angels themselves; for they desire, like men, to be one while in their internals, another while in externals; when they are in internals, then they are in a state of love and of light thence derived in clearness, and when in externals, then they are in a state of love and of light thence derived in obscurity, for such is the external in respect to the internal; hence comes the origin of the variations of the states of the angels.”—A. C. 10,136.

To a full view of the reasons of this peculiar usage it is important to bear in mind the fact mentioned A. C. 6110;" It is to be known, that in heaven there is no night, but only evening, which is succeeded by the twilight (diluculum) that precedes the morning; but in hell there is night." So far as the Church in the world is conjoined with heaven it has no night, properly speaking; but so far as it disjoins itself from heaven it is subject to lapse into night's darkest shades. Swedenborg accordingly says in reference to the Churches that have been ;

"Such states also are the states of every Church from its beginning to its end, its first state is likewise a state of infancy, thus also of innocence, consequently of love to the Lord, this state of it is called morning; the second state is a state of light; the third state is a state of light in obscurity, which is its evening; and the fourth state is a state of no love and hence neither of light, which is its night: the reason of this is, because evils increase every day, and so far as they increase, so far one infects another like a contagion, especially parents their children; besides that hereditary evils are successively condensed, and thereby derived."-A. C. 10,136.

The general theme of variations of states among the angels is one of so much interest that we cannot forego the opportunity, thus casually offered, of dwelling a little longer upon it. This we do in the words of our author, A. C. 5962.

"He who does not know how the case is with the state of the life of spirits and of angels in the heavens, cannot know why the occultation of truth and good should be now treated of, when they had been in the light thereof just before. That state of life in heaven is this, that spirits and angels have their morning, mid-day, and evening: also twilight, and again morning, and so on; their morning is, when the Lord is present, and blesses them with manifest happiness, and they are then in the perception of good; mid-day is when they are in the light of truths; and evening, when they are removed from them, and then it appears to them that the Lord is more remote, and concealed from them all who are in heaven undergo and pass through these vicissitudes, otherwise they cannot be continually perfected: for hence they have relatives, and from relatives more perfect perception, inasmuch as they thence know what is not happy, because hence they know what is not good, and what is not true. It is worthy of admiration, that one state is in no case altogether like another to eternity; also that one spirit and angel does not pass through similar changes of state as another, by reason that one is not altogether like another as to good and truth, just as no two men are precisely alike in countenance but yet the Lord from those varieties makes a one; it is a general canon, that every one, in which there is any quality, exists from varieties, which are reduced into such unanimity by the consent of harmony, that they appear all as one; the one thence derived, or the union in the heavens, is effected by the love and charity. The cccultation, which is signified by Joseph's sending away his brethren and their going, is in the Word called evening, which has place with angels at those times when they do not perceive the Lord present, for there is in heaven a continual perception of the Lord when they are in a state of non-perception, they are not then affected with good, neither do they see the truth, as before, and this torments them; but shortly afterwards twilight (diluculum) comes and thus the morning."

It is still to be borne in mind that these vicissitudes originate with the angels, and not with the Lord.

"That noon denotes a state of light, is because the times of the day, as morning, noon, evening, correspond to illustrations in the other life, and illustrations there are of intelligence and wisdom; the vicissitudes of illustration there are such, namely as morning, noon, and evening on the earths: states of shade exist like those in the evening, not from the sun there, that is, the Lord who always shines, but from the proprium of the angels; for as they are let into their own proprium, so they come into a state of shade or evening; and as they are elevated from their own proprium into the heavenly proprium, so they come into a state of light: hence it is evident from whence it is. that noon corresponds to a state of light."-A. C. 5672.

On the whole we profess ourselves obliged to our correspondent for presenting us with the occasion that has led to an interesting examination on a point that had escaped our notice before, and which we presume will be somewhat new to our readers. It is evident that Swedenborg's use of the term diluculum is uniform, always denoting the morning and not the evening twilight, though the term twilight is constantly employed in the Manchester edition of the Arcana, while early or earliest dawn as uniformly oecurs in the London, with however, the single exception in No. 10,135, which suggested our original criticism. As to T. B. H.'s closing remark in regard to the legitimate import of the two words diluculum and crepusculum, no scholar could of course fail to be aware that such is their dominant usage in the classic writers, but as the idea of a little light is the leading idea of the term diluculum, as it is also of the English word twilight, we know not that Swedenborg's Latinity would be liable to be seriously called in question were the term found to be applied by him to express the evening twilight; still, in point of fact, it is not so. His use of the term, as we have seen, is correct and uniform, and we trust that this little critical encounter will be the means of clearing up an interesting topic far beyond the original intention of either party.

ED.

ARTICLE V.

SWEDENBORG'S INTERCOURSE IN THE SPIRITUAL WORLD.

We give in the ensuing list the names of a very large proportion of the individuals of whom Swedenborg speaks in his "Spiritual Diary," as having either conversed with them in person, or as having acquired and communicated a knowledge of their states after death. Many of them are of course personages of whom little or nothing can be expected to be known in this country and at this period, being contemporaries or associates of Swedenborg himself, and leaving behind no celebrity. The greater number, however, are names to which posthumous distinction, to agreate ror less degree, attaches, and respecting whose condition and character in the other world it is interesting to be informed, provided we can regard the information as

authentic. The New Churchman has small hesitation on this score; with others the testimony of our enlightened Seer will probably weigh so little that the divulgement will draw after it no injurious consequences.

Abraham, Alderheim, Addison, St. Antony, Aristotle, Augustus, Barek, Benzelstiern, Calvin, Cicero, Cocceius, David, Dippel, Jacob, Lejel, Luther, Mary (Virg.), Melancthon, Mohammed, Moses, Nordberg, Sir Isaac Newton, Paul, Penn, Peter, Polheim, Pope Sextus the Fifth, Sir Hans Sloan, Rudbeck, Schönst, Solomon, Louis XIV th, Zinzendorf.

ARTICLE VI.

VINDICATION OF SWEDENBORG FROM THE MISREPRESENT-
ATIONS OF WESLEY,

IN A LETTER FROM THE LATE REV. JOHN HARGROVE.

THE following letter, we believe, has never before been published. It has been hitherto in the possession of the family of Mr. Hargrove, and from them has come into our hands. The original is without date. It was apparently intended to be followed by a series of letters on the same subject, but this part of the plan seems never to have been executed. An extended and unanswerable refutation of Wesley's main slander against Swedenborg has indeed been given to the world by Mr. Noble in his " Appeal," and in a volume of biographical "Documents" embraced in the Swedenborg Library; but the present letter presents the conduct of the founder of Methodism in some new lights, so far as it regards his treatment of Swedenborg's memory and writings, such as will scarcely fail, we think, to lower the tone of opprobrium with which many of his clerical followers are prone to assail those of their people who are known to be turning their attention to the doctrines of the New Church. So far as we have learned, these spiritual guides are very little acquainted with the works of Swedenborg, and therefore cannot denounce them from their own knowledge, but their policy is to intimidate and deter from reading by appealing to the authority of Wesley, who has not scrupled to characterise Swedenborg as a madman, alleging in proof of it the fact (clearly shown to have been a fiction) of his having run naked into the street, proclaimed himself the Messiah, and rolled himself in the mire! They seem to be totally guiltless of the least approach towards a conception that the real question at issue is not whether Swedenborg was sane or insane, but whether what he wrote is true or false. This question is being so fast settled in a multitude of intelligent minds at the present day that the coarse ridicule and violent tirades of Wesley are becoming as much of a telum imbelle to prevent the spread of the N. C. doctrines as were the brickbats and bludgeons that took the place of logic in opposing the early career of Methodism.

DEAR SIR,

66

Wesley's Thoughts," &c. made their first appearance in the world through the medium of the English Arminian Magazine, for the year

1783, vol. 6, London edition; and after having run their race and finished their course in the old world, were piously resuscitated in the new through the medium of the American Methodist Magazine, for the year 1797, vol. VII. Philadelphia edition. "Beatson's Vindication," &c. was addressed to the publie, only through the medium of the "Magazine of Knowledge for the New Church," for the year 1791, vol. 2, London edition; very few copies of which have ever reached America.

Mr. Beatson's "vindication" of our favorite author certainly possesses great merit, both as to matter and manner; yet is not so full upon the subject, perhaps, as to preclude the propriety (though I will not add necessity) of a few more impartial remarks on the same subject, from the plain unpolished pen of your humble servant:-moreover, as I shall thereby not only evidence my respect for yourself, sir, at whose pressing request I have now taken up my pen, but also testify my veneration, gratitude and affection for that highly illuminated, truly pious, and greatly persecuted man, the Baron Emanuel Swedenborg, to whom, under GoD my SAVIOUR, I am chiefly indebted for all the genuine knowledge of the Scriptures that I now possess.

And if my heart doth not deceive me, I am not led to write the following remarks so much from an intention to expose the celebrated founder of the Methodist E. Church, or to taunt or mortify any of his numerous followers (many of whom doubtless are men of candor and piety), as to comply with what I conceive to be the requisitions of duty from me, and thereby retain "the testimony of a good conscience" in my own breast. And such is the power of truth, when submitted to the candid mind under an honest, plain and logical form, that though I am unhappily possessed but of very few classical attainments, and unskilled in the wily tactics of religious controversy, I despair not of producing the most unexpected and serious convictions upon the minds of all who may be liberal and patient enough to pursue the following remarks with impartiality and attention.

It is granted that the Rev. Mr. Wesley was a very extraordinary character; and when we reflect upon his great success in calling sinners to repentance, and his great labors as a preacher of the gospel, we should not hesitate in allowing that "he deserved well of his country." But certainly it would be very bad logic to infer from this, that all the religious and political doctrines which he held and propagated were true; or even that the motives which prompted his extraordinary labors were pure, and free from the defiling loves of self, and of dominion.

The labors, the sincere and pious labors, of a Xavier, in endeavoring to propagate the tenets of the Church of Rome in Asia, were probably greater (until he sunk a martyr to them) than those of Mr. Wesley to establish his favorite system in a more civilised part of the world.

Indeed the labors and toils of an Alexander or a Bonaparte, in subjecting millions to their arbitrary and despotic sway, have doubtless been no less; nor their propensity to contend with all those surrounding nations which seemed to stand in the way of their growing

fame and power, greater than that of Mr. Wesley to contend with every surrounding sect (or spiritual nation) which dared, in his day, to differ from him in any point of Christian faith or practice, or impede the rapid and enormous progress of his religious popularity and power.

It is true, we are exhorted by an Apostle to “contend earnestly for the faith once delivered to the saints." And it is equally certain that mere defensive wars are not unlawful, for otherwise self-preservation itself would be unlawful; yet, I must be permitted to fear that it is one and the same kind of spirit which has generally stirred up one religious sect to contend with, and cruelly calumniate all others who have differed from them, and that which now is prompting the mighty warriors and belligerent nations of the earth to contend with and destroy or subjugate all others who cannot with propriety and safety fall in with their designs.

And here I would add, that it is somewhat consoling to reflect that the Divine providence, foreseeing the sad necessity of wars, hath, in mercy, inclined the most contentious and powerful nations of the earth to establish, and also to regard, some general laws, or rules, as to their conduct towards their enemies, or those they are about to make war against (calculated to lessen the miseries and inhumanity so apt to accompany such a state) the wanton or avoidable transgressions of which general laws or rules have always been branded with infamy and wickedness by every lover of peace, equity and good order. How much more then does it become all those who profess to fight under the banner of the " Prince of peace," to establish, and conscientiously attend to some similar laws, or rules, whensoever they may conceive it to be their duty to contend with any of their fellow-Christians, respecting mere religious opinions?

Indeed the Rev. Mr. Wesley himself (who like Goliah of old was a man of war from his youth) became so thoroughly convinced of the propriety and justice of attending to some "stated rules" in controversy, that he has laid down and established some of these rules in his celebrated and printed "Remarks on Mr. Hill's Review of all the Doctrines taught by Mr. Wesley." This little pamphlet is now before me, out of which I must beg leave to make a few extracts, in order to prove how ungenerous and how unjust Mr. Wesley's manner of attacking Baron Swedenborg was, whatever might have been his genuine and interior motives.

1. "Mr. Hill publishes a review of all the doctrines taught by Mr. John Wesley; but is it possible for any man to do this without reading all the writings that I have published? Is it possible in the nature of things? He cannot give an account of what he never read; and has Mr. Hill read all that I have published? I believe he will not affirm it. So any man of understanding may judge, before he opens his book, what manner of review it is likely to contain."—p. 9. 2. "I observe here, and in fifty other instances, Mr. Hill mentions no page; now (in controversy) he that names no page has no right to any answer."--p. 15.

3. "Here I must beg leave to put Mr. Hill in mind of one stated