qualifies New Church education in a way that makes it unique. It embodies the beautiful concept of the Divine Human and Human Lord who has all the Divinely revealed qualities unfolded in His Heavenly Doctrines. As we see the nature of the Lord more and more deeply, our education will assume new qualities and depth.
     a)      We are told that "in the world the Lord put on. . .a Divine natural, and from this not only is the internal spiritual man enlightened, but also the external natural; and unless these two are simultaneously enlightened, a person is as it were in shadow; but when both are enlightened, he is as it were in the light of day" (TCR 109:3). When both combine, the light is "flame-like" (ibid.). This would lead to a vision of the Lord that is both doctrinal and scientific. It would lead to wonderful bridges between the two foundations of truth (see SD 5709), and a new vision of this: a complete education.
     b)      The glorified Divine Body of the Lord is Love Itself (see AC 6135:3), and thus the Lord's first principle for application is viewing and approaching students with spiritual love and compassion.

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     c)      It is a spiritual fact, although we have a difficult time handling it, that the Lord Jesus Christ comes to us in a Divine Person that is in human form and shape (see AC 7211, AR 839, AC 8760:2). A wise man, we are told, will treasure a portrait of the Lord, with His Divine qualities kept in mind and heart (see TCR 296). Good Africans believe God is "altogether a Man" (LJ Post. 120). We are warned that self-intelligence prefers an invisible god, and evil prefers no god (see HH 82). I think we have trouble with this because we are of a spiritual and not a celestial genius!
     d)      When we think of the Lord from Essence to Person, He touches us more and more deeply, transforming our philosophy and our teaching. As we see His Divine qualities unfolded to us in the Arcana, Divine Love and Wisdom, and elsewhere, do not our "hearts burn within us'? (Luke 24:32).
     2)      The goal of the Lord in His Providence is a "heaven from the human race" (DP 27). His Providence continually works toward eternal ends, His predestination "is a predestination to heaven only" (DP 324), and His inmost end in the Divine Providence is that each individual achieve the highest possible place in the Gorand Man of heaven (see DP 67). Sensuous thinking is said to be strongly predominant at this day, and one thing that can break it is thinking about and seeing the reality of eternal life (see AC 6201). If each teacher thinks of eternal life as primary to his or her thinking, how this would qualify our approach!
     a)      And how do we, with all our hereditary limitations, keep the reality of heaven in our hearts and minds? Through obeying the commandments, and then through the Word. For the Word conjoins heaven and earth, and can keep us in the sphere of the angels. And how we need this!
     3)      Charity is essential if the New Church is to survive, and if our education is to be spiritually alive. There are three essentials of the New Church: "an acknowledgment of the Lord, an acknowledgment of the Word, and the life that is called charity" (DP 259:3). It is almost impossible to overestimate the importance of charity in New Church education, for our academic thrust would lead us to stress the intellectual and scholarship as more vital than charity. This is the weakness that would undermine the church of Ephesus, and it would undermine the Academy if we allow it. But without charity we really don't care about our students.
     4)      The Lord reveals a true cosmology for the New Church. Bishop W. F. Pendleton spoke of this cosmology as the "science of the Ancient Church" (in an address entitled "The Future of the Academy," NCL 1901, pp. 67-74).

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A present Academy College teacher refers to these as the tool doctrines, and they include: degrees, influx, correspondences and representations, the spiritual world, and God Man. The Writings disclose beautiful realities of creation, once known also to the ancients: that the first of finition is the Spiritual Sun, that there are six discrete levels of the Divine proceeding (see AC 8443), that the human soul is on the highest level of creation, that the spiritual world is wondrously organized after the human form, and that discrete degrees are a key to understanding creation (see DLW 184).
     5)      The doctrine of remains is a unique educational tool. Broadly speaking, remains include innocence, celestial, spiritual and moral goods and truths. Where else in extant literature is this delightful and beautiful doctrine taught? There are hints of its power in certain poetry and literature, for example in Wordsworth's "Intimations of immortality." But nowhere else than in the Writings is the doctrine convincingly and fully taught. Innocence surrounds the fetus, and is the first quality with an infant at birth (see D. Wis. III:le). In broad scope the Writings ask us to lead from the innocence of ignorance to the innocence of wisdom (see HH 341). "Children are led from the external innocence in which they are at the beginning, and which is called the innocence of childhood, to internal innocence, which is the innocence of wisdom. This innocence [of wisdom] is the end that directs all their instruction and progress" (HH 341). "The Lord dwells with a person only in his innocence" (D. Wis. III:1e).
     a)      Following innocence, led by it, are the celestial remains of infancy, the spiritual remains of childhood, the moral remains of youth (see AC 3 183:1, 3; 1461; 2039; et alia). Included among the qualities that remain and qualify all following spiritual life are the open knowledges from the Word. That Abram sojourned in     Egypt signifies the Lord's instruction as a small child, and also the instruction of every child in the truest sense. "But the knowledges must be from the Word. Knowledges from the Word are such that they are open from the Lord" (AC 1461). Of course there are hosts of knowledges and cognitions that are not directly     from the Word. But if rightly ordered, these too are open to celestial things, and to the reality of the Lord. "All instruction is simply an opening of the way" to celestial things (AC 1495:2).
     b)      The doctrine of remains is a great clarifier, for it adds something vital to what could be found in modern psychology. It reveals that there is a counterbalance to hereditary evil tendencies, and that this counterbalancing force is directly from the Lord.

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Remains are not a person's own, but are a gift and loan from the Lord that can later be made as if one's own through regeneration. Thus man is not innately good, nor is he innately evil. But there are good and wonderful things in him, which educators can use and which are the gifts of the Lord. As we study these gifts of remains, from doctrine and experience, we can serve the Lord more and more effectively in using them to promote our genuine purposes.

     6)      A leading doctrine of New Church education is the doctrine of use. Thus Bishop Willard Pendleton entitled his work on education Education for Use. Two references from the Writings come immediately to mind: AC 1472 and Divine Love XIII. The first teaches: "knowledge . . . is nothing but an instrumental agency having for its end a use, namely, that the knowledges may serve celestial and spiritual things as vessels. . . . The internal man regards nothing but the use." Divine Love XIII may be said to be the master number on use and its role in human life. The heading of this number is: "So far as man is in the love of use, so far is he in the Lord, so far he loves the Lord and loves the neighbor, and so far he is a man." The number explains: "to love the Lord means to do uses from Him and for His sake. . . . No one can love the Lord in any other way, for uses . . . are Divine" (ibid.).
     a)      In New Church education, then, we look to preparation for use. One way we do this is to give a full liberal arts background which gives a perspective on the role and place of use. And then we also teach knowledges and skills that lead to occupational preparedness. For uses lie partially within the faithful performance of one's occupation. Through occupation and family uses man becomes a form of use, and when he enters heaven, uses become his very life and being.

     (Next month: six more universal principles)
NCL 100 YEARS AGO 1989

NCL 100 YEARS AGO 1989

The November issue of 1889 speaks of an offer made to all the Lutheran ministers in Sweden of a free copy of True Christian Religion. Out of 2500, two hundred accepted.

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THREE GREEDY PEOPLE 1989

THREE GREEDY PEOPLE Editor 1989

     During a month in which many are expressing thanks for what they have, we might think about three notorious Americans who served as dubious examples in 1989. One was a baseball manager, one an extremely wealthy woman, owner of a chain of hotels, and the other a television evangelist. Their names are not important, but may we learn or confirm something by their example?
     All three had material possessions far beyond what they could ever use or need. And yet all three broke the law and were brought to justice. Why? Because they were so eager to acquire more that they used dishonest means to do so. It seems so unlikely. It seems like a story someone might make up to drive home a moral.
     What the Writings say about certain loves would be difficult to confirm by our own experience. If we did not have actual examples we might well say that the teaching is far-fetched. For example:

By inheritance man possesses a desire to become great; he has also a desire to gain riches; and so far as these loves are unrestrained he longs to become greater and richer, and at length to be greatest and richest; nor would he rest here; he would wish to become greater than God Himself and to possess heaven itself.
     Divine Providence 183

     The passage adds that this passion "lies most deeply hidden."
     The love of possessions is closely related to the love of dominion (see DP 215:5), and there is something said about the love of dominion which makes the point of this editorial.
     We are told that the love of dominating from the love of self is totally without limit. It never has enough but wishes to rule over the Divine Himself. Amazingly we are told that "this propensity lurks hidden in everyone who is in love of self, although it is not manifest to the world where it is held in check" (HH 559). How can we believe this? We are told that we can see it in the examples of potentates and kings who have been without the common restraints (ibid.). We can look at examples in past history to see the reality of such insane love. Nor need we look so far back in history. For in 1989 there were at least three who should have been enjoying their blessings but have become pathetic examples of how greed can hurt us.
     Let us be thankful that we don't have to learn some things the hard way if we take note thoughtfully of the examples before our eyes.

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ACADEMY ENTERS THE 1990s 1989

ACADEMY ENTERS THE 1990s Editor 1989

     On September 15th a letter went out from Rev. Geoffrey S. Childs, President of the Academy of the New Church. The opening paragraph indicates that fourteen nations are represented in the student body.

The Academy is now opening its doors to students for the new school year, and we do this with a sense of hope and real promise. Students are attending from China, Japan, Australia, South Africa, Ghana, England, Brazil, Scotland, Yugoslavia, Holland, Finland, and Sweden, as well as from North America. This diversity affirms the role of the General Church as worldwide, and hints at the time when we will grow significantly.

     The two-page letter speaks of new leadership and new initiatives. The penultimate paragraph says:

We are about to enter the decade of the 1990s. And this will bring us many challenges. Enrollment Projections go upward in mid 1990s, and this calls for careful preparations in all of our schools.

     We are presently experiencing a slight decline in enrollments. Elsewhere in this issue we give the enrollments for nine elementary schools. The total for all nine is 634 students, only 13 more than last year. The most noticeable decline is the Girls School at the Academy. There are only seventy-eight girls in the school this year and fewer than thirty in the dormitory. It is heartening to see the projections for the future and a bright picture emerging for the 1990s.
LIBRARIAN POSITION AVAILABLE 1989

LIBRARIAN POSITION AVAILABLE 1989

The Bryn Athyn Church School is looking for an enthusiastic, child-centered, full-time librarian (media specialist) beginning July 1st, 1990. The model candidate will have B.A. and M.L.S. degrees, extensive library experience, as well as strong interpersonal and communication skills. The candidate will be responsible for program planning, book selection, organization of audio-visual center, collection maintenance, BACS curriculum center, training and supervision of part-time assistants, and helping teachers integrate library media with curricula. Knowledge of computers will be of great benefit. Please send application and r?sum? to Rev. Wendel Barnett, P.O. Box 277, Bryn Athyn, PA 19009 by January 31st, 1990.

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Title Unspecified 1989

[Two page Photo of Sixty-third British Assembly 1988, Colchester]

509

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DIRECTORY 1989

     GENERAL CHURCH OF THE NEW JERUSALEM

     1989-1990

     Officials and Councils

Bishop: Rt. Rev.      Louis B. King
Assistant Bishop:      Rt. Rev. Peter M. Buss
Bishop Emeritus:      Rt. Rev. Willard D. Pendleton
Acting Secretary:      Mr. E. Boyd Asplundh

     Consistory

Bishop Louis B. King
Rt. Rev. Peter M. Buss; Rev. Messrs. Alfred Acton, Kurt H. Asplundh, Geoffrey S. Childs, Daniel W. Heinrichs, Geoffrey H. Howard, Robert S. Junge, Brian W. Keith, Thomas L. Kline, Donald L. Rose, Frank S. Rose, Erik Sandstrom, Frederick L. Schnarr, and Lorentz R. Soneson

     "General Church of the New Jerusalem"

     (A Corporation of Pennsylvania)

     OFFICERS OF THE CORPORATION

President:           Rt. Rev. Louis B. King
Vice President:      Rt. Rev. Peter M. Buss
Secretary:           Mr. E. Boyd Asplundh
Treasurer:           Mr. Neil M. Buss
Assistant Treasurer:      Mr. Bruce A. Fuller
Controller:           Mr. Ian K. Henderson

     BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE CORPORATION
Messrs. Edward F. Allen, Jr., E. Boyd Asplundh, Mrs. Gregory L. Baker, Messrs. Peter H. Boericke, Eyvind H. Boyesen, Theodore W. Brickman. Jr., Neil M. Buss, Dr. James B. de Maine, Messrs. Henry R. Dunlap, Roy B. Evans, John A. Frost, B. Reade Genzlinger, Dale B. Genzlinger, Terry K. Glenn, Geraldo C. Gomes, Murray F. Heldon, Albert D. Henderson, Mrs. Albert D. Henderson, Messrs. James F. Junge, Denis M Kuhl, Robert D. Merrell, H. Keith Morley, Duncan B. Pitcairn, Dr. William B. Radcliffe, Messrs. Brian L. Schnarr, S. Brian Simons, Robert A. Smith, Garold E. Tennis, James G. Uber, Phillip R. Zuber
Honorary Life Member: Rt. Rev. Willard D. Pendleton
Ex Officio Members: Rt. Rev. Louis B. King. Rt. Rev. Peter M. Buss

     BISHOPS

     King, Louis Blair. Ordained June 19, 1951; 2nd degree, April 19, 1952; 3rd degree, November 5, 1972. Continued to serve as Bishop of the General Church and General Pastor of the General Church. Chancellor of the Academy of the New Church. President of the General Church in Canada, President of the General Church International, Incorporated. Address: P.O. Box 278, Bryn Athyn. PA 19009.

511

     Buss, Peter Martin. Ordained June 19, 1964; 2nd degree, May 16, 1965; 3rd degree, June 1, 1986. Continued to serve as Assistant Bishop of the General Church, Head of Evangelization.
Vice President of the General Church Corporation. Address: P.O. Box 278, Bryn Athyn, PA 19009.

     Pendleton, Willard Dandridge. Ordained June 18, 1933; 2nd degree, September 12, 1934; 3rd degree, June 19. 1946. Bishop Emeritus of the General Church, Chancellor Emeritus of the Academy of the New Church. Retired. Continued to serve, conducting various rites and sacraments. Address: P.O. Box 338, Bryn Athyn, PA 19009.

     PASTORS

     Acton, Alfred. Ordained June 19, 1964; 2nd degree, October 30, 1966. Continued teaching at the Academy College and Theological School, serving as Chairman of the Liturgy Revision Committee; Secretary of the Council of the Clergy, Chairman of the General Church Translation Committee and pursuing a graduate degree program. Address: P.O. Box 278, Bryn Athyn, PA 19009.

     Alden, Glenn Graham. Ordained June 19, 1974; 2nd degree, June 6, 1976. Continued to serve as resident pastor of the Northwestern district of Canada, resident in Dawson Creek and Visiting Pastor to Crooked Creek, Calgary, Oyen, Red Deer and Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Address: 9013 8th Street. Dawson Creek, B.C., Canada V1G 3N3.

     Alden, Kenneth James. Ordained June 6, 1980; 2nd degree May 16, 1982. Continued to serve as Principal of the Carmel Church School and Assistant to the Pastor of the Carmel Church in Canada. Address: 107 Evenstone Road, RR2, Kitchener, Ontario, Canada N2G 3W5.

     Alden, Mark Edward. Ordained June 10, 1979; 2nd degree May 17, 1981. Currently unassigned. Has received medical degree and is doing his residency. Address: 2959 Sycamore Road, Huntingdon Valley, PA 19006.

     Asplundh, Kurt Horigan. Ordained June 19. 1960; 2nd degree, June 19, 1962. Continued to serve as Pastor of Bryn Athyn Church and Bishop's Representative for the Northeast United States. Address: P.O. Box 277, Bryn Athyn, PA 19009

     Barnett, Wendel Ryan. Ordained June 7, 1981; 2nd degree, June 20, 1982. Continued to serve as Principal of the Bryn Athyn Church School as well as Assistant to the Pastor of the Bryn Athyn Church. Address: P.O. Box 277, Bryn Athyn, PA 19009.

     Bau-Madsen, Arne. Ordained June 6, 1976; 2nd degree, June 11, 1978. Continued to serve as Associate Pastor to Kempton, and Visiting Pastor to the Wallenpaupack Circle and the Penn State Group, and as translator. Address: Box 527, Rt. 1, Lenhartsville, PA 19534.

     Bown, Christopher Duncan. Ordained June 18, 1978; 2nd degree, December 23, 1979. Continued to serve as pastor of the Atlanta Society. As of July 1, 1989, Pastor of the Colchester Society and Senior Pastor for Great Britain. Address: 2 Christ Church Ct., Colchester, Essex, England C03 3AU.

     Boyesen, Bjorn Adolph Hildemar. Ordained June 19, 1939: 2nd degree. March 30, 1941. Retired, on active assignment. Continued serving as translator of the Writings from Latin to modern Swedish. He also served as Pastor of the Jonkoping Circle and visiting pastor to the Copenhagen Circle. Address: 1 Bruksater, Furusjo, S-5661 001, Habo, Sweden.

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     Boyesen, Ragnar. Ordained June 19. 1972; 2nd degree, June 17, 1973. Continued to serve as pastor of the Freeport Society. Address: 122 McKean Road. Freeport, PA 16229.

     Burke, William Hanson. Ordained June 7, 1981; 2nd degree, August 13, 1983. Continued to serve as visiting minister in the Southeast District. As of July 1, 1989, Resident Pastor in Charlotte, North Carolina. Address: 6010 Paddington Court, Charlotte, NC 28226.

     Carlson, Mark Robert. Ordained June 10, 1973; 2nd degree, March 6, 1977. Continued to serve as Assistant to the Pastor of Immanuel Church. As of July 1, 1989, Assistant Pastor of Immanuel Church. Address: 807 Clover, Glenview, IL 60025.

     Carswell, Eric Hugh. Ordained June 10, 1979; 2nd degree, February 22, 1981. Continued to serve as Assistant Pastor of the Immanuel Church Society, and Principal of the Midwestern Academy. As of July 1, 1989, Pastor of the Pittsburgh Society. Address: 299 Le Roi Road, Pittsburgh, PA 15208.

     Chapin, Frederick Merle. Ordained June 15. 1986; 2nd degree, October 23, 1988. Continued to serve as Acting Minister to the Baltimore Society, visiting minister to the Wilmington. Delaware, Group and visiting minister to the Virginia District. Address 37 Guinevere Ct., Baltimore, MD 21227.

     Childs, Geoffrey Stafford. Ordained June 19, 1952; 2nd degree, June 19, 1954. Continued to serve as President of the Academy of the New Church and Bishop's Representative. Address: P.O. Box 278, Bryn Athyn, PA 19009.

     Childs. Robin Waelehli. Ordained June 6, 1984; 2nd degree, June 8, 1986. Continued to serve as Assistant to the Pastor of the Hurstville Society in Australia, resident in Auckland. and Minister to the New Zealand Circle. As of August 1, 1989, Principal of Midwestern Academy, and Assistant to the Pastor of the Immanuel Church Society. Address: 2700 Park Lane, Glenview, IL 60025.

     Clifford, William Harrison. Ordained June 6, 1976; 2nd degree, October 8, 1978. Resigned August 15, 1986. Address: 509 Scarlett Lane #819. Lansing. MI 48917.

     Cole, Robert Hudson Pendleton. Ordained June 16, 1963; 2nd degree, October 30, 1966. As of July 1, 1989, retired. Address: P.O. Box 356, Bryn Athyn, PA 19009.

     Cole, Stephen Dandridge. Ordained June 19, 1977; 2nd degree, October 15, 1978. Continued to serve as Assistant to the Pastor of the Oak Arbor Society, Detroit. Michigan. Address: 5789 Orion Road, Rochester. MI 48064.

     Cooper, James Pendleton. Ordained June 13, 1982; 2nd degree, March 4, 1984. Continued to serve as Pastor of the Durban Society. Address: 30 Perth Road. Westville. 3630, Natal. Rep. S. Africa.

     Cowley, Michael Keith. Ordained June 13, 1982; 2nd degree, May 13, 1984. Continued to serve as Assistant to the Pastor of the Toronto Society. Address: 11 N. Heights Road. Etobicoke, Ont. M9R 2T2, Canada.

     Cranch, Harold Covert. Ordained June 19, 1941, 2nd degree, October 15, 1942. Retired. Address: 501 Porter Street, Glendale, CA 91205.

     Dibb, Andrew Malcolm Thomas. Ordained June 6, 1984; 2nd degree, May 18, 1986. Continued to serve as Pastor of the Transvaal Society and Director of Education in the General Church Mission of South Africa. Address: P.O. Box 816, Kelvin 2054, Rep. S. Africa.

     Echols, John Clark, Jr. Ordained August 26, 1978; 2nd degree, March 30. 1980. Continued to serve as Pastor of the Central Western District, resident in Denver, Colorado. Address: Church of the New Jerusalem, Box 1065, Westminster. CO 80030.

     Elphick, Frederick Charles. Ordained June 6, 1984, 2nd degree September 23, 1984. Continued to serve as Pastor of the Michael Church, London, England and Pastor of the Surrey Circle. Address: 218 Hayne Road, Beckenham, Kent, BR3 4JA, England.

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     Gladish, Michael David. Ordained June 10, 1973; 2nd degree, June 30, 1974. Continued to serve as Pastor of the Olivet Church, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Address: 2 Lorraine Gardens, Etobicoke, Ontario, M9B 424, Canada.

     Gladish, Nathan Donald. Ordained June 13, 1982; 2nd degree, November 6, 1983. Continued to serve as Pastor of the San Diego Society. As of June 1, 1989, appointed Acting Pastor of the San Francisco Bay Area Circle, resident in San Diego. Address: 7911 Canary Way, San Diego, CA 92123.

     Gladish, Victor Jeremiah. Ordained June 17, 1928; 2nd degree, August 5, 1928. Retired. Address: 1015 Gladish Lane, Glenview, IL 60025.

     Goodenough, Daniel Webster. Ordained June 19, 1965; 2nd degree, December 10, 1967. Continued to serve as Associate Professor of religion and history in the Academy of the New Church College and Theological School. Address: P.O. Box 278, Bryn Athyn, PA 19009.

     Heilman, Andrew James. Ordained June 18, 1978; 2nd degree, March 8, 1981. Continued to serve on the faculty of the Academy of the New Church. Assistant to Pastor of the Hatboro-Horsham Circle. Address: P.O. Box 278, Bryn Athyn. PA 19009.

     Heinrirhs, Daniel Winthrop. Ordained June 19, 1957; 2nd degree, April 6, 1958. Continued to serve as Pastor of the Miami Circle and Visiting Pastor in the Florida District. Served as Chairman of the Traveling Ministers' Committee. Address: 10687 Fl Claire Ranch Road, Boynton Beach, FL 33437.

     Heinrichs, Willard Lewis Davenport. Ordained June 19, 1965; 2nd degree, January, 1969. Continued to serve as instructor in theology and religion in the Academy of the New Church College and Theological School. Address: P.O. Box 278, Bryn Athyn, PA 19009.

     Howard, Geoffrey Horace. Ordained June 19, 1961; 2nd degree, June 2, 1963. Continued to serve as Assistant to the Pastor of the Bryn Athyn Society and Visiting Minister to the Connecticut Circle. Address: P.O. Box 277, Bryn Athyn, PA 19009.

     Junge, Kent. Ordained June 10, 1979; 2nd degree, June 24, 1981. Continued to serve as Pastor to the circle in Seattle. Washington, and Visiting Pastor to the Northwest District of the General Church, and Vancouver and Cranbrook, B.C., Canada. Resigned from the ministry March 23, 1989. Address: 14812 N. E. 75th Street, Redmond, WA 98052.

     Junge, Robert Schill. Ordained June 19, 1955; 2nd degree, August 11, 1957. Continued to serve as Dean of the Academy of the New Church Theological School, and Pastor of the Hatboro-Horsham Circle. Address: P.O. Box 278, Bryn Athyn. PA 19009.

     Keith, Brian Welter. Ordained June 6, 1976; 2nd degree, June 4, 1978. Continued to serve as Pastor of the Immanuel Church in Glenview, President of the Midwestern Academy, and Bishop's Representative for the midwest United States. Address: 73 Park Drive, Glenview, IL
60025.

     King, Cedric. Ordained June 10, 1979; 2nd degree, November 27, 1980. Continued to serve as Visiting Pastor to the Phoenix Circle and Resident Pastor of Orange County. Address: 21332 Forest Meadow, El Toro, CA 92630.

     Kline, Thomas Leroy. Ordained June 10, 1973; 2nd degree, June 15, 1975. Continued to serve as Assistant Pastor of the Bryn Athyn Church. Address: P.O. Box 277, Bryn Athyn, PA 19009.

     Larsen, Ottar Trosvik. Ordained June 19, 1974; 2nd degree, February 16, 1977. Unassigned. Resigned July 31, 1987. Address: P.O. Box 311, Bryn Athyn, PA 19009.

514

     McCurdy, George Daniel. Ordained June 25, 1967; Recognized as a priest of the New Church in the second degree July 5, 1979; received into the priesthood of the General Church June 9, 1980. Continued to serve as instructor of religion in the Academy of the New Church secondary schools, chaplain for the secondary schools, and head of the religion department. Address: P.O. Box 278, Bryn Athyn, PA 19009.

     McMaster, Robert David. Ordained June 18, 1978; 2nd degree, February 15, 1981, Unassigned.

     Nemitz, Kurt Paul. Ordained June 16, 1963; 2nd degree. March 27. 1966. Unassigned. Address: 887 Middle Street. Bath, ME 04530.

     Nicholson, Allison La Marr. Ordained September 9, 1979; 2nd degree, February 15, 1981, Continued to serve as Pastor of the Bath, Maine, Society. Address: HC33-Box 61N, Arrowsic, ME 04530.

     Nobre, Cristovao Rabelo. Ordained June 6, 1984; 2nd degree, August 25, 1985. Resident minister of the Rio de Janeiro Society in Brazil. Address: Rua Line Teixeira, 109 Apto 101, Rocha, Rio de Janeiro, 20970, Brazil.

     Odhner, Grant Hugo. Ordained June 7, 1981; 2nd degree, May 9, 1982. Continued to serve as Pastor of the Boston Circle and Traveling Pastor to Cape Cod and New Hampshire. Address: 138 Maynard Road, Sudbury, MA 01776.

     Odhner, John Llewellyn. Ordained June 6. 1980; 2nd degree, November 22, 1981. Independent evangelization effort in Albuquerque, New Mexico. As of July 1, 1989, Acting Pastor of the Los Angeles Society. Address: 5022 Carolyn Way, La Crescenta, CA 91214.

     Orthwein, Welter Edward, III. Ordained July 22, 1973; 2nd degree, June 12, 1977. Continued to serve as Pastor of the Oak Arbor Society and Principal of the Oak Arbor Society Day School. Address: 395 Olivewood Court, Rochester, MI 48064.

     Pendleton, Dandridge. Ordained June 19, 1952; 2nd degree, June 19, 1954. Continued to serve as instructor of theology and religion in the Academy of the New Church College and 'Theological School. Address: P.O. Box 278, Bryn Athyn, PA 19009.

     Pryke, Martin. Ordained June 19, 1940; 2nd degree, March 1, 1942. Retired. Address: P.O. Box 278, Bryn Athyn, PA 19009.

     Reuter, Norman Harold. Ordained June 17, 1928; 2nd degree, October 13, 1930. Retired. Address: 566 Anne Street, Huntingdon Valley, PA 19006.

     Rich, Morley Dyckman. Ordained June 19, 1938; 2nd degree, October 13, 1940. Retired. Address: 2604 Inverness Lane, Birmingham, AL 35243.

     Riley, Norman Edward. Recognized as a priest of the General Church January, 1978. Resident Minister of the Manchester Circle and Visiting Assistant to the Pastor of London and Surrey. Incorrectly listed last year as Open Road Pastor. Address: 69 Harewood Road, Norden, Rochdale, OL11 5TH, England.

     Rogers, Donald Kenneth. Ordained June 6, 1984; 2nd degree, May 25, 1986. Continued to serve as Acting Pastor of the Los Angeles Society. As of June 30, 1989, resigned from the ministry. Address: 3601 Nessa Court SW, Smyma, GA 30080.

     Rogers, Norbert Henry. Ordained June 19, 1938; 2nd degree, October 13, 1940. Retired. Address: P.O. Box 278, Bryn Athyn, PA 19009.

     Rogers, Prescott Andrew. Ordained January 26, 1986; 2nd degree, April 24, 1988. Continued to serve as a teacher in the Academy of the New Church College and Visiting Minister to Lancaster, Pennsylvania. Address: P.O. Box 278, Bryn Athyn, PA 19009.

515

     Rose, Donald Leslie. Ordained June 16, 1957; 2nd degree, June 23, 1963. Continued to serve as Assistant to the Pastor of the Bryn Athyn Society and Editor of New Church Life. Address: P. O. Box 277, Bryn Athyn, PA 19009.

     Rose, Frank Shirley. Ordained June 19, 1952; 2nd degree, August 2. 1953. Continued to serve as Pastor of the Tucson Society and Bishop's Representative in the West. Address: 9233 E. Helen Street, Tucson, AZ 85715.

     Rose, Patrick Alan. Ordained June 19, 1975; 2nd degree, September 25, 1977. Continued to serve as Visiting Minister of the North Ohio Circle and Resident Minister in Cincinnati, Ohio. Address: 785 Ashcroft Ct., Cincinnati, OH 45240.

     Rose, Thomas Hartley. Ordained June 12, 1988; 2nd degree May 21, 1989. Continued to serve as Assistant to the Pastor of the Washington Society and Acting Principal of the Washington New Church School. Effective October 13, 1989, Assistant Pastor of the Washington Society and Principal of the Washington New Church School. Address: 3809 Enterprise Road, Mitchellville, MD 20716.

     Sandstrom, Erik. Ordained June 101 1934; 2nd degree, August 4, 1935. Retired. From September to December 1988. Acting Pastor in Stockholm, Sweden. As of January 1, 1989, special assignments. Address: 3566 Post Road, Huntingdon Valley, PA 19006.

     Sandstrom. Erik Emanuel. Ordained May 23, 1971; 2nd degree, May 21, 1972. Effective September 1, 1988, Visiting Pastor to the New York-New Jersey Circle. Effective January 1, 1989, visiting Pastor to Stockholm Society, Sweden. Address: P.O. Box 278, Bryn Athyn, PA 19009.

     Schnarr, Arthur Willard, Jr. Ordained June 7, 1981; 2nd degree, June 19, 1983. Continued to serve as Assistant to the pastor of the Olivet Church, Toronto, responsible for the evangelization program in Toronto. Address: 66 Cronin Drive, Etobicoke, Ontario, Canada M9B 4V4.

     Schnarr, Frederick Laurier. Ordained June 19, 1955; 2nd degree, May 12, 1957. Served as Bishop's Representative for Education, Director of General Church Religion Lessons, Director of Adult Education, Permanent Chairman of the Education Council and Chairman of the Headmasters' Committee. Address: Box 278, Bryn Athyn. PA 19009.

     Schnarr, Grant Ronald. Ordained June 12, 1983; 2nd degree, October 7, 1984. Continued to serve as Pastor of the Chicago Circle and Visiting Minister to the Midwest District. Address: 73A Park Drive, Glenview, IL 60025.

     Silverman, Raymond Joel. Ordained, June 6, 1984; 2nd degree, June 19, 1985. Continued as Pastor of the Pittsburgh Society and Headmaster of the Pittsburgh Church School. As of July 1, 1989, Pastor of the Atlanta Society. Address: 2119 Seaman Circle, Chamblee, GA 30341.

     Simons, David Restyn. Ordained June 19, 1948; 2nd degree, June 19, 1950. Retired. Address: 1510 S. Atlanta Avenue, Apt. A, Cocoa Beach, FL 32931.

     Simons, Jeremy Frederick. Ordained June 13, 1982; 2nd degree, July 31, 1983. Continued to serve as Pastor of the Kempton Society and Principal of the Kempton Society School. Address: R.D. 2, Box 217A, Kempton, PA 19529.

     Smith, Christopher Ronald Jack. Ordained June 19, 1969; 2nd degree, May 9, 1971. Continued to serve as Instructor of Religion in the Academy of the New Church Secondary Schools. Address: P.O. Box 278, Bryn Athyn, PA 19009.

     Smith, Lawson Merrell. Ordained June 10, 1979; 2nd degree, February 1, 1981. Continued to serve as Pastor of the Washington Society, and Assistant Principal of the Washington New Church School. Address: 3805 Enterprise Road, Mitchellville, MD 20716.

516

     Soneson, Lorentz Ray. Ordained June 16, 1963; 2nd degree May 16, 1965. Continued to serve as Secretary of the General Church, Editor of New Church Home, Chairman of General Church Publication Committee, and Secretary of Consistory. As of July 1, 1989, on disability retirement. Address: Box 278, Bryn Athyn, PA 19009.

     Stroh, Kenneth Oliver. Ordained June 19, 1948; 2nd degree, June 19, 1950. Continued to serve as Pastor of the Colchester Society and Bishop's Representative in Europe. As of July 1, 1989, retired. Address: P.O. Box 629, Bryn Athyn, PA 19009.

     Synnestvedt, Louis Daniel. Ordained June 6, 1980; 2nd degree, November 8, 1981. Continued to serve as Pastor of the Carmel Church Society, Kitchener, Ontario, Canada. Address: 58 Chapel Hill Drive, RR #2, Kitchener, Ontario, Canada N2G 3W5.

     Taylor, Douglas McLeod. Ordained June 19, 1960; 2nd degree, June 19, 1962. As of January 1st, 1989. Pastor of the Hurstville Society, Australia, and Visiting Pastor to Tamworth Circle of the General Church, Australia. Address: 22 Dudley Street, Penshurst NSW, Australia 2222.

     Weiss, Jan Hugo. Ordained June 19, 1955; 2nd degree, May 12, 1957. Unassigned; has done volunteer missionary work producing printed material and video tapes. Address: 2650 Del Vista Drive, Hacienda Heights, CA 91745.

     MINISTERS

     Ankra-Badu, William Ofei. Ordained June 15, 1986. Continued to serve as minister of the New Church, resident in Ghana, West Africa. Address: P.O. Box 1 1305, Accra, West Africa, Ghana.

     Barry, Eugene. Ordained June 15, 1986. Resigned from ministry June 30,1988. Address: P.O. Box 327, Reading, MA 01867.

     de Figueircdo, Jose Lopes. Ordained October 24, 1965. Retired. Continued to give assistance to the Pastor and Vice President of the Rio de Janeiro Society in Brazil. He has been engaged in translating. Address: Rua des Isidro 155, Apt. 202 Tijuca, Rio de Janeiro 20521 RJ, Brazil.

     Fitzpatrick, Daniel. Ordained June 6, 1984. Currently unassigned. Address: 5845 Aurora Court, Lake Worth, FL 33643.

     Kwak, Dzin Pyung. Ordained June 12, 1988. Served as Minister of the General Church in Korea (on special assignment). Address: 1019-7 Daechidong, Kangnam-Ku, Seoul, Korea.

     Rogers, N. Bruce. Ordained January 12, 1969. Continued to serve as Translator; Associate Professor of Religion and Latin in the ANC College; Chairman of the General Church Word Committee and Secretary of the ANC Publication Committee; Head of the Committee for the Revision of the King James Version of the Word. Address: P.O. Box 278, Bryn Athyn, PA 19009.

     Rose, Jonathan Searle. Ordained May 3 1, 1987 Served as visiting minister to the Newtown, Pennsylvania Group, and full-time Latin graduate student. Address: P.O. Box 278, Bryn Athyn, PA 19009.

     Schorran, Paul Edward. Ordained June 12, 1983. Unassigned. Address: RD 2, Box 172A, Kempton, PA 19529.

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     AUTHORIZED CANDIDATES

     Buss, Erik. Address: P.O. Box 278. Bryn Athyn. PA 19009.

     Lindrooth, David. Address: P.O. Box 278, Bryn Athyn. PA 19009.

     Maseko, Jaeoh. Address: 8482 Zone 5. Pimville. Soweto 1808, Rep. of South Africa.

     Mcanyana, Chester. Address: c/o Rev. Andrew Dibb, P.O. Box 816. Kelvin 2054. Rep. of South Africa.

     ASSOCIATE MINISTERS

     Nicolier, Alain. Ordained May 31, 1979; 2nd degree, September 16, 1984. Pastor to the New Church in France. Address: Bourguignon-Meursanges 21200 Beaune, France.

     EVANGELIST

     Eubanks, W. Harold. Address: Rt. 3, Box 136, Americus, GA 31709.

     SOUTH AFRICAN MISSION

     PASTORS

     Butelezi, Ishborn. Ordained August 18, 1985; second degree, August 23, 1987. Resident minister of the Impaphala Society and visiting minister of the Umlazi Group. Address: P.O. Box 281, Ntumeni 3830, R.S.A.

     Mbatha, Bhekuyise Alfred. Ordained June 27, 1971; 2nd degree, June 23, 1974. District pastor in Natal, visiting pastor to the Kwa Mashu Group and resident pastor of the Dondotha Group. Address: P.O. Box 27011, Kwa Mashu, Natal 4360, R.S.A.

     Nkahinde, Peter Piet. Ordained June 23, 1974; 2nd degree, November 13, 1977. District pastor of Transvaal, resident pastor of Diepkloof Society, visiting pastor of Quthing Society and the Tembisia Group. Address: 2375 Diepkloof, Zone 2, Soweto, Johannesburg 2100, R.S.A.

     Nzimande, Benjamin Ishmael. Ordained August 21, 1938; 2nd degree, October 3, 1948. Resident pastor of the Clermont Society, visiting pastor of the Enkumba Society. Address: 1701 31st Avenue, Clermont Township, P.O. Clernaville, Natal 2602 R.S.A.

     Zungu, Aaron. Ordained August 21, 1938; 2nd degree, October 3, 1948. Mission translator. Address: c/o Kent Manor Farm, P-B Ntumeni, KwaZulu 3830, R.S.A.

     SOCIETIES, CIRCLES AND GROUPS

     Society                          Pastor
Atlanta, Georgia                    Rev. Raymond Silverman
Baltimore, Maryland                    Rev. Frederick M. Chapin
Bath, Maine                          Rev. Allison L. Nicholson
Bryn Athyn, Pennsylvania           Rev. Kurt H. Asplundh
                                   Rev. Thomas L. Kline,
                                        Assistant Pastor
                                   Rev. Wendel R. Barnett,
      Assistant to Pastor
                                   Rev. Geoffrey H. Howard,
      Assistant to Pastor
                                   Rev. Donald L. Rose,
                                        Assistant to Pastor
Cincinnati, Ohio                    Rev. Patrick A. Rose
Colchester, England                    Rev. Christopher D. Bown

518

Detroit, Michigan                    Rev. Walter E. Orthwein
(Oak Arbor Church)                Rev. Stephen D. Cole,
                                        Assistant to Pastor
Durban, Natal, R.S.A.                Rev. James P. Cooper
Freeport, Pennsylvania           Rev. Ragnar Boyesen
Glenview, Illinois                    Rev. Brian W. Keith
                                    Rev. Robin S. Childs,
                                        Assistant to Pastor
                                    Rev. Mark R. Carlson,
                                        Assistant Pastor
Hurstville, NSW, Australia           Rev. Douglas M. Taylor
Kempton, Pennsylvania                Rev. Jeremy F. Simons
                                    Rev. Arne Bau-Madsen,
                                        Associate Pastor
Kitchener, Ontario, Canada           Rev. Louis D. Synnestvedt
(Carmel Church)                    Rev. Kenneth J. Alden,
                                        Assistant to Pastor
London, England (Michael Church)      Rev. Frederick C. Elphick
Los Angeles, California           Rev. John L. Odhner
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania           Rev. Eric H. Carswell
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil           Rev. Cristovao R. Nobre
                                    Rev. Jose L. de Figueiredo,
                                        retired; Asst. minister
San Diego, California                Rev. Nathan D. Gladish
Stockholm, Sweden                    Rev. Erik E. Sandstrom,
                                        Visiting Pastor
Toronto, Ontario, Canada          Rev. Michael D. Gladish
(Olivet Church)                    Rev. Michael K. Cowley,
                                        Assistant to Pastor
                                    Rev. Arthur W. Schnarr,
                                        Assistant to Pastor
Transvaal, Rep. S. Africa          Rev. Andrew M. T. Dibb
Tucson, Arizona                    Rev. Frank S. Rose
Washington, D. C.                    Rev. Lawson M. Smith
                                    Rev. Thomas H. Rose,
                                        Assistant Pastor

     Circle                         Visiting Pastor or Minister
Albuquerque, New Mexico
Americus, Georgia                    Rev. Raymond Silverman
                                    Mr. W. Harold Eubanks,
                                        Evangelist
Auckland, New Zealand                Rev. Douglas M. Taylor
Boston, Massachusetts                Rev. Grant H. Odhner
Boynton Beach, Florida                Rev. Daniel W. Heinrichs
Central Michigan                    Rev. Stephen D. Cole
Charlotte, North Carolina          Rev. William H. Burke
Chicago, Illinois                    Rev. Grant R. Schnarr
Connecticut                          Rev. Geoffrey H. Howard
Copenhagen, Denmark                Rev. Bjorn A. H. Boyesen,
                                        Visiting Pastor
Dallas/Fort Worth, Texas          Rev. J. Clark Echols, Jr.
Dawson Creek, B. C., Canada           Rev. Glenn G. Alden
Denver, Colorado                    Rev. J. Clark Echols
Erie, Pennsylvania                    Rev. Stephen D. Cole
The Hague, Holland                    Rev. Christopher D. Bown
Hatboro-Horsham, Pennsylvania      Rev. Robert S. Junge
Jonkoping, Sweden                    Rev. Bjorn A. H. Boyesen
Lake Helen, Florida                    Rev. Daniel W. Heinrichs
Letchworth, England                    Rev. Christopher D. Bown
Manchester, England                    Rev. Norman E. Riley
Montreal, Quebec, Canada          Rev. Arthur W. Schnarr

519

North New Jersey/New York           Rev. Erik E. Sandstrom
North Ohio                          Rev. Patrick A. Rose
Oslo, Norway                         Rev. Bjorn A. H. Boyesen
Phoenix, Arizona                    Rev. Cedric King
Sacramento, California
St. Paul/Minneapolis, Minnesota      Rev. Mark Carlson
San Francisco, California          Rev. Nathan D. Gladish
Seattle, Washington
South Ohio                          Rev. Patrick A. Rose
Surrey, England                    Rev. Frederick C. Elphick
Tamworth, Australia                    Rev. Douglas M. Taylor
Wallenpaupaek, Pennsylvania           Rev. Arne Bau-Madsen

     Group                         Visiting Pastor or Minister
Ashland, Oregon
Batesville, Arkansas                    Rev. J. Clark Echols, Jr.
Birmingham, Alabama                Rev. William H. Burke
Blscksburg, Virginia                    Rev. Frederick M. Chapin

Brisbane, Australia          Rev. Douglas M. Taylor
Calgary, Alberta, Canada          Rev. Glenn G. Alden
Canberra, Australia                    Rev. Douglas M. Taylor
Cape Cod, Massachusetts               Rev. Grant H. Odhner
Carletonville, Africa               Rev. Andrew M. T. Dibb
Central California
Charlotte, North Carolina          Rev. William H. Burke
Crooked Creek, Alberta, Canada      Rev. Glenn G. Alden
Days Creek, Oregon
Decatur-Wilmington, Illinois           Rev. Brian W. Keith
Edmonton, Alberta, Canada           Rev. Glenn G. Alden
Erwinna, Pennsylvania                Rev. Arne Bau-Madsen
France                              Rev. Alain Nicolier
Kansas City, Kansas                    Rev. J. Clark Echols, Jr.
Kent Manor, Africa                    Rev. Andrew M. T. Dibb
Lancaster, Pennsylvania           Rev. Prescott A. Rogers
Langhorne/Newtown, Pennsylvania      Rev. Jonathan S. Rose
New Hampshire                         Rev. Grant H. Odhner
Norfolk, Virginia                    Rev. Frederick M. Chapin
Oral/Hot Springs, S. Dakota           Rev. J. Clark Echols, Jr.
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada               Rev. Arthur W. Schnarr. Jr.
Oyen, Alberta, Canada                Rev. Glenn G. Alden
Penn State, Pennsylvania          Rev. Arne Bau-Madsen
Peterstown, West Virginia          Rev. Frederick M. Chapin
Red Deer, Alberta, Canada          Rev. Glenn G. Alden
Richmond, Virginia                    Rev. Frederick M. Chapin
Staunton, Virginia                    Rev. Frederick M. Chapin
Vancouver, B. C., Canada
Wilmington, Delaware                Rev. Frederick M. Chapin

520

     New Assignments for Ministers

     1989-1990

Rev. Christopher Bown                Pastor of the Colchester Society
Rev. William Burke                    Resident Pastor in Charlotte, North Carolina
Rev. Eric Carswell                    Pastor of the Pittsburgh Society
Rev. Robin Childs                    Assistant to the Pastor of the Glenview Society and Principal of the Midwestern Academy
Rev. Nathan Gladish                    Acting Pastor of the San Francisco Bay Area Circle (resident in San Diego)
Rev. John Odhner                    Acting Pastor of the Los Angeles Society
Rev. Ray Silverman                    Pastor of the Atlanta Society
WHAT IS THE GENERAL CHURCH OF THE NEW JERUSALEM? 1989

WHAT IS THE GENERAL CHURCH OF THE NEW JERUSALEM? 1989

     This question is the title of a new booklet available from the General Church Book Center for $1.00. Actually this is a new version of a booklet that has been evolving for some years. Thirty-seven years ago Dr. Hugo Odhner, as Secretary of the General Church, produced a "Handbook" of general information about the church. It was revised in 1965 and again in 1975. And now it comes out with a peach-colored cover, in an elongated pocket size, with a new title.
     The title was hard to come by. Members of the publication committee and other helpful souls came up with many titles but none which pleased many people. At last it was resolved to put the title in the form of a question, and an elegant question mark makes part of the cover design.
     What Is the General Church of the New Jerusalem? is 28 pages long if you count the list of suggested reading. It is divided into some thirty headings. The first six pages are devoted to a summary of the doctrines of the New Church. The next eleven pages answer a need that has been noted by guides at the Bryn Athyn cathedral. They ask, "Why don't we have a brief history of the church to give to people who ask about it?"
     After the section on history the reader finds information on the customs and practices of the organization. The concluding paragraph includes the following:

The aim of this handbook has been to give an introductory sketch of the General Church of the New Jerusalem, its teachings, its historical setting, its organization, and its fields of endeavor.

     Rev. Lorentz Soneson and those who helped him are to be congratulated on putting out this useful booklet in a thoroughly revised form.

521

LOCAL SCHOOLS DIRECTORY 1989

     1989-1990

Bryn Athyn: Rev. Wendel Barnett          Principal
           Mr. Karl Parker               Vice Principal
               Mrs. Peter Gyllenhaal           Supervisor of Remedial and Support Uses
           Mrs. Jonathan Brock               Kindergarten
           Mrs. Steven Lindrooth          Kindergarten
           Mrs. Bruce Rogers               Kindergarten
           Mrs. Willard Heinrichs          Grade 1
               Mrs. Charles Lindrooth           Grade 1
               Mrs. Charles Quintero          Grade 1
               Mrs. Grant Doering               Grade 2
               Mrs. Hugh Gyllenhaal           Grade 2
               Mrs. Claire Bostock               Grade 3
               Mrs. Sigfried Soneson          Grade 3
               Mrs. Andrew Glover                Primary Assistant
               Mrs. Kenneth York                Primary Assistant
               Mrs. Robert Zecher                Primary Assistant
               Miss Charis Lindrooth           Grade 4
               Miss Rosemary Wyncoll           Grade 4
               Mrs. Prescott Rogers          Grade 5
               Miss Rebekah Brock                Grade 5
               Mrs. John Boatman               Grade 6
               Mrs. Christopher Simons          Grade 6
               Mrs. Walter Childs           Intermediate Assistant
               Mrs. David Doering               Girls-Grade 7
               Mr. Reed Asplundh               Boys-Grade 7
               Mrs. Peter Stevens               Girls- Grade 8
               Mr. Robert Beiswenger           Boys-Grade 8
               Rev. Kurt Asplundh           Religion
               Rev. Wendel Barnett           Religion
               Rev. Geoffrey Howard           Religion
               Rev. Thomas Kline               Religion
               Mrs. Richard Synnestvedt          Art
           Mr. Christopher Simons           Music
               Mrs. Steven Irwin               Music
               Mrs. Glenn Walsh                Accompanist
               Mrs. Harry Risley                Physical Education
               Mr. Robert Eidse                Physical Education
               Mr. Karl Parker                Director-Library
               Mrs. Robert Alden               Librarian
               Mrs. Geoffrey Cooper           Assistant Librarian
               Mrs. Amin Zacharia               Tutor
               Mrs. Bryan Genzlinger           Tutor
               Mrs. Gordon Rogers                Tutor

                    Head Teachers      Mrs. Bruce Rogers-Primary
                              Miss Rosemary Wyncoll-Intermediate
                              Mr. Robert Beiswenger-Upper

522

Detroit: Rev. Walter E. Orthwein           Religion
      Rev. Stephen D. Cole                Assistant, Hebrew, Greek, Religion
           Miss Nadine Zecher                Grades l-3
           Miss Sheila Parker                Grades 4-6
           Miss Karen Schnarr           Administrative Assistant

Durban: Rev. James Cooper                Headmaster, Religion, Computer Science
           Miss Marian Homber                Grades 1-4
           Mrs. Oonagh M. Pienaar           Grades 5-7, Afrikaans
           Mrs. Elizabeth Andrew           Math, Science, Art
           Mrs. Caroline Lester           Junior Primary Religion, Art

Glenview: Rev. Brian Keith                Pastor, Religion
           Mr. R. Gordon McClarren           Principal, Math, Science
           Mrs. Joel Smith                Kindergarten
           Miss Wystan Gladish           Grade 1
           Miss Marie Odhner                Grade 2
           Mrs. Benjamin McQueen           Grades 3, 4
           Mrs. Daniel Wright           Head Teacher, Grades 5, 6
           Mrs. Kent Fuller                Grades 7, 8
           Rev. Robin Childs                Physical Education, Religion
           Mrs. John Donnelly                Music, Physical Education
           Mrs. William Hugo                Librarian
           Miss Yvonne Alan               French, Computer Keyboard
           Mrs. Robert Kees                Art

Kempton: Rev. Jeremy Simons                Principal, Religion
           Rev. Arne Bau-Madsen           Religion
           Mrs. Dale Glenn                Kindergarten
           Miss Bryn Junge                Grades 1, 2
           Miss Angela Rose                Grades 3, 4
           Mr. Curtis McQueen           Grades 5, 6
           Miss Gay Hodgell                Grades 7, 8, 9, 10
           Mr. Eric Smith                Grades 7, 8, 9,10
           Mr. Mark Wyncoll                Grades 7, 8, 9, 10
           Miss Kate Pitcairn                Latin
           Mrs. Eric Smith                Art
           Mr. Yorvar Synnestvedt           Resource Person

Kitchener: Rev. Kenneth Alden           Principal, Religion, Grades 3-8
           Rev. Louis Synnestvedt           Religion, Grades 3-8
           Mrs. Edward Friesen           Kindergarten and Preschool
           Mrs. Ernest Watts                Grades 1, 2
           Mrs. David Hill                Grades 3, 4, Art 3-8, Music 3, 4
           Mrs. Roger Kuhl                Grades 5, 6, Music 3-8, Art 5, 6
           Mrs. Harry Currie               French, Grades 5-8

Pittsburgh: Rev. Eric Carswell           Pastor/Principal, Religion
           Mrs. Mark Gruber                Kindergarten and Pre-Kindergarten
           Mrs. James Uber                Head Teacher and Grades 1-3
           Miss Judith Elphick           Grades 4-6

523

Toronto: Rev. Michael D. Gladish          Pastor, Religion
           Rev. Michael K. Cowley          Asst. Pastor, Religion
           Mrs. Gillian Parker               Kindergarten
           Miss Alison Pryke               Grade 1
           Miss Julie Niall                Grades 3-5
           Mr. Philip Schnarr               Principal, Grade 6, 7
           Mrs. Doris Ferr               Music

Washington: Rev. Thomas H. Rose           Principal, Religion
           Rev. Lawson M. Smith           Assistant Principal, Religion, Latin
           Miss Erin Junge                Grades 1-3, Music
           Mrs. Bradley Johns               Language, P. E.
           Mrs. Fred Waelchli                Math, Science
           Mrs. George Cooper                Art, Primary Help
           Miss Vera Kluss                Phonics, Reading
           Miss Jana Hyatt               Literature, Composition
           Mr. James T. Gese                History

Midwestern      Rev. Robin W. Childs     Principal, Religion
Academy:      Rev. Brian Keith               Religion
     Mr. R. Gordon McClarren                Math, Science, Administrative Assistant
           Mrs. Kent Fuller                Math, History
           Miss Yvonne Alan                English, Word Processing
           Mrs. John Donnelly           Music, Yearbook
           Mrs. William Hugo                Librarian
ARE YOU INTERESTED IN A TEACHING CAREER? 1989

ARE YOU INTERESTED IN A TEACHING CAREER? Rev. Frederick L. Schnarr 1989

     After many years of falling enrollment, most of our General Church schools are showing signs of new life and growth. What is especially promising in this is that it seems like a long-term upward increase.
     So, with new grades being added and larger student bodies, it is no wonder that there is need for more teachers.
     Even at this early time it is clear that the 1990/1991 school year will see a considerable number of teaching positions available.
     If you are interested in a career as a teacher in a General Church school, or if you would like information about qualifications, careers, job profiles, salaries, etc., please contact the Office of Education, Box 278, Cairncrest, Bryn Athyn, PA 19009 (Phone: 215 947 4661).
     If you would like to discuss teaching as a career but are not yet qualified or not yet certain of your abilities or your long-term interest, why not stop by or call?

524

     To serve in an occupation that helps to open a child's mind to the Lord has to be one of the most exalted and fulfilling of all uses.
     Rev. Frederick L. Schnarr,
          Bishop's Representative for New Church Schools
SCHOOL ENROLLMENTS 1989

SCHOOL ENROLLMENTS 1989

     1989-1990

     The Academy

Theological School (Full Time)           11
College (Full Time)                     129
Girls School                              78
Boys School                              104
     Total Academy                     322

     Midwestern Academy
Grade 9                                   2

     Local Schools

Bryn Athyn                               347
Detroit                                   20
Durban                                    23
Glenview                                    51
Kempton                                    64
Kitchener                               47

Pittsburgh                               24
Toronto                                   28
Washington                               32
Total Local Schools                         631
Total Reported Enrollment in All Schools      953
NEW PRINCIPAL FOR THE ACADEMY GIRLS SCHOOL 1989

NEW PRINCIPAL FOR THE ACADEMY GIRLS SCHOOL 1989

The President of the Academy will be forming an advisory committee to counsel him on the selection of a candidate for the new Girls School Principal. If you wish to counsel the president in this important selection, please write to the Rev. Geoffrey S. Childs, Chairman, The Academy of the New Church, Bryn Athyn, PA 19009.

525

SALIENT POINTS ONLY, PLEASE 1989

SALIENT POINTS ONLY, PLEASE A Concerned Reader 1989

Dear Editor:
     I have some differences with correspondents who have sent their views to the Life, but I do not wish to become a target for people who disagree with me.
     I disapprove of your magazine's failure to edit the letter from Mr. Ian Woofenden (Sept. issue). Mr. Woofenden should be allowed to express his personal preferences and even prejudices, but his personal statements about Messrs. Ridgway and Rogers should have been omitted. We do not need to know that some views "irritated" him. And we do not need his evaluations of the abilities of other correspondents. The subject of translation could take up less space if such things were edited out by a vigilant editor who would leave us the substance and salient points.
     A Concerned Reader

     Editor's Note: We apologize to concerned readers and in particular to Rev. Bruce Rogers and Mr. Barrie Ridgway. We regret this editorial lapse, and we will undertake in the future not to let it happen again.
COMFORTING THOUGHT 1989

COMFORTING THOUGHT John Kane 1989

Dear Editor:
     I read with interest and sympathy of the struggling of the translators, and even wonder whether it is worthwhile trying to convey the true meaning of "conjugial," which is all but ineffable to earthlings. It is a comfort to know that in the next life, where no doubt the Writings are extant, we come naturally into spiritual language and writing too if we so wish.

     The 23rd Psalm should be a reassurance. New Church people know that it means instruction from the Lord. You only have to pray for it.
     John Kane,
          Canary Islands

526

WHAT I LIKED ABOUT THE YOUNG PEOPLES CONVOCATION IN 1989 1989

WHAT I LIKED ABOUT THE YOUNG PEOPLES CONVOCATION IN 1989 Bill Kuhl 1989

     Some Bryn Athyn young people have organized three winter convocations. The last one was in February of this year. It was called YAC 89 (Young Adults Convocation!. I would like to share my thoughts on some of the best features.
     The major thing that inspired me was the group leadership. I felt that the leadership roles that were especially well done were: Glade Odhner's talk on personal relationship with the Lord; Lorna Lee's talk on finding one's life goals; Blair Hyatt's talk on becoming a good leader; and Tori Odhner's closing remarks at the end. I felt all these talks inspired me to become a better person and to get direction with my life.
     Another thing I felt was good about the convocation was the closeness between friends that it encouraged. I felt that I got to know friends and even relatives better in ways that I had not known before. Although I thought the attendance was small, I still felt that getting closer made it worthwhile.
     As far as the role I played in the convocation goes, I was very happy with it. I enjoyed leading the group "Music," and thought it was a great success. I also felt I was able to help with littler things, like getting dishes for the snacks and helping Sarah Funk prepare them and clean them up. Overall as far as preparation was concerned, I felt that it was done in the spirit of cooperation, and many duties got done not because they had been assigned to a certain person, but because everyone chipped in to help.
     I applaud efforts like this, and hope that ideas for similar and better things will continue to flourish.
     Bill Kuhl,
          Bryn Athyn
Church News 1989

Church News Various 1989

HURSTVILLE, AUSTRALIA

The Hurstville Society has not sent news to New Church Life for quite a long time. However, it has not been in a state of hibernation but indeed very busy during the years when Rev. Erik E. Sandstrom and family were here. His term of service finished in August '88. We can look back on that period as one of fruitful activity, and we also recall many enjoyable occasions.

527

After Mr. Sandstrom left and while awaiting the arrival of Rev. Douglas Taylor and Christine, the society was fortunate to have some help from Rev. Ian Arnold and Rev. Bernard Willmott of the Conference Sydney Society. Rev. Robin Childs also came from New Zealand for a stay of about six weeks.
     While the minister's house, "Baringa," was untenanted, the society employed a team of builders, plumbers and painters for much-needed renovations. Some refurnishing also made sure the house was fit for a king. Which reminds me that Bishop King and Freya stayed there for a while after their arrival in December. How fortunate we were to have another episcopal visit, and especially at Christmastime. The Bishop and Freya were able to see here something unique, perhaps- Christmas tableaux enacted outdoors at a tennis court. Another first for a northern hemisphere man was a swim at 6 a.m. on Christmas morning. Actually, the Kings called here on their way to the Western State to attend a New Church camp there. We have heard that their participation in the camp activities was much appreciated. Also attending were quite a few General Church adults and children, including Murray and Lori Heldon and family. Murray has served his firm in Perth for a whole year, and his family had joined happily in all the activities of the New Church society there.
     Rev. Douglas Taylor and Christine arrived in January '89, and wasted no time in getting busy. Soon Doug had convened a brainstorming meeting to stimulate discussion on the society's needs and prospects for development. Following on that there have been monthly evangelization meetings, a series of advertisements in a newspaper, some free publicity, and two visitors' services. The Evangelization Committee set themselves a target of twenty new contacts by September and exceeded that number by eight.
     The pastor's house was robbed! Thieves took some items of material value, but quite overlooked such things as copies of the Writings and a sermon entitled "Thou Shalt Not Steal."
     Doctrinal classes are held on alternate Friday evenings, one being preceded by a meal. Mr. Taylor's classes have centred on applying religion to life. It was easy to lose count of the number of times the words "shun evils as sins" came into the discussions, so it is evident that the pastor has identified our most pressing need.
     Recently a camp was held in our Blue Mountains, west of Sydney, for young people of our own and the Sydney Society. Assisting were Rev. Ian Arnold and his wife Margaret, Rev. Douglas Taylor and Christine, Owen Heldon, Lori Heldon and Sylvia Hicks. The Lord also helped with a sunny break for the camp during a very wet spell.
     Now and then we hold a "progressive dinner," courses being served in three homes. They are always enjoyable and can be fund-raising occasions.
     It is surprising how much traveling is done by Hurstville Society members. Perhaps that happens in all New Church societies. There have been many visitors coming to our society also. It is impossible to name them all, but let them be assured that they were and will always be welcome.
     Mr. Lindthman Heldon, formerly leader of the Hurstville Society, and his wife Beryl have just celebrated their golden wedding anniversary. They were married in our Hurstville church on 16th September, 1939. The Rev. W. Cairns Henderson officiated.
     Norman Heldon

528

NEWS AROUND THE CHURCH 1989

     Announcements

     Last year we designated one of the church groups as Oral/Hot Springs, South Dakota. The group is active in the same location, but they have agreed on a change of name. They wish to be known as "The Black Hills Chapel," Hot Springs, South Dakota.

     Rev. Robert S. Junge will be visiting New Church people in Okinawa, Korea and Japan this month. He visited Ghana last summer, and our readers will note the baptisms by him reported on pages 528 and 529.
PUBLIC WORSHIP AND DOCTRINAL CLASSES 1989

PUBLIC WORSHIP AND DOCTRINAL CLASSES Rev. LOUIS B. KING 1989

     GENERAL CHURCH OF THE NEW JERUSALEM

     Bryn Athyn, Pennsylvania, 19009, U. S. A.

     PUBLIC WORSHIP AND DOCTRINAL CLASSES

     Information on public worship and doctrinal classes provided either regularly or occasionally may be obtained at the locations listed below. For details use the local phone number of the contact person mentioned or communicate with the Secretary of the General Church, Cairncrest, Bryn Athyn, PA 19009, Phone (215) 947-6811.

     (U. S. A. addresses next month)

     AUSTRALIA

     CANBERRA
Mr. and Mrs. Barrie Ridgway, 68 Hilder St., Weston, Canberra, A. C. T. 2611. Phone: (062) 881-777.

     SYDNEY, N.S.W.
Rev. Douglas M. Taylor, 22 Dudley Street, Penshurst, N.S.W. 2222. Phone: 57-1589.

     BRAZIL

     RIO DE JANEIRO
Rev. Cristovao Rabelo Nobre, Rua Lina Teixeira, 109, ap. 101, Rocha, CEP 20.970., Rio de Janeiro. Phone: (021) 201-8455.

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     CANADA

     Alberta:

     CALGARY
Mr. Thomas R. Fountain, 1115 Southglen Drive S. W., Calgary 13, Alberta T2W 0X2. Phone: 403-255-7283.

     EDMONTON
Mr. Daniel L. Horigan, 10524 82nd St., Edmonton, Alberta T6A 3M8. Phone: 403-469-0078.

     British Columbia:

     DAWSON CREEK
Rev. Glenn G. Alden, Dawson Creek Church, 9013 8th St., Dawson Creek, B. C., Canada V1G 3N3.

     Ontario:

     KITCHENER
Rev. Louis D. Synnestvedt, 58 Chapel Hill Drive, Kitchener, Ontario, Canada N2G 3W5. Phone: (Home) (519) 748-5605; (office) (519) 748-5802.

     OTTAWA
Mr. and Mrs. Donald McMaster, 684 Fraser Ave., Ottawa, Ontario. K2A 2R8. Phone: (61) 725-0394.

     TORONTO
Rev. Michael Gladish, 279 Burnhampthorpe Rd., Islington, Ontario M9B 4Z4. Phone: (Church): (416) 239-3055.

     Quebec:

     MONTREAL
Mr. Denis de Chazal, 17 Baliantyne Ave. So., Montreal West, Quebec H4X 281. Phone: (514) 489-9861.

     DENMARK

     COPENHAGEN
Mr. Jorgen Hauptmann, Strandvejen 22, Jyllinge, 4000 Roskilde. Phone: 03-389968.

     ENGLAND

     COLCHESTER

Rev. Christopher D. Bown, 2 Christ Church Court, Colchester, Essex C03 3AU Phone: 0206-575644.

     LETCHWORTH
Mr. and Mrs. R. Evans, 24 Berkeley, Letchworth, Herts. SG6 2HA. Phone: 0462-684751.

     LONDON
Rev. Frederick Elphick, 21B Hayne Rd., Beckenham, Kent BR3 4JA. Phone: 01-658-6320.

     MANCHESTER
Rev. Norman E. Riley, 69 Heywood Rd., Norden, Rochdale, OL11 5TH, England. Phone: 0706 54003.

     FRANCE

     BOURGUINON-MEURSANGES
Rev. Alain Nicolier, 21200 Beaune, France. Phone: (80)-26-62-80 (home). 80-26-69-08 (office).

     HOLLAND

     THE HAGUE
Mr. Ed Verschoor, Olmenlaan 17, 3862 VG Nijkerk

     NEW ZEALAND

     AUCKLAND
Mrs. H. Keal, 4 Derwent Cresc., Titirangi, Auckland 7, New Zealand.

     NORWAY

     OSLO
Mr. and Mrs. Klaus Bierman, Bakketoppen 10 A. 1165 Oslo 11. Phone: (0) 2 28783.

     SCOTLAND

     EDINBURGH
Mr. and Mrs. N. Laidlaw, 35 Swanspring Ave., Edinburgh EH 10-6NA. Phone: 0 31-445- 2377.

     GLASGOW
Mrs. J. Clarkson, Hillview, Balmore, Nr. Torrance, Glasgow. Phone: Balmore 262.

     SOUTH AFRICA

     Natal:

     DURBAN
Rev. James P. Cooper, 30 Perth Road, Westville 3630, Natal, Republic of South Africa. Phone: 011-27-31-821612.

     Transvaal:

     TRANSVAAL SOCIETY
Rev. Andrew Dibb, P. O. Box 816, Kelvin 2054, South Africa. Phone: (011) 804-2567.

Mission in South Africa:
Rev. Andrew Dibb (address above)

     SWEDEN

     Jonkoping
Contact Rev. Bjorn A. H. Boyesen, Bruksater, Furusjo, S-566 00, Habo. Phone : 0392-203 95.

     Stockholm
Rev. Erik E. Sandstrom, visiting pastor, Bryn Athyn, PA 19009.
Contact Rev. Bjorn A. H. Boyesen at the above address.

532

Gift Ideas 1989

     New Books 1989

     John Pitcairn: Uncommon Entrepreneur $21.60

     Dictionary of Correspondences $13.25

     Journey of Life $4.90

     Swedenborg and His Influence $26.55

     True Christian Religion
New Translation
$29.95 hardcover
$21.60 softcover

     Swedenborg Researcher's Manual
$21.20 Manual

     Arcana, New Translation Vol. 6
$15.25 hardcover
$11.25 softcover

     General Church Book Center      Hours: Mon-Fri. 9-17
Box 278, Cairncrest                         or by appointment
Bryn Athyn, PA 19009                         Phone: (215) 947-3970

533

Notes on This Issue 1989

Vol. CIX December, 1989 No. 12
NEW CHURCH LIFE

534

     The late Karl R. Alden's book The City of God (soon to be reprinted) devotes part of a page (page 56 to be precise) to a comparison of Mary and Swedenborg. We are pleased to have in this issue a thoughtful and extensive treatment of this subject.
     Mr. Nagashima is a significant New Church translator. On this subject see the current issue of The New Philosophy, which includes a photograph of Mr. Nagashima and of his school in Tokyo.
     The opening page of the sermon "Favored One" is about education, and in this issue we conclude the address by the President of the Academy, Rev. Geoffrey S. Childs. He outlines six more principles and concludes with five "ideals or mottos to think about."
     An article we begin in this issue looks at the lives and characters of the Lord's twelve disciples as revealed in the New Testament, and reflects on the unique information given us in the Word for the New Church about them and their mission. Were these men better than others? What is meant by the saying that they will sit on twelve thrones judging the tribes of Israel?
     In our news section this month we hear from the new circle in Surrey, England.

     LIBRARY CHECK

     On October 28th the editor of NCL joined Tom Andrews in a check of the library of the University of Washington. We found a surprisingly full collection, including the recently published Swedenborg and His Influence. We plan to add at least one book.

535

FAVORED ONE 1989

FAVORED ONE Rev. CEDRIC KING 1989

      "And Hannah was in bitterness of soul and prayed to the Lord and wept in anguish" (I Samuel 1:10).

     A balanced human life is full of extremes. One cannot know deep joy without having experienced wrenching pain. Food never tastes better than when one has been famished. As every starving person learns, however, it is easy to overdo. Recovery must be gradual, and this is especially so in matters of the spirit.
     Isaiah speaks eloquently in this regard: "Whom will He teach knowledge? And whom will He make to understand the message? Those just weaned from milk? For precept must be upon precept, line upon line, here a little, there a little" (Isaiah 28:9, 10).
     The secret of maturity is knowing how to travel back and forth between extremes without falling apart in the process.
     Most kids have played a rather cruel game on the teeter totter (seesaw). When your victim was at the top, enjoying the view, you rolled off suddenly and looked over just in time to see him come crashing down. Any victim, however, could quickly learn how to use his legs to soften the fall.
     A good education is a bit like that game. It should prepare one to make a safe landing even though the very foundation of one's life seems to be slipping away. Education should offer a child the opportunity to try out those emotional muscles which are required to handle stress, disappointment, failure, and tragedy. Think of the value of team sports in this regard. There in the protective womb of the playing field (It's just a game!) a little guy or gal can learn what it feels like to lose, or let a teammate down, or give one's best effort despite difficult odds.
     Of course the most powerful educational force in any child's life is the example he honors in those adults he loves. Are these adults impossible role models? Does the nearly perfect facade they maintain alienate their children who know they can never measure up? Or is the child instinctively drawn to real people who get angry, and fight, and apologize, and cry until they laugh?

536

     The stories in the Word are irresistible for this reason-they are about real people. Hannah was a real woman. She lived toward the end of one of the most discouraging periods in Jewish history-the era of the judges. It was a time of constant turmoil when the commandments of the Lord were ignored and "everyone did what was right in his own eyes.
     The tabernacle of the Lord was set up at the quiet village of Shiloh in the center of the land, but it was not the center of attention as it should have been. Very few Israelites made the yearly pilgrimage to worship, and those who did were confronted by a corrupt priesthood which stole the best portion of each sacrifice for themselves. Against this dark background Hannah's regular visits to worship and pray stand out brightly.
     Her name means "favored one," and in many respects she was blessed-cherished by a husband who did all he could to please her. Her deepest longing, however, remained unfulfilled, "Year after year" she buried her pain, hoping, as we all do, that it would lessen with time or go away altogether.
     Then, at the end of one of these pilgrimages, a wonderful thing happened. Hannah stood up from where she ate with her family, and walking over to the door of the tabernacle, she began to confess her pain directly to the Lord. Years of pent-up emotion poured out-anger, bitterness, despair. And she made a vow, saying, "O Lord Almighty, if you will only look upon your servant's misery and remember me, and not forget your servant but give her a son, then I will give him to the Lord for all the days of his life" (I Samuel 1:11).
     Observe the extremes here. On the one hand Hannah acknowledges her barrenness, the miserable awareness that she will never be able to have what she most desires. On the other hand she reaches upward with faith that somehow her prayer will be miraculously answered. Beyond even this she imagines herself doing something profoundly good by dedicating the child to the service of the Lord.
     I believe that most people want to be good.

537

In our daydreams many of us imagine ourselves in heroic situations. We feel that we have the capability to become great spouses and lovers, wonderfully understanding parents, consistently dependable co-workers, ready in the most difficult situation to do the right thing regardless of the personal sacrifice required. Didn't the Lord challenge us: "Be perfect, therefore, as your Heavenly Father is perfect" (Matt. 5:48).
     Of course we all shout back: "I'm not perfect! Not even close! The truth is that I can't seem to get it right. The harder I try, the more things seem to backfire. Deep down inside my life feels miserable, barren, empty, and I feel as though things will never really change for the better.
     With the exception of that last statement, everything else is true. Life is miserable a good part of the time, but it does not follow from this that essential and lasting change is impossible. "With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible!" (Matt. 19:26).

     Hannah did outlive her season of despair. She did bear a son and dedicate him to the service of the Lord, but a period of several years was required and a process of gradual healing was involved. Her story portrays five stages of growth, confession, communication, worship, maturation, and dedication. Let's look at the value in each of these five steps.
     Confession was Hannah's turning point, and it can be for us as well. The first step toward renewal always involves an honest acknowledgment of where we are. This involves the very difficult task of forcing our secret feelings out into the open where we can see them and admit that we have them, or more accurately that they have us! Confession doesn't necessarily have to be made to another person, although the Writings seem to indicate some benefit in this. The important thing is that we confess before the Lord. This accomplishes two things: it identifies how we feel (an amazing number of people don't know!), and it clarifies or prioritizes the feelings we do have. "If anyone is thirsty," the Lord said, "let him come to Me!" Confession is perhaps the most direct way we have of acknowledging our deep thirst.
     Communication needs to follow confession because we are not created to live in a vacuum.

538

Love toward the neighbor implies relating to him or her on a regular basis. As we open ourselves to the Lord, striving to be more authentic, we are often confronted by the reactions of others who misjudge the changes in us as uncharacteristic or extreme. When we're already expending much energy to "find ourselves," it seems to be asking for too much to expect us to make our meaning clear to others. "If they don't understand or if they misjudge, that's their problem." Well, how another responds to us is their problem, but how we choose to react to their response is still our problem. Imagine if Hannah had simply ignored Eli's false accusation. He probably would have assumed that she was drunk and was too embarrassed to admit it. And she would have added the pain of being misunderstood to all her other hurts. Instead, she spoke up: "'No, my lord. Do not take your servant for a wicked woman. I have been praying here out of my great anguish and grief.' Eli answered, 'Go in peace. Then she went her way and ate something, and her face was no longer downcast" (vs. 15-18).
     If we could learn to move through these two stages of growth more effectively we would find much relief. The problems would still be there, but we would have the benefit of understanding them better, and would find comfort in the support of others.
     Worship may be defined as the first activity of love (see AC 1561). Regular formal worship has its place in stimulating spiritual thoughts, but true spontaneous worship of the heart has miraculous results. "You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with your whole heart" (Jeremiah 29:13). When we come before the Lord as a whole being, hiding nothing from Him, then He is able to deal with us as a whole person. He takes that miserable problem we freely lay before Him and breathes His Eternal Spirit into it so that even the most hopeless looking situation becomes a womb in which new life begins to grow. "In the course of time Hannah conceived and gave birth to a son. She named him Samuel, saying, 'because I asked the Lord for him'" (v. 20).
     Maturation. The idea is to give new spiritual states the opportunity to develop in secret.

539

When Samuel was born, his father urged Hannah to join the rest of the family in public worship. Hannah refused, saying, "After the boy is weaned, I will take him and present him before the Lord." How easy it is to spoil tender new states the Lord gives us by subtly drawing attention to ourselves. We Christians boast too much, and our misplaced zeal often does more harm than good. Everyone grows at his or her unique pace. A glowing "progress report" by one individual might be very depressing to another who is wrestling with very different issues. And there is the ever-present spiritual danger of over-confidence on our part. Perhaps this explains why, when the Lord performed a miracle for someone, He so often warned, "See that you tell no one!"
     Dedication is really a matter of "weaning" or separating what is the Lord's from what is our own. It's ironic that the more we cling to life, the less we get out of it. If Hannah had kept Samuel to herself, he would no doubt have remained an average child. Instead he grew up to be the greatest and wisest of all the judges, single-handedly restoring order and peace to his people. In this, his extraordinary human contribution, Samuel merely pre-figured that Divine Child who was to be born, upon whose shoulders alone the government of all men to eternity should rest.
     How else can He govern us but through that renewal of innocence which is from Him and, is Himself! "Unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven" (Matt. 18:3).
     May we pray that this birth of innocence take place in each of our hearts this Christmas, for is this not the essential message of the Lord's birth?-that no matter how sophisticated we become, we never outgrow our utter dependence upon His guidance, wisdom, and love. No matter that our acknowledgment of this fact is frail-it will grow!
     "This Child, now weak in infancy, our confidence and joy shall be, the power of Satan breaking, our peace eternal making." Amen.

     Lessons: I Samuel 1 (portions), Luke 1:26-38, TCR 766

540

MARY AND SWEDENBORG 1989

MARY AND SWEDENBORG TATSUYA NAGASHIMA 1989

     In the last part of my Japanese translation of True Christian Religion, volume 2 (Chapter 7-14, Coronis), I happened to think of "Mary and Swedenborg" in number 827. My careless interpretation might be apparent to those who know the passage: "I have to add what is worthiest to be noted; one day the Lord's mother Mary passed by, wearing a white veil on her head. . . .
     I soon discovered my mistake by referring to the English editions at hand. It is not "a white veil on her head," but "Mary in white clothing was seen over my [Swedenborg's] head." In the Latin text visa supra caput in vestitu albo, I had a preoccupied figure of St. Mary whose statue stood at the corner of a small Catholic church. She was covered, from her top to knee, with a white linen veil. I was hardly able to imagine that Mary was seen over Swedenborg's head. But my error was evident when I referred to the similar passage of TCR 102:3, in which "my" was attributed to "head," as supra caput meum. The Chadwick modern English translation for 827 is as follows:

To this I shall add the most important fact. Mary, the Lord's mother, once passed by; she was seen overhead, in white clothing. Then she paused to say that she had been the Lord's mother and He was born to her, but that on becoming God, He had put off everything human He derived from her, and she now therefore worships Him as her God and does not want anyone to acknowledge Him as her son, since everything in Him is Divine (Swedenborg Society, 1988, vol. 2, p. 866).

     Why Now "Mary"?

     Christians cannot ignore the Bible testimony that the Lord was born from Mary and that she was the Lord's mother. Swedenborg spoke of Mary less often than one might expect, but he introduced her in four places with almost the same words: TCR 102:3, TCR 827, SD 5834 and LJ Post 68 (Potts Concordance IV, p. 591).

541

He emphasized, in TCR 827, upon what he saw by saying dignissimum (something most important, valuable, noteworthy, etc.).
     Mary played the most important role for the Lord's first advent which was initiated by her consent. She accepted the Divine invitation for the miracle that the Word would become flesh in her virgin state. The Lord conceived in her was wrapped with her material human nature. The Christian Church, following the Israelite Church, was established after the Lord put off all depraved humanity absorbed from Mary. He extricated Himself from every evil and falsehood coming from Mary. In terms of the natural blood-related kinship, the Lord was Mary's son and Mary was the Lord's mother, but after the Lord was glorified, the natural mother-and-son relationship ceased.
     Without this first advent, His second advent would not have taken place. The Lord came to the world again seventeen hundred years later by means of the Writings of Swedenborg, Swedenborg devoted himself to his unparalleled mission relating to the second advent of the Lord.
     Although we know that the Lord was, in both His advents, the sole, principal, absolute actor/author of events, the personal roles committed to Mary and Swedenborg are worthy to be compared and theologically investigated. And this theological quest will only be done by those who have faith in both advents. And none but New Church persons know that both Mary and Swedenborg were very important side-players for the Lord's salvation program of humankind.

     Quest for Analogy

     The Lord as the Word of God took flesh in Mary's womb (see John 1:14). She was a virgin (see Matt. 1:25, AC 1414), and so she can be called the Virgin Mary (see LJ Post 68). The Lord had no human fatherhood from Joseph, but He was incarnated by the Divine Fatherhood in heaven. So what actually happened in Mary, as the most sacred miracle, was that the Divine Fatherly Soul was implanted in Mary's maternal human nature.

542

The Lord was incarnated by assuming the human in the world (see Lord 59). It was the first advent of the Lord.
     The second advent was not a fleshly personal one, but, as it were, a rational advent through the internal sense of the Word. The Word of God, once incarnate, became now rationally understandable, acceptable and accessible to those who seek the truth from an affection of truth. Analogically speaking, it might be said that compared to the Word Incarnate in Mary's womb, the Lord was the Word of God "In-rationate," to invent a word, in Swedenborg's brain. Mary and Swedenborg performed similar roles in each advent. Both were as pipelines through which the Lord came into the world. This is the most basic concept for analogy between Mary and Swedenborg.
     We know further similarities. At the first advent the angel Gabriel visited Mary and announced a new mission to be accepted by her. She immediately gave her consent by saying, "Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord; let it be according to your word" (Luke 1:38). Swedenborg also was called by the Lord for writing and publishing the new revelation. He accepted it after hard mental conflicts and temptations. As the author of True Christian Religion he was entitled Servus Domini (the Lord's servant), while Mary called herself Serva Domini (the Lord's handmaid). Mary and Swedenborg kept their humble allegiance to the Lord for their committed vocations.
     At His first advent the Lord in the world was a carpenter's obedient son to his parents (see Luke 3:51). He did not make Himself known to the public until He was around thirty (see Luke 3:23). In His public life He often avoided popularity (e.g., see John 6:15). Relatives once thought Him to be out of His mind (see Mark 3:21). He seemed to have demons and to be mad (see John 10:20), to be a glutton, drunkard and a friend of sinners (see Luke 7:34). Finally He was crucified to death. His own people did not receive Him (see John 1:11). Mary, serving the Lord as His handmaid, was pierced in her soul by a sword (see Luke 2:35).

543

     Swedenborg, devoted to the Lord as His servant, went the same way. Thought to be a heretic, he had to go out of his country to publish the Writings. Up to modern times he has not the popularity he deserves. He is sometimes treated as if he were an occult writer, eccentric dreamer, paranoiac, and even insane.
     While Mary was still alive, the First Christian Church was established (see Acts 1:14). The apostle John, to whom Mary was committed by the dying Lord, saw at Patmos Island the New Jerusalem coming down from heaven (see Rev. 1:9, 21:2). The second advent of the Lord is to be fulfilled by New Church people coming close to the Lord as His bride. In such a sense the apostle John is a specific mediator between the Lord's first and second advents. John was the Lord's most beloved disciple as well as Mary's seeming adopted son. And he also was a precursor of Swedenborg, who later described the Heavenly Jerusalem as truth shining before the eyes of seeking people.

     Analogical Encounter

     Through the Roman Catholic dogmatic history, Mariology (or Mariolatry) was gradually established on the common belief that Mary was teotokos (mother of God). They believed therefrom that Mary must have been born without original sin (the immaculate conception), and that as it was with the Lord, she must also have been bodily taken up into heaven (the assumption). Protestant theology went the opposite direction. Canonization of saints, Mariolatry, and litanic invocations were totally abolished. Under the positivistic trend the high criticism of the holy Scriptures pursued a research on the literal/historic data only. When the Lord's Divinity was denied (they say, was de-mythologized), Mary became a mere carpenter's wife.
     By means of Swedenborg's Writings, the Lord in His Divine Human as a one-person God was first correctly understood. Mary, a virgin, was the Lord's natural mother who gave birth to Him.

544

However, the Lord was completely united with His Fatherly Godhead, putting off all human infirmities from Mary. Now the Lord's Human is not human any longer, but Human from His Fatherly Divine Humanity. The original Human of His Fatherly Divinity was once incorporated in Mary's human for a fleshly accommodation, but now, after the human had been completely deified, the Human in the Divine was fully retrieved. The natural human depravity drawn from Mary and from all other human ancestors was thoroughly expelled by the Lord's victory over the hells.
     Can this adaptation and purification be applied to Swedenborg's Writings? As the Lord extricated Himself from the human from Mary so does the Lord also have to be extricated from all fallible descriptions which Swedenborg put in his Writings by his human hands? This kind of Mary-Swedenborg analogy was already discussed many years ago in this magazine (e.g., Leon Rhodes, "The Need for a Wider Interest in Swedenborg's Philosophical Works," p. 377, and C. Henderson's "A Doubtful Analogy," p. 440, NCL 1952).
     Basically, New Church people believe that the Church of the New Jerusalem was established by the Lord at His second coming through Swedenborg's Writings. Swedenborg was a man of great genius, a most appropriate vessel of the Lord's new revelation in order to be printed and published by him. However, we have to avoid being involved with an excessive discipleship to Swedenborg, a human writer. Even though he was the most well-prepared, regenerate, useful and vocationally committed scholar and genius to perform this great task, he was a human tool fallible in his writing and rewriting. We have to avoid, as it were, "Swedenborgolatry,'' since he himself abhorred the thought of saint worship of himself.
     Nevertheless, we must also be free from another extreme. He is not merely the subject for the specialists' research on psychology, psychiatry and psychotherapy and so on. He is not merely a great exponent of transpersonal or suprasensory communications. Swedenborgian scholars ought not to become condescending critics and analysts of his private and public words and deeds.

545

In order to know his Writings, we do have to know what he really intended in his writing and publishing.
     Anyway, in both the above extremes Swedenborg is secularly thought to be the founder of a Swedenborgian sect or an example of psychic eccentricity. In the former, Swedenborg's exceptional ingenuity in literature is blindly accepted and falls into persuasive belief; and in the latter, the researchers' meticulous analyses of his humanity restrict their own minds and they fall into the arrogance of their own intelligence.
     The Lord put off all the human from Mary, but still she can be called "the Lord's mother, as far as she represents the New Church (see Can. 9:8). This title is not taken away from her as far as she is a member of the heavenly New Church, as the Lord's bride. Swedenborg still gives her the name of the Virgin Mary (see W Post 68). When Mary was greeted by Elizabeth, who rejoiced in her visit as the Lord's mother, she sang, "The Lord has regarded the low estate of His handmaid. For behold, henceforth all generations will call me blessed; for He who is mighty has done great things for me" (Luke 1:43, 46-48). Mary here again said that she was the Lord's handmaid, and much more so in the low estate. Swedenborg wrote: "In heaven the greatest person is the one who is least. For 'least' is used to describe a person who has no power and wisdom, and wants no power and wisdom from himself, only from the Lord" (HH 408).
     It is quite evident, not only from the above but also from Swedenborg's encounter with Mary in heaven (see TCR 827) that no one would abhor Mariolatry more than Mary herself. She does not want anyone to think of the Lord as her son. She still thinks of herself as His handmaid. This is the same with Swedenborg, who abhorred any saint-worship of himself. The most distinguished similarity between them is that both Mary and Swedenborg served the Lord for His advents, and they obeyed Him, followed Him, worshipped Him, and attributed everything good to Him alone.
     On the other hand, the most clear difference between these two persons is that while Mary was the Lord's natural mother in the sense of blood relationship, Swedenborg was the Lord's revelator in the spiritual sense of the Word.

546

While on earth, Mary did not know who would later serve for the Lord's full-fledged manifestation. But Swedenborg, while on earth, saw Mary, who was in heaven, above his head.

     Conclusion

     There are several points noteworthy for the New Church Mariology, if any.

     1.      At the first advent of the Lord, Fatherly Divinity was conceived in the virgin Mary's womb, and Mary gave birth to the Lord and she became the Lord's mother. The Word became flesh, i.e., was wrapped with the material body.

     2.      The Lord put off all the sinful nature coming from Mary by conquering the world, and His Human is perfectly deified. So everything in Him is now Divine.

     3.      Therefore, according to the natural pattern of thought, the Lord is not Mary's son any longer, and Mary is not His mother any longer.

     4.      Nevertheless, Mary is "the Lord's mother" as far as she represents the New Church. Mary is also "a bride to the Lord," and she still is "the Virgin Mary.

     5.      In spite of all of the above, Mariolatry, a belief in Mary to be God's mother, must be denied.

     There are also several points for Swedenborgology, if any.

     1.      The Word became the doctrinal truth by means of what Swedenborg wrote with his well-cultivated intellectual faculty.

     2.      The internal sense of the Word became manifest through his Writings. The relationship of the internal sense of the Word to the external one is like a human soul to the body (see TCR 193).

     3. When Swedenborg wrote, his mind was Divinely inspired but was not possessed by any angels nor by the Lord.

547

He was completely free in mind. That is the reason why he was still fallible as a human tool.

     4.      Throughout the Writings, doctrinal truth shines forth, but also inescapable human weaknesses are mingled with them: seemingly unnecessary repetitions, misspellings, miscalculations of quoted numbers, and other scientific, social, and ethnic illustrations which were only appropriately understood by contemporary people in western countries.

     5.      The second advent of the Lord was realized by means of his Writings insofar as the Lord came not in person but as the Word understandable by rational human beings. Therefore, the heavenly New Church has been implanted on earth into the individual minds and groups who believe in the truths of the Heavenly Doctrines.

     In conclusion, the following points can be taken into consideration.

     a.      Mary's depraved human nature, in which the Word became flesh, was really depraved in terms of hereditary evils. This depravity was a universal contamination of human beings. This applied not only to Mary and through her to the Lord, but also to all human beings, including Swedenborg and all of us.

     b. At the second advent of the Lord, Swedenborg described how our Lord extricated Himself from this depraved human nature and showed us hew to apply the Lord's teaching for our own regeneration. Including Mary and Swedenborg, all human beings can be regenerated according to His golden order of redemption.

     c.      For this redemption by the Lord, Mary and Swedenborg were most important pipelines for the Lord's two advents into the world. However, both had all in common with us in seeking the same heavenly goal. And the way to reach this goal was opened by the Lord's own initiative. For the work of redemption all merit and glory must be attributed to none but the Lord Himself.

548

And as it was with Mary as His handmaid, and also with Swedenborg as His servant, all we human beings are likewise invited to follow the     footsteps which the Lord has completed in His own unique way for human salvation. Neither Mary nor Swedenborg can save us, but the Lord alone. This distinction is a necessary purification in our own mind.

     A paraphrased translation collected and rearranged from the four similar paragraphs (TCR 102:3, 827, SD 5834, LJ Post 68) would be something like the following:

I have to add something very important. I saw one day the Virgin Mary, the Lord's mother. She was passing by in heaven over my head. She was seen at the back on one side wearing a snow-white silky robe. Then she stopped for a moment, and hesitantly said, "I was the Lord's mother. The Lord was actually born from me. But He became God. He put off all human nature coming from me. So I am now worshiping Him as my God. I really do not want anybody to think of Him as my son, because everything in Him is Divine now.

     Hearing this (I imagine), Swedenborg smiled to Mary with a nod. He knew that it was true.
GENERAL CHURCH TREASURER'S REPORT 1989

GENERAL CHURCH TREASURER'S REPORT 1989

     For the Year Ending December 31, 1988

     The year 1988 was an excellent one for the General Church in the financial area. Much was accomplished and exciting programs were furthered or commenced.
     The Leonard Gyllenhaal Fund was completed in 1988 and the uses supported by this fund attracted slightly over $9 million in new endowment for the General Church and its congregations during the period of this fund drive. This resulted in overall fund balances increasing by $3.8 million to $44,170,000 in 1988.
     The increased endowments have enabled the church to establish new programs in the fields of education, evangelization and translation.

549

Additionally, the increase in income resulting from the endowment now belonging to individual societies has helped the church overall to fund improved salaries for our ministers and teachers.
     Our salaries have essentially rough parity with those paid in the Academy of the New Church, although the General Church has developed a salary scale with a progression tailored for the needs of a widespread elementary school system. We have a central education administration under the leadership of Rev. Fred Schnarr, Bishop's Representative for Education. This team assists and supports the individual schools and teachers.
     With the increased endowment for evangelization, we are now able to support projects from New Zealand to Canada, to Ghana, The fund is now helping pay the salaries of several ministers whose work is essentially in the evangelization field.
     Presently, the church is assisting in translations for English, Swedish, and Portuguese, and there has been a significant increase in our on-going commitment to translating the Writings.
One area of concern is the sharp rise in employee benefit costs which is largely driven by spiraling health care costs in the U.S.A. We have retained consultants and are reviewing our overall benefit package. I believe some significant improvements in the overall program will result. We appreciate the dedication and hard work of our ministers and teachers, and remain committed to ensuring that adequate provision is made for their financial peace of mind.
     During the year, Bishop King dedicated the new church building in Sudbury, Massachusetts. We also provided significant funding for a church in Seoul, Korea. The manse in Boynton Beach, Florida, has been completely renovated and work is progressing on the building of a beautiful new church complex on our new property there.
     Altogether, 1988 was a year of progress and the church is now on a better footing as we prepare to enter a new decade.
     The audited financial statements which follow form a part of this report.

550

     GENERAL CHURCH OF THE NEW JERUSALEM

     BALANCE SHEET

     December 31, 1988 with comparative totals for 1987

                                                                      Total
                                                        Expendable      Nonexpendable      (Memorandum only)
ASSETS                                         Funds           Funds           1988           1987
Cash and cash equivalents                                   $243,224      $2,365,299      $2,608,523      $4,577,234
Accounts receivable, principally from related entities           1,050,685                     1,050,685      987,167
pledges receivable from Glencairn Foundation                         564,551                564,551      573,145
Inventory                                                  97,347                          97,347           95,067
Prepaid expenses                                         91,517                          91,517           27,280
Loans to related societies and employees, net                2,090,688                     2,090,688      1,995,844
Loan to Cairnwood Village                                    737,500                          737,500      800,000
Investments                                              11,522,922      26,182,799      37,705,721      32,325,511
Land, buildings and equipment, net of accumulated
     depreciation                                    796,326                          796, 326      608,787
Due from Expendable Funds                                        168,516                168,516      245,000
                                                        $16,630,209      $29,281,165      $45,911,374      $42,235,035

     LIABILITIES AND FUND BALANCES
Accounts payable                                         62,487                          62,487            177,162
Agency funds                                             549,834                          549,834      504,422
Loans payable                                                  400,000                          400,000      400,000
Due to Nonexpendable Funds                               168,516                          168,516      245,000
Deferred capital support                                                  420,274      420,274      452,318
Annuity payable                                                            138,950      138,950      92, 604
                                   1,180,837     559,224          1,740,061     1,871,506

     Fund balances:
Unrestricted - available for current operations                    1,135,214                     1,135,214      1,032,206
Restricted available for current operations                     253,229                          253,229      329,062
      - designated for specific purposes                    14,060,929                    14,060,929      13,250,090
Endowment                                                                  28,721,941      28,721,941     25,752,171

                                   15,449,372     28,721,941     44,171,313     40,363,529
                                                        $16,630,209      $29,281,165      $45,91l, 374      $42,235,035

551

GENERAL CHURCH OF THE NEW JERUSALEM

      STATEMENT OF SUPPORT, REVENUE, EXPENSES, CAPITAL ADDITIONS AND CHANGES IN FUND BALANCES

     Year ended December 31, 1988 with comparative totals for 1987

                                                                                               Total
                                                        Expendable      Nonexpendable     (memorandum only)
                                                        Funds           Funds           1988           1987
Support and revenue:
Contributions and bequests                                   $747,608     $244,294     $991,902     $5,353,997
Investment income                                        2,213,447     534,063          2,747,510     2,238,900
Printing and publishing                                    189,100                    189,100          257,521
Gain on sale of investments                                   191,413                    191,413          1,954,175
Pension plan income                                        692,266                    692,266          791,966
Other revenue                                                            106,580                    106,580          125,499
Total support and revenue                     4,140,414     778,357      4,918,771     10,722,058

     Expenses:
Program services:
Pastoral and educational                                   345,601                    345,601          329,799
South African Mission                                    14,400                    14,400          15,300
Information and other services                               273,013                    273,013          243,108
Employee benefits                         429,118                    429,118          425,384
Development grants to societies                          62,200                    62,200
Pensions paid                                                  404,495                          404,495      395,970
Investment savings plan withdrawals                         270,071                    270,071          270,746
Other services                                                       479,014          325,005          804,019          503,857
Total program services                                         2,277,912     325,005          2,602,917     2,184,164

     Supporting services:
Administration                                                       732,599                    732,599          670,050
Total Expenses                              3,010,511     325,005          3,335,516     2,854,214

     Excess of support and revenue over expenses
before capital additions and other changes                1,129,903      453,352      1,583,255      7,867,841

     Capital additions:
Contributions and bequests                                              2,415,674      2,415,674      3,921,206
Investment Income                                                                 100,744      100,744          52,228
Total capital additions                                   2,516,418     2,516,418     3,973,434
Excess of support and revenue over expenses alter                    1,129,903      2,969,770      4,099,673               11,841,278
     capital additions and before other changes

     Other changes:
Pension plan funding                                        (529,029)                    (529,029)      (582,787)
Investment savings plan funding                         237,140                          237,140      233,015
Total other changes                                             (291,889)               (291,889)      (349,772)
Excess of support and revenue over expenses after
     capital additions and other changes               838,014          2,969,770     3,807,784     11,491,506

     Fund balances, beginning of year                                   14,611,358     26,752,171     3,807,784     11,491,506
Fund balances, end of year                                   $15,449,372     $28,721,941     $44,171,313     $40,363,529

552

     GENERAL CHURCH OF THE NEW JERUSALEM

     STATEMENT OF CASH FLOWS

     Year ended December 31, 1988 with comparative totals for 1987


                                                                                          Total
                                                        Expendable      Nonexpendable     (Memorandum only)
                                                        Funds           Funds           1988          1987
Cash flows from operating activities:
Excess of support and revenue over expenses after
          capital additions and other changes                         $838,014      $2,969,770      $3,807,784      $11,491,506
Adjustments to reconcile to cash provided by operating
     activities
Depreciation                                             19,495                              19,495           20,116
Other                                                  23,076                              23,076           746
Gain on sale of investments                               (191,413)                     (191,413)     (1,954,175)
Changes in operating assets and liabilities:
     Increase to accounts receivable                         (63,518)                     (63,518)      (329,293)
     Increase in pledges receivable                                             8,594           8,594           (573,145)
     Increase in inventory                                   (2,280)                          (2,280)           (24,210)
     (Increase) decrease in prepaid expenses                    (64,237)                     (54,237)     6,419
     (Decrease) in due to/from expendable funds               (76,484)          76,484
     Increase (decrease) in accounts payable                    (114,675)                     (114,675)      25,219
     Increase (decrease) in agency funds                         45,412                              45,412           (829,741)
     Increase (decrease) in deferred capital support                              (32,044)      (32,044)      71,744
     Increase (decrease) in annuity payable                                   46,346          46,346           (38,971)
Total adjustments                                        (424,624)      99,380           (325,244)      (3,625,291)
     Cash provided by operating activities                    413,390      3,069,150      3,482,540      7,866,215

     Cash flows from investing activities
Increase in loans to related societies and employees, net          (94,841)                     (94,844)      (544,194)
Payments received on loan to Cairnwood Village               62,500                              62,500           100,000
Purchases of investments                                   (445,399)     (7,126,787)      (7,572,186)      (3,459,792)
Contributions of investments                                   (216,074)      (133,807)      (348,881)      (3,800,211)
Capitol expenditures                                    (230,110)                     (230,110)      (153,035)
Proceeds from sale of investments                          424,238      2,309,032      2,733,270     2,580,958

     Cash used in investing activities                          (499,689)      (4,951,562)      (5,951,251)      (5,276,224)
Cash flows from financing activities
Decrease in loans payable                                                                            (400,000)
Decrease in mortgages payable                                                                           (83,058)

     Cash used in financing activities                                                                      (483,088)
Net increase (decrease) In cash and cash equivalents               (86,299)      (1,882,412)      (1,968,711)      2,106,903
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of year                329,523      4,247,711      4,577,234      2,470,331
Cash and cash equivalents, end of year                         243,224          2,365,299     2,608,523     4,577,234

553

MINOR CHANGE IN THE WEDDING CEREMONY 1989

MINOR CHANGE IN THE WEDDING CEREMONY Rev. ERIK SANDSTROM 1989

     The Worship and Ritual Committee, chaired by Bishop King, is the committee that oversees the preparation of the new Liturgy. Its other members are Rev. Messrs. Alfred Acton, Kurt H. Asplundh, Donald L. Rose and Erik Sandstrom, Sr. Mr. Robert Glenn is the committee's longtime secretary.
     Recently the committee has been discussing the rites of the church. As for marriage, a change is recommended which requires an explanation. I call it a "minor change" to indicate the sentiment on the part of the committee that no reversal of thought is involved. The reference is to the representation of bridegroom and bride before the marriage, and of husband and wife after it. The change in representation is not affected by the proposed change in the ritual. The committee may even make the latter change optional.
     Until now we have acted in accordance with the following rubric: "The Husband here may lift the veil and kiss his Wife, and shall then take his place at her right hand." This is immediately after the couple has been pronounced husband and wife. What is the source of this custom? It appears that the source is a slight misreading of a memorable relation in the work Conjugial Love.
     This work commences with a long such relation entitled "The Joys of Heaven and Weddings There." Some newcomers, having been allowed to witness a wedding, asked about the garments worn by the bridegroom and bride, and their angelic guide explained: "The bridegroom, now the husband, represented the Lord, and the bride, now the wife, represented the church, because in heaven a wedding represents the marriage of the Lord and the church. That is why he wore a miter on his head and was arrayed in a robe, a tunic, and an ephod, like Aaron; and why the bride, now the wife, wore upon her head a crown and was attired in a mantle, like a queen. But tomorrow they will be clothed differently, for this representation lasts only today" (CL 21).

554

     Then the newcomers asked about the seating of the couple during the ceremony: "Since he represented the Lord and she the church, why did she sit at his right hand?" And to this "the wise man" replied: "Because there are two things which make the marriage of the Lord and the church: love and wisdom. The Lord is love and the church is wisdom, and wisdom is at the right hand of love; for the man of the church becomes wise as if of himself; and as he becomes wise, he receives love from the Lord. Moreover, the right hand signifies power, and love has power by wisdom. But, as I said before, after the wedding the representation is changed; for then the husband represents wisdom, and the wife the love of his wisdom. Therefore, after the nuptials, both together, the husband and his wife, represent the church" (ibid.).
     For our present purposes we now note that whereas the representation changed after the nuptials, there was no change in position in which the couple was seated-nor did they change their representative clothing until the day after the wedding.
     Moreover, Rev. Willard Heinrichs called the attention of the committee to a teaching in the Apocalypse Explained that has a direct bearing on the matter. In that teaching the 45th Psalm is quoted: "The queen standeth at Thy right hand in the best gold of Ophir" (v. 9), and AE explains: "'The queen' who stands at the right hand in gold of Ophir signifies the church from reception of good from the Lord; for all things with man that belong to his right side have reference to good from which is truth, and those belonging to the left side have reference to truth from good. . . . Moreover, woman is born to be affection, which belongs to love, and man (vir) is born to be understanding. . . . Since, then, good belongs to the right side of man (hominis), and truth to his left, it follows that it is according to Divine order for the wife to be on the right" (AE 1120:2).
     No doubt this teaching had not come to the attention of the early Academy men, nor to that of Bishop W. F. Pendleton when he explained the custom they had introduced into the wedding ceremony. In his Notes and Papers on Ritual he writes: "[In the Academy Liturgy] the parties enter, 'the woman at the right hand of the man,' and when they are pronounced husband and wife, they change places, 'the wife at the left hand of her husband,' continuing in this position until the close of the service. . . .

555

The change of position represents the change of state that takes place by marriage; 'for the states of life with men and women are of one kind before marriage and of another after marriage' (CL 190). Such a change of position in the marriage ceremony, while new on earth, is not new in heaven; for we read, in the account of a marriage in heaven, that 'the bridegroom was on the left hand and the bride on his right,' but 'after the nuptials the representation was changed,' in order that the above-mentioned change of state might be signified (CL 20, 21)" (WFP Notes and Papers, p. 109, reprinted from articles published in New Church Life, 1919-1922).

     We note here that the quotation from CL 20 and 21 contains the statement that "after the nuptials the representation was changed," but that the quotation does not say that the man and the woman changed positions. Such a change, however, was apparently assumed on the part of both "the makers of the Academy Liturgy" and the venerable bishop, since the latter adds: "It is from this source that the makers of the Academy Liturgy thought it proper to represent such a change in the ritual of the marriage service" (ibid.).
     The thinking of the present Worship and Ritual Committee is that while it is important to retain the idea of change in representation, it is not important to continue the change in position. In fact, it would seem proper not to have the couple change positions since it appears that the place of the woman, both as bride and as wife, was at the right hand of the man (see CL 21).
     The new Liturgy will therefore not have a rubric saying that a change of positions is to take place after the couple has been pronounced husband and wife. On the other hand, the committee feels that if the officiating minister and the couple would prefer to mark the' change of representation ritualistically, they should have the option of doing so.

556

DISTINCTIVE NEW CHURCH EDUCATION 1989

DISTINCTIVE NEW CHURCH EDUCATION Rev. GEOFFREY S. CHILDS 1989

     7)      The highest of all uses is the conjugial use. The uses of conjugial love are called more excellent than all others (see CL 143, 156). There should be a scope and sequence plan for presentation of conjugial knowledges and ideals from elementary school through theological school. This love is "above every love which is from the Lord with the angels of heaven and the men of the church" (CL 64).

     8)      There are other teachings that stand as background for New Church education. The doctrine of apparent and mediate good is crucial in understanding the educational and the regenerative processes. A person progresses from his or her hereditary unregenerate state through a series of steps toward higher and purer goods. Good and evil states are then present simultaneously within the person, but they are never commingled unless man forces this. A child is in apparent good: in goods in which he takes much self-merit. Apparent good is to be called good despite self-love that is present, because "ignorance excuses, and the innocence makes it appear as good" (AC 1667; cf. 1661, 1652). To use just awards and praise is appropriate to the apparent goods of childhood and youth. Adults too continue in such intermediate states, and have mediate goods that combine the ambition of self-love with a real love of the neighbor (see AC 3993:9-11). Mediate goods preclude hatred, revenge and cruelty, which are shunned by the regenerating.

     9)      To be reborn, one must overcome evil with the Lord's influx and strength. Part of genuine education is to recognize the reality of hereditary evil tendencies, and not to accept the falsity that a person is born innately good. Repentance and shunning evil are crucial throughout adult life, and childhood can pave the way for this realistic truth.

557

There is a need for discipline in education (see AC 1573, 1581, 1568), but the approach should be from compassion and lead toward the true goal: self-discipline (see AC 1937, 1947).

     10)      Optimism is realistic in genuine education. The Lord in His Divine Human is all-powerful, and He would lead each of us to heaven. His power is greater than the hells. "The Lord imputes to man good and not evil, while the devil [meaning hell] imputes evil and not good to him. [This] is a new thing in the church" (TCR 650). "There is actually a sphere proceeding continually from the Lord and filling the entire spiritual and natural worlds which raises all toward heaven. It is like a strong current in the ocean which unobservedly draws a vessel. All who believe in the Lord and live according to His precepts enter that sphere or current and are elevated" (TCR 652:3). This is that beautiful stream of Providence spoken of in AC 8478.

     11) The spiritual rational is to subordinate natural reason (see AC 6047:5). The negative principle, reasoning from the senses, is not to rule in New Church education (see AC 2568), not even in the most subtle ways on the plane of emotions or research. I think perhaps here lies our greatest danger. Inductive reasoning and the scientific method have such a strong and valid place in modern education, but not when reason is used to analyze spiritual realities, for this is to reverse order. The call by the Lord to the New Church is that the Man Child is to conquer the serpent.

     12)      We mentioned the Word earlier, in the second universal which treats of eternal life. But the Word, the trinal Word, stands as a great universal on its own. It is one of the three essentials of the church. We may tend to underestimate its place since we are so familiar with its presence in worship. But its place is functional in the human mind: the Word conjoins us with the Lord and associates us with angels (see SS 62-68).

558

Without the Word, there would be no knowledge of the great realities: of God, heaven and hell, life after death (see SS 114-118). The very second coming of the Lord is "in the clouds of heaven, with power and great glory" (Matt. 24:30). The clouds are the sense of the letter of the Word; the "glory" is the internal sense, now revealed (see HH 1). The trinal Word re-orients and reorganizes genuine education.

     A Framework of Particular Principles

     A teacher could know and believe in all the above twelve universals and still fail to present his or her material in a distinctive way. The above universals are not enough to make a particular course in mathematics or physics or history or literature truly distinctive. What is needed to bridge the gap is a particular set of focused principles that apply to that discipline or subject matter.
     A treatment of this need is given in the address by Professor E. Bruce Glenn entitled "Distinctiveness in Action (Or Why Are We Here?)." After speaking of a gesture type of distinctiveness devoid of functional meaning, he writes: "if the work of this institution [the Academy] is to be given the lasting imprint of distinctiveness, and this throughout the curriculum, it must be done by bringing to bear, upon the knowledges we order, of those things in the Writings that are timeless-the doctrines themselves. But how can this be done, outside the discipline of religion, without turning all our courses into religion classes thinly veiled?
     "The answer, I believe, lies in a developing of related doctrines so as to form a framework of principles within which to order and interpret the knowledges of a subject" (Literary number of the Academy Journal, 1972-1973).
     A framework of principles! We have clear examples of this. One example is in this very article, in application to teaching literature. Another is in the teaching of history. The Writings supply a particular framework of doctrines that overview history in a distinctively New Church manner.

559

From this overview the particulars can be unfolded and confirm the philosophic framework revealed by the Lord. In pursuing this example, in history there are Divinely revealed doctrines that serve as ". . . postulates or first principles, and they affect both the methods of approach and the final outcome. Those that best illustrate this are the following: 1) Purpose in creation . . . to establish from the human race a heaven increasing to eternity. . . . 2) The five dispensations of the church. . . . 3) The Gorand Man. . . . 4) Foundations of truth. . . . 5) Providence. . . . The study of history can indicate the workings of providence, but only in retrospect, after the fact, and from the light of universal principles. 6) Freedom. . . . 7) Order. . . .8) Permissions. . . . 9) Moral and Civil Values" (The Academy, A Portrait, pp. 106-110).
     The article on the philosophy of history in The Academy, A Portrait (pp. 103-124) infllls these postulates with needed particulars and follow-up. The totality of this gives a particular framework of principles for presenting eras of history in a fashion that is distinctive and in harmony with Divinely revealed operations of Providence. In this way, history can assume inner meaning to clarify and enlighten its outer drama.
     The search for an applied framework of principles for each discipline is not always easy. In the presentation of courses on human anatomy it is relatively easy and delightful. In literature there are overview guidelines, as I have experienced in Academy College courses. In physics, for example, it is perhaps far more difficult, although the efforts by Rev. Andrew Heilman are leading clearly in this direction. Professor Edward Allen did such a study of a framework of principles in application to mathematics in the mid-1950s that is fascinating to read. The applied principles are there, I believe, for every subject. The challenge is to study the Heavenly Doctrines and find them, and then even more directly, to use them with imagination and vigor in one's own discipline.
     As students at the Academy in the past, we have all seen successes and failures in this effort to find functional principles of application.

560

Some courses came alive under this approach. In other courses, the efforts toward discovering a framework never really worked out. Gestures were made, but they were not convincing. As we serve the Lord in this high use of New Church education, the goal is to have a framework of related principles that is functional and convincing to the students. In one sense this is bringing "glory to the clouds"-inner meaning to outer science and art.

     Accommodation by the Individual Teacher

     The individual teacher can know and believe in the universals of the Writings as they apply to New Church education. He or she can have a framework of principles that apply to his or her discipline. But in the actual classroom teaching, a vital element may be missing.
     What attitudes, what qualities does a classroom teacher need to be effective? What was lacking in the private school of "The Dead Poets Society" was compassion-compassion and understanding. There has to be a real love of the students, and also a deep love of the subject matter being taught. For the truly Christian teacher, and for the New Church teacher, behind his or her professional abilities there should be a love for the salvation of the students. Isn't this a priestly love? Certainly not exclusively. For in a key number in the Writings, AC 2034, the Lord invites all to come into His love, which is the love for the salvation of souls. And this love gives a whole different orientation and outlook to New Church education. It makes its inmost uses eternal.
     To have distinctive education in the classroom the teacher must also have his individual faith, his belief in the truths of the New Church. From this individual faith he will use the framework of applied principles as a guideline, but will convey these through his individual belief system. And this will make it more alive, more creative.
     By combining the framework of applied principles and one's own belief system, there can emerge distinctive New Church teaching which is functional, not simply a gesture.

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To do this is of course a strong challenge, and one method of reaching this goal is working out an orientation or development thesis. It does take work, for it requires a syllabus in which the Heavenly Doctrines are livingly, functionally applied. In this we need each other's counsel and enlightenment.
     TCR 155 treats of four qualities which are needed by the clergy for the operation of the Holy Spirit: enlightenment, perception, disposition, and instruction. There is an analogy of this with the professional New Church teacher. It expresses itself in such qualities as perceptive accommodation, delightful imagination, and creativity.
     Two other qualities needed for effective teaching are a sense of discipline, and within this, a sense of real compassion. Discipline, the ability to keep classroom order, looks first to self-discipline by the student. Compassion is an expression of love for the students and their natural and spiritual futures. It is perhaps the key ingredient.

     Mottos of New Church Education

     The four banners of the private school in the movie "The Dead Poets Society" proclaimed Tradition, Discipline, Honor, and Excellence. What would we have for banners in New Church education?
     Perhaps the first answer is that we wouldn't have any at all. We would have our individual class banners and our Academy logo, which is symbolic, but that would be it. Why? Because we have only one basic motto or banner: that "the Lord God Jesus Christ reigns, whose kingdom shall be for ages of ages" (TCR 791). We would add one additional belief: that the Writings are a vital part of the trinal Word, and the Writings are our Divine source. For they are the Lord God Jesus Christ speaking to us.
     Taking the four mottos of the private school in "The Dead Poets Society," we could certainly give respectful value to each quality: tradition, discipline, honor and excellence. But we would qualify strongly: the trinal Word is our authority and is superior to tradition, although traditions have value.

562

Discipline is needed, but self-discipline and compassion lead the way. Honor is good! But it can have a bit too much of merit within its ambience. Perhaps "idealism" could replace the word "honor." And excellence is fine; it is one of our goals, but the end in view is the excellence of uses, not of persons alone.
     Given the thesis that the Lord God Jesus Christ reigns, and that the Writings are our source and inspiration in New Church education, could we then go on and list a handful of motto qualities? Perhaps it would be useful, being a bit more definitive, though we should not be bound by any such list. What would you work out in such a list of desired leading qualities in New Church education? I would suggest the following as ideals or mottos to think about:

     1)      "The Lord God Jesus Christ reigns" (TCR 791).

     2)      "Nunc Licet-Now it is permitted to enter with the understanding into the mysteries of faith" (TCR 508). Our students should be led to think for themselves, but from the Lord.

     3)      Honesty (see AC 2915)-"the frank and fearless youth" of our tradition.

     4)      To do one's work justly and faithfully (for this is charity itself) (see TCR 422).

     5)      "What does the Lord require of you but to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God?" (Micah 6:8).
WORLDLY THINKING 1989

WORLDLY THINKING 1989

When I was earnestly thinking about worldly things, and about such things as give great concern to most persons, namely, about possessions, the acquirement of riches, about pleasures and the like, . . . I noticed that I was sinking down into what is sensuous, and that in proportion as my thought was immersed in such things I was removed from the company of the angels.
Arcana Coelestia 6210

563

BEHOLD, I MAKE ALL THINGS NEW 1989

BEHOLD, I MAKE ALL THINGS NEW Rev. CLAYTON PRIESTNAL 1989

Something happened in Bethlehem some two thousand years ago which enthralled the imagination of man and has been his hope and inspiration ever since. Therefore, to belittle in any way the impact of the shepherds, the wise men, the wicked king Herod, Mary, Joseph, and the crowded inn would be most unseemly, especially at this hallowed season. The observances of Christmastide are not only traditional; they are sacred all over the Christian world. We would keep them so. But the teachings of the New Church reveal clearly how much more there is to the advent than the familiar details and the popular interpretations placed upon them. By all means cherish the carols, the gift-giving, the Infant Jesus, and every other detail of the incarnation etched so indelibly in our memory, but do not lose sight of the second advent. It is this second coming which provides a new Christmas for a new age.
In that little Judean town of Bethlehem, according to the testimony of the Holy Scripture, in the still of the night the Infinite God, the Creator and Lord of the universe, came as an infant of flesh and blood to dwell among men and to be seen by them, Why did He come as an infant Child? Sadly enough, that is all the wicked world could bear of the Divine at the time. Had the Lord descended in the glory and form of His Divine Nature, the people would have been dazed and stunned by the sudden appearance of a Being transcendently holy; their eyes would have been blinded by the incandescence of the Divine, for the simple reason that because of generations of evil and worldliness, man's perception of spiritual truth had been completely lost. A knowledge of the true nature of God and the vision of the heavenly life had long since been blurred by selfish hearts and deceitful minds. The lack of spiritual life in the people was described by the prophet Isaiah when he wrote, "Run ye to and fro through the streets of Jerusalem and see now and know, and seek in the broad places thereof, if ye can find a man, if there be any that executeth judgment, that seeketh the truth, and I will pardon it."

564

How sad it is that all the world could endure of Divine truth, the Word made flesh, was the very smallest form of human life, an infant who grew to manhood and talked of heavenly things in the veiled language of parables. Only in this way could the Almighty God touch the hearts and minds of men. This constituted the first advent, and it was basically external in its essence and purpose.
     A cornerstone in the faith of the New Church (and the justification for its existence as a small, obscure denomination in Christendom) is the belief that the Lord has already made His second coming-not a personal appearance as the world has been led to expect, but a coming in the fuller revelation of God and His spiritual laws which are unfolded in the spiritual or inner sense of the Scripture. These new truths enable one to think more rationally about the universe, its inhabitants and their relationship with God. The confusion and turmoil so prevalent throughout the world is the most convincing kind of evidence that a deeper understanding of the Sacred Scriptures is sorely needed today.
      Not long ago a mature woman who has been a life-long communicant of her church, and a most active worker in it, stated that whether or not the Christ Child had been born without the instrumentality of a human father was not at all important. Her view of this central doctrine is shared by a growing number of Christian churchmen. A prominent Christian leader recently discussed the changes which had taken place in this theological thinking over the past decade. He too doubted the doctrine of the virgin birth, yet at the same time he defended the Word of God as a Divine revelation and the means of man's salvation. Here was a well-known churchman who in the same breath upheld the Divinity of the Scriptures and the Messiahship of Christ and yet declared in effect that he doesn't believe everything the Lord says.
     Certainly both the Old and New Testaments declare in unmistakable terms the fact of the virgin birth. One may not understand this unique process, but how can he deny it without destroying the Scriptures as Divine truth?

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Such irrationality is quite conspicuous in present-day theological thinking. And it serves to emphasize the need for a new philosophy of religion for the new age. This new theology must be able to withstand the same relentless critical analysis which scientists are constantly applying to the physical laws of the universe. We submit that the doctrines revealed by the Lord in His second coming fulfill more completely than any other theology this exacting requirement. We cannot at this time delineate the reasons, but we do extend an invitation to all those unfamiliar with the teachings of the New Church who are looking for new insights into the Christian faith and life to study them and judge for themselves.
In one of his epistles, Paul makes this observation: "Howbeit, that is not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural; and afterward that which is spiritual." That truth is especially applicable to the Lord's incarnation. As we have already observed, the first advent was relatively external, for the Lord came in a bodily form of flesh and blood; He mingled with men, healed their diseases and infirmities; performed other miracles which astonished the multitudes; and the people witnessed with their own eyes His life and death. The first advent revealed God as a Personal Being who was deeply concerned for the well-being of His children, and it provided mankind with the rudiments of the Christian life through both example and the lessons taught in the parables spoken from the hillside, at the seashore, and in the villages of Galilee.
In the second advent, the new Christmas, the Lord comes not as an Infant in swaddling clothes but in a glorified form, the Divine Humanity, which touches the hearts and minds of men. The truths veiled in the language of parable are revealed so that the inner meaning of the Scripture is opened to the rational mind. It is when man stands and gazes at the perfection of Divine laws as seen in the spiritual sense of the Word of God that he experiences a deeper concept of the purpose of life, a fuller appreciation of the love of the Lord, and a clearer understanding of His Providence. With this deeper insight there usually begins in man a new creation, a new soul infilled with the spirit of love and wisdom from the Divine.

566

This creation of a new will and a new understanding is the most significant meaning of the words from the book of Revelation, "Behold, I make all things new.
     How slow and reluctant man was to recognize and acknowledge the first advent of the Lord. Within the Infant form lying in a manger in Bethlehem, unseen and hardly suspected by the adoring shepherds and gift-giving wise men, was the seed of Divine Life. In the Mind which grew so rapidly in strength and wisdom was the Truth Divine that came as "a light to lighten the gentiles," to quote the words of the angel spoken at the time of the annunciation. This wisdom was so concealed in a human form that few recognized its true nature; not many of the Lord's contemporaries thought of His words as "spirit and life." The people were more interested in the miracles and in the prospects of an earthly ruler powerful enough to throw off the yoke of Roman tyranny than they were in justice and righteousness.
     The Lord comes to mankind again today. Once again man does not recognize His new advent. The world is still waiting for clouds and the sound of trumpets and the descent of Christ in person from the heavens. The church waits in silence and doubt, for many prophets through the centuries have come forth with positive predictions, naming the day and the hour. Nothing has happened. The people of old were looking in the wrong place for the coming Messiah even while He was walking in their midst. Similarly today the world waits with diminishing expectancy for the second coming, and yet it has already taken place.
     To satisfy the enquirer who might rightly ask, "Can you give me a specific example of these new insights into the meaning of the Scripture?" let us explain in part the words, "Behold, I make all things new." By taking literally these words, the Christian Church associates them with the great and dreadful day of judgment, the aweful, climactic moment of the second coming, when the physical world will be destroyed and a new earth created to take its place. But how senseless is such an interpretation.

567

There is nothing wrong with the material universe. To create it again would only mean that new soil, new waters, new minerals, and new vegetation would replace the old. But is that what is really needed? The earth can still bring forth seed, blossom and fruit in season; the mineral content of the mountains has not shown signs of complete depletion, and new sources of supply are constantly being discovered. Is it not actually the spirit of man, which needs renewal? The willfulness, the perverseness, the follies, the worldliness, and the blasphemies of man need to be destroyed and his soul created anew. Such a reconstruction of the soul, using the God-given materials, truth and righteousness, would do far more for the betterment of mankind than any radical changes in, or replacement of, the physical universe.
The Lord comes in His second advent to make such a change in the mind and spirit of man. From the Writings we note this brief, thought provoking point: Every advent of the Lord implies the desire to make a new beginning in the growth of the spiritual life on the part of those who are being regenerated (see AC 728).
What a whole new world of possibilities the truth of these words opens up for us and for Christians everywhere. Within these words lies the concept of the new Christmas for the new age. Each time a truth from the Lord enters the spirit of man, it is indeed an advent. These repeated advents are not seasonal, not dependent upon the closing days of a dying year. Each day from January to December can see the advent of the Lord to enlighten the mind with spiritual truth, thereby sanctifying and satisfying the hungry soul and leading man ever onward and upward towards the very highest goal, a heavenly life of usefulness and joy.
CALIFORNIA ASSEMBLY 1989

CALIFORNIA ASSEMBLY 1989

A California District Assembly has been called for June 15-17, 1990 to be held in Los Angeles with the Rt. Rev. Louis B. King presiding, All members and friends of the General Church are cordially invited to attend.

568

DISCIPLES 1989

DISCIPLES Rev. PETER M. BUSS 1989

     Not much is known about the twelve disciples apart from what is revealed in the Word, This article is not an attempt to delve into the scant historical information about them. I wish instead to look at their lives and characters as revealed in the New Testament, and to reflect on the unique information given us in the Word for the New Church about them and their mission.
     Who were the disciples and why did the Lord choose them to be the heralds of His Christian Church? In general they were fishermen and were illiterate. Matthew was a publican and he could write. John, who was very young when the Lord called him, learned to write. We do not know whether most of the others were even able to read.

     Spiritual fishermen

     The Writings tell us that their simplicity was a part of the reason for their calling. The learned people of that day had their heads so filled with nonsense that they could not understand the truths of faith, as could such simple men (see SD 1216). Internally their characters reflected the essential qualities which make up the church in its complex (see SD 1217). Also, they were fishermen both in act and in spirit.
     What is a spiritual fisherman? Swedenborg was once asked why from being a philosopher he was chosen to be a theologian, and he answered that it was for the same reason as that for which the Lord called the disciples to be fishers of men. A fisherman represents one who collects and teaches natural truths; and a, person who has that mental ability will afterwards be able to collect and teach spiritual truths. So Swedenborg was led to delve into the sciences. And the disciples gathered fish not knowing that their interest in this pursuit reflected a disposition of mind. They were peculiarly fitted to be taught so that they could teach the spiritual truth of the new dispensation. Fishermen they were indeed, but they were born to be fishers of men (see ISB 20).

569

They spread the church in this world, and when the second coming took place, it was these twelve, and not the myriad other Christian preachers, who were sent forth into the world of spirits to proclaim the new gospel-a work which they performed, we are told, with great diligence (see TCR 4; 791).

     Were they better than others?

     Such was the potential within them; but what is most interesting, and encouraging to ordinary mortals, is that their spiritual character was far from developed when the Lord called them, and as people they were not in any way above others. They were simple, but they were also external in thought and in loves. These were not super-mortals, men of highly developed spiritual loves who thought only of service and never of self. They were ordinary people, more sensual perhaps than many; and many were the times when they showed their limitations only too plainly.
     Take their ideas about the Lord. They thought of Him as an earthly King who would make them rulers. They thought of Him as a prophet, then as the physical son of God who would rule below God. When at last they were forced to realize that His kingdom is not of this world, what ideas did they have of the heavenly kingdom? It was of one which would be like those on earth with kings and princes ruling over it. Naturally they thought that since they were the first to inherit the kingdom, they would be the principal rulers. So strong was the delight, which such rule had over their minds that they were unable to think at that time of any deeper joy. We are told that had the Lord enlightened them as to the real source of heavenly rule, and told them that they could not judge a single thing in man, they would have stopped following Him and returned to their occupations! (see AC 3857; cf 3417, 3387:4).

     Sitting on twelve thrones

     This is why Jesus said to them, "Assuredly I say to you, that in the regeneration, when the Son of Man sits on the throne of His glory, you who have followed Me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel" (Matthew 19:28).

570

     Certainly this prediction did not come to pass in the way in which the disciples expected it. Had they been spiritual they could have been led to realize that the Lord was speaking of what they as a group represented. In heaven the disciples are not on physical thrones; they are no more special than others, and inhabit the middle or spiritual heaven (see SD 1330). The twelve of them, however, who were closest to the Lord, and learned directly from Him, and became His apostles, represent all those who can be of the church, and all the goods and truths which belong to the church (see AC 3354; 9212; 4535:6; 7418:2; et al). Their representation was very similar to that of the tribes of Israel, and each disciple was chosen because his particular quality represented most easily a certain state of the church. The number twelve signifies all, or what is complete, which is why it is used so often in the Word. When the Lord said that the disciples would judge the tribes of Israel, He was speaking of the power of the goods and truths of the church to control all things of the human mind.
     The point is that at the time He spoke to them they were learning the truths of doctrine, but they were not yet in the life of charity. Therefore, although they knew about good, they thought from self (see AC 3417). They had only the external affection for truth without the internal. They loved truth for the sake of what it might bring them in the way of worldly fame. The Lord teaches such people truths that belong to the infancy of their spiritual life: for example, that good begins at home, that you must look to your own good first in time, and that there is reward for good deeds done (see AC 3701).
     Truths like these the disciples imbibed, and when they went forth after the Lord's resurrection to spread the Christian Church, they thought that they would merit their thrones in heaven through dying for their faith.

571

This made them work harder than otherwise they would have done, for the good of the church.
     Why, we may ask, did the Lord let them believe something so manifestly false as that they would rule on thrones in heaven? Did He tell them a direct untruth? In one sense, it is true that the angels have power, great power, over evil spirits; but it is in the measure of their belief that all strength is from the Lord (see AC 3417:3). In time the disciples would acquire this strength. The Lord also taught them by means of representatives, knowing that although they would misunderstand at first, the time would come when they would see the truth concealed within.
     What must be remembered, however, is that the Lord taught them according to both the appearance and the reality. He said that they would sit on twelve thrones, it is true, in accommodation to their sensual states; but immediately He Went on to instruct them concerning true government by saying, "You know that those who are considered rulers over the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. Yet it shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become great among you shall be your servant; and whoever of you desires to be first shall be slave of all" (Mark 10:42-44).
     In the same instruction, therefore, the Lord gave them the choice between the appearance of rule and true government. At first their love of self led them to long for an earthly government with its trappings. As they labored in the vineyard of the Lord's church, however, He led them away from this, until at last they loved the service and saw the spirit rather than the personal advantages of leadership.

     (To be concluded)
BRITISH ASSEMBLY 1989

BRITISH ASSEMBLY 1989

The 64th British Assembly has been called for August 10-12, 1990 to be held in London with the Rt. Rev. Louis B. King presiding. All members and friends of the General Church are cordially invited to attend.

572

FEAR NOT 1989

FEAR NOT Editor 1989

     The phrase occurs in the Greek of the New Testament more than a dozen times-four times in the Christmas story. Angels speak this phrase to Joseph, Zacharias, Mary, and the shepherds. In Greek it is but two words: "Not fear." In the King James Version it is often rendered "Fear not," but it is also rendered "Be not afraid." In the New King James it is commonly rendered, "Do not be afraid."
     While thinking about the words of the phrase I checked the Hebrew of the first occurrence of "Fear not." This is in the first verse of Genesis 15. The Hebrew is like the Greek in being two words, a negative and the word "to fear." Another quick check shows that the Latin of the Writings (used to render both the Old Testament Hebrew and the New Testament Greek) is a phrase of two words, Ne timeas or Ne time or Ne temete.
     Whatever the words, it is clear that a recurrent message of Divine revelation is about fear, deliverance from fear, admonition to put away fear, invitation to a life without fear.
     "I will fear no evil for You are with me" (Psalm 23:4). "When fear is taken away there is hope" (AC 2694). "Though an army should encamp against me, my heart shall not fear" (Psalm 27:3). When a man is in peace "he then fears nothing" (AC 8455).

     "He who is gifted with an own (proprium) that is heavenly is in quietude and in peace; for he trusts in the Lord, and believes nothing of evil will reach him. . . . There is nothing that disturbs them, nothing of the love of self, consequently nothing of enmity, hatred, and revenge; nor is there anything of the love of the world, consequently nothing of fraud, of fear, of unrest."
     Arcana Coelestia 5660

573

CREATION 1989

CREATION Jr. V. C. Odhner 1989

Dear Editor:
     Please refer to Walter Orthwein's "Creation by Means of the Word-Some Reflections" in your July, 1989 issue. To the section entitled "From Eternity," p. 317, I would add AE 1130:3, especially the last sentence! On p. 318, paragraph 2, he says: "The world was created not in time but from eternity (see DLW 156; note A at end)." This doesn't seem to be right. First, everything created is finite, that is, with a beginning, thus in time, but all is from the Lord. DLW 44e reads: "What is created is also finite, and the finite can exist only from the Infinite." My understanding of TCR 76:3 is that it says, among other things, that the spiritual and natural worlds were created ". . . at the same time . . . ": note the word "time" here; thus, both worlds were created at the same time. This much establishes that anything created had to be done in time.
     My understanding of Mr. Orthwein's source number, DLW 156, is that it says the universe was created not from space and time but from the Lord, in space and time. The world couldn't have been created, or wrought, from space and time as a cause, for these came into existence with the world's creation (see TCR 31:3). Note the DLW 156 words: ". . . but from eternity not of time, for this is the same with the Divine. . . ." If you capitalize "Eternity," doesn't it take on a different meaning? In the Latin, Eternity is capitalized. Therefore, DLW 156 is confirmed by Note A's CL 328:3e, not contradicted, for nature is from God, not one with God, or Eternity, but in time, thus created, or, as a part of the last sentence says, that is to say, [nature] is from God together with her time and with her space" (emphasis mine). Eternity is a quality of God; space and time, qualities of nature; therefore Note A's next-to-the-last sentence doesn't appear to be right, for nature can't have Divine qualities even though it can image the Divine.
     Regarding the section entitled "Divine Self-Denial," p. 328, there are some good points, but I have reservations.

574

I am not aware that this is in any way a doctrine of the church. Self-denial belongs to man; God's influx is unchanging; the form of the receiver changes, rejects or receives.
V. C. Odhner, Jr.,
Huntingdon Valley, Pennsylvania
BOY SCOUT AWARD 1989

BOY SCOUT AWARD Robert F. Zecher 1989

Dear Editor:
     So many people have asked about the Boy Scout religious emblems program that I feel we need to publish a brief explanation.
     There are now 47 religious emblems awarded to qualifying Boy Scouts by different denominations, Most of these follow a similar theme-the boy must demonstrate a knowledge of the tenets and/or precepts of his particular faith while being an active participant in scouting. Most emphasize the common goals of religion and scouting, and encourage community service, patriotism, outreach and other ideals.
     In addition to the Boy Scout awards there are emblems for Cub Scouts and for adult leaders. Our intention is to start an award program for Cubs as soon as possible because we are finding that in addition to the large Cub program in Bryn Athyn there are apparently many boys in Cubs throughout General Church circles and societies, and several parents have asked for a New Church emblem for Cubs.
     A large percentage of Boy Scout troops are chartered to churches, and the Boy Scouts of America considers a religious belief an essential part of a boy's development into a good citizen. Even though the BSA is nondenominational, any scout may apply for and receive the religious emblem of his choice, even if his particular troop is sponsored by a secular organization, The Boy Scout Relations Committee of the General Church is eager to encourage New Church boys to participate in this national (and international) program for boys which has maintained such high ideals and inspired so many useful citizens.
     Robert F. Zecher,
          Chairman, Boy Scout Relations Committee

575

[Photo of New Church Boy Scout Emblem "Open Word Award"]

576

NCL FIFTY YEARS AGO 1989

     In the December issue, 1939, is an item by Rev. F. E. Gyllenhaal entitled, "Our Part in Establishing the Church." Here is part of it:

     No society of heaven is self-centered. Every society of heaven looks constantly upward to the Lord and outward to other societies. The societies of the church must also constantly look upward and outward-outward to those who do not know the Lord, and who have not His Word.
     Even though a society should expect its growth to be from within by its children, yet it has uses to perform to those outside its borders. The first of these uses is to make known to others the Lord, His Word, and the means of salvation. In the doing of these uses the society should function as a whole, but also by the activities of all its members. The way has been indicated by the manner in which the Lord made known His Second Advent and His New Church, namely, by the publication of His Word-the Writings. The continued publication of the Scriptures and the Writings, and the continued distribution of them, that the Lord through them may speak to men and establish His church with them, is ever a chief use of general and particular organizations. The means are to be of human devising. But the use should be performed. In this the Lord can act only by man's cooperation.
     A society can perform this use by providing for the advertisement and sale of the Writings, and for other forms of distribution. And every member can perform this use separately. The use should be done in both ways. And it should be done whenever there is a keen realization of the importance of the use.
     The purpose of such a use, however, is not primarily to gain members. Its primary purpose should be to make the Lord known, and to make known His kingdom, which He wills shall be on earth for the sake of man's salvation and eternal happiness. But, just as the angels rejoice over receiving a new member in a society, so will the members of the church rejoice over new members. And they will be strengthened and encouraged in all the uses of the society as increases.

577

It may seem to us that we are doing all the uses that are within our present means and abilities. But when there is the love of a use, and a clear recognition of its need, there will be found ways and means of doing it. Difficulties will be overcome; the use initiated will open the way for its gradual development; the love of it will grow; and the delights experienced in doing it will be a plentiful reward. Whether the time has come for us to initiate this use depends largely on the love for it and the recognition of it. But it should not be lost sight of or simply ignored. It is possible that it would be the means of a spiritual revival among us, of a spiritual awakening to the means by which we can more widely, and even more interiorly, serve the Lord and the neighbor, and thus help in the extension of the Divine power for the redemption and salvation of mankind.
Church News 1989

Church News Stephen L. David 1989

     SURREY, ENGLAND

     The New Church in England was strengthened by the formation of the Surrey Circle on the 22nd of September. The worship service held to celebrate the transition of the circle from its former status as a group was conducted by Bishop King in the home of John and Dorothy Burt, of Guildford, Surrey. Some forty people attended the evening service, highlighted by a wonderful sermon describing the internal sense of the Word from Genesis through to Solomon's reign.
     Four ministers, including the Bishop, were gathered for the occasion. Fred Elphick, the circle's pastor, served as toastmaster, and Norman Riley and Chris Bown offered congratulations on achieving this milestone, and provided inspiration for the future.
     The members of the Surrey Circle will continue in all of the uses they have served during many active years: church services, doctrinal classes, Sunday School, and the like. By virtue of increased membership and organization, the circle now plans to proceed with further evangelization efforts.
     Societies in London and Colchester, and circles in Surrey, Letchworth and Manchester are the centers for General Church activity in the U.K.
     Stephen L. David

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General Church Sound Recording Committee 1989

     Announcements

OFFERS
the following in
PREPARATION FOR CHRISTMAS
THE BIRTH OF THE LORD IN THE HEARTS OF MEN
Talk by Bishop George deCharms

     PREPARATION FOR ADVENT
Doctrinal Classes by Bishop Louis B. King

     THE LORD CAME TO OUR EARTH
Pre-Christmas Lessons and Sermon
By Rev. Thomas L. Kline

     BOX 278, BRYN ATHYN, PA 19009
(215) 947-1889