TRUTH: SEEN AND HEARD       Rev. DAVID R. SIMONS       1978


NEW CHURCH LIFE
VOL. XCVIII          JANUARY, 1978           No. 1
     He that cometh from above is above all: . . . He that cometh from heaven is above all. And what He hath seen and heard, that He testifieth; and no man receiveth His testimony. John 3:31, 32
     The Christian Church is founded on the conviction, expressed by John the Baptist, that the Lord Jesus Christ came from "above" and is "above all." True Christianity acknowledges that the Lord had a heavenly origin and that He testifies in the New Testament from "things seen and heard," that is, that He had an infinite soul and that what He did and taught reveal Divine omniscience and Infinite perception. The Lord Himself confirms the authority from which He speaks saying, "Verily, verily, I say unto you, We speak that We do know, and testify that We have seen; and ye receive not our witness. If I have told you earthly things and ye believe not, how shall ye believe, if I tell you of heavenly things?"*
     * Jn. 3:11, 12
     The New Christian Church, now to be established on the earth, is founded on the conviction that the same Lord Jesus Christ has come again, as He promised, in the Heavenly Doctrine of the New Jerusalem. As "the Spirit of truth (spiritual truth) leading unto all truth,"* this new scripture comes from "heaven" and is "above all," that is, is Divinely inspired and thus superior to all the writings of men. The evidence which backs this claim, like the evidence which confirms the validity of the New Testament, rests on what is "seen and heard," "that he testifieth":
     * Jn. 16:13

     The arcana revealed is the following pages (we read in the work entitled Heaven and Its Wonders and Hell From Things Seen and Heard) relate to heaven and hell, and also to the life of man after death. The man of the church at this day knows scarcely anything about heaven and hell or about his life after death, although these are set forth and described in the Word; and many of those born within the church even refuse to believe in them, saying in their hearts, 'Who has come from that world and told us?" Lest, therefore, such a spirit of denial, which especially prevails with those who have much worldly (learning), should also infect and corrupt the simple in heart and the simple in faith, it has been granted to me (Emmanuel Swedenborg, 'servant of the Lord,') to associate with angels and to talk with them as man with man, also to see what is in the heavens and what is in the bells, and this for thirteen years; also from what I have heard and seen I am now permitted to describe these, in the hope that ignorance may thus be enlightened and unbelief dissipated. Such immediate revelation is granted at this day because this is what is meant by the (Second) Coming of the Lord.*
     * HH 1

     The evidence establishing the First Coming of the Lord is contained in the four Gospels, Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John who also wrote the Boob of Revelation. The New Testament is the product of Divine inspiration through men who knew the Lord for less than three years, or were in contact with those who knew Him, who described themselves as "eyewitnesses from the first" and as "having had perfect understanding of all things from the very first. . . ."* And the disciple John adds, "This is the disciple which testifieth of these things, and wrote these things: and we know that his testimony is true. And there are also many other things which Jesus did, the which if they should be written everyone, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that should be written."** And later at the end of the Book of Revelation, he concludes, "He which testifieth these things saith, Surely, I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus."***
     * Lu. 1:2-4
          ** Jn. 21:24, 25
          *** Rev. 22:20
     In contrast to the New Testament, the evidence which establishes the truth of the Second Coming of the Lord is contained in more than thirty volumes. The Heavenly Doctrines are the product of Divine inspiration through a man who had contact with the Lord and over twenty-seven years of direct experience in the eternal world of the human spirit, which is the kingdom of the Lord. In these Writings New Churchmen see the same Lord Jesus Christ now speaking "plainly of the Father."* Swedenborg, the evidence shows, received the Doctrine of the New Church from the mouth of the Lord alone:
     * Jn. 16:25

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     . . .That the Lord manifested Himself before me, His servant, and sent me to this office, and that He afterwards opened the sight 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 converse 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 read the Word.* It has been given me to see (the light of heaven), and from it to perceive distinctly what has come from the Lord, and what from angels. What has come from the Lord has been written, and what has come from angels has not been written.**
     * TCR 779
     ** AE 1183

     Christianity was based, founded, and confirmed not on the teachings of the Lord alone, but on what He did-on miracles performed, on open demonstrations of His mercy and love. The disciples of John were shown who the Lord is as follows:

     Now when John had heard in the prison the works of Christ, he sent two of his disciples and said unto Him, "Art thou He that should come, or do we look for another?" Jesus answered and said unto them, "Go and shew John again those things which ye do hear and see: the blind receive their sight, and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, and the dead are raised up, and the poor have the gospel preached to them. And blessed is he, whosoever shall not he offended in Me."*
     * Mat. 11:2-6

     The First Christian Church was established by things seen and heard, by miracles which were seen and direct teachings of the Lord which were heard. The Lord used miracles to attract men to Himself so that He could teach them the truth and open their understandings to the light of heaven. In every way He worked to lead men from external things to internal-from the things in this world to those of the world to come. For example, by changing the water to wine in the outer, physical world the Lord drew men to Him so that He could give them the "new wine" of the New Testament and in this way perform the spiritual miracle of changing the external truths of the Old Testament in their minds to the internal truths of the New. Again, by raising Lazarus from natural death and commanding them to release "him and let him go,"* the Lord on earth filled men's eyes with wonder so that they might be willing to hear His new doctrine and by it be themselves raised from spiritual death, to be released from self-centered living and world- centered thought, that they might "Know the truth" and become free! No one is saved by the sight of miracles, yet everyone can be led by means of them to hear what the Lord has to teach.
     * Jn. 11:44

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     The New Christian Church, now made possible by the giving of new Doctrines from heaven, is based, founded and confirmed not on doctrine alone, and definitely not on miracles, for the Writings teach that miracles and concern for what is externally miraculous is misleading in a rational age and can seduce the church. "Was anyone ever made spiritual by their means?" they ask.* The Writings of the Second Advent, although they center on clear rational doctrines which appeal to the "self-evidencing reason of love"** and to the love of truth for its own sake, are confirmed by actual experience, by things "seen and heard" in the spiritual world. In place of miracles, this new revelation is founded on the experience of a science-oriented mind which was specially prepared and led to receive and rationally understand a body of evidence greater than all miracles and which is calculated to have a deeper impact on the rational mind which understands the laws of the physical universe and something of the workings of the human mind.
     * Inv. 46
     ** Can. Pro.

     In place of miracles, there has al this day taken place a manifestation of the Lord Himself, an intromission into the spiritual world, and enlightenment there by means of immediate light from the Lord in such things as are the interior things of the church. But chiefly, the opening of the spiritual sense in the Word, in which the Lord is in His own Divine light.* The manifestation of the Lord in Person, and (my) introduction by the Lord into the spiritual world, both as to sight and as to hearing and speech, surpasses all miracles.**
     * Coro. Mir. IV
     ** Inv. 43

     As miracles in the first Christian Church led men to the Lord that they might hear and learn, so in the New Church the remarkable experiences recorded as "Memorable Relations" in the Writings are not ends in themselves, but are to lead to deeper things. To see into the spiritual world, to see heaven and hell and the world of spirits into which each one of us is to come immediately after death, is but an introductory step, an opening of the way to an interior understanding of the Lord, in a way not possible on earth, and how He demonstrates the fullness of His love and the depth of His wisdom in the eternal world for which each one of us was created. The psychological, dramatic, spectacular, and even at times humorous experiences of the Revelator in this after-death environment, because they are new, different, and totally unique from anything ever written, have the power to attract the curious and to stir wonder in all who take the time to read them. Yet like miracles their primary purpose is to lead men to the Lord, lead them to hear His voice, perceive His foresight and His providence, and to learn of Him the way of regeneration and eternal life.

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As the revelator was given to perceive behind what he saw the love and wisdom of the Lord, so all who would be New Churchmen must learn to penetrate the external appearances of the spiritual world and see the living laws which apply to their own spiritual lives right here on earth. Sight is to lead to hearing and obedience. The rational sight of these things in the Writings is to lead us to hear the voice of the Lord, to recognize and perceive Him as the same Lord revealed in the New Testament, and to follow Him in a New Christian life, in which evils are shunned and use made the center of our lives. "My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me: and I give unto them eternal life."*
     * Jn. 10:27, 28
     By sight and hearing each one of us knows what we know. By sight and hearing we sense realities outside of ourselves. By these twin senses we come to know the reality of the natural world, and by twin senses of a higher kind-by the internal sight of understanding and the internal hearing of perception-we come to know the reality of spiritual things.

     Nothing can look into itself; but it must be something more internal or higher that thinks about it, for this can look into it. For example: the ear cannot know, and still less perceive the speech that it receives into itself: this is done by a more interior hearing. The ear merely discerns articulate sounds or words: it is the interior hearing that apprehends what is said, and then it is an interior sight of mental view that perceives it, and in this way there is through the hearing a perception of the meaning of the speech. The case is similar with the things of sight. . . *
     * AC 1953

     The whole purpose of the Word, the whole purpose of Divine Revelation is to bring the Lord present before these higher senses to be seen and heard. "Life consists in the exercise of sensation, for without there is no life, and such as is the faculty of sensation, such is the life, a fact that anyone may observe."*
     * AC 322
     Sight and hearing are the senses which the Lord chose to emphasize, since they relate first to the understanding and then to the will. The man of the spiritual Church is to enter first with his understanding into spiritual things, and then with his will.

     Those in heaven have more exquisite senses, that is, keener sight and hearing . . . than when in the world; for they see in the light of heaven, which surpasses by many degrees the light of the world; and they hear by means of a spiritual atmosphere which likewise surpasses by many degrees the earthly atmosphere. . . . Moreover, the outward sight (of angels) corresponds to their inner sight or understanding; for with them one sight so flows into the other as to act as one with it; and this gives them their great keenness of vision.

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In like manner, their hearing corresponds to their perception, which pertains both to the understanding and to the will, and in consequence they perceive in the tone and words of one speaking the most minute things of his affection and thought. . . .But the rest of the senses with the angels are less exquisite than the senses of seeing and hearing, for the reason that seeing and hearing serve their intelligence and wisdom, and the rest do not.*
     * HH 462

     Although sight is a superior sense in that it can reach out and sense things untold distances away, being aware of the starry universe, and can in a flash absorb a scene which would take hours to describe adequately, still hearing is the more powerful of the two senses, since it directly stirs the will.

     The nature of hearing is to transfer into the thought of another what one speaks from his own thought; and from the thought to transfer it into his will; and from this into act: hence 'to hear' (when used in the Word means) to obey.* When things which are heard penetrate to the interiors, they are also changed into something like sight, for what is heard is seen interiorly; and therefore by "hearing" (in the Word) . . . there is also signified that which is signified by "sight" namely, that which is of the understanding, and also that which is of faith; but the hearing at the same time persuades that the case is so, and affects not only the intellectual part of man, but also his will part, and causes him to will that which he sees. Hence it is that 'hearing' signifies the understanding of a thing, and at the same time obedience; and in the spiritual sense, faith in the will. . . . moreover such is the circle of things in man, that whatever enters by the ear and eye, or by hearing and sight, passes into his understanding and through the understanding into the will, and from the will into act.**
     * AC 5017
     ** AC 3869

     It is a curious anomaly that the very evidence from things "seen and heard" which is given to confirm both the New Testament and the Heavenly Doctrines have proved unacceptable to a rational, science- oriented age. As the Lord said, "Therefore speak I to them by parables; because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand. And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah, which said, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand, and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive; for the people's heart is waxed gross, and with ears they have heard dully, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart."*
     * Matt. 13:13-17; Jn. 12:40
     How the precious truths of the Heavenly Doctrines are received is clear from the following Memorable Relation from the work The True Christian Religion:

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     I was once taken tap as to my spirit into the angelic heaven . . . and some of the wise ones there came to me and asked, 'What news from the earth?'
     I answered, "The news is that the Lord has revealed mysteries, which in excellence surpass all the mysteries revealed from the beginning of the church. . . ."
     They asked, "What are they?'
     I replied, "They are the following: (1) That in each thing and in all things In the Word there is a spiritual sense. . . . (2) The correspondences of which the spiritual sense consists are disclosed. . . . (3) A revelation respecting the life of men after death. (4) Respecting love truly conjugial and its spiritual delights. . . ."
     The angels were exceedingly delighted with (this news), but perceiving a sadness in me, they asked, "Why are you sad?"
     I said, "Because these mysteries that are now revealed by the Lord, although they surpass in excellence and dignity all the knowledge hitherto divulged, are nevertheless regarded on earth as of no value."
     At this the angels were astonished, and besought the Lord to permit them to look down upon the world; and they looked down and behold, mere darkness was there. . . .
     When these (Heavenly Doctrines) were let down by the angels into assemblies of learned . . . a murmur of many voices was heard. . . . "What is this? Is it anything? What matters it whether we know these things or not? Are they not mere products of the brain?. . ." (and) a hostile murmur (was heard saying,) "Work miracles and we will believe."
     I answered, "Are not these things miracles?"
     They replied, "They are not." . . .
     At that moment I heard it said to them from heaven, "If you believe not Moses and the Prophets, that is, the Word of the Lord, you will not believe on account of miracles . . . any more than they believed when with their own eyes they saw the miracles wrought by the Lord Himself when He was in the world. . . ."
     I foresee that many who read the Memorable Relations annexed to the chapters in this work will believe them to be inventions of the imagination. But I affirm in truth that they are not inventions, but were truly seen and heard. . . .For it has pleased the Lord to manifest Himself to me, and to send me to teach those things which will belong to His New Church, which is meant by the "New Jerusalem" in the Apocalypse. . . * Amen.
     * TCR 848, 849, 851

     LESSONS: Isaiah 6. John 3. Invitation 43, 46, 52

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VISION OF THE ACADEMY 1978

VISION OF THE ACADEMY       Rev. MARK R. CARLSON       1978

     (Address delivered to a service commemorating the 100th Charter Day of the Academy of the New Church, Oct. 21, 1977.)

     We are gathered this morning to commemorate the granting of a Charter to the Academy of the New Church; we do this not to make a vain show of academic gowns or numbers of students, but to ultimate in ritual observance the intimate connection between the Academy and the religious convictions which fostered her conception we commemorate this day not because we think our accomplishments in New Church education over the past century have been so spectacular, but because we acknowledge how far we have yet to go to realize fully the dream of distinctive New Church education.
     In order that we as individuals may grow spiritually, from time to time we should stop to reflect on the quality of our life, sorting through all our conflicting ambitions and motives to find and remember the Lord's intended purpose for our life. And so it is with religious organizations such as the Academy periodically we should pause to reflect, Board of Directors, Faculty, and students, on the primary goal and chartered purpose of the Academy.
     The Academy was not founded to be an elitist, eastern-seaboard prep school and college. Because of its location, external appearance, small student body, and limited-enrollment policy, the Academy may give this impression to some. But such is not its intent.
     The Academy was not founded to be a school driven by a need for high scholastic achievement among its students, though such achievement is not contrary to its ends.
     The Academy was not founded to be a school whose self-esteem and success could be measured by the performance of its athletic teams, though athletic achievement is not contrary to its ends.
     The Academy was not founded to be a school for the children of New Church parents, though The Academy was fulfilling this vital use is not contrary to its ends.
     The Academy, in fact, was not founded to be just a New Church school.     

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     If the Academy was not founded for any of these purposes alone, then what is its chartered purpose? In the minds of its founding fathers, and reflected in its Charter, the Academy was intended to be much more than just a school; it was a dream for a whole new way of life, a vision which they hoped would begin to fulfill the Lord's prophecy concerning the New Church, "Behold, I make all things new."* The Academy was a concept which to them transcended the limits of geography, campus, buildings, faculty, or students; it was a concept which they hoped would provide an ultimate, incorporated base of action for all that was seen to be good and true as taught in the Heavenly Doctrines of the New Jerusalem.
     * Rev. 21:5
     More particularly, the Academy was intended to provide a basis from which a genuinely distinctive New Church could be formed-a New Church which would approach all areas of life and scholarship in a manner based on revealed truth, not the whim of the world. It was felt that in the social life of the church and its schools the inmost and primary love of the church should be protected and fostered, the true marriage love between partners. In the areas of scholarship and education it was believed that the truths of the physical universe, particularly as they related to human anatomy, presented a correspondential form in which were reflected the inmost truths of the heavens. It was believed that revelation in its original languages was the most powerful, and ultimate bond between the heavens and the church, and thus Hebrew, Greek, and Latin became important courses of study. It was also believed that there was an immediate and pressing need for a new translation of the Scriptures based on revealed truth. It was believed that in the studies of the antiquities, remnant truths and artifacts of the Ancient Churches might be found. And it was believed that in the mythologies of ancient peoples, among the errors and perversions, there lay a vast treasure of hidden truths from the Ancient Church waiting to be discovered. Thus the Academy was founded to educate priests in the truths of the New Church, to provide a center for the development of competent scholars in areas of interest to the New Church, and to publish the results of these studies in books and pamphlets, for use both within the church and without.
     These feelings and beliefs were unheard of in the world until the Academy movement began. Though New Church organizations already existed at the time the Academy was founded, still they did not fully recognize the Divine authority of the New Church's doctrine, and thus failed to grasp the potential for making "all things new" which is contained within that doctrine.

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     When we look at the second article of the Charter which was granted to the Academy a hundred years ago this fall, we can see that the institution it envisioned was more than just a New Church school. Its first specified purpose is said to be "the propagation of the Heavenly Doctrines of the New Jerusalem and establishing a New Church." It was in support of this one all important purpose that the other uses of the Academy are mentioned: "promoting education in all of its various forms, educating young men for the ministry, publishing books, pamphlets and other printed matter, and establishing a library."
     Perhaps there are those here this morning who find the tradition of marching in procession from the school buildings to this house of worship something of a breach of faith, or at least, bad ritual. Today it may appear to many that the Academy is just a religious school, and what place has this school's Board of Directors, Faculty, and entire student body in the house of the Lord! But awareness of the Academy's chartered purpose and her history in carrying out that purpose makes the appropriateness of this ritual self-evident. It was the Academy's chartered purpose to establish a New Church. The General Church of the New Jerusalem, with its trinal priesthood, government by counsel and assembly, and abiding commitment to the authority of the Heavenly Doctrines; was in one sense the brain-child of the Academy, and the inevitable fulfillment of her chartered purpose.
     In its early days, the Academy was little more than a loosely organized theological school and a group of believers in the authority of the Writings who wished to spread the good news to the world. The concept of consecutive New Church education for all grades developed within the Academy only gradually: first as the need for a more complete preparation for theological school was seen, and later as the Academy primary focus in spreading the knowledge of the Heavenly Doctrines of the New Jerusalem. In 1894 Bishop Benade wrote these words in explanation of the Academy's increased commitment to New Church education:

The history of the New Church for the past century when read in time to come, will appear to those in the future, as indeed it does appear now to those who are able to see it, as a history of lamentation over the loss of children, and reminds us of what is said of 'Rachel weeping for her children and would not be comforted, because they are not! . . . In the Lord's providence, and in his Mercy, the Academy came to see this, and to be affected by it; to see the great importance that children should be brought up in the Church, in order that the Church may be conserved and continue to exist in the world; and in this use is the great promise for the future.*
     * NEW CHURCH LIFE, 1894:40

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     The Charter Day celebration is now a tradition with the Academy. The word tradition simply means something "handed down" or "passed on." Tradition is neither good nor bad in itself; it may represent a great and noble inheritance, or a spiritual strait-jacket. Some may feel that the present service falls into the latter category. Perhaps there are those who question whether or not the Academy after her first hundred years still stands for her chartered purpose, while others may wonder if she still should. One thing is clear; the Academy is somewhat different today from what her founding fathers had in mind. As we have seen, in the beginning the Academy had no college or secondary schools, and by many of her early supporters, the Academy was considered to be a church. But the impracticality of this view was one of the reasons the General Church was formed. It gradually became obvious that there was a great need for the separation of the church as an organization, from its commitment to New Church education and the special organization needed to carry out that specific use. When Charter Day was first celebrated in 1917, this separation had long been accepted as consistent with the Academy's Charter.
     Thus today the Academy is an ecclesiastical use of the General Church; and it is still our belief that the work of the Academy, and indeed all New Church education, holds great promise for the future, not just the future of the church, but for the future of the entire world. The concept of internal evangelization, which gradually developed as the Academy's primary focus, is still an important function of the Academy, but it is by no means her only purpose. Implicit in the Academy's Charter is also the concept of universal evangelization. The training of priests, the publication of books and pamphlets, and the establishment of a library all play important roles in the work of external evangelization. It would not be contrary to the Charter for the Academy to actively train missionaries, to finance them in the field, and to publish the literature which would be required.
     The work of the first hundred years of the Academy has primarily focused on the establishment of a strong center for the education of priests, teachers, and well-informed laymen. There is good doctrinal support for this approach, for without a strong center the church would have no foundation from which to push outward (AC 3833). But at the same time, through the work of the General Church, new centers have been formed, and the primary work of the next hundred years may well be the strengthening of these centers by the establishment of sister Academies. One has already begun, and others are in the planning.

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     Thus the vision of the Academy and the intention of its Charter has much wider significance than for just one small school in Pennsylvania. It is indeed a vision for many centers of scholarship, education, and evangelization; it is a vision for a revolutionary network of educational systems which will not only be distinctively New Church, but will also one day be widely recognized as the best, most efficient institutions of their kind in the world. The Heavenly Doctrines contain as yet untapped depths of information concerning the operation and development of the human mind. As we grow in our understanding of this material through the endeavors of both priests and laymen, the New Church should one day be capable of creating the best educational methods in the world.
     Thus Charter Day is much more than the celebration of the granting of one school's charter; it is also the celebration of the entire General Church's commitment to the vision of New Church education and the primary principle upon which the Academy was founded-the Divine authority of the Heavenly Doctrines. The commitment to this principle is the ark which has carried the Academy safely through the storms of its first century, a century of unprecedented violence and change without, and a century of struggle and growing pains within. The continued commitment to this principle will guide and protect the growth of New Church education in the century to come. But certainly we cannot assume that the commitment is there simply because we make the effort to celebrate Charter Day, or because we enter the Lord's temple once a year as an entire school. There is no magic or incantation which will make the dream of New Church education a reality, only hard work can do that. So it is written in Jeremiah, "Do not trust in these deceptive words; This is the temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord."*
     * Jer. 7:4
     No matter how often we come to the Lord's temple, and no matter how often we pay lip service to the vision of the Academy and New Church education, the real test of our commitment is in our own personal willingness to accept the chartered purpose of the Academy as its only reason for existence, and our own personal willingness to be led by the Lord in finding true principles for the leading of our young people to Him.

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CHARTER DAY 100 1978

       MORLEY D. RICH       1978

     All things appeared "so bright and beautiful" For it was the 100th Charter Day of the Academy of the New Church. Perhaps this was why the banners seemed so bright and distinct as they fluttered and the long procession of faculty and students particularly impressive. Especially eloquent and fitting sounded the key-note address at Friday morning's service to begin the celebrations: "The Vision of the Academy," delivered by the Rev. Mark R. Carlson and printed in the preceding pages.
     At the afternoon football game, the warm greetings and conversations between townspeople, alumni and visitors were neither daunted nor dimmed by our team's loss of the game; for it was a close, hard-fought and high-scoring happening, lost by only one touchdown.
     Again and also, the President's Reception that evening seemed warmer and livelier than usual.
     As always, Saturday was what you might call the "work-day" of the Charter weekend, with Directors and Corporation meetings and reports, and the meetings, reports and luncheons of the Theta Alpha and Sons of the Academy. Put this year, these impressed one as uniquely significant.
     Thus, Directors and corporation discussed a number of new and important projections of future uses and activities with considerable thoroughness and optimism.
     And the meeting of Theta Alpha, through reports and discussion conveyed by implication a clear impression of the truly staggering amount of continuous volunteer work contributed by this organization in the cause of New Church education. After a fine luncheon, garnished undoubtedly by a good deal of feminine perceptivity and vivacious conversation, the ladies were entertained by Miss Hilary Pitcairn giving her impressions and observations garnered during her life in an "outside" university.
     The Sons got their teeth into some significant and very serious subjects, indeed, such as a lively discussion of what the most important goals of the organization might and should be. And this was furthered and carried over by a paper by the Principal of the Boys' School, Mr. Donald Fitzpatrick, speaking on "The Education of the Masculine," using as his bete noir of the masculine ideal that T.V. character, Baretta. As the satisfying luncheon came to an end, some amusement was afforded by the auctioning of a 75-pound pumpkin, interspersed with chaffing remarks of various kinds and degrees of it.

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To conclude the event, President Alfred Acton gave a much-appreciated account, almost a report in its fullness, of the changes and re-organization which had taken place in the past year in the Academy-changes and re-organization such as are inevitable and natural in any change of administration in any body of uses.
     In the evening came the climax and, as it were, the bringing together of the social, intellectual and inspirational elements of these things-the Banquet. A superb dinner ably served by students of the Academy, and a fine program well-toastmastered by the Rev. Robert Junge made a truly memorable occasion ending this 100th Charter Day.
     The subject chosen for the program was New Church Secondary Education-"a work of unmeasurable extension and untold use," as the Rev. W. H. Benade called it in 1856. And in his remarks interspersing the parts of the program, Mr. Junge contributed several historical bits which refreshed and contributed to our perspectives.
     Beginning the formal program, we first heard from the Rev. Geoffrey Childs, speaking to the subject of "New Church Secondary Education in Canada." In affecting and beautiful fashion, Mr. Childs began with a description of the states of this age of youth, relating these both to the Lord's states of childhood, and to the Abraham series in the Writings, and tracing their progression to the beginning of the first rational, when a whole new educational emphasis begins with the high-school age. Coming down to specifics and ultimates, he then spoke of the hope there is now of a complete high-school in Canada, mentioning as one element of that hope the donation of land for such a school in Caryndale.
     A musical interlude followed. And, in introducing it, the toastmaster spoke of how as early as 1790, New Churchmen had talked about the desirability of developing forms of church music distinctive of the New Church. He then introduced the young college people who were to sing with appreciation of their having volunteered ("well, perhaps not entirely voluntarily,") to do this. Thereupon, they sang several old and new New Church songs and hymns to the great delight of everyone.
     The second and last speaker, the Rev. Peter Buss, addressed himself to the subject of "A Vision of the Future New Church Secondary Education." With imagination and sensitivity, he made several projections of considerable magnitude, envisioning a culmination far in the future when the New Church would be so well-respected and regarded that its principles of education would be sought after by the educational world in general.

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     Called upon for closing remarks, Bishop Louis King spoke of our need of the kind of vision presented to us, saying that if we have vision of sufficient depth and degree, then will follow our "as-of-self" effort to establish that vision in ultimates; and from this there will inevitably come great results and effects.
     And as we sang "Our Own Academy" in closing, we may well have reflected that 100 years of vision and of continuous, persevering and faithful efforts in such a spiritual cause as New Church education should have produced some results; and so it has been.
     MORLEY D. RICH
ACADEMY 100 1978

ACADEMY 100              1978

     A society, smaller or larger, is the neighbor according to the good of its use. Every society in a kingdom is established according to uses, which are various. There are societies whose business it is to administer various civil affairs, which are manifold; various judicial affairs; various economical affairs; societies-such as consistories, academies, and schools-for various ecclesiastical purposes; and there are societies, which also are many, for the advancement of knowledge.
     The general good exists from the goods of use which individuals perform; and the goods of we that individuals perform subsist from the general good. They are called goods of use, because all goods which are of love to the neighbor or charity are uses, and all uses are goods. They are therefore in a word called goods of use. They are also called the fruits of use.
     The general good consists in these things:-That in the society or kingdom there shall be, I. What is Divine with them. II. That there shall be justice with them. III. That there shall be morality with them. IV. That there shall be industry, knowledge, and uprightness with them. Doctrine of Charity 78, 127, 130.

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HUMILITY IN HIGHER EDUCATION 1978

HUMILITY IN HIGHER EDUCATION       Rev. ROBERT S. JUNGE       1978

     All during the long preparation of education there is a promise that the Lord will come when the mind is ready. Through the Word the hope is fostered that man as of himself will be able to see and respond to the Lord His God. Just as Mary and the shepherds first saw Him, so He came into states of innocence and humility. At the turning point of maturity, man first turns to the Word for himself to receive the Lord as His God.* Humility of mind and heart therefore must be an intrinsic part of the sphere of a New Church College.
     * AE 803:2

     What do we mean by humility? The Writings clearly explain.

     . . . A proprium that is innocent is to know, acknowledge, and believe not with the mouth but with the heart, that nothing but evil is from one's self, and that all good is from the Lord; and therefore that what is man's own is nothing but blackness . . . No one can ever be in true humility unless he is in this acknowledgment and belief from the heart; for he is then in annihilation of self, nay, in the loathing of self, and thus in absence from self; and in this manner he is then in a state capable of receiving the Divine. . . * "When he is in humiliation he is in a state of reception of good and truth from the Lord."**
     * AC 3994
     ** AC 4956

     Without humility there is no reception of the Divine, thus no New Church education in its fullness. Evil states with their lack of humility reject all good and all truth of heaven and the Church-the very things we strive to inspire.
     Yet in seeming contrast to the need for humility, it is inspiring to realize just how important intellectual preparation is to the life of the Church.

     . . . . The intellectual is given to man to the end that he may be in freedom and in choice, that is in the freedom of choosing good or evil. . . . Nothing of good that is of charity and nothing of truth that is of faith can be insinuated into anyone who has not an intellectual, but they are insinuated according to his intellectual; therefore also man is not regenerated by the Lord until in adult age and possessed of an intellectual, before which period the good of love and truth of faith fall as seed into ground quite barren.

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But when a man has been regenerated his intellectual performs the use of seeing and perceiving what is good, and thereby what is true. . . .*
     * AC 6125:2

     There can be no doubt that intellectual competence is a most worthy goal for a New Church College. Yet the passage continues to explain a very important balance. We must not arrogantly trust in scientifics: "Woe to them that go down into Egypt for help."* Genuine knowledge, intelligence, and wisdom are humble servants of a Divinely Human God.
     * Is. 31:1, 3
     The doctrine concerning the affirmative and negative principles of doubt stands out sharply as a guide to every college teacher and parent of college youths. Thus perhaps the greatest single virtue a teacher can convey at this stage in development is intellectual and spiritual humility before the teachings of the Word.

     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 that he does not know are infinite in comparison to those he does know; and especially does it consist in his regarding the things of the memory and of the understanding as being but of little moment in comparison with celestial things; that is, the things of the understanding in comparison with the things of life. . . .*
     * AC 1557:3

     There is then, no question of the need to develop the intellectual faculty for the service of the Church. Israel needs to be able to fulfill the prophecy and stand as a blessing between Assyria (reasonings) and Egypt (scientifics). But how stubbornly she refused to humble herself before her God!
     Since worship consists of contrasting states of humility, instruction and adoration, the attitude towards worship on the part of students and teachers is one indication of the state of any New Church School.

The state of humiliation is the essential state of worship itself.* Divine worship . . . is. . . according to the degree of self humiliation before the Lord.** All true worship consists in adoration of the Lord . . . in humiliation and humiliation in one's acknowledgment that in himself there is nothing living, and nothing good, but that all within him is dead, yea cadaverous: and in the acknowledgment that every thing living and everything good is from the Lord.*** This worship of the Lord is not for the sake of the Lord Himself, but for the sake of the human race; not from self glory, but from love; for He wills to be conjoined with the human race, and to give them eternal life and happiness. This cannot be done unless the man is in humble worship.****
     * AC 2327:3
     ** AC 8211               
     *** AC 1153
     **** AC 7550

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     Humility is fostered, not when worship is regarded as something man creates, but when seen as formed by the Lord in the light of His Word. Its form is not static, but the innovations of self-intelligence or the demands of natural and human emotion without reference to its inner spirit are foreign to its very nature. Contributions then in special music and all student participation in worship is not a performance, but a service, humbling what, is of man and acknowledging and glorifying what is of God. "The veriest essential of worship is the acknowledgment that the Lord is the only God, and that His Human is Divine, and that from this proceeds all faith and love."*
     * Ibid
     Such a concept of worship is not common in institutions of higher learning. Religious institutions have gradually become religiously affiliated, or in many cases completely public. If retained, worship and religion courses are certainly not seen as an internal and integrating force in the whole life of the institution. Some of the more traditional catholic schools and also some of the schools of fundamentalist or simpler sects retain something of that integrating spirit in their attitude towards worship. But frequently these schools are regarded as beneath the academic salt. Consider this academic haughtiness and blind spot in the light of the following:

     It must be received and believed that the Divine of the Lord is in His Human, that it, that His Human is Divine. It is not surprising that the idea of the Lord's Divine Human has been altogether destroyed in the Christian Churches, especially among the learned there, and that only with the simple does anything of it remain? For the simple think of God as a Man, and not as a Spirit without a human form as the learned do. . . .*
     * AE 808:2

     Humility opens the mind to see the Divine Humanity. Elation of mind does not.

     It is a remarkable circumstance that the more one considers himself superior to others in learning and judgment the more prone is he to seize upon and adopt these ideas concerning the Lord, namely that He is a man and not God, and that because He is a Man, He cannot be God; pet every one who adopts these ideas enters into fellowship with the Arians and Socinians, who in the spiritual world are in hell. . . .*
     * TCR 380:2

     The sphere of humanism, with its denial of the Divinity of the Lord, pervades modern education. The Lord, humbly acknowledged in His Second Coming is the only answer to that spiritually destructive sphere.

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     Those who say that they acknowledge a Supreme Being, of whom they have no idea or perception, for the most part acknowledge no God, but nature instead, because they comprehend this. Very many of the learned among Christians are such: and this also because they do not believe the Human of the Lord to be Divine . . . Let the learned take heed therefore lest they think of the Lord's Human and do not at the same time believe it to be Divine, for in so doing they make for themselves a stumbling block, and at last believe nothing.*
     * AC 4733

     The learned doubt and even deny the existence of the internal man, (AC 3747). Yet the internal man is precisely what should be opening in the later college years.

     They are so much led astray by the appearance as regards brute animals, in seeming like themselves in respect to organs, viscera, senses, appetites and affections . . . that the learned know less about such subjects than the simple. . . . Still they seem to themselves to know much more. . . . Also . . . more than the simple the learned make themselves out to be like brutes, and ascribe all things to nature and scarcely anything to the Divine. . . .

     The passage then describes many of the basic doctrines we teach in our college, and closes, "and possibly when (the learned) shall hear and read these things they will seem to them like paradoxes, and unless experience confirms them they will reject them as a fanciful affair. . . ."*
     * AC 3747; cf. AE 559:2
     To the learned, the vision of New Church education often appears as a fanciful and idealistic dream. Think of the things we try to instill, and contrast them to the views of the learned as they are described:

     They who think from modern learning do not know that there is what is spiritual, and that this is distinct from what is natural. For they who have an idea of successives as of what is continuous cannot conceive of the spiritual otherwise than as of a purer natural. . . . From this it is that the distinction between the internal or spiritual man, and the external or natural, thus between man's internal thought and will, and his external thought and will, is not apprehended by such learned men. Hence neither can they comprehend anything of faith and love, of heaven and hell, and of the life of man after death.*
     * AC 10099:4

     It has been said that the purpose of our college is to learn to think from Revelation rather than simply about it. Compare this goal to the following:

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     This is very manifest from the learned in the world, who by means of knowledges have carried the light of their nature above the light of others; for it is known that these deny the Divine and acknowledge nature in place of the Divine more than others; they deny all things of faith, which they call bonds for the common people. From this it is plain what is the quality of the light of nature without Revelation. It has also been shown that many who have written upon natural theology, and from the light of their nature have skillfully confirmed those things which belonged to the doctrine of their church, in the other life at heart deny these same things more than others do; and also deny the Word itself, which they attempt to utterly destroy; for in the other life hearts speak.*
     * AC 8944

     Again one of the purposes of a New Church liberal arts education is to see the relationships between the various subject-matter fields, and to see man's place in the scheme of natural and spiritual life.
     "It is a general canon that every one that has any quality comes forth from various things which are reduced into such unanimity that by agreement of harmony they appear as one. . . ."* We are founded upon the essential unity of truth. Yet the Writings reveal,
     * AC 5962

     "In their private meetings the learned, as they are in doubt about heaven cannot receive as any first principle that there is an influx through heaven from the Lord: which influx nevertheless brings forth all things that are in the three kingdoms of the earth (especially those in the animal kingdom, and in particular man), and holds them together in form according to their uses.*
     * AC 4322

     They do not think from purpose or use. Yet thought from use is a sign of the beginning of spiritual maturity and fostering thought from use is one of our basic purposes.
     Now the Writings make clear that it is the love of reputation which fosters these negative attitudes among the learned.* They are more easily seduced than others.** The clergy particularly seek reputation for learning.*** They love argument from terms and distinctions derived from them, and become conceited over such "learning," though in reality they perceive
less.**** They love the signs of dignity and honor.***** The things which obscure are chiefly the affections of elegance of discourse and of learning.****** They accept only what they see.******* Their arrogance is such that they even desire to be worshipped as deities. They glory in knowing many languages, but do not elevate their rational by their study.*******

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When we think of the academic slogan "publish or perish" we cannot. help but smile, perhaps grimly at the teaching.
     * Cf. AC 3483:2; SD 4625
     ** SD 17               
     *** TCR 98
     **** AC 8628               
     ***** AC 5089:2
     ****** AC 6924:e               
     ******* AC 4527; HH 353
     ******** HH 464:3

     For this reason many of the learned who have thought much, and especially who have written much have weakened and obscured, yea, have destroyed their common perception; while the simple see more clearly what is good and truth than those who think themselves their superiors in wisdom.* From this it is evident what sort of men are now teachers of others, namely, that from mere objections and difficulties they oppose the goods and truths of faith, although they publish the contrary.**
     * DLW 361
     ** AC 3749

     We bring these teachings out that we may quietly, perhaps in our own closets examine ourselves and this institution we love, to see if the contrast is sufficient between the conceits of the learned and the humility which we know is essential to the life of New Church education.

     Those in the celestial kingdom are the best and wisest of all . . .because they are in self knowledge and humility more than others.* The more anyone is in heart haughty towards others, that is, in self love, the less is he in the faculty of growing wise, so that they are removed from wisdom according to the degree of their love; and that wisdom from the Lord inflows only with those who are humble, who do not despise others in comparison with themselves, who favor what is good, and love good men from the heart.**
     * SD 5524; cf. AC 5164
     ** SD 4662

     The Academy aspires not just to intelligence, but to wisdom, that wisdom which can receive the Lord.

     That pride of heart which is the love of self repels from itself the Divine. . . .So far as man can humble himself before the Lord, and so far as he can love his neighbor as himself, and as in heaven, above himself, so far he receives the Divine, and consequently is so far in heaven.* Life from the Lord flows in solely into a humble and submissive heart, because such a heart has been fitted to receive.**
     * AC 8678
     ** AC 8873

     Will the Academy College have the inner strength to stand in a unique contrast to the learned world that it may receive such life from the Lord? The power and strength of our movement depends not so much upon our great learning, as upon our attitude toward that learning.

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     For the Lord flows with power into those who are humble; but not into those who are puffed up, because the former receive influx, but the latter reject it.* In the glorification of the Lord by man there is both holy reverence and humiliation, the man is then in a state to receive the influx of good from the Lord, thus also to receive love to Him.**
     * AC 9039
     ** AC 8263; see AC 3994, 7478

     Indeed we may come to recognize that even our ability to humble ourselves is from the Lord alone.*
     * Cf. AC 6266
     If we cultivate such a sphere of humility as a faculty, what do we hope will be the result with our students? We hope deeply for our students, that they may come into a state of real freedom through the Word. In the context of confirmation and confession of faith, we do well to remember that all in the Church are in humiliation before the Lord just as all in heaven are.* Worthy members of the Church are humble members, and despite the appearance, humility is the road to genuine freedom.
     * Cf. AR 251; AC 3880:7
     As we think of the students, we remind ourselves, "True humiliation is possible to none unless they acknowledge that of themselves they are profane and condemned, and thus that they cannot of themselves look to the Lord."* We can strive for such a sphere of humility in our faculty, but we cannot of course expect a full state of humility from those who are just beginning their own path in life. But the deep introspective lows of college students seem to involve the stirring of that essential spirit of humility, the beginning of a real acknowledgment of the nature of self as dust and ashes.**
     * AC 2327
     ** Cf. AC 2265
     Now many educators, when confronted with these low and gloomy states look, I believe, too eagerly for ways of bolstering self-confidence It seems to be an essential to their minds to get their students out of such states as quickly as possible rather than helping them to see the vital purpose of these beginning doubts and anxieties, perhaps in some cases even temptations. The truth is that when man comes into a real state of humility, he "comes as it were out of himself."* Self-confidence is universally condemned in the Writings. The real confidence we seek is born of humiliation, loving confidence in our Heavenly Father.
     * AE 77
     Listen to what the Writings say:

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     (the corporeal sensual) seem to themselves to have understanding and thereby power over all things because that persuasiveness has its seat in the sensual, which is the ultimate of the natural life; for this sensual, or the sensual man, is in self-confidence, and in the belief that he is wiser than all others, for he is unable to weigh and explore himself, because he does not think interiorly; and when he has persuaded himself of this, then such confidence and belief are in all things that he speaks. And because his speech takes its tone from these, it fascinates and infatuates the minds of others, for the tone of confidence and belief produces such an effect; and this is especially manifest in the spiritual world, where man speaks from his spirit: for the affection of self-confidence and of consequent belief that a thing is so is in man's spirit; and a man's spirit speaks from his affection. It is unknown in the world that there is such an infatuating and suffocating persuasiveness as exists in the spirit of sensual man, who believes himself to be wiser than others.*
     * AE 556:1

     There are times when the life in the college reminds us of the ocean of infinite things described in TCR 32, ". . . an ocean on which the human mind can sail, but it must beware lest a storm arising from man's lower nature, should overwhelm the ship with its masts and sails from the poop, on which confident in himself, stands the natural man."
     In the other world the vastations of the self confident and elated in mind are grim indeed.* But these states may also be broken on earth, and I believe the normal depressions of the college state should be seen in this light. We read
     * SD 1370 ff

     The second state of those who are being reformed is that they are reduced to ignorance till they know nothing of truth, and this even to despair. The cause of their being reduced to such ignorance is that persuasive light may be extinguished, and at the same time trust in themselves; also that they may be led by experience itself to a knowledge of the fact that nothing of good and nothing of truth is of self or of man's own but from the Lord. They who are being reformed are reduced into ignorance even to despair, and then they have comfort and enlightenment. . . .*
     * AC 2682:2

     Another passage puts it quite simply, "Through temptations the concupiscences which are of the loves of self and the world are subdued, and the man becomes humble. Thus he is rendered fit to receive the life of heaven from the Lord, which is the new life, such as belongs to the regenerated man."*
     * AC 8966; cf. AC 4341
     Of course, it is not necessarily our purpose as teachers to set ourselves up as vastating or kidney spirits, deliberately trying to reduce our students to states of "anxiety and grief even to despair." But the way of a New Church college teacher seems to involve a judicious permission of frustration and conscious willingness to let some of the college lows do their constituted work. The New Church mind can be built in no other way.

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Without anxiety, fear, submission and humiliation, the mind will remain in ". . . contempt for others in comparison with one's self; hatred and revenge if self is not treated with honor; and also unmercifulness and cruelty."*
     * AC 2265, 4341
     It is a violation of the doctrine of the as of self if from our own lack of humility we hold mature students in submission. But it is also wrong to rush maturity and encourage the feeling in students that they are more advanced than others. The conceit of being more capable than they are is a direct violation of humility. The real balance is achieved in humility of both teacher and student under the law of God as best they understand it.
     In this work spheres are most important. "Minds are borne, according to changes of state upward and downward, and still there is continually a kind of attraction of that whole general sphere (to which belongs) an attraction of the impious downward to hell, and of the pious upwards to heaven, of which they are unaware."* An educational institution has its general sphere too, and often the students and faculty are unaware of it, or of its effect except in some vague term such as school spirit. But in thinking of a school's sphere, we must recognize the necessity of alternation of state that there may be any real growth. Too often we couch our efforts in terms only of positive goals in such purposes as wanting our students to know the truth, but we do not focus on the necessity of their knowing their own ignorance first.
     * SD 4423
     The danger to balanced thought in respect to our subject would be if we focused all on humility and forgot the hope and acknowledgment of the mercy of the Lord which follows. Or what seems to be the greater danger in present-day Academic circles, that we try to sustain the delight in learning and the pride of achievement, without sufficient regard for human limitations and even human unworthiness. The alternation is essential to achieving the balance.
     Our whole purpose is to help our students see and confess this proper relationship to their God. Yet we are cautioned, "interior confession is of the heart and comes forth in humiliation and at the same time in the affection of good, but exterior confession is of the lips, and may possibly come forth in a feigned humiliation and a feigned affection of good which is none at all."* Such feigned humility can lead to treacherous hypocrisy.** "If the (evil) humble themselves it is either from fear, or that they may be honored or enriched: thus they humble themselves only as to the body, and not as to the mind, which sometimes then jeers.

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Such is the humiliation of fear, and also that for the sake of gain and honor."*** Our college does not exist to promote honor and enrichment, except as means to use. We do note, however, the jeering mind, because the young from self consciousness and spiritual insecurity often set up a front of jeering and superficial jest. There are times, of course, for permitting such covers. But there are also times for demanding that this attitude not interfere with respect for uses and intrude upon states of reflection and reverence.
     * AC 2329               
     ** SD 2374-5
     *** AC 7640
     While it is true that humiliation from evil is from a stoney heart and feigned,* still external humiliation is clearly a useful habit, and the Writings specifically indicate its use in relation to the governor of the land, "in accordance with established custom." It is external because there is "not yet correspondence, and through correspondence conjunction. When the natural is in this state, it can indeed humble itself, even to the last degree, but only from acquired habit. It is a gesture without its soul."** But it does perform a use for it brings the external into order so that in time the Lord can inflow with delight.
     * AC 9397
     ** AC 5420
     All of us are familiar with the students who feign humility, who for example desperately want help with the mouth, but not with the heart when it comes to any work. Though we as teachers are far from angelic, we can take heart that "the angels do not attend to the supplication, but to the humiliation in which the man is when he is supplicating; for supplication without humiliation is only a vocal sound which does not come to the hearing and perception of the angels."* Yet even here we must be merciful, because in the beginning ". . . They are utterly ignorant of the heavenly delight that results from humiliation and the affection of serving others."** It is for us to try to inspire that delight. We should look for and foster a deep sense of reverence as man strives in faltering beginning states to divest "himself of all ability to think and do anything from himself, and wholly leaves himself to the Divine and thus draws near to the Divine."*** Throughout there is hope of help.
     * AC 7391
     ** AC 3417
     *** AC 6866, 5323

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     In humiliation of heart there is the acknowledgment of self as being nothing but filthiness, at the same time the acknowledgment of the Lord's infinite mercy toward that which is such; and when the mind is kept in these two acknowledgments, the very mind droops in lowliness toward hell, and prostrates the body; nor does it uplift until it is uplifted by the Lord. This takes place in all true humiliation, with a perception of being uplifted ,by the Lord's mercy.* They who are being reformed are reduced into ignorance of truth or desolation, even to grief and despair, and then for the first time have comfort and help from the Lord. But this is unknown at this day for the reason that few are reformed.** When they emerge from humiliation, they are full of good and of love, and hence of joy of heart.***
     * AC 1999               
     ** AC 2694
     *** AC 7478

     One further practical example of deference and humility which should be an established custom with us, even if in the beginning it comes only from acquired habit, is the relation of man to woman. After explaining that there is no innate love of one of the sex, nor conjugial love, with men, the Writings continue,

     and without that love there is no interior charm of life; for which reason, to exalt their life by that love it devolves upon men to be complacent to women, courteously, kindly and deferentially wooing them for this sweet addition by them to their life. The beauty of face, of body, and of manners of that sex beyond that of the male, also adds itself like the obligation of a vow.*
     * CL 297

     This deferential or humble attitude towards woman seems to be at a very low ebb in our social relations. Then too the interior charm of life or the sweet addition to the masculine sphere seems to come wrapped in pretty strange packages these days. The Writings do not call for a static or imposed formality, but during the college years, when courtship is often beginning, during those years when we are just trying to turn the mind to humility, the personal relationship between a young man and his feminine aspiration is a normal way for cultivating humility and restraint of the pride of self-intelligence. We must not therefore lose the ultimates for humble gratitude to the Lord for one of his most wonderful gifts in the smokey sphere of informal rapping with those of the opposite sex.
     The spiritual man acquires humility first through his understanding and self compulsion. From conscience he must assume the virtue, even if he has it not.

     Man has two kinds of sight, one from cognitative faith, the other from love: when he has sight from cognitative faith only, his sight is unattended with awe before the Lord's Divine majesty; but when this sight is from love, it is attended with awe at the Divine majesty: this is because man is then turned to the Lord, for love turns him, but cognitatively faith apart from love does not.*
      * AE 76

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     They "who are in the affection of truth cannot humble themselves so far as to acknowledge from the heart that all the things are of mercy; and therefore instead of mercy they say grace; nay the less of the affection of truth there is in them, the less of humiliation there is in their mention of grace."* It is grace and not mercy, "because things more remote and not fully correspondent are not in such humiliation that they can implore mercy. . . ."** The two lives of both will and understanding must become a clean heart and a firm spirit within man before there is a state of humiliation in which the Divine can inflow.***
     * AC 2423               
     ** AC 5929; cf. AC 2715:2, 3539
     *** Cf. AC 9818:5          
     To humble oneself means to afflict oneself or compel oneself. In no way does it conflict with freedom, for in time

     . . . Such persons are also by degrees enlightened to see and even to be confirmed in the truth, that of themselves they have not compelled themselves one atom, but that all things of the effort of their will, even the smallest had been from the Lord; and that the reason why it had appeared as if it was of themselves was in order that a new will might be given them by the Lord as their own, and that in this way the life of heavenly love might be appropriated to them. . . .It is evident in the case we are now considering (that) the self compulsion comes from a certain freedom that is unknown to man, since from the Lord there is never any compulsion. Hence it is a universal law that all that which is good and true is inseminated in freedom, for otherwise the ground cannot possibly receive and cherish that which is good, and in fact there is no ground in which the seed can grow.*
     * AC 1937

     We have emphasized humility and humiliation, but we must remember that humility is not an end in itself. It is the means to conjunction with the Lord, and the uplifted state of freedom and peace that the genuinely wise achieve.

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LEVELS OF EXPERIENCE AND INVOLVEMENT IN THE WRITINGS 1978

LEVELS OF EXPERIENCE AND INVOLVEMENT IN THE WRITINGS       WILSON VAN DUSEN       1978

     The Writings seem to contain at least four different kinds of content. These content differences are in a hierarchy whose order is commented on in the Writings themselves. The implications of this hierarchy are extensive. For instance, this hierarchy also exists in human experience, it is also an order in the spiritual, and it represents steps in regeneration. This hierarchy is contrary to the simplistic idea that the Writings exist on one plane, i.e., the rational. We can help make these levels understandable by discerning the different qualities in human experience they reflect. Once the inner implications of this hierarchy are understood, then it is easy to judge for one's self the level at which the Writings have become interiorized in personal experience. It would be wrong for me simply to point to these levels of content difference, for one might then assume that this hierarchy can be merely intellectually mastered. These levels throughout point to qualities of human experience and it is best understood through one's personal experience. I might put that even stronger. What refers to intimate levels of experience is only grasped in so far as it is experienced. One pleasant surprise in this is that the supreme level in the Writings is very beautiful and simplicity itself.
     Suppose we begin with the fundamental question, "Why were the Writings written?" There is no doubt whatsoever in my own mind that they were written to lead the individual to God. By "lead" is implied all that the Writings say of human freedom. By individual I am implying that the Writings are concerned fundamentally with the quality of the individual life. Indeed, the Writings have little to say of groups of people except that various kinds of groups (churches, ethnic, and historical groups) represent different kinds of human error. I see the Writings as primarily intended as a help to the struggling individual.
     How then are individuals to know that they are fully involved in, and obedient to, the Writings.1 The usual correct answer to this is that he or she will attempt to bring their acts and uses to the good as far as they are able. Indeed, this simple formula, of self-compulsion is given in the Writings themselves.

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     It now appears to me that, though correct, this is also the most superficial answer that is given. The Writings themselves speak extensively of a much richer and more complex answer. For me, the most fundamental error that has ever been made regarding the Writings is to constrict them into one flat and limited plane of existence, the rational. The overall direction and design of these levels is from rational, verbal consciousness into the interiors and inter-most of human experience. The idea expressed by some that these interiors of experience are matters of faith, wholly beyond direct experience, is in itself a misunderstanding of the Writings. In effect, the Writings say most people are not aware of these, and then they go on to describe in detail what at least some people should be able to recognize. As a theology the Writings are quite unusual in that they actually reflect levels of experience leading to the Divine. Though I will distinguish four levels as a preliminary survey, I would not be surprised that subsequent scholars might paint a more detailed picture with more levels.

     1. THE BEGINNING LEVEL, THE RATIONAL

     The Writings begin at the rational level, and they are meant to be understandable and reasonable at all points. Although the Writings refer to levels below the rational, i.e., the natural, and indeed describe them, the description itself is rational. The word rational comes from the Latin ratio, which implies something has been divided up and its parts compared. Rational material is divided and ordered and seems reasonable. Swedenborg describes the rational as the internal of man that enables a man to think and to will as he thinks.*
     * AC 3314
     This rational aspect of the Writings is so prominent: that some scholars would deny any other aspect to the Writings. If they are all rational and meant to be understandable, what other plane could there be? The quality of the rational is that it divides and distinguishes, in order to make comparisons, and to find the reasonable order in the things distinguished. The rational aspect of the Writings is as though we have become somewhat lost in a chaotic world and now a teacher patiently starts to reassemble it in a reasonable order.

     The Divine Life, which animates man by influx from the Sun of the angelic heaven, may be compared to the light of the sun of this world and its influx into a transparent object. The reception of that life in the highest degree may be compared to the influx of light into a diamond, its reception in the second degree to the influx into a crystal . . .*
     * TCR 34

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     The mood is rational. We are being taught by the use of analogy to known things that we may also understand what is higher. We are being led to understanding by an exposition of the reasonable.
     This same level of experience in the reader is not quite so clear and simple as when presented try our teacher. The teacher has done a lot of prior work to put things in order so they will be clear. In a rational mood we analyze things into aspects and parts, we question and attempt to answer questions. The mood is cool, detached, analytical. It very much deals with parts, the ordering and arrangement of things. This questioning, division, and piece aspect is central. From the rational aspect the Writings are exceedingly complex, a host of new definitions and divisions need to be considered. This is in marked contrast to the supreme level of the Writings to be described later. The supreme level is awesome in its simplicity. But the rational, by questioning and setting apart, makes complexity for itself. If one questions or insists on making distinctions, one has descended to the rational level, for it is sine qua non separation and distinguishing pressed to its ultimate everything can be questioned, including the meaning of questioning itself, and there is no end to the possible distinctions that could be made. It is a very verbal process and, indeed, without our words one would wonder how to think. By taking apart and questioning it makes problems. Pressed to its limit the rational is not content with anything. Whatever has been distinguished can be distinguished further. Anything may be questioned, including questioning meaning, and the meaning of meaning. It is as though the process is at least partly destructive, taking apart so that the original order might be better seen, like taking apart a clock that its way of revealing time might be better understood. To the rational everything is very complex, and it implies that only through mastering every last detail will a thing ever be understood.
     We have called the rational level the beginning level of the Writings because it is used as a starting point. It is actually difficult to find purely rational statements in the Writings because this level is used to introduce something higher. In the above quote we understand the analogy to light passing through a transparent object. But life as an influx out of a spiritual Sun is something we can't easily proportion, for our very understanding of the statement is an effect of that Light. If one wants a really rational Swedenborg, it would be better to turn to his prior scientific works. How much of the Writings are purely rational? Almost none. Even though all aspects of the Writings are meant to be open to rational understanding, the rational aspect is used as an entrance, a starting point, which immediately leads beyond this level.

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     Yet, in spite of this leading, we can always view the Writings rationally, and, indeed, whenever we question and distinguish we have descended to this level, which is where the Writings begin. Angels, on a higher plane, find nothing to question. In a way, the rational, by overlooking and even questioning and doubting feeling, has denied itself any place to rest content. No matter how fine its analysis, it cannot feel content till it reaches the next level.

     2. THE AFFECTIVE INTERIOR OF UNDERSTANDING

     The Writings have so much to say of this level that it would be an incredible task to pull together all relevant statements. Key terms reflecting this level are love, good, affections, will and use. Though the Writings repeatedly distinguish truth and good, they might be seen like two sides of a coin. Truth is the more verbal, intellectual, rational outer aspect, affections the inner aspect. Affections lead, direct, point. They are underlying tendencies. Can affections understand? Yes, certainly. In a prior article* I used the phrase love in understanding to express this relationship. Love can understand. Indeed, it is the inner essence of meaning and hence understanding. Just as we could say all of the Writings are intended to be rational and reasonable, leading some to believe this is their main or only plane, we can also ask how much of them have to do with love, good, the affections? The answer is pretty much all of them. In effect, the rational truth side is the entrance into a more interior aspect to human existence, feelings. The Writings stress both of these in a positive light. One needs the truths of doctrine like the basic three R's of schooling. It is as though truth will point to good. But good, being more like an interior life current, will find truth and will become actual as uses. One who loves good will find ways to express it.
     * NEW CHURCH LIFE 1975, P. 401
     Whereas the rational tends to take apart in order to figure out relationships, affections tend to unite and combine, and in this way they reach across differences to find relationship. Affections sense relationship. It is a swifter, more uniting process. A common mistake is to see affections as less conscious, or not conscious at all, merely because they don't measure up to the taking apart, verbal aspect of the rational. It would be equally fair to judge the rational as impaired because it can never unite as well as affections. Affections are conscious, but a different sort of consciousness than the rational. Affections are present as the mood, feeling, quality of any experience. This background pervasive quality is ready to attach itself to any experience.

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It is ready to realize itself anywhere. It is the very root of meaning and understanding. This level is very related to art, music, aesthetics, drama, poetry. These are natural forms for affections, just as reasoned verbal argument is a natural form for the rational. The rational tends to be puzzled at real meaning. Affections understand more than they can express in rational forms. Affections color, spread, unite and easily lead into the will. Affections are concerned with and deal with the essential qualities of things. On the affective level, the Writings are considerably simpler than the rational level. It is almost as though, on this affective level, they are always speaking of one thing, a oneness that becomes apparent on the supreme level. This level is not bothered by differences, which plague the rational. Rather, affections reach across differences and unite them as a one. In religious terms the affections are the quality of the life, the will, and one's charity and uses. In other words, spiritual matters may not really be understood on the rational level. In all respects the spiritual attempts to find and deal with real qualities. I stress real because this level, being closer to the inner nature and essence of the spiritual, tends to unmask deceptions that might rationally be tolerated. Whereas reasoning has very much the quality of ego and proprium, love and affection tend to reach out beyond the individual to the other one and to God.
     Awareness of affections, and especially their being carried out into uses, is very much a part of the undoing of proprium. The affectionate plane in the Writings is, for me, very prominent and pervasive, yet, like affections themselves, not easily spelled out in words. I see it everywhere in the Writings, but it is particularly prominent in some volumes. The following illustrates a passage that is clearly affectionate.

     The essence of all love consists in conjunction. This in fact, is its life, which is called enjoyment, delight, sweetness, bliss, happiness and felicity. Love consists in this, that its own should be another's . . .*
     * DLW 41

     It is characteristic of this plane that it deals with feeling and essential qualities. It is also its characteristic to reach out, to seek and join. It unites rather than divides. As aptly said by one minister, perhaps those reduced to tears by the Writings understand them best! I could easily see the essence of Heaven and Hell, or parts of the Spiritual Diary, as the libretto of an opera. If you think love does not really understand, try explaining that to lovers!                    
     What is the experience of this level of the Writings like? They are like poetry, a psalm singing both of our real nature and of the nature of all things. They feel true. One feels that life is given, that it is good. The influx of life is an almost incomprehensible mystery to the rational.

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How can my analysis conclude that my capacity to analyze is given to me? Yet, on an affective plane, the influx of all life is simple and apparent. Good and evil are sensed. Some of the descriptions of this in the Writings are poetry. Evil feels like a knotted spiral inward, closing in, cutting off. Good spirals outward, adventurously reaching out. There is also a time and space transcendence quality to this level. The rational always needs more explanation. The affective sees. It is as though all times are now and all places this one. Lovers miles apart may be intimately together in this spiritual world. One enters the lives of the Lord Jesus Christ and the prophets and lives with them. One can easily identify with all the levels of spiritual struggle described in the Writings. One feels with and moves with. One feels the sacred quality of the Writings. And what affectively is the sacred? The sacred is the universal, the now very real, that is the always. On this level one meets and deals with the Divine, for how can the omnipresent not be here? It is a most pleasant and comforting feeling. On this level the felt truth of one statement opens up a host of pleasant, subtle, intuitive perceptions. Affective understanding is richer than the cognitive. It opens and implies, like walking in a pleasant garden of spiritual presentiments of deeper realities. From this kind of perception the rational understanding of the Writings seems labored, dry, lacking in inward substance, and full of proprium. On the affective level I feel part of a reality that extends outward in all directions and includes all life and, indeed, all there is. In this way the affective level is the beginning of undoing of proprium. At this level one has begun a real relationship with the Divine which is yet clouded and variable. It is an understanding of the Divine by an opening up of inner perception. And it is an understanding of presentiments.
     The Writings have a specific phrase for this level. It is doctrine of the life. On the rational level we are given doctrine. When doctrine is of the life one has more than simply hammered it into one's experience by self-compulsion. The other side of it is that it was always there. The sacred describes what is always true. On the affective level one recognizes the Writings are describing the very interiors of experience. When a person speaks from a doctrine of the life one immediately senses they are speaking of personal experience. They are not like a lawyer quoting law but persons speaking with feeling and enthusiasm for what is meaningful to them. Listening to them, I am seeing a life felt and expressed in a living way. Even if this personal experience is far different from mine, I feel respectful, for I am allowed to see how the Writings come home in the life of another person. The understanding is deeper-it has become of the bone, of the nature and life of the individual.

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In contrast, those primarily at the rational level of doctrine alone, seem to act as though the personal must be kept out of the matter, as though this would be a contaminant of a pure doctrinal understanding. This is the equivalent of trying to prevent doctrine from being of the life, an anomaly the Writings everywhere fight against. If the Lord Jesus Christ were explaining heaven, we would also sense this deep, personal, affective involvement in addition to intellectual understanding. This second level is the interior life of the first and the one in which doctrine begins to be of the life.

     3. THE DRAMA OF THE DIVINE HUMAN, THE SYMBOLIC

     The growing inwardness into the essentials of life we feel in the first two levels is here heightened and dramatized. This level is easy to illustrate from the Writings. It occurs wherever they deal with the inner sense in the Word. In bulk this consists of some 5046 of all the Writings. Necessarily, this Biblical exegesis is reasonable and affectionate. Yet its central nature is a complex and varied symbolic drama. The closest thing I could liken it to in human experience is a long, wondrously varied and complex dream. It is dream-like because the primary idiom is symbolism. It is my distinct impression that Swedenborg considered this level of the Writings his greatest contribution. I would also call it his least understood and most poorly used contribution.
     Why, in going from reason to affections to even more inner processes, do we come upon so much symbolism? Symbolism or correspondences is a natural language both of inner processes* and of the spiritual worlds, and these two are the same. It certainly confounds the rational to have so much of symbolism. Indeed, those limited to the rational plane of the Writings do not pay much attention to the symbolic works, they prefer Swedenborg's even more rational scientific works. Symbolism and correspondences is an appropriate way for the higher and wiser to speak to the limited vessel of man's understanding. The Lord illustrated spiritual matters by parables. The symbol speaks richly on several levels at once and displays its origin in the Universal.
     * W. Van Dusen, The Natural Depth in Man, 1972
     Whose drama is portrayed in the Arcana and the eight volumes on the Apocalypse? Though the major argument of these works is on one plane, it is also clear that they are referring to several interrelated planes. The exegetical works are describing the life of the Lord, of churches, and of every individual searcher simultaneously. In this realm we are not limited to simple logical answers. The symbolic easily relates to all these levels simultaneously. The symbol also has room for more widespread implications.

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On the plane of the affections we started to reach out beyond ourselves in loving charity to others. On this plane we begin to see and become involved in the Universal. It is the drama of the One who is everyone. The content of the Writings is so distinctly different at this level that there will be little argument as to what aspect of the Writings is referred to.
     But, it would be my guess that relatively few would be able to describe what a personal involvement in this level of the Writings implies. If one sets about in a long term, consistent effort to know and relate to the Divine, one would soon discover their own involvement in a complex drama, a few of whose elements can be described. First, the quest is for what and where is the Divine and how may I know His will? This is grasped and lost repeatedly, the individual falling and rising, finding and losing. It is like lovers searching through a complex maze of outer and inner circumstances, with the central issue that they find each other. At the heart of this finding is a crossing over of identities, the Divine deigning to come for a time as the very core of the person's life. At the heart of the drama is the implication that there is only One suffering all of this. The searching wandering is at first projected into all aspects of life, dreams, visions, prayer, work, feelings, opinions of others, and life circumstances. The singleness of the lovers eventually reaches through all this. This essentially is what this level of the Writings is dealing with. The seeker in the midst of the search easily finds himself portrayed endlessly in the ancient Bible when understood interiorly as the Writings reveal. Early in this drama of searching, this level would seem immensely complex. Late in this same drama the Writings begin to seem immensely clear and simple. This simplicity can be described several ways. All of the characters in the drama are one's self and the Divine, and in parts of the drama these lovers know themselves as One. All times and places represent here and now. The rational mind needs to search through all the complex detail not to lose a bit. But in an affective sense it is much simpler. Each line, each bit is of the One knowing Itself here and now. The drama is easy and exciting to get into from an affectionate standpoint, but it is confoundly complex to the rational.
     The purpose of this plane of the Writings is to clarify all the innermost of lostness and finding of the human seeking the Divine Human. But, in so doing, it illustrates all kinds of lostness and finding, including that of churches, historical peoples of the past, and of Jesus. Drama is the word for this level. In terms of psychology one could say this level deals with the dynamisms underlying and impinging on life and consciousness. Because of its dramatic quality, this level could easily be illustrated and sensitively understood when presented as drama. Perhaps the most questionable aspect to the rationalist, who must separate everything, is the dramatic crossing over in which the Divine and human are discovered as one.

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The central theme of the drama can be described as the life of the Divine/human. The Divine and the personal are dual and yet one. This level approaches the next in its growing simplicity, for all conflicts are resolved if the Divine One as All there is, is thought of. In Swedenborg's own life he was clearly at this level when writing the Messiah About to Come* and the Journal of Dreams.** In both of these Swedenborg entered into an active search for the Divine. When Swedenborg's approach is sensitively understood in Messiah About to Come, it is a particularly good example of this level three personal search in the Bible. The Journal of Dreams illustrates particularly well the up and down and dramatic human struggle aspect of this search. I would say the Spiritual Diary illustrates the opening out of vistas of understanding possible at this level of involvement.
     * NEW CHURCH LIFE 1915, p. 316
     ** W. Van Dusen, Swedenborg's Journal Within, in Journal of Dreams, Swedenborg Foundation               

     4. THE ONE; THE SUPREME LEVEL

     The highest aspect of the Writings deals with the Lord as the One, the Only. There is no longer the individual striving to know God. All dualisms and all forms of separation end. This possibility was implied countlessly in the vicissitudes of the drama above. En to pan, the One is the all.

The Lord . . . is Life itself, is Love itself.*
     * DLW 4
In all the heavens there is no other idea of God than that He is a man.*
     * DLW 11
. . . the form of heaven . . .is like itself in its greatest and in its least parts.*
     * Ibid.
. . . the idea of God constitutes the inmost of thought.*
     * DLW 13
From this it may be concluded that the many and numberless things which make in man a seeming one, a Very Man who is God, are one distinctly, yea most distinctly.*
     * DLW 22

     It would be a pleasure to draw out of the Writings all the passages which have this unitive oneness of the Lord. This is the overwhelming quality of this level of the Writings-the utter reality and fullness of the One That is Very Man and all there is.
     In contrast to some who might feel this level is quite beyond human experience, I see it as just the opposite.

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It is the essence, the root of everyone's experience. The rationalist might say, "I accept that God is All but then how about this stone or myself?" By so questioning he has descended to the rational, the plane of distinctions and comparisons. Many, perhaps all, including children and infants, have caught glimpses of this oneness which is beyond explaining or defining. It can range from a mild feeling or presentiment to an overwhelming experience. It characteristically does not inflate or make one feel better than others. There is nothing less nor more than the All. It is like a pleasant rest from the struggles of ordinary awareness, a resting place, heavenly. It is probably very common, probably given to all, but seemingly lost in struggles, searches, and questioning. There are endless vistas within this experience.
     On all these levels we are dealing with essentially different orders of experience. It is particularly apparent at this level. This level is past all distinctions by the rationalists. The affective yearning, which tended to unite on level two, was struggled into union on level three, and here is met as the All. All that the Writings say of the Divine Human is central here. What is the nature of this All? It is Human. This does not elevate us humans above the rest of existence, it points to the quality of the All. Some will say this level cannot be experienced. It would be better if they said they haven't yet recognized it. It is impossible not to experience the All, that is Life and Human. Rather, one might say it is too simple, too obvious and pervasive for some to see. I would not be surprised that all of the statements in the Writings at this level could be pulled out and taught to children. Rather than belabor students with all the rational details in the Writings, it might be better to teach this level first, for it is the goal of all the others. Understanding the Writings from this perspective lends great clarity to the various kinds of search and struggle on the three lower levels. For instance, the man versus God struggles of the third level are lessened if the individual understands that the goal of the supreme level is Oneness. The Writings are inexpressibly beautiful on this level. The experience of this beauty is perception at this level. All of the Writings tend to point to this level, even when they speak of falsity and hell, but they are most clearly at this level when dealing with the Lord, the Divine Human, and the unity of all things.

     THE IMPLICATIONS AND USES OF THIS HIERARCHY

     Having examined each of these levels, we can now review the lessons of this sequence. For one, it is clear me are speaking of distinguishable differences in the content of the Writings and parallel differences in human experience. They repeatedly refer to the rational and truth and distinguish this from love, affections and will.

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The content difference between these and Biblical exegesis is equally great. These four levels are a clear hierarchy in the Writings which are best understood in the parallel hierarchy of personal experiences. It would not be appropriate to make one level better than the others. Certainly the supreme level is the highest, but in our human condition all four levels have their uses. An exclusive emphasis on one over the others would be a real distortion of the intent of the Writings. They are like necessary stairs if one is to ascend. In my personal opinion, the history of scholarship in this area has been a very inappropriate overemphasis on the rational level.
     There is a very consistent sequence of developments in these levels. At the rational we are ushered in to understand what really lies far beyond the divisive powers of reason. At this level proprium is at a maximum, with the implication that it can figure out and understand everything. Through levels two and three there is a progressive broadening and undoing of proprium, which no longer exists at level four. The weakening of proprium occurs at level two because we are less a ruler and more of a participant in our affections. The dramatic struggles at the third level are in large part the vicissitudes of the dissolution of proprium. The nature of the Divine becomes clearer through these levels. At the rational level the simplicity of the Divine seems so complex as to be beyond all understanding! But this simplicity seems more genuine and straight forward as one progresses through these levels. Because these are experiential steps to the Divine, they are also the deeper pattern of regeneration in the Writings, far beyond the simple formula that we are to compel ourselves to do good. This point is a little too deep to explain in a few words. But, basically, the Writings refer to regeneration as ascending from truth to good and later descending from good to truth.* The work at levels two and three is the interiorizing that gradually opens a personal way for the individual to know God. This is the richer interior aspect of regeneration. The sense and experience of ourselves as recipient vessels is deepened. The affective level is the beginning of this receiving.
     * AC 3882:2
     Essentially, the Writings are an immense clarification of the inward, human and experieaceable aspects of the Word. Each of these levels is a view, a level of experiencing that is correct in its own realm. The Divine is beyond direct apprehension to the rationalist but begins to be sensed at the affective level, is struggled with at the symbolic level, and is the manifest All on the supreme level.
     It is my real impression that there are vast undiscovered vistas within the Writings but that this ladder of ascent is an important part of them.

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YOGA-SOME CORRELATIONS 1978

YOGA-SOME CORRELATIONS       RICHARD LINQUIST       1978

     "O, Lord, lead me from the unreal to the real, from darkness to light, from death to Immortality."* This ancient Hindu prayer, arising from man's humbled affections, touches, and I believe, vibrates a sympatric response in members of the General Church. Surely we have glowing memories of having stubbornly clung to the phantom of personal power and as it died in our embrace, witnessed the birth of insight into reality. Suddenly the sun is shining and for the first time we realize that we had been sleeping. For example, we may have dreamed that we are unique in knowing that to love the neighbor is to love the good in the neighbor. But what are we to think when we read in Hindu literature: "The husband loves not his wife, but only the Atman (God) in her."?** Perhaps that statement will startle us into thinking that before Swedenborg lived, men knew the general rules of regeneration. Angels, who once born as men on this earth, must have known the path of rebirth in order to have followed it. I believe that the philosophical system of yoga contains a very special record of their journey and is sparkling with a knowledge of the way from a walking in it.***
     * Uupanishads               
     ** Yoga for Perfect Health by Alain p. 123.
     *** D.P. 60
     Such mountaineering skills as putting one foot in front of the other while ascending the icy slopes of natural tendencies are offered to us by our spiritual ancestors in India. We may hesitate to acknowledge the kinship if the very word "yoga" nourishes an unregenerate affection of amused contempt as we view mentally that old phantasmic film of a skinny little man standing absurdly on his head or sitting uselessly in a cave. Such was my first reaction. I did not need to slip on any icy slope. I fell on a flat surface of truth, frozen from a lack of good-will. But a sober definition cleared my mind: "The word YOGA is derived from the sanskrit root 'yug' meaning to bind, attach and yoke, to direct and concentrate one's attention on, to use and apply. It also means union or communion. It is the true union of our will with the will of God . . . (It means) . . . the yoking of all powers of body, mind and soul to God. . . ."*
     * Light on Yoga by Iyengar p. 21

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     The evil contempt bubbled up from the dark cellar of gloomy delights and burst in the light of this definition. Now calm and warmer, I listen sympathetically to a yogi's thoughts: "My silence spreads like a wildfire of bliss; the dark thickets of sorrow and the tall oaks of price are all burning up."*
     * Metaphysical Meditations by Yogananda P. 53
     Looking warmly at the Indian sages, I hope that their eyes would return the offer of friendship as we mention a truth penetrating to the very heart of their system: ". . . . the natural man ought to serve the rational, the rational the spiritual, the spiritual the celestial, and the celestial the Lord. . . ."*
     * AC 2781
     Perhaps they would also be receptive to enlightenment about the nature of man's relationship with the Lord. Because of ignorance or arrogance they assume that union with God makes man, God, just as a drop of water put in the ocean becomes the ocean. But the Word reveals that, ". . . between man and the Lord there is not union, but conjunction."* As a layman, I hesitate to make bold, definitive statements about the nature of this conjunction, beyond mentioning that it is one of influx of the infinite Lord into that finite vessel, man's mind.
      *AC 2004
     Now let us take the first step out of darkness on the path of yoga. Swami (master) Vishnudevananda beckons to us: "The body, being the temple of the living spirit, should he carefully tended in order to make it a perfect instrument."* Maintaining order in the corporeal home of our spirit is the first step toward conjunction with the Lord and this article will look closely at it.
     * Illustrated Book of Yoga by Vishnudevananda p. 12
     Rendering the body responsive to its spirit-resident is the concern of Hath-yoga (Ha = sun, tha = moon) and, I suggest, is an essential condition of regeneration.

For man cannot be conjoined to the Lord unless he is spiritual, nor can he be spiritual unless he is rational, neither can he be rational unless his body is in a sound state. These three are like a house. The body is like the foundation, the rational is as the house built upon it, the spiritual like those things which are in the house, and conjunction with the Lord like dwelling in it.*
      * DLW 330

     Can we dwell happily with the Lord, if the foundation of our mental home is decayed from ingesting inefficient food? Although men may abuse the bodily gift which the Lord has given them, nevertheless regarding its care and feeding man is defined as, ". . . only a servant and domestic administrator appointed over the goods of the Lord."*

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Yogis are concerned with the health of man's three bodies, i.e. the physical body, the astral body (the abode of intellectual substances), and the seed body (the abode of affectional substances). Like the will and understanding of our spiritual body, the seed and astral forms are containants of the Absolute, the one-without-a-second, whom they call Brahman.
     * DLW 333
     Yet yoga is defined as ". . . a psycho-physical method of spiritual development, concerned with the direction of energy and consciousness."* Therefore it is not the quality of the substances which sustain the corporeal foundation of our spiritual body that is the primary concern of Hathayoga. The goal is the conscious control of energy ingested via food, water, air and released from muscular confines by physical postures.
     * Tibetan Book of the Dead, Shambhala Pub. Inc., Glossary p. 110
     To avoid the actions of a puppet, being pulled by every sight and sound, etc. of the external world, the mind can be controlled by focusing on bodily postures (asanas) and breathing procedures (pranayama).
     Those strange twistings of the body which make it appear like a malformed pretzel actually stretch the body and give it an infant's suppleness. The mind gently moves the body in patterns which, (I was surprised to conclude) exercise the ultimate, corporeal base of our will and understanding. For:

The reason why the will and understanding are called receptacles, is, that the will is not a kind of spiritual abstract something, but a substantial subject, formed for the reception of love from the Lord; nor is the understanding a kind of spiritual abstract something, but a substantial subject, formed for the reception of wisdom from the Lord. For they do actually exist, although lying concealed from sight, being interiorly in the substances that form the cortex of the brain, and also in a general way in the medullary substance of the brain, especially in the striated bodies, also interiorly in the medullary substance of the cerebellum, and also in the spinal marrow, of which they form the nucleus.*
     * D. Wis. V.               

(The head stand uses gravity to bring nourishment to the natural form of these spiritual substances. I would speculate that the quality of our loves then enliven the blood, i.e. fuel it with spiritual energy. For we know that: "The human blood is inmostly spiritual, and in ultimates corporeal . . ."* and that, ". . . the brain refines the blood and vivifies it anew. . ." **)
     * D. Wis. X6
     ** DP 336
     Like an exquisitely tuned organist whose lower mind has been patterned to move fingers and feet in spontaneous harmony with the delightful perceptions of the rational, so the yogi plays his body. For example, if he looks in the mirror of a friend's comment that he is frowning, his rational mind may agree and tell the lower mind (animus) to relax the facial muscles.

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Then as the taut: lines of tension fade, the worried spirit within is freed from the prison of a frozen face. Relieved at release, it may even image itself in an appreciative smile. Imagine how happy the spirit feels when most of the body's larger muscles have been gently stretched and then each instructed to relax. As the physical grill of normal emotional tensions is loosed, the spirit flows freely throughout its home. For, ". . . the spirit of man is in the whole and every part of his body, and that it is its purer substance (or, "its substance is purer"-"et quod sit substantia ejus purior"), both in its organs of motion and in those of sense, and everywhere else; and that the body is the material part that is everywhere annexed to it adapted to the world in which it then is."*
     * AC 4659
     Therefore: "A man must by all means care for the body . . . for the sake of the soul, that is, that the soul may act in a sound body correspondently and rightly. . . ."* Acting correspondently is an automatic mechanism of cause and effect by which the body moves synchronously with the mind. Like any machine its parts and operation can be studied with the purpose of better cooperating with its use. Just as the mind can tell the lungs to accelerate or slow the normal breathing rhythm, so the mind can override normal spirit-body interaction and, indeed, use correspondence to control our bodily home. I think that a New Church student of Hatha-yoga will view correspondence, not just in terms of metaphysical symbolism, but as a working mechanism, which, in various degrees, is under man's conscious control. He can use it to control his heart's beat, breathing, and perhaps even the flow of energy within his body. Then he can actually affect influx from the Lord. (If any eyebrows have been raised in mild panic at these assertions, perhaps that will serve to keep the readers' eyes and mind open to the following ideas.)
     * AC 5949
     First, influx is affected by a controlled external, for we know that: "It is a universal law that influx adjusts itself according to efflux, and if efflux is checked influx is checked."* I believe that this law of spiritual life, also applies to the body-mind relationship. For the inner doors of our mind may move quite easily but if the outer doors hang on hinges rusted from infrequent use, can love from the Lord flow through us to touch others? If the body is bound with ropes of tight, still muscles how can the spirit use the hand to give a, firm touch of caring strength to another's shoulder or shape facial muscles to reveal compassion?
      * AC 5828
     If we agree that controlling muscles is useful, let us see if it is possible and useful for the mind to control the breathing, beat of the heart and movement of energy within its bodily home.

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Here is a remarkable passage for your consideration: ". . . the pulse and respiration of the spirit in man flow into the pulse and respiration of the body and produce them."* Maintenance of the body's life depends upon its spiritual tenant". . . the understanding has each and all things of the body in subjection as the will has,"** and their ultimate means of activating the body, work in harmony-". . . the breathing of the lungs is in entire conjunction with the heart in every part of the body."*** Yet the spirit is not as wise and angelic as he likes to dream that he is, and his ability to manage bodily functions has been limited-"Therefore man's internals, lest he should enter into them by the exercise of his will and gain control over them are entirely removed from the scope of his will, with the exception of the muscles which constitute the covering."**** Instead, ". . . the body being composed of substances of nature which are called matter, receive influx from God mediately through the natural world."*****
     * DLW 390               
     ** DLW 403
     *** DLW 408               
     **** DP 180
     ***** I VI 5               
     But there is another path of influx which permits the spirit to control the muscular coverings of the heart and lungs for ". . . those thing which flow from God flow first into his soul, and through his soul into the rational mind and through this into the things which constitute the body. . . ."* Physically: "Influx into the will is into the back of the head, because into the cerebellum, and it advances thence towards the forepart into the cerebrum, where the understanding has its seat. . . ."** and thence into the body.***
     * I VI
     ** AE 61               
     *** I VI
     Unknowingly, yogis use this process to control the body. Skilled in the conscious management of their corporeal homes they would not be surprised to learn that ". . . the mind actuates the body in externals and generally in response to its every suggestion. It moves the eye to see, the ears to hear (etc.). . . . The mind moves not only the externals to these actions but also the internals through the whole series, the last from the inmost and the inmost from the last."* Consciously controlling the last from the inmost and the inmost from the last is Hatha-yoga.
     * DP 181
     But is yoga a useful tool to the regenerating? Suppose, for example, during the painful phase of reformation a man is determined to shuck the pretty cover of appearing agreeable to others from an unregenerate affection for reputation.

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Then, in a moment of intense struggle to reveal his true feelings, he is called a "hypocrite"-the very posture he is trying to shun. The reforming affection is jarred, the heart's beat increases and the face reddens, (everyone seems to be staring at him), thoughts of revenge rise in the mind and consequently the breathing becomes more rapid and shallow. From a desire not to fight or flee, but simply to regain emotional equilibrium, a yogi could do this: firmly suggest that the lungs breathe deeply, i.e., exercise upon the sound and flow of the breath. The controlled external, the last influencing the inmost, I believe, becalms the lower mind. If thoughts of revenge burn in the mind, firmly hold the concept of forgiveness in your consciousness. A small miracle may occur. For the thought itself can further slow down the rhythm of breathing-"That the respiration of the lungs corresponds to thought is quite clear from the fact that their operation is simultaneous and synchronous. For as a man thinks so he breathes."* I would suggest that any dormant affections for the concept of forgiveness can be awakened by prayer to the Lord and consequently the heart's rate will also slow down. For ". . . all affections, which are of love, lead to changes in the rate of the heart's action."** Thus the physical effect of the cutting remark disappears in the pool of a tranquil metabolism. A calm, unfrightened look accompanied with a softly spoken reply may give birth to love rather than hatred for the person who uttered the word, "hypocrite." A Yogi asserts: "I will always hold aloft as unfading torch-light of continuous kindness to guide the hearts of those who misunderstand me."*** "I will care nothing for cruel, false criticism nor for garlands of praise. My sole desire is to do Thy will, to please Thee, my Heavenly Father."****
     * AE 1012
     ** DLW 378
     *** Metaphysical Meditations by Yogananda p. 95.
     **** Ibid. p. 96
     Besides using the lungs to speak gently to his neighbors, a yogi uses breathing techniques to oxygenate the blood and thus energize his body. But: ". . . Prana (energy) is in the air, but is not the oxygen, nor any of its chemical constituents."* Oxygen only transports "the force that animates matter."** We know that, ". . . the ether and the air are receptacles of heat and light . . ."*** and that, ". . . what a man's spirit loves, the blood in accordance with the correspondence, attracts by respiration."****

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Apparently the active essence of matter is brought into the lungs to nourish the natural base of man's loves in the blood. For: "The human blood is inmostly spiritual, and in ultimates corporeal; those therefore who are spiritual nourish it from such things in nature as correspond to spiritual things but those who are natural nourish it from such things in nature as correspond to them."***** "Hence it is that there are in the air-cells, or inmost of the lungs, small veins with little mouths, which absorb such things. . . ."******
     * Illustrated Book Of Yoga p. 239.
     ** Ibid.
     *** DLW 223
     **** DLW 420
     ***** D. Wis. X6                    
     ****** DLW 420

     Yogis believe that they can guide the flow of the energy which has been brought into the body by the lungs, so the question I ask is: "Can our affections use the rational to consciously direct the flow of energy in the body?" Yogis believe that, ". . . Prana circulates in our bodies through luminous canals called nadis run through our astral (spiritual) bodies."* Is our spiritual body structured with a network of channels corresponding and adjoined to the cardiac and nervous systems? If so, can we cooperate with its processes to aid external means of healing the body and mind?
     * Yoga by Devi p. 202
     The path of yoga concerned with controlling the mind lies ahead to stimulate more investigation of the Word. For the present, the drowsiness of old thought patterns about the body have been shaken off. To quote the sensitive yogi, Yogananda: "All the veils of my ignorant inner life are burned in the light of my awakening in Christ, and I behold the Intelligence of the baby Jesus cradled in the petals of roses, in the weaving of lights, and in the love thoughts of all true hearts."* I wonder if the reader has sensed a weaving of lights in this article and felt a warmth for the innocent regenerative struggles of men living beyond the boundaries of the New Church.
     * Metaphysical Meditations by Yogananda p. 41
     Looking at the glittering surface of the quotations used in this layman's study, I look up with hope at the brightening horizon. "My earthly experiences serve as a process of destruction of my limiting mortal delusions. In God even the most 'impossible' dreams are realized, ('I will give him the morning star'-Revelation 2:28).*
     * Ibid. p. 40.

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INNER VOICE 1978

INNER VOICE       STEPHEN GLADISH       1978

     We often think of punishment as coming from someone else. The worst punishment comes from ourselves. Particularly if we have never listened to our "l'autre moi," our inner self, and we have no self-insight. Americans trained at an early age to look outward, not inward. Materialism, commercialism, competition, conformity to environmental pressures, all combine to force us into a life of illusion, when the life of reality lies within.
     The more alienated we are from the inner self, the "other me," the more it will attack us, punish us, and cause us depression and sleepless nights. The less self-insight we have, the more we struggle against our inner self, the more miserable we will be, to ourselves and to others.
     The inner self speaks in a language of representation and correspondence It represents itself endlessly, especially in drifting-fantasy, in autosymbolic inner perception, in the hynogogic state (just before waking or sleeping), and dreams. It thinks in terms of images. The mind can form representations of its own state by a process called autosymbolism A thought can be represented by a picture; an effort to do something may be seen as a picture; a somatic state may be seen as a picture (taking a deep breath may be represented by a lifting table). They all may be represented by words, too-words that wait for us to decode them, to get the message from our higher self.               
     Our inner self sees all worlds as representations of itself. Our outer mind appears to choose its acts. Our inner mind/self come unanticipated, with surprise; choosing is not apparent. Our outer mind must search for truth and carefully check on it; not so our inner self: it represents truth instantly and without effort. Our inner self speaks in a symbolic and sometimes alien manner. And we must train ourselves to listen, and interpret. Like an intermediary, feelings lie between our outer self and our other, inner self. American men and "new women" are trained to avoid feelings; in a competitive world feelings get in the way of attaining power, and power is what we are told we want.

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And so American become unhappy tyrants, unhappy alcoholics, unhappy power brokers, unhappy drug-users, unhappy physical specimens, unhappy so-called successes in the business world.
     Our outer mind is estranged into relating to, describing, and dealing with everything but itself. Our inner self is preeminently self-representational. Listening to our inner self, we can achieve a personal peace. Allowing our outer, ego self to become servant to our inner self, we truly master our whole self. Let our outer ego self think it is master and the inner self servant, and we will be hounded increasingly.
     What we term the inner, subjective l'autre moi is the spiritual in man, with a faculty to truly represent itself. It transcends the outer, ego self. Death of our ego is birth to a beautiful new inner world. Ego and pride are separateness-from ourselves and others. Egocentricity and selfishness cause more emotional and mental illness than any host and epidemic of germs.
     So if our world looks black, it is black because our personal world and our personal self is black. The world seen by us reflects as much of us as it does itself. The quality of our outer visible world reflects the quality of our subjective, personal ego self. If we see others as needing correction, it is probably our Inner self telling us that we need correction. It is our ego that projects that judgment out on the world. If we see other men as mean or small or guilty or angry, our inner self probably is sending us that message.
     Until we become one with our inner self, we will keep getting those messages. Unhappy? It's because we punish ourselves. We don't heed those messages. We don't heed that obligation and summons to spiritual duty. Irritation, sadness, conflict, depression will hound us until we do.
WESTERN ASSEMBLY 1978

WESTERN ASSEMBLY              1978

     All members and friends of the General Church are cordially invited to attend an Assembly to be held at the Gabriel Church in La Crescenta, California on March 17th to 19th, Bishop Louis B. King presiding.

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REVIEWS 1978

REVIEWS       Various       1978

     Courtship, Consent, Betrothal, by Rev. Erik Sandstrom, Sr., General Church Publication Committee, 1917, 20 pages. General Church Bookroom, 50 cents.

     This is a pocket size booklet that is designed to be easily read. For the price of 50 cents it makes a useful gift to any teenager or young adult. The booklet deals with attitudes toward dating, sex, and getting married-attitudes that should be properly established before one is suddenly of age to be married.
     There are five divisions that speak in turn of what a happy marriage is; courtship versus "going steady"; consent and public announcement; the state of betrothal; and the rite of betrothal. One is challenged to pre pare and work for the possibility of a happy marriage before the actual wedding takes place. The work and preparation is all the more vital because of the "sorry decline of marriage through the ages of this world."
     One of the less desirable practices dealing with pre-marriage states in our western world is the custom of "going steady." Mr. Sandstrom notes, however, that "going steady is not necessarily, or always, disorderly. It may partake of sincere courtship, or may lead into it. Yet there is no denying that it is fraught with dangers." He outlines the harm that can come from "going steady," and at the same time deals with the proper form of courtship. If only for these two points, this booklet is also very instructive for parents of young people.
     Helpful ideas are given in connection with developing an honest relationship. This does not mean saying everything that is on one's mind, nor revealing past events that are sincerely regretted. "What the Lord has forgiven, man should not stir up," for that is what is meant by the Lord saying, "Let the dead bury their dead."
     Other helpful thoughts are given in regard to the sense of touch, conduct of a courting couple, announcement of consent to the public, guests at a betrothal service, and exchange of gifts.
     In this short booklet, Mr. Sandstrom does not address himself directly to the question of when betrothal should take place once consent is given. He merely refers to the young couple in heaven who were betrothed as soon as consent was given and then gives reason for the pattern of consent and betrothal to be the same in both worlds.

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He further notes that the Writings have specific teachings concerning the preparation for marriage from the time that consent has been given. He also suggests that the Writings mean the time from consent to the wedding when they speak of betrothal, as when they warn against the danger of over-prolonging or over-hastening the duration of the betrothal period.
     The rite of betrothal is largely a lost custom in the Christian Church, but it is to be restored because it prepares a couple to be conjoined in internals before externals. Mr. Sandstrom observes that the Writings re-introduce this ceremony by teaching that "consent is to be strengthened and confirmed by a solemn betrothal." He summarizes the use of betrothal and concludes by recommending the reader to consider what is said in the Writings themselves.
     CHRISTOPHER R. J. SMITH

     Selected Editorials, by W. Cairns Henderson. Editor, NEW CHURCH LIFE 1950-1974. The Academy of the New Church Press, Bryn Athyn, Pa. 1978. 210 pages, $2.50. General Church Book Center.

     Established readers of New Church Life will need no introduction to this latest addition to the literature of the church. It is a collection of 170 editorials by the late Rev. W. Cairns Henderson, photocopied from the pages where they appeared in print from 1951 to 1973 (a process that expedited the printing, but did not allow the correction of a few typographical errors). The foreword by Bishop Pendleton explains how the selection was made from the wide variety of subjects that Mr. Henderson examined in the light of the Writings during his years as editor of this organ. Included are the entire series on "Crossroads of Faith" from 1958 and "Hard Sayings" from 1964, as well as the more loosely structured set on "The Church and . . ." from 1965. A generous index allows the reader to locate subjects from Accommodation to Zeal, or to find the messages associated with New Year's Day, New Church Day, or Christmas.
     Students who were taught by Mr. Henderson in the Academy College or Theological School will hear the echo of his melodious voice as they re-read his words, or picture the twinkle in his eye while enjoying his subtle wit. But what makes this book timeless is that so many of the words are not the author's. There are not many quotation marks in these pages, but a concordance (Bible or Swedenborg) can reveal how many of the ideas are paraphrased from the pages of Divine Revelation. Mr. Henderson set himself the goal of reading all the way through the Old and New Testaments every year or two.

50


In the Writings he not only read sequentially, but made selective studies in ways he describes in "Reading the Writings." His diligent study earned him the ability to think from the Writings as few men have ever done. If a student said, "Somewhere in the Writings it says . . . ," he could usually give a good idea where-or reply confidently, "No, it doesn't."
     The chronological arrangement of the selections happens to end with "Eternal Life," published in November 1973. A few months after that, Mr. Henderson awakened in the spiritual world, where his exploration of the truth could continue without limit. He left behind him a rich heritage of thought for the church. Now its highlights have been gathered into a single volume that will he treasured by students of the Writings at all levels.
     KENNETH ROSE
SIGN OF CONSENT 1978

SIGN OF CONSENT       Editor       1978


NEW CHURCH LIFE
Office of Publication, Lancaster, Pa.
Published Monthly by
THE GENERAL CHURCH OF THE NEW JERUSALEM
BRYN ATHYN. PA.
Editor               Rev. Morley D. Rich, Bryn Athyn, Pa.
Business Manager          Mr. L. E. Gyllenhaal, Bryn Athyn, Pa.

     All literary contributions should be sent to the Editor. Subscriptions, change of address, and business communications, should be sent to the Business Manager. Notifications of address changes should be received by the 15th of the month.

     TERMS OF SUBSCRIPTION
$5.00 a year to any address, payable in advance. Single copy, 50 cents.
     It is the Lord's Love and Will that every human spirit may be born again, and so may be formed into "the image and likeness of God." To this end, He alone provides all of the means and does all of the work of salvation and the intricate processes of regeneration in man.
     This can be learned and acknowledged by man from the Lord's Word. And it can be further confirmed by such truths as that the angels feel in the inmost depths of their beings that the Lord is the all-in-all of life, of love and of wisdom, that everything they have of goodness and truth is from Him, and that they are as nothing.

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     Yet man's learning and acknowledgment of this is not much more than a surface knowledge and a lip-acknowledgment. And so the Lord continues the work of bringing the spirit to a full and deep state. How does He do this?
     We are taught that He does this both from within and from without, by influx through the heavens and by afflux through His Word, thus from without as well.
     One most general truth which demonstrates the afflux of the Lord from without through His Revelation, a truth familiar to New Churchmen, is that man is to act as-of-himself in shunning evils and doing goods. Others consist in the repeated urgings to man to "raise his thought above time and space" to contemplate and understand spiritual things, to think from form and substance rather than from figure and matter, to modify, control and re-direct his natural feelings, emotions, affections.
     By his repeated attempts to do these things as of himself, a person is actually giving the Lord as it were the signs of his free consent, of his beginning desire to become re-born. Then can the Lord enter that opened door to effect the real work with infinite patience and care.
     Part of that work consists in furnishing man with some enlightenment as to his mind itself. For as man continues his efforts as of self, he begins to come to and perceive the outer limits of his own understanding; he begins to see the limitations of merely natural logic, and even of his most abstract and highest thought from his own intelligence. He is increasingly enlightened by the Lord from within as to his grossness and blindness, the error in his as-of-self applications of truth to his life. And so he is led to that final state of utter humiliation which is the pre-requisite to true spiritual humility. He sees himself as a fool, thinking of freedom as license and thus being in slavery to hell. And at last, he may cry out, "Lord, I believe; help Thou mine unbelief."
     We should notice, however, that this state of utter humility cannot come to a person without his first making repeated efforts as-of-himself to raise his mind above time and space, to shun evils and to do that which is good. For it is by these means that he gives the sign of free consent to the Lord, opens the door, builds "a highway for our God," by which the Lord may enter and begin His patient, loving work of regenerating him.
     It is on this basis, also, that when he becomes an angel, he will be able, not only to see, to feel and to acknowledge the Lord's presence and influx in the inmost depths of his being,-but will at the same time feel increasingly the reality of his own identity, feeling more and more that he is "his own man" in the true sense of that phrase, that is, in relationship to his Heavenly Father.

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ANNUAL COUNCIL MEETINGS 1978

ANNUAL COUNCIL MEETINGS       B. DAVID HOLM       1978




     Announcements

     General Church of the New Jerusalem
     The Annual Meetings of the Council of the Clergy and of the Board of Directors of the General Church have been scheduled to take place in the week of March 6-11, 1978, at Bryn Athyn, Pennsylvania.
     B. DAVID HOLM,
          Secretary
FREDERICK EMANUEL DOERING TRUST 1978

FREDERICK EMANUEL DOERING TRUST              1978

     Application for assistance from the above Fund to enable male Canadian students to attend The Academy of the New Church at Bryn Athyn, Pa., U.S.A., for the school year 1977-78 should be received by one of the pastors listed below as early as possible.

     Before filling their applications, students should first obtain their acceptance by the Academy immediately, as dormitory space is limited.

     Any of the pastors listed below will he happy to give any further information or help that may be necessary.

The Rev. Geoffrey S. Childs               The Rev. Christopher K. J. Smith
2 Lorraine Gdns.                     16 Bannockburn Rd., R.R.2
Islington, Ont. M9B 421                    Kitchener, Ont. NZ6 3W5

The Rev. William H. Clifford
1536 94th Ave.
Dawson Creek, B.C. V1G 1H1

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APPLICATIONS FOR ADMISSION TO THE ACADEMY OF THE NEW CHURCH 1978

APPLICATIONS FOR ADMISSION TO THE ACADEMY OF THE NEW CHURCH              1978

     COLLEGE

All Students:

     Requests for application forms for admission to The Academy College for the 1978-79 school year should be made before January 15, 1978. Letters should be addressed to Dean Robert W. Gladish, The Academy of the New Church, Bryn Athyn, Pennsylvania 19009, and should include the student's full name and address, the name and address of the school he or she is now attending, and whether the student will be a day or dormitory student. Please see the Academy catalog for information about dormitory requirements.
     Completed application forms and accompanying material should be received by Dean Gladish's office by March 15, 1975.

     BOYS SCHOOL AND GIRLS SCHOOL

New Students:

     Requests for application forms for admission to the Academy Secondary Schools should be made for new students before January 15, 1978. Letters should be addressed to Miss Morna Hyatt, Principal of the Girls School, or Mr. Donald Fitzpatrick, Principal of the Boys School, at The Academy of the New Church, Bryn Athyn, Pennsylvania 19009. Letters should include the student's name, parents' address, the class the student will be entering, the name and address of the school he or she is now attending, and whether the student will be day or dormitory. Please see the Academy catalog for dormitory requirements.
     Completed application forms and accompanying material must be received by the Academy by March 15, 1978.

Old Students:

     Parents of students attending the Girls School or Boys School during the 1977-78 school year and residing in the dormitory or wishing financial assistance for the 1978-79 school year should apply before March 15, 1978. Letters should be addressed to the Principal of the school the student is now attending.

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AM I MY BROTHER'S KEEPER? 1978

AM I MY BROTHER'S KEEPER?       Rev. MARTIN PRYKE       1978


NEW CHURCH LIFE
VOL. XCVIII FEBRUARY, 1978           No. 2
     And the Lord said unto Cain, "Where is Abel thy brother? And he said, "I know not: Am I my brother's keeper?" Genesis 4:9.

     The serpent had successfully tempted Adam and Eve. The Most Ancient Church had succumbed to the pull of the sensual. Earthly life (the serpent) instead of remaining subservient to the spiritual life, asserted dominion and led man to believe that life was his own and that truth was derived from his own self-intelligence-he had eaten of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.
     The further degeneration of the Most Ancient Church which resulted is described by the story of the birth of Cain and Abel and of what happened to them afterwards. Cain (the tiller of the ground) and Abel (the keeper of sheep, or the shepherd of the flock) represent the faith and charity, respectively, which are the offspring of the church. But here the church is in its decline and so the offspring are not true offspring.
     In the Most Ancient Church faith and charity had been one; they were organically one within them; they could not even think of them separated. With them love to the Lord and toward neighbor ruled, and "through this love they had faith from the Lord, or a perception of all the things that belonged to faith, and for this reason they were unwilling to mention faith, lest it should be separated from love."*
     * AC 337
     The births of Cain and Abel represent that these two (faith and love) came to be regarded separately, recognized and acknowledged as things which stood by themselves.*

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This had never been done before the fall. The consequences of such a separation becomes evident when we see Cain's jealousy of Abel and his subsequent act of murder.
     * cf. AC 338
     The "fruits of the ground an offering unto Jehovah" which Cain brought are the works and worship of faith alone,* while Abel's offering of the "firstling of his flock, and of the fat thereof" are the things of charity and all worship which is grounded in it.* The former are not acceptable to the Lord for from faith alone nothing genuine flows, but the latter are acceptable because they are the fruits of a true love of the Lord and of the neighbor.
     * AC 350
     ** AC 354
     Faith alone does not simply separate itself from charity, does not simply ignore or deny it, but attacks and destroys it, just as Cain sought an opportunity to slay Abel. A conviction that faith is sufficient for salvation does not only say that good works are not necessary, but that they are not possible-that is, not possible to man who could only be in the love of reward and merit when doing them. This is to destroy completely the life of charity as an essential part of the regenerate man.
     Is there not a modern counterpart to this in the great emphasis which we find attached to worldly scientific learning and the very slight emphasis placed upon spiritual, or even moral, values as such? Even between nations it is felt necessary to devote a wealth of time and material to asserting scientific prestige; and within society there is a barely concealed contempt for those with less academic ability, opportunity or achievement; and yet the most devout, the most mature, the most spiritually minded may be found among them, and the heavens will be strengthened by all such.
     The apparent conflict between charity and faith, the appearance that faith must take the first place (the primogeniture) and the reality that faith and charity are in truth brothers, with faith being the first in time and charity the first in end (or in essence); all this is taught in the Old Testament by the various stories of rival brothers: Cain and Abel, Esau and Jacob, Pharez and Zarah, the twin sons of Judah, as well as Ephraim and Manasseh, the sons of Joseph.
     After he had slain Abel, Cain is asked by the Lord, "Where is Abel thy brother?" To which Cain replied, "I know not; am I my brother's keeper?" The conflict is persisted in. Cain denies any responsibility to his brother-faith again refuses any relationship with charity.
     The keeper here is one who serves, like a doorkeeper, a guard, a keeper of the threshold.* Yet faith is indeed the keeper of charity. Its function is exactly that-to serve and guard charity.

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This Cain denies, "Am I my brother's keeper?" Those with a conviction of the predominant position of faith (that is, of faith alone) deny any place to charity, and also deny that they have any responsibility to charity.
     * AC 372
     The purpose of faith is to serve charity in two principal ways. The first is to introduce man to charity, for it is only from truth that man can find good; it is only from a knowledge of what is evil and what is good that man can shun the one and espouse the other. The second function of faith is to provide the means for good to become fruitful in uses. The love of good (which is charity) can only work through, and by means of, truths to fulfill itself in a life of service.
     Furthermore faith is a guard of charity. Love constantly needs direction; it can too easily fall a prey to sentimentality; it can readily, from thoughtlessness, do more harm than good. Thus it is necessary that charity refer to faith, that love consult wisdom, lest it destroy its own purposes. In this way faith is a guard, a doorkeeper, to charity. Cain is the keeper of his brother.
     Faith alone, as a doctrinal concept of the nature of salvation, denies that man can have any real part in charity. This is believed to be the work of the Lord alone and that for man to assume a responsibility for it is for him to ascribe to himself Divine properties. Faith alone as a kind of intellectualism which believes that mental attainments alone will save man and the world also denies a responsibility for a life of charity, which is a life of love and not merely of intellectual achievements.
     Such a denial of responsibility for a life of love, or for the real spiritual welfare of the neighbor, is characteristic of the world today. This may not at first be apparent for we face something of a paradox. On the one hand we see great achievements for the physical well being of the underprivileged and on the other hand little personal sense of responsibility for the neighbor. It appears as if the individual conscience is readily salved by leaving all responsibility to government agencies.
     In the area of individual human relationships there is a surprising amount of disregard of the neighbor or any acceptance of responsibility for his welfare. Many appear to demand, "Am I my brother's keeper?" and in doing so imply that the answer can only be in the negative.
     If the answer is that we are not the keeper of the brother, or neighbor, then society is divided into as many parts as there are members who compose it. It can no longer be regarded as being a unified whole, an operating organism, let alone in the human form. This, in fact, is the modern trend. Each man is sufficient unto himself, a law unto himself. He deems it sufficient that he look to his own ends and avoid harming another. He regards his actions as solely a matter for his own concern. Evil is not believed to be evil if it is private.

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It is enough that we build a cocoon around our own lives, find what we like, avoid what we dislike, and let others do the same.
     With such an underlying philosophy there is only self-seeking; there is no desire to serve and there is no desire to receive service-let each man look to himself. Occupations thus become merely a means to earning money and finding the things of this world which we seek; they are no longer opportunities to perform a use. Thus the minimum return is offered for the wages received and he who would do otherwise is thought to be a fool.
     What is this but a picture of the complete dominion of the love of self, and so a portrait of hell? Little wonder that the Lord has made His second advent and has renewed man's standards of moral and spiritual behavior. A new light is given; a new course is set; a new challenge made.
     There certainly can be no doubt, either in the light of revelation or in the sight of true reason, that man is his brother's keeper. We do have a responsibility to those about us; if not what significant purpose can human life hold?
     The areas of such responsibilities are many and various. We may speak of the church's responsibility to the whole of mankind, and so remind ourselves that a candle is not to be placed under a bushel and that our light is to shine before men. Both the illumination of the truth itself and the shining example of our own lives of regeneration are to bring light to the world and so spread the New Church (the Lord's own kingdom) to all who stumble in the darkness. We are our brother's keeper!
     The individual bears a brotherly responsibility to the society in which he lives, to his country and to the church. These are, each in their own way, like parents to him, from whom he receives protection and nourishment (moral, civil or spiritual). We cannot receive such things without having a responsibility to make some return; at least a responsibility to see that such blessings are available to others and so that we contribute our part to the uses of a group from which we have ourselves benefitted. Can we, for example, continue to receive instruction for ourselves and our children, worship and ministrations, a distinctive social life, at the hands of the church and not see to it that we play our own part, give of ourselves, in the forwarding of these vital uses?
     In the family it has become fashionable to deny that there are bonds which hold us together and also involve demands (and rightful demands) upon us. It is popular for parents (perhaps rather unconvincingly and with a certain bravado) to say that they require nothing of their children.

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Even more significantly children try to convince themselves that because they did not ask to be born into this world, or because they are adult and so are independent individuals, they have no duties to their parents or to brothers and sisters. It is a pathetic cry for they deny a basic element of human relationships and so of charity. They deny that we are dependent one upon another and that the neighbor to whom we have the greatest responsibility is the one closest to us. He is the one whom we can best help and who perhaps can be helped best by us. Where we receive, as from parents, there should we give. This is not to say that as children become adult they are to be bound in an unnatural way to their parents; the relationship will change from one of parent and child to one of adult and adult. Nevertheless the relationship, the tie, the duties remain and cannot be denied, except for the most grave causes, without spiritual loss to him who does it.
     As young people learn to serve those in their families, so they prepare themselves to serve their partner in marriage. To deny the former is poor preparation for the latter. For it is certainly true that marriage, and its fruit conjugial love, are dependent upon mutual service, mutual sacrifice.
Marriage is not a getting; it is a giving, and each partner is truly the keeper of the other.
     Thus in all areas of human contact we may deny with certainty the implication of Cain's question. Certainly the heavens for which we prepare are peopled with those who feel a glowing delight in serving as a keeper, a guard, to the neighbor. This is not in any officious or sanctimonious sense, but is a humble and earnest desire to serve the neighbor at all times when a use to him may be performed. Is this not another way of expressing at least one facet of the Golden Rule, "All things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them; for this is the law and the prophets."*           Amen.
     * Matt. 7:12

     LESSONS: Genesis 4:1-15. Matthew 5:13-32. AC 337:1, 3; 338, 341.

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PROGRESS AND DEVELOPMENT OF THE NEW CHURCH 1978

PROGRESS AND DEVELOPMENT OF THE NEW CHURCH       Rev. WILLARD L. D. HEINRICHS       1978

     What expectations should we have in regard to the future progress and development of the New Church on earth? The Word for the New Church gives answer:

     This New Church, truly Christian, which at this day is being established by the Lord, will endure to eternity, as is proved from the Word of both Testaments; also it has been foreseen from the creation of the world; and it will be the crown of the four preceding churches, because it will have true faith and true charity.*
     * Coro. LII
     In this church there will be spiritual peace, glory, and internal blessedness of life, as is also proved from the Word of both Testaments.*
     * Coro. LIII

     Surely no previous church in the history of the world has been given such a clear and thrilling promise. Many times in the Heavenly Doctrine of the New Jerusalem the Lord affirms that the New Church, the Church of the New Jerusalem, will be the crown of all the churches that have existed before on this earth, that it will never be consummated or destroyed, but will endure, becoming more perfect forever.* In confirming that this is the certain legacy of the New Christian Church, we are provided with ample references from such prophetical books of the Word as Daniel, Ezekiel and the Apocalypse. Such prophecies and their joyous internal message cause our hearts to leap up in anticipation of the day when they will be fulfilled before our eyes or those of generations yet unborn.
     * TCR 786-789; Inv. 39; Coro. 24e, 2.
     But then we cast our eyes about us in the world again and what do we see? Among the billions of people in the world only a few thousand openly profess the teachings of the New Christian Church. Although two hundred years have elapsed since the old Christianity spiritually expired and had its last judgment in the spiritual world, the body of the former church is still very much in evidence in this world, along with numerous other large and powerful churches and sects. If these churches have lost in membership and influence, usually it has not been to the New Church, but often to militant atheism and materialism.

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Moreover, whereas New Church people may have wished to see the dawn of an age of growing order and peace in moral and civil affairs, instead we witness a steady rise in open criminal behavior, abandoned immorality, and bloody wars governed by no code of honor or human decency.
     Without the Word for the New Church as a source of light and guidance, we could hardly conclude otherwise than that daily the state of the world is getting worse, not better. What then of the promise of the New Age as given in the Heavenly Doctrines? Will the world ever witness its fulfillment? When will the New Church really begin to grow? How can it possibly grow and develop in the world that we presently find around us and also inside each one of us?
     In His Divine mercy the Lord has given us many teachings which will help us to find the answers to such questions as these which may arise from the anguished heart. We know, for example, that is a common teaching of the New Revelation that the descent of the New Jerusalem cannot take place in a moment, but it takes place gradually to the extent that the falsities of former churches are set aside. "For where falsities have already been implanted, what is new cannot enter until the falsities have been rooted out."* The plain fact is that what is evil and false in the old Christianity must first be swept away before the new can grow and flourish. In the Brief Exposition of the Doctrine of the New Church the falsities of the old are compared to the offspring of the rapacious owl and the truths of the New Christianity to the young of the gentle dove. If these two were to dwell in the same nest, the young of the owl would surely destroy the young of the dove.** On this account we; are all familiar with the teaching that the New Church, like the woman of the Apocalypse, must be concealed and protected in the wilderness by the Lord while its teachings are being established with a few and provision is being made for its spread among the many peoples of the world.*** But how long will it take until this growth becomes obvious, until the following prophecy from the invitation to the New Church becomes an evident reality? "Hereafter they [the members of the church] are not to be called Evangelical, the Reformed, and still less Lutherans and Calvinists, but Christians."****
     * TCR 784; cf. AR 547; Consummation IV:2
     ** BE 102, 103
     *** AR 546, 547, 561, 562; AE 730-732, 759-761
     **** Inv. X.
     We cannot tell when these things will come to pass.* Not even the angels of heaven know the future, only the Lord.

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In the Apocalypse and in the Heavenly Doctrine when such questions are asked, the reply is always "until time, times, and half a time"-that is to say, until the evil in the former corrupted Christianity have cast off every truth and good which was revealed to them in the Word, and until the New Christian Church is properly prepared to take its rightful place as the spiritual mother of mankind.**
     * TCR 849
     ** Cf. TCR 848; AR 562; Inv. 10; Sc. 11, 33
     Such teachings as these, which explain why the New Church cannot flourish immediately may bring us a measure of comfort in our decadent age. Still we may rightfully wonder how the Lord is presently guiding the development of the New Church in this age. How has the Lord used the events of the past two hundred years, and how is He using the happenings of today to prepare the world for the reception of the teachings of the New Church? Perhaps if we had some knowledge of the process through which the Lord is presently leading the human race it might help to make us more patient and stronger in these days of spiritual, moral and civil adversity.
     Again the Lord has not left us without the truth which may lead us to understand at least in a small way what has been happening in the world to date, and what will happen until the New Church is truly and firmly established in this world. In several passages of the Word for the New Church we are told that "in the Lord's sight the church is seen as a single man, and this larger man must pass through his stages of life like an individual, that is to say, from infancy to youth, from this to manhood, and finally to old age; and then when he dies, he will rise again."*
     * TCR 762; cf. Inv. 34, AC 4672
     When we reflect upon these and related teachings concerning the progressive life of the Lord's church on earth, the following interesting series takes form. The time of the Most Ancient Church from its first rise to the symbolic flood corresponds to the infancy of an individual. The age of the Ancient Church from the flood until its final destruction in the days of Abraham through to Joshua corresponds to a person's childhood. The time of the Jewish Church ending with the Lord's first advent corresponds to the period of youth which ends when maturity is reached. The age of the Christian Church until the Last Judgment in 1757 and the Second Coming of the Lord then corresponds to manhood and womanhood which progresses to old age and finally death. The age of the New Church, the New Age, therefore, corresponds to the state of an individual after death, a state which progresses to eternity.
     Reflecting on this series, we may conclude that for the past two hundred years, since the former Christianity perished in the spiritual world and underwent its last judgment, all the people of this earth, whether they have realized it or not, have been living in the New Age-the age of the New Church-that age which is to be properly compared to the state of a person in his life after death.

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What then is the state of a person after death from the time he enters the world of spirits until he seeks his eternal abode in hell or in heaven? To the degree that we understand this process, to that degree we may be able to understand what has been happening in this world for the last two centuries and what is yet to take place until the New Church enters its Divinely appointed state as the heavenly bride of the Lord among the many peoples of the world.
     We are all familiar with the teaching that most people, after the death of their body, do not go immediately to their heaven or hell. They pass instead through three states in the world of spirits if they are good spirits, and two states if they are evil. The first state is called the state of exteriors, the second, the state of interiors, and the third, which is only for the good, a state of final preparation and instruction for heaven. We cannot attempt at this time a full description of these states or a thorough analysis as to how these states might appear in this era of the new age in this world. (For a summary description of these states see HH 491-520). We can suggest only a few possible applications of this doctrine.
     We know that in the first state in the world of spirits, the state of exteriors, the newly awakened spirit finds himself in a situation of life which seems so closely to resemble his life in the world that he does not ordinarily know that he is in a new world, although while he was awakening he had been given this knowledge. He appears to himself as he was before. He takes up his former occupational interests and hobbies and resumes an external moral and civil life like in this world. He continues in similar personal friendships and religious affiliations as in the world.
     Thinking about this first state, and then reflecting on the first one hundred and fifty years after Swedenborg's day, can we not see a corresponding condition existing in the world? Almost until the first Great War, the first Christian dispensation in most of the world outwardly continued much as it had before the Lord's Second Advent. Moral behavior and civil affairs between nations, and within nations, remained much as they were before the Last Judgment. In many respects it was as if the dawn of a new age had never come. Perhaps it is this early era in the new age that the Lord is describing in the work on The Last Judgment where He says that

     the state of the world hereafter will be altogether similar to what it has been heretofore. . . But as for the state of the church this it is which will be dissimilar hereafter; it will be similar indeed as to external appearance, but dissimilar as to internal.

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As to external appearance divided churches will exist as heretofore, their doctrines will be taught as heretofore; and the same religions as now, will exist among the Gentiles. But henceforth the man of the church will be in a more free state of thinking on matters of faith, thus on spiritual things which relate to heaven, because spiritual freedom has been restored to him.*
     * LJ 73; cf. Coro. 20:2

     Such a passage as this must apply only to the opening state of the new age which is akin to the first state in the world of spirits. If the same old churches and the teaching of their false doctrines were to continue forever in this world, the promise given to the New Church in all revelations of the Word could not come to fruition. This state of affairs must gradually change as the new spiritual freedom manifests itself more and more in externals.
     It is the same in the first state of the world of spirits. The external life of the new spirit begins to become quite different from what it was in the world. The individual begins to travel about in the spiritual world encountering all kinds of new situations and people. What with the use of spiritual speech and other previously unknown means of communication there is an interchange of knowledge and ideas never possible before. The spirit thence experiences a growing independence of previous personal and religious ties. At length from the many things he has observed and heard, he fully realizes he is in a new world. He asks where heaven is. He thinks he is worthy to enter it immediately. But, alas, he is still generally very ignorant of what really constitutes heaven and what fundamental changes he must undergo before he will be ready to enter therein.
     Have we not seen a corresponding condition develop in this world during the last two centuries? Myriads of people have been moving about the globe, establishing whole new countries, and transforming the old, through constant internal and external travel. We have witnessed a freedom in scientific and other experimentation, and a growth in every field of knowledge unparalleled in the previous history of this planet. With these developments, and with the new media of communication at man's disposal, there has certainly been a growing personal independence of age-old cultural, national and religious traditions. Many people have come to realize that they are, as it were, in a new world. They call it the post-Christian era. Many are looking for some sort of heaven on earth; and they often believe that they can attain it without making any fundamental changes in their spiritual and moral life.
     In the world of spirits, when a spirit begins to fully sense his new-found freedom, a significant change of state begins to occur. From being in a state of exteriors he is remitted by degrees and by alterations into his interiors. He begins to act out his inmost loves and desires free from any fear of reproof and punishment.

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Those who are evil begin to openly and without shame commit the evil that was in their hearts. Moreover, by every possible means they appeal to the basest instincts in others in an effort to seduce them into a life of evil. Gone is all the pretense of the old morality and civility. They would have all believe that there is no standard of conduct among spirits that is valid except the one that each person fashions to suit his every love and whim.
     Those who are good also, of course, are remitted into their interiors. And so far as they are enabled to enter fully into the good life which accords with their ruling heavenly love, their conscience, they awaken into a new state of life, which in comparison to the state of their exteriors, is like full wakefulness compared to sleep. But, alas, this awakening with most is only gradual, over an extended period of time, perhaps even thirty years. False ideas confirmed in this world, and their many bad habits of life are, for a time, so manipulated by the evil that they are frequently led astray and fall into states of torment and despair. Only when they have wholly rejected their favorite falsities and bad habits can they be separated from the evil and released forever from their power. They then enter their final state of preparation for heaven, intensely humble before the Lord, eager for instruction in the truth that will usher in a genuine heavenly life.
     Meanwhile the evil, having served the good as eminently bad examples of how one ought not to live and believe, and having completely rejected what is good and true, judge themselves to hell where they will serve under restraint forever after.
     We have spoken at some length of the second state in the world of spirits because it would seem that at this day there is a very strong parallel between that state of interiors and the state of the world as we know it today. For over fifty years now the new freedom of willing and thinking, of speaking and acting in spiritual and moral matters, has been very much in evidence. On the bad side we have seen many powerful, persuasive attacks on the belief in God, on His Word, on life according to His commandments, on the life after death. These verbal and written assaults have been followed by a staggering rise in unabashed criminal behavior, immorality, and mass atrocities. On the good side we have witnessed a new readiness on the part of many to renounce blind obedience to church and other worldly authorities, a willingness to re-think and explore in theological and philosophical matters. The longing and the call for peace, justice and fair dealing among nations and individuals is clearly on the rise.
     As yet, however, for most of the well-disposed of the world there seems to be no respite from, or lasting remedy for, the adversities that are visited upon society by the evil or those who are misled by the evil. The well-disposed cry, "How long, O Lord?" The answer is "time, times, and half a time."

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When the well-disposed of this world are finally willing, at least in principle, to recognize false doctrines and false ideas generally for what they are because of the evil consequences to which they lead; when they are willing to resist and reject the unbridled loves and appetites of the natural man, regardless of how appealing and seemingly harmless they are, because of the terrible destruction they inevitably work in society; when the well-disposed are at last willing to turn from themselves and from worldly authorities, and humbly implore the Lord alone for aid, the state of evil and adversity in the world will then begin to pass away.
     Now we do not know how long it will be until the many of this world recognize false ways of thinking as patently false, and reject them permanently as unworthy of further attention. We do not know how long it will be until evil ways of living are clearly identified for all time as utterly and irredeemably evil. We have no idea how many generations may pass away before the many of the world in humility and despair resort to the Lord in His open Word for the resolution of their spiritual and moral problems. We cannot predict when that new and third state will come, when through the Lord's provision, the many peoples of the world will be instructed and prepared for the glorious establishment of the New Church throughout the globe. That New Age, however, will come. The promise of the New Jerusalem is unequivocal, just as Nebuchadnezzar's dream was said to be certain and Daniel's interpretation was sure.
     If then the age of the New Church is to progress and develop in an orderly manner as does the life of every person after death in the world of spirits, let us never permit ourselves to surrender our hope and trust and fall into despair. Although there may yet be many years wherein it appears that the New Church will remain but a tiny sect, perhaps destined to perish with the other churches around it, let us not become apathetic and cynical. For then we will fall in temptation and go the way of the world and the burden of this curse will become ours: "Woe unto the world because of offences! for it must needs be that offences come; but woe to that man by whom the offence cometh."*
     * Matt. 18:7
     The testimony of Scripture and Divine Doctrine is certain in respect to the New Church. The day of its everlasting glory will come. Let us seek to hasten that day by personally accepting the Lord's commission: "Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your Father who is in heaven."*
     * Matt. 5:16

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"ABOVE EVERY LOVE" 1978

"ABOVE EVERY LOVE"       Rev. GEOFFREY S. CHILDS       1978

     THE RELATION OF CONJUGIAL LOVE TO OTHER HEAVENLY LOVES

     (Address delivered to the Council of the Clergy, March, 1975.)

     Introduction

     In reading certain sections of the Writings, I've been struck by the very high value placed upon conjugial love in relation to other heavenly loves. Specifically this is true of numbers in the Spiritual Diary, Apocalypse Explained, and in the work on Conjugial Love. These passages have raised certain questions. For example, what is the relationship of love to the Lord and conjugial love? Of love of the neighbor and conjugial love?
     Also, I began to feel that we may underestimate the place of conjugial love in our theological thought: of its place and use in the hierarchy of heavenly and regenerating loves. Affectionately I believe we give conjugial love the highest of values, but doctrinally I wonder if it has been given the same recognition the Writings give it. I don't know about others, but I feel I have under-valued it doctrinally.
     A related but opposite question is: what is the relation of adultery (in the wide meaning) to other evil loves? This question assumed real power after reading the AE treatment of the 6th commandment. Adultery is given a primacy among evil loves that is to me quite surprising. This has a value in learning about conjugial love through opposites or contrasts, and also delineates a primary evil in such a way that its power of disguises can be removed.
     In the history of the New Church at large, there has also been a viewpoint which downgrades the teachings of the Writings on conjugial love, calling the work on this subject a moral or ethical book not a Divinely revealed treatment. It has been pointed out that the True Christian Religion does not treat of conjugial love as a separate subject, with the implied question of "why not, if this love is so vital?" *
     * Editor's Note: It could also be observed that neither is the subject of the spiritual world treated specifically by a chapter in The True Christian Religion!

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     The Fundamental Love, and Use

     A primary set of passages on this subject is in Conjugial Love 64-69: "That (regarded) from its origin and correspondence, love truly conjugial is celestial, spiritual, holy, pure and clean above (prae) every love which is from the Lord* with the angels of heaven and the men of the church."** Its origin is the marriage of good and truth, and its correspondence is with the marriage of the Lord and the Church. "These two marriages from which conjugial love descends as an offshoot are holiness itself."*** This number continues to show how conjugial love, if received from its Author the Lord, is continually purified. And that it is called celestial and spiritual because it is with the celestial and spiritual angels; it is therefore holy and pure.
     * Italics by author.          
     ** CL 64
     *** Ibid.               
     "That this love, regarded in its essence from its derivation, is holy and pure above every love with angels and men, is because it is the head, as it were, of all other loves." Taken as written without comparing passages, this would put conjugial love above love of the Lord, love of the neighbor, love of use. This would be so unless conjugial love intrinsically expresses or is a part of these loves. To me this one passage gives a whole world to think about-a world of reflection. The number ends by saying that the eminence of conjugial love will be treated of "in the article which now follows." In this next article, conjugial love is called "the fundamental of all celestial and spiritual loves, and thence of all natural loves."* This term "fundamental" deserves careful thought as to its full meaning and implications. In a dictionary definition fundamental is defined as "serving as an original or generating force, serving as a basis supporting existence or determining essential structure or function"; The synonyms of "primary and basic" are given (Webster's 7th New Collegiate). In Latin, "fundamentalis", and "fundamentum" (n) are given, meaning a foundation, ground-work, basis; also "fundofundare"-to lay the bottom, keel, foundation.
     * CL 65
     The origin of conjugial love, which causes it to be fundamental, "is from the marriage of good and truth; and from this marriage proceed all the loves which make heaven and the church with man."* The definition given of conjugial love here is "nothing else than the conjunction of love and wisdom." From this proceeds all loves and uses, and therefore conjugial love is "the fundamental of all the loves of heaven and the church"; it is "like a parent, and all other loves like his offspring."
     * Ibid.

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     The marriage of love and wisdom, or good and truth, originates on the highest plane of receptivity with man (homo), in order for it to be the parent and fundamental love. Its first origin is from the "union of the Divine and Human in the Lord." This is the Creative Origin. The first origin of reception with man (home) is on the plane of the soul, in the heaven of human internals.* A direct teaching is that "it is into the soul that the conjugial of love and wisdom or good and truth from the Lord first inflows."** Thus the reception of the conjugial is on the first and second levels of the Divine proceeding,*** in the very radiant belts surrounding the spiritual sun. Consorts "love each other mutually from inmosts";**** the soul of man is masculine, woman feminie;***** therefore the conjugial desire for conjunction starts on the plane of the soul.******
     * AC 1999:3; HH 39; TCR 8; CL 69.
     ** CL 69
     *** AC 8443               
     **** DP 144:2
     ***** CL 46               
     ****** HH 368
     "Upon love truly conjugial this order is inscribed". it ascends and descends; it ascends progressively upwards from its first heat towards the souls, with an effort to conjunction there, and this by openings of the minds continually more interior; and there is no love that more intensely labors for these openings, or which more powerfully and easily opens the interiors of minds than conjugial love, for the soul of each intends it.*
     * CL 302
     "Since natural loves emanate from spiritual loves, and spiritual loves from celestial, therefore it is said that conjugial love is the fundamental of all celestial, spiritual,. . . and hence of all natural loves. Natural loves have reference to the loves of self and the world."* The purifying of natural loves is the great challenge of regeneration. Aid in this is given if it is known that conjugial love is the fundamental also of all natural loves; that the purifying of this love comes first in the natural. And also if it is known that "at the same moments when that love is ascending towards the soul, it is descending also towards the body, and is thereby clothing itself. But it should be known that conjugial love is of such quality in its descent as it is in the altitude to which it ascends; if it is in the height, it descends chaste, and if not in the height, it descends unchaste."** Further elaboration of what this means is given in the chapter on betrothals in Conjugial Love.
     * CL 67
     ** CL 302     
     By delights "love manifests itself."* ". . . Into conjugial love are gathered all joys and all delights from their first to their last. . . . Because as already shown conjugial love is the fundamental of all good loves and is inscribed upon the very least parts of man, it follows that its delights exceed the delights of all other loves, and also that it makes all other loves delightful according to its presence and at the same time its conjunction with them.

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That all delights from their first to their last are gathered into this love, is because of the excellence of its use above all other uses." This number concludes by calling the use of conjugial love "the complex of all other uses."
     * CL 68
     In the work on the "Divine Love" (XIII) it is said that "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." If the use of conjugial love is of an excellence "above all other uses,"* then it must be an inmost expression of the love of the Lord. Later references seem to support this. A directly related passage teaches that "in the highest region, called celestial, is conjugial chastity in its love; into this man is raised by the love of uses; and as the most excellent uses are from marriages, into this celestial region man is raised by love truly conjugial."**
     * CL 68
     ** CL 305
     Since conjugial love is the fundamental love, it is like a parent, and its use exceeds all others, why isn't conjugial love more frequently dealt with in church presentations? Why do the Writings not say more about this love, in the context of regeneration? Perhaps this is a protection in Providence for this most innocent and powerful of loves, a protection against profanation. It is written through Swedenborg: "I know that few will acknowledge that all joys and delights from the first to the last are gathered into conjugial love, because . . . love truly conjugial . . .is at this day so rare that it is not known what it is and scarcely that it is, and these joys and delights are present in no other conjugial than that which is genuine. And since this is so rare on earth, it is impossible to describe its supereminent felicities from any other source than the mouth of angels, for they are in it. These angels have said that its inmost delights, which are those of the soul . . . are imperceptible and hence ineffable, being delights of peace and at the same time of innocence; that in their descent they become more and more perceptible."*
     * CL 69
     In the Spiritual Diary there are a number of passages which treat beautifully of conjugial love, and incisively of its opposite. It is said that "conjugial love is the (fundamental) principle, and thence all loves draw their origin and are derived, and form consanguinities and affinities, which are similar derivations of loves. Hence now it appears that the primary bond of conscience is founded in conjugial love."*
     * SD 3705
     "Heaven is marriage, and hell is adultery . . . That a man by conjugial love receives the form of love (heaven) inwardly and outwardly, by adultery the form of hell; also, that heavenly love is implanted solely through conjugial love."*

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Here also this love is called "the fundamental love of all loves"; and it is said that the delights of conjugial love exceed all others . . ., both in number and quality, (and) . . . that heavenly joy is founded upon that love."**
     * SD 6051:5
     ** SD 6051:6-8
     In a surprising statement, it is said that "to love the married partner is to do good in the sight of the Lord; for it is thus, from chastity, to love the Lord."* "This communicates with the heavens, and delights the souls of angels to such an extent as cannot be believed." This ties conjugial love directly to the love of the Lord; in effect it says: "to love the married partner . . . from chastity (is) to love the Lord." This is a primary point of this paper, and is supported by the teachings on the excellence of the conjugial use, and love of use being love of the Lord. There will be more on this in further references later.
     * SD 6051:12
     The final section of the Diary, number 6110, with its 82 sub-sections, has many related teachings to the fundamental nature of conjugial love. Such as "married partners together, or conjugial love, is the very image and likeness of God." (10) "The wife is the man's soul, and life, or is the heart of the man; but neither knows anything else than that the other is his, or hers, and that each is the other's reciprocally and mutually." (14) "Love truly conjugial is, at the beginning, like as man being reformed, and afterwards regenerated. It inverts itself; and, when it has inverted itself, the man's love proceeds from the wife's love, and as is the latter so is the former." (61) "It was related out of heaven that the Most Ancients, who were celestial, called conjugial love the chief of all loves, and the very delight of life, and said that love towards children is the nearest derivation from it." (30)

     What Correlation?

     The sphere and import of these numbers are quite strong, and also of those in later sets of quotations, and therefore other teachings should be kept in mind as well, to maintain perspective. The doctrine of the Lord is the supreme doctrine. Belief and understanding of the Lord, and love of Him, must precede any recaption of the conjugial. "How important it is to have a correct idea of God may appear from this consideration, that the idea of God constitutes the inmost of thought with all who have any religion, for all things of religion and all things of worship have respect to God. . . .The state of man after death is according to the idea of God affirmed within him."* "A knowledge of the Lord surpasses in excellence all other knowledges in the church and even in heaven."**
     * DLW 13
     ** TCR 81

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". . . The highest of truth Divine is the Divine Human . . . and hence the highest among the doctrinal things of the church is that His Human is Divine."* "In the heavens, the goods of all are from one love; thus from one origin. The one love which is the origin of all the goods there is love to the Lord from the Lord."**
     * AC 4687e
** HH 72: 2; cf. DLW 122; DP 94; HH 271
     The Lord is the source of conjugial love; its inmost origin is from the marriage of the Divine and Human in Him. Doctrine concerning the Lord and the Glorification is of more importance, of a higher nature, than the doctrine of conjugial love. Love to the Lord from the Lord is the highest of all loves received by angels and men."* "No one can come into conjugial love who does not approach the Lord, love the truths of the church, and do its good."** "To fulfill the Divine end of marriage and to enjoy its blessedness of life, the husband and wife must be delivered from the loves of self and the world, and become established in supreme love to the Lord, and in mutual love to each other; because love to the Lord and to one another conjoins them more and more, in affection and thought, and in every word and work."***
     * HH 72:2
     ** CL 70               
     *** Lit. P. 95
     But the love of the Lord from the Lord is directly related to conjugial love. In a number of passages, some already given and some still to be quoted, love of the Lord and conjugial love are conjoined.* Both love of the Lord and conjugial love cannot be defined as the most important loves-unless they are an integral part of each other. Is the inmost reception of the Lord in conjugial love?
     * e.g. SD 6051:12; CL 68, 305 and D. Love XIII, and esp. AE 993, 995

     LOVE OF THE LORD WITHIN CONJUGIAL LOVE

     An unforgettable treatment of conjugial love and its opposite is found in the Apocalypse Explained in the treatment of the 6th commandment, "thou shalt not commit adultery." This starts with AE 981 and continues beneath the expositional numbers to AE 1009. In this treatment conjugial love is given a priority in relation to other heavenly loves that is striking. Related to this as a further cause for study and reflection is the treatment of adultery-that adultery is behind every evil as a cause; spiritual adultery, which is what gives natural adultery its power and delight.
     This treatment describes the delight of adultery as "hell in man," and "the delight of marriage (as) . . . heaven."*

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It calls "the love of adultery . . . the fundamental of all hellish and devilish loves," and the chaste love of marriage "the fundamental love of all heavenly and Divine loves; consequently so far as a man is in the love of adultery he is in every evil love, if not in act yet in endeavor; and on the other hand, so far as he is in the chaste love of marriage, he is in every good love."
     * AE 981
     "The origin of the love of adultery is a marriage of evil and falsity, which in its essence is hell."* Even as in opposites conjugial love descends from the marriage of good and truth. More inwardly, the origin of the conjugial is "the Lord's love for the church," and inmostly the union of the Divine and Human in the Lord. Before treating of the nature of the love of adultery, as given in the Ae 6th commandment series, more should be said about why conjugial love is the chief of all loves, and the parents of loves.
     * AE 983
     It is so by virtue of its origin, yes; but why on its own receptive plane? It is revealed: "man can become the love which is an image or likeness of God only by a marriage of good and truth; for good and truth inmostly love one another, and ardently long to be united that they may be one; and for the reason that Divine good and truth go forth from the Lord united, therefore they must be united in an angel of heaven and in a man of the church. This union is by no means possible except by a marriage of two minds into one, since . . . man was created to be an understanding of truth, and thus a truth, and woman was created to be an affection for good, and thus a good; therefore in them a conjunction of good and truth is possible.
     "For marriage love which descends from that conjunction is the veriest medium by which man (home) becomes the love that is an image or likeness of God. For the married pair who are in conjugial love from the Lord, love one another mutually and reciprocally from the heart, thus from inmosts; and therefore although apparently two, they are actually one, two in respect to their bodies, but one in respect to life."* Man (vir) or woman is incomplete as to heart or understanding before coming into conjugial love. The conjugial partner through regeneration from the Lord gives the necessary completion of mind to make one angelic being (homo). In this one man (home), good from the Lord is received by the wife, and wisdom from the Lord by the husband. These two love each other intensely, and long for each other; they were created to be one.
     * AE 984
     Most consciously but above the conscious level, the wife offers to her husband good received from the Lord-received by her and in her. The husband, in being drawn with love to this good, is in actuality loving the Lord in her.*

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On the conscious plane of his mind, this is felt as love for her-as love for his wife apart from his conceit and proprium. The above-conscious conjunction of good and truth "belongs to man's interiors." When it descends "into the lower parts pertaining to the body, it is perceived and felt as love."**
     * SD 6051:12; AE 995, 996     
     ** HH 367
     To his wife, man's understanding on the interior plane, as given by the Lord through his regeneration, is the Lord received by her husband. On this interior, above-conscious plane, her love for her husband is love of the Lord. But in both the case of husband and wife, this is not consciously felt as love of the Lord, but rather as love of the partner. The Lord is in the good received by the wife, and the truth received by the husband, They love what is of the Lord in each other, in the above-conscious marriage of good and truth. These inner qualities from the Lord long to be one; to be in the heavenly marriage. This is perceived as deep love one for another; husband for wife and wife for husband. This love is the Lord's gift, fulfilling the inmost purpose of the Lord to give happiness to; man (home). The "as-of-self" reception of conjugial love is the highest feeling of life man can know. It is an inmost reception of the Lord, through one's partner. It fulfills the promise of the betrothal reading: "I will betroth thee unto me forever; yea, I will betroth thee unto me in justice and in judgment, in loving-kindness and in mercies; and I will betroth thee unto me in faithfulness; and thou shalt know the Lord."* This refers to man as an individual coming into love of the Lord; it refers also we suggest to the reception of conjugial love, which "in its first essence is love to the Lord."**
     * Hosea 2:19, 20; AE 946:2     
     ** AE 995
     Lest all this sound too idealistic or falsely sweet, the type of conjugial love here described is so rare as hardly to be known. It has nothing to do with man's conceit or love of dominion. There is in it no lack of regard, no desire to rule. It is absolutely free and more than equal, since it desires all that is one's own to be the other's. Conjugial love is a gift from the Lord, given only through temptation in which man's spirit perceives that all that is true and good is from the Lord. Thus it is a regenerating and regenerate love, felt early in gift states and from remains, and coming later in the regeneration of the natural in the "Zebulon" state in the birth of the 12 sons of Jacob. This is further shown in the place and correspondence of the tribe of Zebulon in the land of Canaan. In glorifying the natural, the Lord made it possible for conjugial love to be received as in a home in that plane in man.

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The truths of the Second Coming are needed to make the reception complete, but He came on earth and was glorified to bring warmth and light, the very conjugial itself, to the natural. (He came for many other reasons as well, more than we know.) When Jesus began His ministry, He left Nazareth, and "came and dwelt in Capernaum, which is upon the sea coast, in the borders of Zabulon and Nephthalim: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying, The Land of Zabulon, and the land of Nephthalim, by the way of the sea, beyond Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles; the people which sat in darkness saw great light; and to them which sat in the region and shadow of death, light is sprung up."*
     * Matt. 4:13-16
     In a later passage in the AE treatment, conjugial love is defined as "the fundamental of all celestial and spiritual loves, since through that love man becomes love. . . . When a man through marriage has become such a love, he is also in love to the Lord and in love toward the neighbor, and thus in a love for all good and in a love for all truth. For from man as a love, loves of every kind proceed; therefore marriage love is the fundamental love of all the loves of heaven."* Specifically it is said that conjugial love "is from the Lord alone," and that "in its first essence is love to the Lord."** And "as true marriage love in its first essence is love to the Lord from the Lord, it is also innocence. Innocence is loving the Lord as one's Father by doing His commandments and wishing to be led by Him and not by oneself, thus like a little child."*** In an earlier reference, conjugial love is called "innocence, which is the very being (esse) of every good in the heavens."**** It would almost seem from this, especially from AE 993, that conjugial love as received ushers in love to the Lord!
     * AE 993
     ** AE 995
     *** AE 996
     **** AE 985
     The entire treatment of the 6th commandment in AE has a number of beautiful teachings that further characterize the conjugial in the affirmative treatment. It also has, however, an analysis of the origin and nature of the love of adultery that is powerful, and unfolds the theme of this study by opposites.

     THE FUNDAMENTAL HATE

     "Man is born into a love of evil and falsity, which love is the love of adultery; and this cannot be turned about and changed into spiritual love . . . and still less into celestial love . . . , except by a marriage of good and truth from the Lord, and not fully except by a marriage of two minds and two bodies. From this it is clear why marriages are heavenly and adulteries infernal; for marriage is an image of heaven, and true marriage love is an image of the Lord, while adultery is an image of hell, and love of adultery is an image of the devil."*

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"Hell is from adulteries because adultery is from the marriage of evil and falsity, from which hell in the whole complex is called adultery."** Many literal passages from the Old and New Testament express this in correspondential imagery.
     * AE 984               
     ** AE 987
     "The hereditary evils into which man is born are not from Adam's having eaten of the tree of knowledge, but from the adulteration of good and the falsification of truth by parents, thus from the marriage of evil and falsity, from which a love of adultery springs . . . It is from adulteries that man has hell, until he is reformed by the Lord by means of truths and a life according to them. And no one can be reformed unless he shuns adulteries as infernal, and loves marriages as heavenly. In this and in no other way is hereditary evil broken, and rendered milder in the off-spring."*
     * AE 989
     "Becoming an adulterer means living in the marriage of evil and falsity by thinking evils and falsities from a delight in them, and by doing them from a love for them. Every man who does this becomes an adulterer."*
     * AE 989
     There is then given the origin of the delights of adultery: "the delights of the love of adultery derive what they are from the delights of doing evil uses, thus of evil-doing; . . . therefore such as the delight of the evil is in doing evil, such is the delight of their love of adultery; because a love of adultery descends therefrom. That it descends therefrom scarcely anyone can believe; and yet such is its origin. From this it is evident that the delight of adultery ascends from the lowest hell."*
     * AE 990
     This would explain why the delight of adultery is so powerful; its origin is from evil of the lowest plane; in fact adultery is the expression of that interior evil in ultimates, in correspondential ultimates. That the love of dominion from the love of self is the inmost origin of adultery is unknown without Divine revelation, just as the teachings that love of the Lord is ultimated in conjugial love are unknown. But more is given on the essential love behind adultery; a vital passage in exposing the force behind the evil, and exposing its nature. This should weaken its power. The passage is:

     "The delight of adultery is from a certain impure fire, which as long as it lasts counterfeits the delight of the love of good, but in itself is the delight of the love of evil, which in its essence is the delight of hatred against good and truth. And because this is its origin, there is no love between an adulterer and an adulteress, except such as the love of hatred is, which is such that they can be in the conjunction in externals but not in internals.

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For in the externals there is something fiery, but in the internals there is coldness."*
     * AE 991

     It may be said by opposites that the hate in adultery is "above every hate." Its origin is the lowest hell. The first weapon of the genii in dealing with the good is deceit; they love to appear innocent-in the other world sometimes putting on the appearance of an innocent child, and the sirens appearing as beautiful and innocent virgins. Adultery and innocence are joined together in many movies, novels, and life. But behind this apparent innocence is not love but hate.
     "It has been granted me to see that love (of adultery) in its essence, and it was such that within it was deadly hatred, while without it appeared like a fire from burning dung and putrid and stinking matters. And as that fire with its delights burnt out, so by degrees the life of mutual discourse and intercourse expired, and hatred came forth, manifested first as contempt, afterwards as aversion, then as rejection, and finally as abuse and contention."*
     * AE 991:5
     "What the delight of hatred and thus of doing evil is with those who are in hell can neither be described nor believed. To do evil is the joy of their heart, and this they call their heaven. The delight in doing evil derives its all from hatred. . . . It is . . . the delight of hatred, which, becoming a fire in the extremes and being injected into the lusting flesh, becomes for the moment the delight of adultery-the soul in which the hatred lies concealed withdrawing itself. It is for this reason that hell is called adultery, and also that adulterers are . . . unmerciful. . . . This then is the infernal marriage."*
     * AE 991:6               
     This being the origin of adultery, a light is shed on those passages in the Diary which ascribe interior evils to certain ultimates; for behind various forms of incest and perversion lie inner evils. SD 5939 traces certain incests to interior states of evil, and ascribes the love of rule from self-love to sodomy.* Homosexuality is deeply condemned;** what applies to one sex applies to the other. D 4855b, 4856, 4857 are very explicit in tracing incests and perversions to specific interior evils.***
     * SD 5939
     ** SD 3895-3900
     *** See also AC 2220, 2322; CL 55; SD 2675, 3714, 768:2, 5939e, 5919
     These references are given not for the sake of over-kill in making a point, but because some of our college-age young people have had the idea that homosexuality is permissible, and that the Writings do not condemn it. Not only do the Writings condemn homosexuality, but trace perversions to their origin; and this is vital in helping to strip away some of their power to seduce.

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     Even the mild permissions that seem to be accepted by some young people are permissions, and do real damage to the conjugial. Accepting the idea and practice of living together without marriage is quite common at universities, and not condemned. Such morality as condemns it is regarded as outworn, a relic of the fallen Christian ethic. CL 460 has been quoted to support this practice. The sphere of the peer group and its ethics are very powerful, and resisting common practice can be extremely difficult, unless the reasons why are deeply and beautifully unfolded by the Lord. This is done in the chapter on Betrothals and Nuptials.* It is said: "as is the order of this love from its first heat to its first torch, such is it and such it is continued, for the most part, in its progress afterwards. For in this progress, it unfolds itself of such quality as its first heat was in itself, which if chaste, its chasteness is strengthened in its progressions, but if unchaste, its unchasteness increases in progressing."**
     * CL 302-305               
     ** CL 311
     This is re-inforced by the teaching that the betrothal state "ought altogether to precede marriage . . . without thought of the state following. Then marriage is happy and lasting; but so far as it partakes of the . . . (marriage) state alone, so far it is lacking. . . . The delights of the earlier state are indefinite. They approach closely and more closely to the state (of marriage) following, but yet do not enter it. . . . The prior state is the state of conjugial friendship, which surpasses all friendship."*
     * SD 6110:48, 49          
     "It is said that 'adulteries destroy conjugial love, which is the fundamental of all the loves of man,'"* and that "the love of adultery is the fundamental love of all infernal loves, which in themselves are not loves but hatreds; consequently from the love of adultery, hatreds of every kind gush forth, both against God and against the neighbor, and in general against every good and truth of heaven and the church."**
     * SD 4405e
     ** AE 993

     Further Teachings on the Place of the Conjugial

     In contrast to the foregoing on adultery, there are other passages which unfold even more fully the inmost place of the conjugial with man (home), and it is important that these be reflected upon for a more complete picture. Some of these numbers are as follows:

     "I also spake with the angels concerning conjugial love, or that which exists between two conjugial partners who love one another, that it is the inmost of all loves, and such that partner sees partner in mind (animus) and mind (mens), so that each partner has the other in himself or herself. . . .

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This was represented by angelic ideas which cannot be expressed in words."*
     * SD 4408
     "Heaven and mutual love which makes heaven are founded in conjugial love, and the kingdom of the Lord is a marriage, and all conjugial love descends from it, because from the Lord, and intimately conjoins minds, penetrates and affects them."*
     * SD 4406
     ". . . Divine truth and Divine good . . . flow chiefly into marriage love; consequently conjugial love, since it is also the marriage of good and truth, is the very plane of Divine influx."* ". . . Conjugial love is the spiritual heavenly love itself, an image of the Lord and of the church, and derived from that love . . . is chastity itself, purity, and innocence; also that it makes men to be loves in form, since consorts love each other mutually from inmosts, and thus form themselves into loves; while adultery destroys this form, and with it the image of the Lord. . . ."**
     * HH 370; cf. 368
     ** DP 144:2
     "There are three kinds of loves which constitute the celestial things of the Lord's kingdom, namely, conjugial love, love for infants, and the love for society or mutual love. Conjugial love is the principal love of all, because it has within it the end of greatest use, namely, the propagation of the human race, and thereby of the Lord's kingdom, of which it is the seminary. Love towards infants follows next, being derived from conjugial love; and then comes the love for society, of mutual love.* Celestial and conjugial love go hand in hand.**
     * AC 2039:1
     ** AC 2730

     ". . . Conjugial love descends from the Lord through heaven; and that from this love, as a parent, is derived mutual love, which is the support of heaven."* "All beauty in the other life is from conjugial love."** ". . . Genuine conjugial love is innocence itself, because it dwells in wisdom. They who have lived in conjugial love excel all in heaven in wisdom."*** "Conjugial love inflows from the Lord through the inmost of man."****
     * AC 2733: 2
     ** AC 2735
     *** AC 2736
     **** AC 2737. See also AC 4277, 4280:4, 5052, 1038:2, 9061

     Primary Indicator of State: (with the individual, and with civilizations)

     A test is made in the spiritual world to explore the true nature of a newly-arrived spirit. "Spirits who have recently come into the spiritual world are explored, first of all, as to whether they are against conjugial love; they are led to places where the sphere of conjugial love passes by. . . .

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If then they change countenance and indignation appears, and more, if they then think lasciviously, and still more if they speak so, it is a sign that they are of infernal mind; but if they rejoice and are exhilarated, it is a sign that they are of a celestial mind; it is a test whether they are of heaven or of hell; those who are against conjugial love are of hell; they who are with conjugial love are of heaven."*
     * De Conj.
     What is true of an individual is true, interiorly, of a church, and an epoch of a church. In CL 75 is the well-known account of visits made by Swedenborg and an angel guide to the successive eras of mankind; the golden, silver, copper, iron and iron and clay ages. It becomes clear in this judgment that the key, a key, to a civilization is its concept of conjugial love. It is said that "conjugial love was the love of loves with the ancients who lived in the golden, silver, and copper ages."* Of the Most Ancients it is disclosed that "their marriages were their chief source of happiness and delight, and whatever admitted of the comparison they likened to marriage, in order that in this way they might perceive its felicity."** They called conjugial love "the chief of all loves, and the very delight of life."*** After the copper age, there was a deterioration in religion, and in the quality of conjugial love. Until finally, in the iron and clay age, the love of adultery became primary.
     * CL 73
     ** AC 54; cf. AC 162          
     *** SD 6110:30
     The historian Arnold Toynbee believes that an index to a civilization is its religion: when the religion is vital, the civilization flourishes; when the religion loses its force, the era gradually fades. The Writings support this thesis in many ways, but they penetrate more deeply, showing that a key concept of religion is its doctrine and life concerning marriage. Conjugial love is the fundamental of all loves; therefore as an age or epoch regards conjugial love, so it reveals its inmost state; its highest good and its limitations. For further treatment of this see the article on the history of the conjugial with mankind.* The most beautiful memorable relation that describes the angels singing their joy at the Second Coming, concludes with the promise: "conjugial love will be raised up anew by the Lord after His Advent, such as it was with the ancients. For that love is of the Lord alone, and is with those who are made spiritual by Him through the Word."** Fulfilling this promise is the highest hope of the New Church on earth; reception of the fundamental love more and more deeply. Except for the doctrine of the Lord, what else should more deeply qualify our New Church education, preparation for marriage, and interior progress to the Lord in adult states?
     * NEW CHURCH LIFE 1970:74     
     ** CL 81e

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     "Above Every Love"-Conclusions

     When the state is most receptive, then the two universal spheres that proceed from the Lord are the primary spheres of the church and the man (homo) of the church; the spheres of conjugial love and the spiritual love of infants.* The highest state with the church or individual exists when the uses of conjugial love are prior to all other uses. It was so in the Most Ancient Church, and may be so again. Inmost delights then inflow, from the very heaven of peace nearest to the Lord. And in this the Lord is received most closely as the Author of the conjugial.
     * CL 386-389; AC 162; EU 48
     The path to this highest goal however should not be unrealistic. One has to acknowledge the reality of the love of adultery into which man is born hereditarily. He should be aware that psychological blocks can stand in the way of conjugial influx, and be aware of these so that they can be removed in Providence. He should acknowledge that coming into the conjugial is a gift of the Lord through regeneration, that there are many tough and difficult states on the way; that there is a state by state progress through a ladder of mediate goods. There is a definitive number that treats in detail of "the . . . mediate goods of conjugial love."*
     * AC 4145:3
     Nevertheless, the direct path to the Lord is through shunning adultery in all its meanings, but especially the literal meanings first. "No one can be reformed unless he shuns adulteries as infernal, and loves marriages as heavenly. In this and in no other way is hereditary evil broken and rendered milder in offspring."* And on the affirmative side: "the offspring born of two who are in love truly conjugial derive from their parents the conjugial of good and truth, from which they have an inclination and faculty, if a son, for perceiving the things that are of wisdom, and if a daughter, for loving what wisdom teaches."** The hope of the Lord is to lead husband and wife to the perception: "I will betroth thee unto me forever; yea, I will betroth thee unto me in justice and in judgment, and in loving-kindness and in mercies; and I will betroth thee unto me in faithfulness; and thou shalt know the Lord."***
     * AE 989               
     ** CL 202
      *** Hosea 2:19, 20

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PRIESTLY GOVERNMENT OF BUSINESS AFFAIRS 1978

PRIESTLY GOVERNMENT OF BUSINESS AFFAIRS       Rev. W. D. PENDLETON       1978

     (A reprint from the New Church Canadian #7, October, 1977, p. 3. The Editor's Note explains: "The following article is part of a letter to the Secretary of the General Church in Canada, and circulated to members of the Corporation on Sept. 16, 1975 . . . by the Rt. Rev. W. D. Pendleton. . . . It was written in response to a question among the Board of Directors as to whether the Executive Vice-president should be a priest. With the Bishop's permission, the letter is reprinted here. . . .)

     I would call your attention to the direct teaching of the Writings that "Governors over those things which relate to heaven, or over ecclesiastical affairs, are called priests, and their office is called the priesthood."* This, in my mind, is the key number in the Writings pertaining to the governmental responsibilities of the priesthood.
     * NJHD 314
     By definition, ecclesiastical affairs are the affairs of the church, that is, all the affairs of the church. These are contrasted in the same number with civil rulers. The point which I wish to make is that, properly speaking, the church does not have any civil officers. While it is true that the church enters into contracts and has legal obligations, the jurisdiction over these matters lies with the civil authorities.
     When the General Church was formed, a careful distinction was made between priestly and lay responsibilities, but all of these responsibilities are properly ecclesiastical affairs, for they relate to the church and not the civil government. The teaching is that priests are governors over ecclesiastical affairs; that is to say, it is the responsibility of the priesthood to administer the uses of the church. We must distinguish, however, between two kinds of ecclesiastical uses: those which are primary and those which are supportive. The primary uses of the church are worship and instruction; all other uses are supportive. Let me take, for example, the legal, the financial, and other corporate affairs of the church. To me it is quite obvious that the priest from his office does not have either the training or the illustration to make competent decisions in these matters. It follows from this that the corporate affairs of the church should properly be conducted by those among the laity who are skilled in these areas. Nevertheless, it is the priest who should present the needs of the church in terms of primary uses which the church is intended to serve. At all times he should keep before the people the vision of the use and give direction to those steps by which the use is implemented.
     This is the reason why I believe that the Executive Bishop of the General Church should be, as he is, the ex officio president of the Corporation and should preside at its meetings. This also is the reason why I believe that the pastor should preside at the meetings of the Finance Committee (Board of Trustees or Directors).

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I do not concur with the view that the president of an organization, when acting as chairman, is merely an arbiter and should not express an opinion. If, as in the meeting of a church body, the chairman is a priest, I believe he should function as a leader who gives direction and purpose to the meeting. That there are situations in which he must also serve as an arbiter is obvious.
     I recognize that the principle of priestly leadership in the affairs of the church is acknowledged by the Corporation of the General Church in Canada. That this is so is evident from the fact that the Executive Bishop of the General Church International serves as its president. I am also aware that the Bishop cannot, for geographical reasons, preside over many of its meetings. It seems logical to me, therefore, that the priestly function of government should be provided for by one who can act in his stead. It is for this reason that I favor the selection of a priest resident in Canada for the office of Executive Vice-President. This is my view, but in the interest of freedom of determination on the part of the membership of the Corporation, I certainly would not insist on it. Every society or corporation within the General Church should be free to determine its own structure.
     I am fully mindful of the passages from the Writings which were submitted for consideration to the April 5 meeting of the Board of Directors, namely, TCR 114, Doc. of Charity 72, 160. These passages, as I understand them, support the distinction between ecclesiastical and civil affairs which is made in NJHD 314. As already considered, however, I am convinced that what is referred to here is the distinction which is to be made between those responsibilities which properly belong to the church and those which belong to the state. In other words, the church is to be free in the conduct of its affairs from interference by the state, and the state is to be free in the conduct of its affairs from interference by the church. Two freedoms are here involved: religious freedom and civil freedom. Each is essential. While there is an analogy which may be drawn and applied in distinguishing between the priestly and corporate affairs of the church, I do not believe that what is said here is intended to mean that the corporate affairs of the church are not to be regarded as ecclesiastical uses.

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IN OUR CONTEMPORARIES 1978

IN OUR CONTEMPORARIES              1978

     The New Church of Southern Africa. Such is the name of one of the largest bodies of the New Church. Formerly a native mission supported and managed by the joint efforts of the General Conference and the General Convention, it became independent in 1969, though it is still supported in part by the two organizations mentioned.
     Being in receipt of the year-book of this body for 1977, we thought it would be of interest to our readers to review it briefly. Published in Johannesburg, it includes statistics and the Minutes of their 1977 Annual Meeting.
     On the second page is printed a statement of "Our Faith and Our Beliefs." Though no reference to the Writings is made, this actually consists of the quoting of the five "particulars of faith on man's part" given in the True Christian Religion #4, beginning with "That there is ONE GOD, in Whom is the Divine Trinity, and that He is the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ." Each of the five articles is followed by confirming passages from the Old or New Testaments.
     Presided over by the Rev. O. S. D. Mooki, who is also the General Superintendent, the New Church of Southern Africa consists of seven General Districts: The Cape, Natal, Orange Free State, and Northern, Eastern, Western and Southern Transvaal. Total membership is reported as 16,123, consisting of 9,588 adults and 6,535 "Junior Members" (children). 48 churches and other buildings are listed, together with eight more which are in construction. The membership is served by a total of 81 ministers separately classified as "Presiding Ministers," "Ordained Ministers," "Probationary Ministers," "Provisional" and "Evangelists," plus 341 "Lay Preachers."
     Greetings from the New Church of South Africa: On behalf of the clergy and laity of the New Church of South Africa, the largest organization of New Churchmen in the world, extends cordial greetings and best wishes to the members and friends of the General Church of the New Jerusalem. It is signed by twenty priests of Mr. Mooki's church.

     The Association of the New Church in Australia

     The following announcement was received some time ago from a Subcommittee appointed to organize celebrations to mark the Centenary of the interdenominational New Church in Australia:

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     Centenary Celebrations 1981

     During the past twelve months the Sub-committee appointed to organize celebrations to mark the Centenary of The Association of The New Church in Australia in 1981 has continued with the planning. The residential Conference Centre on Western Port Bay, 80 kilometres south east of Melbourne, Victoria, has been booked for 9 days commencing on Monday 5th January, 1981. The present individual daily charge is $8 which is considered to be very reasonable considering the facilities and fully catered accommodation available. It is envisaged that generous family concessions will be available. More detailed publicity regarding the venue and programme will be issued in due course, however, considerable interest has already been expressed within Australia and overseas organizations and individuals.
     The Sub-committee has organized a voucher scheme within Australasia for the making of regular payments towards the cost of the Convocation over the next 3 1/2 years in order to assist individuals in their financial planning. This provides an almost painless method of covering accommodation costs and the $5 vouchers are fully refundable at any time. Anyone within your organization who is contemplating joining us in our celebrations may obtain further details of this scheme by writing to me direct should they so desire.
     I would also be pleased to provide further information regarding the 1981 Convocation on request or hear directly from those who are interested in our celebration.
     Yours sincerely,
          NEVILLE C. JARVIS,
Hon. Secretary,
50 Gracedale Ave.,
Bayswater North,
Victoria, 3153,
Australia

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SIGN OF CONSENT II 1978

SIGN OF CONSENT II       Editor       1978


NEW CHURCH LIFE
Office of Publication, Lancaster, Pa.
Published Monthly by
THE GENERAL CHURCH OF THE NEW JERUSALEM
BRYN ATHYN. PA.
Editor               Rev. Morley D. Rich, Bryn Athyn, Pa.
Business Manager          Mr. L. E. Gyllenhaal, Bryn Athyn, Pa.

     All literary contributions should be sent to the Editor. Subscriptions, change of address, and business communications, should be sent to the Business Manager. Notifications of address changes should be received by the 15th of the month.

     TERMS OF SUBSCRIPTION
$5.00 a year to any address, payable in advance. Single copy, 50 cents.
     The editorial in our last issue (January) expressed the truth that man's effort as of himself to obey the Lord's Word gives the sign of consent to the Lord, so that He may enter in to do the real work of regeneration, cleansing man's heart, extending the horizons and limitations of his mind, causing him to be re-born in the image and likeness of his Maker.
     We may add to this the further reflection that there are many ways in which a man can express this consent and invitation. Thus there is the act of reading the Word, the efforts to shun evils, to change one's habits and attitudes, to subdue one's prejudices, to modify one's biases, to strengthen convictions. There are the mental efforts involved in preparation for the Holy Supper-self-examination and repentance, which is said to be man's part in preparation for re-birth.
     Finally, but not least, there is prayer on the knees, both public and private, and involving both speech and action. For, by this man acknowledges his need and his inability to raise his mind above time and space, to think from what is eternal and spiritual from himself without the Lord's help.
     All these are, or can be, the signs of a free and willing consent on man's part. To the extent that they are true and sincere efforts, to that extent the Lord enters in without impinging on a man's free-will, and can effect the deep-hidden processes of gestation and re-birth.

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     It is a slow and most intricate work, done with infinite care and boundless Love. And therefore it is mostly undetectable and unnoticed by the person himself.
     On this account, religious people often despair of having made any progress at all through the years of effort. Yet there are questions which they can ask themselves which may give them some signs of hope. And in the next issue we will suggest some of these.
RETROACTIVE RETRACTION AND APOLOGY 1978

RETROACTIVE RETRACTION AND APOLOGY       STEVE GLADISH       1978

Dear Editor:
     Five years ago I was improperly motivated to write a rebuttal to the published commencement address by Mr. H. Keith Morley; both appeared in NEW CHURCH LIFE.* Today I make a printed retraction of my rebuttal. Anything written with elements of anger and antagonism in it should be renounced. Whatever truth that might have lurked in the rebuttal was negated and polluted by the spirit in which it was conceived. In fairness to Betsy Gladish, who co-authored it, I believe she responded to the logic and truth in the rebuttal, while I am addressing my point here to the impure motivation of the rebuttal on my part. To live according to the Ten Commandments requires both a fear and love of the Lord and man, an actual fear of hurting either. Anger, enmity, or revenge all break the Fifth Commandment. Even impatience, discourtesy, and unrestrained speech have anger and seeds of destructive self-love in them, while all delights and gladnesses belong to constructive love and affection.
     * NCL 1972:409, 521
     Transcending the natural man's impatience and anger jettisons our inherited hatred against the neighbor due to self-love, elevates us toward heaven, and propels us skyward to hook up with our internal man. Here the Lord can enter with love, charity, and mercy. Here is the chance for peace and joy, away from time, from the body, and from the world. Staying with the natural man means keeping our inheritance of instinctive inflammation against all who do not favor our love and make one with us. Anything done with anger sticks in the craw and causes conflict within and without. There may be many psychological reasons for anger, but the proverbial bottom line on anger, I found, has to do with the Seventh Commandment.

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     For these reasons, I apologize for and retract my rebuttal of Mr. H. Keith Morley's article. In the same spirit, I apologize for the elements of anger and antagonism that were present in the conception of the book, Love In The Classroom, 1974, especially apologizing to those associated with the Academy of the New Church who may have been affronted by its tone and mood. Anything I have not done from love and affection I renounce and retract. Oral, Ariz.,
     STEVE GLADISH

     References: AE 1012, 1013, 1014, 1015, 1016, 1017; AC 5721, AC 382f.
WESTERN ASSEMBLY 1978

WESTERN ASSEMBLY       LOUIS B. KING       1978

     You are cordially invited to the Western Assembly to be held at the Gabriel Church of the New Jerusalem in La Crescenta, California on March 17-19, Bishop Louis B. King presiding.

     NEW CIRCLE

     The Manchester Group of the General Church, in Manchester, England, has been recognized as a Circle of the General Church of the New Jerusalem.

     AUSTRALIAN ASSEMBLY

     All members and friends of the General Church are cordially invited to attend the Australian National District Assembly of the General Church of the New Jerusalem to be held in Sydney, Australia, on May 12th to 14th, 1978. The Right Reverend Louis B. King, Bishop, presiding.
     LOUIS B. KING,
          Bishop
Church News 1978

Church News       Various       1978

     COLCHESTER

     Looking back on 1977, Colchester seems to have kept up its usual activities besides enjoying quite a few happy and interesting occasions.
     Bishop Louis King and his wife with Mr. and Mrs. Leonard Gyllenhaal were in our midst during late November. Bishop King guided us in our deliberations regarding what will he best for our society and the church as a whole in the near future. He gave a talk to the children and preached at the Sunday evening service of worship. This was followed by a buffet supper and a talk about General Church uses. The following evening before a cheese and wine reception, Bishop King gave a class on 'The Proprium.' We were grateful for his visit, which was the completion of a three week tour of other church centers.
     In efforts to present our doctrines to Colchestrians, the Rev. Boyesen arranged to give three lectures in the town center library during September. The response from the Society was good, but in other areas rather disappointing. However, after each lecture we were invited to continue discussion and drink coffee at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Szymbra, who live in the shadow of the Town Hall in an 18th-century house.
     Another way we make ourselves known in Colchester is by encouraging non-members to send their children to our Church school. This is a means of keeping the school open for members' children, both numerically and financially, and may in time encourage the parents to look more deeply into our way of thinking. Our school is now fifty-one years old. The pastor is the Headmaster and teaches part-time; Miss Hilda Waters is our full-time teacher. Mrs. Boyesen, our minister's wife, who for so many years has taught the children voluntarily, decided to retire in February and handed over her work to her daughter, Birgitta Wombwell. Our thanks go to Mrs. Boyesen for her rewarding efforts.
     The children of the school, also the under 5's, have a party three times a year, in the New Year, at Easter and for New Church day. This year, however, as New Church day came on a Sunday, we held a family picnic and a game of rounders after the church service. Adult members had their own celebration banquet on 25th June and our guest speaker was the Rev. E. E. Sandstrom, minister of the London society.
     For Swedenborg's birthday we gathered on 5th February for a buffet supper and a talk by the Rev. R. Preston of the Brightlingsea New Church Conference society on "Swedenborg's Life of Use."
     Another happy occasion for the Colchester society was the marriage of Mr. Raymond Waters and Mrs. Brenda Addy on 2nd April. Two weeks later, we celebrated fifty years of married life, on 16th April, for Mr. and Mrs. Gordon Colebrook. They invited seventy relatives and friends to gather in the church for a party and it was indeed a golden evening. The church members presented them with an electric lawn mower.
     There have been two baptisms this year, baby James Wyncoll, son of Mr. and Mrs. Geoffrey Wyncoll (Kathleen Rose) on May 15th, and an adult baptism of Mrs. Philip Pryke (Janet Hammond) whose husband was confirmed at the same service on 14th August. Another confirmation during the summer was that of Miss Sarah Waters, third daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Philip Waters, on July 24th. We wish all concerned sincere congratulations and happiness in the future.
     One of our members and dear friend, Miss Doris Potter, was taken into the spiritual world on October 23rd after facing life in this world with great fortitude.

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Mr. Boyesen gave a memorial service on 26th October. A few days later we held a musical soiree with several young people taking Dart. Because Doris loved music we felt this was a tribute to her.
     From Colchester our minister, members and young people go to various parts of Great Britain. Mr. Boyesen travels regularly to the Letchworth group to give services and classes, also on longer trips to Manchester, Glasgow and Edinburgh. Our members go to Suffolk to Hengrave Hall, a Tudor mansion now utilized for such gatherings as ours, with good overnight accommodation. An adult study weekend was held there in July, when the Rev. Martin Pryke and his family were present. The young people have been to Hengrave for a weekend study group in September. They also go to Purley Chase near Birmingham for the British Academy Summer School for two weeks, held this year from 23rd July to 6th August. A young marrieds' weekend also took place at Purley Chase in April with emphasis on aspects of family life and rearing young children.
     Mr. and Mrs. Boyesen open their home monthly for tea and class for the young people and lunch and class for the young adults. There are also doctrinal classes for all, two a month in the evenings and two a month in the afternoons.
     Other activities within the society include lessons for our Church organists from the Colchester Borough organist, Mr. Leonard Simpson. These have enhanced our services and, with the placing of the organ speakers high up behind the chancel wall of the church, have greatly improved our music. To strengthen our singing we asked Mr. Russell Peachey, a professional musician to train us to better singing of our hymns and psalms.
     The ladies of the society have started a "Stay Fit" class with an opportunity to exercise to the records of Eileen Fowler and afterwards to discuss the calorie situation. Colchester Theta Alpha chapter meets five times a year in members homes and is currently under the presidency of Mrs. Wallace Glover. It gives money to the school and gifts for the June 19th children's party, also an award to a girl-student at the Summer School for outstanding contribution to the school. The Sons give a similar award to a boy. As this is the Jubilee year for our Queen's 25 years on the throne, we had a Jubilee fair in the schoolroom, commencing with the singing of the National Anthem. The school children had an extra party for the Jubilee on June 2nd, and were presented with a decorated mug as a remembrance; and when they held their Open day they received a specially-minted Jubilee crown.
     RUTH M. GREENWOLD

     SAN DIEGO, CALIF.

     The San Diego Circle is pleased to announce the completion and dedication of a Sunday school and social activities room. Mr. and Mrs. Boothroyd (Elsie and Russell) who were very active in the Church, bequeathed funds for the expansion. We enlarged the kitchen and added a room now designated Boothroyd Hall.
     The project was started about the first of August and finished on November 13th, when Rev. Roy Franson and Rev. David Simons conducted the dedication. They were both on the Chancel an-d at the proper time, they led the congregation from the nave into the hall with our oldest Sunday-school pupil carrying the Word. This copy of the Word had added significance, because it had once been donated to the Sharon Church in the donor's mother's memory. It was placed with proper ceremony on a red velvet mat within a lovely built-in repository. The key was also presented. A Hymn was sung as all returned to the nave and service concluded.
     The San Diego Circle welcomed friends from Tucson, Phoenix, La Crescenta and the Convention Church of San Diego. All enjoyed punch, hors d'oeuvres, then dinner, punctuated with songs and toasts. A beautiful cake decorated with the church symbol, topped off the festivities.
     We are now ready and would be proud and happy if we could fill Boothroyd Hall with children, Sunday after Sunday.
     HELEN O. BOKER

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LAUREL LEAF ACADEMY 1978

LAUREL LEAF ACADEMY              1978

     From a description in the Bryn Athyn Post of the Laurel week of activities, Aug. 28-Sept. 3 inclusive, we quote the following:

     "It was a good camp-peaceful, relaxing, thought-provoking and warm. Over 10 campers took part, of various ages. Add to these the staff and the children, and you come to a total of just under 100 souls.
     "Jack Rose was the Director of the camp, and also of the 'Family' program. Every camper was assigned to a `Family' which met every night for . . . an hour-and-a-half to relax, discuss and get to know each other.
     "The lecture program included: Correspondences in Nature by Marvin Clymer, Consciousness by Chris and Trynket Clark, Experiences after Death by the Rev. Don Rose, The Seven Churches in Asia Minor by the Rev. Thomas Kline. In addition, as a special guest lecturer, the Rev. Joseph Agbaje told us about the New Church in Nigeria. He spent a year at Urbana College, and is staying in this country to get a Master's degree in education. It was a special treat to have with us this vice-president of one of the largest New Church organizations in the world.
     "The 'Shalom' program, under the Rev. and Mrs. Frank Rose, provided a variety of experiences to stimulate reflection on the Word. This included the story of Joseph, a discussion of guilt and forgiveness, and a special candlelight service in the deep woods.
     "Other services were conducted, most of them outdoors-in the Hemlock Grove, on a hilltop at sunset (under a cloudy sky with just a touch of rain), and in a secluded clearing with the Holy Supper.
     "As an elective feature, we had a program on Preparing for Marriage in the afternoons.
     "Then there was always volleyball, swimming or hiking in the Laurel Mountains, and the excitement of white water rafting under the direction of Ed Lee.
     "It was a healthy camp, thanks to the health food prepared by Denise and Robert Grubb with Lewis and Devon Grubb helping, and with mother Tryn helping too. Each one brought an individual mug which added color and was more hygienic. The critiques of the camp (see below) indicate that it was a time of growth and peace for many people."

     At the end of the week, staff and students agreed to write their individual impressions and reactions. These not only reflect their homes and education in the schools of the New Church, but also show their reaching out in appreciation, and in a different atmosphere and surroundings, for something of their own in relation to the Church (especially the college young people). We quote but a few of the many comments, none of which were signed in order to give a greater freedom of expression:

     "Laurel is an ideal social situation because there are people sitting around who are willing to talk to each other. Waking up each day held a lot of excitement in that I would be developing new relationships and that the old relationships could grow even deeper. A sphere of love and trust grows as Laurel proceeds through the week. I gained a real perspective of myself, other people and life."

     "The good-will that surrounds the camp in every cabin, bouncing off the trees, only to be received by another person; learning to give and to receive knowledges, truths and affection in the refreshing sphere that surrounds the Laurel woods."

     "The lectures were very valuable to me, but almost too valuable . . . I mean they were almost too much to swallow all at once. . . ."

     "The lectures at Laurel give you truths and show you how to apply them to daily life. They are often presenting new ideas you might not get anywhere else. The balance of doctrine, active participation and humor in these lectures makes them hard to forget."

     "The program on the Seven Churches in Asia (Rev. 2, 3) was excellent. It showed me many of the negative or hurtful possibilities the Church could fall into, as well as teaching a lot about Dead Worship, an Invisible God, Instantaneous Salvation, Good Works, Faith Alone and The Open Door.

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I feel encouraged."

     "The attitude at Laurel is an open one which we do not get the rest of the year. Not only is the camp open to other peoples' feelings, but to new ideas as well."

     "Laurel was useful to me because I realized how important it is to be flexible and spontaneous in worship, both as an aid in the stimulation of my thoughts and as an expression of the Lord's infinity."

     "I think Laurel meets a need long missing in the Church-a form of 'fellowship' known among early New Churchmen but lost in the last three generations."

     "Laurel is like a mirror. With it you can gain a better view of yourself. It gives you a chance to leave your daily concerns for awhile and concentrate on living with other human beings, feeling close to them, and looking at life through their eyes. Laurel helps to build a greater affection for the Lord and living a life of charity toward the neighbor. Laurel is worshipping in a grove of hemlocks and feeling close to God."

     "The worship services were the most beneficial part of Laurel for me. Their variety provided new ways for the Lord to come into my life."

     "I came to Laurel to become more aware of the presence of God in my life, the life of others, and nature. I'm satisfied that I got exactly that."

     "I find at Laurel a sphere of trust, growth and renewal, gentle, worshipful, alive."
NEW CHURCH HOME 1978

NEW CHURCH HOME              1978

     This New Church magazine has been familiar to New Churchmen for over forty years-first as The Parent-Teacher Journal and later as New Church Education. It now has a new name-New Church Home-and a new thrust. It is now aimed at New Church families-both those in church centers and those who are isolated. It contains items for both parents and children. A typical issue will have two Children's Talks designed for family worship, a short doctrinal article for young people, an article or two for parents, stories for children by New Church authors, and a section for the children's own drawings, stories, etc. It is designed to stimulate the development of the things of the Church in our homes.
     There are ten issues each year, and the subscription price is $3.00. It makes a very suitable gift to families with growing children. We are working to fill a real need in the Church.
     For further information or to get a subscription, please send to NEW CHURCH HOME, Cairncrest, Bag C, Bryn Athyn, PA 19009.

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ANNOUNCEMENT AND INVITATION FROM THE ACADEMY OF THE NEW CHURCH 1978

ANNOUNCEMENT AND INVITATION FROM THE ACADEMY OF THE NEW CHURCH       Various       1978




     Announcements







     Each year for many years now, the Academy has invited 9th and 10th grade students to visit in the Boys School and Girls School for a few days. These visits have generally been useful in interesting students in Academy education and in preparing them for it.
     The number of visitors has grown so large that we now invite them on a rotating basis. Last year we had students from Washington in the fall and from Canada in the spring. This fall we had the Midwest Academy students from Glenview.
     This spring we are inviting those from Michigan, Ohio, and Pennsylvania to visit March 29 to April 2. Others are welcome to join them if they have not been included in one of the three groups mentioned. If interested, please contact one of us or your pastor. (Next fall it will be
Washington's turn again.)

     DONALD C. FITZPATRICK, JR., Principal of the Boys School
     MORNA HYATT, Principal of the Girls School

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MINISTERIAL CHANGES 1978

MINISTERIAL CHANGES       LOUIS B. KING       1978

     The Rev. Bjorn A. H. Boyesen has resigned from the pastorate of the Colchester Society of the General Church, effective Sept. 1, 1978.

     The Rev. Patrick A. Rose has accepted a call to serve as pastor of the Colchester Society, effective Sept. 1, 1978.

     The Rev. Willard L. D. Heinrichs has resigned as Superintendent of the General Church Mission in South Africa, and has accepted appointment to the faculty of the theological school of the Academy, effective Sept. 1, 1978.

     The Rev. Erik Sandstrom has tendered his resignation as Dean of the theological school of the Academy, effective in June, 1978, at the close of the school year.

     The Rev. Robert S. Junge has been appointed to succeed the Rev. Erik Sandstrom as Dean of the theological school, effective Sept. 1, 1978.

     The Rev. Norman E. Riley has been appointed to serve as superintendent of the General Church Mission in South Africa, and as assistant to the pastor of the Durban Society, effective Sept. 1, 1978.

     The Rev. Morley D. Rich, ret., has resigned as Editor of NEW CHURCH LIFE, effective Aug. 31, 1978.

     The Rev. Ormond deC Odhner has accepted appointment as Acting Editor of NEW CHURCH LIFE, effective Sept. 1, 1978.

     The Rev. Peter P. Nkabinde of the General Church Mission in South Africa was ordained into the second degree of the priesthood Nov. 13, 1977, by the Rt. Rev. Louis B. King.

     The Rev. Norman E. Riley has been recognized as a priest of the General Church of the New Jerusalem and as a member of its Council of the Clergy.
     LOUIS B. KING,
          Bishop

     (Ed. Note: The Council of the Clergy of the General Church is responsible for determining its own membership; it has by precedent accepted into its membership those priests whom the Bishop recognized as priests of the General Church.)

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ANNUAL COUNCIL MEETINGS 1978

ANNUAL COUNCIL MEETINGS              1978

     March 6-11, 1978

Monday, March 6
     10:30 a.m. Headmasters' Meeting (Pitcairn Hall)
     11:00 a.m. Heads of Academy Schools join Headmasters
     2:30 p.m. Worship
     3:00 p.m. Opening Session, The Council of the Clergy
     8:00 p.m. Consistory (Bishop King's home)

Tuesday, March 7
     8:30 a.m. General Church Translation Committee (Council Chamber)
     8:30 a.m. Sunday School Committee (Cairncrest)
     10:00 a.m. Session II, The Council of the Clergy
     12:45 p.m. Small Group Luncheons
     3:00 p.m. Session III, The Council of the Clergy
     6:45 p.m. Dinner for ministers and their wives (The Rev. and Mrs. Alfred Acton's home)

Wednesday, March 8
     8:30 a.m. General Church Publication Committee (Cairncrest)
     10:00 a.m. Session IV, The Council of the Clergy
     3:00 p.m. Session V, The Council of the Clergy
     6:45 p.m. Social Supper for ministers (Bishop and Mrs. King's home)

Thursday, March 9
     8:30 a.m. Pastors' Meeting (Pitcairn Hall)
     10:00 a.m. Session VI, The Council of the Clergy
     12:45 p.m. Small Group Luncheons
     12:45 p.m. General Church Extension Committee Luncheon (The Rev. and Mrs. Douglas M. Taylor's home)
     3:00 p.m. Holy Supper for ministers and their wives
     3:30 p.m. Tea for ministers' wives (Theta Alpha) (Mrs. Robert Asplundh's home)

Friday, March 10
     8:30 a.m. Traveling Ministers Committee (Council Chamber)
     10:00 a.m. Session VII, The Council of the Clergy
     12:45 p.m. Luncheon-Glencairn (By individual invitation)
     2:30 p.m. Board of Directors of the General Church (Pitcairn Hall)
     5:15 p.m. General Church Corporation (Followed by organization meeting of the Board of Directors) (Pendleton Hall)
     6:30 p.m. Social Gathering of the Bryn Athyn Society with the ministers (Assembly Hall)
     7:00 p.m. Friday Supper
     7:45 p.m. General Church Evening

Saturday, March 11
     10:00 a.m. Joint Council of the General Church

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FREEDOM OF EASTER 1978

FREEDOM OF EASTER       Rev. LORENTZ R. SONESON       1978


     
NEW CHURCH LIFE
VOL. XCVIII          MARCH, 1978               No. 3
     Ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. John 8:32.

     When we consider the reasons why the Lord came into the world, what He taught, and what He did while on earthly soil, many answers come to mind. At Christmas time, when the Lord was born, we sense the fulfillment of prophecy; the promised Messiah had come, just as it was recorded in the Old Testament. When we study the teachings by parables as written in the New Testament, perhaps we think of His making the two Great Commandments come alive and anew-to love the Lord, and to love the neighbor, the word of love now stands out as the new addition to Revelation. Mercy, love, forgiveness-these concepts were new to the Jewish nation. It was the foundation of the first Christian Church, established by His coming to man in a mortal body.
     Or, we might think of the new presentation of truth, on a new level of understanding. The Lord's simple parables and plain words of the Sermon on the Mount stand out as new truths, describing for us the pathway to heaven. His instruction brought new life and meaning into the Decalogue.
     But at this season of the year, we grasp yet another purpose for His coming. His life on earth was one continuous struggle against the hells. He experienced grievous temptations from early childhood, even until the passion on the cross, and all with a continuous series of victories. He accomplished a momentous task through this experience. We are told He was able to order the heavens and the hells, preserving for all time His precious gift to all mankind-freedom!
     And so at this Easter season, we reflect on this aspect of His Advent-His final days of agony, foreseeing Judas Iscariot's traitorous actions, Peter's denial, the trial before Pilate and the Sanhedrin, the mocking and whipping, the jeers of the Jews, and finally, the crucifixion itself. But then our mind moves also to the first morning of the week, when He was no longer in the sepulchre, but had risen from the grave, as He said.

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He completed His glorification, the uniting of His Divine soul with the natural plane, the Human, establishing once and for all a doorway for man to approach Him and heaven, in complete freedom. Yes, we can easily associate our thoughts of the drama of Easter with the concept of freedom-a spiritual freedom so crucial to the salvation of the human race.
     The events of His life, and the words from His mouth are now ours to study and examine. Truth is now available to us. And in the words of our text: "Ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." But we would do well to pause and consider what that freedom is we now have. What is the nature of it! How was it nearly lost? What can we do with it, now that we have it?
     One might conclude we have long had truth available to give us freedom. The Ten Commandments were recorded for us three thousand years ago. Before that, the Ancient Word was available to man. Others claim it is only in recent years that man has been free. Previously, there was a cloud of ignorance reigning over the race of man. But now, many believe, we have developed civilization to the point where ignorance is fast disappearing. Modern science and education have lifted the chains of ignorance. Today we are free from many wants, thanks to human initiative and invention. Disease, illiteracy, and many discomforts are now behind us, and man is finally free. But is that the freedom the Lord established among men, with His death and resurrection?
     There are many today who still speak the words of those gathered about the Lord when He made that statement. They said then, "We be Abraham's seed, and were never in bondage to any man; how savest thou Ye shall be made free!" So ate the sentiments of many today. They say: "I feel free, I exercise my freedom, therefore I am already free." What do the events of the Lord's life, and that first Easter have to do with my freedom today?
     The Lord tried to get them to see that He spoke of another kind of freedom. His answer was: "Verily, verily, I say onto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin. And the servant abideth not in the house for ever; but the Son abideth ever. If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed. . . . Why do ye not understand my speech? even because ye cannot hear my word. . . . Which of you convinceth me of sin? and if I say the truth, why do ye not believe me! He that is of God heareth God's words; ye therefore hear them not, because ye are not of God."
     So does the same statement face us today. We all feel freedom within us: yet, the Lord said if ye are the servant of sin, you are not free-not really free.

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     The plain fact is that external freedom-the freedom to think. and speak, and act as we please-is not the freedom that the Lord refers to in our text. True, there is a freedom with all men, but it is a natural freedom. Because it gives us delight, it creates the appearance that we are free. But the delight is an evil one, centered in self, destroying the freedom of others, subjecting them to our will, achieving its own satisfaction at their expense by a suppression and cruel domination that leaves human suffering in its path. If other men do not check and punish such misuse of license, the Lord will bring such an evil man under control in the hells. The sad ending to anyone who seeks a free exercise of his selfish desires, is a man who is a slave to his own passions. He is the servant of evil, and is not welcome in the house of the Lord, or into heaven.
     We are also free to be hypocritical. We can think and feel one way, yet act differently. This is a kind of freedom, too. But it is still not the freedom that comes from truth, truth applied. It is not the freedom the Lord promised the thief next to Him while on the cross. "Today, thou shalt be with me in paradise." That was another kind of freedom from the one that allows us to be hypocrites.
     It is now told to us, through the doctrines of our Church, that man was in peril of losing another kind of freedom. The hells were so powerful, prior to the Lord's advent: that the freedom to see and apply truth to their lives was in jeopardy. Just as the poor man who ran about as a mad man, cutting himself and breaking his chains, was freed from his slavery, so are all men today put back into freedom because of the Lord's temptations and final victory on Easter morn. We now enjoy the opportunity to accept truth when it is presented to us. That is a freedom of choice that was nearly lost. It is a spiritual freedom, in that it involves the spirit of man. No longer can the hells enter into us, without our choice, and command our lives. We are free to accept them, to be sure; but we are also free to repel them, through an honest seeking of the Lord's help. The truth, now available to us in His Word, exposes the hells within us for what they are. Then, when we so desire it, we are free to turn away from them, through the life of repentance and reformation.
     Yet, this is still only a step toward another kind of freedom spoken of in our text. You will recall that the Lord first spoke this phrase: "If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; and ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. . . . If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed."
     In other words, if we are willing not only to study the Scriptures, but are willing to follow them, as disciples, then the power of the Lord with man, the Son of man, will rid us of slavery to evil tendencies, and then will we finally enjoy a new freedom-the freedom of heaven.

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To know the truth is one thing; to live it is another. But first, the initial step must be taken, which is to shun evils as sins. Then are we free to do good to our neighbor, which is the universal law of heavenly states.
     As we know, the final temptation of the Lord on the cross was the desire to lift all men with Him into heaven. If He miraculously descended from the cross, He might have persuaded many that He was truly the Lord. But such a miracle would neither have held men in a permanent belief in Him, nor would it have preserved their freedom to choose. Instead, He could only say to men: "Woman, behold thy son." He told them if they had a desire or an affection for what is true, represented by Mary at the foot of the cross, then they would eventually have the good of charity in their hearts and the freedom that goes with it. He referred to John, His beloved disciple. And He confirmed it with the words, "Behold thy mother." If we desire the kind of freedom that the Son of man can produce, that endureth for ever, then we must first seek truth with an affection for it. But, no miracle on the cross would achieve the salvation of all human kind.
     That there is a life after death we know was confirmed by the Lord's resurrection from the grave. That our life apart from the mortal body continues on immediately after the grave was told to us by His words to the repentant thief. "Today, thou shalt be with me in paradise." That the: Lord provided the truth necessary for our salvation was given to us in His words, "I say the truth, why do you not believe me? He that is of God heareth God's words." (v 45, 46) Also, we know that we today need only become a disciple of the Lord to receive a spiritual freedom that knows no end,-to follow each day the truth of the Lord in our life. But, we are told:
     The nature of this freedom is utterly unknown to those who do not possess conscience, for they make freedom consist in doing as they please and in the license of thinking and speaking what is false, or willing and doing what is evil, and of not compelling and humbling, still less of afflicting such desires; when yet the very reverse is the case, as the Lord also teaches in the same gospel; "Every one that committeth sin is the servant of sin." This slavish freedom they receive from the infernal spirits who are with them and who infuse it, and when they are in the life of those spirits they are also in their loves and cupidities . . . (yet) they suppose themselves to be in freedom, but it is infernal freedom. The difference between this infernal freedom and heavenly freedom is that the one is that of death, and drags them down to hell, while the other, or heavenly freedom, is of life and uplifts them to heaven.*
     * AC 1947:3

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     So let us even today, during the Easter season, reflect on this aspect of the Lord's crucifixion and final resurrection. If we can avoid the temptation to betray the Lord's gift to us, as Judas Iscariot betrayed Him; if we can rise above our denial of Him, as Peter did in the hour of temptation; if we can resist the doubts that the disciple Thomas had, then we can come to realize in our own life the kind of freedom promised by the Son of Man; "We shall be free indeed."
     That is the hope of us all. We can receive a freedom from the bondage of the sepulcher, our own illusions of freedom that is infernal. We can receive the kind of freedom that is represented by the first Easter morn, one that rises above the grave to an eternal heaven, where the Lord awaits us even now. He has risen; so can we. The truth can release our bonds; we can become disciples even while on earth. We, too, can fulfill what the Lord has prophesied for us. "We can be free indeed, to abide in His house forever." Amen.

     LESSONS: John 8:21-36; AC 1937: 4, 5.
Title Unspecified 1978

Title Unspecified              1978

     But those who have compelled themselves to resist what is evil and false-although at first they supposed that this was from themselves or from their own power, but were afterwards enlightened to see that their effort was from the Lord, even to the least of all the particulars of the effort-these in the other life cannot be led by evil spirits, but are among the happy. Thus we may see that a man ought to compel himself to do what is good and to speak what is true. The secret contained herein is that a man is thus endowed by the Lord with a heavenly proprium, for this heavenly proprium of man is formed in the effort of his thought; and if he does not maintain this effort by compelling himself (as the appearance is), he certainly does not maintain it by not compelling himself . . . let it be observed that in all self-compulsion to what is good there is a certain freedom, which is not discerned as such while the man is engaged in this self-compulsion, but still it is within. Arcana Coelestia 1937:3, 4.

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WHAT IS MEANT BY THE HUMAN ESSENCE? 1978

WHAT IS MEANT BY THE HUMAN ESSENCE?       Rev. GEORGE DECHARMS       1978

     We are told in the Writings that in the Lord there were two Essences, one Divine, and the other Human. During His life in the world, these two Essences were distinct, but by the process of glorification they were successively united until they became the Divine Human. Essence is defined in the dictionary as "the fundamental nature of a thing, its essential being." The essential nature of God is love, the infinite love of all mankind. This Divine love contains within itself infinite wisdom, the wisdom to achieve its Divine purpose, the formation of a heaven from the human race, and its perpetual perfection. This love, together with its wisdom, was the Divine Essence of the Lord because Jehovah God was His Father. Jesus Christ was conceived of the Holy Spirit, and born of the virgin Mary. The Holy Spirit is the Divine proceeding, or the going forth and operation of the Divine love to achieve its purpose. This love therefore stands in relation to Jesus Christ, even as a human father stands in relation to every man. It was the Soul which formed in the womb of Mary, the body of the infant Jesus. This Soul was His Divine Essence, His very essential Being.
     From his human father, every man derives a paternal heredity which implants in his very inmost the love of self and the world, from which every man has from conception a tendency to evils of every kind. This tendency is called his "proprium" because it appears to him to be his very self. Indeed it is so deeply implanted that it cannot be eradicated, even to eternity. Even the angels of heaven must be withheld from it by the Lord. This is the Divine miracle of redemption. To save mankind from the eternal effects of this paternal heredity was the very purpose of the incarnation. Concerning this we read:

     The Lord Himself is called the 'seed of the woman'. . . because He was pleased to be born, and that into such a church as had altogether fallen into such an infernal and diabolical proprium through the love of self and of the world, in order that by His Divine power He might unite the Divine celestial proprium with His human proprium in His Human Essence, so that in Him they might be one; and unless this union had been effected, the whole world would have utterly perished.*
     * AC 256

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Here the Divine Essence is called "the Divine celestial Proprium" and it is said that this was to be united to the Lord's "Human Essence" in which was His "Human Proprium." As we understand it, this means that the Human Essence appeared to the Lord to be His very own, His inmost being and self-hood. It was to Him as a paternal heredity is to man. That is, the love of all mankind, or the Divine love for the salvation of the human race, was the proprium of the Lord Jesus Christ. This is profoundly significant. It marks the essential distinction between the Lord and all other men. The Lord's proprium and man's proprium are complete opposites. Because man feels the love of self to be his very own, his inmost nature appears to him to be evil. Against this appearance he must fight, as if for his very life, in the process of regeneration. Indeed he is called upon to give up his life, in order that he may receive new and heavenly life from the Lord. This is because the love of self has been so deeply inwoven into his very nature by the paternal heredity. He is tempted to think, that because he has been born into it, it is inevitable, and all struggle against it is in vain. This is man's deepest temptation.
     This was not the case with the Lord. Because He was conceived by Jehovah, He had no human paternal heredity. His soul was infinite, and His Divine Essence was the infinite love of God. Nevertheless, He was born of woman, and his Divine Essence as received in the human born, was called the Human Essence, within which was His Proprium. In this there was nothing whatever of the love of self. He was innocence itself wherefore He said to the Pharisees: "Which of you convinceth Me of sin?"* The hereditary tendency to evil imparted by Mary did not inhere in the Lord. It did not appear to be His very own. It was perceived as the tendency to evil in all mankind, and it appeared to be so deeply impressed upon human nature as to be impossible of removal. This appearance that the human race could not be saved, was the Lord's deepest temptation, against which He fought by means of an abiding faith in the infinite power of the Divine Essence, that is, of Jehovah the Father. By means of the maternal heredity, the hells were enabled to draw near, and tempt the Lord, so that He might fight against them and overcome them by His own power; but they did this as it were from outside of Him. They could induce the appearance that mankind was beyond all possibility of salvation, and this was the temptation against which the Lord had to fight in all His states of humiliation. The severity of this temptation, and the suffering it entailed, was commensurate with the infinite love from which the Lord fought.
     * Jn. 8:46
     The Human Essence, therefore, was the Lord's faith in the Father; for as the Divine Essence was received it was perceived as faith.

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It was an inmost perception of the Divine truth, the truth that infinite Love would triumph over all the hells, and finally effect the salvation of the human race. For this reason we are taught that while the Lord was in the world He was Divine truth, but after His glorification He became Divine good. The advance, however, from faith to love, or from truth to good, could be effected solely by means of knowledges. As to the human the Lord was born as all men are, into complete ignorance. Although He in essence was Divine love, this love could not be seen until it was received in knowledges as recipient vessels, and these could be acquired only gradually, by means of some experience, as in the case with all men. Yet, at birth, the Lord was endowed with a Divine curiosity, an inner urge to learn, to sense and feel the world into which He had been born. This irresistible longing to learn is what is meant by the "call" of Jehovah to Abram, saying: "Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, into a land that I will show thee."*
     * Gen. 12:1
     "Abram" we are told, represented the Lord in infancy and childhood, and his "call" represented the first conscious sensation of the infant Lord. From that moment He began His life-long journey, through temptations and trials, even to the cross. It was the first conscious impulse of the Lord's HUMAN ESSENCE, an impulse to learn, but at the same time an impulse to "give His life a ransom for many." By this impulse the Lord was led, even in earliest infancy, and was introduced by it, through gradual stages into knowledge, intelligence, and wisdom, along the path of all human development. But the Lord's learning was distinguished from that of every other man in this, that "He willed to imbue Himself only with knowledges from the Word." Concerning this we read:

     The Lord was now to be imbued with knowledges, in order that as to the Human Essence also He might become the very light of heaven, (wherefore) it is said that Abram journeyed, going and journeying toward the south.*
     * AC 1458

     The external man is corporeal and sensuous, nor does it receive anything celestial and spiritual unless knowledges are implanted in it as ground; for in these celestial things can have their recipient vessels. But the knowledges must be from the Word. Knowledges from the Word are such that they are open from the Lord Himself; for the Word itself is from the Lord through heaven, and the Lord's life is in all things of the Word both in general and in particular, although it does not so appear in the external form. Hence it may be seen that 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 inmost have regard to Him, and that has not first come from Him. For the Human Essence is only something that was added to His Divine Essence, which was from eternity.*
     * AC 1461

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     What is meant by this? The Lord must have learned many things by means of the bodily senses from experience, from the world of nature, and from the people with whom He was associated. Nevertheless, "He willed to imbue Himself only with knowledges from the Word." It will help to understand this if we reflect that every child, although he has many experiences, wills to imbue himself only with those things that are in accord with his inmost nature. Because every child is an individual having an inmost nature distinct and different from that of any other person, each one selects from his environment those impressions that especially appeal to him. These make a deep impression upon him, while all others are lightly received, and quickly forgotten. This explains why from the same environment and training, different children derive such different ideas. So also, the Lord's Human Essence prompted Him to focus His attention upon those things which were in accord with His Divine love for the salvation of the whole human race, and to discard all else as irrelevant to this supreme goal. He responded especially to the teaching of the Word. To this He paid special attention because in this He perceived the delight of His life. All little children find delight in the stories of the Word. This because of the presence with them of celestial angels. But with them this heavenly influx is not always present, and children are inspired by pride, or greed, or self-esteem, resulting from the impulse of their proprium. In these states they imbue themselves with knowledges other than those of the Word. With the Lord there was continual enlightenment from the Divine which was in the Word, and which inflowed through heaven. Therefore it is said of Abram that "the angels of God ran to meet him." Concerning this we read:

     That this signifies enlightenment from good, is evident from the signification of "the angels of God" as being something from the Lord; here the Divine which was in the Word, for in the Lord was the Divine Itself which is called the Father. The very essence of life (which in man is called the soul) was therefrom, and was Himself. This Divine is what is called in common speech the Divine nature, or rather the Lord's Divine Essence. . . . By "angels running to meet Him" is signified in the proximate sense the influx of the Divine into the natural, and the consequent enlightenment; for all enlightenment is from the influx of the Divine.*
     * AC 4235

     On the basis of these teachings we understand the Human Essence to mean an inmost perception of truth on the part of the Lord when He read the Word. This was a perception not possible to other men. It was present with Him even in earliest childhood, shedding upon His mind a Divine light which increased in brilliance and power progressively as He grew. It is called in the Writings the light of "intellectual truth" from which the Lord thought-a light not possible with other human beings.

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It is represented in the Word by Sarah, Abram's wife.* This Divine light appeared to the Lord to be His very own. It indeed was His "proprium," the "Human Proprium in His Human Essence," and by virtue of this He conquered the hells by His own power, clinging to this light of faith even in the depth of temptation when He seemed to be alone, and when Jehovah the Father seemed to be absent. Thus He responded to the influx of life from the Divine Soul from Himself, effecting a reciprocal conjunction of the Human Essence with the Divine Essence.
     * AC 1921, 2065

     Although many have written concerning the nature of the Human Essence no one so far as we are aware has treated of this particular phase of that vast subject. The conjunction of the Human Essence with the Divine Essence could only be effected by a reciprocal action. This was possible only because the Lord fought against the hells from Himself and as if He were separate from the Infinite Father. This He could do only by means of the Human Essence.
ESSENCE 1978

ESSENCE              1978

     He who is conceived of Jehovah has no other internal, that is, no other soul, than Jehovah; and therefore as to his veriest life, the Lord was Jehovah Himself. Jehovah, or the Divine Essence, cannot be divided as can the soul of a human father from which offspring are conceived. So far as these offspring receded from the likeness of the father, so far they recede from the father himself, and this they do more and more as age advances. It is from this that a father's love for his children diminishes with their advance in age. It was otherwise with the Lord; as age advanced He did not recede as to the Human Essence, but continually drew nearer, even to perfect union. . . . Arcana Coelestia 1921:3.

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SPHERES: THE TOUCH OF HEART AND MIND 1978

SPHERES: THE TOUCH OF HEART AND MIND       Rev. PETER M. BUSS       1978

     (Delivered to Midwestern District Assembly, October, 1977.)

     We believe that love is real-more real than the things we touch and taste and smell. It is not something mechanistic or chemical, it cannot be called up at will and filed away when not needed. Spiritual love does not come and go, for it is the presence of the infinite God with man, which, once it comes, is permanent.
     Yet how does love operate? How does it reach our hearts from the Lord, and touch us? How does love flow from one person to another, and weld two hearts into one; or cause deep, abiding affection between friends and relatives? The Word explains the operation of love, its power to communicate, when it describes spiritual spheres. In so doing it talks about the presence of the Lord in His creation, and how He effects His will there. It tells of the interplay between souls and minds which is the blessedness of heaven. And it warns of the ways in which evil can reach our hearts and envelop them in its sphere.
     There are four different kinds of spheres in creation: the Divine spheres which created and sustain and order it; spiritual spheres, which are the outflowing of man's true, internal character; natural spheres, which come from the loves of his natural mind, and material spheres, or odors and colors. We will talk first of spiritual spheres.

Spiritual Spheres

     We know that our bodies are continually emitting particles, and through this outpouring the body renews itself. The particles are sensed, as odors, especially by animals; as are also emanations from flowers and plants. In a similar sense the spirit of man is pouring forth its life, and as it does, it is being renewed from within. Every spirit and angel is surrounded by a sphere, which is an effluence of his affection and thoughts, and is said do form, as it were, a sea around him.* It is an outflowing of his life itself, and of all the things in him-each detail.** It is from the activity of his spiritual heart and lungs-his affections and thoughts-but it pours through the spiritual body, and is sensed, even at a distance.***

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Thus it is not the angel himself, but is as it were the angel's image presented outside of him; it encompasses him, and by it he is known.****
     * SD 4203; AC 7454
     ** AC 65719, 8630, 9606, 10130; DLW 291; CL 386, 171
     *** DLW 291; AC 1316
     **** AC 1505, 10130
     Now the important thing about an angel's sphere is that through it he may accomplish three things. He lets himself be known as to his quality. He communicates with others. And he is conjoined with them, and able to share his blessedness with and help them. The sphere of life is the mode through which the angel performs his use, and is actually said to be the third aspect of the trinity, both in men and in the Lord. Angels have love, wisdom, and the sphere of their life which accomplishes that which they will and intend. The Lord is love; He goes forth as wisdom; and the Divine proceeding, which is the Divine sphere, operates on His creation.*
     * AC 9303:5; AE 1111
     Through his sphere a man is known. Angels, we know, have an interior perception, which allows them to sense what is good and true, and what is from the Lord. But all spirits, and men also to a degree, have a lower form of perception, which is an awareness of the sphere of life of those who approach.* This perception acts as spirits pass by, or as they approach.** It does not matter if they try to hide,*** or if they keep silent, or even if they are not thinking! The sphere of their life communicates itself, and the quality is known.**** People can know their goodness and their faith; their evil and their state of unbelief; the quality of their deceit or hatred; and the things of their interior memory.***** For love is active, and does not cease, and it is this spiritual activity which forms the sphere.****** "There is nothing covered that shall not be revealed; or hidden that shall not be known; therefore whatsoever ye have said in the darkness shall be heard in the light; and that which ye have spoken in the ear in bedchambers, shall be proclaimed upon the housetops."*******
     * AC 1383, 1388               
     ** SD 3334; AC 1388
     *** AC 1504
     **** AC 7454, 925, 1048, 1388, 1397; SD 3334
     ***** AC 1388, 1048, 1395, 2489     
     ****** AC 1504; DLW 291; AC 2489
      ******* Lu. 12:2, 3               
     Swedenborg tells of a spirit who took credit for things he did, and he tried to insinuate himself among better spirits. He came towards them from an angle, and said that he wanted to serve them, but while he was still far away, they told him that he was not what he said he was. He wanted to be great, so they would rather he didn't come among them, for they were little. He went away in shame, wondering how he had been discovered.*
     * AC 1396

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     This knowledge can exist to some degree with men on earth, for they are spirits, and are aware of the presence of other spirits with them. It is not so clear a knowledge, however, since men on earth have worries of a material kind, and are in the delight of and desire for earthly things, and this renders them less sensitive of spiritual spheres.* At times, however, we have a sense of the character of those around us. It may not be-in fact, it cannot be-a knowledge of their eternal state but it is a true assessment of their motives at a certain time. We know what their sphere is, and we trust, or do not trust them, based on this sense.
     * AC 1689; SD 3341
     We must realize, however, that the knowledge of a spirit's character in the other world through his sphere is not a complete knowledge. Only the generals of his character appear. Sometimes particulars are known to angels; but the least details to the Lord alone.* There is the need for privacy in the spiritual world also, that we may progress in freedom and therefore these spheres are not always allowed to appear, even as to their generals;** and sometimes the Lord tempers them in various ways, "in order that the quality of spirits may not always be exposed before others."*** For the true purpose of this perception is not negative. The Lord ordained that the sphere of life will communicate itself for the best of reasons, so that the love and joy of each person may spread abroad from him, and encompass those he loves, and be shared with them. He in turn receives their happiness, and delights in it. There is no loss in the communication, but rather an increase: a spiritual sharing, in the gladness of love.****
     * AC 1505
     ** Ibid.          
     *** AC 1520
     **** AC 1388, 1392
     Even here on earth, we are not conjoined to people through what they say and what they do, unless we believe these to flow from their hearts. A hypocritical act separates rather than conjoins, if it is discovered. In the other world it is clearly discovered, for the thought and will themselves are communicated by the sphere of life.* Where there is disagreement of spheres, spirits feel repulsion, and retreat; and the harmony of spheres is almost like a magnet, which is felt to be attractive, and draws together in the spirit of friendship.** But the sphere effects even more than that. It is the cause of spiritual distance, for there is a mirror of the closeness of hearts in the "spaces" of heaven. Each society is perfectly ordered in relation to those around it, and this according to its quality, its specific loves; and the spheres of the societies create the distances between them.***

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It seems clear that it is through the sphere that the spiritual surroundings also of each angel are created, so that he carries with him, even if he travels, an "image of himself" which is visible.
     * AC 4126
     ** AC 8630; CL 171
     *** AC 1394; CL 171
     Most of the communication in heaven is through spheres because the majority of angels do not leave their societies. To do so is to go beyond their own lives, and they prefer not to; but their sphere pours forth to a distance, and communicates, both affection, and the disposition to a type of thought, to those who receive it.* Each sphere has its limits, according to the strength of a man's or a society's love, and the light from his love. The stronger the flame of love, the further the influence stretches, and the societies of the highest heaven extend their sphere throughout the heavens, that innocence and peace may be everywhere, in some measure.** Yet it is not to the society itself that communication extends; rather to the good in the society. In this way the angels do not feel influenced by other individuals, but by the effect of a love which has its origin in the Lord Himself.***
     * HH 49
     ** AC 8063; HH 49; cf. AC 8794
     *** Ibid.
     The effect of this communication is a sharing of all loves, and an increase of delight. We have specific uses in heaven, and our main delight is in them; but communication with others enables us to experience the joy of their uses, in a lesser manner, as well as our own.* The sphere of communication can also help where there is sadness. We would assume that there is not active sadness in heaven, but in the world of spirits or on earth a society of heaven will exercise its love and its thoughts, outpouring through its sphere, to remove sadness, and present happy things instead-a part of the spiritual therapy of the heavens.**
     * AC 1392               
     ** AC 1393
     It must be realised that only the spheres which are good conjoin. There is no conjunction at all in hell, for the life of each is the life of self, and his sphere suffocates the joy of others.* We can imagine that there are temporary conjunctions when a natural delight in a particular evil emits its sphere, and devils feel it: through this they may draw some towards themselves, even as they do the people of earth or of the world of spirits.** But association is fleeting, for the wish to envelop and govern soon becomes the prevailing mood.***
     * AC 9606               
     ** SD 4205
     *** HH 514
     Thus the sphere of the hells, and of the devils who will one day live there, is the best protection for the good. The antipathy is so great that it is recognised immediately in the other world, and the evil suffer as soon as they draw near the good.

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A certain evil person in the world of spirits tried to approach a society that was right on the threshold of heaven, but as he approached, he found difficulty in breathing, and he also became aware of the smell of a corpse exhaling from himself! This smell was in accord with his true loves, and became sensible in the sphere of heaven, and therefore he fell back in distress.* Once an angel, apparently the son of a prince on this earth, drew near to a society which was not good, and they fled in torment, even though his sphere had been tempered to make it less damaging to them. This illustrates the power of the heavens over evil.**
     * AC 1397               
     ** AC 1398; SD 3546
     When it is allowed by the Lord, the spiritual spheres in the other world are perceptible to the external senses, as odors or colors. These things correspond to the interior quality, and allow us to see ourselves outside of ourselves, as it were. Those who have studied eloquence to be admired have an odor of burnt bread; they take good virtues and feelings (represented by bread), and over-do them, as it were, by the use of flowery words. People in hatred, or cruelty or the lust of vengeance are appropriately surrounded by the smell of corpses; those in avarice by the smell of mice. Many other examples are given, and spirits flee the odors whose correspondence repels them, and delight in the strangest smells, because of the loves of their spirits.* Swedenborg was urged by some spirits to come out of a stable where horse dung was, because it represented reasonings from natural things with the evil, and the spirits with him came into that sphere, and hated it, when he smelt the earthly representative.** Even here on earth, we are sometimes attracted to otherwise unpleasant odors when we are in a temporarily bad, especially an angry state.
     * AC 925, 1514, 1518, 1519, 4626; SD 3517, 3894
     ** SD 3811, 3894
     The beautiful scents of this world correspond to heavenly affections, and are present there with greater variety, to depict the loves of angels.* Odors are spoken of in the Word in this way. "Let my prayer be set before Thee as incense, and the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice."** When there is worship from charity and its faith, it is said that "Jehovah smelled an odor of rest;"*** for peace comes from worship that is from charity.**** So too colors appear in the other world to set forth internal loves, and illustrate their spheres. The rainbow was one of them:***** the sphere of grace appeared as a golden-yellow atmosphere, tinged with red when mercy was present;****** and the interplay between husband and wife in conjugial love was shown in the flowing together of red and blue.*******
     * AC 925, 1519
     ** Ps. 141:2               
     *** Gen. 8:21
     **** AC 925               
     ***** AC 1048
     ****** SD 3341               
     ******* CL 76; see also SD 3345, 3395, 4202

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Natural Spheres

     The spiritual spheres from a man are from the loves that make his life. They reflect his true, internal, abiding character. These manifest themselves on earth in many ways, and are sensed, even though the people sensing them have no way of being sure that it is the internal character that is shown. For the usual rule in this world is that spiritual spheres clothe themselves in natural spheres, and flow forth together.*
     * TCR 410, 308
     A natural sphere need not be eternal, and it need not even be of the ruling love. It is from the natural mind of a person, as opposed to the spiritual ones, which are from his internal man. Our natural feelings and thoughts are sometimes formed from circumstances, from states of bodily health or the pressures of the world, and may not reflect the true loves which will blossom eternally.
     The sphere of authority is a clear example of a natural sphere. Some people contract it through their birth, or the fact that they become used to being in positions of control, and the sphere flows from the things of the natural mind. In the other world, spirits feel this influence, and feel their freedom taken away, and wish to leave, even though the spirit may be good. Good people who have this sphere are helped by the Lord, who tempers it, and leads them at last to put it off, because all authority is from the Lord, and none is in the man himself.*
     * AC 1507, 1508
     The love of infants is another example. It inflows from the Lord Himself, but as it descends it becomes natural, and may be with evil persons, and be quite opposed to their selfish loves. It leads them to radiate love for their offspring, when hatred for all who do not belong to self is in their hearts.*
     * CL 395, 396, 405, 410
     In general we may say that there are four kinds of natural spheres which emanate from a man on earth. There are those which harmonize entirely with a spiritual one; there are good, borrowed spheres-of innocence, for example; there are spheres that come from heredity or from living in a certain environment; and there are deliberately hypocritical spheres. We are reminded of the efforts which scientists made in the Great War to disguise the smell of poison gas so that it would smell attractive, and the soldiers would inhale it: such is the sphere of hypocrisy.

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     We must believe, however, that the true spiritual sphere always manifests itself in some way. It may be skillfully concealed. Perhaps the opposite appears also, strongly enough that people are misled. But man has something of this perception, from the fact that spheres are spiritual communication. The one spirit is effecting the other, and that effect has a result.* A hypocrite may give a gift to a sick man, and may do so with the same smile and the same kind words as did one who was his true friend. Yet the friend accomplished something the hypocrite did not. For love is real. It acts. It pours forth and communicates with what is harmonious, and it is felt! It is felt, for the spheres of life of two people touch each other. That is why there is no parting when one partner of two who love each other tenderly die; for their spirits are drawn by the magnetism of love and are communicating all the time, through the outpouring of their loves.** When we use the phrase, "with you in spirit," it may be a completely true statement as well as a wish to be present; and perhaps we will have communicated some joy, even if intangible,-as we would have tried to do had our bodies been there.
     * AC 1388
     ** CL 321

Divine Spheres

     The Divine sphere that flows from the Lord is in its essence one. It is the going forth of His love and wisdom to perform the ends which the Divine wills; and so it is called the "sphere of ends and uses."* As it comes into creation, it is disposed to those various uses, and is called by different names. It was through the Divine sphere that creation took place; through the emanations from the spiritual sun.** In fact, we are told that we cannot think of the Lord's omnipresence unless we realize that it is through the spiritual sun, which is the Divine sphere coming forth from Him.***
     * AC 3645; CL 386
     ** CL 386
     *** DLW 146, 147; cf. AC 9502
     The Divine Proceeding from the spiritual sun encloses heaven, and holds it together; it encompasses and protects it, and heaven "leans on it," as upon a foundation.* This protection of heaven is represented by the border of gold around the ark of the covenant; and by the wings of the cherubim over the mercy seat.**
     * AC 9498, 10188; cf. AE 1111
     ** AC 9492, 9502
     The Divine sphere descends to hell also. It appears there as Divine truth separate from the Divine love, but inmostly it is just the same sphere of mercy that exists in heaven, for it encompasses even evil spirits. It allows them to do only that evil to others that belongs to their loves; no more.*
     * AC 9534

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     In heaven and on earth there are the Divine spheres of innocence and peace and of mercy and grace. There are the two universal spheres-creation or conjugial love; and protecting what is created, or the love of offspring.* A Divine sphere from the Lord lifts men by a mighty attraction towards heaven if they allow it to inflow.** The proceeding truth from the Lord at the end of a church was seen by Swedenborg; it was judgment to the evil, which dispersed both their falsities and their dwelling places in the world of spirits; and gave light to those who sat in darkness and the shadow of death.***
     * CL 222, 386
     ** TCR 653
     *** SD 5202

The Spheres of Evil

     On this earth, the spheres of evil men are covered over with natural spheres which are simulative of what is good. They pretend friendship and concern and honesty, and try to exude these things, so their natural spheres are in conflict with the activity of the spirit.* This conflict is perceived in the other world, and on their arrival there, the single sphere of life comes forth, as it has been endeavoring to do all along.
     * AC 1080
     The spheres of hell are permitted to act, both that man may be in freedom to choose, and also for the more interior reason that there is evil in man, from heredity or actual choice, and it needs influx to give it life.* There has to be life within each choice, or the choice is meaningless. The spheres from hell, of course, try to dominate, and break forth, but they are so controlled that there is equilibrium between heaven and hell, and the man may choose himself which he favors. It does not always seem that heavenly spheres balance the powerful desires that emanate from hell into us, but in fact the heavenly ones are infinitely more powerful. They are only holding themselves in check, waiting for man to sway to their side.**
     * AC 5470
     ** AC 6657, 6477, 8209
     The power of evil over us, therefore exists because the sphere of hell flows in where there is some kinship. If we did not have any invitation for it, it could not approach: it would be relegated to a distance by the disharmony of our sphere. But once we have a disposition, its power is to give to evil a pleasant "odor"*
     * AC 1511
     Once present, their influence frequently works against our good, and against our will or intention, leading us farther down the road of evil than in our freedom we might have considered walking; for "whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin."

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With good people, the presence of the evil sphere causes temptations, a loss of the sense of good loves, and the torment that brings.* Their influence can rob a man of the thought of the Lord, and envelop him in evil. It is felt like a mist which swirls around a man, causing his spirit to live in murky surroundings, and so it appears in the other world.**
     * AC 5246
     ** Ibid.
     One of the spheres of evil is that of unbelief or incredulity. Evil spirits inject the wish to believe nothing but what is seen and felt, and a contempt for those things that need to be apperceived with the understanding.* There is no doubt that their influence is widely felt in this world today. A similar sphere is one of the persuasion of falsity, which induces the feeling in men that falsity is truth.** It is such a compelling thing, playing as it does on a man's personal feelings of importance, or anger, or self-intelligence, that he cannot throw off a sense of the fact that some quite false value is indeed the truth. If he is trying to be led by the Lord, this sphere brings him into temptations and torment; if not, into hell;*** and he is released from their influence only by a deeper faith in the Lord.****
     * SD 3335; AC 1510:2          
     ** AC 1510, 1511
     *** SD 4202, 4203          
     **** SD 1900, 1901, 4203
     There are as many evil spheres as there are devils. There are spheres of cupidities, those from the sirens who lead men astray, those from the former churches, some of whom are locked up so that their effect may not destroy men. Swedenborg was influenced in his sleep by King Charles XII of Sweden, who brought him into a state of doubt, almost negation of the Lord; but when he was properly awake, he was able to shake off the effect.* Sometimes spheres from the evil are used to separate out the evils with people. Some spirits associated with a society aroused lascivious thoughts, and that evil existed with some in the society. They responded to the sphere, and thus the evil was isolated, and made evident. Presumably the good could then see it in themselves and reject it, while the evil were drawn by this compatible attraction away from the others.**
     * SD 4872, 4873          
     ** SD 4268

How We Acquire Spheres of Life

     It is a law of the spiritual world, and from that of this world, that spirits cannot act into what is hereditary with man, unless he does something to encourage them.* When his actions, or his definite intentions, are in accord with their loves, then he has a sphere which attracts them, and then they can act (Ibid).

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The acts of man cement his state, and when done enough become a habit, and eventually a sphere, induced from within.**
     * AC 1667:4
     ** SD 4479; 4080; AC 4317
     There is this progression whenever a sphere of life is obtained. At first a man must be conscious of what he is doing. The example is given of one who from self-love has the highest opinion of his own importance, and considers that in everything. At first he does it on purpose. Then it becomes a habit, but one of which he is aware. Finally he ceases to be aware of it, it is the sphere of his life of which he is unconscious.* Now he is ruled by those who would keep him in unawareness of his evil. Their sphere becomes his, their loves his; and they make his feelings more intense, or change them slightly to suit themselves. They also act into his memory, exciting what agrees with them, so he will think of it with delight. Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin.** We may be assured, however, that he has not been fooled and led unwitting into this state of bondage, for it is from the ends of life which he purposed to himself that he acquired this sphere; the ends from intention make the man, and what flows from him.***
     * AC 1505; ct. SD 3349, 4220, 4226
     ** SD 4337, 5179, 6206; HH 574
     *** AC 4464, 5949: 3, 8794e
     This same principle applies with the learning of a natural sphere. A man may wish to learn a certain human asset, such as the ability to meet people in a friendly and outgoing way. His reasons may be good or bad, but the atmosphere he wishes to exude can be learned, and become a habit, and finally become unconscious, a part of the sphere which goes forth from him.
     And, happily, the same process was ordained from creation that man may know the ultimate blessing of the Lord-the freedom to do whatever he wants, with the certainty that it is good. He may learn the way of truth, and practice it assiduously, until it becomes a habit with him to do so. At first it is a conscious habit, in which he delights. It is pleasant to him to do what is right. But as his mind is lifted higher by the Lord, he finds the pleasantness, not in reflecting on his love of serving, but in the service itself, and in his love for those he is serving, and concern for their welfare. His charity has penetrated to the core of his being, it is inmostly within and a ruling quality, which is therefore present everywhere.* The sphere of his life is the sphere of charity, and it goes forth. It acts, day by day, both through the work of his hands, and the outflowing of his love, which accomplishes what earthly uses cannot.

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It touches the hearts of others, and warms them with its love. It shares its happiness, and it embraces the spirit of those he loves. This is the true conjunction which the hells can't touch. It knows neither time nor space; and it is utterly safe, enfolded in the sphere of the Divine love itself.
     * AC 5130, 5949:3 ACADEMY SUMMER SCHOOL 1978

ACADEMY SUMMER SCHOOL              1978

     Last year the Academy College sponsored three summer courses involving a short but intensive study of the doctrines and their application. The courses met three hours a day five days a week for 2 weeks, and the College gave 2 credits apiece for the courses.
     The reaction of those who took courses last summer was highly enthusiastic, and we felt encouraged to offer a similar sort of program this summer.
     We intend to offer three courses-"The Moral and Spiritual Life," "Introduction to the Doctrine of the Lord," "The Spiritual World"-to be taught by the Revs. Dandridge Pendleton, N. Bruce Rogers, and Ormond Odhner, respectively. These courses will run from June 12-23 and the cost will be $120.00 a person. As was the case last year, students will be limited to taking one course for credit but will be allowed to audit a second.
     If you wish to secure a place you must register by May 1, 1978, and, naturally, our offering of the courses depends upon a demand sufficient to warrant scheduling the program. If you wish to enroll or want further information about the specific nature of the courses or about living accommodations, please write Dean Robert Gladish, Academy College, Box 278, Bryn Athyn, Pennsylvania 19009.

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STORY OF THE LORD'S PRAYER 1978

STORY OF THE LORD'S PRAYER       Rev. DONALD L. ROSE       1978

     This year the New Church version of the Lord's Prayer is 150 years old. Why do we say the prayer a little differently from our neighbors? How did we come to have the version of the Lord's Prayer that we now use? It is an interesting story. Of course the Prayer itself is 19th centuries old. (The dates in this article will be rounded approximations.)
     Because we speak English our experience brings us into contact with three versions of the Lord's Prayer. (1) The one we use every day. (2) The King James version. (3) The version used by our Protestant neighbors. We bear in mind that the Prayer is being used in dozens of other languages. Our New Church friends in Scandinavia, Western Europe, South America and other parts of the world are saying the same prayer but with different words.
     The actual words of the Prayer spoken by the Lord are not known to us. Perhaps they were Aramaic words. But they are recorded by Divine inspiration in the Greek words of the New Testament. They are written twice in slightly different ways, and it is because the Matthew version differs somewhat from the Luke version that people have had to make choices in what they would say when they say "the Lord's Prayer." One must either take one of the two versions in the Bible (and the choice would go to Matthew as the more complete), or else endeavor in one Prayer to reflect something of both Matthew and Luke.
     The Lord's Prayer is intended for people to use, and therefore where the common people do not speak Greek there must be translations undertaken by fallible men. The first "common language" or "vulgate" version was done in Latin in 400 AD. This version is still significant for Catholic people today. Of course there was at that time no English language or other modern tongues as we know them. The Vulgate version of the Prayer did not use the phrase, "For Thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever." (This phrase is not in Luke and is absent from some of the ancient Greek manuscripts of Matthew.)
     We cannot say that the Vulgate is THE Latin version, because translation is not an exact science. There are several Latin versions. The one that interests us most was published when Swedenborg was eight years old. This was the Schmidius Bible, a version very faithful to the original tongues, a version adopted by Swedenborg in his study of the Bible.
     The first English version was not a translation from the original language of the Word. Wycliffe in 1380 rendered the Latin of the Vulgate into English.

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And even today your Catholic friends who say the Prayer in English do not say the "For thine is the kingdom . . ." part at the end, although in very recent years it is being included in services of the Mass.
     Wycliffe's rendition of the Lord's Prayer looked like this.

Oure fadir that art in heuences halowid be thi name
Thi kyngdom come to be thi wille don in erthe as in heuene
Geue to us this day our breed ouir other substances;
forgive to us oure dettis, as we forgeuen to oure dettouris,
Lede us not in to temtacioun; but delyvuer us from yue!. Amen.

     In the early fifteen hundreds there appeared the first English versions taken from the original languages of the Word. Tydndale and Coverdale did the groundwork which led eventually to the King James Version of 1611.
     Remember that quite apart from translation of the Greek, one must make choices in adopting a version of the Lord's Prayer. The Book of Common Prayer for use in Christian services is older than the King James version. The Book of Common Prayer speaks of forgiving "trespasses." (Tydndale used this word in translating Matt. 6:12). The original word in the Greek of Matthew is "debts" and in Luke "sins." But since the word "trespasses" is used in the phrases just after the Lord's Prayer (Matt. 6:14, 15) you can see how men came to choose "trespasses" within the Prayer, almost as a compromise between "debts" and "sins."
     When New Church students turned their attention to the Lord's Prayer there were two English versions to consider. These were the King James rendition of Matthew and the version men had put together in the Book of Common Prayer. To make a long story short, they decided to go to the words in Matthew with close attention to the original Greek.
     For the New Church student looking at the Greek some choices are obvious. It says "in the heavens" not "in heaven." And the word order later in the Prayer is "as in heaven so upon the earth", not "on earth as it is in heaven." But translating is not an exact science. Human decisions have to be made. What we get when there is room for difference of opinion is delay, often long delay.
     The story of the New Church version is longer than most people realize. In 1790 at the 2nd General Conference in London it was agreed that we should have "a literal translation of the Lord's Prayer from the original Greek."* It took thirty-eight years for an agreed form to be published. It is difficult for committees and conferences to come to conclusions when there is a strong desire that the conclusion shall be as near perfect as possible.
     * The Rise and Progress of the New Church, by Robert Hindmarsh, p. 111.

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     While the discussion was going on over the years, people had to use some words. In 1797 some New Church people were saying "sanctified by Thy name" rather than "hallowed." This was evidently influenced by the way the Prayer appears in Latin. They also said "for ages" instead of "forever."
     Thirty-three years after the decision to produce a literal translation of the Greek of Matthew 6, the following resolution was passed. "That the translation be not considered definitively settled, but that it be referred to a Committee to revise it, having due regard to what is felt to be the wish of the Conference."*
     * Ibid., p. 404
     That resolution was passed at the 16th Conference of 1823. A committee of six men, including Hindmarsh and Noble, had reported to the Conference that they had directed "their first attention to the version of the Decalogue and Lord's Prayer,. . . that the sense of the original should be expressed in the versions as closely as the difference between the idiom of the English language, and those of the Hebrew and Greek, will permit, but so as not to violate the idiom of the English: that they had afterwards gone through the Decalogue and the Lord's Prayer, making corrections in the spirit of the above maxim, in some of which corrections they were unanimous, but in others not."*
     * Ibid, p. 404
     It is the part of wisdom to realize that somewhere a decision has to be made, even if it is not perfect. Indeed the wise man knows that there are no perfect decisions in matters such as translation. And so the matter was wisely settled. The Liturgy of 1828 contained the Prayer in the form in which it is now used by English speaking New Church people.
     What we have is a Matthew version (hence the word "debts"), and it reflects the original Greek more than does the King James Version of Matthew. Perhaps in the future we will add to this a version from Luke 11, which might be used on occasions when the Prayer is said more than once, as in the Holy Supper.
     Because it is useful for us to be aware of the Prayer in the original Greek, it has been published in the children's Hymnal (number 99). We continue to infill our understanding of the words and the concepts behind the words. And especially do we look to the remarkable teachings in the Writings about the Lord's Prayer. Your attention is invited to the booklet by H. L. Odhner produced by the General Publication Committee entitled "THE LORD'S PRAYER."
     What we get from the Writings does not bear very much on questions of word choices but on the limitless spiritual contents of the Prayer. The Prayer is not rendered completely in any one passage of the Writings, but the following shows how the wording may be put together from several passages:

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     THE LORD'S PRAYER IN THE WRITINGS

     Although no single passage in the Writings gives the entire Lord's Prayer we can put passages together as follows:

"Our Father who art in the heavens                Pater nester qui es in coelis
hallowed be Thy name                         Sanctificetur nomen Tuum

Thy kingdom come                              Adveniat regnum Tuum
Thy will be done                               Fiat voluntas Tua
as in heaven so also upon the earth."           Sicut in caelo etiam in terra
(AR 839)

"Give us this day our daily bread."           Panem nostrum quotidianum
(AC 2838e)                                    da nobis hodie

". . .forgive us our trespasses                . . . remitte nobis delicta
          nostra
as we forgive those who trespass                sicut nos remittimus
          deliquentibus
against us." (TCR 459:12)                     contra nos.

"Lead us not into temptation                     Ne inducas nos in tentationem,
but deliver us from evil"                     sed libera nos a mala
(AC 1875)

"Thine is the kingdom, the power                Tuum est regnum, potentia
and the glory, forever."                         et gloria in saecula.
(AC 5922:17)

     There are two instances prior to the Writings in which Swedenborg renders the entire Prayer. The rendition in the Philosopher's Notebook may well be his own translation.

     In the Word Explained (no. 6857) the version of Matthew is given, but for some reason instead of "debts" (debita) the word from Luke, which is "sins" (peccata) is used.

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INTERNAL INVENTORY 1978

INTERNAL INVENTORY       LEON RHODES       1978

     Just about everybody is pretty doggone certain that his point of view is correct. (Otherwise, obviously, he would tend to correct it.) We cling to our ideas because they suit us to a 'T', they serve our objectives. In the Arcana Coelestia 1316, we are told, "The Lord cannot possibly be present with a man whose end is his own good; the man's proprium itself estranges the Lord, for it twists and turns the common good of society, and that of the church itself, and even the kingdom of the Lord, to self, insomuch that it is as if they existed for it." These are harsh words,-but, then, they are Revelation, and warn, man's proprium takes away from the Lord what is His, and substitutes itself.
     If we pay attention we can readily see this in even the most depraved. Nazi and communist tyrants are unabashedly sure that their actions are correct. Terrorists and criminals can explain why their conduct, under the circumstances, is pretty well justified. Perverts, panderers and profiteers for the most part see precious little merit to any suggestions that they correct their course, and the suave swindler or ruthless businessman explains, at least to himself, that you have to watch out for yourself and that his victims invited their own losses. As long as they don't get caught, the unscrupulous consider their conduct, under the circumstances, quite excusable. But these are the 'baddies'
     What about us-the law-abiding average people living normal lives? In most aspects of our lives we think and do what we think to be, under the circumstances, allowable. We even take some small satisfaction in our eccentricities: "I'm not fit to live with until after my second cup of coffee" or "When I pay good money for service I expect to be treated right!" or "It's not my fault if the others don't know how to manage things", and so forth.
     If we pause a moment and consider how frequently we have found ourselves in disagreement with a relative, a neighbor, a co-worker or someone in authority, we might become aware that in each of these we saw the logic of our own position-and saw the folly of the other's. Virtually any conflict or disagreement involves two differing points of view, and ours is only 'right' to us because it serves our loves.
     Not only do we see the logic of our own position, but we are ready to lash out in protest to any opposition or attempts to change our ideas.

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The purveyor of pornography not only considers his practices defensible but loudly proclaims his constitutional rights, denouncing his opponents while imagining himself as a champion of free speech.
     While we may acknowledge the fact that there is a universal tendency to justify evils and explain errors, we may not see that this applies to the mild but abundant deficiencies in ourselves. How many little personal habits, ways of acting, speaking or thinking or relationships with others do we also justify and consider, under the circumstances, quite explainable and excusable?
     Do we really recognize that the irritations and friction between ourselves and the boss, an employee, a customer or a salesperson, a business associate or even our partner are quite comparable to the more spectacular disputes of politics, crime and international conflict? In each case opposite points of view are in dispute, each confident that it is correct.
     As we attempt to examine ourselves, to take internal inventory, we must be prepared to look beyond those explanations with which we comfort ourselves. We felt, at the time, that our words or our actions were logical and fair, under the circumstances. We had good reasons for what we did, even if that reason is "because we didn't realize that . . . ," and even where we somewhat reluctantly recognize our error, we assure ourselves that it was an understandable slip.
     When not consciously examining ourselves, we see ourselves as pretty logical and well behaved, at least well-intentioned. We admit to some minor failures and "only human" shortcomings. We feel that we obey the commandments quite consistently, except for occasional coveting and a modicum of only natural lusting or disdain for those who annoy us. Certainly, compared with the depravity and ruthlessness we see all about us, we measure up pretty well,-not bad at all.
     Intellectually we see some abstract merit to the teachings of revelation that we are corrupt and unforgivable sinners, but by and large there isn't enough really wrong with us to make us drastically change our lives. We follow the injunction to examine ourselves; we clasp our hands in prayer; we partake of the Holy Supper, but we are substantially unchanged the next day or the next month. Perhaps we briefly modify our attitudes and resolve to get around to working on a regrettable habit, but nothing approaching what could be said to be represented by the prayer, Create in me a clean heart, oh God, and renew a right spirit within me.
     The main problem arises from the fact that we are, after all, a pretty decent sort of fellow. We can think of so many bad things that we really don't do. We behave pretty well, work hard and are really kind and reasonable, if you could just see it from our point of view. We admit we could improve in some areas-and we are working on it, but most of the time and in most ways we measure up pretty doggone well (particularly compared with so many others around us!).

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It just isn't easy to honestly accuse ourselves of out-and-out evils!
     What, then, can we really do to take internal inventory of ourselves? Oh, it is possible that if we really concentrate we can think of some little unexpected fault that we can really get our teeth into. We sort of hope that we can, since that would constitute a giant step along that road of regeneration that we want to take. But it's hard when you're really reasonable and well behaved. It's easy for those whose lives are in a mess, but it's much more difficult for us, the good.
     Aha! Perhaps that's it!
     Our problem is that we are really rather well-behaved, conscientious, God fearing and quite careful not to get into messes that would ruin a pretty good setup. In brief, the difficulty arises from the fact that as we regard ourselves we find the image "not bad; not bad at all!" To put it simply, we find it easy to see much that is good in us.
     It is this that is our error. There is nothing good in us! We are miserable sinners. Whatever good we have found is not ours, it is the Lord's, Who, with patience and profound mercy, allows us to feel it as our own!
     It is not easy to render more than lip service to the clear teaching that we are utterly evil. All those good things we do and have done, all the charitable acts, the noble words, the good deeds, kindnesses and pious habits,-NONE OF THEM are the result of our innate goodness. Can we face up to the simple fact that only the good from the Lord protects us from the evils we can scarcely even identify in ourselves? All things are of the Lord's mercy. We are saved by Him alone; in ourselves there is nothing but evil.*
     * AC 2334
     We can begin to glimpse the truth in this teaching if we think back in time, back to when we were younger, and remember how we have been (miraculously) protected and spared; how we have been rescued from evils that threatened us, not outside evils that put us in danger, but internal evils eager to destroy us. Can we remember occasions when we could have so easily slipped into a real overt evil, but were averted and no one ever knew! Remember when, against our inner tendencies, things turned out all right. Can we recall those marvelous gifts from the Lord when he gave us a feeling of fear, a hesitation because we were afraid someone would find out? Do we think about those times when some merciful punishment delayed us or even the God-given feeling of shame turned our course?

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     With something of gratitude, if we allow it, we can admit to things in the past in which a force greater than our own guided us to be better than we really are. We can, too, realize that it is still true today. Of ourselves, how close we are to plunging into evils of every kind. This kind of internal evaluation can quickly dissolve away our pride and our contempt for those 'worse than ourselves' and bring about that essential recognition that it is the Lord alone who is GOOD, to Whom we must give thinks, for His Mercy is forever.
     Man cannot be reformed unless he is in freedom because he is born into evils of every Kind and these must be removed in order that he may be saved. They cannot be removed unless he sees them in himself, acknowledges them, ceases to will them and at length holds them in aversion. NJHD 149 REQUESTS FROM GHANA 1978

REQUESTS FROM GHANA       Rev. DOUGLAS TAYLOR       1978

     For the past two or three years the Extension Committee has been helping receivers of the Writings in Ghana in a limited way-sending literature, answering questions, giving advice. As a result of this contact, it now has on file the names of people genuinely interested in the Writings. It also knows of some Ghanaians seeking more costly kinds of help from us who have no real interest in the Writings. They want books only to sell them for profit (100% mark-up in some cases). They are also inclined to ask for tape recorders, amplifying systems, etc.
     In view of this situation, it would seem advisable for anyone who receives such requests from anyone in Ghana to contact the Extension Committee before responding.
     REV. DOUGLAS TAYLOR,
          Chairman, General Church Extension Comm.

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REVIEW 1978

REVIEW       MARTIN PRYKE       1978

     Our Customs at Weddings by Rev. Hugo Lj. Odhner, revised by Rev. B. David Holm, General Church Publication Committee, 1976, 10 pp., 35?.

     This booklet was originally prepared by Dr. Odhner for use in connection with weddings held in the Bryn Athyn cathedral. This revision by Mr. Holm extends its use to all places where weddings are held in the General Church.
     As the booklet points out, it is important that the genuine sphere of a New Church wedding be preserved in the forms selected for this important occasion, and yet we can very easily be guided by the customs of the world instead of by the teachings and ideals of the Writings. It is not always easy for a young couple, in the enthusiasm of their love, to gain the necessary perspective in planning their wedding-which, incidentally, is not just the bride's day, but also the groom's. We do well to avoid elaborate forms which can take so much time in planning and so much attention at the service, that the real purpose and spirit of the occasion is lost. It is not a time to make a great show, or do better than the Jones. It is time to approach the Lord with humility and with thanksgiving-a time for serious reflection and also a time for festivity. Our forms should reflect, and not hide, these ends.
     This little work draws our attention to these points under various headings: The Rational Order in Respect to Marriage, The Legal Covenant, Preparation for the Wedding, Rehearsal for Wedding, Decorating, Bridesmaids, The Consecration of the Marriage, The Service, and the Celebration. All is done, not in a didactic, but in a gentle manner. Its presentation is delightful and can offend no one.
     It is to be hoped that it will be in the hands of our young people at the time of betrothal, so that they may plan their weddings in the light of important and practical ideas.
     We might be tempted to add one thought. It is well for the bride and groom to remember that they are hosts on this occasion and so their thinking should be of their guests and what will add to their convenience and enjoyment, as much as of themselves.
     MARTIN PRYKE

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ACADEMY OF THE NEW CHURCH ADMISSION INFORMATION 1978

ACADEMY OF THE NEW CHURCH ADMISSION INFORMATION              1978

     The Academy of the New Church is a religious institution dedicated to the establishment of the New Church by means of religious and secular instruction based upon principles drawn from the Theological Writings of Emanuel Swedenborg.
     Since we believe that the most fruitful field of endeavor is with children of New Church parents, all students who have been baptized into the faith of the New Church are eligible for consideration. The reason for this is that we accept baptism as a sign of faith on the part of the parents, and therefore of their willingness to cooperate with the Academy in the instruction that is given in the Academy Schools.
     We fully recognize, however, that there are others who, because of special circumstances of background and interest, are also deserving of consideration. In such cases the following requirements apply:

     a.      The parents or guardians must give satisfactory reasons why they wish to have their child enrolled in the Academy. If the applicant is eighteen years of age he may speak for himself.
     b.      The applicant must be recommended by a minister of the General Church of the New Jerusalem.
     c.      The applicant must be approved by the President of the Academy.

     The reason for these requirements is not to exclude anyone who seriously desires a New Church education, but to preserve the unique uses of the Academy and to protect the applicant from any misapprehension concerning the purposes of the institution.

     These requirements are in no way intended to be racially discriminatory, and the Academy will not discriminate against applicants and students on the basis of race.

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Church News 1978

Church News       Various       1978


NEW CHURCH LIFE
Office of Publication, Lancaster, Pa.
Published Monthly by
THE GENERAL CHURCH OF THE NEW JERUSALEM
BRYN ATHYN. PA.
Editor               Rev. Morley D. Rich, Bryn Athyn, Pa.
Business Manager          Mr. L. E. Gyllenhaal, Bryn Athyn, Pa.

     All literary contributions should be sent to the Editor. Subscriptions, change of address, and business communications, should be sent to the Business Manager. Notifications of address changes should be received by the 15th of the month.

     TERMS OF SUBSCRIPTION
$5.00 a year to any address, payable in advance. Single copy, 50 cents.
     SOUTH OHIO CIRCLE

     At the annual meeting of the South Ohio Circle of the General Church a unanimous motion was made, seconded and passed that the Secretary of the Circle write to the Editor of the New Church Life briefly describing the renovation of the Glendale Church Building and commending the young men who devoted all or part of their summer to the work.
     The Glendale Church Building has been a New Church house of worship since 1862. It is an attractive frame building set in an area of large old tree shaded homes.
     The South Ohio Circle acquired the building from the Convention Church in 1972. At the time of this purchase, the building was in excellent condition but required maintenance work; the structure was sound but the building had not been continually maintained. The entire exterior required a complete paint job and dry rot had affected some of the siding.
     Nathan Gladish, who had been a student at Oakland University in Michigan, turned up in Cincinnati in the Spring of 1977 with no employment, but with energy and a desire to do something for the Church.
     After some discussion it was decided that he really could sand-blast the old paint from the exterior of the building and paint the entire exterior. The job appeared awesome. Nathan had never done sand blasting nor was he an experienced painter. He was equipped with the two most important attributes necessary to get a job done: A desire to do it and the determination to get it done.
     First, he visited sand-blasting jobs in the Cincinnati area and found that the process was not impossible. Then he practiced on old wood found in a wrecking yard. Finally, he rented scaffolding and rented a complete sand-blasting outfit, bought what he hoped was the proper grade of sand, and began work in a tentative way.
     In the meantime, he began writing to many of his friends around the country who were going to be free in the summer and who he hoped to persuade to work with him. As a result, young New Church men turned up from all parts of the country as their college sessions completed and helped with the work, some for days, some for weeks and two for more than a month.
     We and they are proud to say the Church building is vastly improved and is a structure that brings pride to the South Ohio Circle.
     Once the sand-blasting was completed and the final cleaning of the wood was done, the painting began.
     With the exception of the month of July when the entire crew spent four weeks camping in Wyoming, the summer was devoted to the Church Building.
     Each week, sometimes each day, brought improved skills. Young men and women visiting Cincinnati for a few days found themselves pressed into service painting, cleaning windows or carrying away debris. It is a measure of their enthusiasm that the citizens of the village of Glendale began to keep track of the work and to gather in their free time to consult with Nathan and his crew and to advise them. The young workers and the project became a summer highlight.
     The South Ohio Circle commends these in young people and thanks them.
     DONALD P. GLADISH, SECRETARY

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     PITTSBURGH

     Although it has been many months since Pittsburgh filed a report with NEW CHURCH LIFE, this does not mean we: have been inactive. Changes within the school, departures and arrivals of New Church families, classes and services, and a variety of social events combine to keep the society lively.
     Under the strong leadership of Pastor Donald L. Rose, our school has continued to teach the basic subjects to nine grades, including Latin and a little Greek and Hebrew, always keeping in mind the distinctive New Church doctrines. We were sorry to see Gary Tennis leave after two years as the upper grades' teacher, but we gladly welcomed Curtis McQueen in his place. The little yellow school bus carrying children from the Freeport area was piloted last year by Patrick Horigan of Toronto and this year by Mr. McQueen. This project is in its third year, and is considered just about a 100% success. Other teachers in the school are: Marion Kendig (primary), Karen (Junge) Luce (intermediate), Anne Blair (intermediate), and Polly Schoenberger (upper). We are blessed with a loyal troop of volunteers, teaching everything from art to nature study; we have often wondered what we would do without them.
     One advantage to being a fairly small school is our ability to take several grades at once on interesting field trips. Back in 1915 grades six through nine traveled to Philadelphia for several days of Bicentennial sightseeing. Local trips have included the Buhl Planetarium, the Carnegie Museum, the Pittsburgh Zoo, the Aviary, the Braun Baking Company, the Ford automobile factory in Ohio, and a production of Dickens' "A Christmas Carol." Being as close to a large city as we are allows us to take many short trips throughout the year that are as educational as they are enjoyable. Also, the school enjoys a trip each year to the Asplundh lodge in Tionesta, under the expert guidance of Gilbert Smith. On two different weekends, the upper grades and the lower grades travel to the beautiful country north of Pittsburgh, to enjoy sledding, hiking, and Uncle Oils' good food. These Tionesta trips, a Pittsburgh tradition, do much to unify the school and strengthen friendships.
     While on the subject of education, let us remark on two interesting speakers we have enjoyed recently. Garry Hyatt of Bryn Athyn spoke on "New Church Effectiveness Training: Hope or Danger?" a relevant subject especially to parents in the crowd. Beth Johns, also of Bryn Athyn, treated us to a delightful slide presentation of her work in art education in the Bryn Athyn Church Elementary School. Sponsored by the Pittsburgh Sons and the Theta Alpha respectively, both of these talks proved to be highly worthwhile. The Sons also sponsored a visit by the Rev. Alfred Acton, who spoke about the Academy, and the Theta Alpha invited Alice Fritz, president of Theta Alpha International, to speak on the uses of the organization.

     Social life, always an important part of any New Church society, has ranged from square dances and a round-robin social to a mock fashion show and a one-act play. We always look forward to several regular events each year with special anticipation: the Christmas Sing, sometimes held in a large home, sometimes in the church auditorium; the Sons Labor Day picnic at the Lindsay farm in Sarver, at which the boys departing for the Academy are presented gifts; our June 19th celebration which begins with a church service and an outdoor pageant, and ends with a picnic on the church lawn and volleyball and basketball on the parking lot; our Thanksgiving Social, which, this pear, featured lively square dancing called by Jack Rose; and our annual society camping trip held over the Memorial Day weekend in the Laurel Mountains. We also enjoyed hosting the 11th Annual Meeting of the General Church Treasurers in April 1976, and the Academy College Hockey team last winter. Although we were forced to cancel the International Sons weekend due to the frigid weather and the fuel crisis last year, we never missed a church service, although several were held in the chilly auditorium!
     Our pastor, the Rev. Donald L. Rose, is always busy with doctrinal classes, church services, and the school.

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Also, Mr. Rose leads two reading groups: one, the "Afternoon Doctrinal Class," meets bi-weekly to discuss its reading of Arcana Coelestia; the other, originally called "The Younger Set," but more recently renamed "The Study Group" to include some of us who aren't so young anymore, also meets bi-weekly and is reading Dr. Odhner's Spirits and Men.
     Besides lay services and an occasional outdoor service, the Freeport-Sarver group has rented a small church in Freeport (about thirty miles from Pittsburgh) for a monthly service, at which Mr. Rose officiates. This group is looking into the possibilities of building their own chapel near their homes to be used for services of worship in that area.
     Besides regular classes and services, Mr. Rose, along with Dan Heilman and Ken Blair, led a symposium on Life After Life, at which two acquaintances of Dr. Heilman spoke of their experiences. We also enjoyed an interesting film on Helen Keller. Just prior to Christmas, we had a chance for peaceful meditation in the church as Julie Sammt played appropriate music on the organ, accompanied by Betty Lindsay on the harp and Andrea Rose on the guitar. Neighbors of the church were invited to all of these occasions, and those who came seemed to enjoy them.

     Our chapters of Theta Alpha, Women's Guild, and the Sons continue to provide services to the society in many and varied ways. Each year the Theta Alpha fetes the girls departing for the Academy with a shower at which they receive many useful gifts for their new life in the dormitory. Also, the women of the Theta Alpha continue to mold and paint the shepherds and lambs for the nativity scenes sent to isolated families, and to handle part of the General Church Religion Lessons program. Each January a Swedenborg's Birthday Luncheon is given for the school children, complete with Swedish decorations. The Women's Guild provides delicious Friday Suppers, makes most of the gifts for the children at Christmas, and serves refreshments at the June 19th picnic. The Sons, besides their annual Labor Day picnic, hold meetings where different men speak on a variety of subjects, and also sponsor the Laurel Leaf Academy each year at Laurel State Park near Pittsburgh.
     We are fortunate to be able to get to know different candidates from the Theological School each summer. In the last few years we have seen the Revs. Brian Keith and Stephen Cole, and Bob MacMaster. We always look forward to welcoming these men and their wives to our society and having them stay with us during their time in Pittsburgh. In recent summers we have also held a Scripture Summer school in the Freeport area for children, especially those who do not attend our school, to come and learn a bit more about the letter of the Word.
     Our Sunday School is very active, providing instruction on alternate Sundays to the very young through the eighth grade. Teachers range from grandmothers to fathers to college students.
     As every society knows, funds are always in demand. Last winter we really felt the need to protect our building from the elements, so this summer a successful Rummage Sale was held in the auditorium, its profits going toward this job. Then in the fall a Bazaar was put on, bringing the funds available for winterizing close to $1,500. Both these events were well advertised, and it was fun to greet so many of our neighbors in the auditorium.
     The year 1976 marked the passing of Homer Schoenberger, life-long resident of Pittsburgh, and last surviving son of Jacob and Elizabeth Schoenberger. Mr. Schoenberger will be remembered as a loyal and staunch supporter of the Pittsburgh Society. The double wedding of Diane and Miriam Alden to John Howard and Mark Gruber brought many friends and relatives to Pittsburgh, as did the wedding of Karen Junge to Dale Luce. Our church's bell, out of commission for many years, rang joyfully at each occasion, as it does now, regularly, at each Sunday service.
     Pittsburgh has enjoyed visits from many of the clergy in the past few years including the homecomings of former pastors. Bishop King, and the Revs, Alfred Acton, Glenn Alden, Kurt Asplundh, Mark Carlson, Geoffrey Childs, Stephen Cole, Geoffrey Howard, Tom Kline, Kurt Nemitz, Norman Reuter, Frank Rose, and Dong Taylor have all either preached or given doctrinal class here.

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     As this report is reaching its end, so also is the year 1977. We in Pittsburgh look forward to a new year of continuing uses and new challenges. We hope to see many of you in your travels, and also hope a few of you may settle down here to stay. We're not the coal-dusty city of the 1940s; we're clean, lively, and growing. Give us a try!
     POLLY M. SCHOENBERGER
MINISTERIAL CHANGES 1978

MINISTERIAL CHANGES       LOUIS B. KING       1978




     Announcements






     The Rev. Erik Sandstrom retires as Dean of the Theological School as of Aug. 31, 1978. He has accepted appointment as of Sept. 1, 1978 to serve as resident Pastor to the South Dakota Group and Visiting Pastor to the Denver Circle.

     The Rev. Douglas M. Taylor, who has been serving as Assistant Dean of the Bryn Athyn Church (this year half-time), has accepted episcopal appointment to devote his full time to General Church Extension work as of Sept. 1, 1975.

     The Rev. Norbert H. Rogers has offered his resignation as Secretary of the General Church, effective Aug. 31, 1978

     The Rev. Arne Bau-Madsen has accepted appointment as resident part-time minister to the Kempton Circle of the General Church.
     LOUIS B. KING,
          Bishop
EDUCATIONAL COUNCIL MEETINGS 1978

EDUCATIONAL COUNCIL MEETINGS       DANDRIDGE PENDLETON       1978

     The meetings of the Educational Council of the General Church for 1978 will be held Aug. 21-25 inclusive.
     DANDRIDGE PENDLETON,
     Program Chairman
VISITORS TO BRYN ATHYN AND GLENVIEW 1978

VISITORS TO BRYN ATHYN AND GLENVIEW              1978

     Visitors to Bryn Athyn and Glenview who are in need of hospitality accommodations are cordially urged to contact in advance the appropriate Hospitality Committee head listed below:

Mrs. A. Wynne Acton                    Mrs. Philip Horigan
3405 Buck Rd.                     50 Park Dr.
Huntingdon Valley, PA 19006           Glenview, Ill. 60025
Phone: (215) 947-0242               Phone: (312) 729-5644

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ACADEMY OF THE NEW CHURCHSCHOOL CALENDAR 1978-79 1978

ACADEMY OF THE NEW CHURCHSCHOOL CALENDAR 1978-79              1978

     ONE HUNDRED AND SECOND SCHOOL YEAR

     1978

Sept.     5 Tues.      All dormitory students must arrive before 8:00 p.m.
                    College registration: local students
                    Secondary Schools full registration-local students
                    Secondary Schools dormitory students confirm course registration upon arrival
     6 Wed.      Faculty meetings
                    Secondary School dormitory students register
     7 Thurs.      Classes begin following opening exercises
     9 Sat.      Secondary School classes
                    Evening: College Program/Secondary School Program

Oct.     13 Fri.      Charter Day
               11:00 a.m.      Charter Day Service (Cathedral)
               9:00 p.m.      President's Reception (Field House)
     14 Sat.      2:30 p.m.      Annual Meeting of ANC Corporation (Pitcairn Hall)
     7:00 p.m.      Charter Day Banquet (Field House)

Nov. 22 Wed.      Fall term ends and Thanksgiving Recess begins after exams
                    Student workers remain for scheduled student work*
     26 Sun.      Secondary School dormitory students must return by 8:00 p.m.*
     27 Mon.      Secondary Schools winter term begins

Dec. 4 Mon.      College winter term begins
     15 Fri.      College Christmas Recess begins after morning classes
                    Student workers remain for scheduled student work
     19 Tues.      Secondary Schools Christmas Recess begins after morning classes

     1979

Jan.     2 Tues.      College dormitory students must return by 8:00 p.m.*
     3 Wed.      College resumes classes
     4 Thurs.      Secondary Schools resume classes

Feb.     15 Thurs.      Deadline for application for ANC 1979-1980 school year
     19 Mon.      Presidents' Birthday Holiday

Mar.     9 Fri.      Winter term ends in all schools
                    Spring recess begins after morning classes
                    Student workers remain for scheduled student work
     18 Sun.      All dormitory students must return by 8:00 p.m.*
     19 Mon.      Spring term begins in all schools

Apr.     13 Fri.     Good Friday
     6 Fri.      Easter Monday Holiday

May      18 Fri.      7:45 p.m.     Joint Meeting of Faculty and Corporation (Assembly Hall)
     19 Sat.      2:30 p.m.      Semi-Annual Meeting of ANC Corporation (Pitcairn Hall)
          28 Mon.      Memorial Day Holiday

June 8 Fri           Spring term ends in all schools
               8:30 p.m.     President's Reception (Field House)
     9 Sat.      9:30 a.m.      Commencement Exercises (Field House)

     * See special information under holiday regulations

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BLACK AMONG THE LAMBS 1978

BLACK AMONG THE LAMBS       Rev. WILLARD D. PENDLETON       1978


     
NEW CHURCH LIFE
VOL. XCVIII          APRIL, 1978               No. 4
     I will pass through all thy flock this day, removing from thence every small goat that is speckled and spotted, and all the black among the lambs, and the spotted and speckled among the size goats; and of such shall be my hire. Genesis 30:32.

     For many years Jacob had served among the flocks of Laban. He had served seven years for Leah, seven years for Rachel, and yet further years for his sons. But after the birth of Joseph, Jacob went to Laban and said, "Send me away, that I may go unto mine own place, and to my country. Give me my wives and my children, for whom I have served thee, and let me go: For thou knowest the service which I have done thee."* There could be no question concerning this. From the day that Jacob arrived in Haran, Laban had prospered. At the time of his coming, Laban had little; but now his flocks and his herds were increased "unto a multitude."** According to the standards of his time Laban was now a rich man, and it was all due to Jacob. Surely, Laban could not afford to lose this profitable servant; so he said to him, "I pray thee, if I have found favor in thine eyes, tarry: For I have learned by experience that the Lord hath blessed me for thy sake. . . . Appoint me thy wages and I will give it."***
     * Gen. 30:25, 26          
     ** Gen. 30:30
     *** Gen. 30:27, 28
     It is apparent that under the circumstances Jacob could have required some reasonable portion of the flock; instead he drove a strange bargain involving the speckled and spotted among the goats and the black among the lambs. All such were to be his, the rest were to remain with Laban.

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To all appearances Laban had much to gain by such an agreement, for the animals which Jacob chose for himself were regarded as the undesirables, that is, those which were normally used only for meat. What Jacob knew, and we assume that Laban did not know, was that these exceptions, if carefully mated, could produce their own kind in great numbers; and because they carried the genes of their progenitors could in later generations be bred to conform to acceptable standards. So it was that in all that Jacob did, God was with him, and it is recorded that, "the man increased exceedingly."* We can well understand, therefore, why it was that in time the sons of Laban complained, saying, "Jacob hath taken away all that was our father's; and of that which was our father's hath he gotten all this glory."**
      * Gen. 30:43
     * Gen. 31:1
     In commenting on the shrewdness of Jacob in dealing with his own kin, the Writings observe that,

     In these things there does not appear (to be) anything Divine, whereas all things of the Word . . . are Divine. Moreover, to know all this is not of the slightest avail for salvation; yet the Word, being Divine, contains within it nothing that is not conclude to salvation. From all this, and . . . like things elsewhere, everyone may conclude that some arcanum is contained within. . . . But this cannot possibly appear to anyone except from the spiritual sense.*
     * AC 3993

     The key which in this case unlocks the spiritual sense is found in the representation of the two central figures of the story; for we read that by Laban is meant such good as can serve to introduce genuine goods and truths, and by Jacob is meant the good of truth.*
     * Ibid
     We have here two things: introductory goods, and the good of truth. The distinction is essential to the understanding of this portion of Scripture. Obviously, the one serves as the means whereby the other is established. What the Writings are speaking of here are those mediate goods and truths by which the natural man, who is represented by Jacob, is led by the Lord into the perception and acknowledgment of genuine good and truth. Like Jacob, we too must serve our apprenticeship among the flocks of Laban, that is, among mediate goods. The way is long and, at times, arduous; but there is no other way in which man, from being natural, may become spiritual. What is being spoken of here, therefore, is the life of regeneration. Hence it is said in the Writings,

     When a man is being regenerated, he is kept by the Lord in a kind of mediate good. This good serves as the means whereby man is introduced into genuine goods and truths. . . .This is not done in a moment . . . but through . . .man's whole life. . . . Seeing, therefore, that man's states of life have to be so greatly changed, it must needs be that he is long kept in a kind of mediate good, that is, in a good which partakes of the affections of (both worlds). This mediate, or middle good, is what is signified by Laban and his flock.*
     * AC 4063

139




     The important thing to observe about mediate good is that it partakes of the affections of both worlds. Whereas, on the one hand, it delights in self, it is also responsive to the appeal of use. This is apparent in children who, although their life is centered in self, are capable of aspiring to high ideals. The same applies to adults who, although motivated by the thought of reward, reflect with delight upon the concept of use. If it were not for this aspiration to spiritual good, no man could ever be liberated from bondage to self. So it is that the Lord provides that while man is in the way with self he may partake of the affections of both worlds. There is, however, one restriction upon this, and that is, that in his relations with others, man must shun the sin of deceit. The reason for this is, that he who does what is evil under the pretext of good, turns what is good into evil in himself and deprives himself of his innocence.
     What then is it that the Writings are telling us here? Is it not that as long as man is in the way of regeneration his motives are mixed? Holy could it be otherwise? Man is not reformed in a moment; much less regenerated. The life of regeneration is a gradual process which would not be possible unless the Lord provided a way in which man, who is born natural, could progressively be introduced into a genuine delight in use. As the prophet Jeremiah said, "It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed."*
     * Lam. 3:22
     We can understand, therefore, why it was that Jacob chose for himself the speckled and spotted among the goats. According to the Writings, what is speckled and spotted is that which is composed of black and white, the black signifying what is evil, and white signifying what is of truth. What is represented here is the teaching that as long as man is held in mediate good there are evils with which truth, and the good of truth, can be commingled. Note well that this does not apply to all evils, but only to those to which something of good may temporarily be adjoined. These are said to be those evils, "which are not contrary to the love of God."* These are those evils which, although essentially selfish, may yet be directed by the Lord to the service of good. Examples given are the desire to excel others, and the simulation and cunning which have good as an end. But there are evils with which nothing of good can ever be commingled; these are said to be: hatred, cruelty, revenge, contempt for others in comparison with oneself, and those persuasions of falsity which lead to deceit.**
     * AC 3993
     ** Ibid.
     Yet why, if Jacob chose for himself the speckled and spotted among the goats, did he ask for the black among the lambs? In the sense of the letter the reason is obvious. Had Jacob chosen for himself the white sheep, Laban would not have granted the request.

140


In the spiritual sense, however, the real reason becomes apparent, for by white is signified the Lord's merit and righteousness in man.* But if, in the doing of good, man believes that the good which he does is from self, he perverts that which belongs to the Lord in himself. Hence it is said in the Writings that "in the opposite sense white signifies man's own righteousness, or his own merit."** That was why Jacob chose for himself the black among the sheep, for by black is signified a proprium which is innocent. In defining a proprium which is innocent the Writings say it is "to know, acknowledge and believe . . . that nothing but evil is from oneself, and that all good is from the Lord, and therefore that what is one's own is nothing but blackness."*** In order that this may be understood the Writings add the following statement: "He who places self merit in goods . . .believes that all good is from himself; because in the goods he does he has regard to himself, and not to the Lord, and accordingly demands recompense on account of his merit."****
     * AC 3993               
     ** Ibid.
     *** AC 3994               
     **** Ibid.
     The most deep rooted of all human illusions is the persuasion that self is deserving. This is observable, not only in our reactions to what is required of us by others, but it is also implied in the Old Testament, the New Testament, and in all human philosophy. The appearance is that he who does what is good, deserves what is good; but now the Writings tell us that of himself man cannot do good, and that he is not on account of anything in himself deserving of good. Yet the Lord wills good to all, and HE has provided the way in which man may be introduced into the life of good. By good here, however, is not meant that which seems good to self, but that which alone is good, namely, the good of use.
     This concept of good differs from anything that has been known in the past in that it clearly distinguishes between that which pertains to self and that which belongs to the Lord. It is in this that the doctrine of charity for the New Church differs from the Christian ideal of service; for whereas services are basic to use, and are the means whereby man is introduced to use, yet as long as man persists in the illusion that in doing good he is somehow deserving of the good which he does, he cannot enter into the delight of use. The reason for this should be obvious, for when the delight which we find in serving others has as its end the rewards which accrue to self through such service, how can we be affected by the delight of use? Were it not for the fact that man can be held by the Lord in mediate good, that is, in a good which partakes of heaven as well as the world, no man would be capable of aspiring to a life of genuine use.

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     The life of regeneration is a progressive series of choices, but the essential issue in every choice is whether man wills to be led by himself, or whether he wills to be led by the Lord. In selecting the black among the lambs the natural man enters into the acknowledgment that all good is from the Lord. This is what is known as the celestial confession; the reason for this is that celestial angels are at all times in this acknowledgment and confess from the heart that it is so. It is otherwise with the natural man, for it is only by means of the labor of many years among the flocks of Laban that he is prepared to make this acknowledgment from the heart. As an intellectual concept we can perceive that this is so, but when applied to life it is another matter.
     As Jacob labored among the flocks of Laban he must have suffered from many doubts; for the way was long and the end seemed remote. What he desired, above all else, was that he might return to the land of his fathers' and be conjoined with his brother Esau. By Esau is represented the good of remains, or the innocence of first states. But this is not possible until man is capable of coming to terms with self. This is effected by means of the truths of the Word which, when applied to life, become the good of use. So it is that the natural man is required to serve many years among the multitudinous obligations and responsibilities of daily existence. In so doing the appearance is that self is deserving of recognition and reward, yet, as the Lord said to His disciples, "Without Me ye can do nothing."* This is the fundamental truth of all Divine revelation and if, on first thought, it seems incredible to the natural man, the Lord has opened the way whereby he may, if he will, come into the perception and acknowledgment of the celestial confession. This is the Lord's doing, and this is what is involved in Jacob's choice of the black among the lambs. Amen.
     * Jn. 15:5

     LESSONS: Genesis 30:25-43; John 10:1-18; Arcana Coelestia 3982.

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ESSENTIAL FUNCTION OF THE CHURCH-I 1978

ESSENTIAL FUNCTION OF THE CHURCH-I       Rev. KURT H. ASPLUNDH       1978

     We begin with a brief word about the subject: "The Essential Function of the Church." I have asked myself the question: "What is the essential function of the Church?" "What is the reason that the Church exists?" "What uses are properly Church uses?" This interests me especially as I begin to give my full attention to the pastoral work of our society. What is the work of the Church? A multitude of needs clamor for attention. Priorities must be established.
     However, I have not chosen this subject simply because of my own interest, or to define my own responsibilities. It is important that we all be aware of the essential functions of the Church. These go beyond our personal spiritual needs, our own regeneration or salvation. All who are in the Church have a responsibility to the Lord. We have been called to the Church because we can fulfill some function of it. The Lord said to His disciples: "Ye have not chosen Me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit."*
     * Jn. 15:16
     We sometimes hear the statement: "We have been brought to the New Church because we are so evil. We could not otherwise be saved." This is only a half truth. True, we may need the New Church to preserve our religious faith. The truths of the Writings may be the only truths powerful enough to penetrate our states of evil to bring about judgment and separation. But this is a very incomplete and self-centered idea of the function of the Church. The Church, as all of the Lord's creation, looks to use. It looks out to the neighbor. Could it truly be a Church, and the Lord's, if it looked only inward?
     This is not a new idea, even in the sects of the Christian Church. Most bodies of these Churches have discarded what they consider to be a medieval form of Christianity, the pious adherence to a set of ritualistic acts done for the sake of one's own salvation and eventual "great reward." More than one critic of traditional Christianity has charged that "the existing pattern of the church is no longer in touch with real life."* The Church, they say, has lost "relevance." We have all heard that term.

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It is the conclusion of today's theologians that the function of the Church is to serve society. Thus we have seen, in recent times, the emergence and extension of what is termed the "social gospel." This is the teaching that the primary function of the Church is to be an instrument of social progress. We would agree that the Church must serve. It is a true Church, and we are true members of the Church, when we "bring forth fruit." Beyond this, however, our idea of the function of the Church departs radically from the current idea in the Christian world. It is this New Church idea which we hope to present briefly, in these two classes.
     * Time, Dec. 26, 1964, "The Servant Church."
     Let us here remind ourselves of the underlying point that the Church is the Lord's. He intends that it serve. But who is the neighbor that the Church will serve? And how is that service rendered? The Lord alone can give answer to these questions. Therefore, we look to Him for our understanding of the function of the Church. We seek to carry out the Lord's work. It is His vineyard in which we labor. Let us not be turned aside to lesser purposes.
     To help organize our thoughts about this, let us approach the subject according to the pattern of the degrees of the neighbor which the Writings reveal to us. The Church is to serve the neighbor, but there are ascending degrees of the neighbor. The Writings list these as being: the individual man (the lowest degree of the neighbor), a society, one's country, the human race, the Church, the Lord's kingdom, and in the highest degree, the Lord Himself.* "These are the neighbor," we read, "to whom good is to be done from love. . . . These ascending degrees are like the steps of a ladder, at the top of which is the Lord."
     * HD 91; Char. 21-25; TCR 392-462
     The Church has an essential function to serve in each of these degrees. We will consider these functions according to the degrees of the neighbor beginning from the highest degrees and continuing to the lowest, that is, beginning with the Lord Himself, and concluding with the individual man.
     So much, then for our introduction of the subject. Now for the homework papers! I asked you to prepare for this class by reflecting on what the Church provides which cannot be provided by any other agency. I am referring here specifically to the New Church. What does the New Church provide that can come by no other means? Salvation? That would be an incorrect answer. The Church does not provide salvation. That is a fallacy of the Catholic Church. Furthermore, there are many outside of the New Church who find salvation.
     Morality? Wrong again! Civil and moral good "are learned in the world," we read, "and therefore the nations outside the church also know such things."*
     * AC 4538:4

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     What else? What else?
     Let us turn now to a consideration of the essential function of the Church in relation to the Lord Himself. As the Lord is the highest degree of the neighbor to be loved, the function of the Church in relation to Him is the inmost of all. It looks to that end which satisfies the longings of the Divine love: that is, to draw man into conjunction with Himself that He (the Lord) may render (him) man blessed from Himself.* This is provided for in true or genuine worship, in what the Writings call "internal worship." Internal worship is distinct from what we commonly associate with the term worship. The external forms of piety are not here meant. While these are indeed necessary for the man of the Church, and are the outward signs of true worship, "internal worship" is a "conjunction through love and charity. When a man is in love and charity," we are told, "he is continually in worship. . . . The angels are in such worship; with them, therefore, there is a perpetual Sabbath. . . ."** Such is the worship that is pleasing to the Lord. Again, the Writings define this worship as "Everything that proceeds from love and faith with man, and is uplifted to the Lord by the Lord."*** "When a man is in genuine worship, then the Lord flows into the goods and truths which are with him, and raises them to Himself, and with them the man. . . ."****
     * TCR 43
     ** AC 1618
     *** AC 10206
     **** AC 10299:2
     There are some who hold to the mistaken idea that the Lord loves to be worshiped, and desires glory from man, just as some men desire to be honored and revered by others. This is a totally false idea of the Lord's reason for desiring the worship of men. "Love Divine consists in desiring worship and glory, not for the sake of itself, but for the sake of man and his salvation." The Lord knows that as man is perfected in genuine worship, he is withdrawn from the selfish and proprial things that obstruct the reception of the Divine blessing. This reception of His blessings is the glory of the Lord; the Lord glories in this fulfillment of His Divine end. And the worship of Him is for the sake of this end.*
     * AC 10646:3

     In relation to the Lord, then, the essential function of the Church is to provide for genuine, or "internal" worship. Such a worship, a "perpetual Sabbath" cannot be effected through any other agency than the true Church, for genuine worship can be only from what is of the Lord with man. It cannot be from what is of the man's own.
     The primary function of the Church should be to provide that such internal worship may be possible.
     The next lower degree of the neighbor to be loved is the Lord's kingdom.

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The true Church on earth has an important function in relation to the Lord's kingdom in the heavens. It is a foundation, and an ultimate basis for that kingdom. "Thus saith the Lord, The heaven is My throne, and the earth is My footstool: where is the house that ye build unto Me? and where is the place of My rest?"* The Writings explain that as the Lord's Church on earth is under the heavens, it is called in the letter of the Word "the footstool of His feet."** The same idea of the need for an ultimate resting place appears in the Lord's words to the man who said he would follow the Lord wherever He would go: "Foxes have holes," He said, "and birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay His head."***
     * Isa. 66:1               
     ** AR 470
     *** Lu. 9:58
     The Church on earth serves the Lord's kingdom as an ultimate place of rest. We might expect that the heavens are self-sufficient, and that the angels have no need of man's support. The Writings, however, teach otherwise.

     The spiritual and the natural . . . make one. The one cannot exist and subsist without the other; the angelic heaven not without the church with man, nor the church with him without the angelic heaven; . . . . The angels know this, on which account, they bitterly lament when the church on earth is desolated by falsities and consummated by evils; and then they compare the state of their life with drowsiness . . . but when the church on the earth has been restored by the Lord, they compare the state of their life to wakefulness."*
     * Coro. 19

     This is a most remarkable teaching. Who would have known or believed that the condition of the Church could have such an effect on the heavens. Does this not show us that we have a use to perform for our heavenly neighbors?

     "The church on earth b the foundation of heaven, because the influx of good and truth from the Lord through the heavens finally terminates in the goods and truths that are with the man of the church. When therefore the man of the church is in such a perverted state as no longer to admit the influx of good and truth, the powers of the heavens are said to shaken."*
     * AC 4068:4

     Another passage teaches the same where it says that "the angelic heaven totters" when the foundation or basis does not correspond.* Such was the situation just prior to the Lord's advent. "There was no Divine truth in ultimates with men in the world" and unless the Lord had then come into the world and assumed the ultimate Himself "the heavens that were made up of the inhabitants of this earth would have been transferred elsewhere. . . ."**
     * AE 397e
     ** AE 726:7

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     The Church has an essential function in relation to that heavenly kingdom which is the neighbor in a degree next to that highest degree which is the Lord Himself. How does the Church serve the Lord's kingdom? How does it look beyond itself and its own improvement to be of use to the angelic heavens? It serves by preserving the foundations of the Lord's kingdom on earth. These foundations are the acknowledgment of the Divinity of the Lord, the holiness of the Word, and the life of charity. "It the foundations be destroyed, what can the righteous do!"* Without the foundations, the house falls, and everything that is in it is destroyed. Remember the picture of Samson pulling down the supporting columns of the great Philistine temple. In the destruction which followed, thousands of Philistines were killed. The death of the people here signifies the destruction of individual falsities and evils that have found support and strength in foundations of ultimate existence. We do not regret the downfall of the Philistine temple and what it represents. However, the same principal applies to the foundations of good. If these foundations be destroyed, the righteous who depend upon their strength will suffer. The recognition of this, and an understanding of what it means, should give us a renewed appreciation of the importance of the New Church, and the greatness of the use which it serves by remaining true to its foundations.
     * Ps. 11:5
     We do not refer here to doctrinal integrity alone, when we talk about foundations, although this must be preserved without fail. We refer also to an integrity of life which strengthens the affections of the man of the Church. The spheres of falsity and evil which remain in force in the world today, referred to as spheres of the dragon, must be counterbalanced by the spheres of the New Church. The Writings describe three draconic spheres which are said to be like "tempest-driven atmospheres" which invade the mind and control it. We are told that the angels complain of these spheres, and pray to the Lord for their dissipation, but they received the answer that they cannot be dissipated so long as the dragon is on the earth. And we are told, "the spheres of spiritual truth there are as yet few,-only in the new heaven, and also with those beneath heaven who are separated from the draconic spirits."*
     * TCR 619
     It is a great challenge to the New Church on earth to cherish and preserve the knowledge and understanding of the Heavenly Doctrine. This must be constantly renewed by a love of the truth for its own sake. So, too, is it a great challenge to have the courage of our convictions, to apply the truth of the Church in a hostile and unsympathetic spiritual environment.

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It is only by means of judgments, often difficult and unpleasant judgments, both on our individual states, and on the states of the fallen Christian world, that we may fight from the spheres atheism, materialism, and many others which "invade" the mind and grieve the angels of the Lord's kingdom. And if, at times, we are sensitive to the criticism that the New Church is "narrow," concerned only with its own ideas and its own life, exclusive and judgmental, let us reflect that these states may be necessary to enable us to serve a neighbor of very high degree, the Lord's heavenly kingdom.
     As we descend, now, through the degrees of the neighbor from the Lord Himself, through the Lord's kingdom, we come to the next degree where the Church itself is a form of the neighbor to be served. I do not wish to speak here of the manner in which the Church must serve itself, but would look, instead, to the next lower degree,-to the human race as a form of the neighbor. The Church stands between the Lord's kingdom and the human race in the descending series. We find that the essential function of the Church in serving the Lord's kingdom is mirrored in a related function of the Church serving the human race. The Church stands in somewhat the same relation to both, but with the Lord's kingdom above and the human race below.
     We have seen that the Church provides the ultimate basis for the preservation of the Lord's kingdom. On the other hand, the Church provides an essential communication with heaven for the preservation of the human race. Consider these remarkable teachings of revelation: "There must by all means be a church on earth; . . . without it the human race would perish."*
     * AC 9276:7

     If the Lord's church should be entirely extinguished on the earth, the human race could by no means exist, but one and all would perish. The church . . . is as the heart: so long as the heart lives, the neighboring viscera and members can live; but as soon as the heart dies, they one and all die also. The Lord's church on earth is as the heart, whence the human race, even that part of it which is outside the church, has life.*
     * AC 637

     The Church is so important to the whole human race, including that great proportion of it which is entirely ignorant of the Church, because the Church is a means whereby there is a communication of spiritual life from the heavens to the human race.
     The human race could not continue to exist on the earth if all communication with the spiritual world were to be cut off.

     Wherefore, it is provided by the Lord that there shall always be a church on the earth, in which the Lord has been revealed by the Divine truth which is from Him. . . . At the present day scarcely anyone believes it to be so (that the human race could not exist if there were no true church on earth), because scarcely any one believes that everything of man's life is from the Lord through heaven.*
     * AC 9276:7

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     Most men suppose that life is in themselves. Even if they have some vague belief in the existence of a spiritual world, or an eternal world, none would suppose that a connection with heaven, or an influx from heaven, would be vital to their existence. Nor would anyone be aware that the only means whereby that lifeline of communication can be kept open between heaven and earth is the Church of the Lord on earth.
     This is a key doctrine of the New Church.

     There can be no conjunction with heaven, unless somewhere on earth there is a church where the Word is, and where by it the Lord is known. . . . It is sufficient we are told further, that there be a church where the Word is, even if it consists of comparatively few, for even in that case the Lord is present by its means in the whole world, for by its means heaven is conjoined with the human race.*
     * SS 104

     What would be the result if this conjunction were broken by the failure of the Church, if there were not even those "comparatively few" in possession of the Word and in an understanding of it? We are told that

     if this medium of conjunction were not in the world, conjunction with heaven would perish, and with this conjunction all good of the will and all truth of the understanding in man, and with these that very humanity which consociates man with man; consequently evil and falsity would be in full possession, whereby one society would perish after another.*
     * AC 10456:3

     Other passages speak of the direful consequences of such disjunction: When man separates himself from the Divine he no longer has any spiritual life, but only natural life, like that of beasts, we are told, and when man is such no society can be formed and held bound by laws "since without the influx of heaven, and thus without the Divine government, man would become insane, and rush unchecked into every wickedness, one against another."* Again, we are taught that the

     reason why the human race cannot live unless it is conjoined with the Lard through heaven and the world of spirits, is that in himself regarded man is much viler than the brutes. If left to himself he would rush into the ruin of himself and of all things; for he desires nothing else than what would be for the destruction of himself and of all. . . .Therefore unless the Lord should have compassion on him, and conjoin him with Himself through angels, he could not live a single moment; but this he does not know.**
     * LJ 10
     *AC 637

     How rarely we reflect on the function of the New Church in serving that multitudinous neighbor, the human race on our earth.

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Three billion souls depend for their very existence on the preservation of a Church where the Word is read and revered, and where by that revelation, the Lord is known and acknowledged. No man can say that this organization or that organization of the Church is the means of this preservation. We do know, however, that this preservation can be effected at this day only by the existence of the New Church somewhere on earth. There must be those, somewhere, who have received the Lord in His Second Coming, and who, by means of that new revelation of His Divine Human in the Writings, have come to acknowledge Him as the one only God of heaven and earth. We, of the General Church, have this opportunity to be of service to the human race. While many in our organization may fall short of being internally of the Lord's New Church, and while there may be others in the world, not of this organization, who are truly of the New Church, the Church that provides for this communication between heaven and earth must be among those who are acquainted with the Writings and receptive of their Heavenly Doctrine. There is no other Church in possession of this New Word which makes the Lord known. There is no other possible medium of conjunction on this earth.
     What then is the responsibility of the Church in providing the medium of conjunction which is the "lifeline" of the human race? This transmission of "life" from the heavens is not effected, as some might suppose, by an external way; that is, by evangelization. Certainly, there is nothing wrong with such evangelization. In a sense, it is a means of preservation because it increases the number of those who may serve in holding open of a path of life. The essential means of preservation, however, is an internal means. It involves the preservation with man of the uniquely human faculties of rationality and liberty.
     The man of the world is powerfully affected and controlled in his life by the influences playing upon him from the spiritual world, particularly those from the world of spirits where there is a mingling of spirits of all kinds. The presence on earth of a true Church has considerable effect on the world of spirits. By means of truths and states ultimated on earth, the Lord organizes the world of spirits and holds it in equilibrium. There are evil as well as good spirits in that world, and they each have their effect on men in this world. However, because of the order that can be maintained there, due to the reception of Divine truth in the ultimates of order among the men of the Church, no spirits are able to gain control over the minds of men on earth. All on earth, whether of the Church or not, can be kept in a state of freedom, and of free choice, and may have a faint perception of the good of life. For this reason the humanity of the human race is almost miraculously preserved by an indirect mode, and the latent lusts of evil are powerfully restrained.

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     Whether or not we fully understand the means by which the human race is served through the preservation of the New Church on earth, we know that it is so. There can be no question that the existence of the New Church is essential for the preservation of human life on our planet. But what is the specific function of the Church in providing for this preservation?

     Again, as in the serving of the Lord's kingdom, the function of the Church in serving the human race involves the preservation of the foundations of true religion. The Church on earth must provide a plane of influx in which the life of the heavens may be received. We may compare the situation here to the relationship between the soul and body of man. The soul cannot act and bring about its desired end unless it acts in the body. When the body serves as a corresponding ultimate to the soul the soul's life may be felt and may have its effect. The Church serves the whole human race when it prepares itself to receive the life of heaven. We think of this preparation as being a forming or molding of the externals of life and thought to be suitable vessels for the reception of the interior life and thought that is from heaven. The words of the Lord's prayer summarizes for us the preparation needed. We ask: "Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, as in heaven, so upon the earth." "So upon the earth." By the earth is meant the Church. We ought to form the Church in accordance with the Lord's will, and in correspondential pattern to the kingdom of the heavens. Then the Lord's kingdom can come, even on earth.
     The spiritual sense of the Word has been opened for the New Church. Through this we are given the opportunity to build a Church in the minds and hearts of men on earth that is more perfectly in correspondence to the Lord's kingdom than any Church which has hitherto existed. Consider how markedly the Christian religion which the Lord established at His coming differed from the Jewish religion. How much more perfectly the primitive Christian Church reflected the Lord's will than did the religiosity of the Scribes and Pharisees. The same thing is true today of the New Church in comparison with the former Christian Churches. "Behold, I make all things new," the Lord promised. So, the life and thought of the New Church potentially reflects an even deeper spiritual reality. Is it not one of our primary functions then, as a Church, to build new forms of life which more perfectly reflect the image of heaven, and new patterns of thought which more perfectly express angelic wisdom? Does not this indicate a need to develop a distinctiveness in our ways of life? Does not this confirm us in our recognition of the importance of a new educational system which will introduce our children and young people into the distinctive thought and life of the Church!

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     This should be done, not because we believe that we are thereby made better than others and more worthy for the kingdom of God, but because it is the means by which we can be of greatest service to the world. Who else can serve the human race in this way? "Ye have not chosen Me," the Lord said, "but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit."
     We have looked now at the essential function of the Church as it relates to three degrees of the neighbor, and have considered how we may serve the neighbor in those degrees. We serve the Lord, our highest neighbor, by internal worship. We serve the Lord's kingdom by preserving the foundations of true religion. We serve the human race by ultimating on earth the life and thought of genuine religion to serve as a basis for an influx of spiritual life.
CHURCH ESSENTIAL 1978

CHURCH ESSENTIAL              1978

     From this it may be seen that there must absolutely be a church on earth, and that apart from it the human race would perish; for the case would be as with a man when he dies, at which time the lungs and heart cease to move. On this ground also it is provided by the Lord that there will always be a church on earth in which the Lord has been revealed: through the Divine Truth which is from Him. This Divine Truth on our earth is the Word. That this is true scarcely anyone believes at this day because it is not believed that all of man's life is through heaven from the Lord. Arcana Coelestia 9276:7.

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FATHERHOOD 1978

FATHERHOOD       Rev. PATRICK ROSE       1978

     There are many awe-inspiring things to behold in the world around us. Some, it is true, do not realize this, for as adults they have allowed a certain callousness and insensitivity to replace the sphere of innocence and sense of wonder they experienced as children. But the wise man will not allow his eyes to be closed in this way. Indeed, the more he learns, and the more he sees, the more wonderful the world appears. Everywhere he looks he sees evidence that the Lord not only created, but also continually sustains, His universe.
     Nowhere, however, is the hand of the Lord more evident than in the creation and birth of a baby. When a baby takes his first breath and turns pink before one's eyes, a new human life begins. "And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul."* "Man," we are told, "is the chief end of creation."** We can look at the world around us; we can look up and peer into the distant reaches of space; we can behold gigantic galaxies in an incredible universe. We can wonder; we can marvel. But the central purpose of this mighty cosmos does not lie hidden in some far distant corner of space. Rather it lies in the birth of an infant, in the creation of a man. The universe was created by the Lord from love, for the sake of man. It is man whom the Lord loves, and in the commencement of a new human life especially, we can, if our eyes are open, sense the presence of His love.
     * Gen. 2:7               
     ** TCR 61
     The Lord's love, operating through His Divine wisdom, is an infinitely powerful force, and it is, as it were, focused with unlimited fulness upon a new-born infant. If this new human being later proves willing, nothing in the universe will prevent the Lord's love from lifting him up to dwell eventually with his Creator in heaven. We do not speak metaphorically when we say that the Lord moves heaven and earth in order to protect and sustain this little infant. Angels from the inmost heaven-the heaven of love-are with the child. And on earth there are his parents. We are taught that the sphere of Divine love "pervades the universe," and "especially affects parents, and is the source of their tender love for their children."*

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It is a powerful sphere indeed, for it "affects the evil as well as the good, and disposes every one to love, protect, and sustain his offspring, from his own love."** It is a force which overrides individual failings so that "even harlots love their progeny."*** This is of the Divine Providence. If evil were to prevent the operation of this love, the human race would long since have perished. The Lord provides that in general children are cared for despite the failings of their parents.
     * TCR 44
     ** CL 392
     *** CL 409
     It does not follow from this that there is not some variation in the intensity of the love that is felt. On the other hand the Writings speak of those who had loved infants most tenderly while in the world;* on the other hand they make reference to those who have no love for infants and consequently reject them.** Nor does it follow that all who love their children love them in the proper manner. The spiritual state of the parent affects greatly the way in which love for children is expressed.***
     * AC 5054
     ** CL 472
     *** CL 405, 406; TCR 431
     Thus, though there is indeed a powerful spiritual sphere of love which provides for the care of children, there are at the same time disorders which can nullify or pervert a parent's love for his offspring. Various tragic occurrences, where children are physically neglected or abused, testify to this fact, making legal deterrents an unfortunate necessity.* Less tragic, but still harmful, and far more common, is the neglect of the mental and spiritual needs of children. We are all shocked when we hear of children being subjected to physical deprivation or harm, or to severe psychological cruelty. Still, all but the most wise and loving of parents must realize that they too have offended against those in their care, albeit in lesser ways. Concerned parents would do well to periodically consider the way in which they are rearing their children.
     * Cf. CL 391e
     This is especially the case with fathers. Mothers, it is true, are not perfect, though it would be difficult to convince younger children of this. However, few mothers lack a tender love and concern for their children. Women are created to receive the sphere of conjugial love directly from the Lord, and the love of infants takes its origin from conjugial love. Hence it is that women have a more tender love for children than do men.* Indeed, men only receive this love indirectly through women.** Thus, a father's love for his children, though it is indeed tender, is still less tender than a mother's, tending to be more remote.

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In fact, the Writings distinguish between a mother's love of children, and a father's love towards them.***
     * CL 393
     ** Ibid.; CL 409
     *** CL 284
     Contributing to this difference between the parental loves of a father and a mother is the fact that in general the father spends less time with his children. While the mother tends to the children, the father performs duties outside the home.
     Certainly it is not wrong for a father to love his offspring less tenderly than a mother. The underlying and contributing reasons are of Divine order. It is not wrong, but it does mean that a father must take greater care lest he neglect his children. He may frequently have to be absent. He may, and indeed should, take delight in concerns beyond the home.* But at the same time he should strive not to neglect the duties and delights of the home. In this regard a few very applicable teachings come to mind.
     * See SD 4182
     First, there is the matter of justice-a question of what is right. "The mother carried them in the womb, with suffering brought them forth, and afterwards with unwearying care suckles, feeds, cleanses, clothes, and brings them up."* In justice the father cannot be uninvolved. In one specific case it would be the avoidance of a direct responsibility. We are taught that "the care of the instruction of boys, after childhood up to puberty, and from that until they become their own master, is a duty proper to the husband."** Even where, in the case of little children and girls, the primary care rests with the mother, still the father too must be involved: the duties of father and mother are to "conjoin themselves, by counsels and support, and many other mutual aids."*** For a father to refuse counsel and support could be most destructive of the marriage: "the primary things which confederate, consociate, and gather the souls and lives of two married partners into one, are the common care of the education of children, in relation to which the duties of the husband and the duties of the     e wife are distinct, and at the same time conjoin themselves."**** In Other words, a father is a husband, and is thus to join with his wife in this important use. He must not neglect his duty to render support and cooperation can be a source of eternal conjugial blessings.
     * CL 284               
     ** CL 176
     *** Ibid.
     **** Ibid.
     A father is not only a husband. He is also a father. This might sound trite or meaningless unless we realize that the term "father" is full of spiritual implications. In common speech it denotes a biological relationship, and generally a social relationship as well. But within the framework of the Writings, and thus to New Church people, fatherhood is a spiritual relationship.

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A "father," we are taught, signifies good.* Since only the Lord is good, and since, essentially speaking, He alone leads to good, only He can truly be called "Father" in a spiritual sense. Yet in a representative sense, men on earth can also be called fathers (in the spiritual sense of this word), because "fathers in the world are good, and lead their children to good, but from the Lord, not from themselves."**
     * AE 746:13
     ** Ibid.
     The fact is that parenthood is not only a natural but also a spiritual duty. A father and mother act for and in the place of the Lord, and should provide for not only the natural but also the spiritual welfare of their children.* In this area especially, a husband should not leave his wife to act alone. On the contrary, there is ample indication in the Writings that he should take the lead. In so far as possible he should devote time to the spiritual upbringing of his children. To lead in family worship, especially on the Sabbath day when no church service is available, and to provide spiritual and moral instruction for his children, both by conversation and by example . . . these are solemn duties, and they are delights.
     * TCR 305
     The effect of such leadership is profound. In one startling passage we are taught: "what has once been implanted from infancy as holy, especially if by fathers, and thus inrooted, the Lord never breaks, but bends, unless it is contrary to order itself."* And the effect of such leadership is a delight. To open little children's eyes to the truths of the Lord's word, (a list of truths to be learned by little children may be seen in AC 5135: 3) and to share in their innocence and sense of wonder, is a softening and warming experience. Men, who by nature tend to be "grave, harsh, hard,"** cannot but benefit from the softening influence of little children, especially within the sphere of religion.
     * AC 2180:5
     ** CL 218
     No man can have as much enlightenment and wisdom as a mother in dealing with small children. Nor should any man willingly allow domestic concerns to prevent him from devoting sufficient time and energy to his job.* Yet he should not forget his domestic duties, nor fail to do his part to make his house a home, and his home a heaven:
     * TCR 431:2
     "A home becomes a heaven, if we can relax in it from the strains of labor, and find from each other a ready sympathy, an understanding cooperation. We have the spiritual principles of heavenly life given us in the Writings as a basis of spiritual conscience! All we have to do further is not to take our ambitions, social or secular, so seriously that we pay for them in blood-coins and steel our minds against the softening spheres which bring real values even into our external life and into the lives of our children." (Hugo Lj. Odhner: The Moral Life, p. 142.)

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INFLUX THROUGH ANGELS AND SPIRITS 1978

INFLUX THROUGH ANGELS AND SPIRITS       Rev. VICTOR J. GLADISH       1978

     It is written in Genesis 1:26, "And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness; . . ." and as a part of the explanation of those words, it is written, "Man is altogether ignorant that he is governed by the Lord through Angels and spirits, . . ."*
     * AC 50
     It is further said in this passage, "The angels indeed lead, but only as ministers, for it is the Lord alone Who governs man through angels and spirits. And as this is done through the ministry of angels, it is here first said, in the plural number, 'let us make man in our image'; and yet because the Lord alone governs and disposes, it is said in the following verse, in the singular number, 'God created him in His own image.'"
     In another part of the Heavenly Doctrine, under the general subject of influx, we read:

     That man is governed by the Lord by means of angels and spirits, has been given me to know by experience so manifest as not to leave even the smallest doubt concerning it; for now through a course of many years all my thoughts and all my affections, even to the most minute of all, have flowed in by means of spirits and angels. This it has been given me to perceive so plainly that nothing could be more plain; for I have perceived, I have seen, and I have heard, who they were, what was their quality, and where they were. And when anything adverse fell into my thought or will, 1 have spoken to them and chided them. And I have also observed that the power they had of infusing such things was restrained by the angels; and also in what manner; and likewise often that they were driven away, and that then new spirits were present in their place, from whom again there was influx. It has also been given me to perceive whence those spirits came, or of what societies they were the subjects; and an opportunity of speaking with those societies themselves has likewise frequently been granted. And notwithstanding that everything, even to the most minute, of the thoughts and affections, flowed in through the spirits and angels, still I thought as before, no difference from my former life being observed by anyone. I am aware that scarcely any one will believe that such is the fact, but still it is an eternal verity.*
     * AC 6191

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     It is also revealed:

     The spirits associated with man are such as he himself is in respect to his affection or love; but the Lord adjoins good spirits to him, while evil spirits are invited by the man himself. The spirits with man, however, are changed in accord with the changes of his affections; thus there are some spirits that are with him in early childhood (infancy), others in boyhood (or girlhood), others in youth and manhood, and others in old age. In infancy those spirits are present who are in innocence and thus communicate with the heaven of innocence, which is the inmost or third heaven; in boyhood those spirits are present who are in an affection of knowing, and who thus communicate with the outmost or first heaven; in youth and manhood spirits are present who are in an affection of truth and good, and thence in intelligence, and who thus communicate with the second or middle heaven; while in old age spirits are present who are in wisdom and innocence, and who thus communicate with the inmost or third heaven. But the Lord maintains this adjunction with such as can be reformed and regenerated. It is otherwise with such as cannot be reformed and regenerated; with these also good spirits are adjoined that they may be withheld from evil as much as possible, but their immediate conjunction is with evil spirits who communicate with hell, whereby they have such spirits with them as are like themselves. If they are lovers of self, or lovers of gain, or lovers of revenge, or lovers of adultery, like spirits are present, and as it were dwell in their evil affections; and man is incited by these, (except so far as he can be kept from evil by good spirits) and they cling to him and do not withdraw so far as the evil affection prevails. Thus it is that a bad man is conjoined to hell and a good man is conjoined to heaven.*
     * HH 295

     In the passage following next, and also in other parts of the Heavenly Doctrine, the reason is given why the Lord rules man through angels and spirits in this manner; that is, by the angels and spirits being adjoined to him, as it is termed. It is because there is such a conjunction between the spiritual and natural worlds with man that they are as it were one; and, as man had separated himself from heaven (had separated himself from the unperverted influx of heaven since "the fall,") it was provided that angels and spirits should conjoin themselves so closely that they suppose the man's things to be their own. When they enter into the things of his memory their ordinary thought is that they are things of their own memory. Otherwise man could have been ruled by the general influx from heaven without having angels and spirits adjoined to him, as an individual.
     But we are told that while angels and good spirits know that they are ministering to men, they do not know what men, just as men do not know with what spirits they dwell.*
     * See LJ 9
     An illustration of the way in which man binds himself to spirits of a like persuasion to his own is given in the following teaching:

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     No leave is given to any spirit, or even angel, to instruct any man on this earth in Divine Truths, but the Lord Himself teaches every one through the Word, and teaches him so far as the man receives good from the Lord in the will, and this the man receives so far as he shuns evils as sins. Again, every man is in a society of spirits, as to his affections and thoughts thence, in which he is as one with them, wherefore spirits speaking with man speak from his affections and according to them. . . . Because every man is in society with spirits who are of the same religion with himself, therefore spirits speaking with him confirm all-things which he has made a part of his religion. Thus enthusiastic spirits confirm all things of enthusiasm with the man, Quaker spirits all things of Quakerism, Moravian spirits all things of Moravianism, and so on. Hence come confirmations of falsity which can never be extirpated (That is, when man is permitted to perceive the influx of enthusiastic spirits as spoken words poured into the ears of his spirit. And this is only permitted to those who blindly seek after and pursue open communication with those across the veil, contrary to the genuine order and balance of life upon this earth in our day.) From this it is plain that mediate revelation, which is effected through the Word, is better than immediate revelation, which takes place through spirits. As for myself, I have not been allowed to take anything from the mouth of any spirit, nor from the mouth of any angel, but from the mouth of the Lord alone.*
     * De Verbo 29 (XIII)

     Let it be borne in mind, however, that this teaching is given concerning the speech of spirits with man, and especially that which impersonates Revelation from the Divine, not concerning the leading of his thought and the inspiring of his affections, and all that close consociation which is of genuine order; for we are told that "Man cannot live a moment if spirits and angels are not with him."*
     * AC 1266e
     As has already been indicated or implied from time to time in what has been thus far presented, a man's usual condition is to be in close consociation with a society of spirits whose quality is according to the prevailing state of his ruling love at the given stage of his life. As said more than once in passages which have been quoted, his spirit "dwells with" such a society of spirits or angels. But there is another type of influx, more variable and more brief, from certain ones outside this sphere. We read,

     Another influx has also been observed, which is not effected through the spirits who are with man, but through others who are sent forth from some infernal society into the sphere of the man's life. These speak together about such things as are adverse to the man, from which there usually flows in what is troublesome, undelightful, sad, or anxious, with much variety. Such spirits have often been with me, and they who infused anxieties were felt in the province of the stomach, without my knowing whence these anxieties came. But they were always detected, and I then heard what they said among themselves, which were such things as were adverse to my affections. The avaricious have sometimes appeared in the same region, but a little higher, and infused anxiety from care for the future; and it was given me to chide them and to tell them that they have relation (referant) to such things in the stomach as are undigested, smell badly, and thus are nauseous.

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I have also seen that they were driven away, and when they were driven away the anxiety wholly ceased, and this many times, that I might know of a certinty that it came from them. Such is the influx with those who for no reason are oppressed with melancholy anxiety, and likewise with those who are in spiritual temptation. But in this latter case such spirits not only inflow in general, but also infernal spirits in particular call up the evils which the man has done and pervert and wrongly interpret the goods. With these the angels then engage in combat. Into such a state comes a man who is being regenerated, whereby he is let down into his proprium; and this takes place when he immerses himself too much in worldly and corporeal things, and when he is to be elevated to spiritual things.*
     * AC 6202

     The fundamental value of a knowledge and understanding of these laws of consociation with spirits and angels is that it helps us to receive the teaching that all good is from heaven, from the Lord through heaven, and all evil from hell, from the proprial inheritance of man, with which the sphere of hell makes one, and which all who are immersed in evil, delight to stir up and lead forth with others and with themselves. If we can understand and accept this basic doctrine, we learn to dissociate ourselves from evil and falsity, even that which the power of hell and our own proprium has led us to harbour and to do. We learn not to identify ourselves with the evils which we have thought or done, but to reject them, insistently and successively, until at the end of the "good fight" the Lord can wholly put them away from us. On the other hand, we learn not to identify ourselves with good, nor our vision of truth with the Truth Itself, but to welcome that which is good and the truth by which we receive good as a constantly inflowing gift from the Lord, presented through the sphere of heaven and all the means of the Divine ministry. A gift is indeed something which is given to use as one's own, and what the Lord gives He never withdraws from him who willingly receives it into his heart-his interior man. But the truth which we can perceive and the good which we can live is our own as to use, not as to source. If our use of it is to be permanent, it is a necessity that we humbly and thankfully acknowledge its Source-that we accept, and are glad to accept, that all that we can see and do is but a limited and imperfect forth standing of that which the Divine Perfection sends forth from Itself.
     Day by day and step by step through life we are confronted and often bewildered, by the changing pattern of our own moods-the variations of our states, both external and internal. Attempts are not lacking to explain the moods of men and to assign their causes, but without the Heavenly Doctrine, root causes are not laid bare. Man-made philosophy has essayed in many ways and under many guises to explain the nature of and the reasons for the behavior of mankind, but these efforts do not begin early enough nor go far enough.

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Every effort to portray man as a chance-existent or self-subsistent being is doomed to essential failure. Man is a vessel receptive of life, a subject of influx. The Lord says, "I am the Vine; ye are the branches; . . . without Me ye can do nothing."* And again, "A man can receive nothing, except it be given him from heaven."**
     * Jn. 15:5
     ** Jn. 3:27
     Thus the underlying cause of those changes of mood which are not accounted for by observable circumstances is influx from the spiritual world. This influx is from the Lord, and yet the ministry of this influx is through angels and spirits. As we have seen, the primary means is by the Lord's adjoining to man those spirits and angels whose presence his internal state calls for.
     Most people have had the experience of certain days when a succession of untoward happenings has troubled their peace of mind-days when even the little things, quite unimportant in themselves, seemed part of a chain of trials, coming differently, or at a different time from what was looked for and desired. Often these states of dissatisfaction, of anxiety or depression, seem to us while they continue to be quite accounted for by the number of matters big or little which "fell out perversely" within a short space of time. But looking back at the events later, we do not find the things that happened so abnormal, so that much of the trouble must have lain in a governing mood, in which things seemed insupportable which would not have been so disturbing except during the day or week of that mood, that prevailing state. Such difficult days we can often connect with some marked condition of health or with some greatly disturbing event, or with the effect of a series of disappointments, but I wish to direct the thought just now to such as show no more external cause for mental distress than the majority of our days, and which yet stand out as most disturbing. On the other hand, who has not experienced a brief period of unusual exhilaration, of a surging spirit, or perhaps of calm contentment, or the sense of power to deal well with all problems; and this in spite of various difficulties arising during the continuation of that mood, and although the period in question had nothing more outstanding than hundreds of other days in health, in weather, or in suspicious events.
     It is suggested that such periods of concentrated trouble and undelight as those referred to are due to the general state of our affections and progression through life which has made it possible for strange spirits other than those with whom we are ordinarily associated to flow in and infest us, as instanced in the passage from which we quoted before.

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And on the other hand, it may be said that the periods of elation, or of confidence, standing out above others in intensity and rising beyond the warrant of outward events, are the first effect of a full return to familiar associations in the spiritual world, or else of our spirit coming to dwell in the sphere of a new society which belongs next in order of our spiritual progression, whether upward or downward.
     These suggestions are in regard to our brief periods when a marked intensity of state is perceived, and we have cited types of states which are more noticeable, for the sake of illustrating the matter more easily. States of longer duration and of more gradual transition would seem to belong more to the general onward progression through life (by which we include the downward progress through the spiritual world of those who choose it so) similar to that illustrated by the quoted passage concerning our being, during infancy, in the general sphere of spirits who could be governed by angels of the inmost heaven, and so on.*
     * HH 295
     It should be understood that there is no claim that the outward events of our lives do not influence the noticeable state of our mental life, but merely that the outward events alone are not sufficient to explain our changing moods. Nor are we powerless to affect the consociations which govern our inward balance. By our general attitude-our consistent and instructed endeavors-we can determine very much, but we cannot make an immediate inward change, by a sudden determination or effort.
     As was said earlier, the great practical value of sound knowledge concerning these laws of spiritual association is the increased ability to maintain our freedom and equilibrium between the spheres inflowing into our thoughts and affections and to refrain from identifying ourselves with particular acts or particular states of good or evil.
     The recognition of this fundamental truth that we stand in freedom between good and evil is woven into the Prayer which the Lord has given to be the companion of our spiritual life. We are taught to pray, "Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil." Spiritually instructed thought recognizes that the Lord leads no one into temptation, but that He leads us through everything of life and that evil stands always ready at hand into which the inborn love of the natural man and the whole sphere of hell is ever ready to plunge, one with consequent temptation, from which the Lord will deliver him if the man is willing. We are taught also to pray, "Thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory." All good is from the Lord and can flow in only from Him, no matter by what means it is mediated. His is the kingdom of heaven and of the genuine Church on earth-composed of the spirits of all regenerating men.

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His is the power of Divine Love and the strength it gives to live the truth. His is the glory within spiritual truth giving it refulgence and beauty.
     So much of recognition and intelligent belief we can draw from even this brief consideration of influx through the consociation of spirits and angels with man. Though the related subjects of our attendant spirits, of subject spirits, of the quarters in the spiritual world, of the balancing effect of the two kingdoms and the three heavens and their opposing regions in the hells must await other treatment. It is impossible to combine even the briefest mention of all these phases with the above effort to illustrate partially in the moods (or more transient states) of our lives the office of the spirits and angels whom the Lord adjoins to us that we may be led out of Egypt, through the wilderness and the hostile nations, and even into the heavenly Canaan.
VISITORS TO BRYN ATHYN AND GLENVIEW 1978

VISITORS TO BRYN ATHYN AND GLENVIEW              1978

     Visitors to Bryn Athyn and Glenview who are in need of hospitality accommodations are cordially urged to contact in advance the appropriate Hospitality Committee head listed below:

Mrs. A. Wynne Acton                    Mrs. Philip Horigan
3405 Buck Rd.                     50 Park Dr.
Huntingdon Valley, PA 19006           Glenview, Ill. 60025
Phone: (215) 947-0242                Phone: (312) 729-5644

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THOUGHT FROM DOCTRINE 1978

THOUGHT FROM DOCTRINE       Rev. ERIK SANDSTROM       1978

     An address to the General Faculty of the Academy; February, 1978

     As New Church teachers we all want to uphold the principle of distinctiveness. We all want to teach from doctrine. This, of course, implies thought from doctrine. However, we all need to sort out questions as to what thought from doctrine is, and how to arrive at and develop such thought.
     In the present address, I hope to establish two points bearing on these questions: 1. That thought from doctrine is not to be confused with thought about doctrine. 2. That in thought from doctrine, there is as much demand on the will as on the understanding.
     In pursuing these points, I should like to call attention to five principal teachings, and to comment on these one by one, after which I hope to bring them all together into one universal view.
     These five teachings are: 1. That it is not the Word that establishes the Church, but the understanding of the Word.* 2. That if the spiritual mind is closed, even the highest truths will be relegated to the level of mere scientifics.** 3. That the rational with man comes about by an influx of Divine celestial good into the affection of things of knowledge (in affectionem scientiarum).*** 4. That the uses of all created things, and therefore the understanding of them, ascend by degrees from last things to man, and through man to God the Creator from Whom they are.**** 5. That love in seeking conjunction with wisdom progresses by three steps: (a) the affection of knowing, from which comes the affection of truth; (b) the affection of understanding the truth, from which comes the perception of truth; (c) the affection of seeing the truth, from which comes thought.*****
     * SS 76               
     ** DLW 261
     *** AC 2557               
     **** DLW 65-68
     ***** DLW 404

     "It is not the Word that makes the Church, but the understanding of it."* When I quote this passage to my students, and I frequently do, I usually begin with only the first part by itself: "It is not the Word that makes the Church," and then invite them to be duly shocked by that teaching.

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Afterwards, when, hopefully, the shock has been registered, I add the rest: ". . . it is the understanding of the Word that makes the Church." This point is of primary importance. It must be noted, however, that by understanding the Word is not meant intellectualizing about it. To understand something truly is to see how it works.
     * SS 76
     Now the essential warning in the chapter from which our quotation is taken is against the falsification of the Word. This comes out in the following statement in that chapter: "Through the understanding of the Word, and according to it the Church is a Church; a noble church if it is in genuine truths, an ignoble church if it is not in genuine truths, and a ruined church if in falsified truths."* And that a living understanding, such as leads to life, is what is meant is clear from the point in the next following number, namely: "The Lord is present with man, and at the same time is conjoined with him, according to his understanding of the Word; for according to that man has truth and thence faith, and also love and thence life."** But the point comes out with even greater emphasis in this passage:
     * SS 77
     ** SS 78

     The words, 'he that hath an ear let him hear what the spirit saith to the churches,' are said to each of the (seven) churches,. . .in order that every one who is of the Church may know that it is not knowing and understanding truths and goods of faith, or doctrinals, or even the Word, that makes the Church, but harkening, that is, understanding; and doing.*
     * AE 108

     The reason for this reading of the word "understanding" is that there is no understanding without affection. As the Writings say: "Affection of good is of the will, affection of truth of the understanding."* Therefore we also read that "the Church exists from the affection of truth in which there is good, and the affection of good from which is truth."** But nowhere is the presence of the affectional or voluntary in the intellectual more powerfully put than in two curt statements, one in the Divine Providence, and the other in the Arcana, namely, "The will must see in the understanding";*** and "Faith is the eye of love."****
     * AC 1904
     ** AC 3963:2               
     *** DP 259:2
     **** AC 3863:12
     An aid to the understanding of all this is, I suggest, the reflection that no one can apply a quotation to life; he can only apply his understanding of it. It follows, of course, that thought from doctrine implies an understanding of doctrine of such a nature that doctrine is seen to shed light on life, and on all the aspects of life.
     Our first principal doctrine can therefore be summed up as saying (for our specific purposes) that thought from doctrine presupposes a living understanding of the Word-and, we may add, especially the Word as given in the Writings.

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     "When the spiritual mind is closed, the natural mind reacts against all things of heaven, giving them no admission except so far as they are serviceable to it as means for acquiring and possessing the things of the world . . . (and) then those means though they seem to be heavenly are made natural; for the end qualifies them, and they become like scientifics of the natural man, in which interiorly there is nothing of life."* The particular idea I wish to bring out here is that there is a vast difference between thinking about doctrine and thinking from doctrine. Thinking about doctrine does not require any opening of the spiritual mind, for thought about doctrine is thought from the memory only. You pick a doctrine that sounds good, and quote it or paraphrase it, but do not explain what it means or how it works. I do not mean to suggest that this is useless, for to remember a doctrine that seems to fit in a certain context may serve to lend authority to a point-and for that matter the quoted doctrine may even be understood by someone of those who listen. Nevertheless, such an approach to doctrine is inferior. We said the opening of the spiritual mind is not necessary for it. This means also that the ability to quote doctrine requires no spiritual light. The light of the natural sun is sufficient, by which we are able to read. But the understanding is a spiritual eye, and if that eye is to see truly, or as in the light of day, it must have the light from the spiritual sun. This light flows in through the spiritual mind.
     * DLW 261
     And is not the approach to all things in the light of heaven, however mundane, the very hallmark of New Church education? That is, not the light of heaven alone, but the light of heaven as well. Certainly we need the natural sun too. It makes it possible for us to observe how created things function in the world, and how men behave in the present and have behaved in the past. It allows us to read books. But what the natural sun does not give is understanding. Memory it does give, and the ability to quote from memory, even the ability to dispose of things of the memory through the exercise of imagination; but a genuine understanding involves a concept of the ratio, that is, the ability to see the relation of things vertically as well as horizontally, or again, the ability to see and perceive active and operative causes as well as effects. I have often reflected that the following in the True Christian Religion may stand as a veritable charter of New Church education: "The Lord in the world put on also the Divine natural, and from this He enlightens not only the internal spiritual man, but also the external natural man"*-that is, from Himself, thus from the light of the spiritual sun in which He is, He sheds light on natural things as well as spiritual things.

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One light for both realms of creation! That is to say, one primary light that gives understanding with regard to both; and one secondary light which is supportive.
     * TCR 109
     In order further to strengthen all of this, I quote also the following challenging statement: "They who are in good and truth have will and understanding, but they who are in evil and falsity have not will and understanding; but instead of will they have cupidity, and instead of understanding they have (mere) science.* This teaching is perhaps not readily accepted and understood, and this too the Arcana recognizes, for it observes:
     * HD 33; see also AC 977; cf. AR 935

     It is extremely difficult to say, in a manner to be apprehended, what is the understanding of truth and the will of good in the proper sense, far the reason that a man supposes everything he thinks to be of the understanding, since he calls it so; and everything that he desires he supposes to be of the will, since he calls it so.*
     * AC 634, italics added

     Now someone might say, does not all this imply regeneration? When the Writings speak of "those who are in good and truth," therefore those who "have will and understanding," are they not referring to regenerating men? To this I say that while regeneration is not a bad thing, reformation works too. Reformation always precedes, and is a state of self-compulsion. By raising your understanding into the light of heaven, you see the truth, and having seen it, you compel yourself to think from it and to live by it. Regeneration, on the other hand, has no sell-compulsion in it, but instead of it delight. In either case, however, there is the life of good, first from obedience to truth, and then from the love of good, and of truth also. Moreover, in either case the will is involved, for while the will is truly free only when it loves use and the truth that leads to use, nevertheless no one can compel himself to think what is true and do what is good without a will to so compel oneself. In the state of reformation the will is fluctuating and unstable, while in that of regeneration, it is permanent and established. In the former case, the will is in the process of being born, but in the latter it has been born. In either case, it is a will from heaven, and it is open to the light of the spiritual sun; therefore the spiritual mind is either being opened, or it has been fully opened.
     In reference to DLW 261 we therefore make this general conclusion, that through a will to be instructed in the light of heaven it is possible to think from doctrine, whereas without that will one can do no more than to think about it.

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     "The conception of the rational is effected by the influx of Divine celestial good into the affection of things of knowledge."* This teaching takes us a step further. If the teaching just discussed pointed to the necessity of opening the spiritual mind as a channel for the inflowing light of the spiritual sun, then this present passage is concerned with how this is done. The Writings have very much to say about the conception and formation of the rational, and the sentence we have quoted is but a concentrated summary of the whole doctrine. The gist of the teaching is that knowledges must be gathered by an external way, that is, by means of the five senses, while the organizing force which makes use of them, puts them in order, and gives them direction is flowing in from within. We should note that the knowledges which are assembled by an external way include the doctrines from the Word. These too come by the sensual way. In other words, it is not possible to gain doctrinal insight merely by contemplation or perception, thus without external observation and learning. In the words of the Arcana: "No one can perceive what he does not know and believe, consequently he cannot be gifted with the faculty of perceiving the good of love and the truth of faith except by means of knowledges, so as to know what they are and of what nature."**
     * AC 2551               
     ** AC 1802:3
     On the other hand, knowledges alone give no perception, nor produce the true rational. By themselves knowledges are like a heap of building material that can be turned either into a house that stands in wind and rain, or one that collapses at the slightest puff of the weather. The guiding and constructing force is the affection of truth. This is latent in our remains, and is activated by the touch of Divine celestial good. Clearly knowledge that has no internal unity, nor any direction towards use, is both weak and unreliable. It would suffer itself to be utilized by any persuasion, and in fact would meekly allow itself to serve by turns even opposite persuasions.
     It follows that it is all-important that the affection that seizes upon our knowledges is a good one. Only then can our knowledges be built into a structure of a true rational. We tend to think of the rational as relating only to the understanding; yet the essence itself of the rational is good, not truth; and the truth that forms it is from knowledges taken by an external way. This is why there can actually be no genuine rational apart from regeneration. The Writings are explicit on this point: "Few are aware that the rational is distinct from the natural, for only those know this who are truly rational, and they alone are truly rational who have been regenerated by the Lord."*

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Further we read about the qualities that are added to the rational with a regenerate man as follows:
     * AC 3288

     With a man who is truly rational, that is, regenerate, all things have been disposed into order such as exists in heaven, and this from influx. From this there is given man a faculty of thinking, concluding, judging, and reflecting so wonderful as to exceed all mere human knowledge and wisdom, and immeasurably to surpass the analyses which human industry has drawn from these sources.*
     * AC 2556

     However, the teachings we are considering here come out in greater fulness and force if seen in their proper setting. The story in the letter of the Word tells of Abraham and Sarah in Gerar (a portion of Philistia), where Abimelech was king. Famine in the land of Canaan had brought Abraham there. Fearing for his life because of the beauty of Sarah his wife he persuaded Sarah to say that she was his sister. As a brother, Abraham would not be in danger, should Abimelech desire Sarah for his harem. And, as expected, Sarah was indeed brought into the court of the king.
     "Abimelech" is here the doctrine of faith looking to rational things;* "Sarah as sister" is rational truth (ibid.); and "Sarah as wife" is spiritual truth conjoined with the celestial;** and "Abraham" is celestial good conjoined with spiritual truth.*** The sum of the spiritual sense is given as follows:
     * AC 2510
     ** AC 2507               
     *** AC 2588

     "The doctrine of faith is treated of, as to whether it has its origin from the rational, or from the celestial."* That is the question-one that most deeply and directly concerns every man of the Church. The answer is that Abimelech must not take Sarah into his bedchamber (something that was prevented through a Divine warning in a dream), that is to say, the doctrine of faith is not to consult the rational.** This is a doctrine that the natural man is loath to accept! The natural within us wants to argue and to question and to say, if you will prove it to me I will believe. In the words of the Arcana:
     * AC 2510
     ** See AC 2511, 2516

     Doctrine is said to look to rational things when nothing is acknowledged as truth of doctrine except what can be comprehended by the reason, so that the consideration of all the this which are of doctrine is from the rational; pet that the doctrine of faith is not from a rational but from a celestial origin is taught in the internal sense.*
     * AC 2510

     Is therefore the rational to be excluded from the realm of faith? By no means; it still has a most important part to play. But it must abdicate its claim to supreme authority.

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Faith is from the Lord, not from man. It is awakened by the Divine touch upon the celestial things which await the Divine call in the store-house of remains. There the perceptive awareness of truth is stirred to life, and there the Divine order resides. Therefore, it is from that source that order descends, and as it descends it draws to itself any and all knowledges that are serviceable for both confirmation and adaptation to use. In fact, the very teaching concerning this matter is a case in point, for we perceive and confirm the truth of it, even though the natural man in us would have it otherwise. And this is the teaching in a nutshell: "It is the part of a wise man and it is rational, first to see that a thing is true, and then to confirm it."* And with equal readiness, or even greater readiness, we accept the truth concerning the alternative, namely; "Nothing is less the part of a wise man, nay, nothing is less rational, than to be able to confirm falsities" (ibid.).
     * AC 4741e
     So the rational is not to be looked to as an authority of faith; but it is to serve to establish faith and to make it usable.
     This is the first lesson the "Abimelech" within us will have to learn, to wit: it must not claim "Sarah" as wife. The next lesson is to acknowledge that "Sarah" is the wife of "Abraham"; and "Abraham" is the celestial of remains. The "wife" of this celestial is the truth itself in faith. But there is this additional point: that rational truth (Sarah as sister) is "the daughter of my father, but not the daughter of my mother." In other words, this rational truth is born from celestial good from within, but not from spiritual truth from within! If it were in fact born from internal spiritual truth, man would have faith in the rational served up to him, ready-made and without any participation of his own. Then he would accept everything passively and blindly that rained down from heaven. Clearly, both freedom and reason would thus flee away. Heaven and Hell speaks to this point in a slightly different way, and I think in a way that brings the matter somewhat closer to our understanding. We read:

     The spirits who are with man, both those conjoined with heaven and those conjoined with hell, never inflow with man from their own memory and the thought derived therefrom, for if they should inflow from their own thought, man would not know but that whatever belonged to them would be his own. Nevertheless, there inflows with man through them out of heaven an affection belonging to the love of good and truth, and cut of hell an affection belonging to the love of evil and falsity. Therefore, as far as man's affection agrees with the affection that inflows, so far is that affection received by him in his thought, since man's interior thought is wholly in accord with his affection or love; but so far as man's affection does not .agree with that affection it is not received.*
     * HH 298

     The affection that flows in is the celestial with man, and the thought that does not flow in is (if from heaven) spiritual truth.

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Now therefore, to protect man's freedom and to invite his full participation and reciprocation in the formation of his faith and consequent life, he is called upon to gather by an external way all the scientifics that will serve as a structure of his faith. In other words, Sarah is not to be seen as "the daughter of my mother." This is called the second arcanum in Abraham's declaration to Abimelech, and concerning it we read:

The rational is not conceived of spiritual truth as a mother . . . , for if spiritual truth were to flow in from within, as good does, man would then be born into everything of reason, and at the same time into everything of knowledge, so that he would have no need to learn anything . . . (therefore) it has been provided by the Lord that nothing of truth flows in through man's internal, but only through his external.*
     * AC 2557:3

     Of course we must be aware that "truth" here is not spoken of as light, for light does flow in by an internal way, wherefore truth in this context is the form or structure it assumes through knowledge.
     What therefore is the sum of this our third principal teaching? It is that if we are to develop the ability to think from doctrine we must be willing to listen to the soft and small voice that whispers into the rational from the mountaintop of our remains, where the Lord dwells with man. The voice itself is what we know as conscience. And then we must let that voice take command over our host of knowledges.

     "The uses of all created things ascend by degrees from last things to man, and through man to God the Creator from Whom they are."* In our quest for an understanding of what thought from doctrine means we pause for this teaching also. The reason is that the principle involved here suggests, at least to me, a universal view that comprehends all knowledges we may have, both those relating to the natural world and those relating to the spiritual. All things rise towards created man, and through him back to his God from Whom they all are! I have come to feel that this is the New Church equivalent of the Darwinian theory of evolution. That theory has permeated all modern thinking concerning human existence. The fact that many aspects of Darwin's doctrine have been questioned or denied by later scholars, makes no difference to the universal acceptance of the essential theory itself. I am not saying that everyone accepts it, whether learned or not learned; but no one is unaware of the force of the argument that nature evolved (as from a secret force of its own?) from the mineral kingdom into the vegetable, and from the vegetable into the animal, and then the lowest animal forms gradually to higher and higher forms, until man resulted. Personally I see no problem with this view, except for its lack of this ingredient: "and through man to God the Creator from Whom they are."

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In the first place of course the New Church accepts that there is by Divine ordinance a correlation between the three kingdoms of nature, and that man, the only spiritual being in creation, rises above them to receive into his hands the gift of the Maker. "Replenish the earth, and subdue it."** If the New Church will accept the thought that one kingdom, also one species, evolved out of another, is another matter. Nor is revealed doctrine at all explicit on this point. This, however, is doctrine-namely, that all things whatsoever are created to serve man; that therefore in fact all things conspire or tend towards the human form; that therefore all things in creation are governed in the context of man and for the sake of man; that it is thus that the Maker conjoins Himself with the work of His hands; and that it is thus that created man is enabled as of himself to reciprocate that conjunction. I wish that this revealed view of creation would permeate all our teaching! It is a unifying view, and there is no realm of knowledge where its presence could not be felt.
     * DLW 65-68
     ** Gen. 1:28
     Our fourth principal teaching is therefore selected in order to suggest a focal point for our philosophy, or (what I think is the same thing) for our thought from doctrine.

     Love in seeking conjunction with wisdom progresses by three steps: "(a) the affection of knowing from which comes the affection of truth, (b) the affection of understanding the truth, from which comes the perception of truth; (c) the affection of seeing the truth, from which comes thought."* Here we have an outline of what I think is the actual step-by-step progress towards true thought from doctrine. We are now concerned with man's part in developing such thought. The Divine part is to operate from within through remains; also to provide all the knowledges inherent in nature, and all the knowledges stored up in His threefold Word. It is for man to heed the call from within, and to go out and explore the realms of both natural knowledge and spiritual knowledge, and then to gather together, and to contemplate in the light of heaven what he has gathered together in the light of the world.
     * DLW 404
     The affection of knowing is a matter of experience. We feel it within ourselves. As we have seen, knowledge itself is culled from without. But what makes us want to know? This is where the urging from within subtly comes into play. Curiosity is a Divine gift. And, marvelously, the affection of truth begins to spring up (or may spring up) as a kind of fringe benefit in the process. How? Well, again the affection is given; it is not produced by man.

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But when knowledges are assembled, and the descending affection recognizes forms for itself in them, then it rejoices in this discovery and takes them to itself, sewing beautiful clothes for itself out of them-in fact, a coat of many colors! No man can know by any sensation whence he derives this affection of truth; but he can know that such affection will forever elude him, unless he bends knowledge to use. The reason is that in use affection finds a purpose, and thus a warm and cozy home for itself where it will want to dwell.
     The affection for the understanding of truth next follows. Again we are concerned with a Divine gift; for what is it that makes a man wish to understand? Is it not that there are intrinsic relationships in knowledges, and this simply because knowledges testify to different intrinsic qualities, whether in nature or in man? Especially, of course, there is the distinction between knowledges relating to natural life and knowledges that portray spiritual life. Perhaps it is at this stage the waters above the expanse are separated from those below. In other words, perhaps the budding understanding is intrigued by the observation of ratio? At any rate, hardly anything could be expected to agitate the desire to understand and explain more than the discovery of a cause and effect relationship in things. The perception that results from this eagerness to understand consists of a summary view of the things that have been understood. Unity has been produced, and the mind has found orientation.
     But the final step is the most intriguing of all. At first sight the doctrine seems to take a step backwards here. The final result in the progress is said to be thought! But have we not been thinking all along, in fact laboriously and with persistent effort, so that our ability to think strongly appears to be our own achievement? This however is not the thought spoken of here. The glorious result of the long process is the thought that is effortless and full of peace. "He, everyone that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price";* or in the words of the Apocalypse: "And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely."**
     * Isa. 55:1
     ** Rev. 22:17
     It is to be noted that this thought follows sight. Sight is no special credit to man. His physical eye is created as a receptacle of the light of the physical sun; but so also is his spiritual eye, that is, his understanding, created to be or to become a receptacle of spiritual light. We say, 'created to be, or to become,' because the understanding does not become a spiritual eye, except so far as it ceases to be "evil," and instead becomes "single," for "if thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light."* This happens only when all things are seen, that is, understood in one single light.
     * Matt. 6:22

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     We should note too that this thought is a creative thought. Its paramount interest is use. It is wise, and not only intelligent; it perceives and does not only remember. It lives and has momentum, and does not merely exist. This is thought from the celestial love of use, and it has doctrine inscribed in it as its philosophy of life.
     This concludes my one by one discussion of the five principal doctrines that I selected as a theme for this address. It remains for me to try to bring them together into a summary view.
     First it should be said that "thought from doctrine" ought to be identical with a man's philosophy of life. In other words, a man's philosophy of life should be entirely impregnated with doctrine so that the spirit of doctrine fills his every thought and qualifies his every action and word. There is a spirit of doctrine, and it is not to be confused with the alphabet of doctrine. The former belongs to the life of charity and faith, the latter to the memory. Nevertheless, the memory of what doctrine teaches is the basis upon which the mind with its charity and faith is built.
     So what must we do? We should train ourselves to read the Word with a view to discovering how its truths work. Only this kind of understanding can establish the Church. Further we must foster a spirit, of humility before the altar of truth, that is, we must have the willingness to be enlightened and thus guided. This willingness, if renewed, opens the way of regeneration; but it is important to realize that the willingness commences long before the full state of regeneration has been reached. Then there is the mode by which interior celestial remains are released; and there is only one mode, since there can be no free flow from within without the removal of the obstacles in their way. This is what the Writings call "shunning evil as sin." Then, I suggest, there should follow a deliberate attempt to see the unity of creation, and the purpose of the Lord in it. I have drawn attention to one expression of this unity, but of course there are others. For instance, we may say that the doctrine of the Divine Human, properly understood, makes for such a unity. On the other hand, I think that various expressions of the one and comprehensive unity would only present different aspects of the same universal thing, and that is the omnipresence, omnipotence, and omniscience of the Divine love and wisdom throughout the universe, both spiritual and natural. True thought then becomes thought of life and if I have called it thought from doctrine it is because there is no genuine doctrine that is not the doctrine of life. "The purpose of doctrinal things," we read, "is not to teach people how to think, but how to live."*
     * AC 2982; see also 3863, 4353: 3; Life 47, 48

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DECLARATION OF BELIEF 1978

DECLARATION OF BELIEF       NORMAN E. RILEY       1978

     I believe in the second coming of the Lord, and that in this coming the Lord fulfilled the Divine purpose in His creation; the forming of a heaven in which there could be conjunction with Him in His Divine Human, the Visible God in whom is the Invisible. It is therefore my belief that the New Heaven and the New Church, as the internal and external of the Lord's kingdom, was the Divine end of His creation, and that the successive states of the former Churches were means to this end.
     Some of the passages from the Word on which the above statement of belief is based:

     The Lord did not create the universe for His own sake, but for the sake of those with whom He will be in heaven.*
     * DP 27
     "Heaven is conjunction with the Lord.*
     * DP 28
     This New Church is the crown of all the Churches that have hitherto existed on earth. . . .Now all churches depend on the knowledge and acknowledgment of one God with whom the man of the Church can be conjoined. As, however, all the four Churches were not in that truth, it follows that a Church is to succeed then which will know and acknowledge one God. For the Divine Love of God had no other end in creating the world than to conjoin man to Himself, and Himself to man, and thus dwell with man. The former Churches were not in that truth, since the Most Ancient Church . . . worshiped an invisible God, with whom there can be no conjunction, so also did the Ancient Church . . . while the Israelitish Church worshiped Jehovah, who in Himself is an invisible God, but under a human form. This human form was representative of the Lord who was to come. . . . The fourth Church . . . called Christian, acknowledged one God indeed with the lips, but in three Persons. . . . Thus they worshiped a divided Trinity. This New Church is the crown of all the Churches . . . because it will worship one Visible God in whom is the Invisible God, as the soul is in the body.*
     * TCR 786, 787
     This is the Church towards which all the Churches from the first have pointed as it were in a regular series. . . .*
     * Can.-Prologue 1

     I believe that this coming of the Lord was effected by means of the Divine Truth proceeding from the Divine Human, and that this is what is meant by His coming in the Word which is from Him and is Himself. In this revelation of His second coming all former revelations are brought together and made new, even as the Divine Human, from which it proceeds, is the culmination of the Divine works of creation and redemption. There is one God and one Word.

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     . . . unless the Lord had come into the world no one could have been saved. The case is similar today; therefore unless the Lord comes again into the world in the Divine Truth, which is the Word, no one can be saved.*
     * TCR 3
     From this new heaven, the Lord Jehovah derives and produces a new church on earth; which is effected by a revelation from His mouth, or from the Weld, and by inspiration.*
     * Coro.-Summary 3
     After this work was finished, the Lord called together His twelve disciples . . .and sent them forth . . . to preach the Gospel that the Lord God Jesus Christ reigns, whose kingdom shall be unto ages of ages . . . (cf. TCR 4, 108).* (In number 4 the subject is God the Creator, and in number 108 the subject is the Lord the Redeemer.)
     * TCR 791

     I believe that the Doctrine of the Church among men is all that the Word teaches in its natural sense, and that this Doctrine is the sole authority in the Church.

     That the Lord is the Word, because the Word is from Him, and He is in the Word. . . .And because the Lord is the Word, He is also Doctrine, for there exists no other doctrine, which is Divine Doctrine itself.*
     * AC 2533
     . . . the Word teaches how a man ought to live in order that he may receive love and faith from the Lord.*
     * HD 242
     The Sense of the Letter of the Word is the Basis, the Containent, and Support of its Spiritual and Celestial Senses.*
     * SS 27

     I believe that if a man approaches the Lord in the Word in order to be led and taught by Him alone, the Lord will enlighten him according to the uses of his life. The genuine truth, which will be the source of his doctrine, will be his love of truth because it is the truth. From such truths a man will shun the evils within himself and thereby receive a new will and a new understanding from the Lord. The doctrine, which is spiritual out of celestial origin, will be the new and enlightened understanding out of which he acts and speaks. The celestial plane with him will be his love of the Lord, his willingness to be led by Him alone, the good of life within him as his very soul. The spiritual plane with him will be his love towards the neighbour, the doctrine of charity and faith as one, the spirit or mind out of which he acts as of himself. From the life of the understanding there will then go forth the works of charity, which constitutes the natural plane of life with him.

     Doctrine must be taken from the sense of the Letter of the Word, and be confirmed by it. . . . Genuine truth, which is the source of Doctrine, is manifest in the sense of the Letter of the Word only to those who are enlightened by the Lord. . . . Enlightenment comes from the Lord alone, and is granted to those who love truths because they are truths, and apply them to the use of life. . . .*
     * TCR 229, 231

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     The doctrine of charity and faith is here especially treated of with respect to its origin, namely, that it is spiritual from a celestial origin, but not from a rational.*
     * AC 2496
     The human mind is of three degrees; which are the celestial, spiritual, and natural. . . .The celestial degree, in which is the soul, that is, the inmost man, is a semblance of love; the spiritual degree, which is the mind, that is, the spirit, is a semblance of wisdom from love; and the third degree, in which is the body, is the ultimate man, is the containent of both.*
     * Inv. 14

     I believe that where the three essentials of the Church are held intellectual differences will not divide it, but will provide a variety of understanding which will perfect the Church amongst men.

     There are three essentials of the Church; an acknowledgment of the Divinity of the Lord, an acknowledgment of the holiness of the Word, and the life that is called charity. . . .*
     * DP 259, AC 2982
     Those, however, who are in the affection of truth for the sake of the life of truth . . .search the Word for no other end than for the sake of truth, and hence they derive their faith and their conscience . . . neither do they at any time condemn others, knowing that every one, who is a Church, lives from his faith. . . .*
     * AC 4532

     I believe that the priesthood is the Divinely appointed means of maintaining order within the Church, and that such order is to the end that all may be preserved in a state of freedom. A true priest, therefore, is one who places himself under the same law and order, and does not claim any power to himself on account of those things in which he ministers. Priests are to teach the truths of the Word and lead thereby to the good of life, and thus to the Lord Himself, Who alone knows the interior states of men.

     The New Jerusalem and its Heavenly Doctrine 311-319.
     What is not lawful, is judgment as to the quality of the interior mind or sour within man. . . . This is known to the Lord alone; nor does He reveal it until after death, and this in order that what a man does he may do from freedom. . . .*
     * CL 523

     I believe that the General Church of the New Jerusalem, which upholds a belief in the three essentials of the Church, and believes in 'government by consent of the governed,' to be a visible witness before men of the Lord in His second coming and of His Church which is the New Jerusalem.
     NORMAN E. RILEY

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SIGN OF CONSENT III 1978

SIGN OF CONSENT III       Editor       1978


NEW CHURCH LIFE
Office of Publication, Lancaster, Pa.
Published Monthly by
THE GENERAL CHURCH OF THE NEW JERUSALEM
BRYN ATHYN. PA.
Editor               Rev. Morley D. Rich, Bryn Athyn, Pa.
Business Manager          Mr. L. E. Gyllenhaal, Bryn Athyn, Pa.

     All literary contributions should be sent to the Editor. Subscriptions, change of address, and business communications, should be sent to the Business Manager. Notifications of address changes should be received by the 15th of the month.

     TERMS OF SUBSCRIPTION
$5.00 a year to any address, payable in advance. Single copy, 50 cents.
     In two previous editorials (January and February issues), it was remarked that a person gives to the Lord his sign of consent to be regenerated through his own, as-of-self, consistent efforts to learn and obey the Lord's commandments and teachings. Then the Lord can enter in to do the real work of re-fashioning his spirit into the image and likeness of Himself which it was born to be, and which it is inmostly.
     We ended with this thought: ". . . religious people often despair of having made any progress at all through the years of effort. Yet there are questions which they can ask themselves which may give them some signs of hope."

     We now suggest some of these questions, which are based on pastoral experience and observation. If readers wish to answer them in their own mind and way, they may readily see that it will require considerable and careful reflection and recollection.

     As the years pass, do you find that:

     1. you are slower to judge others?
     2. you have learned to distrust first impressions?
     3. you are slower to anger?

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     4. all your natural emotions and feelings are somewhat milder, and they are aroused from different, perhaps more mature and less proprial causes? (e.g. you are more stirred by injustice to others than to yourself.)
     5. you are more tolerant through understanding, though no less judgmatical, of the foibles and follies of mankind?
     6. you have gradually dropped, turned away from, some of the undesirable traits, habits, attitudes and wants of youth?
     7. also, on the other hand, you have grown somewhat in your desire for and pursuit of more interior and mature goals and characteristics?
     8. you now have a quiet, mostly unnoticed happiness and satisfaction in     your work, despite its inevitable trials and problems?
     9. you have a little more vivid and real sense of Who the Lord is and where He may be found?
     10. your delights and perceptions in and from the Word have become a little deeper and more frequent?

     If after careful thought and recollection we can answer at least a few of these questions in the affirmative, then we can rightly consider them as signs of hope for ourselves. We may know, of course, that they are only signs of hope, and not of certainty. And we can see this from the doubts which assail us as to which of our mixed motives, good and bad, have dominated the scenes and choices of our life-bringing us into that state of doubt which is temptation itself. For we cannot by our own intelligence separate out and determine with any certainty our ruling loves; the Lord alone "looketh upon the hearts of men."
     Such signs are not given for the sake of any man's certainty as to his true state. Yet they are given by the Lord for the sake of moderating and saving him from that state of final despair which leads to spiritual death.

     In sum, it could be said that as we give to the Lord our signs of free consent, so does He give us His signs of hope for ourselves. "Ye are of more value than many sparrows. . . . Be of good cheer."

     "SELF-EVIDENCING REASON OF LOVE"

     A correspondent, Mr. V. Carmond Odhner, contributes the following note to the discussion of this subject (see NEW CHURCH LIFE, 1977, pp. 342, 531, 580): "I recently came upon #37 of Divine Love and Wisdom, which I thought was particularly appropriate to the discussion which has been going on in New Church Life, the last communication being the Rev. Victor Gladish's response to Miss Gall Walters.

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Nos. 36-39 all apply to the subject, but particularly #37, it would appear. . . . To my knowledge, no-one has referred to these numbers in communications to the Life on this matter."
     The number follows, and should bring us some fruitful reflections:

     The Divine Providence in the reforming, regenerating and saving of men, participates equally from Divine Love and from Divine Wisdom. From more of Divine Love than of Divine Wisdom, or from move of Divine Wisdom than of Divine Love, man cannot be reformed, regenerated and saved. Divine Love wills to save all, but it can save only by means of Divine Wisdom; to Divine Wisdom belong all the laws through which salvation is effected; and these laws Love cannot transcend, because Divine Love and Divine Wisdom are one and act in unison. (DLW 37)

     We may reflect that the Lord inflows with His love and wisdom equally as one Person; the problem arises from man's unequal and variable reception of these two elements of the Divine. For such is his present constitution that he tends to divide them. And while all his life, the regenerating man strives to unite them, to wed love and wisdom, good and truth in his spirit and mind, yet they vary and alternate from state to state. Perhaps this is also why New Churchmen from time to time feel that their fellows are over-emphasizing one element more than the other-love more than wisdom, wisdom more than love?
     The following quotation has some connection with this, and may be of value to readers:

     A certain spirit from among the gentiles, who had lived in the world in the good of charity in accordance with his religious belief, hearing Christian spirits reasoning about what must be believed, (for spirits reason with each other far more thoroughly and acutely than men, especially about what is good and true), wondered at such contentions, and said good I can know from goad itself what is true; and what I do not know that he did not care to listen to them, for they were reasoning from appearances and fallacies; and he gave them this instruction: "if I am I can receive." (Heaven and Hell 320)

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Church News 1978

Church News       Various       1978

     HURSTVILLE, AUSTRALIA

     The last few months saw some happy changes and developments in the Hurstville Society.
     The front of the Church has been remodeled and is now more attractive and spacious. New carpet has been laid in the porch and also the entire church has been repainted. Contributions in time and money were generous and the whole job is paid for. Our next project is the landscaping of the grounds.
     One imaginative effort by our pastor, the Rev. Michael Gladish, deserves special mention. After a Society and Sunday School picnic in the church grounds, he led the children, who had become the Children of Israel, on a journey from "Egypt" to the "Promised Land." First they broke through red streamers to represent the crossing of the Red Sea. The bitter waters of Marah were miraculously made sweet when clear plastic was pierced separating sour water from a much larger quantity of sweetened water. While they "camped" in a tent, manna (little round sweet leaves) fell from "heaven" and the children gathered it. A cunningly concealed hose enabled "Moses" to make water spout from a rock. These "miracles" produced the desired cries of astonishment from the children. The giving of the Ten Commandments was also enacted. At the end of the journey green streamers were broken as the children crossed to the Promised Land to be rewarded with ice cream.
     Although some people were away on vacation, the Christmas tableaux attracted twenty children and thirty dulls. Four simple yet beautifully staged scenes were shown, made even more effective because an obliging friend, with requisite lighting and know-how, cleverly arranged a spotlight.
     The marriage of Murray Heldon and Loraine (Lori) Gladish was celebrated in I Cincinnati, U.S.A. on December 28th, 1977. The Rev. Daniel Heinrichs officiated. Murray's parents, Norman and Ruth Heldon, traveled from Australia to attend. Graeme McLeay also made the long journey to be present at the wedding.
     The Society enjoyed the visit of Dr. Richard Shepherd of Alabama U.S.A. who was attending conferences in Australia. Miss Anne O'Sullivan came from the northern state of Queensland to spend two weeks here. At present with us is Mrs. Doris Flood of New Zealand, and also, on a working holiday, the Rev. Harold Cranch and his wife Jean. They came partly to enjoy some warm weather-warm all right 40- Celsius (104- F) on their first Sunday when Mr. Cranch took the service.
     Just announced is the engagement of Hugh K. Keal to Miss Jenny Bartle of Auckland, New Zealand. She would be remembered with affection by two of our former pastors the Revs. Donald Rose and Douglas Taylor. The coming of more young people to Hurstville, while a loss to other groups, will strengthen the Hurstville Society as the centre of the General Church in Australasia.
     NORMAN HELDON

     TUCSON, ARIZONA

     The New Church in Tucson is entering its thirtieth year as a Circle, having been so recognized by Bishop George de Charms in November of 1948. It continues to be a center of the church in the Southwest, with weekly Divine Worship eleven months of the year, bimonthly Friday supper and Doctrinal class, an adult reading group established two years ago, and Sunday School for children during the sermon.

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The church building looks better than ever with new signs facing the streets on the outside and new wall to wall carpeting on the inside. Its library contains two sets of the Writings, many collateral works, a complete set of the New Church Life (which the Women's Guild is having bound as money permits) and a number of books for children. The home formerly used by our Pastors is rented out at present; and under the management of Mac Gyllenhaal, it is a major source of income.
     In 1974 the Rev. Norman Reuter and his wife, Beth, moved to Bryn Athyn and the Rev. Roy Franson came to us from Miami with his wife, Britta, and Byron and Amy. The Fransons had owned their own home in Florida and they soon bought a lovely one in Tucson.
     There have been lots of other changes. Two of our members were called into the Spiritual world in 1975: Mrs. Charles Bonser in February and Janet Lindrooth in May. Peg Bonser had been very active in the Circle for about ten years, taking a particular hand with the Women's Guild. Her sister, Mrs. John Fuhrman, gave us a lot of support too, but with Peg gone, Addy moved closer to others of the family in the Denver area. Janet had been born into the church and devoted to it all her life. She came down from Prescott for the Rev. Harold Cranch's first visit in 1946 and frequently for other visits. She was a valued member of the Circle when she lived here in the 1950s, and after she retired here in 1969.
     People joining the Circle in 1975 who stayed for about a year were Dallam Smith and the Carlyle Williams family. However Carlie was offered a better job in Ohio and Dallam moved home to Bryn Athyn. Louis McCoy joined the Church and was part of the Circle for even less time. Within six months he made up his mind to attend the Academy college and moved to Bryn Athyn. His bride-to-be, Faye Cella, joined him there. And in 1977 Gary Moore was transferred to Tennessee and Deborah and their four children accompanied him. But there have been some gains too. Guy, Helen, and Peter Alden moved to Tucson in the summer of 1974 and built themselves a beautiful house which they occupied in the fall of 1977. Steven and Betsy Gladish and their two children have moved around the State of Arizona a hit, but they are now living in the nearby town of Oracle. And Martha Gladish maintains a home near the University of Arizona where she is a full time student. Another U. of A. student is Alex Waddell. Alex also holds down a job as a machinist. And newcomer Ronald Smith has an apartment of his own and a job as a beginning machinist. An adult baptized into the church in October 1977 is Mrs. William Esdale who lives across the street from the church. And five children have been born or baptized in Tucson in four years-Amanda Ripley, Melissa Tobias, Jennifer Lee, Stephanie Moore, and John Waddell.
     Visiting clergy are rather rare in the Southwest. However in the spring of 1976 Bishop Louis King was here for a day and in the fall he returned with Freya his wife, for an Episcopal visit. The others who have been here were the Rev. Douglas Taylor and his family in August 1974, the Rev. Mark Carlson and his family in the summers of 1975 and 1977, the Rev. Alfred Acton in December 1976, and the Rev. Harold Cranch and his wife, Jean, in January of 1977. Visitors from other areas of the church come to town quite often and their presence always gives us a lift. Perhaps the most frequent of these are the folks from Phoenix who come by the family or at Easter and New Church Day as a group for a joint celebration.
     This year only one student from our city is attending the Academy school-Myron Franson. But in the 1960s and early '70s there were twelve young people going from here to the Academy. However over the years nearly three times that many students from the Academy have come to the University of Arizona! The most recent of these to receive a Bachelor (in Fine Arts) was Jeff Hartter in 1975. But M. Joy Gladish is due to receive a Bachelor of Science (rehabilitation) in May '78. Her brother Steve Gladish received a Masters in Education (counseling) in 1975 and Louise Smith Ripley received a Master in Education in 1976. Marlene Feidler Thompson received a Master in Special Education in 1977.

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     Raymond and Nancy Lee have just arrived in Tucson from Glenview and they may move here. They are most welcome, and we hear rumors that there are other people coming. We think they will like Tucson because in addition to a benign climate, it has all the attractions of a large city but in a small area. Besides good schools there is a Symphony Orchestra now entering its 50th year, and local opera, theater, and ballet companies. There are half a dozen Art galleries, several museums, toes, and so on. Every type of sport can be seen on both the professional and the college level, and there are plenty of sports in which to participate.
     BARBARA CARLSON
ACADEMY OF THE NEW CHURCH SCHOOL CALENDAR 1978-79 1978

ACADEMY OF THE NEW CHURCH SCHOOL CALENDAR 1978-79              1978



     Announcements





     ONE HUNDRED AND SECOND SCHOOL YEAR

     1978

Sept.     5 Tues.     All dormitory students must arrive before 8:00 p.m.
                    College registration: local students
                    Secondary Schools local students-full registration
                    Secondary Schools dormitory students-confirm course registration upon arrival
     6 Wed.      Faculty Meetings
                    College registration: dormitory students
                    Secondary School registration: dormitory students
     7 Thurs.      Classes begin following opening exercises
     9 Sat.      Secondary School classes continue
                    Evening: College Program/Secondary School Program

Oct.     13 Fri.      Charter Day
               11:00 a.m.     Charter Day Service (Cathedral)
               9:00 p.m.      President's Reception (Field House)
     14 Sat.      2:30 p.m.      Annual Meeting of ANC Corporation (Pitcairn Hall)
               7:00 p.m.      Charter Day Banquet (Field House)

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Nov.     22 Wed.      Fall term ends and Thanksgiving Recess begins after exams
                    Student workers remain for scheduled student work
     26 Sun.      Secondary School dormitory students muse return by 8:00 p.m.*
     27 Mon.      Secondary Schools winter term begins

Dec.      3 Sun.      College dormitory students return by 8:00 p.m.*
     4 Mon.      College winter term begins
     15 Fri.      College Christmas Recess begins after morning classes
               Student workers remain for scheduled student work
     19 Tues.      Secondary Schools Christmas Recess begins after morning classes

     1979

Jan.     2 Tues.      College dormitory students must return by 8:00 p.m.*
     3 Wed.      College resumes classes
                    Secondary School dormitory students must return by 8:00 p.m.*
     4 Thurs.      Secondary Schools resume classes

Feb.     15 Thurs.      Deadline for application for ANC 1979-1980 school year
     19 Mon.      Presidents' Birthday Holiday

Mar.      9 Fri.      Winter term ends in all schools
                    Spring recess begins after morning classes
                    Student workers remain for scheduled student work
     18 Sun.      All dormitory students must return by 8:00 p.m.*
     19 Mon.      Spring term begins in all schools

Apr.      13 Fri.      Good Friday
     16 Mon.      Easter Monday Holiday

May      18 Fri.      7:45 p.m.     Joint Meeting of Faculty and Corporation (Assembly Hall)
     19 Sat.      2:30 p.m.      Semi-Annual Meeting of ANC Corporation (Pitcairn Hall)
     28 Mon.      Memorial Day Holiday

June      8 Fri.      Spring term ends in all schools
               8:30 p.m.     President's Reception (Field House)
     9 Sat.      9:30 a.m.      Commencement Exercises (Field House)

          * See special information under holiday regulations

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UP EARLY AND DEPART 1978

UP EARLY AND DEPART       Rev. LOUIS B. KING       1978


     
NEW CHURCH LIFE
VOL. XCVIII          MAY, 1978               No. 5
     "As soon as ye be up early in the morning, and have light, depart." I Samuel 29:10.

     David had been driven from the court of Saul by the king himself. Jealousy and suspicion had outraged the heart of Saul against his servant David, and whereas the royal javelin had repeatedly missed its murderous mark, Saul determined that subsequent pursuit and harassment would not.
     So did the king of Israel pursue and endeavor to destroy the one whom God had chosen to succeed him. Not once, but many times did the Lord rescue David out of Saul's ruthless hands, until incessant seclusion and escape became so tedious and harrowing that David elected to leave the borders of Israel and make his home in Philistia, among the very enemies of whom the maidens of Israel had sung, "Saul hath slain his thousands and David his ten thousands."
     Though Achish, son of the king of Gath, remembered that David had killed their champion Goliath, he was the more impressed with his bravery and the desperate situation he and his six hundred followers faced. So Achish received David and David became his servant, soon distinguished and respected for his valor and loyalty. But when the time came for all of Philistia to go up against Saul, in what was to be Saul's final hour, David offered to go up in consort with them. Achish realized that such an alliance would be unacceptable to the other princes of the Philistines; and realizing as well the difficult decision David must make, whether to support or oppose his estranged king and countryman, said to the latter, "As soon as ye be up early in the morning and have light, depart."

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     David considered it well, made the decision and took the wise counsel of Achish. The day dawned, the light came and the courageous little band with its exiled leader marched steadfastly away from Gath.
     So many times in life, each of us faces difficult decisions. Occasionally, after serious reflection, the way seems clear. The heart is aroused and the eyes see with clarity a duty to be done, a battle to be fought or a work of charity to be dispensed. That is the time to act, without needless delay. That is the very moment to shun omission of duty as a sin. Still, is it not easy to indulge the weakness of procrastination, to allow another set of affections and thoughts to side-track one's good intent?
     It is sad and so prevalent with men of the church to remain in the rapture of an early morning state-to enjoy and bask in the fresh inspiration of use envisioned, without gathering sufficient intelligence and combining it with sufficient will power to go forward, to depart spiritually. And what is the result? A new state has grown old, suddenly an opportunity is missed without the fruition of the use which called it into being. We have seen a need, felt the glow of inspiration, perhaps even a foretaste of the delight of its fulfillment, but like the priest and the Levite in a certain Divine parable, we have managed to walk by uninvolved, on the other side, doing absolutely nothing.
     Why are we given borrowed states to enlighten our thoughts and move our affections if not to respond to the need and do the work? "As soon as ye are up early in the morning, and have light, depart!" Each feeling and thought for the welfare of others, if acted upon immediately, strengthens the character and develops that eternal and expansive love called charity, which literally makes the life of heaven with both angel and man. But to feel deeply and be moved to sympathize with the needs of others without ultimating our good intentions is gradually and progressively to dull all human sensitivity and eventually calcify the very spirit itself. The man who has the opportunity and the desire to do as the Good Samaritan did, yet does not, accomplishes no real harm to one whose need he ignores, but surely by such neglect, if habitual, he destroys his own heart.
     Constantly to be filled with fresh emotions and creative ideas without ever carrying them forth into useful deeds is to habituate the inertia of sentimentality. In so doing we devise an escape mechanism with an inbuilt conscience salve. We listen to beautiful music and rapture in inspired thoughts of what we will do for the neighbor-our fellow man, our country, our church, the Lord's Kingdom. We plunge our conscious beings into the narrative of heroic literature and set up ideals for ourselves even beyond those of great authors.

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     We glory in the peace and beauty and order of nature resolving to return to the workaday world a more thoughtful and devoted participant in the kingdom of uses. We sit in worship and listen to the Divine invitation, yea, the Divine exhortation to "come unto Him"-to open unto Him who knocks the door of intellect and heart to be in Him and He in us, and we resolve to respond. We determine to read the Word regularly, to avail ourselves of the means of instruction which He has provided through the various functions of the priesthood, that we may be conjoined to Him in a life of use. But what happens? Invariably we hesitate too long, reclining in the light of theory and the delight of contemplation. In the meantime other interests move in and conveniently and instantly fabricate reasons to justify our lack of action. Though the morning dawns, and new light falls all around us, we fail to get up and be off, and apathy becomes our bed-fellow.
     "Pathos" is a Greek term meaning feeling-intense, intimate concern. "A-pathos" means literally without feeling. So originates our word apathy. Here is one of the many paradoxes of unregenerate life. The very virtue that appears in externals is but a guise for the opposite internal. The soul who conditions himself readily to be moved and enlightened inwardly at the prospect of use, but who never allows such feelings the privilege of extension into act, is indeed a pathetic object-an apathetic subject, yea, a calloused self-centered soul, seeking the delight in contemplation without performing the use.
     For the sake of illustration let us consider how the man of the church repeatedly but often impotently resolves to advance his knowledge and life in the Doctrines. The morning comes. He is enlightened and inspired to see and feel the dynamic importance of eternal values-and the blessing of the church he has been given. He has not availed himself of what the Lord has offered and he admits sincerely and honestly his fault. He will do better, and in certain clearly defined and specific ways. The resolve is earnest, the vision is clear, the proposed reformation is a pleasant and exciting challenge. But he hesitates! Other thoughts come and, like the birds that pecked away the sweetmeats from the overhead baskets in the baker's dream, steal away and subvert the good intentions of the heart, hardening them to become apathetic paving stones for the highway to hell.
     The fresh, soft light of early morning heralded an inspired vision of use. Sooner, however, than the man of the church suspected or would admit, the midday heat of self-love was upon him and the morning's vision, like the dew, had melted away. Thoughts and feelings other than use, which began as mere whispers, now boldly assert that he cannot attend church or class so long as his profession demands so much time and energy.

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He cannot study the Word and reflect upon its teachings as he should, and would like to do when it means selfishly depriving his family of the little time he has allotted for them. Besides, the cares and responsibilities of the day's occupation so exhaust him that he cannot concentrate upon nor derive any benefit from study at night. Other thoughts will assert that the poor instruction he received during childhood and youth has left him unable to understand the Writings, even when rested. Yet others will declare that too great an emphasis on religion in earlier days utterly killed their affection for it and turned them off and away from the church.
     Again it will be suggested that present ministers and teachers are at best uninspiring, covering the same teachings over and over again, with the same boring, often negative format. Occasionally the thought is expressed and most certainly arises if not expressed, that we as individuals have learned a sufficiency of truth, that rather than attending classes and formal worship or reading individually, we will concentrate on living the truth we already have. Surely charitable life is not so difficult because it is in his own best interest so to live, so far as honor, reputation and gain are concerned. And surely he realizes that such an outward life of order does not necessarily bespeak an inner desire to approach the Lord daily in the Word and shun from new light evils as sins against Him.
     More detrimental even than the thoughts above mentioned is the conviction that our spiritual state is momentarily neutral, that it is neither good nor bad, just overworked and overoccupied with other concerns. We will do better, quite soon, but for the moment we are necessarily otherwise involved. After all, is there not plenty of time? Of such indifference, however, the Lord says "I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth."*
     * Rev. 3:15, 16
     Apathy, deliberate indifference to spiritual obligations is not the result of any forces or extrinsic pressures over which man has no control. These conditions may well exist but they present the occasion and not the cause of apathy, and are always balanced by the direct leading of the Lord's Providence, so equilibrium may be maintained. What upsets the balance is man's own will. He desires something else and gives it admitted or unadmitted priority. Apathy is not a neutral state. His interest in spiritual things is the inevitable result of too great an interest in material things.

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     And yet man is free!

     "He that is not with Me," said the Lord, "is against Me, and he that gathereth not with Me scattereth abroad."*
     * Matt. 12:30
     "Ye cannot serve two masters. . . . Ye cannot serve both God and mammon."

     Spiritually speaking we are never the victims of circumstance, we are ever and always the exact product of our ruling love. And the essential challenge to the will is that of attending to right action with such tenacity that the vision of use once given is not eradicated or obscured by lesser interests. If the will holds its focus upon use, the necessary truth for its confirmation and implementation will fill the mind and, with the Lord's help, action will follow. To act thus is to gain moral strength. To do it often is to establish spiritual character.
     It is to encourage and assist in regenerate combat that the Lord provides morning states of inspiration. They are our only hope for salvation, our only source of angelic motivation; they are remains of innocence stored up secretly long ago and now activated to produce new beginnings. But if they are not picked up at once and carried forth with determination into the life of use, like the ungathered manna in the wilderness of long ago, they will evaporate.
     So spoke a wise Philistine long ago, "As soon as ye be up early in the morning, and it is light, then depart!" Amen.

     LESSONS: I Samuel 29. Luke 10:25-42; AC 4096:2, 3; 3701:2, 3, 5; 1937:1 LEARNING TRUTHS 1978

LEARNING TRUTHS              1978

     They who are being regenerated do not learn such truths simply as memory-knowledges, but as life, for they do these truths; but that they do them is from the Beginning of the new will which the Lord insinuates entirely without their knowledge; and in so far as they receive of this new mill, so far they receive of these knowledges, and bring them into act, and believe them; but in so far as they do not receive of the new will, so far they are indeed capable of learning such things, but not of bringing them into act, because they care merely for memory-knowledge, and not for life. Arcana Coelestia 3701:5

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ESSENTIAL FUNCTION OF THE CHURCH-II 1978

ESSENTIAL FUNCTION OF THE CHURCH-II       Rev. KURT H. ASPLUNDH       1978

     We continue the subject of the essential function of the Church. In the Lord's providence each one of us has been brought to the New Church. It may seem that we have chosen the Church, and that it exists to serve us. This appearance is the very opposite of the truth. The fact is that the Lord has chosen us and has called us to serve His Church. As He said: "Ye have not chosen Me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit."*
     * Jn. 15:16
     In our first treatment we spoke of the function of the Church in serving the neighbor. Recall that the Writings describe ascending degrees of the neighbor in their order. The individual is the neighbor in the first degree, but a group or society of individuals is said to be the neighbor in a higher degree because it can perform a higher use. The country is neighbor in a still higher degree, and we ascend through still higher degrees including the human race, the Church, the Lord's kingdom, and in the highest degree, as at the top of a ladder, is the Lord Himself.
     It is our theme that the Church serves each of these degrees in some essential way. We considered last the function of the Church in serving the Lord Himself, the Lord's kingdom, and the human race.
     We proceed now with a consideration of the function of the Church in serving the lower degrees of the neighbor, namely, our country, societies, and the individual. However, before turning to this, let us briefly review what we concluded last week.
     The highest form of service which the Church can perform is to the highest degree of the neighbor, to the Lord Himself. In serving the Lord the Church makes its inmost response to the call of use. We concluded that this took the form of internal worship.

     On a lower plane, the Church serves the Lord's kingdom. The Lord's kingdom is described as His throne and the Church as His footstool.* The Church serves as the foundation for the heavenly kingdom, providing ultimates of doctrine and life that receive influx from the heavens. We concluded that our responsibility in providing for this foundation involves our preservation of the foundations of religious and spiritual life.
     * Isa. 66:1

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     We spoke, finally, of the use of the Church in serving the human race. The human race depends for its very existence upon the continual influx of life from the spiritual world. Without a "lifeline" of communication from heaven to earth, the human race could no longer exist. The Writings teach that it is the New Church, the Church Specific, which makes this communication possible. Those in the New Church perform the function of receiving this life from heaven. Insofar as they build up vessels of reception that are formed of true ideas and good affections, they serve this use. All of this we considered last week.
     Now let us turn to the subject of our country and what the function of the Church is in serving one's country. We are taught that our country is to be benefited from love, according to its necessities, which necessities include its "spiritual life."*
     * AC 6821
     What is the spiritual life of a country? In this country, at least, there has been a careful separation of the Church from the state. The Writings speak of a clear distinction between civil and ecclesiastical government. What then is the relation between the Church and one's country?
     The essential function of the Church in serving the country is not a direct or apparent function. The Church serves by preserving a conscience in civil, moral, and spiritual life. No country could survive, no matter how carefully its laws were conceived and enforced, if there was not an underlying spirit of acceptance of the law. Government will work only when a majority of people in the country love justice and order, and recognize that there are universal truths of order from which the civil law takes its origin.
     The Founding Fathers of our country held this philosophy. They recognized that certain universal truths were "self-evident," and that it was upon these truths, or within the general framework of these truths, that man's moral, social and political life should be established.
     Bishop Elmo Acton presented this idea in a series on "Reason and Rationality." He spoke of the underlying philosophy of the men who formed the Constitution of the United States. "They believed in a God, and many of them were religious men. . . . They thought that the existence of a Divine Being, of eternal ends and universal truths, could be seen and established by reason in man, because there was reason in the universe outside of man. . . . They held that metaphysical reason could discover the order of creation and arrive at the universal truths upon which man's moral, social and political life should be established.

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They maintained that man's happiness and security depended upon his recognizing and observing such truths. . . To these men there was no principle that did not derive its authority from a law of reason, or to some, from a religious source. Its truth did not take its rise from the will of the majority."*
     * NEW CHURCH LIFE, 1964, P. 404 ff.
     Although these men did not derive their principles of truth from a revelation of truth (and note that they lived at the time that the Writings were just being published) they were right in their acknowledgment that there were underlying or universal principles of truth and order. And they were right that these were the basis upon which a just and orderly civil and moral life should be established.
     The spirit of the eighteenth century, in which our Constitution was written, has given way to an entirely different spirit. The acknowledgment of Divine purpose in creation and of an order in the universe has been largely lost. When such acknowledgment is completely extinguished there will be no basis for any kind of civil, moral, or political order. The country will perish.
     I believe this is what the Writings mean when they refer to the spiritual needs and the spiritual life of a country. A country, like a man, is both spiritual and natural. It must have a soul as well as a body. What is on the civil level is what we would call the body. The spirit that enters into the civil plane and sustains it from within is what we would call the soul.
     When our country was founded it had both a soul and a body. Its soul was the recognition and acknowledgment of an order in creation and the existence of universal truths. While the world has moved away from this acknowledgment, the New Church has been given a revelation of universal spiritual truths. These can be seen and acknowledged now as never before. And they must be, for the sake of the preservation of civil order and life.
     It would seem then, that the essential function of the Church in relation to the country is teaching and acknowledging universal spiritual truths which are or should be the soul and spirit of its civil life. In this, the relation of the Church to the country is akin to the relationship of the Church to the human race spoken of in our last class. In each case, the Church provides the means for communication of spiritual life, without which the natural body perishes.
     We leave the question of how the Church serves the country, and turn now to how the Church serves societies and individuals.
     When we come to the lowest degrees of the neighbor, the individual man, and societies of men, we come into a realm of more immediate concern and a realm where there is some controversy over the proper function of the Church.

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We are more consciously aware of our direct relationship with the individual and with society than we are of the higher forms of the neighbor that we have already considered. For this reason there are more ideas of the proper function of the Church in relation to these lower degrees of the neighbor than there are about the higher degrees.
     What are the current ideas of the function of the Church! We will look first at these. The Churches and their leaders have given much thought to their mission in society and with the individual man of the Church. This varies, of course, from sect to sect but the main thrust of modern Christianity is to become increasingly involved with social and political concerns. Bishop de Charms notes this trend in his work on The New Church and Modern Christianity published by the General Church in 1963. In the chapter on "The Social Gospel" he speaks of the Christian Church concentrating its teaching and its energies "more and more upon the solution of social problems, placing less and less emphasis upon doctrinal ideas, or upon any attempt to interpret the Scripture spiritually. The leaders of the church have joined with the leaders of scientific thought in seeking to promote an earthly kingdom of human well-being and happiness here and now, rather than a spiritual kingdom of heaven after death."*
     * P. 86
     This new emphasis in the Christian Churches has come partly from a rejection of past errors. For centuries, the Churches taught a renunciation of the world. This world was seen as unimportant. Man's salvation was regarded as the thing of primary importance. And how was man to be saved! By faith, not by how he lived. Religion, then, was not a matter of life. It stood aloof from the manifest evils of society. It was this "other-worldly" attitude of the Churches that led modern theologians to reject traditional Christianity and look for a more meaningful life of religion. "The existing pattern of the Church is no longer in touch with real life" said one.* This new concern for a religion of life was the cause of the increasingly popular use of the term "relevant" which is so common today. Religion must be "relevant" to society and "relevant" to the life of the individual. Otherwise, no one is interested in it. This concept has a powerful appeal to many people of good will. If wars are raging, if children are starving, if minorities are unjustly treated, do we truly serve God by debating doctrinal abstractions or reciting creeds! To quote the famous popular preacher, Harry Emerson Fosdick: "Many people . . . growing impatient with the church's worship of the theological Christ, have been saying: 'Give us Jesus the teacher of righteousness, brotherhood, and peace, the proclaimer of principles on which alone civilization can endure.'"**

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Many people, therefore, have welcomed this new spirit of Christianity. It calls for a kind of charity which people can understand and practice with a warm sense of satisfaction and pride.
     * Time, Dec. 25, 1964
     ** The Modern Use of the Bible, N.Y. 1945:244
     Bishop de Charms, in the work mentioned before, comments on this new Social Gospel. "The fault we have to find with the modern attitude of Christianity," he said, "is not that it is a religion of life, or that it is devoted to the actual performance of those deeds of charity which constitute morality. Our objection is that it is a religion of external life divorced from all concern for spiritual truth. . . . It is a morality founded on human intelligence alone, looking only to this world, ignoring the issues of eternal life. We hold no brief (he continues) for an other-worldly attitude that ignores the practical duties and responsibilities that confront us here on earth; but neither can we agree with a this-worldly attitude that ignores the deeper responsibilities placed upon us as spiritual beings, destined for life in a spiritual world after death."* This contradicts the Lord's teaching that while man should not be of the world he should be in the world.**
     * de Charms, pp. 92-94          
     ** Jn. 17:14 ff
     We have examined, here, the idea now widely held in the Christian Churches concerning the proper function of the Church. We will now contrast this with the idea of the Church that is presented in the Heavenly Doctrine. The Church is established for a spiritual purpose, and, though it exists in the natural world, it is a spiritual means. It is the Lord's means on earth to prepare men for spiritual life. It is not an instrument of social progress, a moral policeman, nor a civil servant. The Church steps out of its true role when it begins to propagandize on political issues; when it expends its energies and resources on social service. We are easily misunderstood on this point. It gives the appearance that the Church is against social service. This is not the fact.
     Numbered among the humanitarians of the world are New Churchmen in number far in excess of the proportion one would expect from such a small Church organization. But it is people doing this work-people, who from individual conscience and according to their application of charity, feel responsible for it. The teachings of the Church may have led them to care, but the Church itself, if I may twist a phrase, "hasn't a care in the world."
     "My kingdom is not of this world," the Lord taught.* Again, He taught: "The kingdom of God is within you."** It is the teaching of the Heavenly Doctrine that the Divine Providence "looks to eternal things, and to temporal things only so far as they agree with eternal things."***

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What did the Lord do when confronted with an issue concerning a man's inheritance? "One of the company said to Him, Master, speak to my brother, that he divide the inheritance with me. And He said unto him, Man, who made Me a judge or a divider over you?"**** The Lord refused to involve Himself in the controversy over these material possessions. But He went on to tell the man to "beware of covetousness" and that a man's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.
     * Jn. 18:36               
     ** Lu. 17:21
     *** DP 214               
     **** Lu. 12:13 ff
     I believe this gives us a perfect picture of the contrast between the idea of the Church as an instrument of social progress and the Church as an instrument of spiritual progress.
     If the Lord had responded directly to the man's request to cause a fair division of the inheritance in question, He would have been concerning Himself with something purely temporal. The result of His interference between the two brothers would not in any way change the selfish attitudes of either one. This would be a purely natural solution to a natural problem.
     Notice, though, how the Lord did respond. He said, "Beware of covetousness." Covetousness was the essence of the problem. As long as the brothers harbored covetous attitudes no division of the inheritance would provide an acceptable solution. The real solution was the insinuation of a truth concerning man's spiritual life. When the spirit of covetousness could be removed from the minds and hearts of these brothers, then the equitable division of the inheritance would follow naturally, and without contention. Removing covetousness is a form of spiritual progress. Balancing the accounts is not. Some may say that the comment about covetousness was not relevant to the problem, but I think we can all see that it was more deeply relevant than any other instruction, and, indeed, the only real solution.
     Such is the true nature of the Church. It exists to provide for man's soul, not his body. It teaches spiritual lessons, not natural ones.
     If we are to face the question, then, "What is the essential function of the Church in relation to man? What is it that the Church can do for man that no other agency can provide?"-Could we not say that the essential function of the Church is to awaken a perception in man of the spiritual and eternal purposes of life?
     Simply think of the doctrinal teaching of the New Church. What is it? It is called, first of all, "Heavenly" doctrine. It is called "Heavenly Doctrine" because it was revealed out of heaven.* And of what does it consist?

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It presents a spiritual idea of the Lord, a revelation of His Divine Essence, not of His Person. It opens, in many volumes of the Writings, the spiritual sense of the Word. It reveals and describes the spiritual world. And, in the work, Conjugial Love, it reveals the spiritual and eternal marriage relationship. There must be some reason that so much of the Writings is concerned with a presentation of what is spiritual. I believe it is because the essential function of the Church is to teach and lead to what is spiritual. This is the very idea that has been discarded by Christian sects. Like Esau, the brother of Jacob, they have sold their very birthright for a mess of pottage.
     * HD 7
     The Church serves society by providing that there shall be "what is Divine among them."* While it is true that what is Divine may be presented in many different forms of worship and instruction, the essential function of the Church again is to awaken that perception of what is spiritual and eternal in life. The vision of the Lord must be kept before our eyes, both as individuals, and as we gather in societies of use. We must be reminded, time and again, of our spiritual responsibilities and the eternal consequences of our decisions in life.
     * Char. 130
     It is so easy for us to forget what our life is all about, and how much we need spiritual prompting. Our hereditary inclinations are to love self and the world. These loves bend our minds continually downward to material and sensual things and inward to proprial and selfish thoughts. In these states we are susceptible to the control of sensuous spirits. "Spirits of this kind abound in the other life at the present day," Swedenborg notes, "and the influx from them prompts man to indulge his natural inclination, and to live for himself and the world. . . . In order for man to be uplifted from these spirits," we are told, "he must think about eternal life."*
     * AC 6201
     It is the Church that rescues us from a purely natural and materialistic way of life. No other agency serves to remind us of eternal life, or exists to instruct us concerning the spiritual purposes of our existence. The consequences of knowing and believing in eternal life are many, and most important. Let us list some briefly:
     Spiritual freedom is one. It is from a love for eternal life. "Any one may come into this freedom," we are told, "if he is but willing to think that life is eternal and that the temporary enjoyment and bliss of life in time are but as a fleeting shadow, compared with the never-ending enjoyment and bliss of a life in eternity."*
     * DP 73:6
     The state of conjugial love is another consequence. The blessedness and happiness of love truly conjugial can exist only when there is the idea of what is eternal in marriage.*
     * CL 216

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     Man's ability to be regenerated depends upon his knowing and acknowledging that there is a heaven and a hell and that there is eternal life.*
     * AC 8639
     Therefore the Writings give this advice: "Let him who wishes to be eternally happy know and believe that he will live after death. Let him think of this and keep it in mind, for it is the truth. Let him also know and believe that the Word is the only doctrine which teaches how a man must live in the world in order to be happy to eternity."*
     * AC 8939e
     The function of the Church in relation to the individual man is to provide him with the means of thinking spiritually, to think from spiritual loves, not merely from natural affections. Isn't this what the Church is all about for each of us? It enables us to think from spiritual knowledge and offers us the instruction we need to acquire spiritual loves. Where else can we acquire these things which are so important to our life? It is because of the Church that the individual is able to adopt any spiritual values. There is no other place that wt: can find a true idea of the highest good. Philosophers have labored through the ages to identify the highest good in life. Men have based their life on one or another concept of this good. However, no true idea of the highest good has been found. It is a matter of dispute in the world, especially among the learned, what is the highest good; the Writings teach, and it is only now revealed, that it is that "delight, satisfaction, blessedness, and happiness which is perceived from mutual love devoid of any selfish or worldly end. . . ."*
     * AC 5365:4
     We should direct the entire course of our life on earth toward this highest good. Yet we would not know this, we could not know this, unless it had been revealed in the Church.
     From all of these considerations, we conclude that the essential function of the Church in serving the individual is to be found in holding the mind of the individual in the thought and acknowledgment of spiritual values and eternal purposes in life. Is not this the message of these well known teachings of the Lord: "Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth. . . . But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven. . . ."* Again, "Take no thought for your life. . . . Take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or Wherewithal shall we be clothed? But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His justice; and all these things shall be added unto you."**
     * Matt. 6:19 ff
     ** Matt. 6:25, 31, 33
     Each one of us tends to have a favorite project which we feel is proper for the Church. Some may feel that the Church should look outward more to the world; others that it should join in on campaigns against one form of evil or another that mars our community or nation.

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Some might wish that its sermons were less doctrinal, or that it would provide more practical forms of counseling. Some feel it should take a public stand on moral or political issues. Others wish to call upon the Church to participate in various forms of social service. There are many good and worthy uses to perform in this world, and we would encourage those members of the Church who see these uses as important needs to consider individual participation in them. But let us keep in mind at the same time that the Church has a distinct and vital use to perform, a spiritual function which the Lord Himself calls us to serve. And let us remember that while there are many in the world who can respond to the call for help in the fulfilment of natural needs, there are but few who can respond to the call for help in the fulfillment of the spiritual needs of the neighbor. Let us look to the Lord to guide us into an understanding of our primary responsibilities as members of the New Church, remembering that we are like husbandmen to whom the Lord has let out His vineyard. When the Lord comes to require of us the fruit of that vineyard which is rightfully His, will we be ready to give it over? If not, we will be like the wicked husbandmen who were cast out and destroyed, and the vineyard was given to others.

     We have a responsibility to the Lord in doing our part to fulfill the uses of the Church toward all degrees of the neighbor from highest to lowest. Let us look to it.
VISITORS TO BRYN ATHYN AND GLENVIEW 1978

VISITORS TO BRYN ATHYN AND GLENVIEW              1978

     Visitors to Bryn Athyn and Glenview who are in need of hospitality accommodations are cordially urged to contact in advance the appropriate Hospitality Committee head listed below:

Mrs. A. Wynne Acton                    Mrs. Philip Horigan
3405 Buck Rd.                     50 Park Dr.
Huntingdon Valley, PA 19006           Glenview, Ill. 60025
Phone: (215) 947-0242                Phone: (312) 729-5644

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CONCERNING PERMISSION 1978

CONCERNING PERMISSION       PATRICIA K. ROSE       1978

     Many times in the Church it has been stated that an action is a permission: adultery is a permission, birth control is a permission, killing is a permission-even punishing children is a permission. (The Writings never refer to "a" permission, but things being of and from permission. Even in everyday speech we do not give "a" permission for someone to do something.)
     The common concept of permissions seems to be that they are disorderly actions which are sometimes necessary in our disorderly world: e.g., all killing is "a permission" but necessary and even laudable in times of war; the person doing the killing may not be culpable because of his good motive for the action.
     This concept of permission does not agree with several teachings Swedenborg passed on to us. One can cite passages in the Writings that show that every action takes its quality from the motive of the person doing it. The belief that the deed and not the motive is of permission ignores the definition given in The New Jerusalem and Its Heavenly Doctrine 272: "To leave man from his own freedom also to think, to will and, so far as the laws do not restrain him, to do evil is called permitting." Note that thinking and willing evil are the basis for permissions. This implies that no act in itself is of permission. That is undoubtedly why Swedenborg does not refer to the section in Conjugial Love concerning scortatory love as dealing with permissions. He even states that adulteries are committed for many reasons, some being much more grievous than others.* A mother who submits herself to an intruder to protect her young daughter may technically commit adultery but her motive certainly qualifies that action.
     * See CL 485-494
     A number in the Spiritual Diary brings into focus all of the teachings about action and motive in regard to permissions: "Inasmuch now, as the will of the Lord reigns in each and all things, for He rules all things, therefore good pleasures, leaves and permissions are circumstanced according to subjects, as when many think, speak or do the same thing;* one acts from permission, another from leave, a third from good pleasure, for each and all things are from an end."**

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This number tells us two important things: 1. The motive is what determines whether an act is of permission; and 2. Whatever the Lord brings about He does from His will, but whatever happens that is less than His will takes its quality from the motives of individuals (including evil spirits).
     * All italics author's.
     ** SD 2296; see HD 276
     We can act not only from lesser motives but also in agreement with the Lord's will, i.e., from love to Him and charity toward the neighbor. Consider this comparison of fighting in war: "It is not from the Divine providence that wars exist, for they are connected with murders, plunderings, violence, cruelties and other terrible evils, which are directly opposed to Christian charity; and yet they must be permitted. . . ." On the other hand: "Wars that have as an end the defense of the country and the church are not contrary to charity. The end in view declares whether it is charity or not."* Spiritual Diary 2296 reconciles these two teachings for us, showing that an action in itself is not of permission, this being determined by the motive. That is why defensive war that is not contrary to charity is not said to be "permitted." Assuming that a particular action has a quality all its own causes confusion concerning permissions.
     * DP 251; TCR 407
     Another indication that killing in defense is not of permission is in Arcana Coelestia No. 2768: "though it is predicated of Him that He permits, still is not according to the idea which man has of permission, namely, that by permitting He concurs." The Lord would not tell us that defending our country in war is of charity if He did not concur with the idea that it is a proper and good action to take. Since He concurs, it cannot be of permission. He does, however, refer to aggression in war as being permitted, because of the evil loves it arises from.
     But, it may be pointed out, an action such as killing, even in defense, is obviously evil and disorderly in itself; it certainly is not according to order. The Writings speak to this point too:

     "All that evil which springs or flows forth from interior evil (that is, from the intention or end of evil . . .) is contrary to Divine order; but that which does not spring or flow forth from interior evil, that is, from an intention or end of evil, though it sometimes appears like evil, yet is not so, provided the end is not evil, for the end qualifies every deed."*
     * AC 4839

     Since this says explicitly that an action is not contrary to Divine order unless the motive behind it is evil, killing is not in itself evil. The Lord tells us to defend church and country in spite of the fact that one of His commandments is "Thou shalt not kill." From several teachings we see that He is warning us against the hate and evil of aggression, that is, murder.*

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(Conjugial Love 365 and Doctrine of Charity 164-166 have interesting comments concerning defense against evil.)
     * See DP 352
     A misinterpretation of Arcana 2447 supports a wrong idea of permission. That passage states that some things done from the Lord's permission are from the laws of order as to good. We are told that those things done from the laws of order as to truth without good are done by the evil and that most permissions are this type. Those things of permission from the laws of order as to good are interpreted to be evil actions from a good motive. But if, instead, we interpret them as being done by regenerating people (that is, essentially good) from an evil motive at the time, this is consistent with the definition of permission mentioned earlier, because it deals with a selfish motive.* All of the passages concerning permission lead back to love of self. Not one mentions that what is of permission is ever from a good motive.
     * See SD 891A. It is of interest that the heading above this number is translated: "He who is led by the Lord perceives in the single things he does whether it is a permission. . . ." The Latin is num permissium sit-"whether it be permitted."
     In His Providence the Lord guides good people by influx through heaven. Since evil people find good loves undelightful, in order to prevent an evil person from continually ultimating his evil thought and will, the Lord leads him by his loves of self and the world, that is, by various fears. For example, a person may resist the urge to do evil because he is afraid it will harm his reputation, rather than because it is evil.* Since the Lord allows us to ultimate only those evils that would serve a purpose,** He uses our concern for self to keep ultimation of evils in check. This means we are not free to do everything we would like to. All of the ways the Lord governs our daily lives-from will, good pleasure, leave or permission-constitute the Divine Providence, and the way each person is guided depends on his quality at the time. This is why it is misleading to think of an action itself being of permission.
     * See AC 6495; DP 281-283     
     ** AC 6489, 6574
     There is a passage that at first glance seems to say that an action is evil in itself. AC 1002 says, "Eating the flesh of animals, regarded in itself, is something profane . . ." and the Most Ancients never did it.* It explains that after the fall when men had become evil, they were first permitted to kill and eat animals. Now, though, since the Lord's coming, eating animals is regarded not from the external, but from man internal, and takes on the same quality. (AC 1003 explains why.) This, as was shown in AC 4839, is true of all other actions too.
     * Cf. AC 715; DLW 331
     One of the worst misunderstandings is that it is all right to do some things from permission (for example, necessary birth control) as long as we realize it is not the ideal.

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As already noted, never does the Lord concur that something of permission should be done-it is always evil. If a woman reluctantly practices birth control because pregnancy would endanger her life, then that motive gives quality to her action and it is not of permission. If she does it from the love of self (such as, children are time-consuming and would divert her husband's attention), she acts from permission. (It is important to remember that there is a great gulf between will and permission and that many intermediate things are done by the Lord's "leave" and from His "good pleasure.")
     "He who does not understand permissions or conclude (rightly) concerning them falls into doubt and negation concerning the power of God Messiah over the universe."* Our interpretation of the doctrine of permission deserves re-evaluation to improve our concept of the Lord's government of us. We are labelling things permission without considering that intentions vary with each set of circumstances. Killing is not a permission; birth control is not a permission; adultery is not a permission. In each instance, the motive makes that determination. Adultery committed not from intent but by getting into an injudicious situation and being carried away by passion, with resulting remorse, is not from permission; but that committed from intention and will, whether in act or even only in thought, is of the Lord's permission. We should begin to make the distinction.
     * SD 398 MINISTERIAL CHANGE 1978

MINISTERIAL CHANGE       LOUIS B. KING       1978

     The Rev. B. David Holm has been accepted by the Bryn Athyn Society of the General Church to serve as Assistant Dean of the Society as of Sept. 1, 1978.
     LOUIS B. KING,
          Pastor

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GENERAL CHURCH ANNUAL REPORTS 1978

GENERAL CHURCH ANNUAL REPORTS       STEPHEN PITCAIRN       1978

     CORPORATION MEMBERSHIP

     (Other Reports of the General Church have been published in NEW CHURCH LIFE as follows:
     the Bishop of the General Church-Dec., 1977:617
     Secretary of the General Church-Nov., 1977:571
     Secretary of the Council of the Clergy-Dec., 1977:620)

     During the year 1977 the number of persons comprising the membership of the Corporation increased to 439. The changes in membership consisted of:

     15 New Members:
Appleton, David John
Bruser, Herbert Brent
Cockerell, Roger Gordon
Fuller, Kent B.
Holmes, Ronald B.
Hyatt, Hugh D.
Junge, Dirk
King, Alan Cedric
King, Steven
Nicholson, Allison L.
Reddekopp, Dennis John
Rose, Patrick Alan
Scalbom, Lawrence C.
Spangenberg, Charles S., Jr.
Walter, Ted Graham

     4 Deaths of Members:
Anderson, Albert F.
Cockerell, Gordon D.
Pendleton, Philip C.
Synnestvedt, Sigfried T.

     1 Member Dropped:
Tessing, Arvid Victor

     1 Death of Member Not Reported on 12/31/76 Report:
Alden, Karl R., Jr.

     DIRECTORS

     The By-Laws of the Corporation provide for election of thirty Directors, ten of whom are elected each year for terms of three years. The Board presently consists of thirty Directors. At the 1977 Annual Meeting ten Directors were elected for terms expiring in 1980. The present Directors, with the dates their terms expire, are as follows:

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1978     Asplundh, E. Boyd
1980     Asplundh, Edward K.
1979     Brickman, Theodore W., Jr.
1980     Bruser, Henry B., Jr.
1978      Buick, William W.
1979     Childs, Alan D.
1978     Cooper, Geoffrey
1979     Elder, Bruce E.
1979     Gyllenhaal, Leonard E.
1980     Hill, Stanley D.
1979     Hyatt, Wynne S.
1980     Junge, James F.
1980     King, Louis B.
1979     Lindsay, Alexander H.
1978     Mansfield, Willard R.
1978     Merrell, Robert D.
1979     Morley, H. Keith
1980     Parker, Richard
1978     Pendleton, Willard D.
1979     Pitcairn, Garth
1979     Rose, John W.
1980     Sellner, Jerome V.
1978     Simons, S. Brian
1978     Smith, B. Dean
1978     Smith, Gordon B.
1980     Smith, Robert A.
1978     Umberger, Alfred A.
1979     Walter, Robert E.
1980     Williamson, Walter L.
1980     Zecher, Robert F.

     Lifetime honorary member of the Board:
DeCharms, George

     OFFICERS

     The Corporation has five Officers, each of whom is elected yearly for a term of one year. Those elected at the Board meeting of March 11, 1977 were:

President          King, Louis B.
Vice President     Pendleton, Willard D.
Secretary          Pitcairn, Stephen
Treasurer          Gyllenhaal, Leonard E.
Controller          Fuller, Bruce A.

     CORPORATION MEETINGS

     The 1977 Annual Corporation meeting was held at Bryn Athyn, Pennsylvania, on March 11, this being the only Corporation meeting held during the year. The President, Bishop King, presided, and there were 76 members in attendance. Reports were received from the Nominating Committee, the Treasurer, the Secretary, and the election for Directors was held.
     Mr. Boyd Asplundh, Chairman of a Special Committee appointed to study the legal, mechanical, and other problems involved in adopting a system of balloting by mail, reported that balloting by mail would require several By-Law changes which he reviewed. The procedure for distributing, collecting, and counting ballots was discussed in the report. Mr. Asplundh concluded his remarks suggesting that further consideration should be given to the desirability of adopting balloting by mail.
     It was suggested by the membership that an article be placed in New Church Life asking the Corporate membership if they felt they should have the opportunity to ballot by mail. It was further suggested that the article include a history of the Corporation and a discussion of its functions. Bishop King said that he was in accord with the suggestion and would see that the matter was implemented.

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     BOARD MEETINGS

     The Board of Directors held four meetings during 1977, the President presiding at all of them. The average attendance of Directors was 24 with a maximum of 27 and a minimum of 23.
     The regular Board of Directors meeting and the Organization meeting of the Board were held in March, followed later in the year by Board meetings in May and October.
     Bishop Louis B. King made several reports to the Board during the year. He expressed a matter of concern which related to the relationship of the General Church with other bodies of the Church and the potential of growth of the General Church. There has been a turning of other bodies of the Church to the General Church for ministrations. There is a desire to be taught from the Heavenly Doctrines as the word of the Lord in his second coming, which other bodies of the Church apparently are not doing, at least to the satisfaction of some members. He said that the Convention Group in Bath, Maine, had contacted his office asking that the General Church consider sending one of its ministers to serve the Group. Bishop King reported that he had discussed the request with the President of the Convention and had suggested to the Bath Group that they also consult with the President of the Convention. After these discussions, the Bath Group voted to formally request the General Church to send one of its ministers to serve the Group and specifically requested that the Reverend Kurt Nemitz be assigned as their pastor. The Board of Directors approved supporting this request for a trial period of one year. Other Convention groups, both here and overseas, have asked or indicated that they would like a General Church minister to serve their Group.
     Bishop King further reported that the Reverend Norman Riley, who was trained in the Conference in England, serving many years in Australia and recently for a short period with The Nova Church in Bryn Athyn, has asked to be accepted into the General Church Clergy. He said that the Reverend Riley would be entering an orientation period. The Reverend Walter Orthwein has successfully completed an orientation period and will be serving the General Church in the near future. Bishop King outlined the itinerary for the planned trip to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, South Africa, and London, England. He said he and Mr. Gyllenhaal would first meet with the congregation in Rio to personally acknowledge a written request for theological candidate Andrew Heilman to serve as an assistant pastor to their Society after his ordination for the period September, 1978 to December 31, 1978 at which time he would request that his name be placed for pastor of the Society in Rio.
     Bishop King said that their first stop in South Africa would be Cape Town and from there they would proceed to Durban to attend a National Assembly. A visit to the eleven Mission centers was scheduled after Durban. During these visits they hope to arrange a five-year plan to divest the General Church of the primary responsibility for the operation of the Mission. In effect, turn the Mission over to the native ministers. From South Africa they would travel to Paris and Burgundy, France, and then on to London, England.
     Several reports were made during the year on the work of the Finance Committee in assisting Society developments through the use of the Development Fund. The Detroit Society is optimistic that an eighteen month option on a 100 acre tract of land would be signed before the end of the year. In Glenview, an area for development has just been rezoned for multiple family dwellings and the Starkey Property, containing sixteen single family dwelling lots, is also under study for development.

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These properties will be put in trust with the Immanuel Church being the holder of the beneficial interest and a nonprofit corporation being the trustee to handle the development. In the past, the Chalon Estates in Kitchener, acquired 500 acres of land for the establishment of Caryndale and to provide a site for a future secondary school in Canada, A letter of intent has been executed between the Chalon Estates, the Carmel Church, the General Church in Canada, and the General Church which paves the way for title to pass to the Carmel Church on the land set aside for community purposes and title to pass to the General Church in Canada on the remaining property, including that reserved for secondary school purposes. Until all the land is sold or used for community or institutional use, the trustees of Chalon Estates will continue to manage the property for new owners.
     The Chairman of the Investment Committee, Mr. Edward Asplundh, reported on the activities of the investment portfolio manager, Pitcairn Incorporated. He said his Committee's responsibilities were to insure that an investment policy suitable to the long range purposes of the institution was being followed and insure that the investment manager is following policies that will result in the performance required to meet the General Church uses. He said his Committee was satisfied with the performance at this time. A review will be made on an annual basis to affirm continuation of the investment manager.
     The Pension Committee reported that a study made by an actuarial company indicated that the Pension Fund had an unfunded liability which would require substantially increasing the contribution to the Fund by the General Church. The Board approved transferring funds received from a bequest to the Pension Fund to offset the actuarial deficit. The allocation was approved by the decedent's family.
     Mr. Theodore Brickman, Chairman of the Salary Committee, reported the Committee's recommendations for increases in the base teacher and minister's salary and certain changes in the yearly increments. Mr. Brickman reviewed other recommended changes and after discussion, the Board approved the recommendations.
     A Special Committee appointed to study the printing and publishing needs of the Church as a whole and Chaired by Leon Rhodes, presented a comprehensive written report. The report recommends a step-by-step expansion of the facilities and personnel of the General Church Print Shop beginning January 1, 1978, with a one-year trial period aimed toward assuming a much larger proportion of the overall printing and publishing needs of the General Church and other Church-related organizations. After discussion, the President was asked to thank the Committee for the excellent report and appoint a Committee of the Board to study the recommendations defining long and short term goals with a timetable and budget.
     The President reported that he had appointed a General Church Translation Committee. The Committee will be partially funded from outside sources.
     Mr. Leonard Gyllenhaal reported that bequests had been received from the estates of Nora Norman and Nathan Pitcairn.
     Several mortgages and car loans were made to ministers and other financial matters considered with the necessary action being taken.
     Reports were received from the Standing Committees with the necessary action being taken.
     Respectfully submitted,
          STEPHEN PITCAIRN,
               Secretary

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TREASURER 1978

TREASURER       LEONARD E. GYLLENHAAL       1978

     A quick glance through the accompanying Statement of Revenues and Expenditures is enough to let you know that 1977 was a busy and unusually good year.
     Unrestricted General Fund revenues for the year increased by an unprecedented 15.9% to a record $809,424. This was due largely to a 4346 gain of over $74,000 in gifts and grants, the largest yearly increase in the history of the Corporation. During the year a great deal of effort on the part of the Bishop and the financial office went into promoting the expansion of uses and the resulting financial needs of the Corporation.
     The response of the whole Church has been most rewarding, giving renewed hope for the future. The following is an analysis of the source of contributions:

     1977                         1976
Category               No.          Amount          No.          Amount
$1-99                    486          $9,132          526          $10,467
$100-499               151          25,163          131          21,996
$500-999               23          16,422          23          17,117
$1,000-4,999          37          83,916          29          63,088
$5,000-over               8          79,890          5          48,531
Total                    705          $214,523          714          $161,199

     Investment income, of course, continues to be our largest source of revenue accounting for 63% of the total and increasing as anticipated by 6.4%.
     Operating expenditures, on the other hand, actually declined by several thousand dollars below the previous year. However, this is somewhat misleading. A major change in the Pension Fund and an off-year in pastoral moving effected a savings of over $86,000. But this was offset by the cost of new uses, including $20,000 for Translation, $15,000 for Church Extension, $16,000 in nonpension benefits, as well as the normal increase in the cost of doing business.
     The change in the Pension Fund is of sufficient importance to warrant an explanation.
     In 1968 a program of nonpension employee benefits was initiated, financed since that time through the Pension Fund. Concern for the effects on the Fund of the rapidly increasing cost, particularly of health insurance and Social Security, led to an actuarial study in 1976 to determine the condition of the Fund. The study revealed an unfunded actuarial liability of over $500,000 just for pension benefits alone. Resulting from this disclosure, all nonpension benefit payments were transferred from the Pension Fund to the Operating Budget, effective from January 1, 1977. To account for this change a new category of Employee Benefits was established, which included payments to the Pension Plan, and the reported figures for 1976 were adjusted to be comparable.
     Originally it was planned to transfer money from the Pension Fund in decreasing amounts to gradually absorb this new expenditure into the Budget. Providentially, however, the Corporation received a bequest of $258,344 early in 1917 from the Estate of Nathan Pitcairn, with the indication of a similar amount to come in 1978. Recognizing Nathan's interest in the welfare of ministers and teachers, the Board of Directors allocated this important gift to the Pension Fund.

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Together with $86,564 from the Bryn Athyn Church for its share of the liability, this will bring the Pension Fund to a fully funded status, thus restoring the integrity of the Fund. Under these circumstances, a 6.2% of payroll contribution will maintain the status, hence a substantial reduction in the cost of employee benefits for 1977, since 1976 was based on 12% of payroll. The combination of reduced Pension Plan expense and increased contributions made it possible to completely absorb the nonpension benefits in 1977.
     The final operating result for 1977 therefore was a surplus of $93,267. After transferring $60,000 to the Development Fund, $30,000 to the Moving Reserve, and other minor transfers, $11,396 was added to the Unrestricted General Fund balance.
     It was a record year also for gifts to Capital which are so important for future growth. These totaled over $693,000, as follows:

Pitcairn Family Members               $97,957
Pitcairn Foundations               265,042
Annuity Trust                    63,938
Other Gifts                         7,587
Bequests-Nathan Pitcairn          258,344
     Others                    1,035
                              $693,903

     Last year's outstanding success could not have come at a more opportune time. We are on the threshold of a major expansion of uses and the budget that will strain the resources of the Church.
     A recent study reveals that for the next three years, with many new uses and services that are proposed and a possible fifteen new ministers coming into service, the budget will increase by an average of $66,000 per year. Adding to this the heavy cost of moving and the total will approach $100,000 per year.
     By a careful reallocation of resources we believe it will be possible to meet the challenge. But it will require a continued increase in support throughout the Church.
     Based on last year's performance, we are optimistic that this will happen.
     Respectfully submitted,
          LEONARD E. GYLLENHAAL,
               Treasurer

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     STATEMENT OF GENERAL FUND REVENUES, EXPENDITURES, AND TRANSFERS

     Years Ending December 31, 1977 and 1976

                         1977                    1976
REVENUES
Gifts and Grants
Regular                    $214,523               $161,199
Special                    32,080     $246,603     11,000     $172,199

Endowment Income                         470,171               444,195

Development Fund Income                    37,862               33,325

Sales and Salaries               
New Church Life               7,109                    6,692
Printing and Publishing          19,926               19,778
Real Estate                    7,120          34,065     3,170          39,640

     Other                              20,723               19,126
TOTAL REVENUE                         $809,424               $698,485

EXPENDITURES

Pastoral and Educational Services     
Salaries                    $136,836               $134,527
Travel                    41,242               33,127
S. African Mission          42,808     $220,886     42,368     $210,022

Facilities                              39,727               37,360

Services and Information
New Church Life               28,790               29,592
Printing, Publishing and Misc.     75,425               80,696
Moving                    16,114               59,686
Translation                    19,726     140,082     -          169,974

Administration
Episcopal Office               50,950               47,799
Secretary's Office          18,295               21,923
Financial and Corp.               62,933     132,178     54,991     124,713

     Employee Benefits
Pension Plan-(6.2%-12%)          34,941               77,921
Health Plan                    32,569               24,284

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Investment Savings Plan          34,167               31,642
Social Security               15,921               14,957
Deferred Compensation          4,488                    -
Workmen's Compensation          2,443          124,529     2,094          150,898

Church Extension                         22,671               7,116

Other                                   36,084               18,204
TOTAL EXPENDITURES                    $716,157               $718,287

     TRANSFERS
to Development Fund          (60,000)               (60,000)
from Pension Fund               -                    70,883
from Moving Reserve          (30,000)               15,000
from Other Funds               8,129                    9,345

     NET INCREASE IN FUND
BALANCES                    $11,396               $15,426

     STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL CONDITION

     Years Ending December 31, 1977 and 1976

GENERAL FUND
                         1977                    1976
Assets
Cash                         $3,678               $(144,567)
Investment-Short-term          44,903               45,771
     Real Estate               360,937               254,622
     Mortgage               261,965               206,338
     Other Securities          29,037               14,037
Accounts Receivable          165,390               68,888
Loans Outstanding               63,037               54,503
Prepaid Expense               28,257               13,871
Publications-in-Progress     3,938                    3,938
Due from Other Funds          2,563                    2,563
Buildings and Grounds          85,214               85,215
Inventories                    49,661               40,436
Total Assets               $1,08,580               $645,615

     Liabilities and Fund Balances
Accounts Payable               $29,611               $12,007
Agency Accounts               37,617               75,473

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Fund Balances-Restricted     122,296               86,532
Fund Balances-Unrestricted     909,056               471,603
Total General Funds          $1,098,580               $645,615

     ENDOWMENT AND SIMILAR FUNDS
Assets
Cash                         $(45,255)               $295,980
Investments-N.C.I.F.          6,115,297               6,193,585
     Other Securities          815,176               522,086
Total Assets               $6,885,218               $7,011,651

     Liabilities and Fund Balances
True endowment-unrestricted     $1,405,052               $1,335,036
True endowment-restricted     382,765               370,199
Term endowment               262,672               190,522
Quasi endowment-unrestricted     4,467,723               4,766,671
Quasi endowment-restricted     367,006               349,223
Total Endowment and Similar
     Funds                    $6,885,218               $7,011,651

     OTHER FUNDS
Assets
Cash                         $347,483               $216,300
Investments-N.C.I.F.          2,155,128               1,732,010
     Other                    195,026               150,053
Loans Outstanding               354,636               306,836
Total Assets               $3,052,273               $2,405,199

     Liabilities and Fund Balances
Development Fund               $1,330,928               $1,137,522
Pension Fund               1,103,601               798,051
Investment Savings Fund          352,367               295,819
Council Meetings Travel Fund     110,086               -
Miscellaneous Funds          155,291               173,807
Total Other Funds               $3,052,273               $2,405,199

     TOTAL ALL FUNDS          $11,036,071               $10,173,081

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NEW CHURCH LIFE 1978

NEW CHURCH LIFE       MORLEY D RICH       1978

     In the figures given below, it may be observed that, as in the past few years, a goodly number of writers, both priests and laity, have contributed to our pages, thus providing a wide variety of interest. A record number of ministers appeared in the New Church Life this past year, perhaps partly because there were a few articles and letters from ministers of other bodies.
     One other feature of the year which merits notice is the considerable increase of pages given to "Articles." We hope this has been "well-received" by our readers, and would welcome any reactions, positive or negative, they might care to express.
     It should be remarked and pointed out, as it has been occasionally in the past, that the Life is "the official organ of the General Church" only in regard to official reports and announcements. So far as other material is concerned, especially articles, our magazine is only that which is described on the front cover: "A Monthly Magazine Devoted to the Teachings Revealed through Emanuel Swedenborg."
     In other words, there is no "official doctrine passed by Council," and printed as such. Consequently, the Editor receives and prints varying doctrinal views, at times views with which he does not agree-in which case he may be tempted to use that old cliche, "The views expressed herein are not necessarily those of the editor and/or the management!" We expect and assume that readers will exercise their own critical faculties in this regard.
     There is, however, one important point to be remembered. This is that we expect all opinions on particulars of doctrine to reflect the life and faith of the General Church in regard to the Divine Authority of the Writings of the New Church. And this means only that we could not and would not accept any material which overtly attacks that Authority.
     It is with much appreciation that we acknowledge the help of Miss Beryl Briscoe and our several proof-readers and checkers. Not only did Miss Briscoe prepare the annual Index, but she also called the editor's attention to a number of items which he might have missed, due to inexperience.

                                   Pages
                    1977               1976
Articles               370.5               239
Sermons               65.5               70
Reports               51.5               52
Communications          43.5               50
Announcements          25.5               32
Church News               35               28
Editorials               23               22
Reviews               6               16
Directories               8               9
Children's Talks          3               9
Miscellaneous          6.5               21
TOTALS               638               548

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     Contributors, Number of (not including news-notes):

                    1977               1976
Priests               38               27
Laity                    22               31
(20 men, 2 women)                              (20 men, 11 women)
TOTALS               60               58

     CIRCULATION
                    1977               1976
Paid by Subscriber     1,029               961
Gifts                    362               360
Free to Clergy, Libraries,
     etc.               355               350
                    1,746               1,671

     Respectfully submitted,
          MORLEY D RICH,
               Editor
EXTENSION COMMITTEE 1978

EXTENSION COMMITTEE       DOUGLAS M. TAYLOR       1978

     As announced in last year's report, the chairmanship of this Committee changed hands on September 1st, 1977. Because of his many other duties, the Rev. B. David Holm felt he could not give the necessary time to the expanding activities of this Committee.
     The membership of the new Committee is as follows: Rev. Douglas Taylor, Chairman; Rev. Arne Bau-Madsen, Secretary; Revs. B. David Holm, Thomas Kline, Donald Rose, Harold Cranch; Messrs. Sanfrid Odhner, Edward Cranch and Leon Rhodes. All were members of the previous Committee.
     David Holm's enthusiasm for Extension Work was an inspiration to the whole Committee during his chairmanship. In spite of the urgency of his many other assignments, the members of the Committee were always amazed at how much he accomplished between meetings. His most notable accomplishment was to take the Committee out of the Clergy and make it a Committee of the General Church, thus making it possible for laymen to serve on it. His report to the last Assembly was an inspiration that is still having its effect. The heartfelt thanks of the whole Church goes to David for his wise initiation of this vital use of the General Church, and the Committee is grateful that he is still available for counsel. It is largely due to his efforts that the Committee is now regarded as the focal point of the missionary efforts of the Church and as a source of help in spreading the Church to others.
     At the present time the Committee is occupied with five basic projects:

     (1) Research in the doctrines and from experience for principles of evangelization;
     (2) The "Bookstore Program"-placing New Church literature in commercial bookstores where it will become more accessible to the general public;

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     (3) Free publicity-developing the necessary techniques to take advantage of the free publicity available in the various media (letters and articles to newspapers, interviews in newspapers, radio, and T.V.);
     (4) Paid Advertising-the placing of paid advertisements in newspapers, on radio and T.V., together with research into their relative effectiveness;
     (5) Talking to people about the Church-helping the members and friends of the Church in their efforts to spread the new evangel.

     Other projects may well seem indicated in the future, but our immediate object is to keep these current projects rolling.
     The Bookstore Program has occupied a considerable part of our time and effort this year. Mr. V. Carmond Odhner, of Columbus, Ohio has continued in the pioneering work of recruiting volunteers to place paperback editions of the Writings in bookstores that had previously not carried our literature. As new "placers" are found, we send them the literature and advice on procedure. Our long-range goal is that there will not be a commercial bookstore anywhere that has not at least been asked to stock the Writings! What we are doing is to provide a plane of influx for the Divine Providence.
     We have continued to help local missionary organizations, and in return have received back valuable statistics from them. For example, we sent some funds to Glenview and Atlanta, and helped Denver and Bryn Athyn in the composition of advertisements. We have been encouraging the formation of White Horse Societies-evangelization centers on college campuses manned by our own students. The one at Oakland University in Detroit was helped by funds and printed material. In addition, we have answered enquiries from various placers and sent out a supply of books for local distribution.
     The Committee has maintained its close contact with certain receivers of the Writings in Ghana, West Africa. Our approach is to give advice when it is sought, to send suitable literature and tapes, and to answer enquiries. Mr. Jeremy Simons, who is in the Peace Corps in Togo, West Africa, has been of considerable help in clarifying the situation in Ghana with his reports on visits there. Another great helper who has emerged is an Englishman, Mr. Ronald Rhodes, who has accepted the New Church fully and intelligently. His reports have also been much appreciated.
     Another project initiated by David Holm is the Newcomer's questionnaire. The information gained by means of this gives everyone an insight into the state of mind of someone approaching the Church. Mr. Hugh Gyllenhaal, a consultant for business and industry in human resources, has produced the analysis of the returned questionnaires promised in last year's report. This has provoked considerable discussion and interest.
     As a result of this close contact with Mr. Gyllenhaal, he was invited to address the Committee on ways and means of using the human resources of the Church in accomplishing some of our projects that are still unfinished. We are about to implement his suggestions with regard to forming task forces or action groups, and hope to have much to report about this next year. During the year David Holm, as Chairman, visited Washington, Atlanta, and Glenview. He reports that these visits were most stimulating for all involved, and the same can be said of the present Chairman's visit to the Detroit Society in October. These visits provide a great opportunity for the Committee to learn what is happening on the local scene and for the societies to know just what the Extension Committee is doing and planning.

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     By the time this report appears in print, several other projects that exist in our minds will be actualities-so rapidly is the work of this Committee developing.
     Respectfully submitted,
          DOUGLAS M. TAYLOR,
               Chairman
RELIGION LESSONS 1978

RELIGION LESSONS       B. DAVID HOLM       1978

     The work of General Church Religion Lessons continues. Our budget for the last fiscal year (excluding the cost of NEW CHURCH HOME) was $18,597.00. This marks Religion Lessons as one of the major uses of the General Church. This is only fitting, for the isolated children of the Church must always be a major concern of the organized New Church. Instruction in the Lord's Word for these children is vital. I am convinced of the importance of this use.
     Statistics for 1977-78. There are 185 families enrolled in the Religion Lessons program, with a total of 410 individual children. This total is made up as follows:

Pre-School          (4-year-olds)                              46
Pre-School          (5-year-olds)                              42
Kindergarten     (scattered stories)                         37
First Grade          (scattered stories)                         33
Second Grade     (Genesis)                                   36
Third Grade          (The Exodus)                              41
Fourth Grade     (Joshua and Judges)                              38
Fifth Grade          (I Samuel)                                   28
Sixth Grade      (II Samuel and Kings)                         28
Seventh Grade      (Life of Lord I)                              22
Eighth Grade     (Life of Lord II)                              28
Ninth Grade          (City of God)                              23
Tenth Grade          (New Jerusalem and Its Heavenly Doctrine)          5
Eleventh and
Twelfth Grade     (Heaven and Hell)                              3
TOTAL                                                       410

     In addition to these figures, there are several adults taking doctrinal courses. Also, these lessons are used directly outside of our program by several General Church pastors with the children under their charge.
     It can be noticed that there is something of a drop in enrollment with the older children. It seems that as they get older, a number of children either lose interest or become too involved in other activities.
     Also, some of the families enrolled do not respond at all. Last year 39 families were not heard from. We are taking steps to try to correct this this year. The families which were not heard from by January 1978 were sent a personal letter by the Director. Those we do not hear from will be dropped from our lists next year.

     Cassette Tapes for Little Children. This past year two more tapes for little children were completed. A complete tape of the little book, "First Songs for Little Children" is now available.

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The Religion Lessons Committee has produced it, but it was prepared in the Washington Society. Also, a tape of Hebrew songs recorded some years ago by Miss Jennie Gaskill has been finished and is now available. Several more tapes are being worked on, one of which will be on the story of Moses.

     Revision Work. The work of revising and improving the lessons is a pressing need. Some of the lessons have not been revised in years. Some work on this is being done, but not enough. The Third Grade lessons are being revised and the work is well underway. Some work has been done in telescoping the lessons for the Seventh, Eighth and Ninth Grades into a two-year course. Also, a new Freshman course is being prepared. But this work is going forward very slowly, because of the very limited time available to spend on it. This is a cause of real concern. Several women who are active in Religion Lessons work has been serving as advisors in these revisions.

     Contributions. Parents of the children in the program are asked for donations. Last year we received $1,353.00 from 62 contributors. This was an all-time high. So far this year we have received $979.00. This is encouraging, for it is a tangible measure of the parents' attitude to this use.

     A Word of Appreciation. No report on Religion Lessons work would be complete without appreciative mention of all the work the women of Theta Alpha do for this use. Their organization contributes generously in a financial way. But even more important, there are a great many women of Theta Alpha (well over 70 of them) who are actively engaged in this work for the isolated children of the Church.
     First, there are the correspondence teachers who receive, correct and return the lessons the children send in. This involves writing letters and keeping contact with the children in other ways. Then there are the counselors who supervise the work of the teachers. These counselors often act as teachers themselves. These women work out of several centers of the Church-Bryn Athyn, Caryndale, Glenview, Pittsburgh, Toronto and Washington. There are also centers elsewhere in the world, from which lessons are handled on a local level. These centers include Australia, Great Britain and South Africa. Our lessons are also used on a limited scale in Holland and Sweden.
     Mention must also be made of the women who serve on the actual Religion Lessons Committee. These women serve as an advisory board and give wise counsel to the Director. These women are Mrs. Cairns Henderson (Eva), who faithfully performs the many functions of Chairman; the Vice-Chairman, Mrs. Leon Rhodes (Judy); Mrs. Leonard Gyllenhaal (Ruth) who is in charge of the Festival Lessons; Mrs. Boyd Asplundh (Myra), who is head of the Pre-School program; and Mrs. Douglas Taylor (Christine), who is in charge of the Pre-School Cassette Tapes. These women, together with the President of Theta Alpha, Miss Alice Fritz, and the Vice-President, Mrs. Edward Asplundh (Gwen), form the committee. We meet about once a month and take up both policy and practical matters.
     Also, special appreciation must be expressed to three women who have resigned recently. Mrs. Erik Sandstrom (Bernice) has given up her work of producing the creche figures which have delighted the children of so many isolated families. She has done this work for many years. She will be replaced by Mrs. Richard Synnestvedt (Dianna). Miss Jean Junge, of Glenview, has resigned as counselor in charge of the Life of the Lord series.

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Miss Jean is the last of that first group of women whose vision conceived the then new concept of religion lessons for the isolated children of the Church. Miss Jean is one of the pioneers in this work. Her dedicated teaching of children will be missed. Miss Rinna Acton of London has also resigned. Miss Rinna was for years the only woman active in this work in Great Britain. Singlehandedly she prepared lessons and communicated with a number of isolated children. Recently, a committee has been formed (under the auspices of the British Academy) to take up the work of Religion Lessons in Great Britain. The work of these three women has not gone unnoticed all these years.
     I would also like to express my appreciation of my office staff. Without their cheerful and faithful performance of the day-to-day routine, the work of this committee could not be accomplished.
          
     Conclusion. In AC 1776 we are told of the great effect upon angels when young boys and girls read and think about the Word. A very vital communication between heaven and earth results. This alone makes the use performed by Religion Lessons a great one. Add to this the remains instilled in these children for their future regeneration. Also, add the long-range effect this instruction will have on the Church. When we think of these things, we realize this use is of primary importance.

     NEW CHURCH HOME

     We are now in the second year since our magazine was given a new name and a new thrust. It is aimed directly to the parents and children of the Church, and we feel it now has a very definite use to perform for our church homes. We have continued our efforts to solicit worship talks, brief doctrinal papers, and articles which will be of benefit and interest. Our central purpose is to stimulate the beliefs and principles of the New Church in as many homes as possible. Our circulation stands at 511.
     As Editor, I want to thank all our contributors, artists and efficient office staff. Without their willingness, the magazine could not be produced.

     VISUAL EDUCATION

     As reported last year, the Visual Education Committee of the General Church has been dissolved as a separate committee, and absorbed into the Religion Lessons program. Our religious slides are still being borrowed, and our circulation figures are as follows:

                    1975          1976          1977
Slide sets               44          37          37
Total of slides          789          881          1,230
Borrowers               19          23          34

     SUNDAY SCHOOL COMMITTEE

     We continue to have laymen giving assistance to this committee of the Council of the Clergy. A great deal of work has been accomplished this past year. New General Church material has been developed, and suitable new commercial material has been found. Our catalog of material available has been revised and re-issued and is available to anyone on request.

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It is heartening to report that this committee has served the Sunday Schools of the General Church, our society schools, and also our isolated, in an increasingly effective way this past year. Also, we can report that a new section has been added to our Master Reference-a reference of all of the main sources of material available on the Stories of the Word, by chapter. Genesis 1, 2 and 3 are now complete.
     This use is expanding rapidly, and this is largely due to the leadership of Mrs. Boyd Asplundh (Myra). More volunteer help is greatly needed for this much-needed function of the Church.
     For information, write to the Sunday School Committee, Cairncrest, Bryn Athyn, Pa. 19009.
     Respectfully submitted,
          B. DAVID HOLM,
               Director
PUBLICATION COMMITTEE 1978

PUBLICATION COMMITTEE       NORBERT H. ROGERS       1978

     Of the things mentioned in my 1975-76 Report as being "in process," during 1976-77 the General Church Pamphlet Courtship, Consent, Betrothal was published and the following were reprinted:

Swedenborg, Servant of the Lord by C. T. Odhner
Crown of Revelation by Alfred Acton
Topics from the Writings by W. F. Pendleton
A ten year supply of the 1966 Liturgy.
Still in process are the revised collections of Social Songs, and the reprinting of First Songs for Little Children.

     In the year ending August 31st, 1977, consideration has been given to reprinting:

Life of the Lord by G. de Charms
City of God by K. R. Alden

     There is great affection for both these works. However, it is difficult to arrive at a realistic estimate of demand. Both works have for years been used as textbooks in the instruction of young people of the junior high and high school ages, but both have in recent years been supplanted or are about to be supplanted in the religious education of these young people and the two books relegated to the useful reference shelf. The result is that the main demand that existed in the past is no longer active, making it very difficult to judge future demands.
     Two manuscripts for pamphlets have been submitted by N. B. Rogers, one is entitled The Marriage Covenant and the other Marriage Separation.
     As of August 31st, 1977, however, both manuscripts have only begun to be considered.     
     Respectfully submitted,
          NORBERT H. ROGERS,
               Chairman
TRANSLATION COMMITTEE 1978

TRANSLATION COMMITTEE       N. BRUCE ROGERS       1978

     In the summer of 1976, Bishop King appointed an interim Committee to propose a re-organization of the Committee to make possible effective entrance into the work of providing new editions and translations of the Writings without further delay.

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Such a re-organization was proposed and accepted in the summer of 1977. One result was an expansion of the Committee's membership to provide for greater counsel and expertise, with the addition of an Executive Board within the Committee to conduct its administrative work and routine business. The aim is to include in the Committee all qualified linguists of the General Church in the sacred languages (Hebrew, Greek and Latin) who have a special interest in the work of editing and translating the Sacred Scriptures and Heavenly Doctrines and related works. To these may be added others with some special expertise, such as in Swedish or in library research, whose regular counsel may be of special use.
     Another result of the re-organization has been funding. Heretofore the Committee had no funds, which greatly hampered efforts to encourage projects and make them possible. Now substantial financial commitments are being made to the work of the Committee, both by the General Church and by the Academy; and the Academy has in addition made available some regular staff time. The Committee has thereby not only been authorized but enabled to act in arranging projects and in employing personnel to embark on them, with gratifying progress being made daily.
     During the year of 1977, Miss Lisa Hyatt was employed full-time to complete a detailed comparison and alignment of The Earths in the Universe with similar material published in Arcana Coelestia and their forerunner in the Spiritual Diary. This project should be completed sometime in 1975. An English translation is also being contemplated.
     Later in the year, Dr. J. Durban Odhner was employed part-time to begin a new Latin edition of the Spiritual Diary. This is an ambitious undertaking because of the size of the Work, but one that sorely needs to be done. An English translation thereof is also being planned, and it may be begun sometime in 1979.
     In the Spring of 1977, on a volunteer basis, Mr. Lawson Smith, currently a student in the Academy Theological School, began preparing a report on autograph and printed Latin editions, with comments on their availability, merits and defects. This study will provide the basis for our selection of future projects.
     In the summer, several College and Theological School students with special gifts in the Latin of the Writings were employed, under the supervision of Mr. Prescott A. Rogers, to undertake and further several other projects. Miss Linda Simonetti continued our search for parallel passages to material in the Spiritual Diary; and Messrs. Erik Odhner, Geoffrey Odhner and Timothy Rose with Miss Jennifer Smith continued a preliminary examination of the Diary text in the Latin manuscript with collation of notes by Dr. J. F. I. Tafel and Dr. Alfred Acton. Both of these projects are nearing completion and may perhaps be finished in 1978. Mr. Lawson Smith began preparations for a new Latin edition of De Verbo, examining copies of the manuscript and making extensive textual notes and observations. This edition should be completed in 1975. And finally, Messrs. Prescott Rogers and John L. Odhner began preparations for a new Latin edition of the posthumous De Ultimo Judicio (Last Judgment post.), which will be carried on in 1978 and perhaps be mostly completed then. English translations of the latter two works are also being planned, and the Latin and English versions may appear in a bilingual edition.
     In addition to these projects, the Translation Committee sponsored the attendance of six of our young Latin scholars at a Translators School arranged by the Swedenborg Society in England. Attending the School for a week in July were Messrs. Erik Odhner, Geoffrey Odhner, John L. Odhner, Timothy Rose, Lawson Smith and Miss Lisa Hyatt.

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The success of this venture is perhaps best shared by quoting from the official report of the School to the Swedenborg Society, prepared by Dr. John Chadwick, the director:

     "The standard of work was impressive, and although no one had any previous experience of actual translation work on Swedenborg, we formed the opinion that all members of this [advanced] group could with some further experience become serviceable translators or consultants. The majority of this group were Americans. . . ."

     The Bryn Athyn contingent were the best equipped, since they had all had the advantage of previous experience of Swedenborg's Latin.

Private correspondence has made even plainer the enthusiasm and confidence engendered by our students at the Translators School.
     In summary, the year 1977 was one of active entrance into the work for which the Translation Committee was constituted, and we look forward to continued activity, with a gradual completion of projects for the use of the Church beginning in 1978 and 1979. The beginning has been auspicious. With the help of many and the support of the Church, we are confident that the effort will prove itself more and more worthwhile, providing service to the Church in many ways, to its scholars, to its readers and listeners, and to those who may be introduced into its body and life.
     N. BRUCE ROGERS,
          Chairman
SOUND RECORDING COMMITTEE 1978

SOUND RECORDING COMMITTEE       DOUGLAS M. TAYLOR       1978

     As we look back over another year of very useful activity, we feel a great sense of gratitude for the many volunteer helpers, throughout the Church who devote so much time, energy, and valuable "know-how" to continuing the work of the Committee. This help is greatly appreciated, and is also indispensable.
     The office and studio keeps running efficiently under the capable supervision of our office secretary, Mrs. Joseph McDonough, with the willing help of Mrs. Cedric Lee on a part-time basis. Mrs. Ann Finkeldey and Mrs. William Welch continue giving a great deal of their time and talent to the technical work as volunteers, Mrs. Finkeldey spending much of her time archiving tapes of men now retired.
     At our Annual Meeting, in November, the election of office-bearers turned out once again to be a re-election of our incumbent officers-Mr. Cedric Lee as Vice-Chairman, Mr. E. Boyd Asplundh as Secretary, and Miss Elizabeth Hayes as Treasurer. Their willingness to continue their valued work makes us very much indebted to them.
     A questionnaire sent to the pastors in the field (and/or the person in charge of sound recording locally) yielded some interesting information. We now feel we have a better picture of the situation in various societies. In some cases the lines of communication were reestablished as a result of the questionnaire.
     Our treasurer's report shows that at September 30, 1977, our net worth was $25,491.55, an increase of $1,109.88. There are, however, some disturbing features in the report: special contributions decreased by $1,779.20, user contributions decreased by $183.97, while our total expenses increased by $582.14. We are completely dependent on the financial contributions of users and special contributors, since we make no charge for borrowing tapes.

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     The time has come for the replacement of a considerable part of our equipment. This comes at a time of greatly increased costs, especially for reel to reel recorders. The popularity of cassettes has caused manufacturers to cut back on the production of reel recorders for the popular market, concentrating on equipment for professionals, which is much more costly. The new equipment purchased last year-a stereo high-speed cassette duplicator-has greatly increased our capabilities. We can now go from cassette masters to slaves, cassette to reel, reel to reel, while continuing as before to make cassettes from reels.
     We do seem to be reaching more people, although the borrowing pattern is changing. The total number of borrowings is down, yet group borrowings have increased, resulting in more people hearing our tapes-which delights us very much. We made a more persistent effort this year to give publicity to our offerings-especially in the Bryn Athyn area. The pleasing effect of this is an increase in borrowings and an increase in user contributions locally.
     This year, too, we expanded our service to shut-ins in Bryn Athyn. We already had two ladies listening to the Cathedral services by direct telephone line to their homes. But now we have five more subscribers, who participate in a conference-type hook-up, thus reducing the costs to the individual subscribed. This service seems to be much appreciated.
     Another innovation this year is what might best be called a "sample" catalog. It features a selection of those tapes considered to be of most general interest. It is a kind of "appetizer" for our current large catalog, and seems to be fulfilling an obvious need.
     We hope that you, as a reader of this report, will tell your friends about it, alerting them to the many goodies on our shelves that, all too often, lie there unused because people do not know about them. If you are a satisfied user, please help publicize what the Committee has to offer.
     Respectfully submitted,
          DOUGLAS M. TAYLOR,
               Chairman
THEOLOGICAL SCHOOL 1978

THEOLOGICAL SCHOOL       ERIK SANDSTROM       1978

     A common opinion is that the Theological School is training ministers for the New Church; and such is the appearance. Yet as it is a matter of faith that the Lord calls men to His ministry, so we believe that the Lord Himself is preparing them for that ministry. Each man, in order for him to be able to teach the truth, must see that truth for himself; and this sight cannot be given by other men. That such is the case is especially established by the fact that truth cannot be seen except in the light of heaven. On the other hand, knowledge can be inculcated by means of other men, and it is that knowledge which, the individual being willing, is transformed by the Lord into truth. In one sense, therefore, the Theological School is set up to train ministers for the Lord's New Church, and this because knowledge is prerequisite to truth. And the knowledge itself must be one of both truth and good, that is to say, there must be a knowledge both as to what the doctrine is and what the doctrine is for.
     To know what the doctrine is requires study, correction, and encouragement. To know what it is for necessitates practice in the application of it in the field. But nothing of this is adequate, unless the man who studies and practices allows his heart to be enkindled and his mind enlightened by Him who calls men into the use of saving souls.

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Any man can train his memory in doctrine, and any man may learn to go through the motions; but true use is but the ultimation of a creative love and a formative understanding. Such love and such understanding are given only by the Lord.
     There is a parallel to the above in the relationship between the Lord's New Church and the General Church. The Lord's Church itself "cometh not with observation," for it "cometh down from God out of heaven." The General Church on the other hand is established in order to serve the Lord's Church, as the body may serve its soul, and the General Church does come '"with observation." Does the Theological School exist for the sake of the General Church of the New Jerusalem as well as for the sake of the Lord's Church itself? Certainly it does; but again it becomes a matter of faith that the School is primarily a forum where the Lord may prepare His men to serve Him in the work of salvation. Yet as the very purpose of the whole body of the General Church is to serve in that same work, so the Theological School can do no other than direct the minds of its men towards doctrinal and pastoral leadership as officers of the General Church. Or to use the metaphor of fishermen: The school, while hoping that the Lord is preparing its students to be fishers of men, is at the same time inviting them to use the General Church as the boat from which to fish. All of this means of course that any minister of the General Church is first a priest of the New Church, and second a priest of the General Church, while yet at the same time we verily believe that we will all have but one allegiance, and this because the boat is indispensable to successful fishing. Our students study and practice in this spirit.
     The General Church is known for its belief that the Writings are the Word of the Lord in His Second Coming. Implicit in this is the belief that the Lord reveals Himself in glory in His Divine Human in and by means of these Writings. In them He speaks (they are His Word), and out of them He leads to the good of life. In them, therefore, are seen all the three essential doctrines of the New Church-the Lord, the Word, and Life, and these are the doctrines that constitute the nucleus of the curriculum of the Theological School. The Old and New Testaments are seen as outer layers around the core of Divine truth did bare to the sight of the rational in the Writings. The two earlier statements of the Divine truth therefore become earlier accommodations of the Divine love and wisdom to men; and now serve both as accommodations to children and young people in their growing years and for adults as a perpetual basis and containant of the more interior statements of truths in the third and final form of His Word that the Lord has given us. All the studies in the School, whatever the particular subject, and all the training in the field, are centered around those three essential doctrines. The terms or years assigned to each particular study is in general proportioned according to its more direct or relatively more indirect relation to them.
     It should be mentioned in this connection that field training now includes some areas within the General Convention. This is by direct invitation only. In this way the Theological School has come to serve with some regularity and now for about a year and a half in Orange, New Jersey, on an occasional basis in three small Convention societies in Western Canada-this essentially in order to assist in services now being rendered by the General Church in Canada-and expects from this month on also to Day regular visits to Baltimore, Maryland. In all these cases it is clearly understood that wherever our men go they are doing so only for the purpose of teaching the doctrines of the New Church, and that they are not to disturb the external order and tradition of the General Convention.

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All arrangements are first made through the office of the Bishop, and as always the Theological School acts within the general sphere of that office.
     This leads me to say something about the structure of the School. The Bishop is ex officio in his capacity of executive Bishop of the General Church (and not essentially as Chancellor of the Academy) the supreme officer of the school. Under him the Dean is the executive officer. The faculty is the determinative body in all academic matters. At the same time the School operates within the general framework of the Academy of the New Church. The reasons for this are clear: The Theological School must function in a general academic setting; its most immediate academic basis is the College of the Academy; all its faculty members are employees of the Academy and serve under the Charter of the Academy; and except for certain stipends and other privileges offered to students the financial underpinning of the School is provided by the Academy. The School is therefore a school of the Academy, while at the same time placed under the government of the episcopal office. In this the Theological School is a real nexus between the General Church and its educational arm the Academy. It therefore reports for policy to the Bishop of the General Church, and for financial survival to the President of the Academy! This incidentally gives the President the unique privilege of paying the piper without at the same time having the exalted duty of calling the tune.
     And now a word about our student body. Whatever the particular cause we experienced a marked rise in numbers in the early seventies, and this rise has continued in a steady upward trend. Perhaps the tumultous sixties were instrumental in awakening young men to the urgent need of more men in the vineyard? Be that as it may there were seven full-time students enrolled in 70/71, eight in 71/72 plus one special, eight full-time in 72/73, eight full-time in 73/74, nine in 74/75, nine full-time and two part-time in 75/76, fourteen full-time and one part-time in 76/77, and now in the current school year fifteen full-time students plus six special or part-time, for a grand total of twenty-one. It should be noted that those six include two members of the College faculty, one member of the Elementary School faculty, two graduate college students giving most of their time to fulfilling theological prerequisite courses on the college level, and one ordained minister receiving orientation for later work in the General Church. The outlook is for a slight, but only slight, decline in the enrollment next year, and whatever may happen in later years is of course as yet only guesswork. What stands is the fact that in the immediate future the General Church may expect a substantial growth as to numbers in the Council of the Clergy. Some people are on financial grounds somewhat uneasy at this prospect; but personally I firmly share the Bishop's view that this growth is in Providence, and that it portends expanding uses in the General Church. Instead of being fearful of the challenge placed upon us, should we not rather believe that "the harvest truly is plenteous, and that the laborers (still) are few?"
     As for the future the School will continue to serve as a gathering place where the Lord prepares laborers for His vineyard, and where He delegates to human instruments the work of external training. The day to day leadership in this work will now pass into other hands than mine. I know that Bob is looking to a further strengthening and development of the Theological School, and I firmly believe that this School will continue to be a primary means whereby the Lord provides for the future of His Church.

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I wish blessings on the new Dean in all his efforts and dedication.
     ERIK SANDSTROM, SR.,
          Dean
REPRESENTATIVES OF THE EPISCOPAL OFFICE 1978

REPRESENTATIVES OF THE EPISCOPAL OFFICE       LOUIS B. KING       1978

     After consultation with the Council of the Clergy, I would announce the following concerning Representatives of the Bishop:
     From time to time during the past decade, the Bishop has asked pastors in certain areas of the General Church to serve as his representative. At present, we have four such Representatives: The Rev. Bjorn A. H. Boyesen in Great Britain, the Rev. Peter M. Buss in the Midwestern District and Central-west District of the United States, the Rev. Geoffrey S. Childs in Canada, and the Rev. Geoffrey H. Howard in South Africa.
     These men will act in my behalf in emergency situations, give leadership in organizing ministrations of the Church in the area in which they serve, and in general act as a liaison between the members and friends of the General Church in their areas and the office of the Bishop. It should be noted that a Bishop's Representative holds his position by virtue of appointment from the Episcopal Office.
     LOUIS B. KING,
          Bishop

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PASTORAL VACATION VISIT DOWN UNDER 1978

PASTORAL VACATION VISIT DOWN UNDER       Rev. HAROLD C. CRANCH       1978

     One of the advantages to getting older, with the family grown and on their own, is the possibility of more extended travel, visiting church members in our more distant circles and societies. This year, in January, Jean and I visited members in Auckland, New Zealand, in Hurstville, Australia, and in Kailua, Hawaii, as well as making brief stops in northern and southern California. Chicago had already had several snowfalls with low temperatures. So we bundled up for our trip to the airport. There we left our overcoats and boots with our son, Walter, and took off for warmer dimes.
     We arrived in New Zealand on the 6th of January, having lost a day at the International Dateline. We flew from San Francisco on Pan American Airlines directly to Auckland, a trip of somewhat over 13 hours. It was a pleasant trip in a 747, the jumbo jet, and we were very well treated and fed. The trip was primarily at night so that, despite the fact we did not get a great deal of sleep, the jet-lag was reduced to a minimum, for we arrived in the morning as we would have normally wakened on the West coast. From the airport we called the Stephen Mills family. Stephen is a lawyer and an instructor in law at the Auckland University, and his wife is Nancy Synnestvedt, one of Sig's daughters. Nancy came to the airport as quickly as possible, picked us up and took us home. We stayed with Stephen and Nancy throughout our visit.
     The Mills live in a beautiful, old home on the North Shore of Auckland, across the bay from the city. They are gradually restoring the home to its original condition. They are favored with a beautiful view of the harbor and the bay. Both the upstairs and downstairs apartment in their home have wide verandas which give an excellent vantage point to watch the shipping, or just to enjoy the wonderful climate and the fragrant air of New Zealand. We enjoyed the Mills family, and their two young children, very much and we visited several places in Auckland and vicinity with them.
     On Sunday we had a service at the home of Mrs. Marion Mills. My wife, Jean, played the piano and we followed the regular order of service. I gave a children's talk in place of the first lesson on the subject of the 23rd Psalm and then followed with the sermon on the "Salt of the Earth and the Light of the World," in which I referred to the personal development represented by the ten blessings and the place of the Church in the world.

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     As this is the middle of their vacation period, a good many members were away, but we gathered 13 for service counting the two children. Present were: Mr. and Mrs. Lloyd Bartle and their two grown daughters, Judy and Elizabeth; Mr. and Mrs. Stephen Mills and their two sons, Duncan and Jonathan; and Mrs. Marion Mills, who was the hostess; Mr. and Mrs. Evan Mills, and Jean and myself. After the service we had a luncheon, which all attended, and immediately after it, a class on "The Case for Swedenborg's Credibility," in which Swedenborg's claims, his reliability as a witness, his competence, his integrity, and the internal evidence of the Writings themselves were presented in a systematic manner.
     The next day I went into Auckland and took the bus to visit Mr. Malcom Fleming and his nephew, who had been unable to attend the service. Mr. Fleming Sr. was the lay leader of the Auckland General Church group for many years, and now, in his later years, he is unable to travel to get to the meetings. However, during the Church season, a group often meets in his home to listen to tapes from Bryn Athyn. After a considerable bus ride, I found him, in a very neat home, and enjoyed an hour and a half's visit with him and his nephew. As in all new contacts with New Churchmen, time is too short to accomplish all the visiting and exchange of news and views that is desirable. Nevertheless, the visits are most enjoyable, and I appreciated meeting Mr. Fleming, who is a humble and very sincere New Churchman, who has served the Church very well in the lay leadership capacity.
     On Tuesday we had to take our farewell of the Mills family and of Auckland, to journey to Sydney, Australia. Pan American Airways has only a few flights a week between Auckland and Sydney each week and therefore we could not afford to miss the one that was available to us, which would allow time to prepare for the next Sunday's service at Hurstville.
     As we approached Sydney, we had an excellent view of the world-famous harbor, and the equally famous Sydney opera house which looks like a symbol of all ancient sailing ships, their sails full blown in a heavy wind. We debarked at the Sydney airport in the heat of a full mid-summer's day. We were met by the Rev. and Mrs. Michael Gladish and their four children. Michael had assisted me four years ago in Toronto and I was delighted to have an opportunity to be with him again.

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     After clearing customs, a rather tedious and drawn out but otherwise painless duty, we were taken in tow by the family and installed in the family car. On the comparatively short run to Penshurst and the Gladish home, we enjoyed the sights and sounds of Sydney. It seemed very homelike to me as it was very similar to Southern California, with palm trees and an architecture that was not too different from the Spanish tradition. There were many red tile roofs, and stucco buildings. We also saw hibiscus and banana trees along with the ever-present Guns or Eucalyptus trees, which were also familiar to us from California.
     We were very impressed by the manse in which the Gladishes live, and the newly-refurbished church, which is on the lot next to the manse. To make the Church more attractive, a new room had been added in the front, and a new entrance, with facilities for a book room with space for displaying and storing books for sale, and an attractive brick front. Glass sliding doors provided the new entrance, and outside there was a very small porch, and a patio is being prepared for the people to visit immediately after the service. The body of the Church has also been painted to blend with the new bricks and altogether makes a very attractive building.
     The manse too has been refinished and a large meeting room has been added to the back. This attractive hall is named The Morse Room after the first pastor, Rev. Richard Morse. For banquets and Church gatherings they use the Gladish kitchen for preparation and the large room for the banquet table. While we were there, there was a reception for the newly married couple, Mr. and Mrs. Murray Heldon, who had very recently returned to Australia. The new Mrs. Heldon is Lori Gladish, sister of Mike.
     In Australia, we also met two other members of the Auckland Circle, Mrs. Doris Flood who was visiting for several weeks, and Miss Jennifer Bartle who was also visiting and had just been betrothed to Mr. Hugh Keal. And again, while we were there, a surprise kitchen shower was given to that couple in preparation for their wedding, which will take place later in the year.
     The Church is rather ideally located for continued development. It owns three properties adjacent to one another. The manse, the Church building itself, and, next to it on the further side, another house which had served as the manse before the present one was acquired. The lots are very deep, and taken together, make a very substantial piece of property in a city situation. A New Church woman owns the home next to these lots so that there is a small New Church nucleus very close to the Church. There is a very fine tennis court at the foot of the manse property and this is maintained by the members of the Church and arrangements have been made for its use by some of the neighbors.

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     Jean and I were taken to many of the local attractions by the Gladish's. We rode on the ferry boats in the Sydney Harbor, visited the Opera House, and traveled to the Sydney Zoo, which is one of the fine toes of the world. There we saw the Duckbilled Platypus and tried to see the Kiwi, but as this bird, representing New Zealand, is nocturnal, we could not see it. But we did see the cute little Koala Bears which have become the symbol of Australia. We had several thoroughly enjoyable days visiting the various centers, and we enjoyed the ferry trip to get to the zoo and return.
     On Saturday we went to the beach for a swim. We went early as the sun becomes very hot later in the day. While there we learned of a pleasant little creature, the blue-striped octopus, which is extremely poisonous and had been found in the rocks at the beach. However, they have a very large swimming pool with natural beach conditions, but enclosed in a stone wall that allows for a very large group to go swimming at the same time in protected waters. There we met quite a few of the members of the Hurstville Society. So many that we almost decided to hold church at the beach on the following Sunday. While this was a lighthearted suggestion, conditions on Sunday were such that we could have benefitted by the sea breeze and the open air.
     On January 15th, service was held at 9:30. It was very successful for it was the largest attendance of adults for the summer months, and the group pretty well filled the Church. In addition to our own members, the Rev. Ian Arnold of the Conference, and several of his members, attended and I had the opportunity to meet them.
     I preached on the subject of "The Salt of the Earth" and followed the full order of service. While a few children came, they either sat through the service or were taken care of in the nursery. I believe that there were 34 adults and some 6 or 7 children. The weather was beautiful, but hot. At 9:30 the church had become very warm and I was told later that the temperature had increased to over 100- on the Fahrenheit scale.
     The next week we visited a number of places. We spent a delightful day with Mr. and Mrs. Norman Heldon. We traveled through the Royal National Park and then along the Eastern Shore of Australia, down to the village of Kiama to see an interesting rock formation, which is undercut as it juts out into the ocean and allows the water to rush through a natural cave and then, when there is a strong wind and a, strong surf, it makes a 40 or 50 foot spume of spray. This is called the Blow-Hole. It lived up to its name and gave us several fine examples of the phenomena. On the way we passed a cliff where there were some men flying in kite gliders and they made a very interesting sight as they lay prone on a very flimsy framework under a rather large kite.

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They used their feet and hands to warp the wing and control the direction of their glide. The thermal updrafts kept them about even with the top of the cliff, and as it was a rather misty day, they did not venture very far away from the actual cliff where they launched the kites.
     We returned from this expedition to have a delightful supper at the home of the Owen Heldons. Mrs. Owen was Margaret Horner who attended college at Bryn Athyn. They have a lovely home and two fine children and they had temporarily put up their father and mother, Mr. and Mrs. Norman Heldon, who's home had been taken over by Mr. and Mrs. Murray Heldon (newly married), who were waiting to move into their home as soon as it was completed. So we had quite a group at supper and enjoyed the visit very much.
     We were also entertained at the home of the Hugh Keal's. There we enjoyed a very interesting discussion on the symbolism of the mason viewed from the standpoint of the New Church.
     Later in the week we enjoyed a visit and a lovely dinner with Mr. and Mrs. John Sandow, whom we had met in Toronto a few years ago. They have a beautiful home, filled with art objects which were collected by them, or made by Mrs. Sandow, who is a very skilled worker in pottery, and has also painted many beautiful pictures. There we met Mrs. Sandow's mother, and the Theo Kirstens who are also members of the Hurstville Society.
     We had a most interesting visit with Mrs. Mora (White) Fletcher. Mrs. Fletcher had attended the College at Bryn Athyn to prepare that she might be the first New Church teacher of the Hurstville New Church school which was established in October of 1930. Although the school could not continue to the present due to the comparatively small size of the society from which the pupils were to be drawn, it nevertheless helped to establish the sound principles in doctrine and education which are part of the firm foundatoin for the church so evident with the membership.
     Mrs. Fletcher has the same enthusiasm for the church and its education that motivated her earlier years. Although unable to attend many church functions due to her health problems, increased by a recent stroke, she is well aware of the many developments, and optimistic for its growth. I had attended school at the Academy while Mora was in college, and I was pleased to find that she remembered me, and my penchant for sketching everything around me. We also visited with her sister, Owen, and admired their beautiful garden, with its abundance of flowers and fine herbs. Mrs. Fletcher sent greetings to her many friends throughout the Church, and her greatest regret is that, due to her stroke, she is unable to continue the extensive correspondence of former years.

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I assured her that her friends would understand, and in the years to come, would catch up on all the news in a new and happier world where time and space will not interfere with our friendships and communication.
     By these visits we met many of the members of the Hurstville Society socially and many more in the social contacts after Church and at the various receptions. We found there the spirit of the New Church; the hearty welcome and the spirit of interest in the development of the Church and of the charitable relationships that establish new friendships almost instantly at first meeting a fellow New Churchman.
     The next Sunday we again met at 9:30 and it was again a very warm day, although it did not quite equal the first Sunday's heat. On this occasion I preached on the subject of "Open Doors," the new opportunities for development which are opened by the Lord through our reading of the Word; and how each truth is a door leading to the Lord Himself and thus the door of opportunity leading us toward heaven.
     While on this occasion the Rev. Ian Arnold and the two members of his society could not be present with us, there was still a good turnout and some members were present who had been unable to attend the first service, so that I again met new people. Among them was Mr. and Mrs. Michael Lockhart, whom I had met at Bryn Athyn. Mr. Lockhart is in the lumber business and helped in the new addition to the church. The Horner family were present at this service, having traveled more than a hundred miles to attend the service and the reception later in the day. During the service their son, Kenneth, was confirmed into the church.
     After the service we talked for some time with the various groups and photographed them to make a more permanent record. Later in the afternoon, the people gathered again in the hall behind the manse for the Hurstville wedding reception for Murray and Lori Heldon. At this reception, attended by up to 70 guests, there was a meal followed by toasts to the church, which I proposed, and a toast to the couple by Mr. Gladish, and an interesting and humorous speech by the father of the groom, Mr. Norman Heldon. All joined in the toast to the new couple and expressed their best wishes for a happy marriage.
     While in Australia, I had the opportunity to meet many times with Mr. Gladish to discuss the various aspects of church growth in Australia and in my work in Glenview. I also had the opportunity to meet with the Sunday School Committee to help plan a curriculum that would suit their particular needs. It was fine to discover that there were sis young ladies who were interested in teaching and there were four groups of children making a grand total of 19 students to begin their new Church year in February.

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     Mr. Gladish and I also met with the Rev. Ian Arnold on two occasions. We took the opportunity of exchanging very frank views on how the Church, as a whole, could better progress, and the cooperation that could and, to a great extent does, exist now between the two ministers in the Sydney area. Mr. Arnold is continuing the radio talks that had been established by Doug Taylor when he was pastor in Hurstville, and he is very interested in missionary work. But both Mr. Gladish and Mr. Arnold must travel a good bit, and it is impossible to follow up all of the leads that have come in from the radio work. So we discussed some of the ways by which these could be followed up successfully by mail.
     Mr. Arnold's church is in downtown Sydney in a modern, large office building. The church originally stood on the land where the building was erected and, as part of the compensation for taking the church property, they have a 40 year lease on a ground floor church, church office, Sunday School rooms, library and Book Room. It is very attractive and will be made more so by the building plans which will remodel their present chapel, and give them an additional general meeting room, with large windows overlooking the harbor.
     Mr. Arnold has also put together a very comprehensive and attractive exhibit on Swedenborg's life and teachings, which has been shown in various universities and public buildings in the major cities of Australia. He expects to make a tour of the United States to discover current missionary practices that he might study and evaluate them in relationship to a continued growth program in Australia.
     On Tuesday, January 24th, we took reluctant leave from Australia and the many friends that we had made in the Hurstville Society and from the earnest and very dedicated minister of the General Church, Michael Gladish, and we flew to Hawaii. It was interesting that although we left Australia on Tuesday evening, at 5:00, we arrived in Hawaii Tuesday morning. Thus we regained the day we had lost on the trip over.
     At the Oahu Airport, we had the most difficult and trying time in going through customs. While there was no difficulty with customs itself, three or four jumbo jets had arrived at the same time and there were several thousand people waiting to go through the customs. But once out in the sunshine and the pleasant breezes of Hawaii, all the difficulties were forgotten, Jean, wearing a fragrant lei, looked quite content with Hawaii, and we had soon rented a small car and went in search of lodgings.
     Our first two days were spent at the Aloha Surf Hotel in a very pleasant room on the top floor where we could see the Alai Wai Canal and the golf course, with a good view of Honolulu and Diamond Head and, in the distance, in the other direction, we could see the surf on Waikiki Beach.

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We spent two days there soaking up the sun and visiting some of the fine restaurants. We also contacted several of our members to make arrangements for an all day meeting on Saturday.
     At the hotel we had an unfortunate experience. Jean's purse was stolen. She had left it on our protected balcony while we went out to dinner. She had taken from it her clutch purse, which fortunately had the credit cards and the American money and left the other on a chair on the verandah. Fortunately the inside and outside doors to the room were locked. Evidently a thief crossed over the verandah railing, which seemed very difficult to do, but nevertheless he got the purse and was gone long before we returned. We did not suffer a major tragedy as our money and credit cards were protected. We had to send out to get new keys for the rented car and notify the police that the driver's license was missing and a few other things. Otherwise we were not inconvenienced.
     We spent two days on the windward side of the island. In beautiful weather we drove out to the Polynesian Cultural Center to see their way of life and a stage show, which depicted the many islanders of the South Seas. To see it conveniently, we stayed at a very comfortable condominium apartment. This was at the price of a motel and provided a fifth floor balcony, living room, dining room, kitchenette, bedroom and bath. It even included a washer and dryer. There we looked out upon a sandy beach and many coconut palms and from the front we looked out over the mountains which separated the windward and leeward sides of the island. This was perhaps our most attractive stop from a vacation standpoint. We could eat breakfast and lunch in our apartment, and we could lie on the beach and just enjoy the beautiful weather.
     On Saturday we met with all the members and friends that we could gather together. The Bill Rileys (Barbara Doering) and their family took us in, and we stayed with them Saturday night. We tried to get there by 10:00 in the morning and were soon joined by Sylvia Buck and her nephew, Dale Moss, and his wife and later by a Mr. Scott Baker and Mr. and Mrs. Michael John Alan and their daughter.
     At the Rileys we enjoyed a pleasant social time through luncheon and afterward we met for a class and informal discussion on the doctrine. From the questions that had been asked in the morning, I decided to present the subject of Swedenborg's claims and his credibility. This was an informal discussion and it entered into many doctrinal teachings in some detail, including the doctrine of the Divinity of the Lord, the explanation of the Trinity, the nature of the Lord's advent and something on the Doctrine of Uses. Not all of the group could take part at one time.

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Jean took the baby to give the parents greater freedom but the Riley family had many duties and could not all be there for the full activities. However, we found that there are, in addition to the Rileys and the Alans, the Moss family and Sylvia Buck, several others who have some interest in the Writings. Altogether there are 18. Fifteen on Oahu and three on the neighboring island of Maui.
     After the church work had been completed, and the visitors had left, we remained at the Riley's and thoroughly enjoyed our visit. Bill picked some coconuts from his coconut palm tree and showed us the method for opening them and then gave us some of the coconut milk and later some of the coconut meat before our evening meal. And we had a great deal of visiting and catching up to do. I had married Bill and Barbie in Oregon and had baptized the children. I had been their pastor several times in the course of their travels in the military service and I had to catch up on what had happened since my pastoral relationship with them, and they with our various activities.
     The next day, Sunday, in the morning, we had to leave in order to get back to Glenview in good time. I had scheduled a public lecture in the Chicago area for February 2nd, and needed a day or two to prepare for that. So our wonderful working vacation came to an end, but both Jean and I are very happy that we were able to take it. We have made a host of new friends in a part of the world that we had never expected to visit. We had enjoyed a month of warm and balmy weather with pleasant scenery and new activities. And we had been able to provide a new ministerial contact for many people who don't have the opportunity to meet many new General Church pastors. We look forward to our next January vacation, when we may again visit some of our distant societies.

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IMAGE AND LIKENESS I 1978

IMAGE AND LIKENESS I       Editor       1978


NEW CHURCH LIFE
Office of Publication, Lancaster, Pa.
Published Monthly by
THE GENERAL CHURCH OF THE NEW JERUSALEM
BRYN ATHYN. PA.
Editor               Rev. Morley D. Rich, Bryn Athyn, Pa.
Business Manager          Mr. L. E. Gyllenhaal, Bryn Athyn, Pa.

     All literary contributions should be sent to the Editor. Subscriptions, change of address, and business communications, should be sent to the Business Manager. Notifications of address changes should be received by the 15th of the month.

     TERMS OF SUBSCRIPTION
$5.00 a year to any address, payable in advance. Single copy, 50 cents.
     It may surprise us when we read that "every man, when he is first born and is an infant, is an 'image of God.'" (Coro. 25.) For there is so much said in the Writings, and necessarily so, about the wickedness of man's heredity, and that every person is born with tendencies to evils of every kind-so much that it can make an exaggerated impression on our minds; and this can even become a falsity which can be used by the hells to enslave our spirits in a slough of despair.
     The Lord's purpose in making these painful revelations as to the low estate of mankind, however, could not be to reduce man to such an extreme state; rather it was in order that people may be better prepared to cultivate, to love and respect that "image and likeness of God" in which they were formed as to their inmosts, and to reject the inflowing of the hells which would destroy it. In other words, he can and should love the image which he is as the human itself which the Lord created.
     The Coronis, it should be remarked, was the last, and unfinished, work which Swedenborg was writing when he was removed from this world. It treats of the story of creation as applied to the New Church and the New Age; and this is why we sense the affirmative spirit in regard to the future state of the human race.
     "But what is it that is the image and likeness of God," we may ask. And we will find that the key word in the passage quoted is "interiorly": . . . "every man, when he is first born . . . is interiorly an 'image of God.'"

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Primarily, this refers to his soul. But it also appears to include the inmost of his spirit or mind. It is that which receives through his soul the influx of the Lord, imparting the tendency to believe that there is a God and that He is One; and this tendency then flows down into the lower levels of the mind. It is also the region in which the Lord stores remnants of good affections and their truths.

     With particular reference to the "image," this is said to be "the faculty of receiving and applying to himself those things which proceed from God." (Coro. 26) Such is the faculty which is one part of man which the Lord creates, and which is His image.
     Viewed in this light, it can be said that all of man's progress towards eternal life comes from trying to understand, to see and love, to respect and cultivate that "image of God" which is his inmost self. This is his real identity, his potential heaven, and the basis for his visualization and worship of the Lord.
     Should this sound like a love of self, it is really not such; it is, rather, one's love of the Lord as the greatest Neighbor, and as He is imaged in what we may sometimes call "our better self," as our Maker. This is why it is intimated elsewhere that even the loves of self and the world were originally "heavenly loves." (AE 1144:2, 1147:10.) And we may see that not only was this because these loves originally were subordinate and useful to the loves of the Lord and the neighbor, but also because men loved their selves only as representations, images, likenesses and resemblance of their Creator.
     Every person born into the world has this internal. And he may glimpse its flow and effect in the affections of and toward goodness which he experiences, and in the inspiring visions of truth which come into his mind. These he should respect. These he should come to love, not as virtues of his own, but as most precious gifts from the Lord, which he is to strive to use aright, to cherish, and, as it is written, "to follow those things which proceed from God."
     "Such a man is an 'image of God' because he wills and believes that he lives, not from himself, but from God."
COUNCIL OF THE CLERGY, 1978 1978

COUNCIL OF THE CLERGY, 1978              1978

     As we send this issue to the press, the Council of the Clergy has concluded its annual meetings. Stimulating and full of vision, the subject which dominated our sessions was Evangelization. Accordingly, you will find in this issue the report, among other annual reports of the General Church, of the Extension Committee by the chairman, the Rev. Douglas M. Taylor. And in the June issue, there will appear the account of the meetings, and also an address on the subject given to the council by the Rev. Taylor.

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Church News 1978

Church News       SUSAN S. HOLM       1978

     GLENVIEW, ILL.

     At the beginning of the fall season, our Pastor, the Rev. Peter Buss, called for a fresh look at our hopes, intentions, responses and commitments, in regard, to the uses of the Church. There mere good opportunities to test this self examination in the following period.
     The first of a series of events was the Midwestern District Assembly, held September 23rd through September 25th. The Park News' report on the Assembly follows:

     "The Assembly started with Bishop King giving the Episcopal Address on Friday night, followed by a reception hosted by the Sons. Saturday morning the Midwestern Academy meeting was held, and the Rev. Peter Buss gave an address on Spheres. Luncheon was served, Buffet Style, and at 3:30 Rev. Walter Orthwein held a discussion on the subject of Divine Providence in Specifics. On Saturday night a social hour preceded a smashing banquet. The toastmaster of the evening was Mr. Alfred Umberger. The general topic of the speeches was Education in the Midwestern Academy. The speakers were Mr. and Mrs. Chris Clark, Mr. Kurt Synnestvedt, and Dr. Charles Ebert. Entertainment was provided by a group of girls singing and Mr. Kenneth Holmes reading his humorous announcements. At the service on Sunday the Rev. Patrick Rose was ordained into the Second Degree of the Priesthood. After the service there was a reception sponsored by the Women's Guild, during which congratulations and toasts were offered to Patrick, Dinah and their family. It was a fitting end to an outstanding assembly. It would only be fitting to mention the outstanding work of the ladies on the two food committees, the decorations, the extra touch of printed menus and the work of the high school volunteers. A very sincere "thank you" to everyone who contributed to the success of the entire Assembly. An added bit of interest is that there were 53 adults and 21 children from Pennsylvania, Michigan, Missouri, Minnesota, Indiana, Wisconsin, Virginia, Florida, New Jersey, England, and South Africa."

     Alternating with the organized events of the year were times for individual activities and recreation. During the summer there was a youth weekend in Wisconsin, a "Coffee House" with live music, a sports program, vacation travel and guests. Engagements, weddings, new houses, and new babies are also a part of the events of the year, which gives a hopeful look to the establishment of New Church families and homes.
     Two couples who have devoted their energies to the good of the Church will be missed by their moving away; Raymond and Nancy Lee and Alan and Dolores Soderberg and their family. Also, we will miss, by their deaths, Miss Freida Junge, who was long identified with the Emergency Committee, and Kathy Millam, who was a member of the third grade here. A Memorial Fund for Kathy has been received for the use of the Church or school
     The semi-annual meeting of the Immanuel Church covered the usual business; pastoral reports, care of the buildings and the work of the many organizations. The Immanuel Church School is smaller than it was ten years ago, but there is a teacher for each grade and a high quality of teaching. The abuse of the building is less this year than last, due to parental cooperation and the vigilance of the Security Committee.

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The Women's Guild rummage sale supplied money for a protective plastic covering for the east window in the Church. Meals were provided for the in and for families with new babies. The High School students have a recreation room for which they take responsibility. An appealing social program for the 7-Up Club was arranged by parents. The Social Club helped with the MANC Dinner Dance, had several parties for the adults, and put on a fine Fourth of July program. Theta Alpha reported giving gifts to the school, having the school pictures taken, and sponsoring the Girls' Club. A series by the Pastor on Women in the Word was presented at alternate meetings of Theta Alpha and the Women's Guild. The Sons are renewing the sale of Sons' Stamps and aim to establish a scholarship fund for the MANC students. The Boys' Club converted to membership in the Boy Scouts, and ten of the men of the Church trained as Patrol Leaders. The Library Ladies gave of their talents regularly, and Dean Eldric Klein's gift was a copy of The Principia, 1734 Edition.
     The Immanuel Dwellings, Inc., long planned by the Development Committee, may become a reality this year with the making of a new entrance to the Park and the putting up of the first of several apartment buildings. Although a number of the older homes in the Park have been subdivided for multifamily use, the village calls for a phasing out of this practice.
     The Centennial year of the Immanuel Church dates from 1877, the year following that of the Academy. At that time the Rev. W. F. Pendleton responded to the call to become the Pastor of the Immanuel Church, then in Chicago. At the Centennial Banquet, Ralph Synnestvedt Jr., the toastmaster, presented "old sounds" and "old sights." A record of Bishop W. F. Pendleton's voice told of the small beginnings during his pastorate, and some of Mr. Junge's songs, "Friday Class" and "Transportation in the Park," whimsically recalled the "old sounds" of the early days. Silhouettes, traced in 1935, and colored slides of former Church members brought to mind "old sights." The speaker, Rev. Alfred Acton, titled his address, Why a New Church Society? showing that its purpose is to turn outward to others, and to use unselfishly the good things it has received. This purpose is fulfilled in larger measure by a society than by an individual. The next day we had the pleasure of a visit with Mrs. Acton at a tea, in her honor.
     The points Mr. Acton made at the banquet lead to the importance of the Epsilon Society toward interesting new people in the Doctrines, religion and the life of the New Church. In this area, the Rev. Harold Cranch sent letters to church members urging all to pledge of their time, talent and money. A place for headquarters has been found, and a Steering Committee formed. Teams for Advertising, Mailing, Communications and Publicity are active. The first Sunday of each month the sermon is adapted for newcomers. We are looking forward to hosting visitors. Reports on Epsilon activities are to be shared with other branches, encouraging all to extend the invitation to the New Church to many others. (Flash,-Mr. Buss told us at Arcana Class, that there had been a number of book buying responses to the newspaper ad placed a week or so before by the Epsilon Society.)
     What opportunities did we have to exercise the results of the new look at our hopes, intentions, responses and commitments? In the Midwestern Assembly we saw the hopes for the schools in Detroit and Glenview in a related perspective. The Centennial Banquet made us see whether our intentions were more in than out-looking. The Semi-annual meeting let us appreciate the responses of so many others, with a wish to see how we might fit in better. A sincere dependable commitment involves, besides the wish, consideration of what preparation we have and what results might be hoped for.
     Is such a complete combination of good qualities impossible? No. For there was once a French teacher in the Academy who had them. Beyond the call of duty, M. Vinet welcomed his students who dropped in after school to see him, his orchard and his bees. He knew his bees might he swarming that day, so when he saw a buzzing cluster of them surrounding the new queen, he excused himself from his young guests, swooped up a bucket beneath the swarm and with a quick motion (bare handed, by the way) had the bees in the bucket, and then into the waiting hive. M. returned to the students, unstung by the bees.

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"If I had not caught them, they would have flown away! You may each have all the apples you can eat while you are here, but may not carry any away." He must have known that one big delicious apple would keep even a high school student busy.
     SUSAN S. HOLM
ACADEMY OF THE NEW CHURCH 1978

ACADEMY OF THE NEW CHURCH       N. BRUCE ROGERS       1978




     Announcements
     The Annual Joint Meeting of the Faculty and Corporation of the Academy will be held at 7:45 p.m. on Friday, May 19, 1978, in the Assembly Hall, Bryn Athyn, Pa.
     Following the usual administrative reports of the year's work, the general subject of the evening will be Athletics and New Church Education under the direction of Mr. Ronald K. Nelson.
     All friends of the Academy are cordially invited to attend.
          N. BRUCE ROGERS, Secy.
ACADEMY OF THE NEW CHURCH REVISED SECONDARY-SCHOOL CALENDAR 1978

ACADEMY OF THE NEW CHURCH REVISED SECONDARY-SCHOOL CALENDAR              1978

     1978-1979

     ONE HUNDRED AND SECOND SCHOOL YEAR

     1978

Sept.     5 Tues.      Day students complete registration
                    Dorm students arrive before 8:00 p.m.
     6 Wed.      Dorm students register
                    Faculty Meetings
     7 Thurs.      Classes begin following opening exercises
     9 Sat.      Morning: student work, Evening: social event

Oct.     13 Fri.      Charter Day
               11:00 a.m.      Charter Day Service (Cathedral)
               9:00 p.m.      President's Reception (Field House)
     14 Sat.      2:30 p.m.      Annual Meeting of ANC Corporation (Pitcairn Hall)
               7:00 p.m.      Charter Day Banquet (Field House)

Nov.     22 Wed.      Fall Term ends and Thanksgiving Recess begins after exams and scheduled student work
     26 Sun.      Dormitory students return by 8:00 p.m.
     27 Non.      Winter term begins

Dec.     20 Wed.      Christmas Recess begins after morning classes and scheduled student work

     1979

Jan.     3 Wed.      Dormitory students return by 8:00 p.m.
     4 Thurs.      Classes resume

Feb.     15 Thurs.      Deadline for application for ANC for 1979-1980
     19 Mon.      Presidents' Birthday Holiday

March     9 Fri.      Winter Term ends. Spring Recess begins after exams and scheduled student work
     18 Sun.      Dormitory students return by 8:00 p.m.
     19 Mon.      Spring term begins

April     13 Fri.      Good Friday
     16 Mon.      Easter Monday Holiday

May     18 Fri.      Joint Meeting of Faculty and Corporation 7:45 p.m. (Assembly Hall)
     10 Sat.      Semi-Annual Meeting of Academy Corporation (Pitcairn Hall)
     28 Mon.      Memorial Day Holiday
June     8 Fri.      Spring Term ends
                    President's Reception 8:30 p.m. (Field House)
     9 Sat.      Commencement 9:30 a.m. (Field House)

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"AFTER THIS NO ONE CAN COME" 1978

"AFTER THIS NO ONE CAN COME"       Rev. MORLEY D. RICH       1978


                    
NEW CHURCH LIFE
VOL. XCVIII          JUNE, 1978               No. 6
     And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened.

     And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the Book, according to their works. And whosoever was not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire. Rev. 20:12, 15.

     After this no one can come out of Christianity into heaven except him who believes in the LORD GOD THE SAVIOUR, and approaches Him alone. TCR 107.

     Plain and primitive statements of truth are always disturbing to the natural man. They appear crude; and they are invariably awkward. For they bring with them always something of judgment, requiring readjustments and corrections of peoples' past life and thought. They demand, even seem to force, some kind of reaction from a person, either affirmative or negative. If his reaction is negative, then he must make some positive effort to justify his rejection of the truth; he must at least endeavor to persuade himself and others that the statement of the truth cannot possibly mean what it seems to say so plainly. On the other hand, if a person's reaction is affirmative, then it always becomes painfully and embarrassingly evident that he must take some action if he is to be faithful to that truth. This is why people often tend to avoid such truth or pretend not to understand it.
     So it is with the words of our text in their inner meaning, and with the direct and explicit words of the heading quoted from The True Christian Religion:

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"After this no-one can come out of Christianity into heaven except him who believes in the Lord God the Saviour, and approaches Him alone."
     This is one of those plain statements in the Writings which has caused much thought and heart-searching in the New Church, a great deal of "searching of the Scriptures," and long discussions. Taken by itself, it seems to be just too much for the natural man, or the natural mind of any man, to accept unreservedly. It is too new, too blunt, overly militant,-or so it seems at first glance. It can appear to imply the same kind of universal condemnation as is expressed in the old doctrine of infant damnation without baptism.
     The reason for the difficulty lies in the natural mind of man; and it is one which is composed of several factors. We must remember that all men are merely natural before regeneration. Regeneration cannot take place without truth. And, even while a person is being regenerated, he still retains and reverts to his natural man while in this world.
     While in this natural state, man is either in ignorance of the full truth, or he does not truly understand it. Consequently, he cannot help viewing statements of truth in something of a false light; hence its true meaning eludes him. And so it is that instead of seeing the truth as information for the sake of judgment, he is quite apt to understand such a statement as this one as a universal condemnation upon all mankind outside of a certain religion. For this is the only view for which he has been prepared by his previous experiences with religious sects.
     Again, there is in the natural man an almost automatic, instinctive resistance to change, to novelty of any kind. There is fear of the unknown, of the possibly terrible responsibilities lurking for him behind the bright facade of the shockingly new and beautiful. In other words, the natural mind of any man has in it no real confidence in the power and operation of the Divine Providence to bring to him only those larger duties and insights and uses and temptations which the Lord knows he will be able to handle.
     There is much of falsity in the natural man. And so he also tends to regard any new truth, or any new life therefrom, any different kind of practice and attitude, as implying condemnation of the old life; and, since his affections, both childish and adult, are closely woven around the old, therefore he instinctively resents what he regards as their condemnation by the new. He loves to believe that "the old ways are best," especially since he himself has loved and lived them, and has been taught them by those whom he also loves.

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They have been hallowed, in his view, by the mere passage of much time. And they are sacred according to, or in the measure of, how many centuries they have been in existence.
     And, finally, there is evil in the natural man, evil which is nurtured and stimulated by the hells. And the hells, we know, are especially fierce in the effort to destroy in its infancy any new-born genuine spiritual faith and charity. Their first concern, in time, is to soften, subvert, and finally completely destroy the truth of each and every phrase and passage of the Word with the individual.
     To the extent that a man sees and acknowledges these revealed limitations and falsifying characteristics of his natural mind, however, to that extent he can avoid them. And he can then approach such a statement as we have quoted by saying to himself, "To begin with, this statement is true. It is, at first glance, disturbing to me. But I will diligently search the Word for additional information which may help me to understand how this is true, to discover what it really means. I shall probably find that it does not mean exactly what I now understand it to mean. If so, then may I have the strength and wisdom to abandon my former and faulty understanding in favor of the new view which I have obtained."
     Such a mental and emotional attitude is what is meant by "the affirmative love of truth for its own sake." It is, indeed, the very seed and initiament of the New Church which the Lord brought into the world as a possibility for all men by His Second Coming. And it is of vital concern that we see that it is far different from either that blind faith taught by former Christianity, or that total absence of belief or affirmation insinuated by agnostic thought and attitude.
     It is in the spirit of the affection of truth that we should examine this major statement-that "after this no-one can come out of Christianity into heaven except him who believes in the Lord God the Saviour, and approaches Him alone."
     Now, the first little phrase, "After this . . .," contains by implication the entire process and works by which the Lord made His Second Coming. It refers to the inspiration of Swedenborg in the writing and publishing of the Arcana Coelestia, to the Last Judgment which was effected from that, to the giving and publication, of all the works following the Last Judgment up to this number or passage of the TCR, and finally to the sending out of the twelve apostles on the 19th day of June, some months previously to this statement, to proclaim the gospel that the Lord God Jesus Christ reigns, Whose kingdom shall be forever and ever; hence, after this, no-one can come out of the Christian world except him who believes in and approaches Him directly and solely.
     It was by all these words and works that the Lord came a second time, established His kingdom to eternity, and ensured its perceptual purity.

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Before this, people could indeed, and did, come out of Christianity, and infest heaven-men who did not believe in and approach the Lord alone, but who believed in three Divine Persons, in a Son of God born from eternity, and in human representations thereof. But the giving of final, rational and inescapable truth forced a final judgment, and exposed these falsities and their human proponents. Hence, after this, such an infestation of heaven is impossible, for the truth will and must prevail to bring continual and frequent judgments. And, again, we would note that these are not condemnations by the Lord; the truths given are really presented as informations, news, gospel, on the basis of which, by their reaction to which, men and spirits will and must judge themselves.
     After this, therefore, no-one can come out of Christianity into heaven except . . . etc. And now, there must be asked two further questions: What is involved in "coming out of Christianity?" And what is meant by "coming into heaven?"
     It is abundantly clear from the context of the explanations which follow this statement that "coming out of Christianity" means rejecting and leaving the falsities, the life and the state of the former Christian world and church on earth. This, indeed, is what is meant in the Lord's words, "He that leaveth not father and mother, and followeth Me, is not worthy of Me." The faith, the life and the state of the former Christian world include many more areas and fields of human life than anyone can contemplate lightly and comfortably. Indeed, it is beyond human capacity by itself to "come out of" all this. The Lord alone can give a man the strength and the wit to do it in some measure. And He can do so only so far as a man believes in and approaches Him alone as God and Saviour. For it involves the rejection of a vast array of things, of customs and modes, of mental approaches and attitudes, of habitual practices and sentimentalities, and even many seemingly new and captivating philosophies-things which a man has loved from of old-things which he can relinquish only with regret and by real struggle.
     "Coming into heaven" has several meanings. For it refers both to the life of regeneration in the natural world, and to full entrance into heaven, which occurs only after the death of the physical body. Universally speaking, this refers to the New Heaven which the Lord established after the Last Judgment; for the New Heaven is the whole of heaven which the Lord ordered anew at His Second Coming; thus it refers to the whole of heaven and to all the angels therein, of whatever age, church or earth. Furthermore, it is the heaven of the New Church; and in that sense, the New Church is that New Heaven on earth, meaning in the minds and hearts of those who in spirit receive the Lord in His Second Coming, and who thence are purposely and consciously in the direct as-of-self effort and process of regeneration, endeavoring to live according to the truths of the Word in all its senses and levels.

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     These, indeed, are coming out of Christianity. They are coming into the New Church. So, they are coming into the New Heaven even while they are, as to their bodies and natural minds, still in the natural world.
     There is also reference, here, to the coming into heaven after death, of those from the Christian world who have not known the truths of the Second Coming. These, of course, are in various falsities. But, if they are well-disposed, and have lived a Christian life so far as they know of it, they can be saved. They are not saved by their falsities, but by virtue of their good-will from life. For, from this attitude, they can and do receive with gladness the basic truth concerning the Lord Jesus Christ, and are happy to approach only Him Who alone is pure in Divinity. This happens with them in the preparatory state of the world of spirits. Hence, and on account of their knowledge of the literal Word as well, they can and do "come out of Christianity" and into heaven, the New Heaven of the New Church.
     The same is true, we are told, of the Gentiles-those who have not even the knowledge of Christianity; these likewise are saved if they have lived according to what they have believed, even though false. Again it must be noticed that they are not saved by their faith and life, as incorrect translation renders the passage at the end of TCR 107. Rather they are saved from, or out of, their faith by virtue of their life.
     There is now knowledge in the universe concerning the Lord God the Saviour and His "coming with power and great glory." It is knowledge which has been sown not only to a few on this earth, but also to many on other earths, and to the whole of heaven. A small part of it has been presented here. By virtue of its publication in the Divine Providence, the Law now exists and acts in the natural world of the human race in a way and measure never before possible.
     The Book of Life has been opened. Wherefore judgment is come to the earth of men's natural minds. Whosoever is not found written in that Book is cast into the lake of fire. For there shall in no wise enter into the New Jerusalem anything that defileth or that worketh abomination or maketh a lie. Only those shall enter into it who, by their doctrine and life, are written in the Lamb's Book of Life. Wherefore after this no-one can really come out of Christianity into heaven except him who believes in: the Lord God the Saviour and approaches Him alone, who, forsaking all others, seeks by ultimate action and strenuous effort to find "the way to heaven." Amen.

     LESSONS: Rev. 20; TCR 107, 108.

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BIRTH OF THE DIVINE DOCTRINE 1978

BIRTH OF THE DIVINE DOCTRINE       Rev. WILLARD D. PENDLETON       1978

     (Delivered at Bryn Athyn, June 18, 1977.)

     In the days of Ahaz, king of Judah, the Messianic prophecy reached its height in the immortal words of Isaiah: "The Lord Himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call His name Immanuel,"* that is to say, 'God with us.'** In the course of time the sign was given; for it came to pass in the days when Herod was king in Jerusalem, that the angel Gabriel appeared "To a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph . . . and the virgin's name was Mary . . . And the angel said unto her . . . thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and thou shalt call His name, Jesus. He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: And the Lord God shall give unto Him the throne of his father David."***
     * Isa. 7:14               
     ** Matt. 1:23
     *** Lu. 1:27, 30-32
     It is assumed by all believing Christians that when the Lord was born on earth the prophecy of Isaiah was fulfilled. It is to be observed, however, that in addressing Ahaz, the prophet referred to this high and holy event as a sign, that is, as evidence of yet another event which would take place at a later time. What is spoken of here cannot be understood from the sense of the letter; but only from the spiritual sense of the Word. Thus it was that when the Lord was in the world He assured those who believed in Him that He would come again as the Spirit of truth.* By the Spirit of truth, however, is not meant some mystical person, in a Divine trinity of persons, but the Word in its spiritual sense. Hence, the familiar teaching of the Writings: "The Second Coming of the Lord is not a coming in person, but in the Word, which is from Him, and is Himself."**
     * Jn. 16:13
     ** TCR 776
     In order to understand the prophecies of the Old Testament, we must bear in mind that although in the New Testament, the Word of the Old Testament was literally fulfilled, the spiritual implications of prophecy were as yet veiled; for although the Lord had come into the world it is the testimony of the New Testament that, "the world knew Him not."*

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We can understand, therefore, why it was that on the eve of the crucifixion the Lord said to His disciples, "I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now. Howbeit when He the spirit of truth is come, He will guide you into all truth."** What we find here is a renewal of the Messianic prophecy. This applies not only to this statement, but to everything recorded in the five books of the New Testament. Nowhere is this more apparent than in the Book of Revelation which, from beginning to end, obviously speaks of things which were yet to come.
     * Jn. 1:10
     ** Jn. 16:13
     Unlike the four gospels which treat of the Lord's life and doctrine, the Book of Revelation is an account of strange and terrible events which were seen by John when he entered into the spirit on the Lord's day.* To all appearances the subject in hand is the destruction of the world, for we read: "There was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became as blood. And the stars of heaven fell unto the earth . . . And the heaven departed as a scroll when it is rolled together; and every mountain and island were moved out of their places."** In chapter after chapter the fearful theme is continued. What we have here, however, is not an account of the destruction of the physical universe, but the prophetic enactment of the last days of first Christian Church. What was seen, was seen in the spirit, that is, in the spiritual world.
     * Rev. 1:10
     ** Rev. 6:12-14
     Of all men, Swedenborg was the sole witness of this Last Judgment which took place in the world of spirits in the year 1757. The record of these events is recorded in the Writings. Here we find that the actuality was no less terrifying than the prophecy. A whole civilization was torn up by its roots, one imaginary heaven after another was annihilated, and the souls of those which were caught under the altar cried out, saying, "How long, O Lord?"* On earth, however, there was no visible sign of the cataclysmic events which were taking place in the spiritual world; yet in looking back on the past two hundred and twenty years history provides all manner of evidence which, when seen in its true perspective, may properly be interpreted as effects of the Last Judgment.
     * Rev. 6:9
     Absorbing as this subject may be, our primary interest on this occasion centers on the twelfth chapter of the Book of Revelation. The subject is the woman clothed with the sun who, having given birth to the Man Child, fled into the wilderness where she was hidden from the wrath of the great red dragon who sought to devour her child as soon as it was born. The woman is the New Church; the Man Child is the Divine doctrine; the wilderness is descriptive of the first states of the church; the great red dragon is reasonings from the appearance of self life by which the church is afflicted.

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It was then, in the birth of the Divine doctrine, which constitutes the Second Coming of the Lord, that the prophecy of Isaiah was ultimately fulfilled. "A Virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call His name Immanuel,"* that is to say, 'God with us.'**
     * Isa. 7:14
     ** Matt. 1:23
     By a virgin is signified a spiritual affection of truth. A spiritual affection of truth differs from a natural affection in that it loves truth for the sake of good. Hence it is said in the Writings: "Those who are in these affections love truths because they are truths . . . and those who love truths in this way, love the Lord, because the Lord is in man in the truths which are from good."* The same signification applies to the woman clothed with the sun, for it is said concerning her that she signified "the spiritual affection of truth, from which the church is a church,"** and lest there be any doubt concerning the signification of the woman it is said, "This means the New Church (which) is to be established by the Lord, after the end of the present church which is in the Christian world" (ibid).
     * AE 863
     ** AE 707
     From this it is evident that the New Church is to be established among those who, because they can be affected by truth, are capable of perceiving that the Writings are a Divine statement of truth. To all others the Writings are nothing more than a commentary upon the Scriptures which, although enlightening, have no more claim to authority than the works of man. Bear in mind that authority is a question of authorship, and the question here is, to whom are the theological works of Emanuel Swedenborg to be attributed? Are they the writings of Emanuel Swedenborg, or, are they from the Lord through him? Concerning this we read: "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."* Note also the following which Swedenborg appended to the above: "In order that the Lord might be continuously present with me He has unfolded to me the spiritual sense of His Word, wherein is Divine truth in its very light. . . . For His presence in the Word is by means of the spiritual sense and in no other way."** Finally, Swedenborg states that, "Not even an iota (of the spiritual sense of the Word) could have been opened except by the Lord alone. This surpasses all revelations which have hitherto been since the creation of the world."***
     * TCR 779               
     ** TCR 780
     *** Inv. 44

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     What we have here, therefore, is the Word in all its glory, for by 'glory' is signified the Divine truth in fulness.* This is the Man Child who was born of the woman clothed with the sun, and this, as stated "is the Doctrine of truth for the New Church."** It is then as the Divine Doctrine that the Lord has come again into the world. He is Immanuel, who is God with us, and He it is of whom John spake, saying, "And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth."*** By 'the Father' is meant the Divine Love, and 'the Only Begotten' is the Word which is from Him, and is Himself. It is then, as the Word, that is, as the Word in its spiritual sense, that the Lord has come into .the world. In no other way can the good of the Divine Love be revealed to the sight of man's understanding. Hence the teaching of the Writings that apart from the spiritual sense the Word in its letter cannot be understood. Yet, as the prophet Isaiah also said, "Who hath believed our report, and to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed?"****
     * TCR 780               
     ** AE 724a
     *** Jn. 1:11               
     **** Isa. 53:1
     For more than two hundred years New Churchmen have reflected upon this question. What is it that accounts for the slow growth of the New Church? Why is it that the Divine doctrine, having been given, is received by so few? But the slow growth of the church was not unforseen; it is implicit in the prophecy concerning the woman. Note well, that the Man Child, having been born, "was caught up to God, and to His throne,"* the appearance being that the Divine doctrine, having been given, was taken away. What the Lord gives, however, is never withdrawn; it is man who withdraws, or removes himself from it. What is described here, therefore, is that state of non-reception which is definitive of the world's lack of response to the Writings. Note also, that the woman fled into the wilderness, that is, into a state of relative isolation in which the Divine doctrine is preserved by a few. We are reminded here of the prophecy recorded in the first chapter of the gospel of John, "He was in the world . . . and the world knew Him not. He came unto His own, and His own received Him not."**
     * Rev. 12:5
     ** Jn. 1:10, 11
     In reflecting upon this state of non-reception we are at times afflicted by a sense of sadness. This is reminiscent of an occasion when Swedenborg was discussing the new doctrines with certain angels. In the midst of the discussion they perceived in him a sense of sadness. In response to their inquiry as to the reason for this, he said: "Because the arcana revealed by the Lord at this day . . . are yet esteemed on earth as of no value."*

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To the angelic mind this was incredible, but they asked, saying, "How long will this be?" (ibid). The answer to this was given from heaven, and is the same as that which is recorded in the twelfth chapter of the Book of Revelation; "Until a time, and times, and half a time," that is, while provision is being made for the reception of the Divine doctrine by many.**
     * CL 533
     ** AE 732, 761
     What these provisions are, no man can say. The reason for this is that it is a law of the Divine Providence that, "Nothing of the operations of the Divine Providence should be evident to man's perception or senses, but, nevertheless, he should know about it and acknowledge it."* One thing is certain, however, the Lord will build His church; and although at first the woman will dwell in the wilderness, the time will come when many shall behold "the brightness of (her) rising."** In the meantime the woman must remain in the wilderness where, it is said, "she hath a place prepared by God."*** What is referred to here is that state of spiritual and intellectual isolation which at this day is the inevitable consequence of faith in the Lord's Divine Human. Although in the world, the New Church is not of the world. As the Lord said to Pilate, "My kingdom is not from hence."**** It is this which accounts for that sense of estrangement which so many New Churchmen feel when confronted by the social and intellectual philosophies of the day.
     * DP 175               
     ** Isa. 60:3
     *** Rev. 12:6               
     **** Jn. 18:36
     We are reminded here of the Lord's words to the Scribe who declared his intention of following the Lord in His ministry: "The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests; but the Son of Man hath not where to lay His head."* By the foxes are signified human prudence, by the birds of the air are meant intellectual persuasions of many kinds; but the Son of Man, that is, the Divine doctrine, "hath not where to lay His head" (ibid). It is a powerful indictment of the state of the Christian world, that is, of an age in which scientific materialism, pragmatism, existentialism, situation ethics, the new morality, and a host of other persuasions contend with each other in the arena of modern thought. Each has its adherents in numbers, and each in its own way is subversive of the faith of the New Church. We can understand, therefore, what is meant by the serpent, that great red dragon, who sought to devour the Man Child who is the doctrine of truth for the New Church.
     * Lu. 8:20
     The New Church is born into an alien world, that is, into a world in which few are prepared to receive the testimony of the Writings concerning themselves.

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The reason for this is that at this day men think and reason from the appearance of self life, and they will not accept as true that which cannot be demonstrated by sense experience. Like the man of the Most Ancient Church who, having hearkened to the voice of the serpent, ate of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil; so modern man investigates the truths of faith by means of sensuous reasonings in order to determine whether they are true. Concerning this the Writings say: "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."* If this may be said of Swedenborg's generation, what of the world at this day? Basically there is no difference, but we have attained to a degree of scientific and intellectual sophistication far beyond that of the eighteenth century. Nowhere is this more evident than in what is commonly referred to as the new morality.
     * AC 196

     Never underestimate the subtlety of the sensual degree of the mind. This is where the world is in man, and this is where the proprium resides. Observe here the correlation between the first recorded prophecy of the Lord's coming and the text in hand. In addressing the serpent in the Garden of Eden, God said unto him, "I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; He shall trample upon thy head, and thou shalt bruise His heel."* It is the Lord, not man, who conquers in temptation; hence it is said that, "He shall trample upon thy head," but by the bruising of the heel, which is the sensuous, is meant all those temptations by which the church is afflicted.
     * Gen. 3:15
     We are living at a time when not only the doctrine, but the very life of the New Church is under attack. Whereas until recently all Christians were in agreement in regard to the basic laws of morality, now we are told that with the exception of the fifth and seventh commandment, 'Thou shalt not kill', and, 'Thou shalt not steal,' the ten commandments no longer apply. What we are being told here is that the ten commandments constitute an outmoded system of ethics which served a purpose among a primitive people, but have no place in a liberated society. Yet the most subtle and devastating attack by the proponents of the new morality is directed against the institution of marriage. What was once held to be a Divine institution is now regarded by many as a purely social arrangement between two parties of opposite sex who desire to live together. When marriage is entered into on this basis it has no roots and survives only as long as it is convenient. Hence we account for the rapidly rising divorce rate, the broken homes, the children of divorce, the increase in marital infidelity, and the pervasive sense of social in security by which so many are afflicted at this day.

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Unless marriage is seen for what it is, that is, as a covenant between the Lord on the one hand, and the husband and wife on the other, how can the home, which is the use of marriage, continue to endure? Indeed, we are being told by the prophets of the new morality that marriage, and therefore the home as we know it, is a dying institution.
     Let us have no illusions, therefore, in regard to the work of the dragon. He has, as foretold, gone to make war with the remnant of the seed of the woman.* In striking at marriage he strikes at the heart of the church, for it is in the home, as in no other institution, that the life of church has its being. The home is the use of conjugial love. Without the home marriage perishes. So it is that in an age in which the home is subject to pressures that result in all manner of strains upon the bonds of marriage, and at a time when many have come to regard marriage as not much more than a convenient arrangement between the sexes, the New Church must make its stand. Upon this, as upon no other issue, the immediate future of the New Church on earth depends.
     * Rev. 12:17

     It is hen with deep concern that we reflect upon the subtle persuasions of our day. Through all manner of media they enter into our homes, appealing to all kinds of sensual delights, and obscuring the sight of the understanding. Yet in our concern we must also be mindful of the Lord's power to uplift; for although the dragon has gone forth to persecute the woman, to her has been given 'two wings of a great eagle' that she might fly into the wilderness where she hath her place. By the two wings of the great eagle are signified 'intelligence' and 'circumspection' which, it is said, "The Lord gives to those who are of the (New Church)."* Concerning this we read:
     * AE 759

"As all who are meant by 'the dragon and his angels' are . . . sensual . . . and as such reason from appearances . . . and lead astray the simple, therefore it is granted to the men of the New Church . . . to behold the Divine truths that are in the Word, not sensually, that is, according to appearances, but spiritually, that is, according to their essences; for this reason the internal sense of the Word, which is spiritual and is solely for those who will be of the New Church, has been disclosed" (ibid).

     By virtue of the Divine doctrine, therefore, the men and women of the New Church have been endowed with the ability to rise, as it were, above the earth, and to view with spiritual intelligence and circumspection those reasonings from the appearance of self life which are the seed of the dragon. So it is, that on this day, when we celebrate the Second Coming of the Lord we have cause to be grateful that, "It is now permitted to enter with understanding into arcana of faith."*

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When we turn to the Writings, is there not an uplifting, that is, an elevation of thought and affection above the sphere and life of the world? This then is that great wonder which was seen in heaven: A woman clothed with the sun who was delivered from the wrath of the dragon by means of eagles wings. It is an ever recurrent wonder, for with those who are to be of the New
Church it is now possible to rise above the appearances of self life and soar, as it were, upon eagles wings. As it is so beautifully expressed in the thirty sixth Psalm, "In Thy light, shall we see light."**
     * TCR 508               
     ** PS. 36:9 WAY, THE TRUTH AND THE LIFE 1978

WAY, THE TRUTH AND THE LIFE              1978

     And she brought forth a male child.-That this signifies the doctrine of truth, which is for the New Church, which is called the New Jerusalem, is plain from the signification of a son, as denoting truth, and of a male (masculus) child, as denoting the genuine truth of the church, consequently its doctrine, for the truth of the church from the Word is its doctrine, since doctrine contains the truths that are for the church. But the genuine doctrine of the church is the doctrine of good, that is the doctrine of life, which is that of love to the Lord and of charity towards the neighbor, still it is doctrine of truth, for doctrine teaches life, love, and charity, and so far as it teaches these it is truth. For when a man knows and understands what good is, what life is, what love is, and what charity is, he then Knows and understands those things as truths, since he knows and understands what good is, how he ought to live, what love and charity are, and what kind of man he is who is in the life of love and charity. And as long as these things are matters of Knowledge (scientia) and of the understanding, they are merely truths, and thus doctrines; but as soon as they, from being knowledge and understanding, pass over into the will, and thus into act, they are then no longer truths but goods, for interiorly man wills nothing but what he loves, and that which he loves is to him good.
     From these things it is evident, that every doctrine of the church is a doctrine of truth, and that the truth of doctrine becomes good, and becomes that of love and charity, when from doctrine it passes into life. Apocalypse Explained 724:1.

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NEW HEAVEN 1978

NEW HEAVEN       Rev. ERIK E. SANDSTROM       1978

     The New Heaven is somewhat shrouded in mystery. The reason for this is that the Doctrines not only talk about the New Heaven beneath the Spiritual and Celestial Heavens, but they also talk about the Natural, First, and Ultimate heavens. One is faced with the question of whether they all mean the same thing, thus whether we can call the lowest heaven, the "New Natural First Ultimate Heaven"?
     But the answer is contained in John's vision, where he saw the first heaven and earth pass away, and there was no more sea. And then he saw a New Heaven and a New Earth.* It is from this passage, and its explanation, that we take our cue in sorting out the following questions:
     * Rev. 21:1

     1. What was the Natural (First, Ultimate) Heaven before the Last Judgment of 1757?
     2. When did it come into existence?
     3. What happened to it?
     4. How did the New Heaven come into existence?
     5. How does the New Heaven relate to the teachings of the First, Natural or Ultimate Heaven?
     6. What is the function of the New Heaven today?

     Although the answers to all of these questions are straightforward, there are a few intriguing aspects which make it important to clarify this topic.

1. What was the Natural Heaven before 1757?

     The Natural Heaven consisted of all those who had lived and died since the Lord's First Advent, but had not yet gone to either heaven or hell. This heaven was thus situated mainly in the World of Spirits.
     To understand this, we have to follow the building up of the heavens, which historically is quite simple. The highest or celestial heaven consists mostly of those who were from the Most Ancient Church, and it was formed after the Flood. The second or spiritual heaven is beneath the celestial, and consists mostly of those who were from the Ancient Church. This heaven was not formed until after the First Advent of the Lord.

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Beneath this spiritual heaven is the natural heaven, consisting of all those who had lived good lives in accordance with the doctrine of their particular Church or religion. This heaven was not formed until after the Last Judgment of 1757* This heaven is now called the New Heaven.**
     * HD 4; AC 8054; Coro. 36, 44     
     ** HD 2
     What then was the Natural Heaven before that judgment was performed? It consisted of all the Christians and Gentiles who had lived since the first Advent, and who were neither angelic nor diabolical enough to warrant their removal from this natural heaven. Every conceivable fallacy and heresy was thus present in this so-called heaven, which occupied the World of Spirits and the next expanse above it. There were those who believed that faith produced good works, as a tree does fruit; and those who bowed themselves to idols; and the masses of the simple ignorant good.
     This amalgam was kept distinct from the Ancient Heavens.* And for a long time, this so-called heaven continued, for two basic reasons: 1. None of its inhabitants could as yet be called truly Christian, for on earth there were then few real Christians; and 2. A sufficient number of good spirits had not yet been accumulated for the formation of a New Heaven, in which all could be unanimous.**
     * AR 876, 878               
     ** AE 397; Coro. xxxi

2. When did the Natural Heaven come into Existence?

     We now see the answer to this question, which is that it came into existence continually following the Lord's crucifixion-say from 35 A.D. onwards, until the end of 1756 A.D., the year before the Last Judgment. This was the Ultimate of First Heaven which John saw pass away in vision. It was in that heaven, with its mixture of Gentiles, heathen and a few genuine Christians, that John had his spiritual eyes opened. For John wrote the Apocalypse between the years 60 and 90 A.D., and even by then the Natural Heaven had received the first generation born in the Christian age on earth. Thus John saw in the Natural Heaven a vision of what was to come to pass in the formation of the New Heaven, many centuries later. Yet he himself was one of the Apostles who proclaimed that change, on the 19th of June, 1770.

3. What happened to this First or Natural Heaven?

     John saw this heaven pass away in vision, but both John and Swedenborg saw it pass away in actuality, as the Last Judgment was accomplished throughout the year 1757.

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The twenty-two chapters of Revelation took over a year to accomplish in actuality. Basically what happened was that those were taken out of the Natural Heaven who had "their names written in the Book of life."* What this means is that those whose internal memory acquitted them of actual evils of life, were led out by angels who had infiltrated this first heaven. And after the angels had led all of them out-or the Lord by means of angels-those who were left collapsed of themselves into hell. The real work of forming the New Heaven could then begin.
     * AR 878
     The single greatest factor that held up this work, was the presence of those who believed in faith alone. Such are meant in the Apocalypse by the Dragon and his beasts. Hence we read; "The New Heaven could not be formed before the Dragon and his beasts were cast down, and thus not fully formed until just before and after the Last Judgment of 1757."*
     * Ibid.
     Although the New Heaven, by this statement, was begun as early as 1756, nevertheless ten years later, in 1766, Swedenborg notes that the New Heaven of Christians, out of which the New Jerusalem is to descend, is not yet fully established.* Even as late as in 1771 he states: "At this day a New angelic Heaven is being formed by the Lord, of those who approach the Lord immediately."** This heaven will soon be completed.***
     * Docu. 230
     ** TCR 108
     *** Docu. 245
     We see then that a lot of work was involved in forming this New Heaven. The year 1771 was 14 years after the Last Judgment, and it was still not finished. And about one year before, on June 19th 1770, the 12 Apostles had been sent throughout the universal spiritual world to declare that the Lord Jesus Christ reigns forever. The New Heaven must therefore have been firmly enough established by that year, in order for the Apostles, themselves members of the New Heaven, to have been used for this universal event. Their declaration may have been as a final act in completing the New Heaven, as if to say, "The New Heaven is now open for business."

4. How did the New Heaven come into Existence?

     We have already seen that those of the former, or Natural Heaven, who had not lived in the evil of life, had been withdrawn by the angels. All these spirits still formed a mixed collection, many of whom had gross fallacies of belief, such as God was three Persons, but who yet did not think of three gods; or those who believed that faith alone saves, but had yet lived in charity.

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This mixed group nevertheless had one thing in common: They could all receive the fact that the Lord is God of heaven and earth; and they had all performed repentance from evil works when in the world.*
     * AR Pref.
     There are two more factors to consider in the formation of the New Heaven, and of how it came into existence. The first factor is the Lower Earth.
     The Lower Earth was a region just above hell, where lived those who were the most vulnerable, and who needed the most protection from the Dragon and from the Scarlet Beast that were still roaming rampant over their heads. These 'lower-earthlings' were those who on earth had lived an actual life of charity, and who even on earth had had a spiritual affection for truth.*
     * AE 391
     Just before the Last Judgment, or as part of that event, these 'lower-earthlings' were released, and by thus quitting their place above hell, they left the path clear for the false, or imaginary, heavens to collapse into their roots. In fact, the extracting of those in the lower earth precipitated the collapse of those heavens. These lower earthlings, meant by the souls under the Altar,* formed one of the three bulwarks for the establishment of the New Heaven.
     * Rev. 6:9
     The second factor to consider in the formation of this Heaven, is the part played by children. We are told emphatically that

the greatest part of the New Heaven consists of infants of all, in the universal world who have died since the Lord's time. All those had been received by the Lord, educated in heaven ((meaning the Ancient Heavens)) instructed by angels and preserved, so that together with the rest, they might constitute the New Heaven. From this it can be concluded how great that heaven is.*
     * HD 3

     Children who had died thus formed the second of three bulwarks. The third bulwark came from the spirits extracted from the Natural Heaven which passed away (of which above).

     This New Heaven, with all its constituents, is meant in the Apocalypse by the sea of glass which was like unto crystal, before the Lord's throne.* It is also referred to by the 144,000 that were sealed, which signifies all who had come into the truths of doctrine, and the good of love, through the Word from the Lord.** These angels of the New Heaven, had been both from the Christian and the Gentile world, both high and low born, but mostly children who had died.
     * Rev. 4:6; AR 238          
     ** AR 348, 612

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5. How does the New Heaven relate to the Natural Heaven?

     The confusion arises from the fact that the New Heaven is not clearly said to replace the Natural. In the Arcana Coelestia, the Natural Heaven is described as being so organized and permanent, that we may wonder whether it did not escape the Judgment, and whether the New Heaven is in fact the Natural Heaven under a new title. However, the expanse where the New Heaven was to be, but was occupied by false heavens, was nevertheless there prior to the Judgment. The heaven which John saw pass away, in vision, and which passed away as described in the Heavenly Doctrines, occupied largely the World of Spirits, which is always in immediate contact with the minds of men who are still on earth. Therefore it is said that even before the first Advent of the Lord, the bells had confused the ultimate or first heaven.* The teaching that the Natural Heaven was not formed until after the first Advent, seems to throw doubt on when this heaven in fact began to exist.
     * TCR 121
     The answer seems to lie in the fact that the Natural Heaven occupied the World of Spirits. This was always open to the confusion of the hells. This is also the reason why the Natural Heaven is described in terms which we would not wish to associate with the New Heaven: such as that the natural angels are simple, and do not wish to listen to what they are taught;* that they store Divine Truth in the memory only, and perfect their understanding without any interior perception as to whether they are in fact true;** thus that they are in comparative obscurity, in obedience, and do not see the Lord as the Spiritual Sun or Moon, but only as bright light.
     * HH 3
     ** HH 271
     But all such teachings come either from the Arcana Coelestia, or Heaven and Hell, which were written before and immediately after the Last Judgment. We must therefore assume that the Natural Heaven therein described, refers to either the Natural Heaven as it was in its order before the Judgment, or to the New Heaven as this inherited the order of the first heaven which passed away. In other words, the New Heaven most likely replaced the Natural Heaven so completely as to qualify for some of the teachings regarding the latter's constitution. Thus, just as the Natural Heaven is said to have received influx either from the Spiritual or the Celestial Heaven, and was called either the Spiritual or the Celestial-Natural Heaven, so also the New Heaven receives this influx, and is similarly arranged.*
     * Cf. HH 31
     For example, the Natural Heaven before the Judgment, was said to contain angelic spirits in innocence so great as to be inconceivable.

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Yet they were only of the first heaven!* If the New Heaven in fact replaced the Natural Heaven, the degree of innocence could not thereby have been diminished in any way. The Natural Heaven before 1757 therefore seems to have been orderly enough to contain genuine angelic joy, even though they had false or imaginary heavens alongside or in their midst.**
     * AC 544
     ** LJ post. 10; cf. AC 2121
     There is one factor which links the Natural and the New Heavens to each other sequentially, namely that out of the former were extracted all those who were simple and ignorant, and who had not cultivated their understanding by interior truths. Their spiritual minds were thus neither opened nor closed.* Since this group of spirits constituted one of the three bulwarks to make up the New Heaven, the other two being children who had died and the 'lower-earthlings,' one of the immediate needs after the 1757 Judgment was to educate and open those simple minds. This must have been a major undertaking, beginning around 1758 until 1771 or later. These were the formative years of the New Heaven. The great ignorance and stupidity in spiritual things, which had provided grist for the mills of those who had dominated the false heavens, had to be removed little by little, as the obstacles thrown up by natural fears and superstitions were abandoned. Where else can we witness this great work of educating the masses in spiritual truths, than in the Memorable Relations? They are the "current affairs" of forming the New Heaven.
     * AE 624
     Since ignorance and stupidity in spiritual things appears to continue unabated in the age in which we live, it is likely that the growth and establishment of the New Heaven will for some time be confined to the lower regions of it, which would in itself retard any descent of the New Church among the many. This, however, brings us to the last question.

6. What is the Function of the New Heaven Today?

     The function of that heaven is quite simply to inflow into the New Church on earth, to be conjoined with it, and thus to lead mankind towards itself, and thus to the Lord.* Every angel knows that this use-a heaven from the human race-is from the Lord alone, and is the use of establishing the Lord's kingdom on earth, as it is being established in heaven.
     * Cf. AR 612
     Who are now being led to the New Heaven? We note carefully the teaching: "All that are saved come into the New Heaven."*

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It is clear that all who now are saved can acknowledge the Lord Jesus Christ as their God and Saviour, and approach Him directly.** This is the essence of being a Christian.*** The means for entry into this heaven are now universally available, be a person born into a Christian, Mohammedan or Gentile environment.**** (However, we should be careful not to conclude from this, that the 'Ancient Heavens' do not still receive a constant supply of new angels from this earth.)
     * AE 128
     ** TCR 108
     *** AR pref.
     **** AE 1180
     Whatever portion of the human race goes to the New Heaven-but we assume it is the majority-it is clear that this heaven is below the Ancient Heavens.* However, we recall the teaching that the New Church is to be the Crown of all the Churches which have hitherto existed, because it is to worship the Visible God, in whom is the Invisible God worshiped by all prior Churches.** Surely one asks in secret, the Crown of all Churches would rate a higher heaven!
     * HD 4
     ** TCR 109, 786
     Dismissing the fact that the question was prompted by a jealous proprium which merits no heaven at all-we ought to realize how the instruction for the New Heaven is carried out, and who carry it out. For all new arrivals, be they of Christian, Gentile, Mohammedan, Hindu, Buddhist, or Heathen background, are educated by those of their own background.*
     * Cf. TCR 729; SD 5408
     We cannot glibly assume that this instruction was carried out by the Angels from the Ancient Heavens, since their dispensation was so different from that of the Heavenly Doctrines. And in addition, Divine Truth must first be learned through the five senses, thus through an external way.* Therefore, instruction in the Lord's Divine Humanity, as revealed in the Second Advent, could be given to those who would constitute the New Heaven only in step with the giving of this new revelation in its natural literal expression, through Swedenborg's pen. Thus the instruction necessary to prepare the New Heaven came simultaneously as the Heavenly Doctrines were written and published, book by book, on earth. Whereas on earth, they were read but by a few, in the New Heaven they were being read and understood by a great deal many more.
     * AC 3098, 3175; 2, 3502e
     We find a parallel to this situation in the giving of the Ten Commandments, which was also in written form. When these commandments were promulgated as to their literal sense to the Children of Israel, the spiritual and celestial heavens had their respective senses promulgated to them at the same time.*
     * AC 2609

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     Furthermore, the Heavenly Doctrines were at times seen in the Spiritual World, probably in the World of Spirits,* which indicates that the Lord was preparing the New Heaven according to the understanding of the Doctrines revealed on earth.
     * AR 875e
     The reason the Crown of all Churches is conjoined with a New Heaven under the Ancient Heavens, therefore, seems to be because instruction in the Heavenly Doctrines depends on the five senses even in the spiritual world. In fact, we find our friend Swedenborg himself as a chief instructor for the multitudes on some occasions, and he even instructs angels! Former revelations came to men by means of angels, but the Heavenly Doctrines, although they be angelic wisdom, seem to need to come to angels from men! Truly, the upbuilding of the New Heaven is a great work of cooperation between angels and newcomer-men. The angel's words to John become apt: "I am thy fellow servant."*
     * Rev. 19:10, 22:9
     One of the great works of organization of the New Heaven involves its arrangement into a threefold order.* Each of the three heavens is itself in a three-fold order, and the New Heaven is to be no exception. In the highest region of the New Heaven are those who love the Lord, and are in wisdom. In the middle region are those who love the neighbor spiritually, and are in intelligence; and in the lowest region are those who love the neighbor mutually, and live in obedience.**
     * AR 876
     ** Coro. 16
     Since the New Church must be established in the spiritual world before it can be established in the natural World,* it follows that the order of the New Heaven must be established before the internal of the Church on earth can make one with this heaven.** For as the New Heaven is founded, it will form the internal from which the New Church can descend.***
     * TCR 791; AR 547:2
     ** TCR 784
     *** AR 547, 486
     But here we have to recall that those who were of the Natural Heaven, and who Were taken out to form a New Heaven, were those who do not wish to listen to what they are taught, who store Divine Truths in the memory only, and have no perception of truth; who are thus in comparative obscurity.*

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These would seem to fit in the lowest region of the New Heaven. The 'lower-earthlings' and those who on earth have repented and lived in actual charity, would seem to fit into the second region; and children who die, or those regenerated to the celestial degree, would fit in the highest region.
     * HH 33, 271
     What proportion of angels have by now occupied the higher regions of the New Heaven, compared to the lowest region bordering on the World of Spirits? There seems to be no way of learning this. However, it seems doctrinally correct to say that the New Heaven can form an internal for the New Church on earth, only in proportion as the higher regions of the New Heaven are being occupied. For an internal of the New Church, one needs the internal of the New Heaven first. And once the internal regions of the New Heaven are occupied, the masses of newcomers to the World of Spirits can more easily be led to their own societies. This work is today a gigantic task, considering the population explosion in the last 200 years. It is therefore only as this great work of organization succeeds in the World of Spirits, that the New Church will also increase numerically here on earth.*
     * AE 732
     We can see, in conclusion, that the function of the New Church is really the same as the function of the New Heaven. The same threefold order as in the New Heaven may be observed to operate in a loose way among New Church men and women on earth. There are those who genuinely affect us with love, others whose charitable outlook serves as a standard, and many who are content to remember a few things and follow Church practices.* This is no harsh judgment, but rather a recognition of the working-relationship which exists between the New Heaven and the New Church, between the angel and John, who are fellow servants. We recognize this relationship explained in this passage, which will serve to close:
     * cp. Coro. 16
     "The Lord's heaven in the natural world is called the Church, and an angel of this heaven is a man of the Church who is conjoined to the Lord. After he leaves this world he becomes an angel of the spiritual heaven. ((i.e. in heaven in the spiritual world)) From this it is clear that what has been said of the angelic heaven must also he understood of the human heaven that is called the Church."*
     * DP 30, italics added

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SOME THOUGHTS ON EVANGELIZATION 1978

SOME THOUGHTS ON EVANGELIZATION       Rev. DOUGLAS M. TAYLOR       1978

     (Delivered to the Council of the Clergy, March, 1978.)

     INTRODUCTION

     The General Church has reached a landmark: for the first time in its history it is to have a priest engaged full-time in presenting the doctrines to the public. From the beginning we have had traveling ministers visiting our isolated members, and these have also included enquirers and newcomers in their flock. But now the long-cherished dream of having a full-time priest in evangelization is to become a reality.
     It seems an auspicious time, therefore, to consider our philosophy of evangelization. In this paper the focus will not be upon techniques-although they will be mentioned here and there-but rather upon some broader questions involved in the subject.
     Much of this forms part of the course on Evangelization that I gave to the first- and second-year theological students in the fall semester. A great deal of it you know already, but it does seem useful to bring it together under one overview at this point in the Church's history.

     WHAT EVANGELIZATION IS

     The best known definition of evangelization appears in the Arcana Coelestia:

     "Evangelization is annunciation concerning the Lord, His Advent, and concerning the things that are from Him, which belong to salvation and eternal life,"*
     * AC 9925:2

     Something similar is said in the Apocalypse Revealed:

     "'To evangelize' is to announce the Advent of the Lord and to announce His Kingdom."*
     * AR 478

     Because the term "evangelization" conveys the idea of proclaiming good news, and because it is used in the Writings, it seems preferable to use it rather than "missionary work." This latter is a term familiar to the Christian world, but it conveys rather the idea of conquering the heathen-an aim that is frowned upon in the modern world. If, then, we are going to use the term "evangelization" in the outside world, it may well be wise to practice using it among ourselves, bearing in mind the evangel that is to be proclaimed.

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     It is important to recollect that evangelization has been done and is being done by us on several levels, such as instructing our children of all ages; instructing our young people; instructing our adult members, in which instruction there are several levels, also; instructing our future priests; the mutual instruction of our scholars, as in the Council of the Clergy and in the General Faculty meetings and in the Bishop's Consistory; and finally, instructing people outside the Church organization. Here, too, there are various levels of reception, and various stages of reception with each individual. We have tended to think that evangelization applies only to this latter level, yet we are truly announcing the Advent of the Lord and His kingdom at all levels-from preschool to theological school and adult doctrinal classes.
     The whole work and use of the Church could thus be said to be worship and evangelization. In fact, this is actually said:
     "As priests were set over the worship, and also taught, therefore by their ministry was signified worship and evangelization."*
     * AC 9925:2
     The truth and the good of that statement are sharpened by considering the opposite. What would the Church be without evangelization, at all levels! What would worship be if separated from evangelization, that is, instruction at all levels? Recollecting the truth that the whole work and use of the Church is worship and all forms of evangelization helps us to put external evangelization in its proper perspective.

     SOME DANGERS OF EXTERNAL EVANGELIZATION

     But we should recognize that there are dangers in external evangelization, especially if there is too much concentration on it, ignoring or down-grading the other forms. This danger is demonstrated to the life in the example of Convention, and also to some extent in the Conference as well. It was the recognition of this danger that led to the formation of the Academy, which really began an upswing in the New Church movement as a whole. Where the other forms of evangelization are neglected, a study of the Writings becomes "unpopular," beginning with the clergy, watered down, so that only general doctrines are known and preached. This leads to boredom, followed by a general winding-down of the organization as far as spiritual offerings are concerned. Even the regular Sunday services of worship become directed to feeding those outside, anything unpalatable being suppressed.
     The folly of this course has indeed been recognized by some in the Conference.

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Here is a quotation from an editorial by the Rev. Richard H. Teed, in The New Age, the organ of the Australian Conference, for September-October, 1952:

     OUR USES: A RE-EVALUATION

     "I'm inclined to think that we have put our various uses and activities in the wrong order of precedence. Our uses would appear to be threefold-worship, the study of our Revelation, and apostleship to go forth and tell our good news. We have inclined to want to make our worship our means of contact with the world about us, and hence have conducted our worship and preached with an eye on the possible visitor who might be-but seldom is-present. The consequence is that we have made our worship too similar to the worship of other churches-lest we offend the visitor, and we have kept our pulpit utterances too simple, and so our own people have been starved of spiritual nourishment adapted to their more advanced needs. It seems to me that New Church worship should be primarily for New Church people: it should be the most internal of our uses, and should not normally be used at all as a missionary agency. We want to break wholly free from any traditions of worship as these are observed in churches around us and get right down to the problem of just what is New Church worship; and we should organize and conduct it always primarily for the convinced New Churchman. We have too much taken the view that New Churchmanship is a static thing, whereas unless it is a thing of growth it stagnates and dies. By real distinctive New Church worship our people should be led ever closer to the Lord and shown from the word of the Writings paths of regeneration which have hitherto been hidden.
     "I put New Church worship definitely foremost in our uses, and this does not mean to use it as a missionary vehicle. Missionary work really requires a different atmosphere and another medium, and I place it as the third or ultimate of our uses.
     "Our second use-one would think obviously-must be to study together the Revelation which is the raison d'etre of our existence as a distinctive ecclesiasticism. A New Church is to tell new teachings, yet, strange to say, this is a use that languishes among us. We are always wanting other people to know about our wonderful doctrines, and this attitude is not as unselfish as it might at first seem! It means that we have received only a very small fraction of this revelation and cannot be bothered to go further, and so we turn and say, Let others be told of what we know. A really live New Church would be a company of learners, of seekers after the wonderful things that belong to our Revelation.

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We are but half-hearted about this. . . . There should undoubtedly be an established custom among us that just as we gather together once a week to worship, so shall it be incumbent upon every loyal member to gather with others under the leadership of a minister to read and study the Writings. We need, as a church, to go to the Writings themselves, and humbly read and meditate, ask questions, and receive answers."

     That applies, of course, to the Conference and especially to the Convention today, but it also holds lessons for us.
     There is always the danger that the Church may become world-centered rather than God-centered. It is true that we should take notice of the state of the world and help bring in a new civilization, with the New Church at the center. We cannot ignore the world outside the New Church world and pretend it does not exist-as if we lived in a kind of vacuum.
     But this ought not to be or become our primary focus. The essential use of the Church specific is to be the link between heaven and earth. If it becomes world-centered, then it is merely natural, and thus there is no link, or, at best, a weak link.

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     There is also the danger of seeking to evangelize from merely natural or selfish loves; such as from a love of the world, from a desire to in- crease the membership in order to make our organization more respectable in the eyes of the world, thus making us feel more comfortable. But in answer to that the Lord asks a very awkward question: "What is a man profited if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul! Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?"*
     * Matt. 16:26
     Another example of a merely natural motivation would be the love of conquering others. The first or natural rational urges us to do this. The natural rational is solely in truth, lacking the good of charity. The man whose rational is of this natural quality "regards everyone as being in falsity," we read, "is ready to rebuke,. . . and does not apply or adapt himself to others and study to bend their minds; for he looks at everything from truth, and at nothing from good."* We also read that the natural rational "thinks of and breeds scarcely anything but combats; its general delectation or reigning affection, is to conquer, and when it conquers, it glories in the victory."** In that state the chief reason for reading the Writings is to derive from them ammunition for missionary warfare. If this state predominated, the church would be in truth alone-a merely natural state.
     * AC 1949:2
     ** AC 1950:3
     There is always the danger of pandering to the natural man. It must be admitted that the work of evangelization can be exciting, stirring up the natural man. It can be glamorous and eye-catching. There is little of this for the conscientious pastor slaving away in his study, poring over the Writings and the Concordance in order to grind out another doctrinal class or sermon. The natural man in us and around us is inclined to think that the faithful pastor keeping watch over his flock is merely preaching to the converted. He is not spreading the Church. He is too introverted, and he is certainly not glamorous. But the gallant evangelist is out in the market-place, grappling with the real world!
     This excitement of the natural man reminds us of the natural delights not evil represented by the quails that came in the evening.* These are said to be "the delights of conferring benefits in a large way, and consequently something of glory, in which however there is benevolence and a study to be of service.**
     * Ex. 36:113               
     ** AC 8487:4
     Success in evangelization can produce "elatio" (elation of mind), especially if we ascribe our success to ourselves. This is a spiritual danger both to the individual and to the organization as a whole. It can hurt those who take part in evangelization and those who gloat over the results.
     We must also consider the danger, if we are successful, of being "swamped" by outsiders. Many newcomers seem to be in a merely natural state when they join. If we increased our membership tenfold, what would that do to the state of the Church? And how would the Academy, our local schools, and our Church buildings cope with the financial and/or fiscal problems that would descend upon us? While most of these fearful questions envisage a rapid, large-scale growth that is not likely to materialize, these are matters that must be considered and planned for.
     The danger of a loss of distinctiveness has been implied already, but it is also something to look at squarely. We could become solely oriented to the world so that we want to please it. We could become oriented chiefly to the consummated Christian or Jewish Churches, so that we want to please them. In that case we would be tempted to omit any reference to the demise of these former churches, and if a newcomer discovered any of these passages, we would be tempted to explain them away. We would want to seem as much like those former churches as we could, playing down any differences, especially those that proclaim that the New Church is distinct from them.
     These dangers are not imaginary. The Convention has fallen headlong into them, and parts of the Conference, too. We could also succumb unless we keep a constant watch.

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     We will pass quickly over the danger of indulging in bizarre publicity stunts or circus-style advertisements which could ruin the reputation and standing of the Church; also the danger that some whom we interest in the doctrine may profane it, so that we would be contributing to their eternal damnation, since their last state would be worse than their first.
     But a word should be said about having too high an aspiration. This could lead to stultifying despair. Some in the Church feel that we should be able to convert the whole world, preferably in our lifetime, that we should be able to do at least as well as the Mormons and Jehovah's Witnesses. They feel that "some day" we will find the way, or write the perfect missionary booklet, or create the perfect radio, television or newspaper advertisement, or find the perfect man or men to appear on the various media, and then there will be a tremendous flood of inquiries and requests. These "great expectations" the Rev. Donald L. Rose has fully exploded by aptly calling them "the big-bang theory"!
     Usually these extremely high aspirations are not clearly and articulately thought out or uttered. They remain as obscure but powerful feelings, such as the feeling that we ought to get at least one new member from an advertisement in the paper.
     When these exaggerated hopes are not realized, despair ensues, leading to the conclusion that all evangelical efforts are doomed to failure and are not worthwhile. At all times we need a balanced assessment of what is a realistic goal to set ourselves and what is likely to be beyond the realm of possibility.
     What are we to do then? Are we to give up all thought of external evangelization as too dangerous for the Church and the individual?
     Of course not! To do so would be to fly in the face of the many passages in the Writings that either plainly teach or imply the great use of external evangelization. May I refer you to a wonderful array of such passages in the section entitled "A Use Divinely Commanded" in the manual compiled by the Rev. Harold C. Cranch under the title, Evangelization and the New Church.

     THE DANGERS OF NEW CHURCH EDUCATION

     Moreover, we could make up a similar list of dangers connected with other forms of evangelization.
     For example, what we call New Church education could expose us to the danger of too much focusing on our own people and their needs. We could become like many of the Moravians with their societies of interior friendship. "From use and life in the world . . . they hide from others the secrets of their faith, and speak about them only among themselves. . . . Hence also they have social intercourse among themselves."*

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We could become so insular and self-centered that we fear to go "outside" and feel uncomfortable when we do. New Church education, too, can equally be done from merely natural loves that pander to storge. If such a merely natural state were to prevail in the Church organization, this would be an obstacle to its essential use of being the link between heaven and earth, and would ultimately destroy its usefulness altogether.
     * SD 4795; see also SD 4793, 6043:3; DM 4763
     New Church education can equally produce "elatio"-if we ascribe our success in it to ourselves.
     There is always the constant danger of mere intellectualism through the more internal forms of evangelization. The General Church of the New Jerusalem is by no means immune to the ivory-tower syndrome. We could become like the Scholastics.

     With regard to the financial and other organizational problems involved in New Church education, let us go back in time to Benade's day. Surely there must have been those who thought that embarking on New Church education was beyond the means of the Church, that they might be starting something that they could not finish, and that the Church was not ready for it. Yet, today, we have our New Church educational system.
     It is also true that some of our children might profane the truth if we offer it to them, their last state becoming worse than their first. This has probably happened, but would we give up our schools? We can also have too high an aspiration in New Church education with the resultant despair at evidence of failure or shortcomings.
     We conclude, then, that while there are dangers in the work of external evangelization, there are also dangers in other forms of evangelization. We have not been deterred by fear in these latter forms. Why, then, should we be fearful in our compassionate efforts to co-operate with the Lord in finding and filling those who "hunger and thirst after righteousness."*
     * Matt 5:6

     THE GENERAL AIM (OR THE PROPER ATTITUDE)

     As we have seen already, the general aim of evangelization should be to cooperate with the Lord in spreading His kingdom. This can be seen in the Lord's injunction: "Seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things will be added unto you."* The Lord's kingdom is the realm where the Lord is King-the state of mind in which the Lord is the Ruler and Organizer of the mind. It is this kingdom which the Lord wishes to extend, both widely and deeply. The Church's part is to be as a servant serving the King in the maintenance and spread of His Kingdom.
     * Matt. 6:33
     This attitude has a great bearing upon the kinds of methods that we use to achieve this aim.

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In our methods there is to be no deceit, no compulsion or persuasion, no watering-down of the doctrine, no leading to self or to the aggrandizement of the organization. It is the Lord's Kingdom that is to be kept clearly in mind at all times.
     We are promised that if we do seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, then natural things can be added. In evangelization this means new members. The increase in membership will be the effect. The spread of the Lord's Kingdom will be the aim or end; the means to that end will be skill in presenting the Lord's truth in an interesting way; the effect of this will automatically and undoubtedly be an increase in membership. But note that the latter is only the effect of the end and the means combined. It is not an end in itself.
     From this it is obvious that we should not have as our primary aim the extension of the Church organization. Any natural man can promote a membership drive in any merely natural organization. The Lord would not enter into it at all.
     We could in fact have an enormous increase in membership, and yet lose our own soul-lose sight of the Lord's Kingdom. The Church could become just another kingdom of this world. Once again, let us remember the Lord's warning: "What is a man profited if he should gain the whole world and lose his own soul? Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?"*
     * Matt. 16:26
     If we allowed the natural man to take over, the end would become the enlargement of the organization; the means would be any way at all of insinuating the teachings that would achieve that end, whether we believed them or not; and the effect would then be that the Lord's Kingdom was overlooked and trampled underfoot.
     In everything that we do we are to seek the Lord's righteousness, not our own. This applies to all forms of the work of evangelization. For "what is charity but the good that man does from the Lord? And what is faith but the truth that man believes from the Lord?"* "Except the Lord build the house, they labor in vain that build it; except the Lord keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain. It is vain for you to rise up early, to sit up late, to eat the bread of sorrows: for so He giveth to His beloved sleep."**
     * TCR 712
     ** Ps. 127:1, 2

     THE PRIEST'S PART

     We all know that in everything that he does the priest is to act from the priestly love, the love of the salvation of souls. "A priest who is in this good (the good of love towards the neighbor) does a good work whenever he teaches and leads, because he acts from the love of saving souls."*
     * Life 72

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     That part of the priest's work that is related to external evangelization is no exception. This means that sometimes we as priests will offer instruction, counsel, and help even when there seems little likelihood that the person concerned will join the Church. Our priestly love will prompt us to do so. Of course, this principle can be abused by being taken to extremes. Judgment is needed. But let us never sink into the attitude of helping only those who will help us by joining the Church. It will be easy or difficult for us to have this attitude to the extent that we really see ourselves as servants of the Lord trying to cooperate with Him.
     The evangelist obviously must be a pastor. We must avoid the feeling and rebut the teaching that there is a dichotomy between being an evangelist and a pastor. They are two aspects of the same thing.
     Having this attitude transforms every conversation with an enquirer. If we are genuinely interested in leading to the good of life, if we are moved by even a sense of duty to care for the salvation of the enquirer, still more if we are moved by a love of being an instrument in the Lord's hand for his salvation, then we can speak in a much more relaxed manner. There is no great sense of urgency. We can be much more patient, being willing to be guided by the state of reception of the enquirer. The supreme purpose is to be of help to him, to solve his spiritual problems; and only the Heavenly Doctrine can do that.
     In marketing circles, this attitude is known as being "customer-oriented." A true New Churchman engaged in the work of marketing goods and services would have this attitude. He would be trying to help people as a primary goal rather than aiming at making a profit by means of the person.*
     * Char. 167
     Being "customer-oriented'' also has implications in the matter of follow-up work. If our attitude is simply to add new names to our membership list, then we may well be tempted to forget the newcomer once he has received his membership card from the Bishop. But if we have the proper pastoral attitude, we will never forget to minister to his needs-long after he has become an established member.
     The term "marketing" was used in preference to "selling" for some very obvious reasons. The terms "selling" and "salesmen" have acquired a somewhat unsavory connotation. The picture that usually arises in our minds is that of the "hard-sell" approach, with persuasion and overpowering influence as the dominant means. Too often we think of the salesman as one who unloads his goods upon those who do not really need them or want them.

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We think of him as needing to have the power of at least temporary hypnotism in order to be a success. This is so contrary to the whole New Church approach that the very mention of "selling the Church" or even "marketing the doctrine" is apt to produce a violent reaction in the Church. It is good that this is so. But let us always remember that a salesman can be a man of charity as well, that he can have the customer's welfare and the common good in mind as a primary orientation. We need not feel that we have to be either a New Churchman or a salesman.
     In connection with this, it is well to remind ourselves of what we al ready know: that we cannot convert anyone. It is the Lord who really converts people. We may perhaps persuade people. But "convert" means to turn the mind. It is the Divine that turns the mind to the things of the Divine. We can have only a part in this. We only co-operate with the Lord in converting people.
     That is why we in the New Church do not like the term "convert." We do not like talking about "conversion" and "converts" and "converting people." This is what the Lord does. All we can do is to present the teachings and allow them to be seen in the greatest light of which we are capable. Again, this makes for a much more relaxed conversation-a perfectly normal conversation. You do not have a feeling of urgency; you do not become heated; you do not feel that you have to ram everything down the other person's throat. But when we talk from self with the idea of convincing or persuading someone, then everything becomes very tense, and neither side enjoys it.

     THE LAYMEN'S PART

     Much of what has been said about the proper attitude or general aim with regard to priests applies also to the layman. He, too, needs to have a charitable attitude or a willingness to help rather than a determination to collect some more scalps. So it is important in our instruction of the laity to emphasize what our proper attitude should be, and continually remind ourselves of it. We priests equally need this reminder constantly.
     But there is a limitation in the part to be played by a layman. This is evident from the well known passage in the Arcana Coelestia, which says: "Good can be insinuated into another by any one in his country, but not truth, except by those who are teaching ministers; if others do this, heresies arise and the Church is disturbed and rent asunder."*
     * AC 6822
     A layman who gives systematic instruction in truth is not acting in any official capacity, but only as a person.

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Consequently, he can only draw attention to himself, even if what he teaches is true. But a priest is acting in his official capacity when he gives systematic instruction in truth.
     However, it would seem quite appropriate for the layman to answer questions raised by an enquirer. In responding to questions, the layman is responding to the interests of the enquirer, and "interests" mean delights or things that seem good. This is quite in accord with "insinuating goods," and is very different from giving a systematic treatment of the subject, which is instructing the understanding. That is the part of a "teaching minister." But even the instructor in truth must begin by insinuating good, by teaching what is of primary interest to the enquirer.
     The essence of the layman's part, then, is first-aid, and leading the enquirer to the teaching minister, where he may receive further instruction. All this is involved in the familiar parable of the Good Samaritan in Luke, chapter 10. The inn to which the Egyptian was taken means a place of deeper instruction, where those are who are better equipped to help.

     THE SCOPE OF EVANGELIZATION

     The new doctrines that the Lord has revealed at His Second Coming are meant to make all things new. This is clear from the following passage: "In the Revelation occur the words, A NEW HEAVEN AND A NEW EARTH: and afterwards BEHOLD, I MAKE ALL THINGS NEW, which means nothing else than that in the church now to be set up anew by the Lord THE DOCTRINE WILL BE NEW."* The same words in the Apocalypse are also said to mean "the revelation and reception of the tenets of the faith of the New Church."**
     * Lord 65               
     ** BE 95
     Of the many implications that come out of those two quotations of the Writings one is that it is the newness of doctrine that makes all things new-to the extent that it is received, that is, applied to life. This means that any attempt at renovating the world or making a new civilization will be doomed to failure unless it springs from the new doctrine. It is well known that the teachings in the New Revelation are meant to interpenetrate every area of an individual's life. But it should be the same in general as in particular: the doctrines should interpenetrate everything of life in a country and in the human race as a whole. What else do we mean when we pray, "Thy Will be done as in heaven so upon the earth"?
     When we think of the scope of the teachings in the Writings and of the way they touch all areas of our life both individually and collectively, we can see that this New Revelation is meant not only to establish a New Church but also to be the soul of a new civilization. The Christian Church produced a Christian culture and civilization. In the same way the New Church is to produce a, new culture and civilization.

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     This we can understand if we reflect on the nature of certain groups of teachings in the Writings. There are teachings that imply the need for a new kind of education, known as New Church education; there are teachings that have ramifications and implications in the field of Psychology; there are teachings that give rise to a New Church Philosophy; there are teachings that look to the formation of a new kind of Church government based on the principles of government in heaven; there are teachings that one day will become the basis for civil government and political science; there are teachings that have profound sociological implications; there are teachings or doctrines that will one day be at the core of a New Church version of history. The Writings from beginning to end are full of passages on which the foregoing conclusions are based. But there are some that are especially suggestive and at the same time inspiring. For example, the little work on Charity is admirably suited for being a blueprint for a new civilization.
     A beginning has indeed been made in some of these areas. We have the first instruments for the making of this new civilization. This is not the place to review the history of the Academy and other New Church institutions that are the first fruits of the New Evangel. They are indeed beginnings, but only beginnings. A great deal remains to be done.
     After all, we look forward to the time when New Churchmen, who, presumably, would be "God-fearing governors,"* fill the offices of the state, and the Lord, through the Church, rules all nations from within. The Church, as an organization, would not be taking part in politics. But the Heavenly Doctrine taught in the Church would lead and inspire the "God-fearing governors" to seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and as a consequence, an orderly civil state would be added. The Lord's will would then be done on earth as in heaven. We would be rendering unto Caesar the things that are Caesar's and unto God the things that are God's.
     * HD 313
     We have to look forward to the time when New Churchmen own and operate printing presses, radio stations, television stations, newspapers, and commercial publishing houses and bookstores; in other words, to the time when the New Church view will not only be heard on the media but will actually prevail. In the New Church civilization the Heavenly Doctrine will also be the inspiration for the arts and sciences.
     To the extent that we keep that vision before our eyes and in our hearts, to that extent we will avoid obscurity and confusion in the understanding, and faint-heartedness in the will. We would never think that evangelization is something that someone else should see to.

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     That great day will not simply roll around through the passage of time. It will not come unless, from the Lord, we do something about it. The first step is to recognize the great need and use of trying to influence public opinion on various issues by presenting the New Church view through the different media. Unless this is done it will never be heard, but will be swamped out by the zealous efforts of those who wish to put contrary views; not only the opinions of a dead religion, but also those of naturalism, humanism, logical positivism, and other atheistic isms. We can encourage those with literary ability to write powerful and pithy letters to the newspapers; we can encourage the articulate to participate in "talk-back" programs on radio. This has already been done or is being done to a limited extent, but we need to keep up a constant campaign.
     This is not the only use that the Academy can perform. We tend to overlook the great assistance that the Academy can give to the work of evangelization, even while continuing to perform its own particular function and form of use. Not only can it produce well-informed young New Church men and women, who can talk articulately about the doctrines, but its teachers can also provide material of use in missionary work. For example, the study of such things as Egyptian hieroglyphics, educational Psychology, Child Psychology, Literature, and many others, lead back to the doctrine. Such natural fields of interest can be used as bait for discussions on New Church doctrine. This approach is useful to those who shy away from straight doctrine or from anything that savors of a church organization, but who can be led by other interests to see its relevance eventually.
     As a confirmation of this approach, may I point out that books like Bishop Willard D. Pendleton's Foundations of New Church Education and `Values and Objectives of New Church Education, and Bishop George de Charms' Growth of the Mind have proved excellent evangelization material for school teachers and others interested in education. So also is David R. Simons' Unity in the Universe. Although written for grade 7 or 8 level, it is an excellent way of making a science-oriented person (high school and up) at least begin to re-think some of his assumptions. It has even been known to appeal to a high school science teacher who wanted to see science and religion reconciled. To this list could be added Bishop de Charms' Life of the Lord, which though also written for another purpose, is very enlightening and inspiring for newcomers.
     If we keep in mind the proper attitude and the general aim, we will want to seek out and encourage the people in the Church who have the talent to write novels, plays, radio and television story scripts in which the New Church doctrine is graphically applied to life situations.

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Ballet and music also have their contributions to make. The encouragement of these means of presenting the doctrine, in addition to the usual list that first comes to mind, certainly comes within the scope of evangelization work. Everyone else is doing this kind of thing. Just stop and examine the philosophy of life behind what is presented in the way of entertainment today and you will see what opportunities we are missing.
     The scope of evangelization is therefore much, much wider than placing the occasional advertisement for Heaven and Hell in a newspaper!

     THE GROWTH OF THE NEW CHURCH

     There is no need to enumerate here the teaching of the Writings concerning the general pattern for the replacement of the former church by the New Church. An excellent collection of these passages may be seen in Sections A and B of Harold Cranch's manual Evangelization and the New Church. The gist of the teachings is that, in accordance with the usual pattern, the New Church will first be raised up with a remnant of the former church (the Christian Church), but that the New Evangel is not to be restricted only to Christians. However, the remnant in the Christian Church will be small, and the church will be established with the Gentiles.
     It is obvious, then, that we have a mission to the Christian church and the civilization of which it is the center. If there is any doubt about this, let us consider this Divine prophecy: "The Church that is called the New Jerusalem is to tarry among those who are in the doctrine of faith separate while it grows to its fullness, while provision is made for it among many."*
     * AE 765:2
     Much depends on how we understand the growth of the Church "to its fullness." This surely cannot be restricted to numerical growth, because its establishment is to be among the Gentiles. It seems rather to imply that the vision set forth above under the heading THE SCOPE OF EVANGELIZATION will have to become actual in some fullness before the New Church can be transferred to the many. This thought gives great point and purpose to all the forms of evangelization in which we are already engaged. It gives real meaning to our efforts to spread the doctrines to those in the Christian world who still "hunger and thirst after righteousness." It reinforces the idea with which we began this paper; namely, that we must continue to develop all forms of evangelization. To over-emphasize one at the expense of others is not only to miss many opportunities to cooperate with the Lord, but it is also to endanger the future of the organization that is striving to be an embodiment of the ideal New Church, the New Jerusalem revealed in the Apocalypse.

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ANNUAL COUNCIL MEETINGS COUNCIL OF THE CLERGY 1978

ANNUAL COUNCIL MEETINGS COUNCIL OF THE CLERGY       B. DAVID HOLM       1978

     The 80th Annual Meetings of the Council of the Clergy of the General Church of the New Jerusalem were held in the Council Hall of the Bryn Athyn Cathedral, March 6-10, 1978. They were opened by a service of worship conducted by Bishop Louis B. King. For the first time the service was held in the Hall of the Cathedral, the chapel being too small for the fifty-one men attending.
     At these meetings there were three members of the episcopal degree, thirty-nine in the pastoral degree, five in the ministerial degree and five guests. They were:

the Rt. Rev. Louis B. King, presiding, the Rt. Rev. George de Charms, the Rt. Rev. Willard D. Pendleton; the Rev. Messrs. Alfred Acton, Glenn G. Alden, Kurt H. Asplundh, Bjorn A. H. Boyesen, Ragnar Boyesen, Peter M. Buss, Geoffrey S. Childs, Robert H. P. Cole, Harold C. Cranch, Roy Franson, Victor J. Gladish, Daniel W. Goodenough, Daniel W. Heinrichs, Willard L. D. Heinrichs, B. David Holm, Geoffrey H. Howard, Robert S. Junge, Thomas L. Kline, Ottar T. Larsen, Kurt P. Nemitz, Ormond deC. Odhner, Walter E. Orthwein III, Dandridge Pendleton, Martin Pryke, Norman H. Reuter, Morley D. Rich, Norman E. Riley, Norbert H. Rogers, Donald L. Rose, Frank S. Rose, Patrick A. Rose, Erik Sandstrom, Erik E. Sandstrom, Frederick L. Schnarr, David R. Simons, Christopher R. J. Smith, Lorentz R. Soneson, Kenneth O. Stroh, Douglas M. Taylor; Arne J. Bau-Madsen, William H. Clifford, Stephen D. Cole, Brian W. Keith, N. Bruce Rogers; and by invitation Candidates Christopher D. Bown, J. Clark Echols, Andrew J. Heilman, Robert D. McMaster, and Alain Nicolier.

     Bishop King opened the first session by welcoming the members, with a special word of welcome to the Rev. Norman E. Riley and the five guests from the theological school. After the adoption of the minutes as published in NEW CHURCH LIFE (June, 1977, pp. 292-294), and the usual announcements and items of business, Bishop King gave his report. He said that the state of the General Church is good, but there are some sobering issues facing it. A sharp decline in our student enrollment in our schools is forecasted. He warned against possible changes in our ideals of love of offspring and New Church education. In this connection he spoke of the need of the strong teaching of truth by our priests and the purity of doctrine. He also stated the real need for all of us to plan for the future, for new areas of use are opening up.

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Without careful planning and development of these new uses the full employment of all the priests we ordain will be in question.
     Among other things he spoke of our relationship with other bodies of the New Church-specifically the Convention's societies in Bath, Maine, Baltimore, Maryland, Orange, New Jersey, and Roblin, Saskatchewan. The time of the next General Assembly was also brought up as being either in 1979 or 1980, hopefully in Canada. He mentioned the valuable assistance he had received from the Bishop's Representatives in the Midwestern District and in England and spoke of his confidence in the help he would now receive from the newly appointed Bishop's Representatives in Canada and South Africa. He spoke of the future of the South African Mission and his hopes for an independent mission with a black Superintendent. He announced that the General Church Extension Committee would now be under the care of a full time man who would be responsible for the development of missionary programs for the church.
     In closing the Bishop remarked that the uses of the Church are expanding and he thanked the members for their hard work, with special thanks to the three priests who will retire in September, Morley D. Rich, Norbert H. Rogers, and Erik Sandstrom.
     The rest of this session was taken up with a drafted communication to the Council of Ministers of the General Convention. This had been drafted as a reply to a letter from their Council to ours raising certain issues between our two bodies. After certain changes and deletions were made, the letter to their Council was approved.
     At the second session, on Tuesday morning, after worship and some procedural matters, the Council chose to hear a resume of a paper (previously circulated) by the Rev. N. Bruce Rogers entitled Grounds for Divorce-Some Reflections on C. L. 468. This was a thorough and well documented study. His main thesis was that the only grounds for divorce is scortation (adultery) and that the other two reasons mentioned are related to scortation. The other two reasons are manifest obscenities and malicious desertion which involves scortation. From several passages, he made the point that the scortation, which dissolves marriage, must be a confirmed or deliberate scortation. Another most interesting point he made was that, in his understanding, the malicious desertion involves the wife, who from some caprice, deserts her husband and then later enters into scortation. This is in contrast to the usual interpretation which is that it refers to a husband maliciously deserting his wife and so causing her to enter into scortation. He closed his remarks by taking up the right and even duty of priests refusing to remarry people who do not have legitimate grounds for divorce. In addition to his major study, Mr. Rogers supplied the Council with excerpts from the Swedish marriage laws of Swedenborg's day which speak of malicious desertion as a cause for divorce.

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     Mr. Rogers' paper was followed by a long and stimulating discussion. It was obvious that this study caused many in the Council to re-examine their positions on what the Writings mean by malicious desertion as a cause for divorce.
     The discussion of Mr. Rogers' paper was followed by a report on New Church Life by the retiring editor, Morley D. Rich. He reported that there are now over 1,000 paid subscriptions. He thanked the Council for the support he had received as editor.
     This second session ended with a discussion on using white, academic robes for school openings and other academic functions. White robes will be used in the Bryn Athyn Church Elementary School next school year.
     The third session was held in the afternoon on Tuesday, March 7th. A summary of a paper, previously circulated, was given by Douglas M. Taylor. His subject was, Some Thoughts on Evangelization. Being chairman of the General Church Extension Committee, makes him a suitable speaker on this subject. He stressed the teaching that evangelization is the announcement of the coming of the Lord and His Kingdom. He pointed out that the whole work of the church is worship and evangelization on many levels. External evangelization (or missionary work) is but one of these levels. He warned of certain dangers of unwise external evangelization, one of which is over-emphasis to the detriment of other church uses. Still external evangelization is a use Divinely commanded. We are not to hold back because of dangers. There are dangers in New Church education as well. The proper purpose of evangelization is the spreading of the Lord's kingdom, and not just the increase of our organization. The Lord must build the house. Both priest and laymen must do their part in this. The summary was followed by an appreciative and lengthy discussion in which the entrance of the General Church into external evangelization was supported by many.
     The Council then chose to hear a presentation on the Schuller Institute given by Peter M. Buss and Harold C. Cranch. This is a Christian Institute which teaches techniques on church growth. Both Mr. Buss and Mr. Cranch attended the Institute in California. Mr. Buss assured the Council that they had not to examine Old Church doctrine, nor did they go to pick out faults. They wanted ideas on church growth. Rev. Schuller started with nothing and now has a congregation of 8,000 people. Mr. Schuller's was a mission to re-convert Christians. Among the ideas gained from their experience were: (1) If we fail to spread the church we harm others. (2) The church that thinks only of its own members is a selfish church. (3) We are to go to those who do not have a church, for they are hurting the most.

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(4) The church building should be visible to as many as possible. We shouldn't hide away in the country. Mr. Buss spoke of the need for new ideas such as these, but reminded the Council that they would have to be adapted to our needs.
     Mr. Cranch spoke of the sphere of the enthusiastic service to others that he had experienced at the Schuller Institute. The message was clear: the Lord came to minister, so we are to minister to others. Is not this our doctrine of use? The Institute stresses long range planning, the attracting of as many people as possible, followed by pastoral care and instruction from the Word. The Institute also stresses the involvement of a church's own people in the spreading of the church and the care of its people. Mr. Cranch applied some of these ideas to the General Church and what it could do to spread the church and be of real service to those longing for the truth who are all around us.
     This presentation was followed by a lively discussion until the time for adjournment.
     The fourth session began at 9:50 a.m. Wednesday, March 8. After worship and the usual announcements, the Council heard, by prior arrangement, a paper by the Rev. Frank S. Rose entitled The Twelfth Principle of the Academy Re-examined. In this paper Mr. Rose questioned whether the twelfth principle of the Academy was still valid today-that is, that the education of our children is the most fruitful field of evangelization. In this paper he stressed that the Lord had invited the whole Christian world to the New Church. He asked if the education of our children fulfilled our hopes for the growth of the church? The rate of growth of the church has slowed down considerably the last several decades. Is the education of our children the first or chief work of charity for the General Church? he asked. While we must value New Church education as a duty of the church, is it really a work of charity? Have past attitudes caused missionary work to take second place? Is not the work of charity of the church to present the truth to the world? Mr. Rose added numerous statistics to illustrate his position that we need growth from outside to give us new purpose and strength.
     Immediately after Mr. Rose's paper, again by prior agreement, the Council heard a paper by the Rev. Thomas L. Kline on The Church Specific and the Church Universal. He began his address by stressing that the church specific is the essential means of conjunction between heaven and earth. Yet the Lord's church is not restricted to the church specific, but is also universal, throughout the universe. The Lord's whole church is in the human form with the church specific as its heart and lungs. This relationship is spiritual and effected by the Lord secretly, for He is as it were the blood that conjoins all the uses of the body.

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If the church specific remains true to its essential purpose of understanding and living the Word, then the Lord can direct its established use outward to serve the church universal. Thus the church specific must preserve itself, even as the heart and lungs nourish themselves. But they also go outward, and by means of them the whole body is nourished by the blood. The Lord as the Word nourishes the whole church on earth. Are we not to carry the Word to all who will receive? Mr. Kline warned against intolerance and faith alone which would deter us from this use. Nor should we let fears interfere. Not all will enter the church whom we contact, but if we have contributed something to their faith or good of life have we not fed them? And cannot the church universal help the church specific, in the realm of techniques and methods? Mr. Kline closed his address by warning against going out into the world to serve others and forgetting our cause, which is the worship of the Divine Human of the Lord and the life which comes from this. Yet we need not fear the providential leading of the Lord to serve the spiritual needs of the world.
     The Council adjourned for coffee and immediately afterwards broke up into eight small group discussions, which lasted until 12:00 n., at which time the Council reassembled in the Council Chamber. A lively discussion of Mr. Kline's thoughtful paper followed which remained very close to the subject at hand-the relationship of the church specific to the church universal. Mr. Kline's thesis was generally supported.
     The fifth session began at 3:00 Wednesday afternoon with Bishop Willard D. Pendleton in the chair. After several items of business the Council chose to hear the Rev. Donald Rose's paper on Derived Doctrine in the Church. Mr. Rose began his paper with the teaching that our enlightenment from the Word as priests is according to our love of uses of life. Motives of honor or gain do not bring enlightenment. To protect doctrine we must shun evils for only then can we be affected by truths. When we study we can pray to the Lord and thus read from the Lord, and so just try to confirm our own opinions. Yet we all receive truth according to the form of our mind, and what we receive is determined by our free choice. One of our duties is to remove the ashes of old-even those which have served a good purpose in their own time. Mr. Rose then applied this to the derived doctrine of the past on the place of women in the church, which is very different than ours today. Positions taken at any time in the history of the church depend on the state of enlightenment and the needs and even stresses of the time. He reviewed the teachings that women are the recipients of conjugial love.

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He discussed the separate uses of the sexes and pointed out that the Writings don't forbid entering into the uses of the opposite sex, but do say such uses cannot then be properly performed. We then traced some of the teachings about the nature of the two sexes. What is it that a woman loves in her partner? She loves his wisdom and masculine wisdom is shunning adultery. Wisdom is of life and not mere intellectualism and reasoning. It is this that a wife is to love in her husband. Indeed it is her inmost. Thus in both sexes they become more and more a person as they become more and more a husband and wife. But this is unknown in the world where there is often rivalry between the sexes, and women treated with contempt. He then urged the Council to teach with humility and not make sweeping statements and predictions. He pointed out instances in which we have changed the derived doctrine of the past. We must not be traditionalists. Rather we are to be in the affection of truth.
     The discussion of Mr. Rose's centered on the nature of wisdom, the place of tradition, and how we teach. The discussion was long and lively.
     The Council next decided to have a discussion of Frank Rose's paper given in the morning. A number of men expressed appreciation for the paper. Several pointed out that New Church Education and Evangelization are certainly not an either/or proposition. We should do both better than we are. Some cautioned about the statistics used by Mr. Rose, for they were not analysed figures. Serious concern was expressed over our slow growth rate. Mr. Rose concluded the discussion by adding that numbers do matter.
     After the social supper for the ministers at Bishop King's home on Wednesday evening, a short extra session of the Council was held in the Bishop's living room. Rev. Robert S. Junge's topic was called for, en- titled Disorders Before Marriage in the light of C. L. 480-482. Mr. Junge's main point was that by the betrothal state there results a union of souls. He asked if there is not a differentiation between pre-marital relations prior to betrothal and such relations after betrothal but prior to marriage. Is the warning in C. L. 480 about the "burning out at the marrows" on pre-marital relations referring to the betrothal state alone? To understand this we must take into consideration AC 9182 in which unlawful conjunctions which conjoin only externals are described which can later give way to lawful conjunctions which conjoin internals. Can this be applied to pre-marital relations prior to betrothal? These are difficult passages. But it is clear that consent is the essential of marriage. Is not consent initiated at the time of betrothal? The issue of the sacredness of betrothal is one that should concern us greatly.
     This topic was received with appreciation and was commented on and discussed by a number of the men present.
     The second topic of the evening was that of the Rev. Erik Sandstrom which was Reflections on Invitation 25: "Unless the present little work is added to the preceding work, the church cannot be healed.

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For it would be a mere palliative cure; a wound in which the corrupt matter remains, and which vitiates the neighboring parts. Orthodoxy in this corrupt matter itself, and the doctrine of the New Church indeed brings a healing, but only exteriorly." Mr. Sandstrom stated that in his opinion the "little work" referred to are the three small works which were added after the True Christian Religion was published. These were the Coronis, The Consummation of the Age, and Invitation. The three essential doctrines of the New Church-the Lord, the Word, and Life are all treated of in these little works. There can be no "healing" without full acceptance of these three doctrines in mind and life, for one leads directly to the next. These are truths of the new revelation, and the Writings are indeed such a revelation, which truth is stated in Invitation 44 with utmost clarity. "This (the Writings) surpasses all the revelations that have hitherto been made since the creation of the world." It is the acknowledgment of this and a life from it that will truly heal the church. If the Writings are not regarded as such a revelation, the former church is not really left behind. There is emphasis in these three little works, an urgency. The receivers of the Writings are to feel this urgency. For it is an urgency of the Divine longing for conjunction.
     After a stimulating discussion of this topic, the ministers present broke up into informal discussion.
     The sixth session was held in the Council Chamber at 10:000 a.m. Thursday, March 9th. It was opened by worship led by Bishop King. This was followed by announcements and other business. By pre-arrangement the Council next heard a study by the Rev. Dandridge Pendleton. Its title was From the Call of Abraham to Jacob's Reconciliation with Esau. This was a study and correlation of apparent good, collateral good, and mediate good as it applies to children, young people, and regenerating adults. In this thorough and well-documented study, which traced the Arcana treatment of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and Esau, the main conclusion drawn was that our traditional viewpoint that children and young people are in "mediate good" is not really supported by the teachings contained in this series. Mr. Pendleton felt that "mediate goods" and even "collateral goods" are only possible in early, but truly adult states of repentance and reformation. The good of childhood and youth, Mr. Pendleton stated, is the "apparent good" represented by Chedorlaomer. By "apparent good" is meant those childhood states which can be called good, but which are not genuinely good because they are contaminated with hereditary evil and the fallacies of the senses. By "collateral good," represented by Laban, is also meant good that is not genuine, for its quality is affected by natural appearances of truth and not the genuine truths of the internal sense of the Word.

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However, "collateral good" can lead to repentance which is the first of regeneration. "Mediate good," also represented by Laban-but later on in the series, is in turn not genuine in that it too is clothed in appearances. But in the case of "mediate good" these are rational appearances, which help develop the spiritual mind. Thus "mediate good partakes of both heaven and the world," and can serve as a means of man commencing his regeneration. Mr. Pendleton concluded his paper by stating the opinion that while the teachings about mediate good should not be applied to the states of childhood and youth, still they can serve as a rich field of doctrinal teaching applicable to our twenty and thirty year olds.
     Mr. Pendleton's study stimulated a long discussion in which many men took part. Appreciation was expressed for the thorough research, reflection, and clarity of expression. Some expressed the thought that there are series within series and that the teachings about mediate good can be applied to childhood and adolescent states. This led to a discussion of the whole series within the Word. Some felt that Genesis put forth the whole series in brief and the rest of the Word took up the same series in detail. Mr. Pendleton's distinction between the three types of good was gratefully received. Mr. Pendleton then thanked the Council for its interest and comments.
     After this discussion the Council decided to hear Rev. Erik Sandstrom's report on the Theological School. Mr. Sandstrom began his report with the reminder that the Lord alone prepares men for the priesthood of the New Church. The sight of truth is from the Lord. But in order for truth to be seen, there must first be knowledges of both truth and good, and such knowledges can be taught by men to those preparing for the priesthood. There must be knowledge of both doctrine and the purpose of doctrine. This requires both study and practice, but these are as nothing unless there is love and understanding given by the Lord. There is a great difference between the Lord's New Church and the General Church. The Theological School must certainly exist for both. The students are to become fishers of men, but they are invited to use the General Church as a boat to fish. The Lord reveals His Divine Human in the Writings. Thus the three essential Doctrines of the New Church: the Lord, the Word, and Life are the nucleus of the curriculum of the Theological School. The field training of our students now includes some areas within General Convention, by direct invitation. Only the doctrines of the New Church are taught without disturbance of the order and tradition of these Convention Societies. The Bishop of the General Church is ex-officio the head of the school. The Dean serves as the executive officer. Yet the Theological School operates within the framework of the Academy.

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In this sense the Theological School is a nexus between the General Church and the Academy. The student body has been growing since 1970. There are now fifteen full time students plus six special or part time, for a total of twenty-one. The Council of the Clergy can expect substantial growth. Mr. Sandstrom expressed the view that this growth is in Providence and portends expanding uses in the General Church. Mr. Sandstrom in conclusion referred to his retirement and graciously gave the new Dean, the Rev. Robert S. Junge his blessings.
     When Mr. Sandstrom completed his report, he received a standing ovation as a sign of the affection and deep respect for all he has done for the church.
     The seventh session began at 10:00 a.m., Friday, March 10th. It was opened by worship led by Bishop King. There were several announcements and items of business. Among these was the decision to form a committee to study the best procedures whereby the Council of the Clergy is to determine its membership.
     The next item was a topic by the Rev. B. David Holm on the question Are Our Victories in Temptations One of the Means by Which the Lord Subdues and Orders the Hells? Mr. Holm's thesis was that the Lord assumed a finite human in order that the hells might attack Him. Thus He could overcome them from the power of Divine truth within Him and yet not destroy these hells. In doing this He glorified His Human and made it Divine and thus broke the power of hell and so became the historic Saviour of men. Yet the Lord must also be our personal Saviour, in that He must be born in us, develop in us, and rise in us if we are to be regenerated and saved. In doing this He saves us from the power of the bells, which are constantly rising up against men, heaven and even the Lord. The hells tempt man, but the Lord can subdue them in each man who gives Him entrance. Also from many passages we know that angels and spirits, even evil spirits, depend upon men on earth for their stimulus. Without men on earth, the spiritual world would fall into a swoon. Evil spirits depend upon men on earth who commit or intend evil. If there was no evil on earth would not the hells become quiescent? When sincere people overcome in a specific temptation, from the Lord's power, is not the hell from which it came at least somewhat weakened? The power of the Divine truth and the forces of hell can meet in finite man. Thus the Lord can keep the bells in order and keep man's freedom intact. Perhaps this explains why each of us has specific temptations which return so often. This gives wider purpose to our temptations and victories. Is not this one of several ways which the Lord can keep the bells in order?
     A discussion of this topic followed. Several men thought that this was not a new topic in the church.

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There was a general agreement with Mr. Holm's thesis, but several cautioned against the danger of any self-merit in this process. Several doubted that the hells would ever become quiescent.
     Following this discussion it was agreed to hear the Rev. Donald Rose's topic on An Agenda for the Clergy. Mr. Rose spoke informally and said he felt there was a real need for our Council to have an Agenda. Subjects and Doctrines which we need to investigate would be placed on this Agenda and set before us. Men could then volunteer to take up subjects they were interested in and many needed things would get done. There was not time to discuss this before the coffee break at 11:00 a.m.
     When the Council returned, Bishop George de Charms' paper on Exploring the Mysteries of Faith was called for. Bishop de Charms' main theme was that there was, with some, the mistaken impression that the Lord in His Second Coming has revealed all the mysteries of faith. He cited a number of passages that state that there are innumerable arcana in the Word, all of which have not been openly revealed in the Writings. Some of the mysteries, of course, have been revealed. Again, passages were given to support this. "Now it is permitted to enter intellectually into the mysteries of faith." We can indeed enter into the Scriptures and the Writings and explore the mysteries of faith. But this cannot be done from scientifics or even from knowledges of spiritual things. It can be done only from the acknowledgment that comes from love to the Lord and charity. "It is allowable to become acquainted with what is true and good by means of every perception derived from the Lord, but not from self and the world." (AC 126) By "perception" is meant "the self-evidencing reason of love to the Lord and charity." Only these loves give light to see spiritual truth. Thus the truth that God is a Divine Man is the beginning of wisdom. This is learned in early childhood and all other spiritual truths are built upon it. Theology is the profession of the priesthood. Just as scientists explore the secrets of nature, so there must be New Church priests exploring the secrets of the Word drawing out principles and showing applications of them in life. The laymen of the church must then insist upon examining these teachings in the light of the Word. In this way the spiritual life of the church is to be perpetuated.
     The discussion showed that this address was warmly received and its wisdom appreciated. Some expressed the view that everything capable of being expressed is in the Writings. In his closing remarks, Bishop de Charms made it clear that the whole of the Divine truth is both in the letter of the Word and in the Writings, but we must search for it. The Council responded to Bishop de Charms with a standing ovation.
     Since there was a little time left over Donald Rose asked to speak again about An Agenda for the Clergy.

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He proposed that one hour of the 1979 sessions be devoted to consider such an agenda, and in the meantime appoint a committee to consider the question of an agenda. In the discussion that followed some confusion was expressed. Some felt it would not take the place of the docket, but would be like a list of things to be done. The Council voted to form a committee to investigate this question and put it on the docket for next year.
     1978 Council of the Clergy meeting came to an end at 12:30 p.m. The Bishop closed our deliberations with the benediction.
     Besides these regular sessions there were a number of committee meetings held during the week. These were the General Church Translation Committee, the General Church Publication Committee, and the General Church Extension Committee. There were also meetings of the Sunday School Committee, Headmasters and Heads of Schools, and the Traveling ministers.
     Among the social events held during the week were a social late Monday afternoon after the first session, a social supper for ministers and their wives on Tuesday evening, and a dinner for ministers on Wednesday evening. There were also small group luncheons on Tuesday and Thursday, a reception by the Bryn Athyn Society before Friday Supper and an open house at the Civic and Social Club after the General Church evening on Friday. Added to these were the refreshments graciously served to the ministers each morning by the Bryn Athyn Women's Guild.
     The General Church evening was held following Friday Class. Bishop King introduced the three speakers: Mr. Leonard Gyllenhaal, the Rev. N. Bruce Rogers, and the Rev. Douglas M. Taylor. Mr. Gyllenhaal spoke of the South African Mission, which Bishop King and he had recently visited. He said that it was the present hope that within five years the Mission could be led into independence, headed by its own black Superintendent. This is what the government in South Africa wants to be done. The General Church would still give financial support. Mr. Gyllenhaal spoke affectionally of the dedication of our black priests and spoke hopefully of the future of the New Church among the Bantu people of South Africa.
     Rev. Rogers spoke most encouragingly of the work of the General Church Translation Committee, which he heads. Just a few years ago very little was being done. Now the membership has been broadened with an aim to include all qualified linguists of the sacred languages in the General Church. Considerable funding has been received which has helped greatly. Some eight projects have been begun and about nine linguists are involved in the work. Several projects will be finished shortly and then the problem of publication must be faced. He spoke confidently of the committee's future.

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     Rev. Taylor gave a resume of the history and present status of the General Church Extension Committee, of which he is chairman. He spoke of the present uses which include the Books in Bookstores program, advertisements in the media, missionary literature and the missionary "action teams" which are in formation. He spoke enthusiastically of broadening these uses and entering into new ones, such as the development of effective missionary techniques. He also mentioned the contact between the committee and the nascent New Church in Ghana. He announced that in September he would be full time in this use and spoke hopefully that a missionary arm in the General Church would now be developed.
     B. DAVID HOLM,
          Secretary
JOINT COUNCIL 1978

JOINT COUNCIL       NORBERT H. ROGERS       1978

     1. The 84th Regular Meeting of the Council of the Clergy and the Directors of the Corporation of the General Church of the New Jerusalem, held in the Council Hall of the Bryn Athyn Cathedral on March 11th, 1978, was opened by the Rt. Rev. Louis B. King with the Lord's Prayer and reading of Psalm 119:73-88.

     2. Attendance:

     Of the Clergy: Rt. Rev. Louis B. King, presiding, Rt. Rev. George de Charms; Rev. Messrs. A. Acton, G. G. Alden, K. H. Asplundh, A. J. Bau-Madsen, B. A. H. Boyesen, R. Boyesen, P. M. Buss, G. S. Childs, W. H. Clifford, S. D. Cole, R. H. P. Cole, H. C. Cranch, R. Franson, V. S. Gladish, D. W. Goodenough, D. W. Heinrichs, W. L. D. Heinrichs, B. D. Holm, G. H. Howard, R. S. Junge, B. W. Keith, T. L. Kline, O. T. Larsen, K. P. Nemitz, O. deC. Odhner, D. Pendleton, M. Pryke, M. D. Rich, N. E. Riley, N. B. Rogers, N. H. Rogers, D. L. Rose, E. S. Rose, P. A. Rose, E. Sandstrom, E. E. Sandstrom, F. L. Schnarr, L. R. Soneson, D. M. Taylor. (41)

     Of the Laity: Messrs. E. B. Asplundh, E. K. Asplundh, T. W. Brickman, Jr., H. B. Bruser, W. W. Buick, B. A. Fuller, L. E. Gyllenhaal, S. D. Hill, W. S. Hyatt, J. F. Junge, R. D. Merrell, H. K. Morley, R. Parker, G. Pitcairn, S. Pitcairn, J. W. Rose, J. V. Sellner, S. D. Simons, G. B. Smith, A. A. Umberger, R. E. Walter and R. F. Zecher. (22)

     Guests: Candidates C. D. Bown, J. C. Echols, A. J. Heilman, R. McMaster, and Mr. A. Nicolier, (5)

     3. The Minutes of the 83rd Annual Meeting were accepted as published in NEW CHURCH LIFE, June 1977, pp. 294-306.

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     4. The Rev. Norbert H. Rogers said that his annual report as Secretary of the General Church had been punished in NEW CHURCH LIFE, November 1977, pp. 573-578, and he had nothing to add. He thought it would be of general interest to note that in the six months, September through February, 60 new members had been added to the General Church rolls, and that since the beginning of March he had co-signed at least ten more Certificates of Membership. It seemed very likely that for the 3rd year in a row the total of new members would be over one hundred. Many of those currently applying for membership were Academy graduates. The loss of members for one cause or another would not be tabulated until after August 31, 1978.
     5. The Rev. B. David Holm said he wished to add to his written report as Director of General Church Religion Lessons the acknowledgment of the help he had received from the Rev. Messrs. Arne J. Bau-Madsen and Norman E. Riley.
     6. The Treasurer's Report was then called for. (see NEW CHURCH LIFE, May, 1978, p. 207) Mr. Gyllenhaal reviewed the budget which estimated the annual costs for the next three years, and asked the ministers to make every effort to avoid exceeding their respective budgeted allocations. Because of various causes, increased costs are anticipated for each year, and this is reflected in the budget figures. To meet the total expense figure for each year will require corresponding increases in income, including contributions; otherwise cost reductions will have to be made.
     As long as there were alternatives, the salaries and benefits of ministers and teachers would not be reduced. He mentioned the great usefulness of having church treasurers' meetings in different Societies.
     In answer to a question, Mr. Gyllenhaal said the Transvaal Circle was presently included under Miscellaneous in the budget, but beginning in 1979 it would be a separate entry.
     The Rev. Frank S. Rose expressed appreciation for the Treasurer's report but regretted to note that the General Church has to subsidize so many places that aren't self-supporting. Using a business chain's having to close down unprofitable stores in order to stay in business as an example, he felt the General Church could not afford to subsidize so many places. Each church center simply had to become self-supporting or be closed down for the sake of the future welfare of the General Church.
     Mr. Gyllenhaal replied that the General Church had a great concern for its pastors and teachers and could not condemn them and their families to living on below bare subsistence levels as had been the case in the past. He agreed that every pastor and layman should make every effort to have their areas become self-supporting.

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     The Rev. Erik Sandstrom commented that individuals were greatly tempted to imagine that General Church funds were unlimited. Every one should try to keep costs down.
     Mr. Gyllenhaal noted that there is actually progress in meeting costs. In both Canada and Great Britain beginnings were being made to relieve the central organization of the General Church of some of its expenses.
     The Rev. Harold C. Cranch advocated tithing. If each one could be educated to understand that the first 10% of his income belonged to the Lord, the financial situation of the Societies and of the General Church would be greatly helped. He added that most of those who had tried tithing soon adjusted to it.
     Mr. T. W. Brickman, Jr. was called on for the Salary Committee Report. Mr. Brickman said as the Committee would not meet until April 22, he had nothing to report about salaries. He noted that at present the Committee's concerns went beyond salaries themselves, but in fact included the area of General Church contributions. The Committee met with as many Society Treasurers if possible at least once a year to discuss problems and exchange ideas and techniques. In the April meeting to be held in Bryn Athyn, the Committee and Society Treasurers would be working with an experienced consultant on raising funds for church purposes.
     The Rev. Ragnar Boyesen was very grateful for the General Church's support in Scandinavia where our members have to pay heavy government taxes, some up to 50% of their income.
     The Rev. Martin Pryke recommended that our children be trained from an early age to give the church part of whatever money they get.
     The Rev. B. David Holm said that as Secretary Council of the Clergy he had been invited to attend meetings of the Board of Directors and had gained a tremendous respect for the Directors. They are capable men who are dedicated to the General Church and regard its priesthood with great compassion. He felt sure he was speaking for all our clergy in expressing appreciation for the attitude and decisions of the Directors. (These sentiments were applauded.)

     7. The Joint Council reconvened after a short recess. Mr. Gyllenhaal was called on to report on the Finance Committee and the Church Development Fund.
     Mr. Gyllenhaal referring to several items on the written report circulated to members of the Board and to pastors, commented on a number of them. One was a budgeted transfer of $60,000.00 to the Development Fund. It was hoped to transfer an equal amount each year until the Fund's income amounted to $60,000.00 per annum when the transfer of funds would cease.

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He then spoke on loans and grants from the Fund to Glenview, Detroit, Carmel Church's Chalon Estates, and to the Washington Society.
     In answer to a question about the development in Glenview, Mr. Brickman said it was to redevelop the inside of the Park and also to erect multiple housing in an area neighboring the Park. The monies used are partly grants and partly a loan. The loan will be repaid.
     In answer to a question, Mr. Gyllenhaal said the Academy was paying the travel expenses of a pastor and his family from South Africa to Bryn Athyn to join the Academy faculty.
     The Rev. Harold C. Cranch asked whether the Development Fund was concentrating only on communities.
     Mr. Gyllenhaal answered that at present that was the case, but it was not necessarily the policy.
     Mr. Cranch then observed that sooner or later we should establish a study group to look into the possibility of development in city societies which so far suffer from the lack of any program. While the church has gained great strength from its communities, the values of suitable land were escalating so rapidly, that they could be expected before long to be so high that the costs of establishing new communities would become prohibitive in the not too distant future. It seemed important to start to study how to promote and develop city societies efficiently.
     Mr. Keith Morley, on being asked, said that because of the high costs of real estate in the Toronto area, many Olivet Church families had moved to Caryndale, Kitchener, where they could establish themselves for considerably less. To stem the drain, Olivet Church in Toronto has established a separate legal body, financed by voluntary contributions from members of Olivet Church. In various ways, this body helps families establish themselves near the church. One example is making a third mortgage low interest loan to a family. Availing itself of this loan, the family helps Olivet Church in various ways, besides gradually reducing the loan and eventually making the money available to others. He stressed the importance of having a separate legal body undertake a venture of this kind to protect the church's status as a charitable institution, contributions to which are tax free.
     The Rev. Kurt P. Nemitz expressed the opinion that, in view of the many overtime hours Mr. Gyllenhaal devoted to his work, help in the Treasurer's Office was urgently needed.
     Mr. Gyllenhaal said that a committee of the Academy's Board of Directors were studying a reorganization in the Academy, involving specifically the finance area. This involves the General Church as the operations of both its and the Academy's finances involve the same office.

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Furthermore, he is approaching retirement age and it was time to consider a transition to somebody else. Hopefully as a result of the present study there will be a new organization properly staffed.
     Mr. Keith Morley, noting that the Sound Recording Committee seemed to be entirely supported by users and special contributors, felt that so important a use was endangered by being restricted so much for its funding. He pleaded that the General Church not be unwilling to fund that use.
     Bishop King said that until it became a Committee of the General Church the Sound Recording Committee was entirely dependent on private contributions. It still is, though the General Church did recently fund capital costs.
     The Rev Douglas M. Taylor added that the amount was some $4,000.00 to cover the cost of $5,000.00 worth of new equipment.

     8. There being no further business the meeting adjourned.
          NORBERT H. ROGERS,
               Secretary

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VISITORS TO BRYN ATHYN, GLENVIEW, AND TORONTO 1978

VISITORS TO BRYN ATHYN, GLENVIEW, AND TORONTO              1978

     Visitors to Bryn Athyn, Glenview or Toronto who are in need of hospitality accommodations are cordially urged to contact in advance the appropriate Hospitality Committee head listed below:

Mrs. A. Wynne Acton                     Mrs. Philip Horigan
3405 Buck Rd.                         50 Park Dr.
Huntingdon Valley, PA 19006                Glenview, Ill. 60025
Phone: (215) 947-0242                    Phone: (312) 729-5644

Mrs. Sydney Parker
30 Royaleigh Ave.
Weston, Ont. M9P 2J5
IMAGE AND LIKENESS II 1978

IMAGE AND LIKENESS II       Editor       1978


NEW CHURCH LIFE
Office of Publication, Lancaster, Pa.
Published Monthly by
THE GENERAL CHURCH OF THE NEW JERUSALEM
BRYN ATHYN. PA.
Editor               Rev. Morley D. Rich, Bryn Athyn, Pa.
Business Manager          Mr. L. E. Gyllenhaal, Bryn Athyn, Pa.

     All literary contributions should be sent to the Editor. Subscriptions, change of address, and business communications, should be sent to the Business Manager. Notifications of address changes should be received by the 15th of the month.

     TERMS OF SUBSCRIPTION
$5.00 a year to any address, payable in advance. Single copy, 50 cents.
     God created man in His image, and in His likeness as well. And the Writings make a clear distinction between these two. (DP 328: 6; CL 132:7.)

     Man is an "image of God," we are told, in that he has the faculty of "receiving and applying to himself those things which proceed from God"; and we may reflect that "those things which proceed from God" when and as they are received by man only very generally and imperfectly form a representation of the Divine. (Coro. 25.)
     But the second part of man's inmost spirit makes a resemblance or likeness. This is the ability of man to live, love, intend, think, reflect and choose as from himself; (Coro. 26.) and this reflects as in a mirror the power of the Lord Who alone acts of and from Himself.
     It is easy to see that the real appearance and feeling of self-life with man is an extremely strong one, and necessarily so. Otherwise it would be ineffectual. Thus, without any thought at all, we instantly avoid danger to ourselves. If we see a child in danger, we act without thinking, and without any conscious awareness that we are doing it from the Lord's life in us. If we feel compassion for another person who is in misfortune, we do not reflect that this feeling comes to us from the Lord; we simply and as quickly as possible, try to see as of ourselves what might be the wisest and best way to help him.

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     If we add the counterpart teaching to this truth as to the as-of-self, we may glimpse something of the glory of the New Age and Church. That teaching is that nonetheless man should acknowledge that the image and likeness in which he is born inmostly are of and from the Lord. For this means that for the first time, men are enabled to distinguish clearly that which is their best selves from Him Who created them, to see the difference between their own heavenly proprium and the Lord Himself.
     By means of the Word, we are taught what is good and true. Through that knowledge, we are enabled to comprehend that which is our best selves, the "image and likeness of God" which is our inmost spirit from the Lord. And through that "image and likeness" we are able to picture, to visualize, to envision the Lord Himself as a Divinely Human Person, indeed, as our Father in the heavens.
     Even more, we may become able, as time passes, to distinguish more and more acutely and clearly between that which is us, that image and likeness, and the Lord Himself. At last we are re-born and come into the state of the angels who, while they acknowledge and feel most deeply that all life and everything they have are of and from the Lord, at the same time have the most keen and exquisite sensation of being their own person-in other words, a fully conscious feeling of identity, at once separate from and yet part of the Divine-a condition which will appear to be a mere paradox to the natural man, but which is completely understandable to the regenerating man and angel.
CHURCH MUSIC 1978

CHURCH MUSIC       Various       1978

EDITOR:

     Frequently within your pages there appear book reviews; why not a tape review?
     Recently produced but not yet widely circulated is a 45 minute cassette tape entitled Chants. It was prepared by a group of musically knowledgeable Academy of the New Church Theological and College students and a minister of the Bryn Athyn Church. Names of the participants are not mentioned, but they have identities readily discernible from voices that are familiar to many persons.

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     The purpose of the tape, clearly declared by its every sung and spoken syllable, is to instill interest in the better use of chants as part of the musical ritual in worship. This is accomplished without even hint of exhortation, and yet powerfully and with striking effect through careful suggestion and gentle instruction in the usefulness of chants, their literal and spiritual meanings, and particularly by showing the special benefits involved in their proper singing and accompaniment. The presentation is entirely use-oriented, with many solid and practical suggestions offered for the better rendition of this particular form of worship. Illustrations are amply provided by ten interesting and beautiful renditions of chants from the General Church Liturgy and one chant newly composed.
     It is difficult to fully appreciate chanting, observes this tape, when we do not know too well how to do it. I feel qualified by age if not by training or vocation to conform its further observations that musical participation in services of worship is not what it has been or could be; and yet we might readily close that gap and in the process find that "Chanting has very good potential to become some of the best music in the church" and this "mostly because it uses the letter of the Word [rather than] words written by men." Simply stated, all that is really needed is better awareness of the words themselves as well as of the music, and then better correlation of the two.
     Copies of this tape are being made available by the General Church Book Center, Bryn Athyn, Pa. 19009. It would be well indeed for every church goer, and every congregation, to hear this recent tape and benefit from the efforts its producers have put into it.
     I should like to add that this tape came to my attention through my accidental discovery of New Church Music Post, a publication I found so impressive that I immediately acquired copies of all past issues and straightway paid the $1.00 charged for a year's subscription. One dollar, indeed! This periodic publication of the General Church Music Committee (Mrs. Douglas Taylor, Chairman) is beyond value, in the articles by experts from near and far and the reports on its important work of preserving and cultivating the best of church music, including congregational participation. Copies are circulated to all General Church pastors and organists, but beyond that I understand the circulation is meager. The use the committee is working so hard and so well to foster and promote needs the broad support of many. I do not recall having ever seen this committee or its work mentioned in the Life, which is why I emphasize the matter here. From the very nature of this committee's work, the more who read and learn about it the more fruitful that work will be. And for $1.00!
     JOHN J. SCHOENBERGER

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Editor's Note on General Church Music Committee:

     The tape and the publication, the New Church Music Post, mentioned in the above letter are the work of this Committee. Appointed at the General Assembly in 1976, the members have since been hard at work organizing and defining its purposes. As named on the masthead of its periodical, its officers are: Mrs. Douglas M. Taylor, Chairman; the Rev. Martin Pryke, Clergy representative; Mrs. Ian Keal, Secretary; Mrs. Douglas Halterman, Treasurer; Mr. Erland Brock, Tapes; and a number of other members who contribute much time and expertise to the work. Quite a number of useful and intriguing articles have appeared in the pages of its publication. And readers may be interested in the following statement from its Chairman:

     GENERAL CHURCH MUSIC COMMITTEE

     This is a committee of the General Church that you may not have heard about because it is fairly new; it came into being following the 1976 General Assembly in Bryn Athyn.
     Why do we write about it here! Because its work affects everyone in the church-everyone who sings and/or listens to music in our church services.
     Our goals are:

     1. To promote awareness of the importance of music in church services and its relevance to the sphere of worship.
     2. To give support to organists and others who provide music in our worship.

NEW CHURCH MUSIC POST is our publication, three issues a year. Available to anyone interested in church music. Articles for organists; lists of music; news about tape recordings (new ones, too); music news from General Church Societies; letters to the Editor; new compositions-songs for children and others; simplified hymn arrangements; articles on the philosophy of church music; etc.
     Watch for the next issue (your pastor will have it). See what you think of it, and whether it would interest you.
     MRS. DOUGLAS M. TAYLOR,
          Music Comm., Bryn Athyn, Pa. 19009

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LORD'S PRAYER 1978

LORD'S PRAYER       FRANK S. ROSE       1978

To the Editor of New Church Life:

     Continuing with the subject raised by the Rev. Donald Rose on the translations of the Lord's prayer used in the New Church, I came across a resolution presented to the General Conference of the New Church in April 1789, to use the Lord's prayer "in its most literal translation." Later in the same volume, the wording of the prayer as adopted at that time is given:
"Father of us in the heavens; sanctified be thy Name.
Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, as in heaven, so also upon earth. Our daily bread give us this day. And forgive us our debts, as we also forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For Thine is the kingdom, and the power and the glory for ages. Amen" (Minutes of the first seven sessions of Conference, 1793, p. 21).
     FRANK S. ROSE
Arcana of Prayer 1978

Arcana of Prayer              1978

     Whenever I have been reading the Lord's prayer, Ii have plainly perceived art elevation towards the Lord which was like an attraction, and at the same time my ideas were open, and from this there was effected a communication with some societies in heaven; and I noticed that there was an influx from the Lord into every detail of the prayer, thus into every idea of my thought that was from the meaning of the things in the prayer. The influx was effected with inexpressible variety, that is, not the same at one time as another; hence also it was made evident how infinite are the things contained in the prayer, and that the Lord is present in every one of them. Arcana Coelestia 6476.

298


Church News 1978

Church News       Various       1978

     LOS ANGELES, CAL.

     California Assembly. On March 17-19, 1978, 70 people assembled at the Gabriel Church in La Crescenta to celebrate a California Assembly. Bishop King arrived to preside over the festivities with the Rev. David Simons, joined by the Rev. Roy Franson. Friends from San Francisco and San Diego joined the Los Angeles Society, along with New Churchmen from all over the West (and Bryn Athyn!). The theme of the Assembly was "Goals for California." These included goals of evangelization and growth in numbers as well as our personal, spiritual goals.
     Friday night provided an evening of informal gathering and conversation over a light supper as people arrived from their various far-flung destinations. A service of worship was held at 9 p.m. at which Bishop King preached on the subject of "Holy Week."
     On Saturday morning we heard an address by Bishop King in preparation for Palm Sunday and Easter. He spoke of how we can learn of our own conjunction with the Lord by understanding the Lord's glorification. We might look forward in our regeneration to the proprium being put to rest and our entering into truly heavenly life.
     Luncheon was followed by small discussion groups where various issues were raised: internal growth and goals, external goals, and communication within and without the Church. We then gathered to hear what each group had discussed. The feeling seemed to be that we in the West would like to see better communication among ourselves and with people outside the Church and that we need to participate more fully in the life of the Church.
     Jonathan Cranch was toastmaster for our candlelight banquet and he had prepared beautiful musical interludes for us to listen to between presentations. Our speakers gave their thoughts on our relationships with ourselves, our neighbor, and the Lord.
     Stephen Gladish shared with us some of what he has learned as a family counselor to present a look at how we might improve our relationship with our selves, how to identify and achieve our goals. Dottie (Mrs. Gaylor) Smith spoke of our important and tender relationships with each other. Bertil Larson offered his thoughts on our relationship with the Lord and our constantly turning toward Him. He gave an idea of "spiritual tithing," our daily reading of the Word.
     Palm Sunday was celebrated by a children's service conducted by Bishop King, followed by a Holy Supper service with all three of our ministers officiating.
     After luncheon, the Bishop met with the councils of the California groups and our busy and delightful weekend was concluded at an open house at the beautiful home of David and Zoe Simons.
     Many hearts and hands went into the success of the assembly and we all felt a joy in the presence of old and new friends.
     DIANE DAVIS

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     BRYN ATHYN, PA.

     Included in Bryn Athyn's busy and varied schedule (nearly two hundred activities were listed on the Society's calendar for April) are events of interest to the world-wide Church. Of these, the recent meetings of the Council of the Clergy in March is an obvious example. Many scattered members in our Church centers heard reports on the meetings from pastors in attendance, but for Bryn Athyn we would add that these inspiring and valuable sessions provide a most delightful 'fringe benefit' in the pleasure of seeing our ministers, often their wives and other friends who gather for the meetings and a happy round of social activities.
     At the first Friday Supper in April, there was opportunity for over three hundred who had finished dessert and coffee to join in a song and applause to honor Bishop Willard D. Pendleton on the observance of his 70th birthday. In response Bishop Pendleton spoke of his great appreciation for his many memories of the growth and development of the Church, declaring his great confidence in the bright future for this, "the greatest of uses."
     The same weekend we were privileged to welcome a special visitor, the Rev. Joseph Agbaje, a leading minister of the New Church in Africa. Mr. Agbaje addressed the College convocation, describing the New Church in Nigeria with its membership far larger than any of these centers listed in the directory printed in this publication. He also reported on the school with an enrollment of nearly one thousand and spoke of the growing interest and opportunities for the Church in Nigeria and Ghana.
     Among the many activities in Bryn Athyn, the work of the Extension Committee and the Epsilon Society looks outward, and new programs have recently been undertaken, one of which is designed to assure a supply of New Church material for the blind and visually handicapped. As this work progresses we invite members everywhere to contact the Extension Committee in Bryn Athyn if they wish sermons, classes, programs or the Writings for the visually handicapped.
     LEON RHODES

     SWEDENBORG SCIENTIFIC ASSOCIATION

     On Wednesday evening, March 29, 1978, the Swedenborg Scientific Association held its Annual Meeting in Pendleton Hall, the Academy of the New Church, Bryn Athyn, Pennsylvania. Professor Charles S. Cole, Tr. was re-elected President. Other officers include: Mr. Lennart O. Alfelt, Editor of the New Philosophy and Vice President, Miss Hilary Pitcairn, Secretary, and Mr. E. Boyd Asplundh, Treasurer.
     One of the stated purposes of the SSA is the promotion of the principles taught in the Scientific and Philosophical works of Emanuel Swedenborg, having in view likewise their relation to the science and philosophy of the present day. At the Annual Meeting, members and friends were privileged to hear a scholarly address in accordance with this principle, which was presented by Associate Professor Erland J. Brock and entitled "Some Remarks on Swedenborg's Physical Science; Observation, Induction, and Myth."
     Mr. Brock first outlined valid approaches to the study of Swedenborg's pre-theological works. Then, to provide a means whereby these works could be evaluated, some conclusions of Karl R. Popper regarding science were presented. These included the following:
     (1) Confirmations can be found for nearly every theory. Thus, they should not count unless the confirming evidence is at the same time a genuine test of the theology-an attempt to falsify it.
     (2) The criterion of the scientific status of a theory is its falsifiability. If it cannot be falsified, it is not scientific.
     (3) The belief that science proceeds from observation to theory (induction) is false. No "observations" can be made without a presupposed theory.
     (4) Thus, science must begin with myths or conjectures, not with observation and experiment.
     After outlining some 19th and 20th Century reactions to Swedenborg's Principles of Chemistry, Mr. Brock addressed some remarks to selected passages from this work.

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And, after discussing some secular reactions to it, the essence of the ideas in it were enumerated, and evaluated in terms of Popper's theory of science. From this it is seen that Swedenborg was a good scientist. He worked from conjectures about nature, and his ideas (though few were original to him) were mostly correct from a modern standpoint, and are still part of the modern theory of science.
     In closing, Mr. Brock stated his position that "good" scientific theory is theory which is in harmony with good philosophic (metaphysical) theory derived from the Word; for natural truth and spiritual truth must be one.
     JEROME SELLNER
USE OF THE SCIENCES 1978

USE OF THE SCIENCES              1978

     The inhabitants of the earth Jupiter place wisdom in thinking well and justly of all things that happen in life. This wisdom they derive from their parents from infancy, and it is successively transmitted to posterity, and increases from the love they have for it because of its belonging to their parents. Of sciences, such as are in our earth, they know nothing whatever, nor do they wish to know. They call them shades and compare them to clouds which hide the sun. But they were informed that on our earth the sciences are means of opening the intellectual sight, which sight is in the light of heaven; but because such things as appertain to the mere natural and sensual life reign, therefore the sciences to the men of our earth are means of becoming insane, namely, of confirming them in favor of nature against the Divine, and in favor of the world against heaven. They were further informed that the sciences in themselves are spiritual riches, and that they who possess them are like those who possess worldly riches, which in like manner are means of performing uses to himself, his neighbor, and his country, and also means of doing evil. Moreover, that they are like garments, which serve for use and ornament, and also for pride, as with those who would be honored for these alone. The spirits of the earth Jupiter understood these things well; but they wondered that, being men, they should rest in means, and prefer things leading to wisdom before wisdom itself; and that they should not see, that to immerse the mind in such things, and not to elevate it above them, was to becloud and blind it. Earths in the Universe 62.

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EDUCATIONAL COUNCIL 1978

EDUCATIONAL COUNCIL       LOUIS. B. KING       1978




     Announcements
     The General Church Educational Council will hold its 1978 meetings at the Academy of the New Church in Bryn Athyn, Pennsylvania from August 21-25. In addition to members of the Educational Council, all New Churchmen currently active in the work of education are encouraged to attend. For housing or additional information please communicate with the secretary, Mrs. E. Boyd Asplundh, Bryn Athyn, Pa., 19009.
     LOUIS. B. KING,
          Bishop
VARIETIES UNITED 1978

VARIETIES UNITED              1978

     Almost all who enter the other life think that hell is the same to every one, and heaven the same; and yet in both there are infinite varieties and diversities, and in no case is hell or heaven wholly the same to one as to another; as it is impossible that any one man, spirit or angel should ever be wholly like another even as to the face. At my mere thought of two being just alike or equal the angels expressed horror, saying that every     one thing is formed out of the harmonious concurrence of many things, and that the one thing is such as that concurrence is; and that it is thus that a whole society in heaven becomes a one, and that all the societies of heaven together become a one, and this from the Lord alone by means of love. Heaven and Hell 405.

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ADDRESSES UNKNOWN 1978

ADDRESSES UNKNOWN              1978

     Anyone who can supply information as to the whereabouts of the following persons is asked to communicate with the office of the Secretary, General Church of the New Jerusalem, Bryn Athyn, Pa. 19009. Last known addresses are shown.

     United States

Mr. Erwin E. Behlert
311 Cathedral St.
Baltimore, Md. 21201

Mrs. William D. Campbell
241 Hunt Club Road
Baltimore, Md. 21227

Mr. Daniel L. Conn, Jr.
111 Whippo Ave.
Butler, Pa. 16001

Mrs. Georginne De Maine
P.O. Box 102
Medford, N.J. 08055

Mr. Arthur H. Dunham
c/o Steve Dunham
135 W. Portal Ave. #7
San Francisco, Ca. 94121

Mrs. Jonnie Jean Franson
Rt. 3, Indian Lake
Moultrie, Ga. 31768

Mrs. Stephen F. Goldsmith
7288 McClean Blvd.
Baltimore, Md. 21234

Mr. David J. Healy
422 Washington Rd.
Glenview, Ill. 60025

Mrs. Carl Larson
114 Ladd Road
Walled Lake, Mi. 48088

Mr. and Mrs. William Leezer
943 Colfax Drive
Nashville, Tn. 37214

Mrs. Donald McDaniel
938 Pearson St.
Ferndale, Mi. 48220

Mr. Pierre L. Mitchell
c/o Spider Web Studio Ltd.
112 W. First St.
Mt. Vernon, N.Y. 10550

Mr. John R. Norris
2201 19th St.
Cuyahoga Falls, Oh. 44223

Mrs. David Scott, Jr.
1419 Green Oaks
Arcadia, Ca. 91006

Mrs. Edward Seemer
Apt. 334, 103 N E 19th Ave.
Deerfield Beach, F1. 33441

Mrs. Robert Bradstock Smith
460-61-1 Old Town Rd.
Port Jefferson
Long Island, N.Y. 11777

Mr. Grant Umberger
23 Side Hill Road
Westport, Ct. 06880

Col. Harry J. White
835 Federal Highway
Deerfield Beach, Fl. 33441

Mr. and Mrs. Yeyedwa Zungu
Apt. 474 W. Chester West
3025 Hewlett Ave.
Silver Springs, Md. 20906

     Canada

Mr. Gerald W. Penner
2140 Mt. Seymour Parkway
North Vancouver, B.C.

Mr. Eric A. Goble
200 Ninth Ave., N.
Port Alberni, B.C.

     Overseas

Sra. Natalina Correa De Padua
Rua Hidrolandia, 60
Jardim Pedregoso
Campo Gorande
Rio De Janeiro, RJ Brazil

Mme. Henrietta P. De Schrijver
35 Rule De Valais
Paris Ler, France

Sr. Hugo D. Hamann
Avenida Atlantica 3700
Apt. 1001, Copacabana
Rio De Janeiro, Brazil

Sr. Sergio L. Hamann
Avenida Atlantica 3700
Apt. 1001, Copacabana
Rio De Janeiro, Brazil

Mme. Joseph Klookart-Deltenre
119 Rue De Villegas
De Cherchamps
Strombeek, Belgium 1820

Fru Bo Lennart Jansson
Agneshogso 57B
Motala, Sweden

Sr. and Sra. Sergio Menezes
Rua Hidrolandia, 60
Jardim Pedregoso
Campo Gorande
Rio De Janeiro, RJ Brazil

Mr. Edvin A. W. Svensson
Svartbadtsgatan 87 B
Uppsala 4, Sweden

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MINISTERIAL CHANGES 1978

MINISTERIAL CHANGES       LOUIS B. KING       1978

     The Rev. Ottar T. Larsen will serve a special assignment for the General Church in Canada, acting as Visiting Pastor to the Northeastern Canadian District, performing some duties in the Olivet Church, and responding to requests for visits from the Canadian Central West, effective September 1, 1978.

     Candidate Robert D. McMaster has accepted appointment to serve as assistant to the Pastor of the Toronto Society, effective September 1, 1978.

     Candidate J. Clark Echols has been assigned to Glenview as an assistant to the Pastor of the Immanuel Church, effective September 1, 1978.

     Candidate Andrew J. Heilman has accepted appointment as assistant to the Rev. Jose de Figueiredo, minister in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, effective September 1, 1978.

     Candidate Alain Nicolier has been assigned to serve New Church people in France, effective September 1, 1978.

     The Rev. Lorentz R. Soneson has accepted appointment as Acting Secretary of the General Church, and will succeed the Rev. B. David Holm as Director of General Church Religion Lessons and Sunday School work. He will serve also as Editor of New Church Home, effective September 1, 1978.

     General Church Mission Council: to counsel the Bishop in matters relating to the General Church Mission in South Africa, the following men have been asked to serve on the General Church Mission Council: The Rev. Peter M. Buss (Ex-Superintendent), the Rev. Daniel W. Heinrichs (Ex-Superintendent), the Rev. Willard L. D. Heinrichs (Ex-Superintendent), the Rev. Geoffrey H. Howard (Bishop's Representative in South Africa) and the Rev. Norman E. Riley (Mission Superintendent).
     LOUIS B. KING,
          Bishop

305


OLD AGE 1978

OLD AGE       Rev. ALFRED ACTON       1978




NEW CHURCH LIFE
Vol. XCVIII          JULY, 1978               No. 7
     Cast me not off in the time of old age; forsake me not when my strength faileth. Psalm 71:9.

     Man alone of all the creatures living upon this globe is a being capable of life in two worlds. Although he is born like an animal, he alone of all God's creation has an immortal soul, a soul which from birth fashions a mind or spirit that will dwell forever in heaven, unlimited by time and space. Man is unique in that he has both an animal nature, a body, subject to the laws of natural order, and a human nature, a spirit, which responds to spiritual order.
     Nor are these two orders the same. For example, natural order has as its foundation the limits of matter, while spiritual order has but the limits of love. Natural order incorporates the balance of natural forces, old age, death, disease, and the like, while the spiritual knows nought of such things, concerning itself instead with eternal youth, resurrection, and purification from evils. Indeed the dichotomy between these two orders is so complete that angels upon hearing of old age or death in the pages of Scripture, hear not those words but instead think of the new state which shall follow with resurrection.
     In fact spiritual order even reverses natural order when a man enters the other world. Man grows young, not old. So we read:

     They who are in mutual love in heaven are continually advancing to the spring time of their youth, and to a more and more gladsome and happy spring the more thousands of years they live, and this with continual increase to eternity, according to the advance and degree of mutual love, charity, and faith.

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Those of the female sex who have died in old age and enfeebled with years, and who have lived in faith in the Lord, in charity toward the neighbor, and in happy conjugial love with their husbands, after a succession of years come more and more into the bloom of youth and early womanhood, and into a beauty that surpasses all idea of beauty such as is ever perceptible to the natural sight. . . .*
     * AC 553; Cf. DP 324: 4; CL 137:7; AE 1000:4; HH 414

     Yet although man will one day live in a world apart from time and space, although he will one day have forgotten the infirmities of age, and the sorrow of death, still man on earth is limited by natural order. The body which he has put on by birth necessarily must remain subject to laws of nature. Although man may well learn to use those laws to prolong life, still life on earth is necessarily subject to those laws. Granted that man strives to impose spiritual order upon the natural, granted that his spirit seeks to represent this order via the arts and the like, granted that through human language and the use of correspondences he is able to bring something of the spiritual into the natural, still natural and spiritual order are quite different, still man must face the fact that his body, his animal nature, is governed by natural laws; he will age. He will die. But, we might ask, Why is all this necessary?
     The fact is that man must be born on earth if he is to exist at all. He must have a beginning in time, if he is to have any finite limit and so an existence outside of the Divine. Love, or the spirit, is in itself unlimited, uncreated, unless it has a beginning in the world of time and space. All those now in the other world necessarily were born on earth. All necessarily passed from this earth via the medium of death into that new world of the spirit where love can increase to eternity. Such is the cycle of life. There are no such things as spirits created in the spiritual world.
     So we must acknowledge that both natural order, with its old age and death, and spiritual order, with its new beginnings and life, are a part of that higher order which unites them, Divine order itself. We are born into a body that has a direct correspondence with our spirit. Indeed all that befalls our body affects that spirit. The cycle of natural life, the cycle of infancy, childhood, adolescence, youth, adulthood, and old age, is a cycle designed by our Maker to perfect the spirit. It is a cycle which is a part of Divine order, though natural, and so compliments the perfection of the spirit wherein we shall dwell to eternity. There must then be a Divinely ordained reason why men will pass through this cycle of life, that is, why men will necessarily grow old and at last die.
     Such reasons are in fact revealed in the pages of the New Word. We read: "'Old age' in the internal sense does not signify 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."*

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In other words, as man's body, or his animal nature, loses its forces, man's spirit becomes more and more capable of seeing the ratio between his spirit and his body and so can place things of the spirit more and more in proper perspective. As natural pleasures cease in the increase of age, spiritual pleasures can increase, and it becomes easier for man to subordinate the animal in him to that which is truly human. One use of old age, then, is to give man a better perspective between the spirit and the sensual, between heaven and hell, for hell can readily be described as the frustration of trying to live like an animal in a world governed by spiritual order. A second and closely related use of old age is described by Swedenborg in his Diary where he states that he was permitted by the Lord to explain to a spirit who sought to return to his natural body, that such a thing was contrary to order, which has ordained that man will enter into old age wherein his body decays of itself; like as the husk of a seed is disjoined, so he desires to be unloosed from the body. Thus, the teaching continues, "it was appointed; and thus (man) proceeds to interiors, thus to the other life."** In other words the decline, or to use the term of revelation, "the decay" of the natural body is a part of the orderly preparation for heaven a man undergoes, enabling him to seek release from pain and disease, and to accept, without rejecting the Divine Providence and God's mercy, that inevitable transition into the true world of his spirit; that is, to accept the death of the body.
     * AC 4676
      ** SD 2665
     But so far we have seen two uses of old age that at best can be considered negative uses. Surely if a man could by revelation be prepared for eternal life and so see the proper ratio between spirit and senses, surely then old age would be unnecessary. Such perhaps might be the case on other planets, as for example on Jupiter, where, we learn, men die at about the age of thirty, apparently unencumbered by disease, suffering, or old age. But such is not, and probably never was, the case on this planet, for the general use of the people of this planet demands that positive quality of old age, as yet unmentioned-the quality best described by the term wisdom. The special use of this planet is to proclaim the good news of the Divine Human, of the Lord's incarnation. As such this use demands history, the remembrance and the passing on from generation to generation of this good news. So our use demands the wisdom which revelation tells us is the peculiar quality of age.

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Adults can be intelligent, but the elderly are truly wise. This fact, of course, does not mean that wisdom is something that magically comes with age. Indeed, many will never attain true wisdom, but it does mean that wisdom is more possible at this age than at any other, since it is in old age that man can have true rationality, that is, that he can see the proper ratio between the spirit and the body. Wisdom necessarily demands such rationality, since wisdom simply defined is the means whereby man puts good loves into act. One must have good loves to be wise; how else can he put them into act? And so one must be confirmed in love by life, which again is a state proper to old age.
     There is a further quality in the wisdom of the aged, namely, innocence. Hear these words of revelation:

     Man is so created as to be during his childhood in external innocence, and when he becomes old in internal innocence, to the end that he may come by means of the former into the latter, and from the latter return into the former. For the same reason when a man becomes old he dwindles in body and becomes again like a child, but like a wise child, that is, an angel, for a wise child is in an eminent sense an angel.*
     * HH 278:3

     We should not confuse this teaching with a description of senility, of which we shall speak in a moment; rather, the innocence of wisdom is an angelic state, a state that has recognized man's frailities in comparison to God's omnipotent mercy and so has become content with the leading of Providence.
     Old age, then, is a positive progression into the life of heaven, which can become the best state of all. Hear these words:

     It is known that man puts off his state of infancy with its toys when he passes into the state of youth; that he puts off his state of youth when he passes into the state of mature age; and at last this state when he passes into that of old age. And if one will consider he may also know that every age has its delights, and that by these he is introduced by successive steps into those of the age next following; and that these delights had served the purpose of bringing him thereto; and finally to the delight of intelligence and wisdom in old age.*
     * AC 4063:4

     Old age can enjoy delights never before experienced as the innocence of wisdom increases. Yea, even natural delights lost with the progression of age can find counterparts. So conjugial love endures through old age even to eternity. Conjugial friendship may well increase with the advance of age and the loss of physical power, if only the married couple acknowledges their new state and abides in "chaste favor" towards each other. If such be the case then there "may result a friendship which, as it is between married partners, appears like a love emulating conjugial love.

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That there may be friendship as of that love between aged married partners," the teaching concludes, "is attested by experience as to the tranquillity, security, amiability, and abundant comity of their close companionship, intercourse, and consociation."*
     * CL 290
     One further positive value in old age, which also helps us to understand the permission of senility, is the fact that remains are implanted to the end of a man's life. Remains, of course, are those states on which a man will draw in the other life for increased happiness even to eternity. We read:

     (Remains) are all the states of the affection of good and truth with which a man is gifted by the Lord, from earliest infancy even to the end of life; which states are stored up for him for the use of his life after death; for in the other life all the states of his life return. . . . The more remains therefore that a man has received in the life of the body, that is, the more of good and truth, the more delightful and beautiful do the rest of his states appear when they return.*
     * AC 1906

     Since man in both old age and senility has returned to a state similar to childhood, whether it be by the innocence of wisdom or by ignorance, there is in this last phase of a man's life a reuniting with celestial angels and a new ordering of those celestial states which he may later enjoy to eternity. So we read of this last state that it is "a state of wisdom, in which is the innocence of infancy; thus the first state and the last are united; and man when old, being again a little child, but wise, is introduced into the Lord's kingdom."* And again: "In old age spirits are present (with a man) who are in wisdom and innocence, and who thus communicate with the inmost or third heaven."**
     * AC 3183
     ** HH 295
     Let us then as we face the advance of old age, remember the positive spiritual progression taking place within us; let us remember as the Lord teaches, "that old age is the age when corporeal things begin to be put off, and with them the loves of the preceding age, and so is the age when the interiors begin to be enlightened, for these are enlightened when corporeal things are removed. . . ."* Let us be willing to face the loss of such natural things in the sure knowledge that Divine order wills our eternal happiness and has ordained such decline because of the innocence of wisdom and the increase of celestial remains that thereby may be ours. Let us have faith in God our Maker; let us be strong in the wisdom of His providence knowing full well that God is with us and will not forsake us.

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The Psalmist when faced with the temptations imposed by the decline of his natural body has given us the words whereby we may call upon the Lord who in the truth of His Word will indeed give us comfort.
     * AC 3492
     "Cast me not off in the time of old age; forsake me not when my strength faileth." Amen.

     LESSONS: Genesis 18:1, 2, 9-14. John 21:15-18. Arcana Coelestia 10225:1, 6.
FOUR STATES OF MAN 1978

FOUR STATES OF MAN              1978

     From infancy to extreme old age a man passes through many interior states of intelligence and wisdom. The first state is from birth to the fifth year. This is a state of ignorance, and of innocence in ignorance, and is called infancy. The second state is from the fifth to the twentieth year; this is a state of instruction and knowledge, and is called boyhood. The third state is from the twentieth to the sixtieth year, which is a state of intelligence, and is called adolescence, youth and manhood. The fourth or last state is from the sixtieth year and upwards, which is a state of wisdom and of innocence in wisdom . . . this is the state when man has no longer any concern about understanding truths and goods, but about willing and living them; for this is to be wise. And man can will truths and goods and live them so far as he is in innocence, that is, so far as he believes that he is wise in nothing of himself, but that whatever wisdom he has is from the Lord; also so far as he loves it to be so; hence it is that this state also is of innocence in wisdom. Arcana Coelestia 10, 225:1, 6.

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SAMSON, A NAZARITE 1978

SAMSON, A NAZARITE       Rev. LOUIS B. KING       1978

     Like Samuel and John the Baptist who came after him, Samson was a Levite from the womb. By a Levite is represented the Lord as to His Divine Human,* and by the Divine Human of the Lord is specifically meant the natural degree or conscious plane of human life which the Lord put on when in the world, and subsequently glorified.**
     * AC 3300, 3301, 5247
     ** TCR 109; DLW 233
     A Nazarite also represents the celestial man who from love to the Lord affirms and uses with power Divine truths in the ultimates of life, and this without trying to establish its absolute authority by means of human reason.
     The key concept to hold in mind when the word "Nazarite" is mentioned is Divine power present and effective in the ultimates of order. It is fitting, then, that a Nazarite should re-present the Lord's Divine natural, for it was by means of this additamentum that the Lord redeemed the human race. The Divine Human, which the Lord assumed, became the Word made flesh so that the very Divine love in human form might dwell among men. And it is appropriate that a Nazarite also should represent the Letter of the Word in which Divine truth resides in its fullness and great power. The Lord's human which He assumed became the Word made flesh; so of this Divine natural, after its glorification, it could be said, "all power has been given unto Me in heaven and on earth."*
     * Matt. 28:18
     No razor was to touch the head of the Nazarite; he himself was to touch no unclean thing; nor was he to taste any product or by-product of the vine, especially wine or other strong drink. Such prohibitions were to be adhered to for the sake of the representation. Uncut hair was a symbol of profuse and unobstructed power of Divine truth when applied directly in the outmosts of life. The fruit of the vine denotes what is spiritual involving discussion, reflection, and rationalizing from doctrine. Such recourse to doctrine is befitting the spiritual man but not the celestial man, whose living response to doctrine is ever a spontaneous yea, yea or nay, nay. With the celestial man truth is perceived to be true because the Lord has said so and accordingly, with powerful effect, lived.

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     That a Nazarite was to touch no unclean thing further testifies to the celestial quality of good which was to be represented.
     When the Lord came into the world He became the Word made flesh. By means of the Word He overcame the world, redeemed mankind and glorified His human natural degree. Thus did He provide for an immediate presence through influx not before possible.* And because the human nature with the Lord was at first finite and tinged by the mother with evil heredity, fallacies arose in the conscious thought of the Lord. When in states of humiliation, human appearances of truth and human affections arose which could be used by the hells to attack and cause the Son of Man to suffer severe temptations.
     * AC 2031
     Divine truth, bound by human appearances originating in states of finite reception, (at first present in the Lord's natural degree), offered the hells access to the Lord's love for the salvation of men. So was His Infinite love, as manifest in His human consciousness, brought into doubt, and accordingly did He suffer.
     Appropriately then, Samson's struggles in behalf of Israel took place in territory occupied by the Philistines, who represent faith alone or the persuasive conceit of self-intelligence, originating in truth darkened by sensual appearances.
     But let us turn to the literal narrative of Samson's life and see how so many incidents therein paralleled and thus prefigured similar occurrences with regard to the Lord's life.
     The Philistines pressed hard upon the Israelites, particularly the little tribe of Dan situated in the Southwest. Because Dan provided an entrance to the land, both south and north, it represents acknowledgment of the Word and hence affirmation towards the authority of Divine truth. Fittingly Samson, who was to represent the power of Divine truth in ultimates, should come forth from Dan to be Israel's deliverer from the Philistines.
     Zorah is the place! High upon a hill in Dan overlooking the vineyard valleys of Timnath and Sorek, a man named Manoah and his wife received angelic annunciation of the future birth of Samson. Twice the angel appeared to emphasize the importance of the child's Nazariteship. As at a later date angelic annunciation to the virgin Mary would inform her that the child to be born of her would be called Jesus and that He would save His people from their sins, so the angelic messenger to Manoah's wife declared that Samson would be a Nazarite from the womb and that he would begin to deliver Israel from the Philistines.

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It is to be noted that the Philistines were not entirely subdued until the reign of Hezekiah, long after Saul and David had battled the persistent foe.
     Samson was to be the first champion of Israel to deliver his countrymen from the Philistines, and when he was grown he at first displeased his parents by turning his affection rather than his anger toward the Philistines and, in particular to a woman there whom he had resolved to marry. Accompanied by his parents he passed through the vineyards of Timnath and, (momentarily separated from his family), was attacked by a young lion that roared upon him. And it is written, "the spirit of the Lord came mightily upon him, and he rent him as he would a kid."
     A lion attacking Samson the Nazarite, passing through a vineyard of forbidden fruit, on his way to betroth a Philistine woman, indeed, portrays a representative picture of temptation. The Lord when a child was indeed tempted to remain in mere knowledges of truth and in the delights of these. We learn this from the spiritual sense of the Abraham story. Also, the Lord in His youth was tempted to regard the rational mind as the origin of doctrine, for so it appeared in His first rational consciousness because of the limitations of the human at that time. Divine perception, however, assured Him that the doctrine of faith is spiritual from a celestial origin and is to be illustrated and confirmed by the rational, not established thereby as to its authority. Isaac's sojourn with Abimelech, king of the Philistines, illustrates this 'truth, particularly in connection with Isaac calling Rebecca his sister instead of his wife.
     And finally, the Lord, when tempted in the wilderness, was attacked by the devil's own misuse of Scripture, which was Divinely countered by the Lord's own use of His Word, "it is written, thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God."* Surely a young lion attacking Samson illustrates the many ways in which the Lord's own truth, misapprehended because of fallacious appearances attacks the very end and purpose of the Divine love.
     * Matt. 4:7
     On his second journey to Timnath to celebrate his marriage to the Philistine woman, Samson stopped off to see the carcass of the lion he had slain, and behold he found therein honey. Retrieving some of the honey to sustain himself and to delight his parents with its sweetness, they journeyed on to Timnath. What a beautiful representation we have here! The strength and sweetness of life which accrue to those who are faithful in temptation. Alone, ever alone, the Lord stood firm against the ferocity of the hells. With His own arm, for there was no man or angel to assist Him, He subjugated the hells, ordered the heavens, and established His spiritual church with men.

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And those finite creatures in His image and likeness who follow in His Divine footsteps, shunning evils as sins against Him-for such, the hells that would have devoured them eternally are put down, and there descends into their hearts and lives the strength of peace and the sweetness of heavenly joy.
     Descriptive of this inversion which the Lord accomplishes in the man who is being regenerated was the riddle Samson put to his thirty Philistine companions at the wedding feast; "Out of the eater came forth meat, and out of the strong came forth sweetness."*
     * Jud. 14:14
     Unable to answer the riddle and unwilling to pay the price of the wager, thirty sheets and thirty changes of garments, the Philistine companions secretly threatened the life of Samson's wife. So she wept before Samson until he gave her the answer. Through this deceitful ploy the thirty Philistines were able to answer Samson on the seventh day, "What is sweeter than honey, and what is stronger than a lion?" Enraged at their mischief Samson strode down to the Philistine city of Ashkelon and slew there thirty citizens, returning with their garments to satisfy his debt. His anger not yet abated Samson returned to his father's house in Zorah.
     Reflection upon the amount of the wager, thirty sheets and thirty changes of garments, seems to bear reference to the inner and outer garments of the Lord over which lots were cast; and it calls to mind thirty pieces of silver, the price of truth betrayed. The inner and outer garments refer to the internal and external senses of the Word, both of which are attacked in times of temptation. Here we would note in passing that the Lord, in states of exinanition, could be attacked and tempted only as to truth, not good. And in the case of truth it was truth Divine obscured by appearances, as could be represented by the Philistines, and not Divine truth in itself.
     On a day not long after his return to Zorah, Samson again went down to see his wife, to present her with a gift of reconciliation but found that she had been given to another. Incensed once again with his Philistine adversaries he snared 300 foxes, fastened them tail to tail with fire torches and turned them loose in the sun-ripened fields of grain, ready for harvest. The conflagration that ensued destroyed also the vineyards and olive groves.
     When cunning acts of prudence, signified by foxes, which have misused truth by separation from good, are exposed a holocaust of self-destruction ensues. During the Last Judgment in the world of spirits, when light of the Word newly given shone forth exposing hypocritical states of those who had manufactured the fictitious heavens, violent earthquakes and self-destructive flames of fire were seen.

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The fire of self-love is that which destroys the wheat and the olive and the fruit of the vine when faith alone is exposed by the light of Divine truth.
     In retaliation for this act of destruction the Philistines burned the house of Samson's wife and father-in-law with fire, the inhabitants perishing in the flames. Whereupon Samson attacked the men of that city smiting them hip and thigh until a great slaughter had been accomplished. Having done this Samson took refuge on a cliff-top at Etam near Bethlehem. Pursuing him thither the Philistines demanded of the men of Judah that he be delivered bound. Judah's consent to bind and deliver their own savior is reminiscent of Judas Iscariot's willingness to betray the Lord. Samson, however, upon the approach of his enemies burst the bonds of new ropes (that had been placed securely to retain him) and, taking in hand the jawbone of a recently fallen ass, attacked the Philistines with such ferocity that a thousand men fell dead before, from exhaustion, he ceased his frenzied pace.
     Let us remember that in the Lord truth alone could be attacked. And truth, not good, could fight. Hence it is evident why it is said of Samson in the Word, "the effect of his strength by reason of his hair was principally from his representing the Lord, who from the natural man as to truth fought with the hells and subdued them, and this before He put on Divine good and truth even as to the natural man."*
     * AC 3301e
     The jawbone of an ass represents reasoning from the truth of the Word made spiritual by acknowledgment of the Lord. With the Lord the jawbone of an ass represented His acknowledgment of the Divine within the human and consequent resolve to drive out those forces of evil and falsity that would obscure the ends of Divine love. Such must have been the active state of His human when the Lord overturned the tables of money changers in the temple at Jerusalem and cast out all those that would make His house of prayer a place of worldly merchandise-a den of truths falsified by sensual appearances.
     Continuing the chronology of Samson's life we find him next entering the Philistine city of Gaza, enticed by a harlot there whose name remains unknown. While he slept in that city the men of Gaza locked the gates, awaiting the dawn to kill the unsuspecting Danite. But at midnight Samson arose and lifting the mammoth gates of the city to his shoulders carried them forty miles to Hebron.
     While in Gaza Samson had been attracted to the second of three Philistine women who played important parts in the history of the Nazarite.

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These in general represent apparent truths, or truths not fully Divine, from which the Lord fought before the human was made Divine.* Such obscure or apparent truths, together with their affections and false sensual appearances, were represented by the three Philistine women. That Samson was susceptible to such intrigue represents the weakness of the Lord's finite human before glorification in that it was susceptible to human appearances of truth. Last of these was Delilah of whom it also is said that Samson loved her. Promised by the lords of the Philistines that she would receive an immense monetary reward if she could discover wherein Samson's great strength resided, Delilah implored him, day after day, to reveal his secret to her. Three times he deceived her. Green withes or new bowstrings; new ropes never used; the weaving of his seven locks of hair in a great loom; all these expedients were tried, but each time when the Philistines rushed in upon him, he burst the bonds of his confinement and with ease went his way in freedom. The fourth time, however, Samson yielded to her persistent entreaty and as he slept upon her knees she caused the hair of his head to be cut, and his strength immediately passed from him.
     * AC 1489, 1542, 4855
     The cruel treatment he then received, the indignities and scorn heaped upon him by his triumphant adversaries, prefigured the spirit with which the One whom he represented would be scourged and spit upon and mocked before crucifixion. As the Word of the Lord describes it spiritually, "The Lord alone sustained the most cruel combats of temptation by His own strength or His own power; for He was surrounded by all the hells, and continually conquered them."* Temptation, remember, is an attack by the hells which brings man's love into doubt. The greater, the higher the love, the more severe the anxiety when doubts occur. The Lord's love, for the salvation of all men, as well as His Infinite desire to uplift and unite His human to the Divine, were sorely tempted-painfully so beyond our ability even to comprehend. But from the Divine in the human, from His own power and alone He overcame.
     * AC 1692
     We see Samson standing between the supporting pillars of Dagan's temple with upwards of three thousand Philistines sitting upon the roof, screaming their defiance and contempt for the pitiable figure beneath-the giant hero of Israel who had judged his people twenty years, humbled before his enemies in apparent defeat.
     Assisted by a lad, Samson took hold of the two supportive columns of the temple. And we ask, "What are these two supports of the hells?" In the Lord while on earth they mere the twin appearances that the human race could not be saved and that the human of the Lord could not be made Divine and uplifted into union with His Infinite soul; in the Christian world they are the appearances of a vicarious atonement and salvation by faith alone; and in the life of regeneration they are the persuasive appearances of self-life, namely, that man lives from himself alone and that from self-intelligence he can save himself.

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     So did Samson clutch the pillars and bow himself with his whole strength, and it was finished. As on a day centuries later, Joseph of Arimathea would gently take from the cross the Lord's body and bury it in a sepulcher which he had prepared for himself, so all his brethren and the house of his father came down and brought up Samson and buried him in the burying place of Manoah, his father, between Zorah and Eshtaol overlooking the pleasant vineyards of Timnath and Sorek. As the legend of Samson's life and death grew, as his countrymen remembered "that in his death he slew more Philistines than in his life," the words of his riddle gained depth of meaning, "Out of the eater came forth meat, and out of the strong came forth sweetness."
HANDEL'S "MESSIAH" AND THE SECOND COMING 1978

HANDEL'S "MESSIAH" AND THE SECOND COMING       RICHARD R. GLADISH       1978

     I. The Second Coming

     Out of the yellowed pages of Robert Hindmarsh's memoirs (The Rise and Progress of the New Jerusalem Church) emerges a picture of a marvelous period when heaven seemed to brood over the nascent New Church with special care, and the veil that separates the natural and spiritual world seemed less fixed and opaque than usual. Swedenborg had been led through that veil during the seventeen-forties, and the first volume of the Latin Arcana Coelestia had been published in London in 1749, followed by an English translation the next year. Other volumes of the Writings-Heaven and Hell, The New Jerusalem And Its Heavenly Doctrine, The Four Doctrines, The Divine Love and Wisdom, Conjugial Love, and True Christian Religion-followed, along with Apocalypse Revealed and Apocalypse Explained. John Clowes of Manchester had translated the Arcana, TCR, CL, and Earths in the Universe following Swedenborg's death in 1772.

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     Hindmarsh read three books of the Writings and "instantly perceived their contents to be of heavenly origin." His father, James, read and also came into the belief. It was a time of spiritual ferment. "On almost all the walls in and for miles around London large chalk written letters proclaimed, 'Christ is God, wherever the eye was turned . . . none could tell by whom or when. . . ." "The inscriptions were continued for several years, renewed by an unknown hand," Robert Hindmarsh continues, "The chalk writer, whoever he was, perhaps not knowing the full force of his words or the source from which he was compelled to write, committed to the walls and stones of the town the testimony which the powers of the spiritual world were at that time earnestly engaged in making known to men and in the natural world, in a more explicit and intelligible form, by the Heavenly Doctrines of the New Jerusalem."
     The first public meeting to establish the New Church brought together five men in the Queen's Arms Tavern at 5 p.m. Thursday evening, December 5, 1783. And Hindmarsh, alert to correspondence, points out that December doubled. Five corresponds to remains of spiritual life from which a New Church can be formed on the destruction of a preceding one; twelve (the month) denotes an assemblage of all the goods and truths of the Church together. That they met in an inn signifies a place where knowledges of truth and good are obtained.
     James Glen, one of the five, who launched the New Church in the New World, reported that after a ship captain had given him a Latin Heaven and Hell, "while sailing on the surface of the great deep . . . his eyes were opened to behold an abyss of divine truths above and around him."
     Then there was the saving of the precious manuscript of Apocalypse Explained, which Robert Hindmarsh was printing. Henry Peckitt, as editor, had the manuscript of Vol. II at home. Fire broke out in his house. The house fell in, demolished. The desk in which the manuscript was kept was destroyed. Imagine the consternation in the minds of editor and printer. But the manuscript was found later in the house of a neighbor. A fireman, unable to move the heavy desk, had thrown the manuscript into the street, whence it had been rescued. Peckitt was in tears of joy. It was noted that Swedenborg, while writing the explication of the 12th chapter of the Apocalypse had been beset in the spiritual world by the spirits of the Dragon, and, "what are called accidents and misfortunes in the natural world are brought about by presence and spheres of spirits in the spiritual world, whose agency, when extended to nature, is directed and controlled by Infinite Wisdom and Goodness, according to the laws of Divine permission."

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     Then on the evening of July 31, 1787, a meeting was held to form the New Church upon earth; James Hindmarsh was chosen by lot to act as priest for the Holy Supper, and Robert Hindmarsh was chosen by unanimous choice and also by lot, to ordain him as the first priest of the New Church.
     The little band apparently saw meaning in the circumstances surrounding the death of the first New Church member to leave this work for the next-James Rayner, 33, who died July 19, 1788. Two days before his death, a red-breast came in and perched on his feet as he lay in bed, and sang in "a most delightful manner, and again at the time of his death"; The robin visited his window till the third day, then returned no more.
     Meanwhile, in Manchester arose a powerful apostle of the Second Coming: The Rev. John Clowes, who kept his post as a saintly and honored priest of the Established Church for 62 years, despite his allegiance to and tireless efforts for the cause of the New Church. In his memoirs Clowes describes how his attention was first focused on the Writings. Having purchased True Christian Religion at the urging of a friend, but feeling no impetus to read it, he went for an extended visit to the home of an old Cambridge University friend. One morning while on the visit, a glory appeared to him surrounding the words Divinum Humanum, which he had glimpsed before leaving home in his Latin volume. A second similar experience lasting an hour or more the following morning sent him home post-haste to read the neglected volume. Having done so, his eyes were opened and his heart given to the new revelation. His preachings, lectures, and writings made the Writings well-known in the Manchester area, and his translations supported the work. Attacked by three clergymen for heresy, Clowes cleared his name in a talk with Bishop Porteus, and continued his work for the New Doctrines without interruption. It was noted that of the three clergymen who tried to persecute him for heresy, two died in a few months, and the third was transferred out of the district.
     Having decided to translate Arcana Coelestia, Mr. Clowes wondered whether he should not resign his pastorate. "Whilst pondering this subject one morning he was made sensible of the presence of an angelic society from whom there seemed to be an internal communication, 'Do not do it: (resign) we will help you.' From that time, he declared, his sermons gave him no trouble . . . he would awake in the night: a text would be suggested; he would fall asleep again, come down in the morning, commit the text to paper, and then the matter would flow as fast as the pen could move."*
     * T. Compton, Life and Correspondence of the Rev. John Clowes, Longman's Green, London, 1874, p. 39.

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     The author of the quoted volume notes that after a while, the development of a rational acceptance of the new truths seemed to put an end to such unusual manifestations as have been noted.*
     * Editor's note: Such unsought phenomena and resultant process have been observed and commented upon by New Churchmen through the years.

     II. Handel's "Messiah"

     In the same decade during which Swedenborg's spiritual eyes were opened, George Frederic Handel's Messiah was composed, performed, and made its mark upon British culture with repeated sell-out performances in Dublin and London. Handel, whose musical genius was balanced by deep religious feeling and probity of character, composer of 46 operas and 71 cantatas as well as instrumental music, was inspired to work with more than his usual speed and diligence by the theme of the Messiah. During 23 days in 1741, from August 22 to September 14, Handel, a bachelor, did not leave his house in London, and scarcely left his study, having a servant bring him his meals as he worked. After completing the score of the Hallelujah chorus, he called his man servant and with tears in his eyes said, "I did think I did see all heaven before me, and the Great God Himself."
     And what was that inspiring theme? The prophecies and fulfillment of the Lord's nativity, His passion and resurrection as the Redeemer of mankind. The focus is entirely upon the Lord as the one God. The text is entirely from the Word, with the exception of several inclusions toward the end from the non-canonical works of Paul. "Messiah" is from the Hebrew word meaning "the anointed" and is equivalent to the Greek Christos, or anointed one.
     At the premiere April 13, 1742 in Dublin, 700 crowded into a hall for 600; the ladies were asked to leave their hoops, and the men their swords, at home to make room. After another performance in Dublin, Handel brought his oratorio to Covent Gardens, London, on April 6, 1743. At this initial London performance a tradition was born. Grove's Dictionary of Music and Musicians tells the story: "Messiah was performed for the first time there (in London) on March 23, 1743. It is related that on this occasion, the audience was exceedingly struck and affected by the music in general, but when that part of the Hallelujah Chorus began, 'For the Lord God Omnipotent reigneth,' they were so transported that they all, with the King (George II) who was present, started at once to their feet and remained standing till the chorus ended. The custom has continued."*
     * Grove's Dictionary, Vol. II:283.

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     The message of the Messiah is the same as the message which the twelve disciples carried throughout the whole spiritual world by Divine Command on June 19, 1770: that the Lord God Jesus Christ doth reign, whose kingdom shall be for ages of ages.*
     * TCR 791
     This message is by no means universally accepted by the learned world even yet, but through the music and words of Handel's oratorio it was received with joy by many of all classes as early as 1742, and after 1750 increasingly in England, America, Europe, Asia, and Africa. Possibly there is no one musical work which is so widely known and so affectionately received and performed in this world. It is dramatic music, as the Rev. Kenneth Stroh points out, and perhaps music such as this was needed to impress the message upon the affections of the peoples of the earth. The Encyclopedia Britannica notes: "Musicians will never cease to love and revere Handel as one of the greatest composers, whose inspired work is a marvel of architectonic power, perfect sense of style, and the power to rise to the most sublime heights by the simplest means." A year or two ago, the New Church Herald (Conference publication) told of a British visitor in South Africa being greeted by Mrs. Obed Mooki's choir with a rendition of the Hallelujah Chorus. The complete work was performed by the Bryn Athyn Orchestra and augmented choir in 1974, adding to the thousands of performances given throughout the world.

     III. Conclusions

     The early New Church and the Messiah came together in 1784 when a great Handel festival was celebrated in Westminster Abbey, Handel's burial place. Before the full cathedral audience, including the royal family, nobles, and gentry, a musical ensemble numbering 515 rendered Handel's Messiah, as a fifth and concluding day of the festival, a performance ordered by the Queen. (So says the Gentleman's Magazine of London, for June, 1784, on pages 457 and 458-a prize possession of the Academy Library.)
     Hindmarsh and the other early New Churchmen of London were in attendance at the five-day Handel festival, and made sure that no one entered without receiving a card advertising the Theosophical Society's meetings with a list of Swedenborg's books in translation. According to Hindmarsh, this brought several attenders to the meetings and spread the reputation of the new society's lofty aims and thinking among the upper levels of British society. (The Theosophical Society preceded the first organized body of the New Church, (1787) and the first meeting of the English conference in 1789).

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     Let us pause to review what the Writings say about music. It is the language of the affections. Sound . . . music . . . "does not-come-from any origin in the natural world, but from an origin in the spiritual world. . . . Harmonious sound and its varieties correspond to states of joy and gladness in the spiritual world (which) arise from affections of good and truth."* Other passages speak of festivals with instruments and choruses,** and of glorifications in which great numbers of angels are heard in chorus. In Conjugial Love there is described a glorification of the Lord by the Heavens on account of His Advent, based upon the words of Scripture, including "He shall feed His flock like a shepherd," and "Unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given . . ." which are also parts of the Messiah.***
     * AC 8337
     ** CL 6, 17
     *** CL 81
     The intellectual message of the Writings to date has been but scantily received in the world. This unwilling, even spiteful reception was represented in heaven by a paper luminous with the truths of the Writings which grew darker and darker as it was let down into human society on earth.* Another side of the problem was shown in John Clowes' remark after his eyes had been opened to the contents of the Writings: "a strong and ardent desire was enkindled to put others in possession of the same sources of heavenly intelligence. For the whole testimony, as delivered by the messenger of the New Jerusalem . . . appeared . . . like a radiant glory from the face of Jesus Christ, and repeatedly called to . . . recollection the words of the Incarnate God where, speaking of His second advent, He says, "Then shall ye see the sign of the Son of Man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory." (Matt. 34:30) But the difficulty was, how to make known this glory to the rest of the world, since it was at that time involved in a dead language not generally understood, and scattered through voluminous writings. . . ."**
     * CL 533
     ** Memories of John Clowes, p. 26
     Clowes, undaunted, goes on: "But that which is difficult, and even impossible with man, is possible with God." He translated the Arcana, TCR, Conjugial Love, and other of the Writings, and did much to make the Manchester region for a time in the 19th Century, into "A paradise of the New Church," with fourteen large churches, many day schools, and membership including the mayor of Salford and five members of Parliament, while Clowes himself refused a bishopric in the Church of England and was quoted in the highest counsels of the land.
     Despite this early, fast-fading success, it cannot be said that the world as a whole was impressed by the spiritual and rational message of the Second Advent.

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This seemingly must bide its time-"Until a time, and times, and half a time."* Yet it would seem that the affectional message of the Messiah, like a heavenly glorification of the Lord in His Second Advent, couched in the sacred words of Scripture, has echoed and reechoed all about the globe for these 236 years in many languages and in many climes. John Rockwell in "A Burst of Handel"** recalls "one of his great concert-going experiences to have been a complete performance of "Messiah" sung in Chinese."
     * CL 533
     ** New York Times, Dec. 9, 1976
     Perhaps this is a manifestation of the Divine mercy for a world which could not in the nature of things begin to absorb much of His final message to the mind of mankind for some hundreds of years-not to leave them comfortless, but to come to them. Thus we behold an inspiring musical invitation to enter affectionally into the great central truths of His First Coming-the Oneness of Christ and Jehovah; the Incarnation of The Ancient of Days. And this musical invitation was delivered in London in 1743-the same year in which the Lord first appeared to Swedenborg and opened his sight into the spiritual world.* We recall that it was just this message which the Twelve were sent through all the spiritual world to announce and proclaim.
     * See Swedenborg's Letter to T. Hartley, Aug. 5, l769
     In a world where Providence prevails despite permissions, it is not difficult to accept the possibility, at least, that it was not accidental that the Messiah came into the world in the same decade in which Swedenborg was entering into his spiritual use; that, indeed, the first great performance in London occurred at almost the same time he beheld the countenance of the Lord in vision in 1743.*
     * Another curious fact is that it was shortly after this that Swedenborg wrote the little work, "The Messiah About to Come." Cf. NEW CHURCH LIFE, 1956:63, and 1975, p. 54.-Editor.
     And, finally, from the records of the early New Church in England, it would appear that, as at the Lord's First Advent, so at His Second, the early Church was aided in establishing a foothold on the earth by occasional interventions in such a way as to let us suppose that the veil between the two worlds was not then so fixed and solid as we have known it in our day.

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WHEN SHALL THESE THINGS BE? 1978

WHEN SHALL THESE THINGS BE?       Rev. NORMAN E. RILEY       1978

     These words are part of the question asked of the Lord by His disciples, as they sat with Him on the mount of Olives.
     But what had taken place that prompted them to ask this question, which in its fulness reads, "Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of Thy coming, and the end of the age?"*
     * Matt. 24:2

     It was the day following the triumphal ride into the city of Jerusalem, when the multitudes had welcomed Him with their cry of, "Hosanna to the son of David; Blessed is He that cometh in the name of the Lord; Hosanna in the highest,"* that the Lord entered again into the temple in order to teach all who were there assembled. On this occasion, however, as on no other, the disciples saw the Lord challenged, questioned and opposed by the priests, elders of the people, and Saducees, the Pharisees, and the Herodians. After all had been answered and silenced, and the seven woes poured out against the scribes and Pharisees, He lamented over the fallen state of Jerusalem and declared, "Ye shall not see Me henceforth till ye shall say, Blessed is He that cometh in the name of the Lord."**
     * Matt. 21:9
     ** Matt. 22:23
     As the disciples came out of the temple they directed the Lord's attention to its buildings, which brought forth from His lips, "See ye not all these things? truly I say unto you, there shall not be left here one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down." And then in reply to their question, He told them of the things which would take place as the time of His second coming drew nigh. Amongst the things He said, are the words familiar to our ears; "then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven; then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory."*
     * Matt. 24:30
     All these things were representative of what was taking place in the spiritual world in relation to the Lord's works of redemption and the glorification of His Human; and the words that He spoke were all correspondential.

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     It is well for us, whenever we read or meditate on the themes presented to us in the Gospels, to bear this in mind. For the Gospels are no mere record of history, but an ultimation of the Divine operations in the redemption of man and the glorification of the Human directed towards the one supreme end and purpose of creation: an angelic heaven out of the human race.* Therefore we are often invited by the Lord in His Word to raise our thoughts above what is of time and space, to the things that are of eternal worth, from what is said about persons and places to their spiritual significance as they relate to the life in each one of us.
     * Can. Ch. 7
     We know nothing of the spiritual state or quality of those to whom the Lord addressed His words in the temple, nor should we ever seek to know. From what the Lord said to them, we may know something of the nature of the hells that acted through the persons, in opposition to the truth. This is of importance to us, since from this we may know the nature of the evil inclinations within ourselves, which must be shunned if the life of that which is truly human is to be born within us.
     This was why the Lord came into the world: that every degree of human life might become open to men. Such was not possible unless the Lord had first taken the Natural to Himself. Until the Lord had first met the evils that would be opposed to that which is human, it was not possible for men to meet them and overcome them.
     "I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly." "Other sheep I have, which are not of this fold; them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, one Shepherd."* "No man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven."** "Father, the hour is come; glorify thy Son . . . that He should give eternal life to as many as Thou hast given Him. And this is life eternal, that they might know Thee the only true God and Jesus Christ. . . ."***
     * John 10:10 and 16
     ** John 3:13
     *** John 17:1-3
     If the mind is not raised above the things of time and space, and if we view the spiritual history of mankind only from what is said about persons and places, then we see only a picture of man's rejection of the Divine ends and thereby the necessity of a closing off of those spiritual spheres in which the Divine had operated. From such a picture we are then presented with a view of the Divine Love having to seek new ways, new means, whereby His ends and purposes might eventually be achieved. What is said about raising the mind must also be applied to the historical things mentioned in the letter of the Word of the second advent, to what is said about the successive Churches.

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They are set before us to reveal the way in which He who is Order itself, acted according to His own order in bringing to a full state His Divine ends.
     The Word is presenting us with the means of conjunction with what is of life itself; it alone "teaches how a man ought to live in order that he may receive love and faith from the Lord."* It is, primarily, a revelation of Love, Mercy and Peace; of Creation, Redemption and Salvation, and not a presentation of people who failed in their response to Divine ends. This in no way rules out that there are those in every age who do reject by confirming themselves in evils of life. Let us, however, carefully consider that a rejection, equally as an acceptance, depends upon freedom and reason acting as one. Only they can be said to reject who are in the light of truth.
     * HD 242
     The Divine order of operation may be seen mirrored forth in many things of creation, but probably most noticeably in the states of man's development from infancy to adulthood, and from these the order of his regeneration. In the first chapter of Arcana Coelestia, we read that the six days of creation "are so many successive states of the regeneration of man, and that the first state is that which precedes, including both the state from infancy, and that immediately before regeneration."*
     * AC 6, 7
     The series given in the first chapter is, in itself, a summary of what is contained in the Arcana from beginning to end.
     A general survey of the Arcana would seem to suggest a division of that work into three parts. (1) The made-up histories. (2) From Abram to Jacob. (3) From Joseph to the erection of the tabernacle.
     (1) The Adarpric and Noachic ages. These have relation to the celestial and spiritual kingdom, to the two ruling loves of love to the Lord and love towards the neighbour. In the regenerative process they belong to the forming of the internal, out of which, as the soul, the new man will be born. The forming of the internal takes place unknown to man, as he shuns evils on the external plane from what is of the letter of the Word in relation to its sensual and scientific truths. This is the external looking to an internal. In this state he sees what the ends of his life ought to be, and he longs for them. His mind is also elevated into a perception of what belongs to the Lord as the All in all things, and also he comes into a recognition that his life ought to be for others. Yet in what belongs to his own life there is not a willingness to be led by the Lord, nor is there a love of the neighbour more than himself. There must be, as it were, a descent from his perception that the evils of the proprium might he met and shunned. To remain in that perception without meeting the proprial loves, and shunning them, would, in the words of Scripture, "not be good."*

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The completion of this state is when the evils have been met, brought to a fulness, and a last judgment has been made. It is because the states dealt with in the first eleven chapters have relation to the internal things of life that they are said to be "made-up" histories. So likewise was it in relation to the Divine end in the preparation of an angelic heaven from the human race: the Adamic and Noachic Churches had relation to the celestial and spiritual kingdoms. In those ages there was a looking forward to the Lord's coming that there might be a heaven from the Divine Human.
     * Gen. 2:18

     But when the Lord came into the world, by making the Human in Himself Divine, He put on that same which was with the angels of the celestial kingdom, and thus assumed that authority; for the Divine transflux through heaven had been, before that time, the Human Divine . . . but this Human Divine ceased when the Lord Himself made the Human in Himself Divine.* Every infant is born natural, and the Natural is first opened because it is nearest to the external senses and the world, and with all men is ignorant of the truth and inclined to evil, but with the Lord alone the Natural hungered for good and desired truth.** The Lord alone was born spiritual celestial, and in consequence thereof He was born in Bethlehem.***
     * AC 6371
     ** AE 449(3)               
     *** AC 4592

     (2) "True histories begin here."* Hence begins the series of Abram, Isaac and Jacob, by which are represented the three degrees of the human mind and also the three heavens. The subject here dealt with is the making new of the external out of the internal, thus the new birth. By the opening of the internal, and the preparation for the reception of its truths and good, the evils that are to be shunned are likewise of an internal nature. The opening of these states is the actual meeting of the loves of self and the world in themselves. These are the evils that mankind could not have met unless the Lord had come and taken the Human to Himself and glorified it. The former states, in relation to the Churches before the advent, were representative of the states through which man passes, when he is first, as it were, carried in the womb; the evils of this state are of the mother, and can be put off. When the birth takes place man comes into his own life, and thus the evils are of the proprium itself. "This redemption itself could not have been effected but by God incarnate . . . consequently, that it could only have been effected by an omnipotent God."** Previously there had been the operations of an Invisible God, now He stands forth to view.
     * AC 1401               
     ** TCR 124
     This particular series which we are briefly considering, represents the way in which the human is first formed as to the truth out of an internal source.

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     When the Lord was in the world, He first made His Human Divine Truth, but when He went out of the world, He made His Human Divine Good by union with the Divine itself, which was in Him. . . . The Lord does the same with a man, whom He regenerates, first giving truths, and afterwards by means of truths conjoining him to good, and thus to Himself.* This state in which good is received is the subject of the third series.
     * AC 10730

     (3) From Joseph to the erection of the tabernacle. The story of Joseph commences with his dreams and his conflict with the brothers. Joseph here signifies the Divine truth of the Divine Human and the opposition from his brothers signifies the combats with those who are in faith separate from charity. The temptations of the will are the oppositions that arise from the hells against the conjunction of truth with its good. In the beginning of Exodus we read, "In this first chapter, in the internal sense, the state of the church which has been established is treated of, when good plays the leading part, and is made fruitful by the multiplications of the truths of faith."* In Exodus we read about the laws given on the mount: the laws of life, the laws of the priestly office, and the laws regarding the building of the tabernacle. The mind formed as to truth is now elevated to see the good to which it belongs. But before there can be any conjunction there must be a separation from a love centered in what is one's own: that there is nothing of good from man. As Moses descended the mountain slopes he met the worship of the golden calf; only when this has been destroyed can the laws of life be given anew, the priestly office established and the tabernacle erected. "Behold the tabernacle of God is with men."**
     * AC 6634
     ** AR 882
     What the disciples saw and heard in that last week with the Lord was the fulfillment of these things. His ride into Jerusalem as King was a sign that His Human had become the Divine Truth, wherefore the cry of the multitudes was the joy of the Celestial kingdom, because in the glorification of the Human heaven in its fullest sense became possible to all. His ride into Jerusalem and the cleansing of the temple depicted his salvation of the Spiritual Church. In the love of the neighbor is man's reciprocal of the Lord's giving of Himself to others: "This is my commandment, that ye love one another; as I have loved you."* His meeting in the temple of all who had at one time or another opposed Him was representative of the complete cleansing of the external man by the internal.** The things that would take place before His coming signified the union of the truth and good that the Son of man might come in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory: the going forth of the Divine Truth from the Divine Human, received by men in the world in the Letter of the Word, which is from Him and is Himself.
     * John 13:34
     ** TCR 331

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     By the glorification of the Human the Lord made possible the conjunction of man with Himself, which is heaven.* In this Human the Lord brought together all the uses of life that had been with men before His advent, since to this end they looked. Therefore it is written, "The Lord redeemed not only men but also angels,"** "that His love was for the salvation of the whole human race";***" and "since all have been redeemed all can be regenerated, each according to his state."****
     * DP 28               
     ** TCR 121
     *** AC 1778               
     **** TCR 579
     What is now open to mankind in this age of the second coming, is not because mankind is more worthy than it was in previous ages. The promise that man is now able to enter with the understanding into the hidden things of faith, or that each church has commenced in charity, then declined to faith, and finally come to its end, whereas the New Church will continue to eternity because it is the crown of all the churches-these are not things which we can take pride in from ourselves while casting a glance at the seeming failings of the past ages.
     That all previous ages were, in themselves, progressive states from the Divine towards this end, may be seen from what is written in the Prologue of The Canons of The New Church: "This is the Church towards which all Churches from the first have pointed as it were in a regular series."
     Through all these states each man also passes in the life of regeneration; for the full acknowledgment of and belief in the Lord in His Divine Human, the Visible God in whom is the Invisible, and a true and lasting conjunction with Him, come when the new or heavenly proprium has been formed within him. This does not mean that there is nothing of value in each of the states through which he passes; if such were the case then man could never become regenerate. Neither does it mean that a man must only concern himself with those things of the Word which would seem to be applicable to his state, thus judging from his understanding of what is of the letter whether he is in an Adamic state or that spoken of under the subject of Joseph, This would lead to the formation of some imaginary heaven, and display a lack of trust and confidence in the Lord God the Savior whose purposes alone should be the love of our life, as we look to Him and shun evils as sins against Him.
     "When shall these things be . . . ?"

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     The answer given to the disciples has indeed been fulfilled. The Lord has made His second coming; He has come again in the truth of His Divine Human. We now read of how He called together the twelve who had followed Him in the world, and sent them forth into the whole spiritual world, to preach the Gospel that the Lord God Jesus Christ reigns, whose kingdom shall be into ages of ages.* In this we rejoice, and so we ought to do. But still we must be mindful that it is the Lord's doing. It is He, Creator, Redeemer and Saviour, who brought all things together and who reveals Himself in His Word as the One God of heaven and earth. Herein was the prayer of the Human, looking to union with the Divine, fulfilled, "Father the hour is come; glorify Thy Son, that Thy Son may glorify Thee. . . . That they all may be one; as Thou Father art in Me, and I in Thee, that they also may be one in Us. . . ."** Neither here nor elsewhere, is there mention of separate existences of angels, but rather it is taught that the Lord (and only He) sees the whole of heaven as one man, and this because all uses are from Him alone. The use with each one is, in itself, the human internal, or the soul. Out of this each angel is a heaven in all its degrees.
     * TCR 791
     ** John 17:1, 21

     The Divine of the Lord makes heaven. . . . The Divine proceeding from the Lord is the good of love and the truth of faith. To the extent, therefore, that they receive good and truth from the Lord, in that measure they are angels and in that measure they are heaven.*
     * HH 7
     The Divine of the Lord in heaven is love to Him and charity towards the neighbor.*
     * HH 13

     There are two kingdoms, celestial and spiritual, these are the ruling loves as the very soul and life within the angel; there are three heavens, distinct as to their use, but one within the angel as three degrees of the mind; the willing of what is good, the understanding of the true and the life of service to others

     So it is that an angel is a heaven in the least form, a society in the greater form, and all societies taken together a heaven in the greatest form.*
     * HH 58
     . . . man is man from his ability to understand what is true and will what is good. Such understanding and willing are the Spiritual and Celestial things that make a man.*
     * HH 60
     For the whole heaven is not heaven from the proprium of the angels, but from the Divine of the Lord; nor is the Church the Church from the proprium of men, but from the Divine of the Lord; for all the good of love and the truth of faith are from the Lord; and the good of love and the truth of faith constitute heaven and the church; angels and men are only recipients, and in proportion to their reception, heaven and the church dwell in them.*
     * AE 23(2)

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     Heaven and the Church are from the Divine of the Lord. In other places we read that the Church is the Lord's kingdom amongst men. We also read that the natural sense of the Word is for men. This does not mean that nothing of its spiritual senses can be received, nor that heaven is not being formed in man while he is in the world. If it were not so, then man would remain only natural; yet the spiritual sense of the Word is that which is being formed in man for his use after death, and this to the extent that man applies himself to what belongs to his life in the world from what the Word teaches. Without the life of use a man can receive nothing. He who loves truths because they are truths and applies them to uses of life is enlightened by the Lord.
     The Lord has fulfilled His promise, His Church has been established, for He has come as the Son of man in the clouds of heaven. The revelation of the second advent embraces all things "from eternity to eternity"* because it is from the Lord in His Divine Human. It has been given for all men. The Lord invites men to meet Him there, and to receive of its truths that heaven and the Church might be in them. We cannot stress enough that it is the Lord who stands and invites all to His arms.** It is not what others believe that we are called upon to accept. The sharing of our understanding is of a different nature, for if it is given in that way then it is of charity.
     * AE 23
     ** TCR 787
     On the part of those who believe in the Word of the second advent there is indeed a commitment to make its truths known. But will this need to be taught if we have received in love? Let us now look at what is said about love.

     Love consists in this, that what is one's own should be anothers, and feeling the delight of that other as a delight in one's self, this is loving; but the feeling one's own delight in another, and not that other's delight in one's self, this is not loving; for this is loving one's self, but the former loving one's neighbor.*
     * DLW 47
     Freely ye have received freely give.*
     * Matt. 10:8
     Man has not been created for himself but for others.*
     * TCR 406

     What is the nature of our giving, or of imparting to others what the Lord has given? For man of himself has nothing to give. Have we given, and then when there has been a response, have we fallen into a love of desiring to mould the recipient into our way of thinking and doing? What do we mean when we speak about the distinctive life of the New Church? Do we mean our traditions, customs and practices, or what the Word teaches?

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     The Church in special is said to be where the Lord is acknowledged and where the Word is. Those who accept these essentials of life will obviously desire to meet together and strengthen each other in a life according to them. But the ways of doing this may be many and varied. An external form which appeals to one mind and not to another does not make the one less nor the other more a true worshiper of the Lord in His second coming. We should be careful lest we judge that a non-acceptance of certain outward forms is a non-acceptance of the New Church.
     While organizations are necessary instruments for the reception of the Word, we must not equate them with what is said about the Church itself. Let us raise our minds from persons and places whenever we consider those passages that speak about the Church, both in special and universal. Let us instead see the quality of life that ought to be within us. Thus when we read in the Apocalypse Revealed about the Church "being at first among a few . . . that meanwhile provision may be made with the many until it increases to its full stature"* we are in serious trouble if we think in terms of persons and organisations. Do we, for instance, think of all who have joined themselves to an organisation bearing the name New Church, or is there a few within the few, so to speak? If, however, we raise our minds to spiritual things we then see that by the 'few' is meant what is of good, and by the 'many' what is of truth. This we may see from the Lord's parable of the labourers in the vineyard, which He ended with the words, "for many are called but few chosen."** Thus from the affection of good through the affection of truth the Church in man can advance to its full stature. This too may be seen from what is taught in the Doctrine of the New Jerusalem concerning Faith: "Charity in its first origin is the affection of good. And as good loves truth, the affection of good produces the affection of truth; and the affection of truth, the acknowledgment of truth, which is faith. By these in their regular series, the affection of truth exists, and becomes Charity."***
     * AR 546
     ** Matt. 20:16*** F 13

333


ENCYCLOPEDIA OF IGNORANCE I 1978

ENCYCLOPEDIA OF IGNORANCE I       Rev. DONALD L. ROSE       1978

     "Compared to the pond of knowledge, our ignorance remains atlantic." So begins the editorial preface of The Encyclopedia of Ignorance, published by Pergamon Press in 1977. The imagery in this sentence recalls a specific passage in the Writings, and the whole concept of this encyclopedia evokes the thought of truths revealed by the Lord. The specific passage is this:
     "Genuine wisdom consists in a man's seeing from the light of heaven, that the things which he knows, understands, and is wise in, are so little respectively to what he does not know, understand, and is wise in, as a drop to the ocean."*
     * AR 875
     The preface continues: "Indeed the horizon of the unknown recedes as we approach it. The usual encyclopedia states what we know. This one contains papers on what we do not know, on matters which lie on the edge of knowledge."
     The two volumes contain fifty essays by accomplished scientists. There is much here that is particularly interesting to the New Church student. Scientiae nusquam exkauriri possunt. Knowledge can never be exhausted.* "The truths of faith may be multiplied to infinity,"** nor is there an end to the knowledges of science. We cannot count the stars of the heavens, nor can we count the sands of the sea. A passage asks the reader to "sum up" all the things he knows and reflect.*** But who can sum up the thoughts of God? "How great is the sum of them! If I should count them, they are more in number than the sands."****
     * DP 57
     ** TCR 350               
     *** DLW 28
     **** Ps. 139:18
     Men who explore the "edge of knowledge" often have a refreshing interest in the world and a humility about the universe in which we live. This is often true of students of astronomy. It is often true of those who study the wonders of the human body. Last year George Wald of Harvard was addressing a distinguished gathering. He said, "I have spent my life researching vision, but I haven't a prayer of an idea how we see. Consciousness is where it all begins and ends. So one can feel quite humble in this field, even in moments of great elation."*
     * Science News, June 25, 1977: 409. Let the interested reader compare AC 2588:21806, 1954.

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     "He who is skilled in anatomy and also in physics may know by investigation that as regards their bodily and material forms, the organs both of sense and of motion, together with all the viscera, correspond to various things that exist in the nature of the world; and thus that the whole body is an organ composed of the most secret things in the nature of the world, and in accordance with their secret forces of acting and their wonderful modes of inflowing."*
     * AC 4523
     In the beginning of the work Divine Providence the reader is invited to take some object and "examine it with a good microscope, and you will see wonderful things; while the interiors that you do not see are still more wonderful."* The electron microscope has enabled men to see things that are wonderful indeed. The May issue of Scientific American has an article on communications between cells. And there we have pictures of amazing connections and intricate patterns never before seen.
     * DP 3
     It is most interesting to consider that our reluctance to accept some of the wonders of the spiritual world is sometimes related to our lack of appreciation of how wondrous the natural world is. The natural man doubts that people who have died can now be living in substantial bodies in which they see, hear and touch each other. The physical body is easy to believe, because it is obviously there. But we are more humble when we reflect on what matter really is, and what sensation really is. We call some of the things which the Lord has revealed "incredible," but consider the following passage:
     "Although these things appear paradoxical and incredible to man, they nevertheless are not to be denied, because experience itself dictates them. If all things were denied the causes of which are not known, innumerable things that come forth in nature would be denied, the causes of which are known scarcely as to a ten-thousandth part; for the secret things therein are so many and so great that those which man knows are scarcely anything in comparison with those which he does not know. What then must be the secret things that come forth in the sphere which is above nature, that is, in the spiritual world."*
     * AC 4321, italics added

     (to be continued)

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REVIEW 1978

REVIEW       WALTER ORTHWEIN       1978

     Heavenly Marriage, by the Rev. Kurt P. Nemitz. General Church Book Center, 50?.

     The teachings of the Heavenly Doctrines concerning conjugial love are sorely needed by the world, and in the New Church we feel an obligation to share these beautiful new teachings about marriage with as many people as possible.
     To help meet this need, a new booklet, entitled Heavenly Marriage, has been prepared by the Rev. Kurt P. Nemitz, containing the chapter on marriage from Heaven and Hell. The advantage of this publication is that it makes it possible to give someone a selection straight from the doctrines themselves on this subject. One who might pass over the book Heaven and Hell, thinking it is mystical or about subjects which do not concern him, might nevertheless be interested to read specifically about marriage. And having seen what is written on this subject, his interest might be aroused to read more of the Writings.
     The text of the booklet is in two parts. The first part is the chapter on "Marriages in Heaven" from Heaven and Hell, The recent Dole translation is used, but with certain revisions by Mr. Nemitz. For instance, "will" is used instead of "intention," and "joining" instead of "bonding" as in the Dole translation.
     The second part is an after word by the editor, explaining the nature of the work Heaven and Hell. It is explained that when a person dies, only the physical body is laid aside, while the essential personality continues to live in the spiritual world. A sample of ten chapter headings are given to show the kinds of subjects covered in the book, and Swedenborg's inspiration is commented upon. Dr, Raymond Moody's book, Life After Life, is mentioned, also.
     The reader is then invited to obtain a copy of Heaven and Hell for himself, and there is a space for the local church or book center to place a sticker with its name and address.
     Finally, the reader is informed of the existence of the New Church, composed of men and women throughout the world who hold the ideal of conjugial love, together with the new concept of God and man involved in this doctrine, as one of their central beliefs and aspirations. For information about the New Church in his area, the reader is invited to contact the local book supplier.

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     The booklet is attractively printed on white paper. The title, "Heavenly Marriage," appears in large capitals on the front cover. Lower on the cover, a design depicting two doves united into one appears above the words "conjugial love" in large lower-case letters. Beneath this is written: "From Heaven and Hell by Emanuel Swedenborg."
     This new publication should be useful in introducing people outside the church to the New Church doctrine of conjugial love, and interesting them to read further in the Writings.
     WALTER ORTHWEIN
VISITORS TO BRYN ATHYN, GLENVIEW, AND TORONTO 1978

VISITORS TO BRYN ATHYN, GLENVIEW, AND TORONTO              1978

     Visitors to Bryn Athyn, Glenview or Toronto who are in need of hospitality accommodations are cordially urged to contact in advance the appropriate Hospitality Committee head listed below:

Mrs. A. Wynne Acton                    Mrs. Philip Horigan
3405 Buck Rd.                               50 Park Dr.
Huntingdon Valley, PA 19006               Glenview, Ill. 6002 5
Phone: (215) 947-0242                    Phone: (312) 729-5644

Mrs. Sydney Parker
30 Royaleigh Ave.
Weston, Ont. M9P 255

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ANGELS OF A THIRD KIND! 1978

ANGELS OF A THIRD KIND!       Editor       1978


NEW CHURCH LIFE
Office of Publication, Lancaster, Pa.
Published Monthly by
THE GENERAL CHURCH OF THE NEW JERUSALEM
BRYN ATHYN. PA.
Editor               Rev. Morley D. Rich, Bryn Athyn, Pa.
Business Manager          Mr. L. E. Gyllenhaal, Bryn Athyn, Pa.

     All literary contributions should be sent to the Editor. Subscriptions, change of address, and business communications, should be sent to the Business Manager. Notifications of address changes should be received by the 15th of the month.

     TERMS OF SUBSCRIPTION
$5.00 a year to any address, payable in advance. Single copy, 50 cents.
     While re-reading Heaven and Hell recently, we were startled by the last sentence of #133. The passage is speaking of the general difference between the angels of the celestial kingdom and those of the spiritual kingdom, the former receiving more of Divine good than of Divine truth, the latter more of truth than good. Then the last sentence says, "The most perfect angels are those who receive both in the same degree."
     Does this mean a third kingdom or a third kind? Or does it imply a new species of angels which has not been possible before?
     We may recollect that Heaven and Hell was published by Swedenborg in 1758, not long after the Last Judgment. It is the only specific and full treatment of the spiritual world in one compass. Further, it constitutes the distillation, not only of all Swedenborg's experiences in the spiritual world during fifteen years, recorded in the Spiritual Diary, but also of all the Divinely selected material in the Arcana Coelestia. In this work, therefore, the selective process has occurred, not once, but twice. First there has been made a Divinely-guided selection of the material in the Diary, and doubtless other materials existing in the seer's memory which were not written in the Diary; and this material was used in the Arcana, written from 1748-56. Then out of this material there was made a second selection which we find in Heaven and Hell which is a summation of the whole subject of the spiritual world, bringing it all together.
     Because of all this, we may be somewhat discomfitted, if not dismayed, when we find no equivalent or comparable statement as the above sentence anywhere else in the Writings.

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If any of our readers can furnish one or more, we would be most grateful.
     But it is also allowable to share some of the reflections and speculative suggestions which may come to mind. And the one which seems to emerge most forcefully is that perhaps this sentence has to do with the angels of the specific new heaven of the New Church and Age. The most perfect angels are those who receive both (Divine good and truth) in the same degree.
     When the Lord came a second time, He effected a final judgment, re-ordered the whole spiritual world, restored the heavens to their former integrity. In addition, in relation to our subject, He "made new the heavens and the earth"; that is to say, He created a new quality in the heavens and thence in the entirety of the spiritual world, so that "the light of the moon was like that of the sun, and the light of the sun became seven-fold brighter."
     This was the specific quality of the New Church and Age which He now instituted. And that quality or characteristic "made new" all of His creation.
     Bring this together with the idea that this was likewise to begin the final stage in the development of the human itself. Add the fact that the Lord's perpetual endeavor is to re-unite man's will and understanding in a way and measure not possible even to the Most Ancients-not only with the individual regenerating man but also with the whole human race in general as the generations pass. Now apply these points to the quoted sentence from Heaven and Hell, and what do we have? At the very least, it may be suggested that a new type of angel would develop, having some of the characteristics of both kingdoms, receiving good and truth in the same degree, uniting celestial goods and attitudes to spiritual-kingdom sharing of truths and perceptions actively in the intellectual plane, performing not only the functions of mediation and communication between the two kingdoms, but also the higher function or use of being the core or prevailing nucleus of the whole New Heaven-perhaps corresponding to the brain in relation to the heart and lungs?
     Spiritual-celestial angels, or celestial-spiritual!

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SYMBOLS, SIGNS, AND CORRESPONDENCES 1978

SYMBOLS, SIGNS, AND CORRESPONDENCES       GEORGE DE CHARMS       1978

To the Editor:

     In an article titled "If Correspondences are Taken as Symbols, not Signs,"* Mr. David J. Garret raises a very interesting question, namely, should the correspondences found in the Writings of Swedenborg be regarded as signs or as symbols? He says that when Swedenborg "speaks of the correspondences between heaven and earth-that is, earthly things as reflecting heaven's mysteries-he is symbolic in a way similar to the American Indian who regards the earth as sacred and the home of the Great Spirit. The symbolic attitude to life that earth or nature is the habitation of the gods as well as men is found in ancient and primitive religions and is at the core of the great world religions" "Correspondences" he continues "are handled as signs when Biblical images and words are given known meanings, e.g. water is doctrine, bread is love, wine is spiritual truth. The meaning of objects and language becomes fixed, unlike symbols, whose meanings are never wholly known, and which are perceived by a circumambulating motion. Signs can be pinned down by linear reasoning. While symbols are open, evocative of many nuances, signs are closed and plain in their interpretation."
     * The Messenger, April, 1978:80-82
     Concerning Swedenborg's exegesis of the Old and New Testaments, he asks, "Did he mean in the Arcana Coelestia, in Apocalypse Explained, or in Apocalypse Revealed, that it is 'as if' Genesis, Exodus, and Revelation intend something approximating what he wrote? Or did he mean he was writing what the Biblical books final understanding is?" "If the Writings are symbols" he says, "their meaning cannot be nailed down. It is merely suggestive." Later he says, "The striking thing about correspondences is that it opens up sacred texts rather than fixes their significance. One finds many levels of meaning, and always discovers more. To have symbol lead is to follow it into the unfathomable and let it yield the unexpected. . . . A symbol cannot be used to prove that my perception, or your perception, or my church's perception of something is the correct one."
     Mr. Garret bases his view of symbols on Jung's Psychology, according to which, we are told, "symbols gather round the thing to be explained, understood, interpreted. The act of becoming conscious consists in the concentric grouping of symbols around the object, all circumscribing and describing the unknown from many sides.

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Each symbol lays bare another essential side of the object to be grasped, and points to another meaning. Only the canon of these symbols congregating about the central question, the coherent symbol group, can lead to an understanding of what the symbol points to and of what they are trying to expose."
     All this is itself symbolic. I doubt if Jung himself can tell how symbols congregate, what causes them to "group" or what is the "canon" which "leads to understanding." I think Jung is speculating in possibilities. This would seem to be clear from the fact that another writer can explain Jung's meaning in such very different terms, calling them "a release of energy." He says, "The symbol maintains the psychic life in constant flux, and carries it onward towards its desired goal." This also, I think, is a mere speculation. What is that "energy" and what causes it to "keep the psyche flowing toward a desired goal?"
     That we have these vague symbolic concepts is beyond question. But what are they? Is it possible that we may regard them as signs as well as symbols? Could they be the sign that the Lord, inflowing through the heavens is touching our inmost mind with love? Could He by this means move us with awe and wonder, and inspire us to search? Can it be that this is what is symbolized by what Jehovah said to Abram: "Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy Father's house, unto a land that I will show thee?" (Gen. 12:1) If our primitive concepts are loves, they are indeed the vital seeds of all thought. But conception is only the beginning. It must be followed by gestation. The love once roused must form for itself a body in which it may live as a soul-This because all love moves spontaneously and irresistibly to achieve its end, which is use. It must not only form a body in the womb of the mind, but that body must: at last be born into the clear light of day, that it may go forth to perform the use which was the end from the beginning.
     It cannot be otherwise, for if we merely reflect upon the symbols, we get nowhere. It is pleasant to think, and indeed to know, that we have something no one else has-something of which others can know nothing, because it cannot be communicated. From this view, each one is on an island which no one can invade, but also an island from which there is no escape. Every one has these strictly personal perceptions. But the joy of life is not in possessing such a treasure but in sharing it with others. Such sharing is not possible until the love that originates the symbolic concept has taken on a form or embodiment that can be communicated. Only then can the enisled individuals begin to love together, to think together, and to perform uses in concert, and so become parts of a greater man. This greater man is the "communion of angels and men" which makes up the kingdom of the Lord in heaven and on the earth.

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     But where does this embodiment for the love come from? Do we not derive it from the Word? Are not the correspondences the very symbolic forms, also signs? Does not the Lord, at His coming provide in His Word the very garments, and the living embodiments of His love?
     Such signs are indeed limiting. They can lead to confusion. They can be repetitive, and lead to a dead end. But when they become the embodiment of love they are not as limiting as is suggested. The soul of life within them gives them life, and meaning. In them, and by means of them spiritual truth can be seen in clear light. This truth does not vanish into the limbo of the unfathomable.
     The Lord does not intend that man shall live in a world of complete uncertainty. He longed to impart to men peace, a sense of assurance, a trust in the Divine Providence. Nor could this be possible unless the Lord, by means of His Glorified Human became visible, that men might know Him, love Him, and worship Him, in the performance of uses. . . . Correspondences therefore are not only symbols, they are at the same time signs. Being viewed as signs does not cause them to cease from being symbols. But when seen as the embodiment of love they can cause man to see spiritual truth, to recognize it as true, to distinguish it from falsity, and so to believe it with the whole heart. This man can do even though he knows that what he sees is only a glimpse of the infinite truth contained within. It is only a glimpse, but it is nonetheless in accord with the Divine truth, and can be expanded indefinitely into a truer and deeper vision to eternity.
     For this reason I believe that signs and symbols are but two distinct phases of the same thing. They are two modes whereby the Lord imparts His life to men and angels. Even as symbols serve to awaken man to conceive of truth; so also as signs they make that primal concept capable of being grasped and understood. Symbols open the mind to mysteries ever new; and signs bring those mysteries into view, that in human measure they may be understood, shared, and ultimated in the uses by which the Church, as a congregation of people, may join in a harmony of will, and thought, and use. Only so far as this goal is achieved can the Lord build His kingdom in the hearts of men, and bind them together in the mutual performance of spiritual uses. In this work, both signs and symbols are needed, and both are the gifts of the Lord's Word, laid open by means of correspondences representatives, and significatives.
     GEORGE DE CHARMS

342


Church News 1978

Church News       Various       1978

     CONNECTICUT

     As we prepare to say a fond farewell to the Rev. Lorentz Soneson, who is taking up new duties elsewhere, we thought it would be appropriate to sketch in some of the major activities and events in the eight years of his pastorate in the Connecticut circle.
     Since Mr. Soneson has been our minister, Connecticut has welcomed several new families: the Jim Tuckers, the David Doerings, the Brian Linguists, and most recently the David Frosts. It is always a treat to have new families to swell our group.
     Services. Worship service is held once a month in a lovely little New England church, which we rent for the afternoon. During the sermon the children have Sunday-school with one adult couple. Usually the husband will take the older children and the wife the younger ones. We have hired a babysitter for those too young for the Sunday-school. When the minister leaves the chancel he goes to the two Sunday school groups to talk with them a few moments and to hear from them what they have been doing. After church we all stay for coffee, cookies and socializing.
     Classes. In the past couple of years we have had monthly doctrinal classes in both the southern and northern halves of Connecticut, with the two Springfield, Mass. couples-Geoffrey and Marie Myers, and Doug and Diana Peterson-joining in on the N. Ct. classes. Often these classes are preceded by a supper party, which we all love, and where we get a good chance to visit. At Christmas time the Pastor has had a combined N. and S. class at his house with a lovely buffet beforehand and a Christmas "Sing" afterwards. The joy of getting our whole "small crowd" together mixes with the powerful sense of awe that Christmas never fails to bring, creating a sphere that warms us through and through in the midst of our chilly New England winter.
     The children also have their own monthly doctrinal classes with the Pastor, rotating among the various homes.
     Special Celebrations. Our Christmas celebrations have been held at the home of Brian and Beth Simons. We begin with a family church service, followed by tableaux put on by the children, depicting several scenes from the familiar Christmas story. The children do a very good job, and their delight in doing so is a touching sight. After the tableaux we have a fancy pot-luck meal, followed by some visiting and singing. Sometimes distant isolated families are able to join us, further amplifying both the joy and the singing.
     On June 19th we are all invited to Sal and Joan Tuccio's for the day. We have church and Sunday School first, then a picnic lunch, followed by games, visiting, and swimming. It's a smashing success every time.
     Such is the general plan for the Connecticut circle, as it has been for several years.
     Last year we added a few new twists.
     The Camp. In the summer of 1977 we held a three and a half day "Junior Pine Needle" camp for all the children between kindergarten and eighth grade in the North East District. Brian and Beth Simons opened their lovely new home to the invading hordes. We studied the Ten Commandments, the Ten Plagues, and the Ten Blessings, ultimating our learning with elaborate art projects on the Ten Plagues and lovely drama portrayals of the Ten Commandments. Each child received a special decoupage of the Ten Blessings, learned them in a song, and used each Blessing in turn as grace at our meals.

343


The children were divided into four groups according to age, and each group had sessions on the aforementioned topics, and some sessions in music where they worked on songs from the Liturgy. Interspersed among the sessions were swimming, games, and camp-fire gatherings.
     On Sunday parents and visitors arrived for a family service, followed by the drama presentation of the Ten Commandments. The emotional impact of seeing the children act out the Commandments has to be experienced to be appreciated. It is beyond words. The art work of the Ten Plagues was on display, and the children and staff sang the new songs we had learned. Then all enjoyed a picnic lunch, swimming, and games. In the fate afternoon all went home happy and filled with a wonderful feeling of accomplishment, good-will, and contentedness. Everyone was already talking about camp "next year."
     One of the staff, Lori Soneson, deserves special mention. She was the Pastor's "right-hand woman." Among other things, she composed and taught the three special songs, at least one of which, the one about the plagues, was taught in several of our New Church elementary schools this past year, and she inspired all the rest of the staff with ideas for the art and drama aspects. We just can't imagine a Junior Pine Needle without Lori. Thank heavens she will be with us for our camp in July of 1978.
     While we are handing out laurels, let us present a big one to Midge Soneson. Not only was she a tower of strength at the camp, forever coming lip with neat ideas, but she has been a true inspiration, project thinker-upper, and helper for all the Sunday school teachers throughout the past eight years. For this and much more we thank you, Midge. Another "twist" we added this past year was that all religious instruction-sermons, children's talks, Sunday school lessons, recitations, adult doctrinal classes, and children's religion classes-was from the story of Moses, from his birth to reaching Canaan the first time. While the children learned the literal story of the birth of Moses in the class, the adults were studying the same thing in the Arcana. The reading and the children's talk in church focused on the giving of the Ten Commandments, followed by the adults' sermon on the same topic. We all liked this idea of working on the same thing. Some people focused on that general topic in their family worships as well. It was a very good way to give our isolated children a feel for, and knowledge of, a consecutive part of the Word, such as they would receive were they going to a New Church school. Now we are going to have each child from first grade up prepare a short speech on one aspect of the life of Moses, and make some sort of illustration to go with it, to present at our 19th of June celebration. This will provide a complete review of our year's work for all of us.
     In July we will again have our Junior Pine Needle camp with Larry, Midge, and Lori Soneson. After last year's smashing success, all the children are looking forward to it eagerly, as is the hard-working staff.
     And soon after that we will have to sag goodbye to the Sonesons and get ready to welcome our new minister. We all thank you, Larry, for your stewardship, leadership, and friendship. You have listened to our needs, and met them. We owe you a great deal and will miss you very much. Connecticut sends its warmest and best wishes with you as you move on to your new duties. Please come and visit! You will be most welcome!
     HARALD AND GRETCHEN SANDSTROM

     NEW JERSEY-NEW YORK NORTHEAST DISTRICT

     What is the Northeast District? It is an area of the Church that takes in the sir states of New England, as well as New Jersey and New York. That is 124,000 square miles of territory, within which are three Circles and a widely scattered congregation. It is no small feat to unite so many geographically separated individuals, to create among us a spirit of unity and a common bond whose strength is our love for the Lord's New Church.

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But that is exactly what the Rev. Lorentz Soneson and his wife Marjorie have accomplished in their eight years in this District. I feel I speak for all when I say we view ourselves as members of the Northeast District, not just of a given Circle.
     In the seven years since I moved here, the most significant change has been the consolidation of our New Jersey and New York Circles. When I first arrived in 1971, there were two congregations with separate church services and activities-in Morristown, N.J., and "on the other side of the river" in Mamaroneck, N.Y. Family clusters made this the most reasonable arrangement at the time, and each Circle was strong enough to take its turn at successfully hosting one of our Northeast District Assemblies.
     But ours is a somewhat transient population, and the geography of the families began to shift. Morristown and Mamaroneck were soon on the fringes of the New Church population area. As this occurred, it became increasingly clear that consolidation was the most practical choice, and the two groups so voted.
     Coming up with facilities that met our numerous requirements at a reasonable cost, and yet were in a relatively central location, took some doing. We found the Women's Club in Ridgewood, N.J., and have been using that since September, 1976. Although not quite the ideal location, it is workable and serves us well.
     It has not been an easy move. Many of our members have long distances to travel. But through this move we have pared down the longest drive time to about 1 1/2 hours. More importantly, we have strengthened the sphere of worship through our numbers. We average 24 at our services, and reach 45 for special services. We have worship twice month. Our children gain stability and security from more frequent children services and Sunday Schools. We have been stimulated by the theologs who have conducted our services once a month.
     Our most difficult challenge at this point is doctrinal classes. With night time, travel distances seem to become "longer." So we alternate locations to try and reach as many as possible. For those who have never experienced an at home doctrinal class, it is hard to describe the special sharing and freedom of discussion generated in a small group gathered together to study the doctrines of the Church.
     It takes a very special pastor to shepherd our scattered flock, and we will miss the Rev. and Mrs. Soneson. But we wish them the very best as they move forward to their new post in Bryn Athyn.
     JOYCE LODING

     MASSACHUSETTS

     September 1, 1978 will mark the eighth anniversary of the arrival of Reverend Lorentz Soneson as resident pastor of the Northeast District and as regular visiting pastor to those of us in the Massachusetts area. Be has recently announced that it will also mark the end of his assignment here as he takes up new duties in the Church in Bryn Athyn, and it seems an appropriate time to reflect upon these past eight years of his pastorship that has meant so much to us all.
     When Mr. Soneson first arrived in September of 1970 he found ours to be a group of members scattered everywhere from Maine to Cape Cod and all unimaginable places in between. In those days our membership tended to concentrate in the area south of Boston, and meetings for worship and doctrinal class for the first time began to be held on a regular and continuous basis once every month in Foxboro. He also instituted two activities that at once became popular and continued to be so until this year: Pine Needle weekend and periodic weekend discussion groups.
     After his first two years here our group experienced a rather rapid increase in size as new people began moving into the area, and into the Boston area in particular. By 1972 the need for a larger, more permanent and centrally located worship facility led us to the Newtonville Convention Church building.
     The year 1973-74 was perhaps the most significant of this period and in many ways symbolized the watershed of our future growth and development.

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During this year we formed a Women's Guild to carry out many specific uses which the mere size of our group necessitated on a continuing basis. We also committed ourselves to the seemingly impossible task of hosting the Second Northeast District Assembly for a district which on the hole had been experiencing similar growth patterns to ours. We were thoroughly delighted to hold this assembly on the weekend of May 10-12, 1974 at Framingham (see report in NEW CHURCH LIFE, Sept., 1974: 398). Also in that year Mr. Soneson began giving doctrinal classes on Saturday nights prior to Church Sundays once a month instead of on Sunday afternoons following worship. One thing led to another and these classes regularly came to be preceded by pot-luck dinners or buffets and followed by general discussion, refreshment and socializing which soon became the basis of a regular pattern of meeting more often resulting from time to time in other self-organized "get-togethers" such as discussion groups and craft classes.
     The experiences of that year brought home to us not only the responsibilities which follow increasing membership, but also the delights of the uses we were now able to perform. On January 11, 1975 the group officially voted to seek Circle status from the Bishop and recognition by Bishop Willard D. Pendleton was published in NEW CHURCH LIFE, March, 1975:122.
     By the time another two years had passed the tremendous increase in the infant population of the Circle dictated moving from Newtonville to facilities more appropriate for these children. Our friends in the Boston Convention Church, with whom we have had the good fortune of sharing a warm and cooperative relationship during all these years, were kind enough to offer the use of their facilities on Bowdoin St. in Boston and we have been meeting there since last October of 1977. During that two year period we continued to experience growth and an extra monthly doctrinal class was added, for a while. We were also sorry to see many families leave the area; however, the net result has been a shifting of the location of our members with a definite concentration in the Framingham/Natick area. Four families now live within a ten-minute's drive of each other.
     As we look forward to the coming year it is apparent that we have built up quite a tradition to live up to. The shift in our membership over the years has not only been in terms of location but also one away from older established families to young growing families struggling to, among other things, raise their small children in the light of the New Church in this hard New England climate. This is of course a harbinger of a period of continued hard effort on the part of all members, friends and other supporters of the Circle. But, the spirit of enthusiasm, energy and hope engendered by Rev. Lorentz Soneson here during his pastorship will continue to be with us and help to sustain us.
     Thus it is with a great sense of appreciation for a use well performed that we look upon the efforts of our pastor during these past eight years and with one of determination and high expectations that we look forward to our future growth and development.
     DOUGLAS R. PETERSON, Secy.

     SWEDENBORG SOCIETY

     There is a need for a new biography of Emanuel Swedenborg to replace Trobridge's Life and Teaching when stocks of the present edition are exhausted. The Council has in mind a comparatively short work, easily readable and well illustrated. Dr. Freda Griffith has given some thought to the project and has been invited to prepare a draft synopsis. The Council has consulted a publisher about the possibility of interesting a general publishing firm in it: this would have the advantage that the book would reach a wider public than if the Society were to publish it itself. But we have not yet found an author! Suggestions of people with the ability and time to consider undertaking this valuable work would be welcomed by the Secretary, Miss Madeline G. Waters.

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     The Society's report for 1977 records a great deal of activity. The most important event was the Translates' School at Purley Chase. The purpose was to help young scholars to understand what is involved in translating the Writings and to encourage them to gain experience in doing so. It is essential to ensure that we continue to have able translators if Swedenborg's works are to be made more widely available and read by more people. It is a work vital to the future of the Church. Sixteen students attended, eight British and eight from the U.S.A., and the School was directed by Dr. John Chadwick, of the University of Cambridge, assisted by the Rev. J. E. Elliott and the Rev. N. Ryder. It was considered to have been highly successful both by the tutors, who were impressed by the standard of the students, and by the students themselves.
     The great task of preparing a new English edition of the Arcana Coelestia, which is being undertaken by the Rev. J. E. Elliott, continues. Members of the Society's Advisory and Revision Board are acting as consultants together with Mr. E. Bruce Glenn of Bryn Athyn. A new translation of The New Jerusalem and its Heavenly Doctrine (undertaken by the Rev. E. E. Sandstrom and the Rev. G. T. Hill) and a revision of The True Christian Religion (the Rev. H. G. Mongredien) are in hand.
     The Society sold over 15,000 books last year and over 1,200 booklets. Turnover totaled more than L13,000, well up on the previous year. Membership was slightly up at 914. D. F. C. MANN

     (Readers who are already members of the Swedenborg Society may like to know that the minimum annual subscription is only L1 (life membership L20). Application for membership may be made through Society Collectors or direct to the Secretary, Miss M. G. Waters, at Swedenborg House, 20/21 Bloomsbury Way, London WCIA 2TH.)

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ORDINATION 1978

ORDINATION              1978




     Announcements
     Nkabinde.-At Alexandra Township, Transvaal, South Africa, Nov. 13, 1977, the Rev. Peter P. Nkabinde into the second degree of the priesthood, the Rt. Rev. Louis B. King officiating.
PRIDE OR HUMILITY? 1978

PRIDE OR HUMILITY?       Rev. B. DAVID HOLM       1978


     
NEW CHURCH LIFE
VOL. XCVIII          AUGUST, 1978 No. 8:
     The Pharisee stood and played thus with himself, "God, I thank Thee, that I am not as other melt are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess." And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift so much as his eyes to heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, "God be merciful unto me a sinner." Luke 18:11-13.
     In this Divine parable, we can see the essence of genuine humility and the essence of spiritual pride-pride of conceit in the Pharisee, and humility of heart in the publican. These two qualities are in total opposition to each other and cannot dwell permanently together within us. Where there is pride, humility is destroyed. Where there is humility, false pride is removed. This parable should cause us to ask ourselves, "Which will rule in me, pride or humility?"
     At the very beginning, we should make very clear that by "pride" here the Writings mean that sense of superiority, that "elation of mind," that conceited state which comes from unsubordinated love of self. Nowhere in the Writings is the word "pride" used in a good sense. Now this does not mean that we are not to have a basic self-respect or an ordered and subordinated love of self. No one can be an effective instrument in the Lord's hands without such self regard, for we would be unable to prepare ourselves for use nor would we be able to enter into it. But such disciplined self-love is not what is meant by "pride" in the Writings.
     Genuine humility is a gift from the Lord, while self-pride is from hell. In each of us there is a struggle as to which of these states will have dominance in us. This conflict is part of the story of the life-long struggle between the forces of heaven and the forces of hell over the final quality of each one of us.

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Will we allow inordinate pride to rule in us or will we allow the Lord to instill humility in our hearts?
     Humility is the essential factor in all worship and adoration of the Lord, for a proud heart cannot receive influx from the Divine. Such a heart is hard-being full of the love of self. But the Lord can inflow into a humble heart, for it is soft and receptive of the influx of good from the Lord.* The Pharisee of our text typifies the heart hardened by pride, while the publican (the despised collector of taxes) stands for the heart softened by humility. The Pharisee smugly and with a feeling of superiority listed his self-acclaimed virtues, while the publican asked for mercy because of his sins.
     * AC 9377
     The words of the Lord immediately after the text seem to indicate that only the publican's prayer was heard: "I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other." But this passage also can be interpreted in an affirmative way, in that the Pharisee was also justified. The Pharisee in this sense signifies those who believe that salvation depends on good works alone, and so place external things above internal things. Such people are also "justified" for they also are in the Lord's kingdom-but only on the threshold, for they do good works merely from obedience.*
     * AC 6405:3
     However, the Writings usually interpret our text in a way that condemns the Pharisee. He then stands for those who are in "meritorious good," that is, those who take merit for the good that they do and are filled with pride because of it.* The good which such men do is said in the Writings to be like gold which overlays filth and hides it.* The reason for this is that when we look only to our actions our internal evils are hidden, both from ourselves and from others. When we are in this state we think we are in higher good than others. We can then see the failings of others, but of our own we can see nothing. "God, I thank Thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican."
     * See AE 794:2
     ** Life 10e
     By the publican of the text is meant those who are in genuine humility. We come into this state when we see the terrible nature of our interior evils. At such times we feel removed from the Lord, signified by the publican standing afar off. We then feel unworthy of approaching the Lord, and within this there is an interior acknowledgment that we are nothing of ourselves. We are aware of our hereditary and acquired disorders, and know that we are in evil. We feel, at such times, like the publican who was unable to lift his eyes unto heaven. Yet when we are in this state, we long to be freed from our disorders that we might have life from the Lord.

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The publican smote his breast and prayed, "God be merciful unto me, a sinner."* Such is the quality of humility.
     * See AC 9377
     Yet the Pharisee felt superior to this publican, despising him for being a collector of taxes for the hated Romans. So it is the proud in heart hold those in contempt whose mistakes, failings and disorders are obvious. When we find this feeling of superiority and contempt within ourselves, we must regard it as the deadly enemy of charity toward the neighbor. We must try to root it out. We must regard it for what it is-a self-centered, pitiful and even ridiculous effort to raise ourselves above the common herd. How often we want to do just that-exalt ourselves and debase others? Is this not the source of all forms of prejudice? Is this not the very opposite of humility?
     Pride, which can also be called arrogance, conceit and prejudice, has no other origin than the love of self. Inordinate love of self is the dominant love in the will of every one of us prior to regeneration. This love finds its mate, or clothes itself, in our understanding. And the mate which the love of self forms for itself in our understanding is pride in our own intelligence, an exaggerated sense of self-worth. These two are like married partners, and their marriage is called in the Writings the marriage of evil and falsity, the marriage of self-love and self-pride.*
     * DP 206, 298:3
     It can be said that the love of self in our will becomes pride in our understanding.* Then love to the Lord is the ruling love in our will, and it forms for itself real wisdom in our understanding, wisdom from the Lord in which there is no conceit.
     * AR 940
     All of us fall into pride at least occasionally, for we are all born into the love of self. Still, we are warned not to judge others in this regard, for some people appear humble, but are inwardly full of pride.* Others may appear haughty and proud, but are inwardly humble.** Still, insofar as any of us enter into self-love, we also enter into some aspect of the numerous forms of pride.
     * See AC 4750:5
     ** See AC 2219:5; SD 4749
     One of the earliest forms of pride to show itself is our taking merit in the good we do and the truth we think. This is a common state of us all, existing from early childhood. It can plague us throughout our regeneration. Yet, there is great comfort in knowing that the Lord can and does gradually remove such meritorious pride and replace it with humility with those who force themselves to attribute all merit to the Lord.

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     When we take merit for the good we do and the truth we think, we then have done these things from ourselves. But, as we all know, nothing could be further from the truth. All things good and true are the Lord's, never our own. Yet how persistent the false appearance is! Whatever we do or think from ourselves, from our proprium, is impure from our hereditary nature. When in such a state we think of our own merit and righteousness and so mingle self-love and pride with the good we do or in the truth we think and so render it unclean.* Even our prayers, in this state, are not directed to the Lord, but to ourselves, for we then regard ourselves as our own source of good. Remember the text: "the Pharisee stood and prayed with himself." In our prayers we should beware of this. Only our humble prayers can be heard by the Lord, for they are the only prayers which acknowledge our utter need of Him Who is the only source of all good and truth.**
     * AC 874
     ** AC 9377
     When we feel pride and conceit over the good we do, we are acting from our external man which looks only to the world. But when we sense a feeling of genuine thanksgiving to the Lord because of the good we have done, or rather, because of the good which has been done through us by the Lord, then we are acting from our internal man which looks to heaven and the Lord.* To act from the internal man, that is, from the Lord, is to do good for the sake of good, speak truth for the sake of truth, act sincerely for the sake of sincerity, and to do what is just for the sake of justice. When we do this, we do them from the Lord and are in real humility, for we then take no merit for them and thus are freed from self-pride, at least for the time being. We feel a humble gratefulness to the Lord.**
     * AE 794:2, 3
     ** AE 794:3
     How opposite these two states are-pride and humility. Every regenerating man feels the struggle between these two opposing qualities. At times we are in pride and puffed up with our own excellence and importance. At other times we are deeply aware of our total dependence upon the Lord and humble ourselves to His ways. And how swiftly these opposite states can change!-humility one moment and pride the next-or boastful self-merit immediately followed by deep regret and humility. Truly it is a seesaw battle. It is part of the struggle between heaven and hell over our souls.
     The Heavenly Doctrine of the New Church gives us strong truths from which to combat the evils of pride. We should be well aware of these truths and apply them if we want to be softened by humility and stand before the Lord as a willing instrument of use.

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     There are real spiritual dangers within pride, which in itself may appear to be a relatively simple evil, for there are deeper and yet deeper levels of pride. We have already seen that in proportion as we enter into the love of self, in the same proportion pride, arrogance and conceit increase with us. Unless we fight against this self-love, we are sure to enter into these deeper and more terrible forms of pride.
     We may delude ourselves into feeling that we are great. Then other people seem of little or no account, and we fall into contempt of others.* If our love of self continues to increase we at last wish to exalt ourselves above others and our pride increases until we believe we are actually superior to everyone else. The final form of this pride is to want to be worshiped by others.** If our pride continues to grow, we at last want to rule over others. If this is not checked we fall into perhaps the worst form of pride. For when our love of ruling is opposed, it turns to hatred, burning revenge, cruelty and even persecution.*** Such is the inward nature of pride. We can see its insanity. The history of man is filled with the tragedies of its excesses.
     * SD 1249; AC 4750:5          
     ** AC 1306
     *** AC 4750:5, 8678
     We have listed some of the extreme forms of pride. It is true that they lie concealed within the less diabolic forms of pride. But what of these lesser forms? Are we aware that pride can dwell in what we normally regard as virtues? The Pharisee listed his virtues. We often speak of pride as being a virtue. In a sense it is, if by "pride" we mean self-reliance. But pride can worm its way even into virtues. We can even fall into the error of taking pride in our humility!
     Self-prudence, or self-confidence can also be a form of pride, for it can be based on a secret belief that we are our own masters and that we and we alone are able to guide our own lives. When we fall into this state, almost inevitably and providentially our prudent plans are interfered with or fail. Then our first inclination is to find some other reason than our own limitations for the failure, for it is hard on our pride to admit to mistakes. Yet this is just what we must do-admit to our utter limitations if humility is ever to rule in us.
     The pride we take in being independent can also be closely related to false prudence. In this state we stress the importance of being dependent on others in the least possible degree. The goal for which we then strive is complete self-sufficiency, not only is economic affairs, but in intellectual and emotional things as well. When the time inevitably comes that we must accept help from someone, we tend to resent the help and perhaps even the benefactor.

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Our pride in our ability to take care of ourselves has been bruised. Such pride is foolish; no-one can be completely self-sufficient, for we are finite. The very attitude of complete self-sufficiency can be robbing others of opportunities to act from charity.
     A more serious form of pride is the conceit of one's own intelligence. When this state of pride comes to us we are very apt to feel that we are mentally superior to our associates. If we do not actively try to force our opinions on others, then we silently ridicule anyone else's ideas that are not in accord with our own. Yet we are taught that the truth of the matter is that the more a person is persuaded that he excels others intellectually, the more foolish he becomes spiritually.* For in proportion as his conceit grows, in the same proportion does he glue spiritual falsities together, until he finally becomes insane as far as the things of heaven are concerned.**
     * SD 4662
     ** AR 421
     Another type of pride closely connected with this is prejudice. It is easy to see that this comes from a sense of superiority. Some person, group, nation or race is despised in comparison to self. This is of course a type of self-love or even self-worship. In a sense it is pitiful, for a prejudiced person is one who usually feels threatened by many things. In the light of the Writings there is no place for prejudice, for each person is a creation of the Lord and is created for a specific use in the Gorand Man of heaven. The same is true of each nation and race.
     The types of pride here mentioned are only several of countless varieties, for there are many forms of pride as there are men. Yet all pride may be summed up in the words of the Pharisee, "God, I thank Thee that I am not as other men." Yet from these types of pride we can see what genuine humility involves. Genuine humility attributes all good and truth and all abilities to the Lord. Thus humility is real sanity. Humility admits to personal limitations, and acknowledges dependence upon the Lord and other men. The humble man does not exaggerate his own abilities and shuns conceit. The humble man gives the benefit of the doubt and does not harbor prejudice.
     Yet the humble man is not abject. He is aware of his God-given abilities. He takes joyful satisfaction in uses performed well, for such joy is not pride but a reward from the Lord. Such satisfaction has gratitude as its base. The humble man is eager to take up his share of life's responsibilities, for this he recognizes as his duty. The humble man is a happy man, for his confidence is in the Lord. Because of this he avoids all the terrible stress which comes from depending on one's self alone.

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     Pride is one of the most subtle enemies of mankind, and we are all vulnerable to its attacks. If it gets a permanent hold upon us it is destructive of spiritual life, for, we are taught, pride repels the Divine and removes heaven from man (AC 8678). We must fight against it with all the power the Lord will surely give us if our attempts are sincere. For we are solemnly warned that the proud in heart will not be admitted into the Lord's New Church, the New Jerusalem. We have a choice: will pride or humility rule in us? They cannot live side by side.* Let us determine then to go before the Lord and pray that He will give us true humility, and then work for it by shunning all forms of pride. If we do this humility will be granted us. His promise of this is sure! "For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the spirit of the contrite ones."** Amen.
     * AR 940               
     ** Isa. 57:15

     LESSONS: Psalm 10. Luke 18:1-14. Heaven and Hell 555-557.
SELF-LOVE 1978

SELF-LOVE              1978

     At first I wondered how it is that the love of self and love of the world could be so diabolical, and how those who are in these loves could be such monsters in appearance; for in the world there is little reflection upon the love of sell, but only on that elated state of mind in external matters which is called haughtiness, which because it is so apparent to the sight, is regarded as the only love of self. Furthermore, love of self, when it is not so displayed, is believed in the world to be the very fire of life by which man is stimulated to seek employment and to perform uses, and if he saw no honor or glory in these his mind would grow torpid. They say, "Who has ever done any worthy, useful, and distinguished deed except for the sake of being praised and honored by others, or in the minds of others?" And can this be from any other source than the fire of love for glory and honor, consequently for self? For this reason, it is unknown in the would that love of self, regarded in itself, is the love that rules in hell and makes hell with man. Heaven and Hell 555

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SHUN EVILS AS SINS 1978

SHUN EVILS AS SINS       Rev. KURT P. NEMITZ       1978

     Shun . . . evils. . . as. . . sins. Shun . . . evils . . . as . . . sins. Shun . . . evils. . .* This familiar Divine injunction pulses through the Heavenly Doctrine as the beat of a heavenly metronome, intent on holding man's life to its strict, spiritual measure.
     * Life 18; DLW 242; CL 266
     Every New Church person hears it, and has heard it from his earliest days in the Church. Indeed, the ears of many of us in the Church may inadvertently have become a bit too accustomed to the constant rhythm of the Divine urging. We sense the beat but, lacking a full awareness of its meaning, are lulled into comfortable inactivity, feeling perhaps unable to observe it in anything more than a rather general way.
     Shun . . . evils . . . as . . . sins. Each element in this holy cadence is important, save perhaps the tying "as". The accent, however, clearly falls on the opening word, "shun". All the life and saving power of this Divine command surge forth from it. The movement and action that can transform our lives will begin to be felt as we inquire into and develop an awareness for what is involved in the other two basic words that follow "shun": evil, and sin.
     Evil: the source of discord, the jarring note that rends the smooth harmony of heaven. Evil is all those things that are opposed to the Divine order. Evil is devastating because what is opposed to the Divine order is also opposed to what is good and true; for these are the perfect constituents of the tone and structure of that order out of which arises the harmony of human life which is heaven.*
     * See TCR 398:7
     Because evil is the antithesis of Divine order, if we would know for ourselves what the evils are that we are commanded to shun, we must turn to the Word. The Word is the law of order; for the Divine truth it embodies makes order in the heavens, insomuch that it is the order that prevails there; and consequently the laws of order are Divine truths.*
     * AC 9987:5
     This heavenly order is presented in summary in the Ten Commandments and in the two great commandments. And he who, for the Lord's sake, simply but sincerely lives according to these commandments will certainly be saved.*

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Yet a far more perfect knowledge of and life in accord with the Divine order is possible for those whom the Lord has called to His New Church. The New Church man or woman has the opportunity to come to the Lord and be instructed by the Lord, through the Heavenly Doctrines the Lord has now revealed, in the internal sense of His Word.
     * DP 325
     The internal sense contains thousands of particular details about the general laws of order presented in the Old and New Testaments.* The particulars of the internal sense are as it were the individual notes that we hear in the broadly flowing melody of the Old and New Testaments. Through these particular laws of order in the Heavenly Doctrines one is able to have a particular knowledge of what is evil in and around oneself. The work Conjugial Love, for example, spells out virtually every hellish action and attitude of mind that can flow forth from the unwatchful heart and destroy a marriage.
     * AC 3438:3
     For husbands and wives who cherish their marriage, or wish it could be happy enough to be cherished, the reading and re-reading of Conjugial Love would seem to be as regular a devotion as saying a cheerful "Good-morning" to each other at the beginning of every day. There is no adequate substitute for the conscientious study of the Divine Word. This devout habit is absolutely inestimable to our value and welfare as human beings. The Word's Divine, enlightening instruction makes visible the subtle enemy of evil, which is constantly scheming to destroy the harmonious union of husband and wife, and of God and man.
     When evil is seen in the light of the truth of the Word, and not merely in the lumen of current public opinion or self-interest, then it can be shunned as sin.
     Sin is a concept that many today regard as outmoded as chaperones and "closed for business on Sunday." And yet this word, which has lain at mankind's door since Cain's foul deed, in spite of current dis-use is still intrinsically valid and significant; for to "sin" simply means, as St, John said, "to break the law of God."* Or as it is more particularly defined in the Word of the Second Advent, "to sin is to do what is contrary to the Divine order, and to turn oneself away and separate oneself from it, thus from good and truth; for he who does not obey the Divine and the truth turns away from it."**
     * John 3, 4
     ** AC 7696
     We note here the willfulness that characterizes sin. This characteristic is brought out in another definition given in the Doctrines: "To sin," it is explained, "is to do and think what is evil and false intentionally and from the will, for things which are done from the will and intentionally are such as come forth from the heart and defile a man (Matt. 15:11), and consequently such as destroy spiritual life with him."*
     * AC 8925

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     Is it not remarkable that the definition of this ominous word, sin, is almost reassuring? Which one of us can say we are free from and not guilty of evil? Due to the defective nature that was our unwitting inheritance, we trespass and step outside the bounds of Divine order with almost every step we take in life. What a relief that not every transgression, not every evil we commit, is sin! Sin is only that evil that is done in contempt of the full knowledge that what one is doing is against the Law of God.
     The Lord made the nature of sin clear when He said to the Pharisees, who asked, "Are we blind too?" "If you were blind you would not be guilty, but because you say, 'We see', your guilt remains."*
     * Jn. 9:40, 41
     The concept of sin as breaking the law of God is essential to the Divine injunction we are considering. It makes evil far more terrifying than a black but fleeting shadow that may occasionally darken our day. Sin gives evil an eternal dimension and makes it a substantial, fateful threat to our whole existence. Anyone can see that certain types of action and manifest intention are evil in the sense that they disrupt, and in some cases destroy, the accepted order and tenor of human life-and will eventually bring down the displeasure of the members of society upon those who so offend it; but what does that matter if one is clever enough to remain undiscovered or quick enough to get away? When evil is considered apart from the Law of God, the race is to the swift. If, however, it is not simply the law of the community one lives in but the Law of the Divine Judge Himself that is being broken, only the fool thinks there can be escape; one cannot hide from God's all-seeing eye, or run to the end of time.
     With these observations on the nature of evil and sin in mind, we can more fully feel what is involved in the injunction to shun evils as sins.
     The word shun is such an important one that we should endeavor to acquire a full appreciation of its meaning in the Heavenly Doctrines. Or perhaps we should translate it with another word, as is in fact sometimes done (in the Concordance to Swedenborg's works, for example), with the word "flee." "Flee, run away from", this is what the original Latin word for shun in the Heavenly Doctrines literally means. We are to flee, run away from evils.
     This intensely active meaning of shun is vividly illustrated in the story of Moses and his rod that turned into a snake when he threw it on the ground before the burning bush at Jehovah's command.*

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The snake pictured man's deadly corrupt sensual nature. Moses fled from it in terror, or we might say "shunned it," for the Hebrew is rendered by the same word in the Latin of the Heavenly Doctrines.
     * Ex. 3:1-4
     "Leap back from evil in terror, in terror from the realization that the evil before us is deadly, because it violates the immutable Law of the Lord;" that is what we are being told in the command to "shun evils as sins."
     Most of us are already partially conditioned to do this by upbringing and the customs of society; we avoid many evils as a matter of unthinking habit. A good beginning, but only that. As human beings we have a God-given potential for doing much more. And we must utilize this potential, we must concentrate, prayerfully, on shunning evils from religious principle. Otherwise our innate love of evil will remain in the center of our being, disrupting our own life and the lives of those around us with discord and discomfort.*
     * DP 117
     The positive aspect of this is that as we rush in fear from evil, we will be drawn near to the Lord, and united with Him in love. The Lord is order, and goodness and truth. With every hurried step we take away from the disorder that is evil, because it frustrates the loving will of God, we are drawn upward to Him and to these Divine qualities.     
     The words of His own Divine teaching are: "When man's interior is purified from evils by desisting from them and shunning them because they are sins, the internal is opened, which is above it and which is called the spiritual internal. This communicates with heaven; and hence it is that a man is introduced into heaven and conjoined to the Lord."*
     * AE 939:1.
NEW CIRCLE 1978

NEW CIRCLE       LOUIS B. KING       1978

     The Letchworth Circle of the General Church, in Letchworth, England, has been recognized by the Bishop of the General Church of the New Jerusalem.
     LOUIS B. KING,
          Bishop

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MOST FRUITFUL FIELD 1978

MOST FRUITFUL FIELD       Rev. FRANK S. ROSE       1978

     (Digest of an Address delivered to the Council of the Clergy, March, 1978.)

     The promises made in the Word about the New Church are very impressive.
     "This New Church, truly Christian, which at this day is being established by the Lord, will endure to eternity . . . also it was foreseen from the creation of the world; and it will be the crown of the four preceding churches, because it will have true faith and true charity."*
     * Coro. LII
     "It is certain that a New Church, which is the New Jerusalem, is going to come into existence." "It is of the Lord's Divine Providence that the Church may be at first among a few and increase successively among many."*
     * AR 547
     The whole Christian world is invited to enter this church, and worthily receive the Lord "Who has Himself foretold that He would come into the world for the sake of this church and to it."*
     * Coro. LV
     The experience of the church to date is not nearly as impressive. After over 200 years the New Church is small, and is split into various organizations, most of which have declining numbers. Even those organizations that are growing are growing very slowly.
     Over a hundred years ago, a group of people in the General Convention were inspired by a new vision, and out of that vision grew the Academy and later the General Church. This movement was characterized by a spirit of devotion to the Writings. It was felt that the Church, if founded on true principles, would grow and flourish. In 1899 Bishop W. F. Pendleton addressed the church on what he saw as the principles that had given the Academy movement strength. His address was received with tremendous enthusiasm.* It was believed that in following those principles the Church was being led by the Lord. But those men were humble enough and wise enough to know that future generations might see things differently. The last thing they wanted to do was to bind the church to a specific view of the doctrines that might later prove to be false. As Bishop deCharms emphasizes in his introduction to the pamphlet on the Principles of the Academy:
     * New Church Life, 1935:256

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     "It should be clearly understood . . . that at no time was there any intention of setting forth these principles as a dogmatic statement of faith, binding upon the conscience of the church. They have always been regarded as an expression of opinion generally held at the time, but open to modification as the church may progress in the understanding of the heavenly doctrine. In the General Church the Writings themselves are acknowledged as the only final authority in matters of religious faith."*
     * Introduction to Principles of the Academy, p. 3
     Bishop Pendleton's address in 1899 listed twelve "principles of the Academy." The twelfth reads, in part:
     "The most fruitful field of evangelization is with the children of New Church parents. In order to occupy this fruitful field of work New Church schools are needed."
     Many people had observed that the missionary efforts of Convention were being offset by the fact that their own young people were not joining the church. People were entering the front door of the church, but not as fast as others were leaving at the back door. The Academy people realized the importance of teaching the children and young people already in the Church, and saw the establishment of New Church schools as a powerful means of accomplishing that goal. As Bishop Pendleton said, in expanding on the 12th Principle: "The Academy . . . decided to occupy this field of evangelization, one which had been largely neglected, believing that from this source mainly the future members of the church will be provided; that it is the most fruitful field of the New Church for its increase in the Christian world; that by it will be provided in the future not only multiplication in numbers, but growth in quality such as can come in no other way . . . This was the resolve of the Academy, a resolve that was put into practice with results that have justified our hopes, and are full of promise for the future."*
     * Principles of the Academy, p. 14-16
     He is pointing out that "most fruitful" means two things: multiplication in numbers and growth in quality. The growth in quality is hard to measure, but there are many indications that individuals, societies and the General Church as a whole have all benefitted from the fine work of New Church schools. Those who have attended graduation exercises in our Schools have had reason to be very proud of the work that has been done.
     But what of the growth in numbers? The first thirty years in the history of the General Church saw a slow but noticeable growth. We have continued to grow since then, but the rate of growth has dropped to well below the rate of increase in the world's population.

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Taking the percentage of increase in ten-year spans, the membership of the General Church increased 68% from 1900 to 1910, 52% from 1910 to 1920, 39% from 1920 to 1930 and in the decades since then by only 12%, 15%, 13% and 10%. This means that for the last 47 years the annual increase in membership has fluctuated between 1 and 270, well below what we would expect if we retained all of our young people. 3907 people have joined the General Church since 1926. In the same period there were 1718 confirmations and 1573 adult baptisms. That leaves about 600 who joined the General Church from other New Church bodies, or without the benefit of confirmation.
     This means that about half of the new members come from our own families, and half from outside the church. (Many of this latter group come because they marry products of New Church education). This also means that the General Church would be growing smaller every year were it not for the fact that so many adults join the church. In view of this, it is hard to support the idea that New Church education is, numerically at least, the most fruitful field of evangelization.
     Fortunately we have never had to take the position that growth would come entirely from our own children. There are many references, however, to the idea that it will come primarily from them. Here is a sample comment, from many that are to be found in the pages of New Church Life over the years. "The only hope for the Christian world is in the New Church, and especially in its growth from within."* Does this mean that years from now, most of the members of the church will be descendants of existing members? It is truly delightful to think that the things we hold so dear will be passed on to children, grandchildren, great grandchildren and beyond. But considering the billions of people in the world, it seems less than ideal that the majority of people in the church should be limited to those related by blood to the members living today.
     * NCL 1905:297
     Even if we were 100% successful in leading our children to accept the New Church for themselves, that by itself would not bring the church to other peoples, nations and tongues. No matter how well we do in New Church education, a completely different effort is needed to bring the church to people who are not related to us. The Lord commanded His disciples to teach the gospel "to all nations."* When this command was renewed at the time of the Second Coming, the apostles were told to go forth through the whole spiritual world, and this task they accepted with zeal and industry.**

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The recent increase in interest in evangelization testifies to our recognition of the vital importance of this use.*** The more successful we are in external evangelization, the greater will be the proportion of members in the Church who have not been raised in the Church. This is something to be desired and welcomed, as a necessary characteristic of a church that looks beyond its own borders to cover the earth.
     * Matt. 28:19
     ** TCR 108
     *** NCL 1978:263
     This does not in any way under-value the great use of New Church education. We have a sacred obligation to teach the things of the Word to our children and to our children's children. We will continue to do this in a variety of ways, through our New Church schools, through Religion lessons, through Sunday schools, through special classes for children and young people, through summer camps, weekend retreats, Assemblies, and whatever other means we can find. This use must be continued.
     But it would seem to be a mistake to think of this use as the most fruitful field of evangelization. In the history of the General Church it has been fruitful in quality, and as far as numbers go, has been pretty evenly balanced with an increase through adults joining the Church. When Swedenborg wrote about the work of publishing the Writings, he said: "Because it has been granted me to be in the spiritual world and in the natural world at the same time . . . I am obliged by my conscience to manifest these things; for what is the use of knowing, unless what is known to one be also known to others?"* For anything to "be a use, it must be for the sake of others."** The "others" in this case, refer to our children, but in a greater sense to the whole human race. "The 'field' in which is the harvest, in a broad sense signifies the whole human race, or the whole world."** Think of the unfinished task! Consider the billions of people who have not yet heard of the Writings! It is up to those who have the Writings to pass them on to others. We do not really have the church until we learn what it is to share what we have, and in this way respond to the Lord's command to preach the gospel to every creature.
     * Influx 18
     ** DLW 308               
     *** AC 9295:3
     Think of the time, talent, money and energy that we give to education. Now imagine us giving even a tenth as much to evangelization. That would represent a budget of $250,000 and a staff of 4 full time priests and 20 or 30 lay men and women. Surely even a fraction of that amount would lead us to gain the competence and experience necessary for success. Ultimately, of course, the Lord alone builds the Church. The question we have to ask is, what efforts on our part fit in best with the flow of His providence?

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SETTING YOUR GOALS 1978

SETTING YOUR GOALS       GEORGE GRAHAM       1978

     ACADEMY COMMENCEMENT ADDRESS, 1978

     Today marks one of the greatest accomplishments of your entire learning experience, for you have just completed another important phase of your education. Some of you are probably wondering about the next phase. Some of you are wondering what the future holds in store, and some of you are saying to yourselves, "This sure beats my 8th grade graduation," and so it should, for today you are all much wiser and more sophisticated.
     You must be the proudest young adults in the world at this moment. I'm certainly proud just to be a part of your lives today. I enjoyed getting to know many of you through the years and, frankly, I can attest to the fact that the graduating classes here today are "AOK." I didn't lose much hair over our high school this year; I just acquired a few more gray ones.
     I'd like to tell you graduates some things in which I strongly believe. It has been my privilege to live under a system of government that recognizes the value, the rights, the freedom, and the responsibility of the individual. This responsibility to yourself, your family, and your country is best exemplified through your ability to achieve this and the next phase of your education.
     Many challenges and opportunities are continuously made available to each of you every day of your lives. Opportunities will unfold at an ever-increasing rate as each of you matures into adulthood . . . it's up to you to take advantage of them.
     I believe you are the luckiest, most fortunate individuals I know today. Where else in the world could you receive an educational foundation such as you have received here at the Academy?
     The truth of the matter is that each and every one of you is a leader and an individual with the ability to achieve your goals in life. This is one of the single greatest attributes each of us has . . . the ability to become what we want to be. And that is the key point I want to make to you this morning.
     Today each one of you will start out into the next phase of your life on a fairly even basis. Sure, some of you can run faster than others, some of you are better in one academic discipline than others, and some have more resources to draw upon.

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But in comparison with the entire spectrum of American graduates moving on to the next level of challenge, you have much common ground with each other . . . your educational background, religious strengths, and sense of community.
     When you gather at your class reunions, ten years from now, twenty years from now, and even more years from now, you will see what your classmates have accomplished with their lives.
     And I'll tell you something. There will be a lot of surprises when you meet again. Some of the people who are really going to set the world on fire, didn't. And some of the people who might have been in the background here at the Academy, will have attained heights that surprise you.
     I've tried to analyze why this happens. And I've come up with an explanation that makes sense to me.
     The difference between those people who really get somewhere in life, really accomplish something worthy of themselves and their community, and those who just seem to get by, is the establishment of clear goals for their lives.
     The kind of person who just gets by, reacts to life. The person with goals, challenges it. You may not reach the objectives you set, but you certainly won't reach any objectives that you don't set. And don't set your target too low either, because your accomplishments won't out-distance the goals you set.
     When obstacles to obtaining your objectives arise, don't look at them as a problem, but as a challenge, and in fact an opportunity. Many of the greatest contributions in science, technology and the arts came about when someone looked at a potential problem and saw a potential opportunity.
     Each one of you may not have your lifetime goals clearly in focus today. And nowhere is it written that they are due on graduation day. But you've already made some decisions that will direct you toward development of lifetime objectives. And in the not-too-distant future, you'll pull together the wants, the needs, the beliefs, the causes that are uniquely you, and formulate the basic direction that your life will take . . . your lifetime goals.
     When you do, you'll be many steps ahead of the person who realizes late in life that the reason he never accomplished anything really important was that he never really set out to accomplish anything important.
     To me, there's nothing sadder than meeting a person who looks back on the wasted years when he "kept on rolling with the flow", instead of steering a course to clearly defined goals.

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     Another point. When you finish your formal education and begin your career endeavors, you'll find the world has little time for the person who doesn't have a dream . . . . Because too many people do . . . and are busy pursuing it.
     I'd like to make an additional point. I mentioned the common ground we share as members of our unique community. Sometimes I think we tend to take the sense of community for granted. We shouldn't.
     I believe many of the problems of our country today are related to the lack of true community feeling in many areas. As our country evolved from one of rural communities and strong neighborhoods within towns and cities to a more transitory lifestyle with many families moving away from their family roots, the sense of community was weakened, and people began to feel more isolated.
     We have here a situation that is becoming more unique and more valuable with each passing year. For in our community there is a true sense of togetherness, shared by people with varied backgrounds, strengthened by a common bond of our religious belief.
     Each of you can draw upon this feeling of belonging, and each of you in turn, can help strengthen these bonds by your support of the community, the church, and the Academy. It's a two-way street, and to a great extent, the benefits you derive are directly proportional to the effort you put in.
     Setting your goals, being a leader, facing the many challenges ahead, and grasping the opportunities afforded you, will build your character, and in turn you will build our Church and our Academy.
     The future of this institution rests on your shoulders. Each of you has a responsibility to make it grow and thrive, for without your help, we will lose our religious strengths and this unique educational foundation.
     I know that each of you will remember this day as long as you live. And I realize that you will remember very little of what I have said. But I'd like to single out one thought, and offer it as a worthy remembrance.
     There are basically two kinds of people, and they can be categorized by their approach to life. The kind of person who just gets by, reacts to life. But the person with goals, challenges it.
     Your parents, your friends, and your Academy congratulate each one of you. And I sincerely wish each of you much success in setting and achieving your goals in life.

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GOALS FOR MAN'S RELATIONSHIP WITH SELF, NEIGHBOR, GOD 1978

GOALS FOR MAN'S RELATIONSHIP WITH SELF, NEIGHBOR, GOD       STEVE GLADISH       1978

     (Address given at Western Assembly in La Crescenta, California, March 18th.)

     The second Great Commandment is "Love Thy Neighbor as Thyself." This clearly implies that whatever we would do for our neighbor, we would also and first do for ourselves. It is a package deal: there are two people we must love, the neighbor and our self. To the extent that we love ourselves, we have the capacity to love our neighbor. And as one minister said, "That's what is wrong with the world. We don't love our self, and so we don't love the neighbor-that's why there is so much fighting and discord in the world."
     Let's define what real love does: (Here are our first three goals, incidentally):

     Love esteems and affirms the unconditional and unique value of the one loved.
     Love acknowledges and tries to fulfill the needs of the one loved.
     Love forgives and forgets the failings of the one loved.

We often think of doing these things for someone special. But we too are someone special. Have you thought of yourself as gently and as lovingly as you do others? Have you forgiven yourself for your failings? Do you offer yourself that same warmth and understanding? Have you really tried to meet your own needs?
     Those of us in the mental health field realize there is a one fundamental human need: a true self-concept, a joyful acceptance of self, an authentic self-esteem, resulting in an interior sense of celebration. We accept the challenge of a choice between our natural and spiritual self. Feeling OK does not mean the person has risen above all his or her sins, faults, and emotional problems, it means s/he no longer allows himself to be paralyzed by them. Self-love, via the Second Great Commandment, and selfishness are two opposites.
     Selfishness is insatiable, a kind of greediness; the selfish person is anxiously concerned with himself; driven by the fear of not getting enough of this or that; envious of others who might have more. This person deeply dislikes himself-the selfishness is rooted in the dislike. Narcissism, like selfishness is an overcompensation for the basic lack of self-love.

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The person loves neither himself or others. Self-love, properly subordinated to love of the neighbor, and especially to love of the Lord, is the pivotal first step for dedicating each deed to God in life's cheerful expedition to achieve conjunction with the Lord, our major purpose in life.
     Neurosis is an inner division-a slate of being at war with oneself. As one man realized, "I myself am the enemy to be loved." Mitigate the division, and the client heals. Without the fundamental human need, we naturally seek behavioral symptoms as an adjustment device, a shield against life. There are fifteen of them counted thus far. Exaggeration or bragging, a critical attitude, rationalization, perfectionism, shyness, self-depreciation, anger, defensive docility, being a loner, over-achieving, masks, roles, facades, identification, absolute agreeability, cynicism, suspicion and timidity. None of these conduce to following the Two Great Commandments. All psychological problems are symptomatic of the frustration of the fundamental need for a sense of personal worth. The self-image of a person is the radical determining factor of all his behavior. A true and realistic self-esteem is the basic element in the health of the human personality. Beyond the 15 behavioral symptoms, there are four lifestyles, or analgesic shelters we can retreat to if we fail to perceive worth in ourselves: depression, anger and antisocial behavior, insanity, and physical sickness, (which is the most commonly chosen option). And going even further beyond, there are the four addictions: alcoholic, foodaholic, workaholic, and drugaholic. These of course compound the situation, and must be dealt with first before the personal problems can even be discussed. All human beings suffer from something: sometimes visible, sometimes not.
     We have all heard sayings like, "As the twig is bent, so the tree grows." Or "The child is father of the man." Or "Give me a child til he's seven, and I will have him for the rest of his life." This is where every person's self-esteem begins. Most of what young children learn about themselves comes from their parents. If the parents do not foster self-esteem in us, when we become emancipated, on our own, it becomes our responsibility to re-parent ourselves. We must begin to nurture ourself in the ways we needed our parents to do, but they didn't. We must take the formula for raising children, and apply it to ourselves. For a good self-concept, a child needs near total acceptance. He needs clearly defined and enforced limits, without drastic forms of punishment. He needs respect for his individual actions within limits. He needs freer individual expression, encouragement for creativity. He needs moderate, tolerant, civilized parents. Parents make up 50% of a child's career decision. Parents make more like an 80% model for a child's marriage decision.

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We need to examine the influences on our life, and then make a real choice as to whether we want to keep living the way we were taught. Many times it is that heritage which is causing us the pain.
     To strengthen the self-concept, a child must be taught how to handle frustration and failure, how to plan for it. A child must be encouraged to do self-evaluation-as to what caused frustration and failure. A child must be shown alternatives in her endeavors, the many dimensions of them, and encouraged to check out her role in them as extensively as they can. A child must be able to see his characteristic way of dealing with failure, and reacting to it. A child should be coached in the rules of the social games we all play. A parent needs to keep frustration at a low level, model flexibility, help the child generalize across situations. A parent should keep too much anxiety and fear out of the child's performance. A parent must provide constructive, specific, supportive feedback, and keep out all unguarded criticism, name-calling, and sarcasm. Charity begins at home! Whatever traits the parent punishes or criticizes will be the basis for a poor self-concept. The more we stress a symptom the longer it stays. A parent must not make his problems the child's problems. A poor self-concept means a lack of confidence in facing and mastering the environment, and life. Yet the parental job is to give the child the proper tools with which to lead a good life. A moderate degree of dissatisfaction is good for the child-we are expecting a reasonable and accepting self-appraisal. No one ever gets it all together. A highly self-satisfied child is overly defensive, and unwilling to admit to undesirable traits. A highly dissatisfied child is confused, despairing, with unrealistic and contradictory goals. Neither of these is capable of setting spiritual goals. All these teachings we must apply to ourselves. We can go back and correct our upbringing by doing it over again ourselves. That's usually what counseling is all about.
     A good self-image has other obstacles, cultural obstacles. Women have been raised, by and large, to "Be pleasing, smile, laugh," rather than "Be yourself." A girl is taught to be a peacemaker, to avoid conflict, rather than to problem-solve. A girl is taught to seek male approval, rather than self-approval. A girl is taught to be passive and dependent, rather than independent and assertive. A girl is often taught to use her charms, and manipulate to get her needs met, rather than asking directly for her needs. It is important that we re-parent ourselves here, too. On the other hand, a boy is taught to be unemotional, to hide his emotions. What a waste of half our humanity! A boy is taught to be aggressive, achieving his desired goals by hurting others. A boy is taught to be dominant and think men to be superior. When he grows up how does he relate equally to his spouse?

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Is it any wonder that marriages are not succeeding?-girls are raised to be non-assertive, and boys are raised to be aggressive.
     The key to healthy people is assertive behavior: We must raise ourselves to be emotionally honest, direct; we must choose for ourselves, and we will feel good about self, confident, self-respecting, and the other person will also feel respected and valued. Non-assertive behavior is self-denying, indirect, emotionally dishonest; does not achieve goals, allows others to choose for us; makes us feel hurt, anxious, possibly angry, and causes the other person to feel guilty, angry, and superior, while viewing us with irritation, pity, and disgust. Aggressive behavior is self-enhancing at others' expense, it chooses for others, feels righteous, superior, while the other person feels hurt, defensive, and humiliated. In building our self-image, we must learn assertive behavior, or all the aggressive people may tear down in a minute what we took a week to build.
     Assertive behavior in preparing for marriage is not to leave things up to romance, ideals, and providence. It is to take marital inventories, set goals, and measure ourselves according to them. When people ask, "How can you test love?", I answer, "Love tests us. Love is a gift. We must measure ourselves to see if we can keep love." The relationship will be tested. A healthy marriage has a dual set of desirable attributes. Every person will benefit from defining them, evaluating self by them, and setting goals according to them. For example, there are eight personal characteristics of a healthy marriage, five compatibility factors, four marriage skills, forty-one needs fulfillment areas and a whole survey on marital attitudes. In addition, marriage works best with healthy individuals, who are growing away from the fifteen behavioral adjustment symptoms, the four analgesic shelters, or the four addictive life styles. These are "must" goals-we have that responsibility to our children and their children. Trouble-free parents produce trouble-free children. Life's tasks are easier. There are no extra personal adjustment problems added to the huge goal of lifetime regeneration.
     Once we accept some love for our self, and begin to improve our self-image, the next step is to examine "Who am I?" An easy entry is to take the first ten roles that come to mind, and then write down what you enjoy about those ten roles. For example, four roles I enjoy are: counselor, family man and loving person, enabler, writer. As a counselor I enjoy using intuition, helping, seeing totalities of people, problem solving, helpful relationships. As a family man and loving person, I enjoy feelings, empathizing, playfulness, intimacy, nurturing, and happiness. As an enabler, I enjoy helping people to become free, to be what they want to be.

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As a writer, I enjoy the beauty of words, poetry in nature, a variety of images, new perspectives, new relationships of ideas, words, understandings, communication with commitment. Once I state these things, I feel a celebration of life inside me. I praise the Lord for giving me those things. Yes, I feel the Lord created uses in order for man to find happiness.
     The next step is to integrate self. We must ask: What is real? How do we know? We integrate with open-endedness, on-going searching; we need authenticity, and mutuality. We must establish self-directedness, a philosophical base; we need personal policies, and priorities. We must become an agent of responsibility. We must incorporate values clarification, self-actualizing, self-transcending, and self-evaluating. All these processes, if we do them, help us live and love our selves and our neighbor, with a balance of truth and affection. We have not been taught to think, plan, evaluate. We need individual plans of action. We need to map out our path of life. What are our academic goals, career goals, personal goals, marital goals, social goals, physical goals? What is our plan of action for interaction and communication? For economic skills? For leisure time skills? For family living? For coping with stress? We need to set goals and objectives. I asked a few people what their goal in life was. One answer was happiness. One was regeneration. One was heaven. These are very general and long range.
     In counseling we go for short-range goals. What can we do in this hour? What do you want to change this week? Where are you now? Where do you want to be? What are the obstacles? How will you know when you have accomplished this goal? How will others know? You have got to measure it. We know success breeds success. We go from little triumphs to big triumphs. Goal-setting is our specialty. Personal change is hard; part of our personality got us where we are and does not want to move. The other part, wanting change, needs feedback and encouragement on a regular basis. Later on I will discuss how to set goals for regeneration in specifics. But first let me explain about goal setting and achievement.
     First we make sure the goal is really important and whether we are involved totally. It is causing us pain, but it isn't the most excruciating. We must be cautious if it means elimination of a long standing behavior. Then we measure that behavior. We objectively measure the frequency of it. For example, we run a check on how many unkind things we say to ourself each day. We deal with the external goal, our overt behavior. We keep the goal level down-not too high, a common error. We state the goal in positive, not negative terms, and in positive, not negative behaviors. We choose positive behavior that is incompatible with our negative behavior: it cannot occur simultaneously.

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So we set a goal: three times today I am going to say something good about myself. When I go to bed tonight, I am going to know I was a friend to myself three times. Especially when I am about to think something critical, I am going to blurt out its opposite. I do this for a week. I go on evaluating and then set new goals. So, in conclusion, our goal must be important, measurable, external, attainable, and positive; and it must be accomplished in a certain time period.
     More on goals. It is better to avoid some situations, rather than succumbing. And we can alter troublesome situations. We can arrange the environment to prevent reflexive and automatic behavior. For example, if some social life is a stimulus to drinking more than you really like, make a measured set of circumstances occur before you fill that glass. Don't stand in the kitchen or near the bar: limit the precipitating stimuli. Don't keep up with the fast-drinking crowd; mingle with the sippers; limit the additional social reward. Internally, be in touch with what makes you need the drinks-stress, anxiety, tension, and remember alcohol only postpones the tension. Internally, be aware that true sharing with another human being alleviates stress and tension, and gives you a natural high, just like running. Accept yourself where you are; talk from there, not from where you think you should be, which may be causing the stress.
     Another thing. Provide a supporting environment for your goal setting behavior. If you have trouble talking in small groups, select a warm, open, accepting group to try new sharing. If you cannot talk to person A, but you can talk to person B forever, talk to A first in B's presence. Then move your behavior goal up a notch; talk to A with B some distance away.
     The most powerful technique is to establish effective consequences: identify strong reinforcers-expand the list of pleasant events for you, and unpleasant events-punishers you want to avoid, with your new goal behavior. For example, once instead of expressing irritation at the noise my daughter made, (with accompanying guilt and defensive feelings, forcing me to stay grouchy so I don't have to admit I was wrong in the first place!) I asked her to read to me, and felt delight in her accomplishment, and affection in her physical closeness.
     New beginnings. When is the best time to start! How about in the morning? Here we are in America, told that we are entitled to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. But we know that all happiness comes from the Lord; we can only be happy from the Lord. We must remove the obstacles in ourselves to that happiness. To achieve the goal of the Two Great Commandments, and love the Lord, the neighbor, and our self, we must have trust and confidence in the Lord and in our self.

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An initial goal might be: once a week, let us refrain from old early morning habits, and wake up, confident that the day will begin with His guidance. We will listen to the birds, and hear His loving kindness in the morning. We might mobilize social reinforcement, and begin the day with someone else full of enthusiasm. Last week we sat out in the early morning sunshine with some houseguests, enjoying friendship over a steaming cup of coffee. What a celebration of life that was! For we know that dawn comes with a certain influx, a feeling of universal delight, and a new sense of peace and tranquility, like the manna from heaven, that came in the morning without warning. It is a growing experience. We cannot store it or gather it, or it will rot, just as the manna did for the Israelites. We took no thought for the morrow, but we delighted in the day. We said yes to life.
     Achievement of that goal gives us encouragement to set another. How can we love the spiritual-natural self? Answer-we must keep His commandments. In a specific way, we can set goals:
     Goal: Stop worshiping other gods, things, events. Refrain from talking once today about food as it relates to you. Instead comment on the laws of nature that made it possible. Do this for one week. The consequence: acknowledgment of God flows in from the Lord, and we become a little hit purer, a little bit more spiritual.
     Goal: Stop profaning the name of God or any holy thing which is His, Refrain once from swearing to make a vital point or strong impression. Instead, use, for example, the epithet, "For heaven's sakes." Do this for a week. The consequence: holy things of the Word and church are loved and flow in. We improve.
     Goal: Shun thefts, frauds, unlawful gains; taking what is another's, or the Lord's. Refrain once today from telling of your accomplishments. Instead, thank the Lord for your accomplishment. Do this for a week. The consequence: sincerity and justice enter; we love what is sincere and just from the Lord, not self.
     And thus we can set goals for each of the commandments. Pick a commandment. Specify an exact behavior you want to model: make it important, measurable, overt, attainable, and positive. Refrain from its unwanted opposite behavior. And a good consequence will occur; we know this from divine revelation, and we also set up the environment naturally to provide good reinforcement. For example, a compliment from a significant person can make our whole day. Others will know of your change. They will see it, feel it, hear it. But remember: set a time. When will the goal be mastered? Set the date to be mastered. Later, write in the date of mastery completion. In between, you might have dates for 50% completion, and 75% completion.

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Soon you will be writing up a complete program of goals.* Your life becomes measured. Continual positive feedback and successes keep us going, make no mistake about that! Soon from little goals and successes, and bigger goal programs, we can make vows and promises to the Lord; and then life springs from love, and compulsion is not needed once the love is implanted in us by the Lord. We then can find the delight in drawing the Lord into us, especially for and in the performance of uses. The road of regeneration's advances are free gifts from the Lord. We give up the unnoble things of self, and achieve new spiritual substance and peace. When we look to the divine in everything, there is worship in everything we do. Internal worship is the most important-the daily life of religion, the measurable overt things we do or say, the little increments of life with which we set goals and objectives.
     * See Diagram opposite page.     
     There are goals of prayer, too. We are told to pray only for heavenly, spiritual things, which must be in our area of responsibility. Each time we say the Lord's Prayer, we can enumerate and affirm twelve spiritual goals: "Our Father," is a goal that we might truly acknowledge Him. "Hallowed be Thy name," affirms the goal of reverence for holy things. "Thy Kingdom come," asks for enlightenment as to goals concerning our duties and relations with others. "Thy will be done," has the goal of innocence-achieving a true state of innocence. "Give us this day our daily bread," has two goals in it; humility before Him from Whom all good flows, and trust in His providence to give to us our spiritual good. "Forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors," has the goals of repentance and forgiveness both. "Deliver us from evil," has the goal of dependence on Him which is the only real independence, asking that the obstacles in our self, and our destructive love of self be removed, with our efforts and His help. Three other goals we are taught to pray for are: opportunities to love the Lord and serve the neighbor, loving motivation for all we say and do, and the gift of living our life as if it were a prayer-from the heart. In each case we can make a goal important, measurable, overt, attainable, positive, and in a time period. The more spiritual we become, the more loveable we become, and the happier we become.
     So influx is according to efflux. We grow by action; we are filled up, by giving our activity. We know man has an eternal soul. We know we are perfectible. We know we are receptacles, and can choose to have the Lord reside in us. We are made in the image and likeness of God, who is all love and all Truth. The Lord said, "The Kingdom of God is within you."*

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[Diagram of Goal Program]

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We are taught, "The Lord resides" in our will and understanding* and "Willing good to the neighbor without any thought of reward is heaven in man."** I leave you with this: "Love from the Lord constantly flows in according to the degree in which it is practiced toward another."*** When I sit down, I hope that part of this-the heavenly part, resides in you, and that if I did this purely, my well will be refilled by Him who filled it in the first place.
     * Lu. 17:21
     * DP 96:5; AC 8814:4, 8931:2
     ** AC 8037
     *** AC 9049 SWEDENBORG THE MYSTIC 1978

SWEDENBORG THE MYSTIC       WILSON VAN DUSEN       1978

     I cannot but open up those things of the Word that are called mystical, that is, its interior things . . .*
     * AC 4923

     "One may sap truly, . . . that personal religious experience has its root and center in mystical states of consciousness."*
     * Wm. James, Varieties of Religious Experience, Modern Library, New York, 1960

     It came as a considerable surprise to me to learn that there is a tradition among students of the Writings that Swedenborg is not a mystic. It is only too apparent to a mystic that his Writings are a major contribution to this literature and mystics have referred to him as one of their own. Moreover the Writings define mysticism in a way which inescapably makes Swedenborg a mystic. How is it, then, that his followers say, with earnest conviction, that he is not a mystic? We will look at what mysticism precisely is and how this error arose. We will also see how the Writings define mysticism and how this compares with the current accepted meaning. This is not a mere quibble over a term. At its least it implies a misunderstanding of mysticism. At its worst it may involve a misunderstanding of the very nature of the Writings themselves.
     The definition of mysticism has two conflicting currents. One which we will call the scholarly definition reflects the actual experience of mystics. The other, which we will call the layman's definition, stands outside the experience and basically says it doesn't make sense. This confusion of opposing definitions is quite old and extends back before Swedenborg's time. Almost any dictionary will reflect both views. The core of the scholarly definition is the experience of union with the Divine. The core of the layman's definition is whatever is occult, mysterious, unclear, or involved with spirits.

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     Followers who use the layman's definition are more than happy to say Swedenborg wasn't interested in the occult, which is true, and hence not a mystic. The very rationality and clarity of the Writings would seem to militate against their being mystical. Let us look at the dictionary definitions. The closer the dictionary is to the popular mind, the more likely it will reflect the unprofessional layman's definition as well as the scholarly. Scholarly religious dictionaries tend to drop the popular misconception altogether and deal only with the real internal meaning of the experience. The following reflects more of the popular misconception.

Mystical, 1. mystic; occult. 2. of or pertaining to mystics or mysticism: mystical writings. 3. spiritually symbolic. 4, rare. obscure in meaning; mysterious.*
     * Random House Dictionary of the English Language, Random House, New York, 1966

Swedenborg's own definition was No. 3 above, spiritually symbolic. This same dictionary says of mystic, "known only to the initiated, of occult power or significance, of obscure or mysterious character," etc. reflecting the popular conception. It is this aspect that the followers of the Writings wanted to dissociate themselves from, for the Writings are eminently rational and clear. Another dictionary almost overlooks this popular misconception:

Mystical, 1. Having a spiritual meaning or reality, or the like, neither apparent to the senses nor obvious to the intelligence, symbolical; as, the church is the mystical body of Christ. 2. Of, resulting from, or manifesting an individual's direct communion with God, through contemplation, vision, an inner light, or the like; as mystical rapture. 3. Now rare. Unintelligible; cryptic.*
     * Webster's Collegiate Dictionary, Merriam Co., Springfield, Massachusetts, 1942.

Notice that the definition, obscure in meaning, mysterious, cryptic, is now seen as rare.
     It is through communion with the Divine that direct spiritual understanding is given, which is often symbolical and difficult to translate into ordinary terms for others. The difficulty of conveying to others the internal experience has made it seem obscure to outsiders. Then, to add to the confusion, there have been the pseudo-mystics who use the term as self-aggrandizement, as though to say, "This is mystical and too deep for your understanding, but of course I understand it!"

     The very authoritative Hastings Encyclopedia of Religion and Ethics* goes to the heart of the matter:
     * Hastings Encyclopedia of Religion and Ethics, Scribners, New York, no date

MYSTICISM-'Mysticism,' in common speech-usage, is a word of very uncertain connotation.

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It has in recent times been used as an equivalent for two characteristically different German words: Mystizismus, which stands for the cult of the supernatural, for theosophical pursuits, for a spiritualistic exploitation of psychical research; and Mystik, which stands for immediate experience of a divine-human intercourse and relationship. The word 'mysticism' has, furthermore, been commonly used to cover both (1) the first-hand experience of direct intercourse with God and (2) the theologico-metaphysical doctrine of the soul's possible union with Absolute Reality, i.e., with God. It would be conducive to clarity to restrict the word 'mysticism' to the latter significance, namely, as an equivalent for the German word Mystik, and as designating the historic doctrine of the relationship and potential union of the human soul with Ultimate Reality, and to use the term 'mystical experience' for direct intercourse with God.
     First-hand, or mystical, experience is primarily a psychological question; the doctrine of mysticism is essentially a metaphysical problem. Mystical experience is as old as humanity, is not confined to any one racial stock, is undoubtedly one of the original grounds of personal religion, and does not stand or fall with the truth or falsity of the metaphysically formulated doctrine of mysticism. Mystical experience is marked by the emergence of a type of consciousness . . .*
     * Op. Cit.

The more than twenty pages of tiny print make no further reference to the layman's definition. In spite of what the author, Rufus Jones, a noted scholar of mysticism, would like to see, the term mysticism is used most often for the experience. The literature on the qualities of the experience is vast. That on the doctrinal aspects is relatively scant. In fact the Writings are an unusual combination of the experiential and the doctrinal aspects of mysticism. In brief, then, the most accepted definition of mysticism refers to all aspects of the experience of conjunction or union with the Divine and secondarily to doctrines about this. This is what the term means.
     It is relatively easy to demonstrate that all those who have said Swedenborg was not a mystic used the now rare and not really acceptable layman's definition. None of them were trying to say that the Writings do not deal with the experience of the Divine-the core of the accepted meaning of mysticism. My sources are not complete, but a couple of references will illustrate the point.
     Herbert C. Small in 1929 did one of the more impressive anti-mystical articles. A few quotes will show he is using the layman's definition:

     . . . mysticism is the main cause of all religious superstition and phantasy.
     . . . these experiences run the entire gamut of magic, spiritism, occultism, Holy Ghostism, theosophy . . . and what not . . .
     (Swedenborg) sought no occult source, and employed none.*
     * Herbert Small, "What is a Mystic?" Messenger, 1929, p.140.

Small's complete argument can't be put down so easily. Basically he says that mystics are led by their own intuition which becomes an authority higher than the Word. This is simply not true.

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There are countless mystics who revere the Word because they have experienced something of its inner sense. But his is the view of the one outside the experience. Indeed, he feels those who have the experience are incompetent to judge it. Only the one outside it can be the proper judge.

It is quite useless in most cases to rely on definitions of mysticism as given by its devotees, for they have no knowledge of its true nature . . .*
     * Op. Cit.

     Standing outside the experience he links it to all excesses of self leading and falling into occult and mysterious falsities. If, for his use of the term, one substitutes the accepted meaning of the term-the experience of the Divine-then all his arguments would fall; for he could not say the one who has no experience of the Divine is better able to judge the worth of the experience than one who has known God. There would be no linking to spiritism for the experience of God is not the experience of spirits. He emphasized Swedenborg the scientist, collecting and analyzing facts, but he had to admit Swedenborg was led of the Lord which is precisely what the accepted definition of mysticism means.
     A 1929 editorial in New Church Life took up the same position as Small's:

Mysticism, therefore, gradually narrows itself down to an attitude or belief concerning the source of genuine spiritual knowledge. its standard of truth is that of the inner emotions, and whatever agrees with them, called by some 'intuitions.' These intuitions are regarded as superior to cool, logical reflection . . .*
     * N.C.L. 1929, p. 428f

If one substitutes for the disparaged intuitions here, 'being led of the Lord' then one comes into mysticism, for mysticism is simply the experience of God. Perhaps this is one of the critical drawbacks of the whole idea. For every one who says they have the genuine experience of God, there are many skeptics who stand outside that experience and judge it of no account.
     In a recent example Brian Kingslake also disclaims Swedenborg as a mystic.* Though he finds many similarities between Swedenborg's life and that of other prominent mystics, he sees a difference in that the Writings are rational. Mysticism is non-rational. This is again from the layman's definition. As a matter of fact, mystical writings vary across the whole spectrum of clarity and rationality. Basically mysticism, or the experience of God, is irrational to those outside the experience. It is rational, true and clear to those in the experience. It informs reason of higher truths. If Swedenborg had not clarified his experience beyond the Spiritual Diaries he would appear to be very non-rational.

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The experience of God makes a higher sense and informs reason. Seen in the whole of the world's mystical literature the Writings are perhaps near average for clarity or rationality. When you go to the heart of the meaning of mysticism, the experience of God, and substitute this for the word mysticism then most of the arguments that Swedenborg was no mystic fall down. He obviously had much experience of God and tried to teach us of this, which is precisely what being a mystic means. Some will find it clear and rational and others will not. The closer one is to a similar experience of the Divine, the clearer and more rational the Writings will seem. Christ's teachings are perhaps an even clearer mysticism and much of Boehme's works less clear, for example.
     * Brian Kingslake, "Was Swedenborg a Mystic?" New Church Magazine, 1971, p. 52 f.
     The only perceptive use of mysticism I was able to find in the collateral literature was in Block's conclusion to her historical survey. Two quotes: might entice some readers to review the whole chapter:

The New Church in general has ignored the mystical side of religion, though it is absolutely inherent in the doctrine of influx-the entrance of God into the individual soul, as well as in the doctrine of perception, or interior reception of spiritual truth.*
     * M. Block, The New Church in the New World, Octagon, New York, 1968, p. 393.
Perhaps after all the issue in the New Church is not the simple and obvious one between "fundamentalism" and "modernism," but the more ancient one between literalism and mysticism which has appeared in almost all the world's religions at various times.*
     * Op. cit., p. 400

I suspect Block has her finger on the difficulty. I fear that there are natural and fundamentally different approaches to reality and human experience reflected in her literalism versus mysticism, that even if Swedenborg were a classic mystic the literalists would not be able to discover this. But this is another whole large issue, whether any amount of doctrine can ever get us to break out of the shell of our inherent approach to and experience of reality.
     Let us review and clarify for a moment the contrasting definitions of mysticism.

     Mysticism

The Outsider's Position,                    The Inside Experience,
layman's rare meaning                    scholarly accepted definition

Being led by every                     Being led by God.
emotional whim.

Concerned with spirits                    Concerned with God alone.
and other powers.
Irrational and mysterious.                    Rational, a higher sense.

Seen as contrary to the                    Seen as reinforcing the
authority of the Writings.                    authority of the Writings.
Each is a law unto himself.               God rules all.

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     Let us look now at what the Writings themselves say of mysticism. It is disturbing to me to think of all those who claim to stand on the authority of the Writings who choose to overlook what they say of mysticism! Swedenborg uses the term mystical (mysticus) rarely, only fourteen times that I count in the Writings. In the Latin it means what is hidden or secret. He uses it in three related senses which include both the layman's and the scholarly uses.
     Sometimes he uses it to disparage what is unnecessarily unclear,* such as the mystic dogma of the trinity** or when he refers to the mystical and enigmatical faith of present day theology*** or those in the pride of their own wisdom.****
     * AC 5223, 7296
     ** TCR 169
     *** TCR 350
     **** AR 565
     At other times he uses it to mean what is not understood and appreciated and hence rejected. Speaking of the science of representations and correspondences that is often rejected . . .

. . .hardly anyone is willing to believe that it exists, and they who do believe this, merely call it something mystical that is of no use,. . .*
     * AC 2763
And if what is internal or spiritual is merely mentioned, they either ridicule it or call it mystical, consequently, all conjunction between them is broken, and when this is broken, the spiritual man suffers grievously among the merely natural.* But what is meant thereby, Christianity (now-a-days) does not enquire because it places the celestial and spiritual things of the Word in its literal sense, and calls its interior things mystical for which it does not care.**
     * AC 5022
     ** AC 9689

But these are his peripheral uses of the word mystical. His strongest and most unambiguous use is that it refers to the interior spiritual and celestial sense of the Word. Note the power of this statement:

. . . I cannot but open up those things of the Word that are called mystical, that is, its interior things, which are the spiritual and celestial things of the Lord's kingdom.*

     * AC 4923
The mystical things which some seek in the Word, are nothing else than the spiritual and celestial senses.*
     * de Verbo 21
The arcana of wisdom of the three heavens contained in (the Word) are the mystical things of which many have spoken.*
     * AR 1079
"I am in the Father, and the Father in Me." This is the mystical union of which many speak.*
     * AC 2004 (4)

     AC 4923 is worth reading in its entirety. Very clearly Swedenborg says the holy and the mystical that many felt existed in the Word, and for which they searched, is nothing other than the significatives and correspondences which are the interior of the Word, of the churches, of all the spiritual worlds, and of the life of God.

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Does Swedenborg's definition of the mystical as the internal sense of the Word accord with the present day scholarly definition? It is fully in accord if you are careful of what is meant. If one said "the experience of the internal sense" then there would be no doubt. The internal sense of the Word is the life of God. Experience of this internal sense is the experience of the Divine. I make this proviso so that the mistake is not made of thinking a mere knowledge of this internal sense brings one into the spiritual and celestial which is the internal of the Word. Some kind of living involvement in the internal sense is necessary, an involvement that leads to uses and charity. To me, one of my more significant discoveries was the way Swedenborg personally invested himself in his study of the Bible.* This went beyond 'knowledge of' to entering into the 'life of' the internal. If one is thinking of a living participation in the internal sense of the Word, then Swedenborg's definition of the mystical accords with the modern scholarly meaning of mysticism. Can we then say that the man who "cannot but open up those things of the Word that are called mystical" is not a mystic?
     * W. Van Dusen, N.C.L. 1975, pp. 316-319
     There is a larger sense in which Swedenborg was clearly a mystic, a sense which breaks out of the limitations of a single word he actually didn't use very often. In the accepted positive scholarly sense the mystic is simply one who has direct experience of the Divine. I doubt that any follower of the Writings would say Swedenborg did not have direct experience of the Divine. Then he was a mystic. Mystics who write, attempt to share their experience and its subsequent understandings with others. Contrary to the ideas of some that mysticism is non-rational, most mystics who have written have produced very rational works. In only a few places did Swedenborg say it was more than could be told, or it is not permitted yet to reveal. He made an eminent attempt to convey his direct experience and his consequent understandings. Have other mystics attempted to present as clearly and rationally? Indeed, yes. To those who want to pursue further the positive side of mysticism, commend the works of Evelyn Underhill, especially her Practical Mysticism.* Her big volume Mysticism ** leads one to the larger world's literature.
     * E. Underhill, Practical Mysticism, Dutton, New York, 1915
** E. Underhill, Mysticism, Dutton, New York, 1961
     Is there more mysticism in the Writings than one man sharing his experience and findings of the Divine?

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I believe so, but this point can not be proven in a limited space. If the mysticism of the Writings lies preeminently in the internal sense of the Word, why is this sense presented to us? Is it to satisfy our curiosity, so we as bystanders can look in at the dynamics of the life of God? I don't believe this is its purpose at all. This was presented that we might come into the kingdom. For me the fundamental purpose of the Writings is to lead each of us into the life of God-not as an intellectual thing alone-but as an actual part of our life experience. If I had to describe the Writings in one line it would be this: the Writings are a clear, rational presentation meant to be used by individuals to lead them into the life of God. I am saying the Writings are rational but this isn't preeminently their nature. Their nature is to lead to God. That is their overwhelming purpose which accounts for many aspects of their structure. So in this sense, not only are the Writings the work of a mystic, they are meant to help create mystics, that is, to lead others to the Divine. I am quite in accord with the position regarding the sacredness and authority of the Writings. Their sacredness lies in their power to lead individuals to God.
     Perhaps a few words on the general nature of mysticism may help those to whom the connection of mysticism and the Writings is new. Mystics, those who have contact with the Divine, have sprung up in all religions, all cultures, and all times. They express themselves variously in the forms and uses of their time, culture and religion. Contrary to the outsider's idea that they may depart on any wild whim and intuition, persons with the experience of the Divine tend to be able to recognize this in others even across the barriers of time and circumstances. It is as though, having touched the Universal, they can recognize others who have done so also. They tend to be socially useful and in fact their uses may be the only outer expression of their experience of the Divine. Like Swedenborg, they tend to support the old religious forms but give them deeper meaning. It is not appropriate to rank them, as which is the greater mystic, for they are in no contest with each other. Rather we can say this one touches me and that one doesn't, which describes our own differences. It is characteristic of mystics that they speak from experience rather than from speculation and past authority. It is often their lot to be seen as a threat to conventional religious authority which does not dare claim an experience of God. Are mystics rare? Not really. Probably all persons have the experience of the Divine, often in childhood, but people differ in how conscious and ruling this experience is. Included in the scholarly definition is nature mysticism, the feeling of God present in nature, which is nearly a universal experience.
     Was Swedenborg a mystic! If one keeps to the scholarly and accepted definition of one who has had experience of the Divine, then indeed he was.

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Moreover he defined mysticism as the internal spiritual and celestial sense of the Word, which he could not help but open for others. In this opening of the spiritual and celestial, the Writings are preeminently a means of leading others to the Divine. The power to lead to the Divine is the heart of their authority and their mysticism.
THEY MERELY CALL IT "SOMETHING MYSTICAL." 1978

THEY MERELY CALL IT "SOMETHING MYSTICAL."              1978

     Besides representatives, there awe also correspondences which have an entirely different sound and signification in the natural world from those which they have in the spiritual world, as that the heart denotes the affection of goad, the eyes the understanding, the ears obedience, the hands power, besides numberless others . . . these are not so represented in the world of spirits, but they correspond as the natural to the spiritual. Hence it follows that every single word, even to the smallest iota of all in the Word, involves spiritual and celestial things; and that the Word is so inspired that when it is read by man, spirits and angels instantly perceive it spiritually according to the representatives and correspondences. But this science, which was so much cultivated and esteemed by the ancients after the flood, and by which they were able to think with spirits and angels, is at this day quite obliterated, to such a degree that hardly anyone is willing to believe that it exists; AND THEY WHO DO BELIEVE THIS MERELY CALL IT SOMETHING MYSTICAL THAT IS OF NO USE, and this for the reason that man has become altogether worldly and corwhere there is nothing worldly and corporeal, but only what is spiritual and celestial, he feels repugnance, and sometimes loathing, and even nausea. What then will he do in the other life, which lasts to eternity, where there is nothing worldly and corporeal, but only what is spiritual and celestial, which constitutes life in heaven? Arcana Coelestia 2763

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HARD SAYINGS AND HARD QUESTIONS 1978

HARD SAYINGS AND HARD QUESTIONS       KURT SIMONS       1978

     We are now in the process of striking up a missionary conversation with the world to an extent beyond any we've yet done and in an age very unlike any in which we've attempted such conversations before. One aspect of that age that would appear to have considerable practical implications for our missionary effort is that very few questions are taboo any more. Almost any conceivable subject is seen as matter for discussion, especially as to its ethics. The practical implication of this trend for our missionary efforts is that we will have to devote thought as to how to answer such questions from doctrine. For while we may control by our private discussion or public advertising presentations how our missionary conversation is begun, we cannot, and as believers in as-of-self in religion, do not want to, control that conversation once it has begun. We must be ready for anything. And this is particularly the case because the people most likely to be interested in religious guidance in a serious way will be those most concerned with the difficult moral issues involved in these questions. We know that spiritual truth comes first in end in any true religion but its application to these moral issues may very well come first in time for much of our potential evangelization audience, especially the younger members of that audience. In heaven, certainly, "spiritual life is taught to [gentiles] by means of a moral life,"* where also "instruction . . . differs from instruction on earth in that knowledges are not committed to memory, but to life. . . ."** And surveys both old*** and new**** of what has brought people into the New Church indicate that personal contact with New Church people has always been an overwhelmingly predominant factor in first catching interest. And this has presumably been due at least in part to the way doctrine could be seen to be "living" in the New Church person's life.
Even though we broaden out in our missionary efforts and make initial doctrinal introduction by such "impersonal" means as bookstores or advertising, personal contact is obviously going to come when interested people respond to that missionary invitation.
     * HH 516, see also AC 2600          
     ** HH 517
     *** See review of 1905 Barren survey in K. Simons, "Cluster communities," NEW CHURCH LIFE, Jan. 1975, p. 25.
     **** "Some further results of the newcomer's questionnaire," Missionary Memo, Feb. 1978.

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     A further aspect of this matter, and perhaps even more crucial, is that we are entering into our new evangelization effort with the great gift of providence of being virtually unknown. While the New Church has flourished in some regions of England and the U.S. in the past, and while Swedenborg is still of course written up in reference books, it is nonetheless true that most people alive today have never heard of either the church or the man. This is a great gift to us because it means people will not have any preconceptions about us, as they do for instance about other churches or quasi-religious groups now trying to revise their "images". We can, in sum, truly appear "all things new" guile successfully. But like the three wishes of the fairy tale, this gift can only be used once. After our missionary efforts gather some momentum, we will have to live with whatever first impression "image" we've communicated to people. And since that image will go on before us in later efforts, influencing many people not directly touched by our own missionary conversation-openers, it seems particularly important to devote thought to just what we want that image to be. Part of that thought should presumably involve, again, our answers to those difficult "hard questions" of application of doctrine to moral questions at issue today. These are "only" externals, but it is an external age and there is, after all, a power in ultimates.

     Thus, for instance, ". . . The recent widespread concern for nutrition and physical fitness has helped to provide a more receptive climate . . . for the [Seventh-day Adventist] church's practices [in this respect] . . . and for its belief that good health is related to religious faith. With a current membership of 525,000 the church has had an average growth rate of 3.3 percent a year, placing it among the most rapidly expanding denominations in the nation. Church officials say that perhaps as many as 20 percent of the new members are initially attracted to the church by the medical services it provides, including free blood pressure tests, and stop-smoking clinics. Adventists generally practice vegetarianism and abstain from alcohol, caffeine and tobacco. . . ."*
     * K. A. Briggs, "Adventists' emphasis on health attracting members," The New York Times, Feb. 26, 1978)

     Traditional concern with "hard questions" in the church has centered around our "hard-sayings" teachings-things difficult to swallow about doctrine, like the teachings about dead churches or divorce. We are thus already fairly well prepared to answer questions in this regard. But there are many other "hard questions" that seem likely to come up in contemporary missionary conversations that do not yet seem to have received adequate discussion in the church as to how best to present to a newcomer. I will suggest some answers that I've used in response to a few such questions, with the hope that others will suggest their thoughts in response.

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To make things realistic, we'll use an imaginary conversation-distilled from a variety of such conversations I've had. Our imaginary newcomer in this conversation will be skeptical, not only because skeptical newcomers are the ones most likely to ask "hard questions" but because skeptical is what a sincere truth-seeker is likely to be,* especially when confronted by the extraordinary claims of the Heavenly Doctrines. Suppose we heard or read of a multi-volume theology written by an eminent Indian philosopher in the 1920's that claimed to be the third coming. Wouldn't we be skeptical?
     * E.g., AC 7298:2
     Let's, then, consider a few possible "hard" questions and answers:

     Q. I've visited some of your services and in none of them did I see a single black or other minority racial group member. Is the New Church only for white people?

     A. Absolutely not. The Writings teach us that the New Church is for the whole world and in fact will one day spread to all people. What you see now is just the result of historical "accidents" to date, not deliberate policy. For instance, the New Church is based on a written revelation, not a personal appearance like that of the first advent. Thus, the church began with people who could read, not a very large proportion of the human race when the church was founded, about two centuries ago. Furthermore, the books on which the church is based were first published and available only in England and parts of Western Europe, and they were published in Latin, the scholarly language of the time. While they were translated into English early and have since been translated at least in part into other languages, again you can see that the availability has in some respects been limited. The obvious parallel would be Christ's coming, which also occurred in one small corner of the world and word of which took a long time to spread widely. And there's another similarity between the giving of Christ's teachings and those of the New Church: Neither one was exactly welcomed by the religious establishment of its day. And finally, unlike much of its "competition", even today, the New Church is not based on any kind of dramatic emotional appeal-the kind of appeal that seems most often associated with widespread "popular" movements. The New Church is what you might term a "quiet" religion, with a strong emphasis on using the thinking as well as feeling half of your mind, and on achieving tranquility rather than any kind of "hyped-up" emotional experience.
     When you take all these factors together, along with a variety of other social and psychological characteristics of the last century or so, I think you can find many reasons why the New Church has to date been largely comprised of Caucasians, and these reasons have nothing to do with prejudice or any kind of deliberate policy.

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In fact, far from exhibiting prejudice, the New Church as an organized body has done all it could to spread these truths to all who were interested in hearing of them. And these efforts have already met with some success, including places like black Africa. But, as you may have heard, the New Church is fundamentally based on free will. One approach in this matter is thus not one of trying to achieve some kind of racial quota in church membership-especially since we believe the true church is a spiritual entity, whose actual "members" are known only to the Lord. Instead, our effort is simply to try to work in harmony with Him in helping spread what we believe is the truth. For it is His church, not ours, we believe, and He will see to the course and extent of it; growth as He sees to all the other details of His creation.

Q. But look at the way you people live-big houses, big cars and in general an "affluent," wasteful lifestyle. In a world where most of the people are poor and many grossly deprived, how can you expect anyone to listen to you when you don't even obey Christ's Golden Rule?* Marx said that religion was the opiate of the masses, promising the poor heaven so they don't demand their fair share of resources in this world. Is that what the New Church teaches?
     * For further perspectives on this question in the light of the letter of the Word, see R. J. Sider-Rich Christians in an Age of Hunger: A Biblical Study. Interversity Press, Downers Grove, Ill., 1977, particularly Chapters 3-8

     A small thinking-from-quantity sample of the almost incomprehensibly gross abuses in this area: At least 500 million people are malnourished by the most minimal standards all the time and a billion people, i.e. nearly a third of the human race, are malnourished or hungry part of the year. Ten million people die of starvation every year, the majority under five years of age. At the same time, it is estimated that North Americans waste up to 25% of the food they buy and, if the amount they consume that contributes to obesity is taken into account, the proportion wasted rises to 50%. Then they support a $10 billion a year (i.e. 50 times the U.S.'s annual foreign food aid $200 million budget) diet industry to get rid of that obesity. And these statistics say nothing of the enormous food and non-food waste in the growing, packaging and distribution of food in affluent countries, nor of food fed to pets, the food cropland devoted to use-less tobacco, coffee, chocolate or sugar, nor of the enormous amount of grain devoted to manufacturing alcoholic beverages. And, thinking from quality, it also says nothing of the truly incomprehensible (for a well- or over-fed person) experience of growing up malnourished-together with all the other infestations that typically accompany malnourishment. And, again, this all is but an introduction to the vast scale of these abuses. [Sources: T. T. Toleman "World food: A perspective" Science 188:510 (1975); H. Walter "Difficult issues underlying food problems" Science 188: 524 (1975); L. L. Brown and E. P. Eckholm By bread alone, New York: Praeger (1914); Newsweek, Nov. 11, 1974, p. 56; A. Berg The nutrition factor. Its role in national development. Washington, D.C.: Brookings Institution (1973); Staff of the New York Times, Give us this day . . . A report on the world food crisis. New York: Amo Press (1975); Newsweek, September 10, 1973, p. 74.]

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     A. I think you will find the fact of the matter is that the Writings provide more extensive reasons for fairly sharing worldly (and spiritual) goods than any other set of ethics since they teach, we believe, the spiritual "internal" that all "external" principles, such as the distribution of material resources, is based upon. Let me give you just one example: The Writings teach that the whole reason that the physical world and all its resources was created in the first place was to aid man's spiritual grow, or what we call "regeneration," since such regeneration is the only means to lasting happiness. The Lord created men in free will so that they can live contrary to this intention, avoiding regeneration-and happiness-if they wish, but achieving that happiness is the Lord's intent for man. Now we come to our example. Suppose a selfish man (or whole nation of men) wastefully immerses himself in material comforts that in effect deprives another man (or nation) of the "necessaries" of life and Work.* The selfish man or nation goes contrary to the Lord's intentions on two counts, according to the Writings' teachings: On the one hand, the selfish man is in effect trying to interfere with the poor man's ability to grow spiritually since when you're starving or otherwise seriously deprived you probably aren't going to feel either interested in or be able to think clearly enough to learn very much about spiritual truth-i.e. about the means of achieving spiritual growth.** And attempting to interfere with another person's spiritual growth, or regeneration, is a grave matter from a New Church point of view. It comprises an attempt at spiritual "stealing" of another person's good qualities and is far worse than simply stealing his material goods.*** Since, spiritually speaking, all the good in man comes from the Lord, trying to thus "steal" it in some senses is trying to steal from the Lord Himself****-no small disorder.
     * Char. 130
     ** DP 138-142; AC 7564
     *** E.g. 5135:2-5, 8906, 9099, 9150
     **** Matt. 25:34-40; AC 9020
     At the same time, with true poetic justice, the selfish man loses more than the man he deprives by his selfishness. For, the Writings teach, the immersion in worldly pleasures that is the moving force behind the selfishness also acts to cut off both a man's spiritual perception and his ability to love spiritual things. "Ye cannot serve God and mammon."* The selfish man has thus stunted his own spiritual growth, and so reduced his own chance for lasting "regenerate" happiness.
     * Matt. 6:24

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     Now when we come down to the brass tacks of whether all members of organized church bodies calling themselves "New Church" are living as unselfishly in respect to these matters as they could; that's another question. I think most of them would agree that in this and many other areas of life we are like navigators following a star, with that star being the Lord's teachings in the Scriptures and Writings. We often don't steer as straight a course as we should toward that star, but we would emphasize that that's due to our navigation, not to any lack in the star as a reliable compass point. And I think you would find if you took a survey that there are many New Church people who are trying to live materially simpler lives.

Q. Well, then, what about Swedenborg's claims of having spoken to people on other planets Our space flights and probes haven't found any evidence of life out there, which means Swedenborg must have been wrong. And if he's wrong about that, why should I believe anything else he wrote?

     A. Well, to begin with, it's important to realize that Swedenborg claims to have spoken to spirits of men from those planets, while he was doing his research in the spiritual realm. This is a very different matter from being in contact with people while they were actually on the planets, providing a potentially very different perspective on what life on those planets is like than would be apparent on the physical plane of life there.* The point involved here is important because it means you have to be very careful about any kind of prediction you make on the basis of what the Writings say as to what life on those planets would look like, to our eyes or our scientific instruments.
     * For an extensive review of this question, see E. E. Sandstrom's The Spiritual Universe, NEW CHURCH LIFE, 1977:190
     But the key question remains: Do the teachings of the Writings imply that there is life on planets, including our own moon, at this time? Some people have suggested this is not necessarily the case. They have proposed that Swedenborg spoke to spirits from the planet, and that those spirits would be in the other world still even if the inhabitants on the planet itself had died out long ago, or that he was speaking allegorically, or that there is some other interpretation than accepting life existing on the planets now. It is perhaps worth noting, incidentally, that this kind of back and forth discussion is encouraged in the Writings. Our church does not as a body take authoritative positions on such things, in fact, but always encourages individuals to turn to further study of the Word when there are difficult questions. In the words of a quotable quote from the Writings, ". . . Put your faith, not in human councils, but in the Word of the Lord, which is above all councils."*
     * TCR 489

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     My own interpretation in this matter, and that of many other people in the church, is that there is in fact life on all planets at this moment in our own and every other solar system in the universe. The relatively tiny amount we know about even our own system's planets, as a result of our space probes and landings, certainly does not seem to me to provide a basis for making any stronger statement than that we have not yet found evidence of life in some form we recognize as such. And as one astronomer put it, "Absence of evidence is not evidence of absence." There are a variety of purely scientific explanations that could be given for this lack of evidence. To take just one, our tests for living organisms in the Mars lander were designed on the assumption that life is based on carbon-chain chemistry such as that of life on earth. But suppose Martian chemistry were based on boron-another substance capable of "catenating," or being built up into large and complex organic molecules that are the basis of living tissue as we understand it. The Martian lander test unit wasn't designed to test for the presence of boron chemistry and so could report back "no life," yet be completely incorrect.*
     * For a review of this matter, see N. H. Horowitz "The Search for Life on Mars," Scientific American, Nov. 1977, p. 52 and R. N. Grimes, Letter, Scientific American, Jan. 1978, p. 8.
     There are many other arguments of this kind that could be brought forward.* But to me the only satisfactory way of resolving this question is to back off from the few "trees" we have as yet of scientific evidence on the matter and look at the whole "forest" of the scientific approach itself.
     * See, F. Elphick, "The Absence of Other Worlds," NEW CHURCH LIFE, Jan. 1976, F. 6; J. H. Hotson, "The New Revelation and the Astronauts," Sons Bulletin, Sept. 1974, p. 24, May 1975, p. 10.
     A person may or may not believe there is such a thing as spiritual reality, of course. But if you do, as New Church men do, then you view science as we know it as concerned only with the most superficial material "crust" of reality. Science has no direct way of studying the, we believe, far more real spiritual reality that lies within and above physical reality and guides every detail of physical reality's operation. Like trying to understand the mind or spirit by looking at the behavior of the body, looking at physical reality is a highly unsafe guide to that ultimate spiritual reality because the physical only very imperfectly mirrors the spiritual and, most importantly, because the scientific method that is the basis of investigation is based on the even more imperfect, limited and fallible judgment of men. It is for this reason, the Writings teach, that revelation is given-so that there will be a clear, undistorted and accurate account available of the facts, the laws of spiritual reality.

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Those spiritual facts are, again, as real as physical facts, and the laws far more universal and true than scientific "laws"-not only because spiritual law is the origin of all physical law, but because the spiritual law is provided by the Lord while scientific "law" is only limited men's best understanding at a given time of some aspect of physical reality.
     Where this all comes back to the question of life on other planets is that if you start from spiritual law, as taught in the Writings, you have a very different perspective on this matter than starting from some set of scientific evidence. Specifically, the Writings teach that the reason planets-indeed the whole universe-was created was for the purpose of supporting human life. Thus, there would have been no point in creating a planet without human life on it, and the Lord never does anything pointless! Thus, I and others believe, every planet in the universe is at this moment inhabited by human beings.* If science has not yet found evidence of that life, then that is due to limitations in the perception of science. If science persists-and maybe, too, if science begins to be more open-minded about spiritual reality than its traditional paradigm has been-then I think that discovery of life on any planet it chooses to study is only a matter of time and patience.
     * For a review of passages on this question, see a letter by C. O. Horner reprinted in "In Our Contemporaries," NEW CHURCH LIFE, Feb. 1976, p. 73
     These, then, are some answers I've used. There are, needless to say, many more, stretching across the spectrum of "hard question" facing men at this day. And, once again, arriving at answers to those questions is not some abstract or merely entertaining exercise. Such answers are deeply and in some cases desperately needed. It does not seem too much to say that in some very real and immediate respects the fate of the human race hangs on the answers chosen. And it seems clear that providing such answers is one of the main reasons for which the Heavenly Doctrines were revealed. It is certainly becoming steadily clearer with every morning paper that no other religion or philosophy available to men is capable of providing adequate solutions to the extraordinary complex of spiritual, moral and civil confusion and disorder that the world is now sinking into. And in a missionary sense, a spiritual authority that can answer any question should have a potent and universal appeal in this situation. But to make that appeal work, to cooperate with the Lord's response to men's need for answers, we must take thought on these questions, especially the "hard" questions. For they are hard just because so much hangs on their answer. As we are translating the Latin of the doctrines to other languages, so we need to "translate" the principles of doctrine to paths of life in these respects. And to have our "translations" taken seriously, to achieve "credibility," we will need not simply to teach them but from them to lead to the good of life.

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DECLARATIONS OF FAITH AND PURPOSE 1978

DECLARATIONS OF FAITH AND PURPOSE              1978

     I believe that the Lord Jesus Christ is the one God of heaven and earth.
     I believe that the Lord is the Creator of the universe. His end in creation is that an angelic heaven might be formed from the human race, where men will dwell with Him in a life of eternal use and happiness.
     I believe that the Lord is the Redeemer and Saviour of the human race. The Lord from eternity came into the world that He might subdue the hells and glorify His Human. Without this coming, the human race could not have been saved.
     I believe that the Lord in His glorified Human has come again. He has come in the Word, which is from Him, and is Himself. Without this second coming, the human race could not be saved.
     I believe that the second coming of the Lord has been made in the Writings of the New Church. The revelation of these Writings surpasses all the revelations that have hitherto been made from the creation of the world; and what the Lord has revealed is the Word with us.
     I believe that the Lord has come again in order to form the New Angelic Heaven and to establish the New Christian Church on earth. This New Church was foreseen from creation, it is the crown of all churches that have hitherto existed on earth, and it will endure to eternity.
     I believe that the men of the New Church are to worship the Lord alone, in His Divine Human, and they are to live according to His commandments by shunning evils as sins and doing goods. As the men of the church approach the Lord and obey His commandments, He will provide them with love truly conjugial, which is one with the life of heaven.
     I believe that the priesthood of the New Church is to teach and lead men in the way to heaven. The priesthood should teach truths from the Word, and through them lead to the good of life, and thus to heaven and the Lord. In this work, the office of the priesthood is representative of the Lord as to the work of salvation.

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     In presenting myself for inauguration into the priesthood of the New Church, I pray that the Lord will grant me the humility to work faithfully, sincerely, and diligently as His servant in the upbuilding of His kingdom, so that His will may be done here on earth as it is in the New Heaven.
     CHRISTOPHER DUNCAN BOWN


     I believe that "the Lord from eternity, who is Jehovah, came into the world to subjugate the hells and glorify His Human; and without this no mortal could have been saved; and those are saved who believe in Him."
     I believe that the Lord Jesus Christ is Jehovah God in His glorified Human, and that He rules and governs all of creation from His Human.
     I believe that the Word is holy to every least particular because the whole of it is from the Lord, and that the Lord is present in His Divine Human by means of His Word.
     I believe that man must approach the Lord is His Divine Human with humility, and that he must live what the Lord teaches him from His Word.
     I believe that the Son of Man has come in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory, and that this was done by the revelation of the internal sense of the Word and the Heavenly Doctrines of the New Jerusalem, and thus the Holy City New Jerusalem has descended out of heaven to the earth. I believe that this revelation is the Second Coming of the Lord, and that by it the Lord is instituting the New Church, which will be "the crown of all churches that have hitherto existed on earth, because this Church is to worship one visible God in whom is the invisible, as the soul is in the body."
     In presenting myself for inauguration into the priesthood of the New Church, it is my hope and prayer that I will be of service to the Lord in His institution and preservation of His church on earth. I pray to the Lord that He might put my evil thoughts and desires to the sides, so that I can be a worthy messenger of the gospel that "the Lord God Jesus Christ doth reign."
     ANDREW J. HEILMAN

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     I believe that the Lord Jesus Christ is the one God of heaven and earth, in whom is the Divinity of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
     I believe that the Lord's end in creation is a heaven from the human race, and that all men are saved who believe in the Lord and sincerely live according to His commandments.
     I believe that the Lord from eternity, who is Jehovah, came into the world, took on the Human and glorified it for the purpose of restoring order in heaven, in hell, and in the church; for at the time of His coming the power of the hells prevailed over the power of heaven. Consequently, total damnation threatened both angels and men. This impending damnation was removed by the Lord's subjugation of the bells and by means of the glorification of His Human.
     I believe that the Lord in His Divine Human is now immediately present with men in His threefold Word, the Old Testament, the New Testament, and the Writings. These three together constitute the one Word of the Lord for the New Church.
     I believe that the Lord has provided that there be a duly ordained priesthood for the establishment of the new Church among men; and that the essential duty of the priesthood is to teach the truths of the Word and thereby lead men to the good of life.
     In presenting myself for inauguration into the priesthood of the Lord's New Church, I confess that from myself alone I can contribute nothing to the use of the priesthood. Therefore I ask the Lord's aid in putting aside what comes from myself, that is, all selfish and worldly loves that would remove me from the Lord. It is my prayer that the Lord will give me enlightenment to see His will, and the courage to set it above my own. And it is also my prayer that the Lord will give me the inspiration to teach others concerning Him, and thereby lead men to know, love, and do His Will.
     In the presence of the Lord, and in the presence of this congregation, I therefore declare it to be my purpose to serve the Lord as He builds His Church, for He is our God.
     ROBERT D. MCMASTER

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LETTER FROM THE EDITOR 1978

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR       Editor       1978


NEW CHURCH LIFE
Office of Publication, Lancaster, Pa.
Published Monthly by
THE GENERAL CHURCH OF THE NEW JERUSALEM
BRYN ATHYN. PA.
Editor               Rev. Morley D. Rich, Bryn Athyn, Pa.
Business Manager          Mr. L. E. Gyllenhaal, Bryn Athyn, Pa.

     All literary contributions should be sent to the Editor. Subscriptions, change of address, and business communications, should be sent to the Business Manager. Notifications of address changes should be received by the 15th of the month.

     TERMS OF SUBSCRIPTION
$5.00 a year to any address, payable in advance. Single copy, 50 cents.
Dear Readers and Contributors:
     It could be said that "editors may come, and editors may go, but the Life goes on forever." And since this will be the last issue from the present editor, a few closing: remarks are in order.
     First I would express my appreciation of and gratitude for the considerable volume of literary contributions which have come from both clergy and laity. This has been such that, apart from news and reviews, no solicitation by the editor has been necessary. And that is every editor's dream.
     Secondly, the contacts and correspondence with contributors and others has been a most educational and pleasant experience.
     I hope that readers have enjoyed and learned a bit from the editorials and small additions on my part. When writing editorials, an editor is often attacked by the feeling that he is "talking to the wind" from his ivory tower. But, because of the many letters which this editor has received, he has managed to overcome this feeling with a fair degree of success!
     In sum, I would wish for the next editor as useful, pleasant and rewarding an experience.

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     The Rev. Ormond D. Odhner, who generously volunteered to serve this use as Acting Editor beginning with the September issue, "comes by this occupation honestly," as his father, the Rev. Carl Th. Odhner, was the first long-time editor of the Life. Also, Mr. Ormond Odhner served as editor of the Sons Bulletin for a number of years.
     Ordained in 1940, Mr. Odhner served for 17 years as a Visiting Pastor to groups and isolated members in the southeast and Midwest, also assisting in several societies. Coming to Bryn Athyn in 1957, he has since served the Academy as a teacher of religion and theology in the high school, college and theological school, specializing in Church History.
     With every confidence and best wishes for the future of New Church Life,
          MORLEY D. RICH


     SWEDENBORG AS A MYSTIC

     The article by Dr. Van Dusen in this issue, Swedenborg the Mystic, poses some interesting questions and new points in relation to an old controversy and problem.
     The author rightly makes the point that Swedenborg was not a "mystic" in the old and popular definition of that word. And students of New Church history remember well that it was this definition which led to the long struggle by New Church bodies in the 19th century to dissociate themselves from all spiritualistic and mystical movements in the minds of the public.
     In a two-volume work, The History of Spiritualism,* A. Conan Doyle attempts to raise the spiritualistic movement to scientific respectability. His very first chapter is on Swedenborg, whom he characterizes as the fore-runner and greatest of all spiritualists. And in the attempt to make spiritualism respectable, he separates Swedenborg's personal spiritual experiences from his theology, accepting the former while rejecting the latter-the reverse of those who would accept his theology, but lament his memorabilia. Doyle also cannot understand, and complains about, the fact that organized Swedenborgian bodies will have nothing to do with any form of spiritistic practices!
     *Originally published in 1926 by George H. Doran Co. Republished by Arno Press, New York, 1975.

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     Such a separation of Swedenborg's spiritual experience from the Heavenly Doctrines is, we aver, not a valid one; and we dare say that all New Churchmen would reject it, if only for differing reasons. There certainly is a vast and discrete degree of difference between those who have personal, even unsought, spiritual experiences, and who may afterwards share these with others, on the one hand-between these and one who was specifically and directly commissioned by the Lord to see and reveal the spiritual world and the internal sense of the Old and New Testaments, one whose spiritual senses were opened for that purpose to a vast variety of Divinely directed and provided spiritual experiences, "and this now for 27 years," not merely for the purpose of "sharing a spiritual experience," but for the infinitely great use of leading the whole human race to a knowledge of and "communion with God."
     In a limited degree, Swedenborg fits into the modern and preferred learned definition of a "mystic," that is, in the sense that his spiritual experiences did lead him as a person to "communion with God." But this was merely incidental to his Divinely-appointed commission as a seer and revelator. And so, even in that limited definition, many will be reluctant and wary of calling him such, knowing how subject it is to misunderstanding and misinterpretation.
AFTER THIS 1978

AFTER THIS       LEON S. RHODES       1978

To the Editor:
     In the sermon "After This No-One Can Come" (LIFE, June '78, p. 241) it is said of the teaching that "no one can come into heaven except him who believes in the Lord God the Savior . . . alone," (TCR 107) that this seems too much for the natural mind to accept unreservedly. This is said because it appears to set a single inflexible requirement that is foreign to the beliefs, including sincere beliefs, of most people not of the New Church.
     This fine sermon deals with our tendency to feel that there is something difficult or even unfair about this teaching, even an implication of a "jealous God" beyond our belief in the Lord's mercy. It might be helpful, therefore, to point out how in actual experience in this life we can see an illustration of this rule.

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     It is a wonderful experience to come to know someone who has recently come upon the New Church and sees in its Writings the brilliance of infinite truth. Although they may have previously held strange concepts of the trinity, doubts about the Lord in His human and an idea of a God beyond comprehension, it is thrilling to see how they rejoice at the idea of "The Lord God the Savior" as the God of heaven. There are many who resist this teaching, yet those who have been kindled with the spiritual affection of truth eagerly welcome these teachings. Since this is true on earth where the ideas are set forth with human limitations, we can imagine how wholeheartedly a spirit in the other world, in the light of heaven, can quickly and fully embrace the truth, easily casting aside all the life-long misconceptions and distorted ideas.
     It can be said that if a spirit arriving in the next world does not rejoice at this teaching, it will be a sign that he is incapable of true love to the Lord.
     LEON S. RHODES
CANADIAN NATIONAL ASSEMBLY 1978

CANADIAN NATIONAL ASSEMBLY       LOUIS B. KING       1978

     The Fourth Canadian National Assembly of the General Church of the New Jerusalem will be held in Kitchener, Ontario, Saturday, October 7, through Sunday, October 8, 1978, the Right Reverend Louis B. King, Bishop of the General Church, presiding.

     OHIO DISTRICT ASSEMBLY

     The Fourth Ohio District Assembly of the General Church of the New Jerusalem will be held September 29th through October 1, 1978, in the Cincinnati area, the Reverend Kurt H. Asplundh presiding. All members and friends of the General Church are cordially invited to attend.
     LOUIS B. KING,
          Bishop

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Church News 1978

Church News       Various       1978


     
     THE FIRST AUSTRALIAN ASSEMBLY-1978

     On 2nd May Bishop and Mrs. King landed in Sydney, where the sun shines brighter, the skies are bluer, greetings are warmer and so on.
     Although the three-day Assembly was not due to start till the 12th there was a fairly arduous program arranged for the visitors beforehand. "Keep us busy" the Bishop had written. Apart from a boat outing with some of the men, a car trip along the South Coast and a Society picnic in the National Park, things moved at a pretty hectic pace.
     At a welcoming social on the first evening, Bishop King, mentioning visits to New Church Societies all around the world, said he was happy to find a keen interest in the Doctrines everywhere. On Thursday the 4th Mrs. King was entertained at a luncheon by the ladies. She spoke about the growing concept of the General Church as a world-wide organization, not just a number of societies, circles or groups looking to a large center in the United States as the headquarters of the Church.
     On Friday evening Bishop King gave a class. The theme for the coming Assembly, he said, was Freedom, and then showed how the Lord's two purposes in coming into the world, to accomplish Redemption and to glorify His Human, had the effect of protecting man's freedom. On the following day, the picnic was at Audley in the National Park. More visitors had arrived from interstate and there was a good crowd to enjoy this bright and sunny day in pleasant surroundings. "Lovely" is an over-worked word, but it was indeed lovely day. The Bishop I noted had a chat with everybody, including the kids.
     Sunday the 7th was a day we had looked forward to. There was a service of Dedication of the new attractive and larger porch, and in fact a re-dedication of the building which has seen a number of changes since first built about sixty years ago. This was the culmination of a special effort by the Society over the past year. The church was filled with 85 people, including children and quite a few of our friends from the Sydney Conference Society. This was a family service and the Bishop addressed the children first, about the parable of houses built on sand and on rock. "Have you ever built a house on the sand?" he asked. They knew what happened to their sand castles when the waves came in. We must build on the rock of Truth. He then talked about the Lord's house, our church, and the spiritual house He will build in our minds. This led on to the Dedication, when he accepted the new key from Mr. Theo Kirsten. The sermon was about the Lord's temptations.
     Several remarked about a new thing they had learned during the early years of the Lord's life in the world, about which so little is said in the Scriptures. He was glorifying the interior degree of His natural mind.
     An Open Meeting of the Hurstville Chapter of the Sons of the Academy was held on 8th May. The Bishop traced briefly the history of the General Church and the Academy. Then with the aid of slides, he described the structure of their organization, and of the many uses and responsibilities that supported them. He then talked about the twin aims of New Church education, namely: Instruction in the truths of the Word and the leading out or awakening of affections for spiritual truth.

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     During the week, and before the Assembly, the Bishop and Mrs. King traveled to Tamworth in northern New South Wales, where the Horner family have a farm, then to Victoria, the Southern State, where Bishop King addressed the Melbourne Society of the Conference New Church, and at Henty visited the Rev. Richard Teed, Conference's "grand old man," now over ninety. Henty is a country town so the Rev. Teed should be living in "clover" and no doubt in peace also.
     Also before the Assembly began the Bishop had attended very useful meetings of Pastor's Council, The Business Committee and the Property Trust. The Assembly began with a session at 10 am on Friday the 12th May. The Rev. Michael Gladish welcomed participants and then introduced Bishop King who opened the Assembly with readings from Genesis Chapters 1 and 2 and a prayer. His address was on Influx, which, he added with a smile, was like a desert, vast and very dry, but then proved it to be more like a pleasant garden to be enjoyed. "Influx is life from the Lord-the Lord alone is Life-Life does not create life, but Life creates receptacles of life." Finally in response to influx, there should be efflux, or an outflowing of uses by man to the Lord and to the neighbor. "Life is a series of choices, we make a step upwards towards Heaven or downwards towards hell. But each time the Lord restores equilibrium and keeps man in freedom." The second session began at 2:30 p.m. The Pastor's subject was Order. Our thoughts were again turned to the Lord. "The Lord alone is Order." He then showed how order is preserved in the universe and among men for the sake of freedom.
     During the social held in the evening the movie film which was taken on the occasion of Bishop Pendleton's visit to Hurstville in 1955 was shown. This brought back many memories. Also two Australian films were shown-one on several Australian cities and the other about Australian animals.
     On Saturday the 13th we assembled for a business session. Bishop King enlarged on the theme that the General Church is a world-wide organization. He said that financial contributions from General Church members were increasing relative to endowments, and this was very necessary. With the aid of diagrams, the Bishop then described the form of the organization of the General Church. He explained what was meant by a Group, a Circle and a Society, an Assembly District and a Pastoral District.
     The Assembly Banquet was held in the evening. There were fifty-eight people at the banquet. The Bishop's address was on Providence and the Development of the Church. At first he spoke of the Tree of Life in the midst of the Garden and ended by pointing out that the Tree of Life was again mentioned in the Book of Revelation. Man no longer has that perception of the Lord's love and wisdom enjoyed by the Most Ancients; he must come to the Lord through the understanding of doctrine and the Tree of Life is now in the City. He spoke of the uniqueness of each person, their ability to contribute to the happiness of others in a special way. "Isn't this a wonderful thing?" He also said he had a vision of the New Church developing, "until the Holy City is spread until it fills the earth."
     On Sunday morning there was a Holy Supper service. Temptation, an appropriate theme for those approaching the Holy Supper, was the subject of the Bishop's sermon. Through the story of Elijah in the wilderness, the Doctrine showed how man must suffer temptation. There could be a great turbulence in his mind like the mighty wind, the earthquake and the fire. "The Lord was not in them." It appears as though the Lord is not with us, but afterwards when the temptation is over, we will hear the still small voice of His comfort and peace.
     After lunch a lovely interlude was the baptism by the Bishop of the youngest little fellow at the Assembly, Jason Heldon, son of Brian and Ray.
     Later, the business session, unfinished the previous day, was continued. The Pastor outlined his proposals for a Nation District of the General Church. Some of the members of the Hurstville Society who live a long distance away indicated that at present they would prefer to remain members of the Hurstville Society.

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The Bishop said that at the moment the General Church considered the isolated as extensions of the Hurstville Society and that they were very happy with the present administration.
     After supper in the Richard Morse Room, served by the ladies, we relaxed for an evening of song, conversation and then a presentation of gifts to our guests, an Australian Bark painting, the work of Mrs. Beryl Heldon, tea towels with Australian designs and hand-worked serviettes and a tablecloth, the embroidering being a map of Australia around which were the signatures of all those who participated in the Assembly.
     One song, to the tune of "With a Little Bit of Luck" and written specially for the evening, was sung with great gusto by the men. One line perhaps summed things up pretty well "Assemblies give us many things to treasure." We will treasure memories of this historic first Assembly of the General Church in Australia. We thank Bishop King; his visit strengthens the Church in Australia. We thank him for his inspiring teaching, leadership and wise counsel. What we will recall most of all, however, is his urging us to turn our hearts and minds to the Lord. "If we will but turn to the Lord" was a characteristic expression. We thank Bishop King for his help in building the Church in Australia and Mrs. King also, who, though she does not get much of the publicity added greatly to the sphere of this very happy Assembly.
     NORMAN HELDON

     THE ACADEMY OF THE NEW CHURCH

     Joint Meeting

     The Annual Joint Meeting of the Faculty and Corporation of the Academy of the New Church was held in the Assembly Hall at Bryn Athyn, Pa., on the evening of May 19, 1978. In attendance were 307 people, including guests and students.
     Chancellor Louis B. King opened the meeting with a reading of the 116th Psalm, followed by an announcement of apologies for absence and acceptance of the minutes of last year's meeting.
     Chancellor King then spoke of the Charter purposes of the Academy and the especial importance of its training of priests for the General Church, on which the General Church depends. The present number of students in the Theological School, he said, prophesies future growth. After promising that the quality of education at the Academy will remain undiminished despite anticipated dropping enrollments in coming years, he concluded his remarks by praising the work of the Rev. Erik Sandstrom, who is retiring as Dean of the Theological School. Those assembled responded by rising in applause in recognition of Mr. Sandstrom's contributions.
     President Alfred Acton next presented his annual report. He likened his time in the past year to spiritual time-time that goes quickly when the mind is bent on uses. Government attempts to interfere in school policies and programs, here and elsewhere, have shown the wisdom of the Academy's not accepting federal aid. There is need, however, for continued financial support. The Academy anticipates dropping enrollments in the coming years, but this should not cause despair or overreaction. If we maintain our vision, the Lord will protect us. One way to meet the challenge is to attract a greater percentage of our potential students, and this is now our first priority. Mr. Acton asked for help in finding these students. The College program has been strengthened by the addition of the Interdisciplinary Major lending to a B.A., so that the Academy can prepare students in other disciplines as well as religion and education. Other courses and programs will be added, to still further strengthen the College next year. Certain Secondary School programs will also be strengthened and added to. All of these steps, Mr. Acton said, demonstrate the Academy's desire to provide for individual interests without compromising our principles and central offerings.

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Mentioned particularly was the special education program in the Secondary Schools. Mr. Acton then announced the numerous staff changes that will be taking place for a variety of reasons. He concluded by speaking of "the peace of use"-the blessing that comes with working for the good of the Lord's church.
     Following this report, the secondary school physical education teachers put on a presentation in the Asplundh Field House on the subject, "Academy Physical Education in the Secondary Schools," moderated by Miss Pearl Linaweaver.
     Mr. Ronald Nelson first spoke about the delights of a physical education teacher at the Academy and the history of the program. Among the delights he noted the Academy's ability to involve so many students in athletics and especially the affirmative, willing attitudes of the students. In his brief outline of the history of the physical education program, he mentioned particularly the work of Mr. Fred Finkeldey in the 1940's and the later leadership of Mr. Stanley Ebert in developing the philosophy of physical education. Mr. Nelson also defined physical education in terms of movement, describing its aims and objectives, and likened our need for exercise to a quest for survival almost as great as the caveman's. Following Mr. Nelson's talk, at Mr. Garth Pitcairn's suggestion there was a round of applause for Mr. Stanley Ebert, who happened to be sitting in the audience.
     Mrs. Lynne Griffin next presented the seventeen types of activities included in the Girls School physical education program in a very effective fifteen-minute slide show with titles and music. One of these activities is aerobic dancing, which she afterward explained in terms of its origin and healthful life-time use for cardiovascular fitness. This type of dancing was then given a live demonstration by the 11th grade girls.
     Mr. Dudley Davis spoke last about the Boys School physical education program, its curriculum and the facility which houses it. He spoke both of needs and of accomplishments, mentioning among the latter especially the new weight-training facility, the gymnastics program, and the "circuit" program. Like Mr. Nelson, he, too, expressed his delight with the willing cooperation of the students. Afterwards videotapes of the senior gymnastics program were available for viewing, and also an impressive live demonstration of the circuit program by representatives of the Boys School classes.
     N. BRUCE ROGERS, Secretary

     Commencement 101

     The 101st commencement of the Academy of the New Church was held on June 10, 1978, a perfect June day, sparkling and cool. Beginning with worship conducted by Chancellor Louis B. King, the lesson for the day, read by President Alfred Acton, was the first chapter of Joshua in which the Lord thrice repeals to Joshua the words, "Be strong and of good courage." And this was especially fitting for the address of the day, given by Mr. George Graham, and stressing for the graduates the importance of setting goals for themselves in their lives.
     There followed the granting of degrees, diplomas and awards, a list of which appears below. But in addition, it may here be mentioned that of the college graduates, Miss Deborah Sjostedt, in addition to receiving her degree Cum laude, was granted the first Theta Alpha College award.
     In addition to the four Theological School graduates who received their degrees, Mr. Alain Nicolier was recognized as having completed a three year course in preparation for his work in France.
     A piquant touch was provided by Grant Schnarr, valedictorian for the Junior College graduates. He spoke of a very special "teacher" whom they had all had, and went on at some length extolling the virtues of this teacher until the faculty began to fidget. Finally, he broke the news that this "teacher" was the Writings of Emanuel Swedenborg.
     The audience rose and gave sustained applause for the Rev. Erik Sandstrom, who is retiring as Dean of the Theological School.

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This was in response to the touching tribute with which the valedictorian for the theological graduates, Mr. John Clark Echols, ended his valedictory.
     The several valedictories were outstanding in content and delivery, with a nice mixture of enthusiasm, appreciation and seriousness. And in his response, Bishop King, in summarizing, pointed out how each had set an appropriate goal for each stage of New Church education.
     Rousing music by the organ and a brass ensemble ended this delightful and memorable commencement, the first in the second century of the Academy of the New Church.

     Awards, 1978

     The following were the diplomas, honors and awards granted at this year's commencement exercises:

     Theological School

     BACHELOR OF THEOLOGY: Christopher Duncan Bown, John Clark Echols, Jr., Andrew James Heilman, Robert David McMaster.

     Senior College

     BACHELOR OF ARTS: Kathy Renee Korff, Brand Erikson Odhner, John Lewellyn Odhner (Cum Laude).

     BACHELOR OP SCIENCE: Janice Dawn Alan, Ronald Scott Daum, Susan Glenn, Deborah Sjostedt (Cum Laude).

     Junior College

     ASSOCIATE IN ARTS, with distinction: Elise Alden, Daniel Thomas Allen, Jennifer Ruth Brewer, Dawn Lenore Caldwell, Anne Funk Fitzpatrick, Daniel Fitzpatrick, Lucinda Jean Fuller, Ingrid Andrea Hansen, Wynne Thomas Hyatt, Thomas Hartley Rose, Timothy Grant Rose, George Brett Runion, Kim Anne Truax.

     ASSOCIATE IN ARTS: Timothy Reid Barnett, Glenn Robert Carley, Justin Childs, Robin Waelchli Childs, Cathlin Davis Cole, Michael Keith Cowley, Byron David Franson, Sharon Gaye Fuller, Janna Gunther, Timothy Glebe Henry, Lauren Kuhl, Joan Louise Lodge, Grace Amy Nelson, Gracious Thabisile Nyide, Dan Matthew Odhner, Amanda Jane Orr, Grant Ronald Schnarr, Kirk Thomas Steen, Carolyn Synnestvedt.

     Girls School

     DIPLOMA WITH HONORS: Kathleen Cooper, Doris Jane Greer, Cynthia Halterman, Freya Heinrichs, Brenda Renn Maddock, Suzanne Adams Nelson, Naomi Chara Pitcairn, Kamela Jo Runion.

     DIPLOMA OR CERTIFICATE: Sonia Alan, Jeanette Alden, Ann Elizabeth Alder, Barbara Lynne Asplundh, Sandra Bevan, Carol Birchman, Donna Bostock, Jill Ann Brickman, Karen Burnham, Heidi Korene Caldwell, Sherry Pendleton Cole, Tessa Renee David, Laura Elizabeth Echols, Gay Finkeldey, Kathryn Fiske, Kristin Jeanette Gurney, Kathryn Gyllenhaal, Lynele Sue Haft, Meghan Felicia Keegan, Kathryn Kuhl, Tracy McQueen, Kathryn Merrell, Virginia Louise Norman, Gretchen Bernadine Olson, Nina Pitcairn, Juanita Charene Reid, Ingrid Maria Rohtla, Erika Synnestvedt, Jennifer Glenn Synnestvedt, Tamberly Tyler, Margaret van Zyverden, Joy Willis, Catherine Wendy Wilson, Jennifer Lynn York.

     Boys School

     DIPLOMA WITH HONORS: Jonathan Childs, Stephen Llewellyn David, David Grubb, Donald Robert Haworth, Jr., Carl Barnes Heilman, Daniel Lee Horigan, Benjamin Childs Pendleton, Mark Dandridge Pendleton, Jason Starkey Rhodes, Jeremy Harold Rose.

     DIPLOMA OR CERTIFICATE: Randall Lee Adams, Bruce Carter Barry, Dennis Wayne Brannon, Peter Gardner Brewer, Robert Morgan Brown, Penn Torrey Cooper, Robert E. Lee deMaine, Gavin Dale Doering, Robert Kirk Echols, Gregory Duff Edmonds, Kent Bruce Elder, Carl Acton Engelke, Christien Erich Gholson, George Edward Graham, Jr., Mark Owen Gunther, Brandon Junge, Steven Alvin Lindrooth, Brent Kenneth McQueen, Calvin Acton Odhner, James Stephen Roscoe, Donald Glenn Rose, Kevin Howard Roth, Brent Owen Smith, Gary Ivan Smith, Kent Spencer Smith, Timothy Dean Stein, Steven Arthur Synnestvedt, Andrew Keith Thomas, Kenneth George White.

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     Theta Alpha Awards

     The Theta Alpha "Alice Henderson Glenn" award was given by the faculty of the College to Deborah Sjostedt and to Kim Anne Truax.

     The Theta Alpha pin was awarded to the following graduates of the Girls School: Kathleen Cooper, Suzanne Adams Nelson.

     Sons of the Academy Awards

     The Sons of the Academy award to outstanding male student(s) in the college was granted to Timothy Grant Rose.

     The Sons of the Academy silver medal was awarded by the faculty of the Boys School to Mark Dandridge Pendleton and to Andrew Keith Thomas.

     Glencairn Awards

     Glencairn Awards were made to the following:

     Bishop Emeritus, the Rt. Rev. Willard D. Pendleton, for his inspiring leadership as Bishop of the General Church and President-Chancellor of the Academy. The Rev. Aaron B. Zungu, for outstanding work in translating the Writings from Latin into Zulu, and for distinguished and faithful service as a priest of the General Church Mission in South Africa.

     The Rev. Erik Sandstrom, Sr., for his fine contributions to the development of doctrine.

     Mr. George Woodard, for his outstanding contributions in the development and organization of fiscal policies of the General Church and the Academy.

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ORDINATIONS 1978

ORDINATIONS              1978




     Announcements
     Bau-Madsen.-At Bryn Athyn, Pa., June 11, 1978, the Rev. Arne Bau-Madsen into the second degree of the priesthood, the Rt. Rev. Louis B. King officiating.

     Bown.-At Bryn Athyn, Pa., June 18, 1978, Candidate Christopher Duncan Bown into the first degree of the priesthood, the Rt. Rev. Louis B. King officiating.

     Heilman.-At Bryn Athyn, Pa., June 18, 1978, Candidate Andrew James Heilman into the first degree of the priesthood, the Rt. Rev. Louis B. King officiating.

     Keith.-At Glenview, Ill., June 4, 1978, the Rev. Brian Walter Keith, into the second degree of the priesthood, the Rt. Rev. Louis B. King officiating.

     McMaster.-At Bryn Athyn, Pa. June 18, 1978, Candidate Robert David McMaster into the first degree of the priesthood, the Rt. Rev. Louis B. King officiating.
ACADEMY OF THE NEW CHURCH 1978

ACADEMY OF THE NEW CHURCH              1978

     Each year the Academy invites 9th and 10th grade students from other areas to visit the Boys School and Girls School for a few days. These visits have generally been useful in interesting students in Academy education and in preparing them for it.
     In order to facilitate planning for the visits we invite the students from different areas on a rotating basis. This fall (probably early November) we will welcome students from Washington, D.C. and the South. Next April we will invite those from Canada and northeastern United States. In the fall of 1979 it will be Midwest Academy's turn, and in the spring of 1980 the rest of the United States.
     Those who wish to participate in one of these visits may contact one of us or their pastor for further information.
     In addition to these groups visits, individual students, parents, and others are welcome to visit at any time. Just write or give us a call.

Donald F. Fitzpatrick, Jr.,
Principal of the Boys School
Morna Hyatt,
Principal of the Girls School

409


NO MORE IN PROVERBS 1978

NO MORE IN PROVERBS       Rev. ERIK SANDSTROM       1978


     
NEW CHURCH LIFE
VOL. XCVIII          SEPTEMBER, 1978           No. 9
     These things have I spoken unto you in proverbs: But the time cometh when I shall no more speak unto you in proverbs, but I shall shew you plainly of the Father. John 16:25.

     All Divine Revelation is for the sake of obedience. The Writings are no exception. The thought might indeed arise that obedience is involved only when explicitly demanded. such as in the Old Testament or even here and there in the New Testament. As for the Writings some people apparently have the impression that they are mainly descriptive, and frequently in abstract terms at that. Are then the Writings to be obeyed? Do you obey a description or an analysis! Are not the Writings given simply for our instruction, so that we may be enlightened! In fact, do not the Writings themselves emphasize the understanding in such teachings as the following: "The Church is of such a character as is the understanding of the Word among those who are in the Church"?* Yet it is a tragic, nay, fatal error to believe that the Writings are given only in order to sport intellectual ideas, or to stimulate or entertain the intelligent man. It is fatal to miss the point that understanding the Word means understanding what the Word is all about, namely, to show the man of the church the way to heaven. True, the Writings do not speak in terms of external inducements or worldly threats, as in Isaiah: "if ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land: but if ye refuse and rebel, ye shall be devoured with a sword,"** but they do imply that if a man, seeing the way to heaven, nevertheless does not walk in it, then of necessity he walks another way.
     * SS 76
     ** Isaiah 1:19, 20

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     The Writings are given in order that they may be lived and obeyed. The fact that the understanding is appealed to means nothing else than that man is now expected to obey with understanding. The Old Testament frequently demanded blind obedience, while the New Testament expected a somewhat more intelligent compliance. The Lord in His first advent said: "if ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them."* The Writings, on the other hand, might speak somewhat in these terms, If you understand these things, then do them. The keen ear might even hear them say, What are you waiting for?
     * John 13:17
     And indeed teachings in this regard are not lacking. Take the following: "It is said that (certain) truths appear to be of faith only; but the thought of the understanding derives its existence from the love of the will, which is the esse of the thought in the understanding . . . for whatever anyone wills from love, that he wills to do, wills to think, wills to understand, and wills to speak. . . . It is to be added that when a man shuns evil as sin, he is then in the Lord."* Or in the words of the Arcana: "Man is of such a nature that of himself he does not know what heavenly good is, but must learn it from doctrine, which is called the doctrine of faith. Every doctrine of faith regards life as the end, and therefore good, for good is life."** It is clear then that the evil a man must shun as sin, is the evil that is contrary to doctrine.
     * Life 48
     ** AC 3863
     We may therefore understand why Swedenborg at times was sad on account of the way the Writings were received, or rather were not received, in his day. Nor was he sad on his own behalf, but because of the attitude he perceived to things that were revealed by the Lord. The Memorable Relation from which we read in our third lesson is an instance of this. First Swedenborg recounts before a group of angels the many things the Lord had revealed; and then adds that the angels, rejoicing over these things, nevertheless perceived a certain sadness in him. They inquired, "Whence is your sadness?" Swedenborg replied, "Those secrets revealed by the Lord, although they exceed in excellence and dignity all the knowledges hitherto communicated, still are not reputed on earth as of any value."* Nor was a mere lack of intellectual appreciation meant in the reference to "no value," as is abundantly clear from another mention of Swedenborg's sadness, this time recorded in the Spiritual Diary. Here the reference is to persons in the spiritual world who believed that they had accepted the Heavenly Doctrine. About this we read:
     * TCR 848

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     I was in a state of sadness, but did not know the cause. I then heard that a vast number was being let down out of heaven towards the lower places. The reason having been sought out, it was said that they were those who rejoiced that they possess heavenly doctrine, saying that they wished to embrace it because they believe all things which are in it. Many, also, perceived that those things were truths. But, as soon as they heard that that doctrine was not only a doctrine of faith, thus that the things which were therein were not only to be known and acknowledged, but that it was a doctrine of life, and the things in it were to be willed and done-also, that doctrine effects nothing with those who merely know and affirm it, but only with those who at the same time do it; for these, from the heart, love it and embrace it-then, they became sorrowful, and all rejected it, not wanting it. Hence was my sadness."*
     * SD 5540

     But perhaps the matter comes through with still greater force in a passage which analyzes five different kinds of popular reception of the Writings. This passage too is from the Spiritual Diary, and reads:

     I spoke with spirits as to how my Writings . . . seem to be received when they become public. . . . It was given to perceive that there are five kinds of reception: first, those who wholly reject, who are in another persuasion, and who are enemies of the faith. . . . Another class, who receive these things as scientifics, and are delighted with them as scientifics, and as curious things. A third class, who receive intellectually, so that they receive with sufficient alacrity, but still remain in respect to life as before. A fourth class receives persuasively, so that it penetrates to the improvement of their lives; they return in certain states to the things written and make use of them. A fifth class, who receive with joy, and are confirmed."*
     * SD 2955; see also Ecc. Hist. 4

     Clearly only the fourth and fifth classes are at all worthy receivers, although those of the fourth class are only beginning to respond is a living way. "In certain states," that is, in states when they would remember and compel themselves, these "make use of them." The fifth class respond fully, for they "receive with joy," and confirm their reception in their lives. Presumably these are not many in number.
     Now the point of the present discourse is that a merely casual, indifferent, or even intellectual response to the Writings will continue unless these Writings are truly accepted as the Word of the Lord in His Second Advent, and unless it is clearly seen in what way they are the Word. The question is, does the Lord speak in the Writings, and does He speak without proverbs? He did say that the time would come when He would so speak. Has that time come, and are the Writings, or are they not, the fulfillment of this Divine promise? This we suggest is a crucial question, for if the Writings are not the Word of the Lord, then there is no real call for obedience to them. For, after all, if we are only concerned with someone's opinions, however enlightened, or with experiences, however interesting, then how can we go beyond the third class "which receives intellectually, so that they receive with sufficient alacrity, but still remain in respect to life as before?"

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And moreover, if we think that the Writings are merely a new set of proverbs, containing within them a hidden meaning, how can we obey, even if we would wish to? No one can do what his understanding, detached from his native inclinations, does not plainly see. As we know, there have been and are movements in the history of the New Church where men have taken the view that the Lord Himself does not speak in the Writings; and there have been and are other persuasions to the effect that the Writings, like previous forms of the Word, consist of proverbs. But the Lord did not say that somebody else would speak in days to come, nor that He would continue to speak in terms of proverbs. "These things have I spoken unto you in proverbs: but the time cometh when I shall no more speak unto you in proverbs." Nay, there was to be the day when men "were to see His face, and have His name in their foreheads."* His "face" is His Human, in which His Divine shines forth. The "Father" is the Lord's infinite Divine soul. "I shall shew you plainly of the Father," He added.
     * Rev. 22:4
     This is it: the Lord in His Divine Human would reveal Himself plainly in the day when He was to speak no more in proverbs. And what is it we see in the Writings? Is it not the Person of the Lord God the Savior Jesus Christ whose Divine love and wisdom speak to us in words of salvation? Does not the Lord show us plainly of the Father?
     The doctrine of the Divine Human is neither abstract nor remote, nor is it given only as an intellectual plaything. We are shown the nature of our God, and this to the sight of the understanding, so that we if willing may truly becomes images after His likeness. Our soul is an image after His likeness without our doing, and so is our body; but the mind, where is our conscious will and our conscious thought, is by birth neither an image nor a likeness-but it is so created that it may become such. This is how the Word, especially when opened as to its glory and power, is creative. "All things were made by [the Word]; and without it was not anything made that was made."
     And so it is that if we perceive the Lord Himself speaking to us in the Writings, and speaking in such a way that we can clearly understand His meaning and intention, then and only then is there a real inducement for us to do what the Writings say.     Moreover, only then may we see Him where He may be found, in the glory and power of His Divine Human, so that we may become images of this after its likeness.
     Men and women have problems. They struggle with questions of faith, with matters relating to the philosophy of life.

413


Where then do they go for an answer? Do they then read Eastern books? Turn to charismatic movements? Escape into Transcendental Meditation? Or do they turn to the Lord where He speaks plainly to them? Or when social problems, or marital problems, press down their spirits, do they then seek solace in drink or drug or in the exploits of modern psychology? Or do they look for an answer in the order of life revealed in the Arcana Coelestia, the True Christian Religion, the work Conjugial Love? It is the Lord who has the answers, and His answers are deep, full, and plain-even if it should take us some time to find them and to hear them. His doctrines are doctrines of life.
     It is then not merely a matter of intellectual argument as to whether or no the Writings are the Word itself in the Lord's Second Coming; for now as in His first advent He speaks His words, "Follow Me." And who will follow, who will bother, if he is not sure that it is the Lord God who is calling? And more, who can follow, if he does not plainly see where he is to go and why?
     This therefore is the faith of the New Church, that the Lord Himself speaks, instructs, and leads in the Writings of His Second Coming, and that it is through them He saves. "I shall speak no more unto you in proverbs; I shall show you plainly of the Father." Amen.

     LESSONS: John 10:1-18. John 16:12-33. True Christian Religion 846-848 (portions).
FORMATION OF FAITH 1978

FORMATION OF FAITH              1978

     Faith is formed by man's living according to truths, because spiritual life is life according to truths, and truths do not actually live until they are in deeds. Truths abstracted from deeds are merely matters of thought, and unless they become of the will also, they are only in the entrance to man, and thus are not inwardly in him; for the will is the man himself, and the thought is so far the man, in quantity and quality, as it adjoins the will to itself. He who learns truths and does not practice them, is like one who sows seed in a field and does not harrow it in; and consequently the seed becomes swollen by the rain and is spoiled. But he who learns truths and practices them, is like one who sows the seed and covers it, and the rain causes it to grow to a crop and to be of use for food. The Lord says, "if ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them" (John xiii. 17) True Christian Religion 347.

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ERHARD SEMINAR TRAINING: SOME FACTS AND OPINIONS 1978

ERHARD SEMINAR TRAINING: SOME FACTS AND OPINIONS       Dr. THOMAS W. KAISER       1978

     During a recent visit to Bryn Athyn, I learned that there was a controversy among New Church people over the Erhard Seminars Training program (est). I was repeatedly asked for my opinion about "est" from a psychologist's perspective, and several interesting discussions emerged. Unfortunately, at the time, I knew little about est but became interested in obtaining more information, given the degree of interest in this issue.
     It is inevitable that, from time to time, various influences will touch New Church people, some consistent with Swedenborg's Writings, others incompatible with them. One cannot simply ignore these influences but must seek to understand them as clearly and extensively as possible in order to take from them what is useful while discarding those elements incompatible with the broad message and direction of the New Church.
     My purpose in this paper is simply to present some facts about est, some opinions about its goals, and some of my own values. I have not taken the est training, so my limited analysis must be considered conceptual rather than experiential. In addition, I am not attempting a philosophical or theological analysis of est, simply because est does not purport to be a belief system but a technique for providing novel experiences.

     The following then is my current understanding of the Erhard seminars training program.

     Werner Erhard

     The creator of est, Werner Erhard, was born in Philadelphia in 1935. His name was originally Jack Rosenberg, but following domestic difficulties, he later changed it and began to pursue his personal interests. Erhard sold used cars for a time, then went on to train executives and management personnel. He became a division manager with the Grolier Society, Inc.
     Erhard read widely while engaging in yoga, mind science, hypnosis, and a host of self-development techniques. His management skills and high energy level culminated in the development of est.
     Self-discovery is the core of the program. Difficult to define, est provides a context in which an individual can experience or rather re-experience the origins of self.

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This means that a person may go beyond his belief about himself and actually experience various motives behind some of his behaviors, particularly his interpersonal strategies.
     The basic est program requires two weekends, a total of 60 hours, to complete.* The training periods are about 16 hours each. Large hotel ballrooms are employed in training hundreds of people simultaneously. A trainer with a supporting staff of volunteers test graduates) provides the leadership. During the training sessions no one is allowed to eat, smoke, or leave his seat. Bathroom privileges are suspended. The sessions are alternately boring, enlightening, stressful, emotional. The role of the trainer is to attack the belief system of the trainees. To do this he may use ridicule, logic, humiliation or other techniques for breaking down an individual's conceptual self, that is, his belief system about himself and his motives.
     * Bry, A.: est-60 Hours that Transform Your Life. New York, Harper and Rowe (Avon), 1916
     The result of this, for many, is a partial or total collapse of the self as previously conceived and an emerging direct experience of one's internal states and strategies. Hopefully, one's insecurities, doubts and stifled emotions will no longer seem to be weaknesses, but will be accepted for what they are-and transcended. A basic premise is that a person takes the est training because his or her life is unsatisfactory in some fundamental way.
     As the training wears on, people tend to "get it," that is they arrive at some fundamental insight about themselves.* A person receiving an insight about himself then calls for a microphone, which is provided by an est volunteer, and shares that insight with the rest of the group. This sharing provides the rest of the trainees with a sense of community as they hear familiar themes emerge and recognize common patterns of thinking and feeling.
     * Fenwick, S.: Getting It: The Psychology of est. Philadelphia, J. B. Lippincott Co., 1976 (Penguin Books. 1977)

     Philosophical Foundations of est

     Several ancient and modern change-techniques have been woven into Erhard's unique tapestry. The est program is a conglomeration of Eastern religions such as Zen and Taoism and Western psychotherapy techniques such as Gestalt, Psychoanalysis and marathon group therapy.
     The use of Zen in est is probably mainly responsible for est's effectiveness. Early Chinese monks transformed Indian Buddhism into a way of living in the here and now, called Zen. According to Zen masters, the self is an illusion.

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The misery of everyday life is a result of frustrating attempts to make life something different than it is: conflicts between what is and what one feels should be constitute the source of all dissatisfaction. What one feels should be is defined by his culture or sub-culture. An individual forgets that his motives and beliefs have been conditioned by his own culture. One identifies with the shoulds and oughts of the culture; one should be wealthy, should be educated, strong, attractive. Any deviation from these norms can easily create anxiety and dissatisfaction.
     Liberation comes with the realization that this dissatisfied self is a social fiction; there is no self but only the memorization of cultural roles and expectations. Many of our deepest motives have been conditioned by our social environment; our beliefs may be simply rationalizations to support these motives. This realization or experience of the self as illusion is called satori in Zen.
     For Zen and for est, the self is like the space inside a cup, itself nothing, yet so very important to the cup's function. One can make a great deal of that space and, because of its context, forget that it is really nothing in itself.
     In response to a student's question about life, the Zen master may reply "Who is asking?" If the student contemplates this reply long enough, he discovers that there is really no one asking the question since the self is a fiction. Life, therefore, is not really a problem. Not being a problem, life needs no solutions. Conflict is then at an end, what is is, what is not is not. This is the cornerstone of est, the experience that the self is the result of social conditioning and that one bears total responsibility for his or her circumstances.
     Erhard has used Zen techniques in combination with those of various psychotherapies to blast away the very foundations of an individual's self-image. But it is one thing to devote a lifetime to a spiritual path seeking liberation and enlightenment. It is another thing to be confronted, in a brief period and without preparation, with persuasive techniques designed to destroy one's belief system and expose the roots of the self. For those unprepared for such basic self-redefinitions there are many potential hazards.

     Psychiatric Casualties

     In a paper on psychiatric casualties associated with participation in est, Glass, Kirsch and Perris reported on 5 persons who had been hospitalized with acute psychotic disturbances following est.*

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Only one of the 5 had a history of mental illness; the rest were middle class, well educated, successful persons. All 5 experienced elation, hallucinations and delusions of omnipotence. One attempted to breathe under water; another put his fist through a window, claiming he was invulnerable; and another felt she was the power behind Werner Erhard. Of the 5 patients, all hospitalized on an emergency basis, only 2 returned to normal after receiving psychotherapy and anti-psychotic medication.
     * Glass, L., Kirsch, M. A., and Perris, F. N.: Psychiatric Disturbances Associated with Erhard Seminars Training: I. A Report of Cases, American Journal of Psychiatry, 134:3 March, 1977.
     In a later report, Kirsch and Glass describe 2 additional cases of post-est disturbances.* These 2 additional cases paralleled the others, 1 was acutely schizophrenic, the other entered psychotherapy with a severe depressive reaction. Of the 7 cases described in the two reports, only 1 recovered completely with no residual effects. The other 6 adopted a constricted life style or had additional psychotic episodes or both. Six of these patients were previously successful persons with no history of mental illness.
     * Ibid.: II Additional Cases and Theoretical Considerations. American Journal of Psychiatry 134: 11, Nov. 1977
     At this point in time there are no controlled studies dealing with positive or negative effects of est. Conclusions, therefore, cannot be drawn concerning the casualty rate for est participants. It is clear from the above reports, however, that the indiscriminate use of powerful psychotherapy techniques combined with persuasive concepts drawn from Eastern philosophy is sufficient to produce psychotic symptoms on a more or less permanent basis in at least a small percentage of people. Vulnerable persons cannot be screened from the program since no one knows what factors put people at risk for such disturbances. In view of the enormous number of persons passing through est, a significant percentage of psychotic casualties can be expected.

     Psychodynamics of est

     One of our most significant needs is to identify with that which enhances self esteem and opportunities for increased satisfaction. Most people are strongly identified with their country, their religion, their spouse, children and the like. The need to identify with others, particularly with others who seem powerful, competent or attractive, is nowhere more evident than in advertising. In advertising, famous or attractive people are used to increase sales simply through association with a product. One may mistakenly conclude in such instances that using a product endorsed by such a person causes one to become more like that person.
     The self is composed of numerous and varied identifications, some conscious, some unconscious. In many cases, what we have become through our identifications is not working.

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We may then go in search of new identities. The est program appeals to the nearly universal tendency to identify with powerful leaders. Erhard designed est in such a way that by challenging and breaking up old identifications, a vacuum is created in the self-system. Into this vacuum flows Erhard and the est organization.
     It is no accident that Erhard insists that his trainers become carbon copies of himself; there are relatively few trainers in the organization for this reason. As founder of est, Erhard's word is gospel for all graduates who so identify. The epitome of success, power and control, Erhard's image is calculated to foster identification. Many est graduates feel cut off from the non-est world and claim a common identity in their erect posture, eye-to-eye contact, and special vocabulary."*
     * See Bry. A., cit. Pp. 161-165

     Critique

     No program aimed at self-improvement can be adequately evaluated without considering the model of human life likely to be generated by the programs methods.
     Perhaps no other term conveys as much in this regard as the term Human. Not to be confused with home sapiens, the term Human is used with a high degree of clarity by most people, yet we may be hard put to define it rigorously. It is evident that some persons are considered more Human than others by their acquaintances. But what are the characteristics of this dispositional term?
     One aspect of a person endowed with a truly human capacity for relating to others is availability. Such a person is available both physically and psychologically. He or she can be counted on as a source of security and is accessible to communication on a variety of levels.
     Another major feature of the Human is a motive for protection. Persons with the Human disposition seek to protect the physical, emotional, and spiritual welfare of others. They attempt to foster independence, freedom of choice, and are tolerant of differing growth and opinions and behaviors.
     A Human individual is faithful to the facts of existence, not going beyond the limits of his or her knowledge, and conveying to others the facts of existence without distortion. There is no attempt at persuasion but instead an awareness that one's beliefs are only approximations of truths not absolutes.
     It seems to me that the est program runs contrary to this non-intrusive model of the Human. Harsh persuasive techniques are employed by trainers who ridicule, humiliate, and force their trainees into adopting the est point of view. Such group leaders have been identified in some experimental studies as the kind most likely to produce psychiatric casualties of the type mentioned above.*
     * Yalom, I. D., Lieberman, M. A.: A Study of Encounter Group Casualties. Archives of General Psychiatry 25: 16-30, 1971.

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     The model above, of course, is based on my own value system and not on any science, involving as it does definitions of what the term Human does and should imply. Since I perceive est as coercive and propagandistic, and consequently dehumanizing, I wish to briefly elaborate on this conclusion.
     The est organization requires one to sign an agreement not to divulge its techniques nor describe the training sessions. I personally value freedom. To me the entire est program seems calculated to minimize personal freedom. It presents its arguments from one side only; the est side. This is not education, it is propaganda. The long tedious sessions, the high stress levels and the uninterrupted programming of ideas are all essential ingredients in brainwashing methodology.

     In addition, est is dishonest in presenting itself. It denies being a therapy and yet its techniques are extracted from psychotherapy and applied under even more stringent conditions than in the professional office. Although est requires a note from one's psychotherapist in order to participate, there is no objective screening done, and whether to comply or not is left to the discretion of the participant. The note from the therapist is thus a mere legal dodge without substantive purpose. Obviously there is no professional evaluation of an individual's strengths or weaknesses prior to participation in this high stress program.
     In the encounter group movement of the sixties, problems similar to those inherent in est first arose. People held up personal disclosure of the intimate details of their lives as good while privacy was bad i.e., transparency was valued for its own sake. Crude language (as in est) became a sign of liberation and non-conformity to traditional values, freedom. However, it quickly became apparent that for many, transparency amounted to gross superficiality, crude language to a coarsening of the possible range of conceptual thought which requires a high level of abstraction, and liberation became a mere conformity in a new context-that of the norms of the group. The promise of gold was redeemed with fool's gold. It is easy for some to forget that wisdom and personal growth are long-term projects and not the results of a couple of weekend marathons.
     One final point is necessary in order to do justice to est. There is no doubt in my mind that est works for some. There are many persons who lead constricted, unreflective lives and/or who are bogged down in intellectual dust of a philosophical, theological or psychological variety.

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For many of these people who have lost contact with their feelings and whose lives are tyrannized by the shoulds and oughts of others, est may be a liberating force. In many instances, creeds or doctrines can be used in a highly dehumanizing manner. Theology, in particular, has been so used to deny men and women basic satisfactions in life. To offset this kind of dehumanization, programs such as est may serve as important counter-forces in the service of developing the Human disposition. It is obvious that any experience may ultimately prove to be a significant link in an individual's psychological and spiritual development. However, it is incumbent on all of us to carefully evaluate the probability of a program resulting in predictable results. The individual success cannot be the sole criterion for acceptance nor some casualties the only reason for rejection of any self-improvement method.
     In my opinion, the model of the Human, that non-intrusive, nurturing disposition is a crucial end-point of personal development. Such an individual is loving but wise in the application of that love. The Erhard seminars do not appear likely to generate this disposition, since one of the basic premises is that est graduates have been enlightened while all others are still fools or worse. The potential for casualties of lesser magnitude than psychosis are great. Shattered values, unrealistic self-assessment, and social abrasiveness are not unlikely consequences of est participation.
     There are no controlled studies of the results of est at this time. For those who wish to participate the price is currently $300. As in most instances where time has not permitted a clearer perspective to evolve, the old maxim is quite appropriate: "Let the buyer beware."
PERSUASION OF TRUTH 1978

PERSUASION OF TRUTH              1978

     No one ought to be persuaded about truth in a moment, that is to say that truth should [not] be so confirmed in a moment as to leave no doubt whatever about it; because the truth which is so impressed becomes persuasive truth, and is devoid of any extension, and also of any yielding quality. . . Hence it is that, in the other life, as soon as any truth is presented before good spirits by a manifest experience there is soon afterward presented something opposite which causes doubt. In this way it is given them to think about it, and to consider whether it be so, and to collect reasons, and thus to bring that truth into their minds rationally. AC 7298:2

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ENCYCLOPEDIA OF IGNORANCE (II) 1978

ENCYCLOPEDIA OF IGNORANCE (II)       Rev. DONALD L. ROSE       1978

     The Encyclopedia of Ignorance. Pergamon Press. 1977

     The first in this series of scientific essays is entitled "WHY?" Here we read, "Nobody doubts that many features of animals serve a purpose . . . But is it a divine purpose? The great debate has not altogether ceased, but the large majority of scientists are agreed that natural selection can account for the appearance of purposeful design, even though some of them find it hard to imagine how such a marvelous instrument as the human eye (let alone the human brain) could have developed under the pressure of natural selection alone." (p. 3)
     The "great debate" will continue. Understandably many are unwilling to take sides in it, for they say that the evidence is not as yet all in. Let it be known, however, that the evidence will never be all in. Enough evidence is in. It will continue to pour in. As one of the authors states, "Science is by its nature inexhaustible." (p. 8) (We have already referred to the teaching that knowledge [scientiae] is inexhaustible.*
     * DP 57
     At any point in history there is sufficient evidence in nature to confirm oneself either way. "Consider the ravens." God is feeding them. "Consider the lilies." God so clothes the grass. "Take a good microscope," the Writings say; but the key will be in your willingness. "If you will let wisdom speak within you, you will say in amazement, 'Who can fail to see the Divine in these things?'"* In one delightful understatement the Writings urge us to turn to the evidence in nature and thereby to confirm ourselves in favor of the Divine. "There is no lack of material."**
     * DP 3
     ** DLW 357
     Is the evidence equally balanced? One who believes in "a Divine operation in all the details of nature" confirms himself as fully as do those who deny it. "Yea, more fully."* The evidence is neutral only in the sense that one is free to take either side, for one can much more fully rejoice in the evidence when one is confirming the truth. When your mind is opened; when thought from the understanding "opens the eye;"** When you are uplifted, then the evidence in favor of the Divine is overwhelming. Note the following in Divine Love and Wisdom.
     * DLW 351
     ** DLW 46

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     "Can any reasonable person think that the sun, which is mere fire, has this knowledge, or that it is able to empower its heat and light to effect these results, or is able to fashion these wonderful things in plants, and to contemplate use? Any man of elevated reason who sees and weighs these things, cannot think otherwise than that they come from Him who has infinite reason, that is, from God. Those who acknowledge the Divine also see and think this, but those who do not acknowledge the Divine do not see or think this because they do not wish to; They say, "Do you not see the sun effecting these things by its heat and light?"*
     * DLW 351

     The steady increase of scientific knowledge is one of the notable characteristics of our age. It is appropriate to view this increase with optimism. . "Since sciences have shut up the understanding, therefore sciences may also open it."* Of course men may use the sciences to confirm themselves against the Divine.** "Men are now able to confirm the unbelief of the senses by scientifics unknown to the ancients."*** A person with tremendous scientific knowledge may be compared to the rich man for whom entrance into the kingdom of heaven is difficult. But knowledges are never in themselves the problem. The problem is the man's attitude towards knowledge. If he is rich in his own eyes or conceited in his knowledge, his mind will be closed. But he may be humble, and part of humility is to realize how little one knows. To be reminded of our ignorance is a beneficial thing, and that is why this encyclopedia is such an interesting idea.
     * SD 5109
     ** DD 3460, HH 353, 354          
     *** AC 232

     Swedenborg's humility was one of his prime qualifications for the work he was given to do. His vast scientific knowledge was also a primary qualification. In him knowledge and humility went together! He was once told that the temple of wisdom can only be seen by those who acknowledge that man's wisdom is exceedingly small. "And because I had often thought this, both from science, and then from perception, and lastly from seeing it from interior light, and had acknowledged that man had so little wisdom, behold it was given me to see that temple."*
     * AR 875
     Is there order in the universe? One of the essays in this Encyclopaedia is entitled: "IS NATURE COMPLEX!" In another article the question of order, disorder and organization is directly treated of. The writer makes an interesting distinction between order and organization. He says that a crystal is highly ordered. "The amoeba is not at all well ordered, since it consists of a shapeless bag . . . of irregularly shaped long-chain molecules. But it is organized . . ." (p. 131)
     When we recognize patterns or observe pleasing symmetry we think of something as ordered. The Writings invite us to observe the orderly sequence in the development of plants.

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But there are higher orders that are beyond our simple observation. Just consider the teaching concerning the form of heaven.

"When it comes to the particulars of the form of heaven and how it proceeds and flows, this not even the angels can comprehend. Some conception of it can be gained from the form of all things in the human body, when this is scanned and investigated by an acute and wise man. . . . How incomprehensible and inexplicable that form is is evident only in a general way from the nervous fibers, by which each part and all parts of the body are woven together. What these fibers are, and how they proceed and how in the brain, the eye cannot at all perceive; for innumerable fibers are there to interwoven that taken together they appear like a soft continuous mass. Whoever examines these fibers and their many wonders with the eye of wisdom will be utterly bewildered. And yet the things seen with the eye are few, and those not seen are still more wonderful because they belong to an inner realm of nature."*
     * HH 212

     In all that proceeds from the Lord there is an inner beauty and an order not evident to superficial observation. The Word in its letter often seems disjointed and without order, whereas inwardly it is marvelously connected in a beautiful series. The happenings of life look jumbled and disordered, but there is an inner order of the Divine Providence. The moments of our lives "appear like scattered pebbles," but the Lord sees and provides an order in them.* We are given the example of the materials for a building lying around "without order," while an order exists and is seen in the mind of the architect.**
     * D Min. 4692
     ** AC 6486
     The spiritual man sees Divine Providence even when he looks at natural things. The natural man, by contrast, may be likened to "a near-sighted person who goes into a garden remarkable for fruits of every kind, and returning home saps that he has seen only trees and woods."*
     * DP 189

     (To be continued.)
FOURTH CANADIAN NATIONAL ASSEMBLY 1978

FOURTH CANADIAN NATIONAL ASSEMBLY              1978

     Kitchener, Ontario, October 7 and 8, 1978

     If overnight accommodation is required please contact Mrs. Gilbert Niall, 9 Evenstone Ave., Kitchener, Ontario, N2G 3WS. Phone (519) 744-9110.

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WORLD OF APPEARANCES 1978

WORLD OF APPEARANCES       Rev. L. R. SONESON       1978

     The world of nature is a world of effects; the spiritual world is a world of causes. The appearance is that all that stands before the five senses of man is the real, the substantial, and the genuine. But the truth is that everything in nature exists because of a prior and more substantial world, the spiritual world.
     The Writings explain that our physical surroundings are the result of a long chain of causes and effects, each a step downward; each more gross and more inert. The material world is the outer shell, the substance upon which other forces act; but it is totally incapable of acting on its own. There is no life per se in the material universe-it is dead. It may give evidence of life within it, but in itself it is lifeless.
     Not one muscle of the body can move unless thought directs it to move. It is a slave to the commands of the mind. Even unconscious movements, as the beating of the heart and the respiration of the lungs, are the result of impulses originating from a higher degree. When the influx of life ceases, and when the brain no longer receives the orders for movement from the mind, the body is motionless.
     Nevertheless, all life appears to originate and reside within the physical universe. The flower and the tree appear to have their own vitality. The whole of the animal kingdom gives every indication of possessing a unique spark of life within each separate creation. There is no evidence that our bodies receive life from a source outside of themselves. Life appears around us; this is undeniable. But the origin of life remains hidden. It is a mystery.
     Man alone can debate this subject of life. The fish of the sea and the fowl of the air cannot even raise the question to themselves, for they cannot abstract and reflect. The human mind is unique in its ability to sense the appearance of self-life, yet question its source. The faculty to reason permits man to reach beyond the limitations of appearances and conclude that life actually inflows from another source.
     Men of religion grant that life is a gift from a higher cause. This truth evidences itself most strongly when a new life comes into being at a birth; and again when life threatens to leave the natural body. Prayers of a new mother are of gratitude and thanksgiving for the gift of life to her offspring.

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Those on their death bed offer their prayers to their Maker, the giver of all life.
     Another illustration serves to make the point. Man can be impressed by the workings of a machine, yet not be deluded into thinking that it holds beauty, order and power apart from its designer. It has independent function, but only what was built into it. It has movement and energy, but only to the extent that man feeds into it. It has purpose, within the limitations of its creator.
     The scientific observer discovers, too, that anything living requires fuel and sustenance. But the fuel or food is not the life of the living organism. He recognizes that there are hidden but undeniable forces constantly at work gathering together materials from the physical world, causing seeds to grow into full grown plants and animals, which in turn produce more seeds. But the life-giving influx remains unseen; it is in every part, while not a part of anything in the material universe.
     The truth is that spiritual causes and spiritual ends do not appear before the five senses. All that the five senses can supply us with is knowledge of effects. But effects, viewed apart from their causes and their ultimate purposes and functions, are deceiving. Such is the plight of man on this earth. His external eyes, ears and other sensories can view the physical world of effects; but only his understanding, when prepared to do so, can view causes and ends. If he chooses to draw conclusions from his five senses alone, his scope of understanding is narrow and shallow. If his understanding is opened to see both cause and effect, be can view purpose, which is to glimpse something of God Himself. This is the meaning of the words of the Writings: "Thought from the eye closes the understanding, but thought from the understanding opens the eye."*
     * DLW 46
     The history of mankind reflects the struggle between the appearances of effects and a true understanding of causes. The rotation and shape of the world, the tides, the stars in the heavens are all examples of this deceiving world of appearances. The appearance is so contrary to the facts that it veils men's thoughts and conclusions. The earth looks flat; the sun seems to revolve around the earth; stars appear to be in motion. History shows how a few men, courageous, thoughtful, persistent, and curious, were able to see beyond natural evidence. They discovered the world of natural causes, the true realities in nature.
     We know, too, that much that still baffles men's minds today will not be resolved until there come those who will seek causes, above the appearances, to find their answers.

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     But deceiving appearances are not limited to the world of science. Every human being since the fall of man has been born into a tendency to misuse his faculty of reasoning so as to interpret falsely the sensations pouring into the brain. The eyes and the ears report faithfully what falls upon them from the material universe. The deception begins with the natural mind that misinterprets what is reported. The serpent of the Garden of Eden, representing the most external and sensual level of the mind, is as beguiling today as it was to those of the Adamic Church.
     The curse of our fallen race is the persuasive power of the sensuous mind. It cunningly misconstrues sensations into conclusions both false and disorderly.
     Happiness, the ultimate goal of all, automatically appears to be found in power and in possessions. Everyone, from childhood on, concludes that "getting," not "giving," can alone satisfy the longings of the heart. The appearance is that reputation, honor, and gain are the only worthwhile goals. No man is immune to these erroneous conclusions of the natural man.
     Revelation from God was given to overcome these appearances. It appeals to the understanding, not the sensuous natural will. The teaching about a spiritual world, where men live to eternity, is contrary to the senses. There is no evidence in the sensual world per se to confirm this profound teaching of the Word. The Word of the Lord tells of a far greater happiness for those who serve others, rather than self. But what could be further from the appearance? Revelation explains that man is basically inclined to evils of every kind, that the Lord alone is good. Yet, man is convinced that whatever he thinks is true, and that whatever he does is good.
     Something of the veil of appearances is penetrated as one grows older. Youth considers power as synonymous with physical strength. Beauty to a young maiden is confined to the appearance of her body. Yet as they grow older, they are more able to dispel this notion. 'The older and wiser come to see that power resides in truth; and true beauty is wherever there is true order. These forms of truth and beauty are ageless.
     This penetration of the world of appearances is further illustrated by those who come to see the true meaning of marriage between one man and one woman. The initial appearance of marriage to some young people is that it is a coupling together of physical strength and protection from the man, with the physical beauty of the woman. Because of the borrowed state associated with new love in the beginning stages of marriage, they feel they have captured for themselves the Secret of happiness. In one sense, they have.

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Their borrowed state has led them to give to each other without reserve and without reward. This is truly the secret of happiness, though it must be achieved through the process of reformation and regeneration. But when the bloom of first love begins to recede, they are led to recapture their love by means of physical aids.
     Those who persist in regaining their love for each other, are led to see that selfishness and worldliness must be set aside. They come to see the innate need they have for each other. The masculine mind cannot receive the sphere of conjugial love from heaven, except through the wife. The feminine mind is the only doorway through which this divine gift can enter into his life. And the wife eventually recognizes that she needs to gain her goals of strength, her power and protection through her husband, not as physical entities, but as truth from the Lord, coming through the masculine mind. These are their mutual needs, for so they were created.
     However, if the woman succumbs to the world of appearances, and seeks only material security and physical goals, then she will shut off that influx of conjugial love that the husband so desperately needs. Site will starve him of food he needs for healthy spiritual growth. He must receive an influx of heavenly affection, mercy and tolerance, in a word, love, that tempers his judgment and rationality.
     By the same token, if a man limits his search for truth to his own (corrupted) rational reasoning power, he starves his wife of her needs. When a man does not reach beyond his own intelligence to a source of truth outside of himself, he is depriving his wife of her food from heaven. He must go beyond a search for knowledge and intelligence, to a love of becoming wise, and finally, to a love of wisdom itself. His wife must receive a constant flow of truth through the masculine mind to guide her in her daily life. But when each partner performs his task properly, they feed and strengthen each other, as well as conjoin themselves into a single angel.
     The world of appearances we live in, however, hampers this ideal joining of two minds and souls into one. So overpowering is the deceiving world of effects that many are thwarted in achieving this worthy end. Many men feel they can supply the needs of their wives without turning to the Word, the source of all truth. This creates confusion, friction and disappointment on the part of the hungry wife. Her cry for solid spiritual food is often misunderstood by the husband as dissatisfaction and a loss of her love. But only Revelation can provide what she needs, and he need only go to the Word, search out the truths, live them himself, and offer them to her.
     The appearance to the wife, when she senses the hunger in her husband, is that he seemingly demands more physical affection and personal admiration.

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What his soul cries out for is that heavenly sphere of conjugial love that will permeate and modify his role in the marriage. The chaste wife who heeds the Commandments can see through the confusing appearances of his requests and offer him her perception, her mercy, and her singular love that descends from the highest heaven.
     The doctrines of our church, describing the composition of the masculine and feminine minds, are the only true answer to happiness in marriage. They reveal how the external degree of the mind is perverted. The will, and thence the thoughts therefrom, cannot be restored to genuine order, but only sublimated and brought into subservience to a new and higher will. This new will, the gift of a merciful Creator, can be received by anyone who will prepare himself to receive it. This preparation, we are told, is by means of acquiring a knowledge of doctrine into the understanding; by study and by obedience. The understanding can be raised above the relentless clutches of the external man, for moments of illumination. It is during these moments that the veil of appearances is withdrawn, and man can view both the natural world and the world of the spirit with clear vision.
     By man's determined effort, the Lord can slowly replace the world's false appearances in the understanding, with the genuine truth of His creation. Continuous combat against evils in oneself removes the falsities. The five senses of the regenerating man report the happenings outside of the body, just as before, but now the mind is capable of seeing true order, rather than disorder, within them. It is as if he is now perceiving through new senses, new eyes, and new ears. And, indeed, he is. For a whole other person, which had remained dormant, begins to come alive. This other person is called the internal man.
     The world that appears before the internal awakens, is a most deceiving one. This world of nature sheds only the light of the natural world into the mind. The man who dwells in this world alone, although he believes he sees clearly in its light, actually lives in a world of darkness and changing phantasies. It appears to its inhabitants as real, substantial, and genuine, but it is not! The real and substantial world is the world of causes, the spiritual world. This world can only be seen in the light of heaven.
     This world of heavenly light and heat awaits all who persist in their effort to see spiritual truth. Let it be the desire uppermost in our hearts to awaken this internal man. Such will surely come to pass if we but approach the Lord, love the truths of the church, and do its goods.

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NEW CHURCH 1978

NEW CHURCH       Rev. WALTER ORTHWEIN       1978

     (A Missionary Sermon)

     "And He that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new." Apoc. 21:5.

     During his exile on the isle of Patmos, the Apostle John received strange and wonderful visions of things to come. He saw cataclysmic upheavals, and then a new reign of peace, a new golden age, symbolized by a beautiful city descending from God out of heaven: a New Jerusalem, adorned as a bride for her husband.
     This prophetic book, the Book of Revelation or Apocalypse, has never been understood in the Christian Church. No prophecy is every really understood until its fulfillment. We can see this in regard to the Lord's first coming. He was unrecognized because the ancient prophecies concerning the Messiah had been misunderstood as meaning an earthly king, who would deliver the nation Israel from her enemies. But in truth the Lord came as a spiritual king, who would conquer the hells and redeem all mankind from spiritual slavery.
     It is our belief that the prophecies contained in the Book of Revelation have been and are being fulfilled today, and that they refer, not to the end of the world, but to the end of the first Christian era, and the establishment of a new Christian age on earth-a new church.
     Jerusalem, where the temple was, the center of worship and instruction in the Scriptures, stands for the Lord's church on earth; and the New Jerusalem, symbolically portrayed in John's vision, stands for a new church-not a new church organization, primarily, but a new dispensation of Divine truth from heaven, which, when received, creates a new state of spiritual love and wisdom within the hearts and minds of people on earth. This is where the church essentially exists within people who know and love the Lord.
     "And He that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new." He that sat upon the throne is no other than our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. His throne is heaven, where He is acknowledged as king; and more than king, the source of life itself. And from His kingdom of heaven the Lord is continually recreating or making new the life of religion in the person who believes in Him as the only God of heaven and earth.

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This is what the Lord makes new-all things of religion.
     Religion should always be new, perpetually fresh and alive, stimulating the imagination, filling the affections with delight. The Lord is called "the bright and morning star"* and "the dayspring from on high."** His doctrine is said to descend from heaven like the dew which vivifies the grass at the beginning of each new day.*** Every coming of the Lord to man is like the dawn of a new day, spiritually, a day in which there is the greatest potential for new states of love and understanding.
     * Apoc. 22:16               
     ** Luke 1:78
     *** Deut. 32:2               
     Religion should be always new, not bound by dead traditions or creeds which are merely recited without understanding or meaning. It should never be compartmentalized as something separate from the rest of life, but should enter into every aspect of life, as the heart sends blood to all parts of the body.
     In order to come into the kingdom of heaven, the Lord said, "you must be born again," that is, made entirely new: seeing God where you never: saw Him before, aware of His presence in new ways, looking upon spiritual things with the freshness and wonder of a child, rediscovering the spiritual dimension of life-this is the newness the Lord makes.
     And how does He bring a person into this state of life? How does He bring into existence a new church, in which He appears with new clarity and Power to save? He does it by means of a new revelation of Divine truth, coming down from heaven to make all things new, to raise up a new and perfect Christianity.
     The Lord has always revealed Himself to men, as far as He possibly could according to their state of understanding. He spoke through the prophets of the Old Testament. Then He was born on earth Himself as the Word made flesh, or Divine truth in human form. After His resurrection, He appeared to His disciples, and later to John on the isle of Patmos, foretelling wondrous things to come.
     But revelation did not end there. The Bible looks forward to, and specifically refers to, future revelation. For instance, when He was on earth the Lord told His disciples, "I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now. Howbeit, when He the Spirit of truth is come, He will lead you into all truth."*
     * John 16:13
     This promise of a new revelation, we believe, has been fulfilled in the teachings given through Emanuel Swedenborg, who, like the prophets of old, served as the human instrument whereby the Lord could reveal new truths for all people.

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The solemn testimony of this well-known and respected scientist, philosopher, and statesman, was that the Lord appeared to him, opened his spiritual eyes, and revealed to him all the teachings contained in the theological writings which he then published; and furthermore, that not one word of those teachings came from himself or any other merely human source, but from the Lord alone.
     The New Church, founded upon this new revelation, does not look to Swedenborg as the source of truth-not in the least; but to the Lord Jesus Christ, who has come again, as the Spirit of truth (that is, spiritual truth, or truth about spiritual things) in the teachings revealed through Swedenborg.
     These Writings do not supplant or replace the Bible, any more than the New Testament supplanted the Old, but rather, they infill the Sacred Scriptures by disclosing the hidden meaning contained within them. This internal sense, or spiritual sense, is as the soul or spirit within the letter of the Word. Without it, our understanding of the Scriptures is as limited as that of Nicodemus, who, when the Lord said to him, "ye must be born again," asked: How can I, a grown man, return to my mother's womb?* He look the Lord's words at their literal face value and so missed the whole meaning, which was spiritual. Or, to take another example, remember the woman of Samaria whom the Lord met at Jacob's well. When the Lord spoke to her of the "living water" which He had to give, she asked Him where He would get it, since He had no pail to draw it with. He was speaking of Divine truth, of course, but she understood Him only literally.**
     * John 3
     ** John 4
     In reading the Bible, we must understand that the words applied to the Lord in the New Testament, "without a parable spake He not unto them,* I apply to the whole of the Scriptures. The creation story, the story of the flood, the histories of the patriarchs, the wars and tribal laws of Israel, the mysterious visions and actions of the prophets-all of these have a spiritual meaning, which for the most part is hidden within the literal sense.
     * Mark 4:34
     This is not just a general "moral" which the stories illustrate, but a very specific and continuous spiritual meaning, contained in every detail of every verse, and running throughout the whole of the Lord's Word. This inner meaning concerns the history of the church on earth, or its stages of spiritual growth; individual human regeneration; and in the highest sense, the Lord Himself, His temptation-combats with the hells while on earth, His victories over them, and His glorification. It is because of this spiritual sense that the Word is holy.

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     The Lord Himself referred to this inner meaning, and disclosed its existence to two of His disciples on the road to Emmaus after His resurrection. We read in the Gospel of Luke: "He opened their understanding, that they might understand the Scriptures."* "And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, He expounded unto them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself."** So moved were they by this revelation that they said, "our hearts burned within us."
     * Luke 24:45
     ** Luke 24:27
     It is this revelation of the internal sense of the Word which makes all things of religion new. It gives a new vision of the Lord Jesus Christ as the one God of heaven and earth. It fulfills the Lord's promise that the time would come when He would teach no more in parables but would show us plainly of the Father (that is, of the Divine itself). This new vision of the Lord is seen in the Word, in its internal sense. This new vision is what is meant by the second coming of the Lord. It is not a second physical coming, or a coming in person, but is a spiritual coming. The Lord said that He would come again as the Spirit of truth, or as new truth about spiritual things. New truth about Himself. The essence or soul of all truth. This is what the revelation of the spiritual sense of the Word discloses.
     It is also said that the Lord would come with clouds, which our teachings interpret as meaning that He would appear anew in the Word or Sacred Scriptures. "Clouds" represent the letter of the Word, the literal sense, which is a "cloud" when it is only obscurely understood. It is also said that He would come as a thief in the night, that is, unrecognized for the most part, as, indeed, He was at His first coming.*
     * Apoc. 3:3; Matt. 24:43
     No one is asked to accept any of this on faith. It is a cardinal principle of the new revelation that religious truths must be freely accepted, not supported by emotional persuasion, external human authority, or "blind faith." What a person does not see for himself to be true and freely choose to follow is not really his own.
     But do investigate these doctrines for yourself, and see if they do not provide deep and satisfying answers to the important questions of life, in full agreement with the Scriptures, and also with what common perception tells you must be reasonable and true. You will find, contrary to what is widely believed, that spiritual things can be understood. They can be and should be. The Lord wants us to understand His ends in our creation and thus be able freely to cooperate with them.
     In these books, which we call simply "the Writings," or the Heavenly Doctrine of the New Jerusalem, you will find new ideas about the nature of God and His creation, about how Jesus Christ is one with His Father, as He said, and is to be worshiped in His Divine Human as the only God; about the government of the Lord's Divine Providence; about life after death and the nature of the spiritual world; about true charity or love of the neighbor, and the life of use which is its essence.

433


You will find a new, spiritual and heavenly concept of marriage, which shows marriage to be eternal. And you will find many other things, all new and all contributing to a renewal of spiritual life and Christianity in the world.
     The New Jerusalem is not limited to any organization, although there are New Church bodies in the world; but it exists in the minds of those whose lives have been made new by the new revelation. It is not Catholic, not Protestant, but a new dispensation, a New Church. It is eminently Christian, for it worships the Lord Jesus Christ as God, and seeks to bring the teachings of His Word into life.
     The New Church is open to all. The city seen by John in his vision was foursquare, with twelve gates, three on each side. These gates are never shut, but are open to all people of whatever religious background. Each gate is a great pearl, the pearl of great price, worth acquiring above all else-the acknowledgment of the Lord Jesus Christ as the one God of heaven and earth. Amen.

     LESSONS: 1. Isaiah 65:17-25; 2. Apoc. 21; 3. TCR 784.
VISITORS TO BRYN ATHYN, GLENVIEW, AND TORONTO 1978

VISITORS TO BRYN ATHYN, GLENVIEW, AND TORONTO              1978

     Visitors to Bryn Athyn, Glenview or Toronto who are in need of hospitality accommodations are cordially urged to contact in advance the appropriate Hospitality Committee head listed below:

Mrs. A. Wynne Acton                    Mrs. Philip Horigan
305 Buck Rd.                              50 Park Dr.
Huntingdon Valley, PA 19006                Glenview, Ill. 6002 5
Phone: (215) 947-0242                    Phone: (312) 729-5644

Mrs. Sydney Parker
30 Royaleigh Ave.
Weston, Ont. M9P 2J5

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DIRECTORY 1978

DIRECTORY              1978

     GENERAL CHURCH OF THE NEW JERUSALEM:

     Officials and Councils

Bishop:                Right Rev. Louis B. King
Bishops Emeriti:           Right Rev. George de Charms
                    Right Rev. Willard D. Pendleton
Acting Secretary:      Rev. Lorentz R. Soneson

     CONSISTORY

     Bishop Louis B. King

Rt. Rev. George de Charms; Rt. Rev. Willard D. Pendleton; Rev. Messrs. Alfred Acton, Kurt H. Asplundh, Peter M. Buss, Daniel W. Goodenough, B. David Holm, Robert S. Junge, Dandridge Pendleton, Donald L. Rose, Erik Sandstrom, Frederick L. Schnarr.

     "General Church of the New Jerusalem"

     (A Corporation of Pennsylvania)

     OFFICERS OF THE CORPORATION

Right Rev. Louis B. King, President
Right Rev. Willard D. Pendleton, Vice President
Mr. Stephen Pitcairn, Secretary
Mr. Leonard E. Gyllenhaal, Treasurer
Mr. Bruce Fuller, Controller

     BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE CORPORATION

Rt. Rev. Louis B. King; Rt. Rev. Willard D. Pendleton; Mr. E. Boyd Asplundh; Mr. Edward K. Asplundh; Mr. Walter H. Bellinger; Mr. Theodore W. Brickman, Jr.; Mr. Henry Bruser, Jr.; Mr. William W. Buick; Mr. David H. Campbell; Mr. Alan D. Child; Mr. Geoffrey Cooper; Mr. George M. Cooper; Mr. Bruce E. Elder; Mr. Kent B. Fuller; Mr. Leonard E. Gyllenhaal; Mr. Stanley D. Hill; Mr. Wynne S. Hyatt; Mr. James F. Junge; Mr. Alexander H. Lindsay; Mr. Paul C. P. Mayer; Mr. H. Keith Morley; Mr. Richard Parker; Mr. Garth Pitcairn; Mr. John W. Rose; Mr. Jerome V. Sellner; Mr. S. Brian Simons; Mr. Gordon B. Smith; Mr. Robert A. Smith; Mr. Robert E. Walter; Mr. Walter L. Williamson; Mr. Robert E. Zecher. Honorary Life Member: Right Rev. George de Charms.

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     Council of the Clergy

     Bishops

     KING, LOUIS BLAIR. Ordained June 19, 1951; 2nd Degree, April 19, 1953; 3rd Degree, November 5, 1972. Pastor of the Bryn Athyn Church. Bishop of the General Church. Chancellor of the Academy of the New Church. Address: Box 278, Bryn Athyn, Pa. 19009.

     DE CHARMS, GEORGE. Ordained June 28, 1913; 2nd Degree, June 19, 1916; 3rd Degree. March 11, 1928. Bishop Emeritus of the General Church. President Emeritus of the Academy of the New Church. Address: Box 247, 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. Address: Box 338, Bryn Athyn, Pa. 19009.

     Pastors

     ACTON, ALFRED. Ordained June 19, 1964; 2nd Degree, October 30, 1966; President of the Academy of the New Church. Address: Box 278, Bryn Athyn, Pa. 19009.

     ALDEN, GLENN GRAHAM. Ordained June 19, 1974; 2nd Degree, June 6, 1976. Pastor to Florida District, resident in Miami, Florida. Address: 15101 N.W. 5th Avenue, Miami, Fl. 33169.

     ASPLUNDH, KURT HORIGAN. Ordained June 19, 1960; 2nd Degree, June 19, 1962. Dean of the Bryn Athyn Church. Address: Box 277, Bryn Athyn, Pa. 19009.

     BAU-MADSEN, ARNE. Ordained June 6, 1976; 2nd Degree, June 11, 1978. Pastor to the Kempton, Pennsylvania Circle and Visiting Pastor to the Wilmington, Delaware Group. Secretary of the Extension Committee and Translator of the Writings into Danish. Address: Kempton, Pa. 19529.

     BOYESEN, BJORN ADOLPH HILDEMAR. Ordained June 19, 1939; 2nd Degree, March 30, 1941. Resident Assistant to the Pastor Jonkoping, Sweden engaged in translation work for the General Church. Address: Brahegatan 54, S-552 63 Jonkoping, Sweden.

     BOYESEN, RAGNAR. Ordained June 19, 1972; 2nd Degree, June 17, 1973. Pastor of the Stockholm Society. Visiting Pastor of the Copenhagen and Oslo Circles. Editor of Nova Ecclesie. Address: Aladdinsvagen 27, 16138 Bromma, Sweden.

     BUSS, PETER MARTIN. Ordained June 19, 1964; 2nd Degree, May 16, 1965. Pastor of the Immanuel Church, Glenview, Illinois. Bishop's Representative in the Midwestern and Central Western Districts. Address: 73 Park Drive, Glenview, Ill, 60025.

     CARLSON, MARK ROBERT. Ordained June 10, 1973; 2nd Degree, March 6, 1977. Assistant to the Pastor of the Carmel Church. Address: 58 Chapel Hill Drive, R. R. 2, Kitchener, Ontario, N2G 3W5, Canada.

     CHILDS, GEOFFREY STAFFORD. Ordained June 19, 1952; 2nd Degree, June 19, 1954. Pastor of the Olivet Church. Bishop's Representative in Canada. Address: 2 Lorraine Gardens, Islington, Ontario, Canada M9B 424.

     COLE, ROBERT HUDSON PENDLETON. Ordained June 16, 1963; 2nd Degree, October 30, 1966. Unassigned. Address: Box 345, Bryn Athyn, Pennsylvania 19009.

436




     CRANCH, HAROLD COVERT. Ordained June 19, 1941; 2nd Degree, October 25, 1942. Associate Pastor of the Immanuel Church and Missionary Pastor to the Midwestern District. Pastor in Charge of Sharon Church Circle, Chicago, Il. Address: 2700 Park Lane, Glenview, Ill. 60025.

     FRANSON, ROY. Ordained June 19, 1953; 2nd Degree, January 29, 1956. Pastor of South West District, resident in Tucson, Az. Address: 8416 East Kenyon Dr., Tucson, Az. 85710. Ph. 1-602-296-1070.

     GLADISH, MICHAEL DAVID. Ordained June 10, 1973; 2nd Degree, June 30, 1974. Pastor of the Hurstville Society. Visiting Pastor to Auckland, New Zealand Circle. Address: 22 Dudley Street, Penshurst, New South Wales, Australia 2222.

     GLADISH, VICTOR JEREMIAH. Ordained June 17, 1928; 2nd Degree, August 5, 1928. Address: 1015 Gladish Lane, Glenview, Il. 60025.          

     GOODENOUGH, DANIEL WEBSTER. Ordained June 19, 1965; 2nd Degree, December 10, 1967. Associate Professor of Religion and History, Academy of the New Church. Address: Bryn Athyn, Pa. 19009.

     HEINRICHS, DANIEL WINTHROP. Ordained June 19, 1957; 2nd Degree, April 6, 1958. Pastor of the Washington, D.C. Society. Visiting Pastor to circles in Virginia. Address: 3809 Enterprise Road, Mitchellville, Md. 20716.

     HEINRICHS, HENRY. Ordained June 24, 1923; 2nd Degree, February 8, 1925. Address: 63 Chapel Hill Drive R.R. 2, Kitchener, Ontario, Canada N2G 3W5.

     HEINRICHS, WILLARD LEWIS DAVENPORT. Ordained June 19, 1965; 2nd Degree, January 26, 1969. Instructor in Religion, Academy of the New Church. Address: Box 278, Bryn Athyn, Pa. 19009.

     HOLM, BERNHARD DAVID, Ordained June 19, 1952; 2nd Degree, January 27, 1957. Assistant Dean of the Bryn Athyn Church. Instructor in Religion in the Bryn Athyn Church Elementary School. Secretary of the Council of the Clergy. Address: Box 277, Bryn Athyn, Pa. 19009.

     HOWARD, GEOFFREY HORACE. Ordained June 18, 1961; 2nd Degree, June 2, 1963. Pastor of the Durban Society. Bishop's Representative in South Africa. Address: 30 Perth Road, Westville, 3630 Natal, Rep. of South Africa.

     JUNGE, ROBERT SCHILL. Ordained June 19, 1955; 2nd Degree, August 11, 1957. Dean of the Theological School, Academy of the New Church. Address: Box 278 Bryn Athyn, Pa. 19009.

     KEITH, BRIAN WALTER. Ordained June 6, 1976; 2nd Degree June 4, 1978. Assistant to the Pastor of the Immanuel Church, and Visiting Pastor to the Midwestern and Central Western Districts. Address: 810 Glenshire, Glenview, Il. 60025.

     KLINE, THOMAS LEROY. Ordained June 10, 1973; 2nd Degree, June 15, 1975. Visiting Pastor to the Southeastern District, resident in Atlanta, Georgia. Address: 3795 Montford Drive, Chamblee, Ga. 30341.

     LARSEN, OTTAR TROSVIK. Ordained June 19, 1974; 2nd Degree, February 2, 1977. Visiting Pastor to the North Eastern Canadian District and to Northern New York. Address: 73 Haliburton Ave., Islington, Ontario, Canada M9B 4Y6.

     NEMITZ, KURT PAUL. Ordained June 16, 1963; 2nd Degree, March 27, 1966. Pastor of the Bath Society of the New Jerusalem Church, Bath, Maine. Address: 881 Middle Street, Bath, Me, 04530.

     ODHNER, ORMOND DE CHARMS. Ordained June 19, 1940; 2nd Degree, October 11, 1942. Professor of Church History and Instructor in Religion, Academy of the New Church. Acting Editor, New Church Life. Address: Box 278, Bryn Athyn, Pa. 19009.

437




     ORTHWEIN, WALTER EDWARD III. Ordained July 22, 1913; 2nd Degree, June 12, 1977. Pastor of the Detroit Society, Visiting Pastor to the Gorand Rapids Circle, Mich. Address: 132 Kirk Lane, Troy, Mi. 48084.

     PENDLETON, DANDRIDGE. Ordained June 19, 1952; 2nd Degree, June 19, 1954. Associate Professor of Religion, Academy of the New Church. Address: Box 278, Bryn Athyn, Pa. 19009.

     PRYKE, MARTIN. Ordained June 19, 1940; 2nd Degree, March 1, 1942, Instructor in Religion, Academy of the New Church. Director of Academy Museum. Address: Box 278, Bryn Athyn, Pa. 19009.

     REUTER, NORMAN HAROLD. Ordained June 17, 1928; 2nd Degree, October 13, 1930. Address: 566 Anne Street, Huntingdon Valley, Pa. 19006.

     RICH, MORLEY DYCKMAN. Ordained June 19, 1938; 2nd Degree, October 13, 1940. Address: 2919 Cherry Lane, Huntington Valley, Pa. 19006.

     RILEY, NORMAN EDWARD. Recognized as Priest of the General Church, January, 1978. Superintendent of the General Church of the New Jerusalem Mission in South Africa and assistant to the pastor of the Durban Society. Address: 42 Pitlochry Road, Westville 3630, Natal, Rep. of South Africa.

     ROGERS, NORBERT HENRY. Ordained June 19, 1938; 2nd Degree, October 13, 1940. Address: 3375 Baldwin Road, Huntingdon Valley, Pa. 19006.

     ROSE, DONALD LESLIE. Ordained June 16, 1957; 2nd Degree, June 19, 1963. Pastor of the Pittsburgh Society. Address 7420 Ben Hur Street, Pittsburgh, Pa. 15208.

     ROSE, FRANK SHIRLEY. Ordained June 19, 1952; 2nd Degree, August 2, 1953. Assistant Professor of Religion in the Academy of the New Church. Address: Box 278, Bryn Athyn, Pa. 19009.

     ROSE, PATRICK ALAN. Ordained June 19, 1975; 2nd Degree, September 5, 1977. Pastor of the Colchester Society in Colchester, England. Address: 43 Athelstan Rd., Colchester CO3 3TW, England.

     SANDSTROM, ERIK. Ordained June 10, 1934; 2nd Degree, August 4, 1935. Retired. Part-time Pastor of the Hot Springs Group, South Dakota, and visiting Pastor of the Denver Circle, Colorado. Address: RR 1, Box 101 Mi Hot Springs, S.D. 7747.

     SANDSTROM, ERIK EMANUEL. Ordained May 23, 1971; 2nd Degree, May 21, 1972. Pastor of Michael Church, London, England. Visiting Pastor to the Circle in The Hague. Address: 135 Mantilla Road, Tooting, London, S.W. 17, 8DX, England.

     SCHNARR, FREDERICK LAURIER. Ordained June 19, 1955; 2nd Degree, May 12, 1957. Principal, Bryn Athyn Church Elementary School. Address: Box 277, Bryn Athyn, Pa. 19009.

     SIMONS, DAVID RESTYN. Ordained June 19, 1948; 2nd Degree, June 19, 1950. Pastor of the Los Angeles Society and a Visiting Pastor to San Francisco and San Diego. Address: 4615 Briggs Ave., La Crescenta, Ca. 91214.

     SMITH, CHRISTOPHER RONALD JACK. Ordained June 19, 1969; 2nd Degree, May 9, 1971. Pastor of the Carmel Church. Address: 16 Bannockburn Road, R.R. 2, Kitchener, Ontario, Canada N2G 3W5.

     SONESON, LORENTZ RAY. Ordained June 16, 1963; 2nd Degree, May 16, 1965. Acting Secretary of the General Church, Director of the General Church Religion Lessons, Editor of New Church Home, Chairman of the Sunday School Committee. Address: Box 278, Bryn Athyn, Pa. 19009.

438




     STROH, KENNETH OLIVER. Ordained June 19, 1948; 2nd Degree, June 19, 1950. Director of Music, Bryn Athyn Church. Address: Box 278, Bryn Athyn, Pa. 19009.

     TAYLOR, DOUGLAS MCLEOD. Ordained June 19, 1960; 2nd Degree, June 19, 1962. Chairman of the General Church Extension Committee. Address: Bag C, Cairncrest, Bryn Athyn; Pa. 19009.

     Ministers

     BOWN, CHRISTOPHER DUNCAN. Ordained June 18, 1978. Visiting Minister to North Jersey-New York Circle, resident Minister to Connecticut Group. Address: 145 Shadyside Lane, Milford, Conn. 06460.

     CLIFFORD, WILLIAM HARRISON. Ordained June 6, 1976. Visiting Minister to North Western United States and Western Canada, resident in Dawson Creek, British Columbia, Canada. Address: 1536 94th Avenue, Dawson Creek, B.C., Canada V1G IH1.

     COLE, STEPHEN DANDRIDGE. Ordained June 19, 1977. Minister of the Ohio District, resident in Cleveland. Address: 1256 Donald Avenue, Lakewood, Ohio 44107.

     ECHOLS, JOHN CLARK, JR. Ordained August 20, 1978. Assistant to Pastor in Glenview. Address: 73A Park Drive, Glenview, Il. 60025.

     FIGUEIREDO, JOSE LOPES DE. Ordained October 24, 1965. Minister to the Rio de Janeiro Society, Brazil. Address: Rua Desembargador Izidro 155, Apt. 202, Tijuca, Rio De Janeiro, Brazil.

     HEILMAN, ANDREW JAMES. Ordained June 18, 1978. Assistant to Minister of the Rio de Janeiro Society, Brazil.

     MCMASTER, ROBERT DAVID. Ordained June 18, 1978. Assistant to the Pastor of the Olivet Church. Address: 56-1370 Silver Spear, Mississauga, Ontario, Canada L4Y 2X2.

     ROGERS, NORBERT BRUCE. Ordained January 12, 1969. Associate Professor of Religion, Latin and Hebrew, Academy of the New Church. Head of the Division of Religion and Sacred Languages in the College. Chairman of the General Church Translation Committee. Address: Box 278, Bryn Athyn, Pa. 19009.

     Associate Member

     WEISS, JAN HUGO. Ordained June 19, 1955; 2nd Degree, May 12, 1957. Address: 2650 Del Vista Drive, Hacienda Heights, Ca. 91745.

     Authorized Candidates

     ALDEN, MARK EDWARD, Address: Box 278, Bryn Athyn, Pa. 19009.

     CARSWELL, ERIC HUGH, Address: Box 278, Bryn Athyn, Pa. 19009.

     KING, CEDRIC, Address: Box 278, Bryn Athyn, Pa. 19009.

     JUNGE, KENT, Address: Box 278, Bryn Athyn, Pa. 19009.

     NICHOLSON, ALLISON LAMARR, Address: Box 278, Bryn Athyn, Pa. 19009.

     NICOLIER, ALAIN, Serving in France. Address: Bourguignon-Meursanges, 20220 Cote D'Or, France.

     SCHNARR, ARTHUR WILLARD, JR., Address: Box 218, Bryn Athyn, Pa. 19009.

     SMITH, LAWSON MERRELL, Address: Box 278, Bryn Athyn, Pa. 19009.

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     South African Mission

     Pastors

     MBEDZI, PAULUS. Ordained March 23, 1958; 2nd Degree, March 14, 1965. Resident Pastor of the Hambrook Society, Visiting Pastor of the Balfour Society, the Greylingstad Society and the Rietfontain Group. Address: Hambrook Bantu School, P. B. 9912, Ladysmith, Natal 3370.

     MBATHA, BHEKUYISE ALFRED. Ordained June 27, 1971; 2nd Degree, June 23, 1974. Resident Pastor of the Kwa Mashu Society, Visiting Pastor of the Impaphala Society and the Dondotha Group. Address: P.O. Box 11, Kwa Mashu, Natal 4360.

     NKABINDE, PETER PIET. Ordained Tune 23, 1974; 2nd Degree, November 13, 1977. Resident Pastor of the Alexandra Society. Visiting Pastor of the Mofolo Society, the Quthing Society, and the Tembisa Group. Address: 159-11th Avenue, Alexandra Township, Johannesburg, Transvaal, 2001.

     NZMANDE, BENJAMIN ISHMAEL. Ordained August 21, 1938; 2nd Degree, October 3, 1948. Assistant Superintendent, Resident Pastor of the Clermont Society, Visiting Pastor of the Enkumba Society. Pastor in charge of the Alexandra Society, the Mofolo Society and the Tembisa Group. Address: 1701-31st Avenue, Clermont Township, P.O. Clernaville, Natal 3602.

     ZUNGU, AARON. Ordained August 21, 1938; 2nd Degree, October 3, 1948. Mission Translator. Visiting Pastor of the Umlazi Group. Address: 2102 Main Avenue, Clermont Township, P.O. Clernaville, Natal.
Authorized Candidates

     BUTELEZI, ISHBORN: Address: 36 Perth Road, Westville, Natal, R.S.A. 3630

     MASEKO, MICHAEL: Address: 36 Perth Road, Westville, Natal, R.S.A. 3630

     Societies and Circles

Societies                                             Pastor
BRYN ATHYN CHURCH                     Rt. Rev. Louis B. King
                                   Rev. Kurt H. Asplundh (Dean)
                                   Rev. B. David Holm (Asst. Dean)
CARMEL CHURCH, KITCHENER, ONTARIO           Rev. Christopher R. J. Smith
                                   Rev. Mark R. Carlson, Assistant to the Pastor
COLCHESTER SOCIETY, ENGLAND               Rev. Patrick A. Rose
DETROIT SOCIETY, MICHIGAN                    Rev. Walter E. Orthwein, III
DURBAN SOCIETY, NATAL, SOUTH AFRICA      Rev. Geoffrey H. Howard
                                             Rev. Norman E. Riley, Assistant to the Pastor
HURSTVLLLE SOCIETY, N.S.W., AUSTRALIA      Rev. Michael D. Gladish
IMMANUEL CHURCH, GLENVIEW, ILLINOIS      Rev. Peter M. Buss
                                   Rev. Harold C. Cranch, Associate Pastor
                                   Rev. Messrs. Brian W. Keith and J. Clark Echols, Assistants to the Pastor
LOS ANGELES SOCIETY, CALIFORNIA           Rev. David R. Simons
MICHAEL CHURCH, LONDON, ENGLAND           Rev. Erik E. Sandstrom

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OLIVET CHURCH, TORONTO, ONTARIO          Rev. Geoffrey S. Childs
                                    Rev. Robert D. McMaster, Assistant to the Pastor
PITTSBURGH SOCIETY                     Rev. Donald L. Rose
RIO DE JANEIRO SOCIETY, BRAZIL           Rev. Jose Lopes de Figueiredo
                                    Rev. Andrew J. Heilman, Assistant to the Pastor
STOCKHOLM SOCIETY, SWEDEN                    Rev. Ragnar Boyesen
WASHINGTON SOCIETY, D.C.                    Rev. Daniel W. Heinriths

     Circles                         Visiting Pastor or Minister
ATLANTA, GEORGIA                         Rev. Thomas L. Kline (Resident)
AUCKLAND, NEW ZEALAND                    Rev. Michael D. Gladish
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS                    Rt. Rev. Louis B. King, Visiting Pastor Ex-officio
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS (SHARON CHURCH)           Rev. Harold C. Cranch
COPENHAGEN, DENMARK                     Rev. Ragnar Boyesen
DAWSON CREEK, BRITISH COLUMBIA, CANADA      Rev. William H. Clifford (Resident)
DENVER, COLORADO                         Rev. Erik Sandstrom
ERIE, PENNSYLVANIA                         Rev. Stephen D. Cole
FORT WORTH, TEXAS                     Rev. Peter M. Buss, Supervisor
GORAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN                    Rev. Walter E. Orthwein
THE HAGUE, HOLLAND                     Rev. Erik E. Sandstrom
JONKOPING, SWEDEN                         Rev. Bjorn A. H. Boyesen (Resident)
KEMPTON, PENNSYLVANIA                    Rev. Arne Bau-Madsen (Resident)
LETCHWORTH, ENGLAND                     Rev. Patrick A. Rose
MADISON, WISCONSIN                     Rev. Brian W. Keith
MANCHESTER, ENGLAND                     Rev. Patrick A. Rose
MIAMI, FLORIDA                         Rev. Glenn G. Alden (Resident)
MONTREAL, CANADA                         Rev. Ottar T. Larsen
NORTH JERSEY-NEW YORK                    Rev. Christopher D. Bown
NORTH OHIO                               Rev. Stephen D. Cole
OSLO, NORWAY                         Rev. Ragnar Boyesen
ST. PAUL-MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA           Rev. Peter M. Buss, Supervisor
SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA                     Rev. Roy Franson
                                    Rev. David R. Simons
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA               Rev. David R. Simons
SOUTH OHIO                               Rev. Stephen D. Cole
TRANSVAAL, REP. OF SOUTH AFRICA           Rev. Norman E. Riley
TUCSON, ARIZONA                         Rev. Roy Franson (Resident)

     In order to avoid confusion, it seems well to observe, in the official records and the official journal of the General Church, the recognized distinctions between a "Society," a "Circle," and a "Group."
     A "Group" consists of all interested receivers of the Heavenly Doctrine in any locality who meet together for worship and instruction under the general supervision of pastors who visit them from time to time.
     A "Circle" consists of members of the General Church in any locality, who are under the leadership of a regular visiting pastor appointed by the Bishop, and who are organized by their pastor to take responsibility for their local uses in the interim between his visits.

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A Group may become a Circle when, on the recommendation of the visiting pastor, it is formally recognized as such by the Bishop.
     A "Society" or local "Church" consists of the members of the General Church in any locality who have been organized under the leadership of a resident pastor to maintain the uses of regular worship, instruction and social life. A Circle may become a Society by application to the Bishop and formal recognition by him.
     LOUIS B. KING,
          Bishop

     Committees of the General Church               Chairman
General Church Extension Committee                Rev. Douglas M. Taylor
General Church Publication Committee           Rev. Lorentz R. Soneson
General Church Religion Lessons Committee      Rev. Lorentz R. Soneson
General Church Schools Committee               Rev. Frederick L. Schnarr
Orphanage Committee                          Mr. Robert F. Zecher
Pension Committee                              Mr. Garthowen Pitcairn
Finance and Development Fund Committee           Mr. Leonard E. Gyllenhaal
Salary Committee                              Mr. Theodore W. Brickman, Jr.
Sound Recording Committee                         Rev. Douglas M. Taylor
Translation Committee                          Rev. N. Bruce Rogers

     Address all committees, Bryn Athyn, Pa. 19009 except the following:
Mr. Theodore W. Brickman, Jr.     1211 Gladish Lane, Glenview, Ill. 60025
Mr. Garthowen Pitcairn          600 Woodward Drive, Huntingdon Valley, Pa. 19006
ECCLESIASTICAL AND CIVIL GOVERNMENT 1978

ECCLESIASTICAL AND CIVIL GOVERNMENT              1978

     There are two things which ought to be in order with men, namely, the things which are of heaven, and the things which are of the world. The things which are of heaven are called ecclesiastical, and those which are of the world are called civil.
     There must therefore be governors to keep the assemblages of men in order, who should be skilled in the law, wise and fearing God. There must also be order among the governors, lest anyone from caprice or ignorance should permit evils which are contrary to order, and thereby destroy it. This is guarded against when there are superior and inferior governors, among whom there is subordination.
     Governors over those things which relate to heaven, or over ecclesiastical affairs, are called priests, and their office is called the priesthood. But governors over those things with men which relate to the world, or over civil affairs, are called magistrates, and their chief, where such a form of government prevails, is called King. The New Jerusalem and its Heavenly Doctrine 311, 313, 314.

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"THE OFFICIAL ORGAN . . ." 1978

"THE OFFICIAL ORGAN . . ."       Editor       1978


NEW CHURCH LIFE
Office of Publication, Lancaster, Pa.
Published Monthly by
THE GENERAL CHURCH OF THE NEW JERUSALEM
BRYN ATHYN. PA.
Acting Editor           Rev. Ormond deCharms Odhner, Bryn Athyn, Pa.
Business Manager          Mr. L. E. Gyllenhaal, Bryn Athyn, Pa.

     All literary contributions should be sent to the Editor. Subscriptions, change of address, and business communications, should be sent to the Business Manager. Notifications of address changes should be received by the 15th of the month.

     TERMS OF SUBSCRIPTION
$5.00 a year to any address, payable in advance. Single copy, 50 cents.
     "The NEW CHURCH LIFE is the official organ of the General Church. By this is meant that it is the editorial policy of the magazine to reflect accurately the doctrinal thought and life of the General Church. Also this magazine is the recognized medium for the publication of the official reports and transactions of that body."*
     * A Statement of the Order and Organization of the General Church . . . as amended by Bishop Willard D. Pendleton in 1970, p. 22
     "The doctrinal thought and life of the General Church"-this is what NEW CHURCH LIFE is to reflect, accurately. Fortunately, this puts rather wide limits on my new duties as Acting Editor, but it nevertheless does limit what I hope to publish in this magazine.
     There is no official, "orthodox" doctrine in the General Church. Not even our old battle cry, "The Writings are the Word," need be affirmed, even by a candidate for our ministry, though I know of no General Church priest today who would not say those words with conviction.
     There is, however, a common doctrinal attitude among General Church men. It binds them together, distinguishes them from other New Church men, and within it all General Church men are free to hold whatever doctrinal beliefs they wish. Each person, furthermore, is free to make his own statement of this attitude; but I would state it thus: Because the theological writings of Emanuel Swedenborg are the Second Coming of the Lord, they are also the final authority for all doctrine and spiritual beliefs. Basing on that, everyone in the General Church is free to make his own interpretation of the Writings.

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Provided he feels that he "sees" that it is taught in the Writings, his view will never be seriously branded "heresy."
     It is such thought from doctrine, thought based upon the Heavenly Doctrines, that I believe to be "the doctrinal thought of the General Church;" and it is this which I hope to publish in Life. There is, of course, much other thought in the minds of General Church men, thought about domestic, civil, and moral affairs; but this is hardly the doctrinal thought of the Church, and unless it begins to loom so large as to interfere with the Church's ability to think about doctrine, I can see no reason to take much notice of it here.
     Now, this policy does not mean that every article and/or sermon published must be filled with direct quotations from the Writings. One article in this issue contains no such quotations at all, but to me it seems eminently an example of "thought from doctrine." On the other hand, a sermon or article could be replete with quotations, yet be little more than thought about doctrine, rather than thought from it.
     Nor does my editorial policy mean that I will accept nothing for publication unless it is written by a member of the General Church. It can easily be that much of the doctrinal thought of the General Church is activated by other New Church men who also think from the Heavenly Doctrines.
     As to reflecting the "life" of the General Church, I beg the right of interpreting this to mean "the doctrinal life" of the General Church. Surely, there is no New Church life which is not based upon New Church doctrine.

     EDITORIAL NOTES

     The name of Dr. Thomas W. Keiser is already known to readers of The New Philosophy, and to those who heard his address on "Dreams" to the Swedenborg Scientific Assn. annual meeting in 1976. Dr. Keiser, a New Churchman in the Detroit area, is, to quote a footnote in The New Philosophy, 1975, Oct.-Dec., p. 303, "presently chief consulting psychologist with the Medical Center Psychiatry Associates, staff psychologist at Lafayette Clinic, and adjunct professor in the Department of Psychology at Wayne State University, all in Detroit, Mich."
     It is somewhat unusual to publish two sermons in the same issue of NEW CHURCH LIFE. With the General Church's expended effort in evangelism, however, several of our groups and societies schedule "missionary services" on a more or less regular basis. At these services, naturally, "missionary sermons" are preached. Mr. Orthwein's sermon "The New Church," is published as an example of these special-type sermons.

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Church News 1978

Church News       Various       1978

     THE SWEDENBORG SOCIETY

     The 160th Annual General Meeting was held on Saturday, 13th May, 1978 at 3:30 p.m. About forty-five members attended. The President of the Society, Mr. Norman Turner, was in the chair.
     Mr. D. F. C. Mann, Chairman of the Council presented the Council's Report for 1977.
     Referring to the Translators' Summer School, Mr. Mann said that it had been the outstanding event of the year and that the Director, Dr. John Chadwick, and the other members of the staff, were to be congratulated and deserved the warm thanks of the Society.
     The work of the Advisory and Revision Board was vital to the Society and the Society was fortunate that Dr. Freda Griffith was still able to carry on with her work as Secretary of the Board.
     Mr. Mann went on to say that the sale of books during the year had averaged 50 a day-a remarkable effort considering the low prices charged. It was difficult to find ways of advertising which would attract the general public and the Council had decided to have the shop window redesigned in the hope of persuading more people to come in.
     Mr. Mann then listed some of the items with which the Council had concerned itself during the year and pointed out that dealing with these matters, many of which do not appear in the Report, occupied a great deal of the time of the Council and staff.
     Closing his report, Mr. Mann remarked that he would like to see the number of members increased to at least 1,000 and that if each member tried to attract one more, this total could be attained with ease.
     The Honorary Treasurer, Mr. F. B. Nicholls, read the Auditors' Report and presented the Accounts and Balance Sheet. He drew attention to the fact that there had been a surplus of income over expenditure for the year, amounting to L257., which was mainly due to a less than usually heavy programme of printing and repairs and maintenance to the premises. It was feared, however, that costs would be higher during 1978. In the year under review the General Fund had increased, thanks to generous gifts and legacies. Mr. Nicholls said that it was good to note that the market value of the Society's investments had improved usefully compared with the previous year's figure.
     Mr. Roy Evans moved the adoption of the Report and Accounts. This was seconded by the Rev. E. E. Sandstrom and carried unanimously.
     Commenting on the Report, Miss E. Rinnah Acton said that she had been pleased to read about the Translators' Summer School and the interest being taken by some of the young people in the work of translation.
     The President read a letter from the Rev. J. O. Booth, President of the General Conference of the New Church, in which he congratulated the Society on a successful year and suggested that the Council might like to consider preparing material for a travelling exhibition. Mr. Turner said that this would seem to be a useful idea and it would be considered carefully by the Council.
     A bouquet of flowers was presented to the Secretary, Miss Madeline G. Waters, to mark her completion of 25 years service to the Society.
     The President referred to the recent resignations from the Advisory and Revision Board of the Rev. B. A. H. Boyesen and the Rev. J. M. Sutton, both of whom are leaving the country, and a tribute to their work was paid.

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Mr. Boyesen replied, saying how much he had enjoyed working with the Board.
     Mr. D. F. C. Mann then moved the Council's nomination of Mr. Norman Turner as President for a further year and this was carried with applause. Mr. Mann was formally elected Vice-President and Mr. F. B. Nicholls was unanimously re-elected Honorary Treasurer of the Society.
     The Secretary reported that the three members of the Council retiring under Article 32 had all offered themselves for re-election. No nominations to the Council had been received and the following were therefore declared elected: Mr. F. C. Elphick, Mr. P. L. Johnson and the Rev. C. H. Presland.
     The President stated that the Council would be losing the service of two of its members. Mr. L. Hugh Houghton was retiring after serving for a total of 15 years and the Council had recorded its appreciation of this long period of service. Mr. David Lorimer would be taking up a teaching post in Edinburgh shortly and the President congratulated him on his new position but said it was regretted that this necessitated Mr. Lorimer's resignation from the Council.
     The President then gave his address entitled "Numbers in the Word," which is printed elsewhere [by the Society].
     Mr. D. F. C. Mann moved a vote of thanks to the President for his paper, for his conduct of the meeting and for his work during the year, and this was approved with applause.

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CHARTER DAY 1978

              1978




     Announcements
     All ex-students, members of the General Church, and friends of the Academy are invited to attend the 62nd Charter Day Exercises, to be held in Bryn Athyn, Pa., Friday and Saturday, October 13th and 14th, 1978. The Program: Friday, 11 a.m.-Cathedral Service with an address by the Rev. Peter M. Buss. Friday evening-Dance Saturday, 7 p.m.-Banquet, Toastmaster: The Rev. N. Bruce Rogers.
CHARTER DAY BANQUET TICKETS 1978

              1978

     Prices Reduced-Quality Not

     In order to avoid confusion and embarrassment, those who will be guests in Bryn Athyn homes for the Charter Day weekend should order their Banquet tickets in advance, by mail, unless they have made other specific arrangements with their hostesses.
     The date of the banquet is Oct. 14th. The regular ticket price is $6.00-4% less than last year. For all students, including those not presently attending the Academy, the price is only $3.00-down 14% from last year. Checks should be made payable to the Academy of the New Church.
     Orders should be sent to the attention of Mrs. R. Waelchli, The Academy of the New Church, P.O. Box 278, Bryn Athyn, Pennsylvania 19009, before October 4th. Please mark clearly on envelopes "Banquet Tickets". Tickets will be carefully held at the switchboard in Benade Hall for pick-up either by you or your hosts. No tickets can be sold at the door because of the need for advance arrangements with the caterer.

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AFFECTION OF TRUTH 1978

AFFECTION OF TRUTH       Rev. ROY FRANSON       1978


     
NEW CHURCH LIFE
VOL. XCVIII          OCTOBER, 1978           No. 10
     "And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." John 8:32

     This Divine promise was given to those Jews who believed in the Lord, that is, to those who exhibited an affection for the truths which the Lord taught when in the world. For no one can truly believe in the Lord unless he has an affection for His teachings; and without an affection of truth, no one will "continue" in the Lord's Word, and so enter into the Freedom which the Lord alone can give. Man may rationally and intelligently discuss spiritual, celestial and even Divine truths, but unless he has an affection for them, he remains a merely natural man, and strangely enough, he does not really know the truth, and cannot therefore be set free by the truth. So also, a man may live an exemplary civil and moral life, but unless he does this from religion, that is, from an affection of the teachings of the Word, he has no communication with heaven; the spirit within is closed against heaven, and he remains in the light of the world and does not, and cannot, enjoy the light of heaven.
     The reason why an intellectual understanding of truth and a life in civil and moral good are not in and by themselves a sufficient preparation for heaven and eternal happiness there, is because man is not necessarily what he does and speaks, but solely what he has an affection for. His state life in the world of eternity is determined according to the nature of his affection. Thus we are told that the "very life of the internal man flows into all the affections of the external man, but it is varied according to the ends; when it flows into affections which have the world for their end, this end is vivified by that life, and there results worldly life; when into affections which have self for their end, this end is vivified by that life, and there results corporeal life, and so in all other cases."*

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It is for this reason that cupidities and phantasies can live and be nourished in man, although this is a life contrary to the inflowing life from the Lord. In other words, life from the Lord, forever and everywhere the same in itself, can be turned by man into ends which are contrary to the Divine end, and "with everyone his end is his love, and it is the love alone that lives."** Man alone in all creation is born with no love that he in freedom may choose what to love.
     * AC 1909
     ** Ibid.
     This new and distinct teaching of the New Church, this teaching that man is what he loves, is unknown and unrecognized in the world around us. And it deserves our very best and thoughtful attention. It is a teaching which should be seriously reflected upon, and it is a teaching which should cause us to look deeply and honestly into our inner being-the being or man which we so often hide behind a rational front and traditionally trained friendliness.
     From itself the human rational cannot see and believe in spiritual realities. It can see and understand the statements of Scripture, but it cannot see and believe that the Word of God has an internal sense, which sense is so remote from the sense of the letter that the only relationship between them is by correspondences. From itself the human rational cannot see and believe that the departed from this world speak to each other most distinctly in the other world, and this without words, and yet so fully as to express more in a minute than man does by his speech in an hour, and moreover that everyone speaks this spiritual language as soon as he enters that world without any instruction whatsoever. From itself man's rational faculty cannot see and believe that every affection of man, and every idea of his thought, not only contain numberless things which can never be described in human words, while at the same time they are clearly perceived by the angels who are with him, and that each and every affection and idea of thought is an image of himself-they contain within them, in a most wonderful manner, all the things of his life. Man, from himself could never come to see and acknowledge that human happiness and eternal blessedness are from no other source than the affection of good and truth from the Word; the merely natural rational cannot believe this, and to those who are in evil and its delight, this truth appears as something that is non-existent, or as something sad, painful and even deadly. Yet, it is possible for all men to see and understand that nothing can be increased and multiplied in any man unless there be some affection; it can be clearly seen by all that what a man loves that he freely learns, retains and cherishes, and it can be understood and clearly seen that such as the affection is, such is the multiplication.

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And though there is an innumerable variety of angelic and human affections (as many as there are angels and men), heaven and the church make one, and act as one because each and every angel, and every regenerating man in the church receive the one single influx from the Lord, and this influx is an influx of affections from the Lord, from His mercy and from His life, affections which are expressed in an endless harmonious variety by those who have a genuine affection for the Lord and His Word.
     But though the human rational cannot discover spiritual realities or the nature of the spiritual world, the human mind has been created in such a wonderful way by the Lord that spiritual things can be perceived by man, and this perception of spiritual things is given to every one to the extent he acquires an affection for the things which the Lord has revealed in His Word. In itself the rational is nothing unless affection flows into it and makes it active, and causes it to live. And the more a man gains a genuine affection for the teachings of the Word, the more will he come to realize from an inner perception that the purpose of the human rational is essentially to confirm what the Lord has revealed in His Word. In this realization and daily endeavor man embarks on a spiritual journey, a never-ending journey of ever increasing happiness. It is a never-ending journey because it brings man into an ever closer conjunction with the Lord; and the Lord being infinite, can only be approached by angels and men-never reached.
     In the Divine Providence every man is at first permitted to conduct his life according to the promptings of his hereditary nature, which in itself is nothing but evil. But doing this he comes into states of anxiety and even despair. By means of such states the persuasive which he has from what is his own is broken and softened; through them he begins to realize that self-intelligence and self-will cannot produce the desired happiness of life. And so he can be given a perception of the truth that human happiness is a gift from the Lord to all who have a genuine affection for, and therefore live according to, the teachings of the Word. And this perception could never arise in man unless he has experienced states of unhappiness and sorrow produced by the proprium. Thus the Writings teach: "What is good, nay what is blessed and happy, no one can perceive with an exquisite sense, unless he has been in a state of what is not good, not blessed and happy." From this he acquires a sphere of perception and this to the degree in which he has been in the opposite state. For the sphere of perception of good and truth from the Lord, and the extension of its limits, arise from the realizing of contrasts. And it should be noted that even those who ascribe all particular things to human prudence, and only the most universal things to Divine Providence, may confess through actual experience, that the Divine Providence does operate in every least thing toward happy ends.

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But as soon as such an experience passes away, they return to their former state of opinion. An actual experience which causes the thinking man to acknowledge that the Divine Providence operates in every least thing of life, "has some momentary effect upon the thought, but not upon the affection, and unless the affection is broken, the thought remains in its own state."*
     * AC 2694
     As we study and meditate upon all the numerous teachings of the Word speaking of the importance of subjugating or breaking our hereditary nature, and especially if we do this in the light of the teaching that man is what he loves, the more we will be given to perceive the absolute need for gaining an affection for the principles of human life revealed in the Word. For only revealed truth, appropriated to ourselves in a state of freedom and according to reason, can subjugate the inherited loves of self and the world within us. Intellectually we can see that the Lord alone can give us the peace, the rest and the happiness for which we are striving [we know that the Lord alone is good, and thus that all good comes from Him alone], but the forces of hell are both subtle and persuasive. They seek to prevent us from intellectually accepting the truth of heaven, and this is experienced as a temptation combat within us; but they are far more fervent and persistent in their efforts to prevent us from embracing by the will the truth intellectually seen; for they know better than most men that what has been embraced by the will, or that for which man has a genuine affection, cannot be taken away from him.
     It must also be remembered and clearly understood that a genuine affection of truth must be implanted and appropriated in a state of freedom, and it must be realized and acknowledged that a genuine affection for the truth of heaven does not necessarily relieve us of physical difficulties and natural hardships, or whatever it is that often makes our earthly sojourn seem too much of a burden to us. Rather, it gives us the strength to endure whatever befalls us in this world; the Lord will gift us with an inner perception that physical and worldly adversities, or both, may be the necessary means in preparing us for a happy existence in the life hereafter-in the world for which we were born, and in which we shall live to all eternity.
     Perhaps this is one of the most important, and at the same time one of the most difficult, things to realize and acknowledge by the man in the Church. Science and human prudence may devise methods and techniques by which we are helped to overcome our inability to function properly in society-if this is our problem; science and human prudence may devise methods and techniques that will take away our nagging feelings of guilt, when such feelings become overbearing; science and human prudence may devise methods and techniques that will enable us steadfastly to abstain from some destructive or improper habit to which we have fallen slaves; and this is all good and well.

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But it must be clearly realized that these most useful and helpful techniques are helpful to our natural life only. If, when obviously successful, they leave us in a state In which our affection for the truth of heaven and the Church has suffered a set-back, then we should know that the evil spirits that are with us have used natural good as a weapon to destroy the life of heaven within us. Science has done many wonderful things, and will continue to develop many marvelous things for our happiness and comfort during our short sojourn on earth. But only a genuine affection for revealed truth can lay a foundation for a happiness which is truly human and eternally increasing; only a genuine affection of revealed truth can give us a freedom which is truly human and eternally increasing.
     Also, we should reflect, that in our effort to gain a genuine affection of truth, we not only lay a foundation upon which the Lord can impart the life of heaven to us, but it also provides an ultimate resting place for the angels of heaven with whom we are associated as to our spirits. For the teaching is that "the angelic abodes are indeed in heaven, but yet are with man in his affections of good and truth."* Often we may feel that we are given more than our share of difficulties and hardships in our lives. But then we can derive comfort from the teaching that only those who have a spiritual affection of good and truth are permitted to come into spiritual temptation; and, spiritual temptations are the Divinely appointed means whereby we can be led to heaven and its eternal happiness.
     * LJ 9:4
     Looking beyond time, to eternity, we should therefore learn to accept our share of difficulties and hardships during our earthly sojourn, knowing that the Lord leads each and every one of His children from His infinite love by means of His infinite wisdom to the greatest possible state of eternal happiness.
     Finally, let us consider and meditate upon the Divine warning concerning the many "false prophets and Christs" who are continually in the effort to "deceive the very elect."* Doing this with a prayer in our heart for enlightenment, we may come to know from an internal perception that the Lord gave us the key to a happiness of life which is truly human when He says, "If ye continue in My Word, then are ye My disciples indeed; and ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." Amen.
     * Matt. 24:24

     LESSONS: Psalm 88. John 8:21-59; AC 9096

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THE ALTAR AT MOUNT EBAL 1978

THE ALTAR AT MOUNT EBAL        Rev. GEORGE DE CHARMS       1978

     Divine Accommodation to Man in Temptation

     The Ten Commandments were written three different times. They were first written by the "finger of God" upon two tables of stone "cut out not with hands" at the top of Mount Sinai. This writing was accommodated to man in the order of his life, when the will and understanding were united. These tables, however, were broken, when the Sons of Israel worshiped a golden calf.
     The Commandments were written a second time, also by the "finger of God" but on two tables of stone cut out by Moses at the foot of the mountain, and carried by him to the top of the mountain. This was done in accommodation to mankind after the "fall", when the will and understanding were separated, and when man had to be regenerated by the formation of a new will in the understanding.
     But the Lord does not only accommodate His Divine love and wisdom to man in general. He does so to each one individually, and in every state of life, especially in times of spiritual temptation. This is represented by the commandments as written on the stones of the altar which was erected at Mount Ebal, as described in Joshua 8:30-35.
     The armies of Israel under Joshua had crossed the Jordan and had encamped in Gilgal on the western bank of the river. They had captured the cities of Jericho and Ai, the two great strongholds that had barred their entrance into the land. Having thus gained a firm hold, they paused to re-group their forces, and to plan for future campaigns before setting out to conquer the rest of the land. The most important need of the moment, therefore, was to re-affirm the allegiance of the people to the worship of Jehovah, and to strengthen their faith in His power to give them victory over their enemies. To this end they were gathered at Mount Ebal and Mount Gerizim where the laws promulgated by Moses from Mount Sinai were to be proclaimed anew in the ears of all the people.
     The tabernacle could not be set up in Shiloh until after peace had been secured. It remained in the camp of Gilgal, its sacred vessels, its boards, its curtains, its stakes and pillars all packed in readiness for a journey. Only the Ark was carried by the Levites to the valley between Mt. Ebal and Mt. Gerizim, where all the people were gathered together to hear the statutes and the testimonies which had been given by Moses.

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Six tribes-Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issacher, Joseph, and Benjamin-were to stand on the southern slope of Mt. Gerizim to hear the blessings; and six tribes-Reuben, Gad, Asher, Zebulun, Dan, and Naphtali-were to stand on the northern slope of Mt. Ebal to hear the curses. All this was done in accord with the command given by Moses before his death.*
     * Deut. 27:11-13
     At the same time it had been commanded that the people under Joshua should build an altar of whole stones, covered with plaster, on which a copy of the Ten Commandments were to be written "very plainly."* On this altar burnt offerings and peace offerings were to be offered to Jehovah.** All these commandments were observed by Joshua as recorded in Joshua 8:30-35. The altar of whole stones was built, but here no mention is made of the plaster with which these stones were to be covered. Nevertheless, it was important that the stones be plastered because the writing had to be done without engraving upon the stones, for it had been commanded that on these whole stones "no man hath lift up any iron."***
     * Deut. 27:8
     ** Deut. 8:30-35               
     *** Jos. 8:31
     Now it is remarkable that at this time the building of an altar for burnt offering should be Divinely commanded. Indeed it had been strictly decreed that all worship by sacrifices should be offered on the altar in the court of the tabernacle. That worship on any other altar had been forbidden is evident from the fact that later, when Reuben, Gad, and the half tribe of Manasseh had built an altar at the fords of Jordan, they were accused by the other tribes of instituting a rebellion against Jehovah. The threatened rift between the tribes to the east of the Jordan, and those to the west, was healed only when it was learned that this altar was not intended for sacrifice, but was designed merely to bear testimony to the fact that the tribes east of the Jordan were one with those west of the river in their sole acknowledgment and worship of Jehovah.
     It is clear therefore that the building of the altar at Mt. Ebal was in adaptation to a special need of the moment. The Tabernacle could not be set up at this time, and the altar placed in the court was not available for use. Yet it was imperative that worship by sacrifices should be offered, and an altar for this purpose had to be provided. Its use was purely temporary, as is evident from the fact that it is not mentioned later in the Sacred Scripture. We know only what is said of it in this place.
     The need for worship was great because the armies of Israel were at this time in great danger. Their retreat had been cut off and they were confronted by powerful kings entrenched in walled cities, and possessed of armies far greater in number than those of Israel.

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It was a time of grave doubt and fear for the future. It was imperative therefore that assurance of Divine protection be renewed. The tables of the Law were indeed enshrined in the Ark. They were preserved in the memory, and treasured in the inmost recesses of the soul. But they seemed remote, unreal, like a dream that is past.
     Forty years had elapsed since the Law had been promulgated from Mt. Sinai. During all that time the sons of Israel had wandered in the wilderness. The generation of those who had witnessed the giving of the Law had passed away. A new generation had arisen by whom the scenes enacted at that sacred mount were known only from others. The tables of stone hewn out by Moses at the foot of the mount, and inscribed at the top of the mount by the finger of God were not adequate to meet the present need. The same words must now be copied by Joshua as written on the whole stones of the altar which was built by the children of Israel. By this is meant that the inner meaning of the Word was the same, but the letter must now be adapted to the understanding of this new generation. It must be given in terms which the people, in their state of doubt and fear, could understand. The worship of this altar, after it had been inscribed represents the stirring of the conscience in preparation for the acceptance of all the statutes, the blessings and the cursings, to be proclaimed anew.
     Concerning the stones of this altar, and the writing upon them we read in the Heavenly Doctrine:

     As an altar of stone signified worship from truth it was therefore commanded that such an altar should be erected as soon as they had passed over the Jordan and had come into the land of Canaan; and upon it were to be written the commandments of the Law, that is, truth Divine from heaven. By the tell commandments are meant all truths Divine in sum total.*
     * AC 8940

     Thou shalt not build it of hewn stone. That this signifies that it must not be from self-intelligence is evident from the signification of 'hewn stones' as being such things as are from self-intelligence. For 'stones' signify truths, and 'to hew' or fit them denotes to hatch or devise truths or such things as resemble truths, from one's own intelligence. For things which are hatched or devised from one's own intelligence have their life from men, which life is no life because man's proprium is nothing but evil; whereas that which is not from man's proprium, but from the Divine, has life in itself, because all life is from the Divine.*
     * AC 8941

     The "whole stones" here referred to represent truths which one can see and sincerely acknowledge even in states of severe temptation. They represent genuine truths seen as shining through the appearances of the letter of the Word.

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These are general truths such as these, that there is a God, that He is Divinely Human, that He is all-powerful and omnipresent, governing all things. They may be called truths of innocence such as are remembered from infancy and childhood.
     They are however appearances of truth which, if confirmed would be falsities. Such is the appearance in the letter of the Word that God is angry and punishes the evil. So indeed it appears, and so it is openly expressed in the Word. Yet within it lies the genuine truth that evil brings its own punishment upon itself, and that the Lord punishes no one, but mercifully protects the innocent. The fact that when in temptation man's mind is clouded so that he sees truth only in appearances, is represented by the command that the stones of the altar should be covered with plaster* on which the ten commandments were to be written. In most places where plaster is mentioned in the Word and in the Writings, it represents a. willful deceit, or the formulation of truths to conceal what is false and evil. Here however the reference is to appearances of truth which are necessary and unavoidable because of one's state. They are appearances which are not confirmed to the denial of the genuine truth, and which are therefore not to be condemned. They are the only ideas or concepts of which man is capable at the time, and which must therefore be used by the Lord to clothe and accommodate His Divine love and wisdom to man's reception. No other accommodation is possible when man is in ignorance, or when he is in temptation that prevents a deeper insight.
     * Deut. 27:4
     Because only "whole stones" were used it is clear that a state of sincere acknowledgment is meant. Wherefore the worship offered on this altar could be the means of stirring the conscience of the sons of Israel, and of sustaining their faith in Jehovah at this crucial moment in the history of their nation. It could inspire the promise to obey, and thus dispose them to listen to the "blessings and the curses" that would bring the testimonies and the statutes promulgated from Mount Sinai vividly to mind.
     What is here represented is the way the Lord accommodates His Word to the slates of all who are in the depths of temptation, when one turns to the Word for comfort and assurance. The words inscribed on the stones were not written by the finger of God. They were written by Joshua the divinely appointed leader of Israel. Nevertheless they were a faithful copy of the ten commandments. The outer form was different but the inner meaning was the same. Because of this the Lord could draw near by means of them to instill a sense of confidence in His Divine power and a trust in His over-ruling Providence.

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     So does the Lord strengthen the faith of His church in every time of need, accommodating His Word to all who are in distress, or whose minds are paralyzed by fears induced by evil spirits. Thus saith the Lord: "I call heaven to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live; that thou mayest love the Lord thy God, and that thou mayest obey His voice and that thou mayest cleave unto Him: for He is thy life and the length of thy days: that thou mayest dwell in the land which the Lord sware unto thy fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give them."*
     * Deut. 30:19, 20 REVIEW 1978

REVIEW       DONALD L. ROSE       1978

     The 23rd Psalm for Children in Words and Pictures. Now available from the General Church Book Center and other book outlets, this is an attractive and useful book on the best loved Psalm. The cost is $2.00.
     The booklet is divided into eleven sections each with a large illustration and one page of easy reading on a part of the 23rd Psalm. The booklet seems especially useful for reading aloud to children at bedtime or for use in the Sunday School. The pictures on the whole are good, and a couple of them seem to capture the sphere of the Psalm particularly well. The text is done in a pleasing way. Rev. George McCurdy has edited it with the help of parents and New Church people with an interest in presenting the Word to children.
     The introduction, addressed to young readers, concludes as follows: "We love you and want you to love the Lord and His Word." We congratulate this group and thank them for adding a valuable booklet to the material which promotes the love of the Lord and His Word.
     DONALD L. ROSE

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NOTES ON THE GOVERNMENT OF THE CHURCH 1978

NOTES ON THE GOVERNMENT OF THE CHURCH        W. F. PENDLETON       1978

     The duality of a Church is according to the quality of its government, or according to the idea of government which rules within it; if a natural idea of government rules, then the Church will be natural, but if government is seen under a spiritual idea, this idea reigning in all its parts, then the Church will be a spiritual Church. A true idea of government, which is a, spiritual idea, is then of supreme importance to the members of the Church.
     It may be said in general that the natural idea of government is that of government by command, and that the spiritual idea of government is that of government by influx. But influx is mediate and immediate, and the influxes meet in the interior of the human understanding. Government by command is the government of man, and government by influx is the government of the Lord; government by command is government from without and below, but government by influx is government from within and above; government by command is government by external bonds, which are of fear, but government by influx is government by internal bonds, which are of conscience and perception; government by command leads to compulsion, closes the understanding, and takes away liberty, but government by influx leads man to compel himself in freedom according to reason; government by command, or by compulsion, or by fear, or by the restraint of external bonds, is the government of hell, and is necessary in hell, and where hell is, but government by influx is the government of heaven, or government by the Lord in heaven, and such is the government of the Church when the Church is ruled by the Lord and not by man. The Church is ruled by man when man rules from himself; and not from the Lord, but the Church is ruled by the Lord when man rules from the Lord and not from himself; the Church is also ruled by man when the man who rules is himself ruled by man, and not by the Lord. To be ruled by man is government by command, which is slavery; to be rules by the Lord is government by influx, which is freedom. Government by influx is government by conscience and perception. The Church is therefore a spiritual or internal Church in the degree that a spiritual or internal idea of government reigns within it, or in the degree that the Church is governed by the Lord and not by man.

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Flowing from this, government in the Church is to see uses, by influx from the Lord into doctrine, and to provide for them.
     The Church is a spiritual body, whose soul is the Lord; and as the soul governs the body so does the Lord govern the Church, and whatsoever interferes with this order causes pain, disease, death.
     The Church is not a spiritual Church until it is under such a form of government as exists in heaven; before this it is a natural Church. The angels of heaven govern-still they do not govern, but the Lord through them.* In the Church the priest is to govern, and yet he is not to govern, but the Lord through him. Government in heaven is the government of mutual love;** from mutual love springs mutual confidence, which flourishes only in an atmosphere of freedom, where external bonds have been removed. There must come a time when the Church cuts loose from external bonds, and freely trusts the Lord and the neighbor.
     * AC 8728
     ** HH 213
     Heaven is ruled by influx and hell by afflux. When the Church is in evil, the Lord rules it by afflux, or from without, or from the world; but when the Church is in good, the Lord rules it by influx, or from within, or from heaven. To endeavor to rule the Church from without, to place it under bonds from the world, whether this be done by one man or by many men, involves the belief that the Church is in evil, or under no internal bond, and that it cannot be held together unless it be held by external means. Is it not better therefore to have no external bonds, in order that the Church may be free to disperse, if it be in evil, or that it may be held together by internal bonds, if it be in good?
     A Church, to be spiritual, must be under the laws of the spiritual world, and not under the laws of the natural world, or laws like those in the natural world; and it is a law of the spiritual world that the removal of external bonds causes a breaking up and dispersion of the evil, and a more close drawing together of the good; this is because there is no internal bond with the evil as with the good.* External bonds are removed in the other world because man is not free until he is held only by internal bonds.**
     * AC 1944, 5002
     ** AC 6207
     The heavenly government, which also is to be the government of the Church upon earth, has in it neither the rigid forms of autocracy nor of democracy, government by either being government by compulsion, having as its inmost distrust. If it be claimed that there is no alternative but autocracy or democracy, then it follows that there is no government but that of compulsion, and that compulsion by democracy must be substituted for compulsion by autocracy; and it is undoubtedly true that the principle of popery, or absolutism, distributed among a number, has in it less of danger to human liberty than when limited to one.

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Neither form of human absolutism can be in a spiritual Church; the government of Him who alone is absolute can be there.
     The teaching is that the Lord rules the Church by internal bonds when there is charity, but by external bonds when charity is extinguished.* The internal bonds are the truths of faith and of conscience; external bonds are laws and penalties. External bonds are for those who have no internal bond; and to place an external bond on the Church is a negative act that involves the assumption or fear that there is in the Church no internal bond.
     * AC 1011
     External bonds are for the civil state, but the bonds of civil government should not be introduced into the government of the Church; for the Church is the Lord's Heaven upon the earth; it must therefore be under heavenly law, and the bond of heavenly law. Let the bond of the civil law come in where the civil law is approached, and let external bonds be applied where disorder confessedly exists, but do not place external bonds on the Church for fear that disorder may exist; to make fear the motive of action is to distrust Providence; to implant fear and distrust in the inmost of the government and working of the Church is to inflict a paralysis on its spiritual activities. Is it the rational conclusion of a calm and reflecting mind that a humanly devised contrivance can protect and save the Church? A calm and reflecting mind will consider that the ingenuity of man can avail nothing against the cunning of evil spirits, and that the Church is protected and saved in the degree of its trust and confidence in the Lord; not according to the degree of its confidence in the ingenuity and perfection of human contrivance. If any movement in the Church is of the Lord, He will protect and save that which is His own, nor does He need the help of man.
     No external bond should be placed upon any member or official or part of the Church; a bond so placed is a bond placed upon the whole Church. You cannot bind a part without binding the whole. You cannot bind another without binding yourself. This is the inevitable spiritual law.
     If the Church is interiorly in evil it cannot be held together, except by external bonds; but if it is in the process of being made internal by reformation and regeneration-is in the way of spiritual growth-then an external bond is unnecessary and hurtful; it is better to run the hazard, yea, to suffer many evils, than to establish and confirm so great an evil as the voluntary suppression of the freedom of the Church, by introducing the principle and practice of external compulsion into its workings, whether this proceed from one man or from a number of men together.

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It is for this reason that we are taught that the internal man, or the man under internal bond, does not swear, for this involves compulsion; and what is true of the internal man is true of the internal Church.
     Government is influx, and influx is according to order, and at the same time according to correspondence; that there may be true government in the Church the order of heaven must be in it, and at the same time correspondence with heaven. As for instance, the trine in the ministry must be a trine in essence and in form, corresponding with the trine of the heavens-must be an image of the heavenly trine; the lower degrees subordinate to the higher, and the highest degrees subordinate to the Lord. Influx into the lower heavens, and also into the lower degrees of any trine, is mediate and also immediate; but influx into the highest heaven or highest degree of a trine, is not mediate but immediate. As it is with influx so it is with government. The same law is seen in the influx of the soul into the body, mediate into all parts of the body by the brain, and also immediate; but immediate into the brain itself.
     If the Church would have the heavenly form and be in heavenly order, it must be governed in an image as the Lord governs the heavens, or as the Lord governs the individual, regenerating man, or as the spiritual world governs the natural, or as the soul governs the body-according to the law of spiritual influx and not of physical influx, from within and not from without, from above and not from below, from heaven and not from the world. "A man can receive nothing except it be given him from heaven".*
     * John 3:27
     The Church does not institute the priesthood, but the priesthood the Church. This principle, seen in a complete analysis, solves the entire question of government. The members of the Church do not impart to the priest perception, illustration, ability to govern, or endow him with any priestly gift whatsoever; hence they do not ordain him or appoint him to govern in the Church. The Lord gives them to see that the priest has these gifts from Him, and moves them to give expression to their consent that he should govern, thus to recognize him in his function to which he has been appointed by the Lord; which function he may exercise over them on their invitation to do so. Since the members have not imparted these gifts they cannot take them away; He only can take away who gives. But their internal consent to his government may recede, in the presence of incompetency or disorder, which may eventually lead to an open withdrawal of their invitation to exercise his functions over them. They can withdraw or take away that which they have given, and no more.

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But what should constitute a legitimate cause or occasion for such withdrawal, as well as the manner and method, it would not be wise to attempt to determine at this time, or perhaps at any time in advance of the conditions which call for it. The question is one of application to conditions which actually exist; if is unprofitable to seek to apply a principle to hypothetical conditions or contingencies, or attempt a foresight which is the prerogative and attribute of Providence alone.
     To incorporate distrust in the organic life of the body makes the Church natural, and it cannot become spiritual so long as such an incubus is laid on its internal activities. Still we have a knowledge that there is such a thing as human frailty and human weakness; we know that there is such a thing as perversion of truth and abuse of power. How far should this knowledge influence the manner and character of the organization of the Church? It is clear that this knowledge is negative, and a negative principle should never be laid as a heavy weight on the uses of a Church that is to become spiritual; all the principles and workings of a genuine Church are affirmative. A knowledge of human weakness and error, and the dangers arising therefrom-which are very great-present all the stronger reason for a plenary trust and confidence in the Mercy and Providence of the Lord. All the ills of the Church, from the most ancient times, have arisen from the conceit or persuasion that man can care for the Church. Let us beware.
     It may be said, however, in general, that the organization of the Church from use, for use, and to use, will tend to its safety and perpetuation. Use is conservative and preservative, for the Lord is present in it, and where He is there is health and perpetuity. The Church must be organized for use according to order, for order is use in form. Order without use is a dead form, and use without order does not exist; but use exists according to the love of use, and according to the perfection of the form which it takes according to order. If the Church be organized in use for use, according to order, there will result guards, checks, and balances, in the very nature of things, or flowing from the very form itself; and it will not become necessary to adjoin arbitrary guards, checks, and balances, for the sake of the preservation of the body. It may be that such an organization can be gradually formed in the Church, or the Church be placed in such a position that such an organization can be allowed to grow; for a true organization is the result of growth, and is not built in a day. It is proper, however, that a beginning be made of some bind of organization, for the sake of the uses that are to be done, and in accommodation to those uses. I would therefore beg leave to present to the Assembly for consideration at this time the following:

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     PLAN OF ORGANIZATION

     I would lay down, to begin with, two general propositions: First, that organization must be from order according to use; and, second, that a Church is not free unless all its parts, members, and organs are free; or, to put the second proposition in another form, that if the head be free the body can be free, and that no otherwise is the body free; and, conversely, if the body be free the head can be free, for the head and the body are no otherwise free than when they are free together.
     Now when we examine the nature of the organized uses of the Church we find that they are threefold in form, or may be classified under three general heads:
     (1) Those performed by the clergy distinctively and separately; or ecclesiastical uses.
     (2) Those performed by the laity distinctively and separately; or civil uses.
     (3) Those performed by the clergy and laity together, or in common; or uses intermediate between the ecclesiastical and civil, partaking of the nature of both.
     Ecclesiastical uses, or those performed by the clergy alone, are mainly administrative, but also deliberative.
     Civil uses, or those performed by the laity alone, are mostly executive, but also deliberative.
     The intermediate uses, or those performed by the two together, or conjointly, are mostly deliberative.
     Does not this indicate a threefold body, or a threefold form of organization? Does it not indicate three co-related and co-ordinate bodies of the Church, a body of priests, a, body of laymen, and an intermediate body composed of both!
     The body of the clergy, composed of all the ministers of the Church, to constitute a distinct department, house, or chamber, to consider, determine, and administer the purely ecclesiastical affairs of the Church.
     The body of the laity, composed of the active laymen of the Church, to constitute also a. distinct department, house, or chamber, to consider, determine, and carry into execution the civil or business affairs of the Church.
     The intermediate body, composed of ministers and laymen, to constitute an assembly of the members of the Church, to perform the uses of a public deliberative body, to discuss the principles and measures of the Church; and, when a conclusion is reached on any given question, to refer it to one of the other bodies for final deliberation and action. Such a body brings the clergy and laity together on a common plane in common assembly, it provides for freedom of speech, and will be an instrumentality for bringing before the members at large the principles and uses of the Church.

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     It is proposed that each body shall be a complete house in itself, with all the elements of a deliberative body, free and self-perpetuating, one not dependent on another, and exercising no control over another; independent in external control, but dependent, co-operative, and united in the acknowledgment of common principles, in the performance of common uses, and in the recognition of a common head.
     The use of the clerical body seems to be expressed by the term administrative, being charged with the administration of the affairs of the Church in all that pertains to the priestly office, with its internal government, with its worship, and its instruction.
     The use of the assembly, or intermediate body, seems to be expressed by the term deliberative; a term indicating clearly the office of intermediation.
     The use of the body of laymen seems to be expressed by the term executive, being charged with the administration of the Church in its civil affairs.
     As to the government of these bodies it may be said, in general, that the body of laymen, or executive body, will be under the government of civil law, that is, under the government of the law of the State, and the rules of business; that the intermediate body, or the Assembly, will be under the government of parliamentary law, that is, under the government of what is ordinarily called parliamentary law, and of such rules of procedure as every deliberative body is competent to adopt; that the body of priests, or administrative body, will be under the government of ecclesiastical law, that is, such laws and usages as are more directly deducible from spiritual law and applicable to priestly administration. It is not meant, however, that there may not be something of ecclesiastical, parliamentary, or even of civil law in all the bodies.
     In respect to the two distinct bodies of priests and laymen I have not used the old terms of Council of the Clergy and Council of the Laity; because these terms as used in the past would express the idea of dependence on the middle body, or Assembly; and it seems well at this time to remove the element of external control from all the workings of the Church. Under the form herein presented the Assembly will have no control over the other bodies, nor they over the Assembly, save such as is internal, rational, or moral. Besides, the very nature of the uses performed distinctively by the clergy and the laity seems to require, not only complete freedom, but that their meetings should have in them an element of Assembly, to constitute them an entire form.

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It is competent, however, more efficient transaction of its business.
     These three bodies, although distinct, and, as it were, separate and independent, are still to be considered as parts of one general body, or, if you please, of one General Assembly, and must therefore have, as has been shown, a common bond of union-must have one principle, one doctrine, and one use; when they have these they are three and yet one, formed from use and equipped for use.
     It has been said that they must also have one head. This is important; for, as we read, "What would a kingdom, state, or house be, unless some one in each should act as supreme?"* Without a common head such a threefold body as is here proposed would be subject to the condemnation visited in The True Christian Religion (n.141) upon the Roman republic, which had a divided government without a common head, namely, the consuls, the senate, and the tribune of the people. This image of a divided trinity is provided against when each part, and all the parts together, recognize a common head.
     * TCR 679
     The recognition of a common head should be a voluntary act of all the parts that constitute the common body; indeed, the internal strength of such a form as is herein proposed rests in the fact that all the parts are free, and thus free to come into order by voluntary act; no restriction imposed upon any member or part, and no pledge required of any one, from the highest to the lowest, to observe the laws of order.
     As to the form and manner of such a recognition or expression of a choice, let this begin or be initiated in the house of the clergy, and when the clergy have acted let them inform the Assembly, which then should act, and finally the executive body. This choice, with the clergy, should take the form of invitation to some one priest to exercise the office of Bishop over this Church; in the other houses it should take the form of recognition of the one so invited by the clergy as Bishop over the Church. And, as has been indicated, these bodies may for cause withdraw that which they have given, and no more; the clergy may withdraw their invitation, and the other houses by vote may cease to recognize. But, brethren, let us not pass any laws, let us attempt to provide no machinery, at this time for carrying this into effect. Let us rest satisfied in the fact that these houses, supposing them to be formed as herein indicated, have the power to withdraw their consent, leaving the question of the right of such withdrawal, and the manner of it, to be determined under the Divine Guidance, by the men who are on the stage of action when the occasion arises; for let us trust, with a firm faith, that the Lord will not forsake His Church, and that for every occasion He will provide men, and endow them with wisdom, to do that which is for the welfare of the Church.

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Finally, I would make to this Assembly three suggestions:
     (1) That no action be taken upon the question of government, or organization, at this meeting of the General Assembly.
     (2) That this Assembly pass a resolution requesting the Council of the Clergy to provide for the administration of the ecclesiastical affairs of this Church until the next meeting of the General Assembly.
     (3) That this Assembly elect an Executive Committee of laymen to conduct the business affairs of this Church until the next meeting of the General Assembly.
UNANIMITY IN HEAVEN 1978

UNANIMITY IN HEAVEN              1978

     There is a correspondence of all [things of the body] with heaven, as can be seen from the section treating of the correspondence of all things of heaven with all things of man. This correspondence can never be filled, because the more numerous the angelic associations are that correspond to a single member, the more perfect heaven becomes. For every perfection in the heavens increases with the increase of numbers. The reason is that all there have one end in view, one look with one accord to that end. That end is the common good; and when it reigns, there is, from the common good, good to each individual, and from the good of each individual, there is good to the whole community. This comes about because the Lord turns all in heaven to Himself, and thereby makes it possible for them to be one in Himself. That the unanimity and concord of many, especially from such an origin and held together by such a bond, produces perfection, everyone with no reason at all enlightened can see clearly. Heaven and Hell 418

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DIVINE PROVIDENCE IN MISFORTUNES 1978

DIVINE PROVIDENCE IN MISFORTUNES       Rev. MORLEY D. RICH       1978

     Among the most unusual of all the teachings of the Lord in the Writings is the one about His providence in misfortunes. It is so different from ordinary thought that it is also one of the most difficult for people to understand and accept.
     We live in a highly skeptical world-a world which acknowledges the Divine providence, if at all, as existing only in the most universal things; and it is also a world which, if it does not reject altogether the existence of a spiritual world, still and at best has only the most vague ideas about it-so vague that most would utterly fail to comprehend, or if comprehending would reject, all the laws of the association of spirits with men; for all truth about the spiritual world is now confused with what is termed "superstition," or "mysticism."
     Before looking at these teachings, we should observe that they are not given in order to mark out a magic formula by which we may save ourselves from misfortunes and natural calamities. If (and I only say "if") a formula for this should exist, it might consist of two requirements, as we shall see: (1) remaining in the sphere of order of our Divinely-provided religious affiliations, natural occupations and civil life: (2) rejecting all sense of merit, that is, refusing to attribute any good to ourselves, and attributing all good to the Lord alone.*
     * SDm 4630
     But, we may reflect, these two requirements are beyond our capacity except in the degree that we are regenerating. So we see that it is no magic formula, the observance of it being limited by our state of life. We can only say that if we were able to fulfill these requirements to some extent, we would be protected from some of the more severe spiritual and/or natural misfortunes.
     Let us now look at the teachings on this subject. And, in doing so, we should proceed from the general truth that the Divine providence is in all things, even the most minute. For this at once enables us to believe and to understand that what men call fortune-all the things that happen to them-are really provided or permitted by the Lord.
     To this we should add the further truth that those things which are good and happy for us are of the Divine providence. For the Lord in all things wills and intends and works for the natural and eternal happiness of every human being.

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On the other hand, the misfortunes, calamities, and other bad things which may happen to us are of the Divine permission where human and individual freedom are involved. But the Lord's permission is also of His providence in the sense that He permits misfortunes when our eternal and spiritual welfare can be served in no other way. The misfortunes are not of His will in the supreme sense; but He allows them to happen when He sees that there is no other way to give us the chance to come to our senses, to provide us with the chance or opportunity to turn from evil, and to strive for spiritual and eternal life beyond and above the demands and desires of our natural and temporary life.
     It is for this purpose that the Lord permits temporal misfortunes such as wars, shipwrecks, falls, fires, loss of wealth, of occupation, of honor, etc.
     These misfortunes, permitted by the Lord, do not serve the welfare of the evil. For, if a man thinks about God and asks His aid only at those times, he is not reformed, for afterwards he will return to his former state.* And this is from the same reason that it is said that there is no aid in fleeing to prayers only when evils and misfortunes occur.**
     * AR 140
     ** SD 3678
     But states of misfortune do serve the spiritual welfare of those who have thought about spiritual things formerly and have tried to live according to the Lord's will as they understand it; these may simply need the chastisement of misfortunes for their further meditation and amendment of life. And several passages speak of the use of these. For example, in treating of the seven stages of man, it is said,

     The second state is when a distinction is made between those things which are of the Lord and those which are proper to man . . . At this day, this state seldom exists without temptation, misfortune or sorrow, by which the things of the body and the world, that is, such things as are proper to man, are brought into quiescence, and as it were die.*
     * AC 8

     Again it is written,

     In the internal man are goods and truths, and when these no longer appear to be present, the man is external and corporeal. They are however stored up in the internal man by the Lord without the man's knowledge, as they do not come forth except when the external man dies, as is usually the case during temptations, misfortunes, sicknesses, and at the hour of death.*
     * AC 268
     But spiritual temptations are little known at this day . . . In place of these temptations there are other (things) such as misfortunes, griefs and anxieties arising from natural and bodily causes, and also sicknesses and diseases in the body which in a measure subdue and break up the life of a man's pleasures and cupidities, and determine and uplift his thoughts to internal and religious subjects. . . .*
     * AC 762

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     Now we may ask, what are the mechanics, the means by which such misfortunes are brought about? The Writings seem to teach that they are brought about by the presence of evil spirits. If this seems bizarre to us at first glance, it is because we forget that the spiritual world is the primary world of causes, while the natural world in this relationship is the world of effects from the causal spiritual world. All happenings in the natural world must stem from some kind of cause in the spiritual world-beyond the merely natural and immediate causes.
     If an earthquake occurs, and many people are killed or injured, much property damaged or destroyed, the merely natural man says it happened only because at that certain area of the earth, the pressure of gases became so high that it finally split the earth's surface in a violent upheaval. But he cannot answer such questions as why some people were killed and others were not, or why those who were injured just happened to be in a certain spot at a certain time. If driven into a corner, he will be forced to say that it happened so just by chance.
     But if we place the final cause in the spiritual world, we at once have some degree of a rational explanation. And since the cause is in the spiritual world, regardless of whether or not we can perceive it, it must operate through those who constitute that world.
     Regarding the causing of misfortunes through evil spirits, it is written:

     When something happened to me which seemed to be by chance, I was told by the angels that it had happened because spirits of that kind were present; and that when it was a mischance, the sphere of spirits of a corresponding kind had prevailed. Moreover evil spirits have found out how to produce by their arts a sphere giving rise to misfortunes, which appeared exactly as if by chance.*
     * AC 6493; cf. 6494
     There are certain spirits who excite a sphere of misfortune; namely, by exciting such spirits as want to destroy; or rather, they excite such a sphere among spirits. Then misfortunes happened which had not been foreseen by them . . . Hence it was evident whence are misfortunes and unforeseen things, which are supposed to be contingent; namely, that they are from spirits who are continually endeavoring to destroy man . . . Unforeseen misfortunes are nothing else than perpetual endeavors of evil spirits . . .*
     * SD 4784

     From several passages it Inay be plainly seen that misfortunes especially come about when a state of disorder exists. Thus we are told that the Divine providence operates especially through the ultimate or lowest things of order,* and that the Divine inflows or influences a man most effectively through the Divinely provided, orderly things of his natural life. When a state of life prevails which is contrary to the influx of the Divine, or when a sphere prevails which is contrary to Providence, what is unfortunate happens.**

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In confirmation, we have only to consult the statistics on the number of car accidents which happen to the driver who is in a high state of emotion-anger, grief, even a high state of joy.
     * AC 6493
     ** ibid.; SD 4562
     Let us go a little further here by asking ourselves, "What are the general, ultimate things of order in our lives through which the Divine especially influences us?"
     First, it is obvious from the Writings that every man is provided with some kind and degree of religion, theology and religious affiliation, even the atheist; this is one ultimate of order. Second, there is the natural occupation provided to a man-by chance, birth or training, we often think, but really by Providence. Third, every man is provided with a certain civil society and environment in which he lives-his country and community with their laws of civil order. Fourth, every earthly marriage is of ultimate order provided by the Divine Order. These four will suffice for illustration.
     Now if we are to pursue the train of thought here, it must be that when some thought or affection, some event or action comes to a man which takes him out of the ultimates of order, either in his religion, his occupation, civil society or marriage, then it is that misfortunes arise. Then it is that the Lord, unable because of the man's freedom of will and thought, to provide fortunate things, permits unfortunate things brought by malignant spirits who may be associated with a man at such times.
     To discuss these four fields of human life in some detail: it may be inferred from this that every man is born into or led to the religion or religious association which will best serve the eternal and temporary needs of his spirit, at least for a time. Further, it may be said that if he is to remain in the direct and protective stream of Providence, it is essential that he remain in that religion, and that he cling to its ultimate things-its worship, its doctrine and the society of others in the same religion.
     This does not mean, of course, that a man may not change his religion if he sees what appears to him as a better one. Thus the Mohammedan may see simple Christianity as a better thing than Mohammedanism; a simple Christian may receive the truths of the New Church with much delight. But he does not leave the general field of religion; and so he is still in the stream of Providence.
     Yet it seems reasonable to affirm that if we go outside of this general field, we do lose some measure of the protective order which the Lord can provide only through those orderly ultimates, and hence become more subject to those misfortunes which arise in states of disorder.
     Now this is not magic.

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To reduce to the absurd, it does not mean that when we miss church, we can expect an immediate calamity-like Mark Twain's small boy who played hookey from Sunday-school, and then when a storm came up, shook in his boots for fear the Lord would strike him dead with a bolt of lightning! If such were the case, we might be misled into making neat little charts showing comparative figures on the rate of calamities which came to those who missed church on a Sunday compared with those who attended! We could also be misled into the superstitions of primitive peoples such as thinking that a special protection would be ours through touching or seeing holy things-the articles of furniture or worship in the church. We might also begin to think that a mere physical attendance and support of the church, without any attempt to understand or daily live its teachings would automatically ensure immunity from accidents, sicknesses and other catastrophes!
     It would seem clear that, in general, adherence so far as possible to the ultimates of order in our lives, in this case, in our life of piety, is one of the means by which misfortunes are lessened. Yet, as we shall see, they are not effective by themselves, needing other elements besides. For it is obvious that people who are quite faithful to the external things of their church life are often just as susceptible to misfortunes as are others. The same general things may be said in regard to the other fields of a man's life-his occupation, the civil society and surroundings into which he was born, and the marriage to which he has been led.
     By themselves, the orderly ultimates of these fields are dead and impotent. In themselves they have no protective power. A man could, and men do, observe all these things without gaining anything from them. For if, as with the evil or man before regeneration, he does them solely for the sake of himself, for the sake of reputation or honor or wealth, or for protection from misfortune, then they have no life in them. The Lord cannot breathe into these representative human forms of action the breath of spiritual lives.
     Misfortunes, indeed, occur both to those who live in order and to those who live in external disorder. The Lord causeth His sun to shine upon the just and the unjust; and He sendeth His rain upon the good and upon the evil.
     What, then, is the element which must be added to a man's observance of external order, so that he may have some measure of the protection we have been talking about?
     In order to answer that question fully, we must first define that element, and then notice a distinction which the Writings make between natural misfortunes, which they call "common misfortunes," and spiritual misfortunes.

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     The missing element is described in several different ways, all of them meaning essentially the same thing. To quote the passages in brief: "No disasters or fortuitous evils can happen to a man who is with the Lord."* "But if they (the faithful) were not such as to attribute good to themselves, they would often be excepted from common misfortune."**
     * SD 4138
     ** SDm 4630
     As to the first of these, it may be reflected that the Lord is always with us, but we are not always with the Lord. To be "with the Lord" means to have Him as the constant goal of our attention, even when engaged in our daily occupation and civil pursuits, and not consciously thinking of Him. We are with the Lord when we think from use, from obedience to His laws, and from love to the neighbor in our faithful observance of the ultimates of order. This state is not constant with us until regeneration is complete. However, it is quite evidently that element or state which gives the orderly ultimates of life the life and power to protect a man from misfortune in some degree.
     In extension, the second passage speaks of "the faithful." It is they who can be excepted or protected often from common misfortunes, but only if they do not attribute good to themselves. And, as a corollary we can add the teaching, only if they do not ascribe evil to themselves, but to the hells from whence evils few. It seems plain that by "the faithful" are meant those who are faithful to their religion, in their occupations and, in general, in the normal functions and responsibilities of life. And here again we may see that this faithfulness is not enough by itself; for the faithful must also not attribute good to themselves. Otherwise they will be afflicted just as much as the ungodly and foolish. To infill this, we should here take note of the whole passage:

     I spoke with angelic spirits about the misfortunes of the faithful which it is known they suffer, and this still more than the unfaithful. The reason was stated why some of them are let down into temptations; some, lest they should attribute to themselves what is good. . . . To prevent this, they equally are let into common misfortunes, so that they perish as to life and as to wealth and possessions equally with others. Thus there are hidden causes which act; for it is known that when misfortune is at hand, many of the faithful think about what is good, and thus that they should be spared on account of the good which they have done; and if they were then to be spared, they would glory that it was because they were good. . . .*
     * ibid.

     It would seem from this that we cannot assume that a great number of misfortunes is any sign of goodness or of evil!
     The real condition here is that man must not attribute good to himself, but to the Lord alone. This makes his faithfulness alive and effective.

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And we can see why this may often except him from common misfortune if we compare it with the second stage of regeneration. This second stage, we may recall, is when a person begins to make a distinction between things which are of the Lord and those which are proper to himself. And since this state rarely comes about except by temptation, misfortune or sorrow,* it is obvious that until it is attained, such calamities will not lessen or decrease-this in order that the things of the body and the world may be brought into quiescence.
     * AC 8
     We should notice here that it is not said that temptations will be removed or lessened by this. Temptations are spiritual misfortunes, and are necessary to people throughout their natural lives. It only says that common (i.e. natural) misfortunes may be lessened as to their number and degree. Nor is it said that they will cease altogether, for it is quite apparent that it takes a lifetime of endeavor before we entirely ascribe all good to the Lord and none to ourselves.
     As an interesting side-light, it is known that people have experienced premonitions of disaster, and so have escaped it. At rare times, this can come about without the person sensing any least signs which might have telegraphed through the subconscious. It would seem that something has occurred to change the state, and therefore the misfortune which was about to be permitted for the sake of his spiritual life is no longer necessary. It may well be that it has been averted by suddenly being made aware, even though dimly and without sight of the spirits, of something of their sphere and machinations.
     For example: something looks or feels definitely wrong, or even evil, in the surroundings through which we are driving-though we cannot by any means put our finger on it, and say that it is this or that thing, or even a combination of things. There are no other cars in sight, no pedestrians, no clouds or lightning, no gaps in the pavement, no ice or snow on the road, etc. Yet we unconsciously let up on the accelerator as we approach the brow of a hill, when normally we would maintain our speed, even though carefully staying on our side of the road. And then, just over the crown of the hill, not more than 50 feet ahead, there is a car stalled in the middle of the road, and we are able to stop or avoid it only because of our unusually slow speed.
     Most people would say that it is all due to natural causes and/or mere chance. But this is begging the question, and is not really any answer. And, of course, if we allowed this condition to become extreme to the point of having no trust whatsoever in the operations of Providence, we would see danger in every foot of the road, and would never go over the top of the hill!

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     It should be remarked that these same things in regard to fortune and misfortune apply to groups as well as to individuals. This, we take it, is why it is taught that the quality of a nation, and thence even its moral and civil welfare, depends upon its idea and worship of God. It has protection from misfortune, possibly even from extinction, solely in proportion to the faithfulness of its citizens to its functions and to the worship and love of God. To the extent that a country's citizens are faithful and "with the Lord," and believe that all good is from Him, then to that extent, even though calamities may come, it will be protected from final extinction and, in general, things will go well with it; if not, things will go badly.
     The same is the case with any church or religious body.
     And we might pause here to reflect upon how true this is of the New Church also, to perceive once more the special gravity which is involved in our own membership in any body devoted to her establishment.
     It was due to a particular set of circumstances that each of us was led to those gates of the New Jerusalem which are the Writings. In the Divine providence of the Lord, we have become associated with this Church. And so it is given us to cooperate with the Lord to the end that His specific Church may be established. We can never lose the mark which that Providence has put in our foreheads. We can never escape or forget the deeply affecting truths which have been brought to us as precious gifts of heaven. Nor can we even if we would, entirely stamp out the spark of love with which eve approached her gates. And some conscience as to loyalty and fidelity in her ultimates of order, in her worship and instruction, will always remain with us-a conscience which will gall us in our unregenerate states when we fail of our duty.
     To return to the individual in relation to misfortunes, we might ask the question, "Of what use are these to man?"
     Well, it seems clear that if his spiritual sun, the center of his attention, is not the Lord, but only himself and the world, then the uses of misfortunes to him can only be negative ones. That is, by disaster he will only be forced into external order merely for the sake of health or wealth or reputation or livelihood. His will remains the same; and there will be no spiritual life or quality within his external order.
     But if, in general, his primitive intentions have something of remaining good in them, then deprivations and accidents can serve to lead him to make rational judgments, to reflect upon the lessons conveyed through them. They can subdue his natural man, can humble, humiliate him to the point where he may exclaim in anguish, "I am a worm, and not a man," and this to the point where, if he is a true Christian, he will begin to acknowledge with his heart, not just with his lips, that all good and truth are indeed from the Lord.

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     The final end in view is that by these humiliations through misfortune, man may see the Divine providence in all things, and derive from all the events and circumstances of his life the spiritual goods and truths, the hidden lessons of eternal life which the Lord strives to impart to him as the true blessings.
     As this happens with a man, so he may come to perceive in ever greater light that natural things in themselves are neither blessings nor curses, that wealth is not a blessing in itself, nor poverty a curse in itself, that there is no essential distinction between the circumstances of one man's natural life and another's, that one occupation is no more delightful than another-in relation to eternal life.
     What makes natural things, whether fortunate or unfortunate, either spiritual blessings or spiritual curses, is man's own attitude toward them. If he possesses wealth, then he will experience some of the vicissitudes and misfortunes associated with that condition, also the temptations thereof. It will become a curse to him if his delight in it is solely on account of himself and his own-because of what it gives him in power, comfort, luxury, natural pleasure, security; for soon or late, his delight in it for these reasons is turned into boredom and undelight, and in the spiritual world, into insanity. But if his delight in wealth is on account of its use to the neighbor, on account of the way in which it increases his own usefulness to society and the Lord's kingdom thereby, then it becomes a blessing, and an eternal blessing in the other life.
     And so it is likewise with poverty. If a man's distaste and despair in it are solely on his own account, because of the discomfort, inconvenience and narrowness of life which he suffers, then it can become an eternal curse and burden to him. But if a person's bad feelings over poverty are on account of his use to society and because he wants to provide for his family as well as himself, because he wishes to be of wider use to society-then the poverty may become a blessing in disguise, spurring him to greater enlightenment and effort, and so bringing him into wider usefulness which he desires, and even diminishing his impoverished condition.
     It can be said that whether we like it or not, the Lord leads us toward the choice of either a mere resignation or a real contentment with His dispensations. He does so both by good things and by permitted misfortunes. And it depends upon us as to whether we will merely become superficially resigned while remaining inwardly rebellious from the loves of self and the world, or we will come into a living contentment without and within with His dispensations.

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GOOD OF THE CHURCH 1978

GOOD OF THE CHURCH       Editor       1978


NEW CHURCH LIFE
Office of Publication, Lancaster, Pa.
Published Monthly by
THE GENERAL CHURCH OF THE NEW JERUSALEM
BRYN ATHYN. PA.
Acting Editor               Rev. Ormond deCharms Odhner, Bryn Athyn, Pa.
Business Manager               Mr. L. E. Gyllenhaal, Bryn Athyn, Pa.

     All literary contributions should be sent to the Editor. Subscriptions, change of address, and business communications, should be sent to the Business Manager. Notifications of address changes should be received by the 15th of the month.

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     There are many kinds of good-natural good, hereditary good, civil good, moral good, spurious good, genuine good, spiritual good, Divine good. What is it that distinguishes one from the others, and, specifically, what is it that may properly be called "the good of the church," the good of the New Church?
     It is a general teaching of the Writings that good takes its quality from truth, that is, that any good takes on its quality or form from the truths according to which it is done. In this sense, truth is like a recipe for doing good; and while both an angel food cake and a devil's food cake may taste good, there is a difference between them!
     The "good of the church" is that good which is done according to the truths of revelation, the truths of faith. That, and nothing else. The Writings teach this clearly in such passages as the following. "Spiritual good is truth that has become good, for truth becomes good when a man lives according to it; for it then passes into the will, and from the will into act, and becomes of the life; and when it becomes of the life, it is no longer called truth, but good." (AC 5595) "Good with man is not spiritual good until it has been formed by truths." (AC 8889) "The spiritual good which Israel represents is the good of truth, that is, truth in the will and in act. This truth, or this good of truth, in man, makes him to be of the church. . . .When man is in this good and truth, then the kingdom of the Lord is in him, and consequently he is the church, and together with others like him makes the church in general." (AC 5826) Again, in explaining the words in Rev. xvi. 115, "Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, that he walk not naked, and they see his shame," AC 5954:8 reads, "It is the truths of faith from the Word which are properly signified by 'garments.'

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He who has not acquired these from that source, or he who has not acquired truths or semblances of truths from his religiosity, as the Gentiles, and applied them to life, is not in good, however he supposes himself to be." And pet again, "All Christian good, or spiritual good, has in itself the truths of faith, for the quality of this good is from the truths which are of faith. Good which has not its quality from the truths of faith is not Christian good." (AC 8772)
     The visible, external life of a good New Church man will not differ much from the visible, external life of a good Christian, a good Jew, a good Muslim, nor even, in most respects, from the external, civil and moral life of a "good agnostic" (if there really is such a thing as a good agnostic). What is it, then, that makes a good New Church man? Or, putting it another way, what is the New Church really "all about," since its chief concern must be with the leading of a good New Church life, or it is not the New Church at all?
     If an hereditarily charitable disposition leads a person to acknowledge certain practices of the world as true, and as leading to good, then the good he does according to his beliefs is natural, worldly good. If another person, also born with a charitable disposition, is led by the Lord to see that without the Lord's help and teaching he can do no really genuine good at all, and if he therefore learns the Lord's teachings (truths) and puts them into practice, the good he does according to his beliefs is spiritual good, the good of the church.
     If an hereditarily selfish person sees it to be to his own advantage to live according to the laws (truths) of civil and moral order, the good he does accordingly will be merely civil, moral good, having nothing of heaven within it, no matter how pleasing it may be. It does not save the doer. If a naturally selfish person seeks the Lord's help in being delivered from his selfishness, and if he compels himself to follow the teachings of the Lord for this purpose, then the good he does will be spiritual good, the good of the church. And such good saves.
     The good few will live according to the teachings of the Old Testament; the good, he does will be the good of the Jewish Church. The good Christian will live according to the teachings of the New Testament and its interpretations of the Old; his good will be the good of the Christian Church. Does it not follow that the good New Church man will live according to the teachings of the Heavenly Doctrines and their interpretations of both the Old and New Testaments, and that the good he thus does will be the good of the New Church?

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EDITORIAL NOTES 1978

EDITORIAL NOTES       Editor       1978

     Bishop William Frederic Pendleton's address, "Notes on the Government of the Church," re-printed in full in this issue of Life, proved to be one of the great milestones in the history of the General Church. Delivered at the "First General Assembly of the General Church of the New Jerusalem" (though that name had not been formally adopted when these meetings were held in Huntingdon Valley, Pa., in June of 1897), Bishop Pendleton's address brought calm and a reassurance of freedom to a church seriously disturbed by the turbulent events of the previous decade. It also set down the general lines along which the government of the General Church has since developed.
     From about the middle of the 18th Century on, Bishop William Henry Benade had been the acknowledged leader of "The Authority" group within Convention. ["The Authority"-In the Writings the Lord speaks with Divine authority to the New Church.] Benade had probably picked up the majority of the ideas he championed from his mentor in the church, the Rev. Richard deCharms-the Divine authority of the Writings; New Church schools; priestly enlightenment in the uses of the church; episcopal government of the church-but Benade was far more successful than deCharms in bringing these ideas into fruition, as witness the founding of the Academy of the New Church in 1576.
     Benade was a powerful leader and inspired great personal loyalty among those who adhered to the ecclesiastical principles he showed them to be taught in the Writings. He was not gentle with his opponents in Convention, however, and attacks upon him began to multiply and to increase in bitterness. In response, the loyalty of his followers also increased, and by the mid-1880's that loyalty had turned into outright hero-worship and personal adulation.
     After that came the deluge. In 1889, on a visit to England, Benade became very ill; apparently he suffered a stroke. He recovered his health, however, and came back to America with his new bride. Once again he was greeted with adulation, avowedly because of his leadership of the church into an acceptance of many of the great truths of the Writings.
     Now his government of the church began to change. He had long taught (from the Writings) episcopal government of the church and the enlightenment of the episcopacy in that use. Now he began to speak of himself, not simply as the "executive bishop" of the church, but as its "high priest," receiving immediate enlightenment from the Lord in governing the church and therefore responsible in that government to none but the Lord alone.

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He exalted New Church education, and especially the education of little children (almost to the expense of education of candidates for the ministry) into a "celestial" use, and formed its supporters into a celestial "Church of the Academy." Some of those who crossed his wishes, he summarily fired; others he insulted, openly and virulently.
     True freedom for subordinate priests and for the laity also, he taught, was the freedom to agree with the high priest, not to disagree. He abolished his councils, which he previously had championed, and thus put the real property of the Academy into legal danger. No human tribunal, he insisted, could judge the high priest. Strong personal leadership had been replaced by autocratic dictatorship.
     The church had no recourse except to resign from its self-proclaimed "high priest." It did-one by one. A small group of its priests asked the Rt. Rev. W. F. Pendleton to lead them in the formation of a new ecclesiastical body. He accepted their invitation, and a general assembly was called for the following June, to meet in Huntingdon Valley, to reorganize the church.
     From near and far they came, but mostly from eastern United States and south-eastern Canada-lonely sheep without a shepherd, lost, afraid, and badly battered. Their wounds were deep and fresh and sore; and it quickly appeared that they held one feeling in common: never again could such a thing be allowed to happen to their beloved church. Cries for a democratic government of the church, a constitutional government, a government of checks and balances and restraints, were heard everywhere.
     Then, on the fourth day of the assembly, Bishop Pendleton asked Bishop Edward C. Bostock to take the chair, in order that he might read his "notes on government." He introduced his address with the following humble remarks: "The first part of this paper, which I now will read, is in the form of notes on government which I prepared some time before this meeting, and is not in a very connected form. The latter part of the paper deals with the subject of organization."
     The address was "followed by prolonged cheering," official records tell us. It should have been. Bishop Pendleton had rescued from imminent oblivion those principles of episcopal government of the church which Benade had seen in the Writings, which he had so successfully championed and established, and which he had then abused so dreadfully. Use was not sacrificed because of abuse.*

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And a full sense of freedom for the church was restored by Bishop Pendleton's teaching that though the church could not take away from any priest the powers conferred upon him by ordination (for "ordination is from the Lord"), still, the church most assuredly could withdraw that which it had given, namely, its invitation to a priest to become its chief executive.
     * See DLW 331e
     Today, in the General Church, many questions on the government of the church are surfacing among both priests and laymen. It is for that reason especially that I have here re-printed Bishop Pendleton's address. It deserves a calm reading. It is full of wisdom, though not all of Bishop Pendleton's suggestions were ever incorporated into the government of the General Church. Nothing human could be much wiser than his words, "If any movement in the Church is of the Lord, He will protect and save that which is His own, nor does He need the help of man. . . . All the ills of the Church from most ancient times have arisen from the conceit or persuasion that man can care for the Church." And what could be wiser than his suggestion that no action on government be taken in the heat of that moment, but that action in these matters be postponed for a year?
THOSE "MYSTICAL THINGS" 1978

THOSE "MYSTICAL THINGS"       DONALD L. ROSE       1978

To the Editor:
     Re Dr. Van Dusen's stimulating article, Swedenborg the Mystic in the August issue of New Church Life: I particularly liked his view on the "fundamental purpose of the Writings." (p. 383.) I am writing to present some contrasting thoughts on the question of mysticism, and to offer a theory on what may be meant when the Writings say, "The mystical things which some seek in the Word are nothing else than the spiritual and celestial senses." (De Verbo 21)
     Let us try to imagine what some people were seeking. Had they been seeking mystical things in the Bible by which they might bring about certain specific results? We read in the True Christian Religion of some in the spiritual world who were aware of the power in the Word, and who were seeking to manipulate that power for certain purposes. More about this in a moment.
     In 1760 a Baron Hatzel, a man interested in mysticism, wrote to Swedenborg pleading for information. (He even offered to translate the Writings into French and German!) He assumed that there was something in the Bible, if one could only find it, which could be used to bring about open communication with spirits. He believed that somewhere in the first five books of the Word there were two key verses which could be used to initiate such communication. He was seeking for those verses.

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     Hatzel's letter to Swedenborg asks "in which two verses lies concealed the means of coming into the company of these spirits; and moreover, how to use it. . . ." Tafel comments on this: "The idea that there are two verses in the Sacred Scripture by which man receives the power of holding converse with spirits, has been widely spread among necromancers of all ages." (Documents II, p. 229) Could this be what is meant by "the mystical things which some seek in the Word"?
     Swedenborg declined to write directly to Hatzel, but answered him through Count Bonde. He said he knew of no two verses which above others had this power, but that the Word does bring about unconscious communion with angels. He then issued a clear and stern warning about meddling with spirit communication. (Letters and Memorials, p. 532-534).
     What a difference there is between reading the Word in the knowledge that it conjoins man affectionally with heaven (see the chapter on this in Heaven and Hell, 303-310) and trying to manipulate the Word to dabble and experiment with the results! We read in True Christian Religion: "There are some spirits who are below the heavens, who abuse this sharing by reading certain passages from the sense of the letter of the Word, and immediately observing and noting the society with which the sharing is effected." (235)
     Swedenborg evidently ignored the mystical J. C. Lavater. This man literally begged Swedenborg to write to him, and sent him a mystical cipher. (Doc. II, p. 278)
     Was Swedenborg influenced by the mystics, specifically by Jacob Boehme? I think Signe Toksvig overstates the case when she says that Swedenborg "was constantly being asked if he had read Boehme." (Emanuel Swedenborg, Scientist and Mystic, p. 234) Notwithstanding Swedenborg's denial of having read Boehme or any of his ilk, Toksvig comments elsewhere that in his earlier reading he "may have come across the works of Boehme or those of the disciples of earlier mystics." (p. 83)
     We do know that Dr. Bever asked Swedenborg in 1766 whether he had read the writings of Boehme and that Swedenborg replied, "I have never read them." (Doc. II, p. 25) The following year Swedenborg was asked this again (See the note on p. 21 of Small Theological Works and Letters, Swedenborg Society, 1975.) And it was with reference to this specific question that Swedenborg wrote, "I was forbidden to read writers on dogmatic and systematic theology before heaven was opened to me; because unfounded opinions and inventions might thereby have insinuated themselves, which afterwards could have been removed with difficulty. . ." (Doc. II, p. 260)

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     His being forbidden to read certain things bring us to the point that Swedenborg had an absolutely unique mission. There have been many admirers of Swedenborg who praised the Writings, but would not grant that the Writings are unique as they claim to be. F. C. Oetinger, who was an admirer of the mystic Boehme (see Small Theological Works and Letters, p. 281), was one of the early ambivalent admirers of Swedenborg. He corresponded with Swedenborg, translated parts of the Writings, and suffered persecution for accepting much of what is taught in the Writings. But he was very much perplexed at the teaching in True Christian Religion concerning the Second coming of the Lord as related to Swedenborg's unique mission. (Letters and Memorials, p. 754)
     Dr. Van Dusen points out that mystics are not at all rare. Swedenborg's own testimony on his life was that he was called to a holy office by the Lord Himself in the year 1743 (Docu. I, p. 9), and that what then took place with him is without parallel in all of history. (Inv. 43.)
     What of Swedenborg's aims and work before his call? Was not Cyriel Sigstedt right in observing that "there is not a trace of mysticism" in Swedenborg's Principia? She was illustrating the point that Swedenborg's approach was "entirely different" from the mystics and that he avoided "the eddies of mysticism" which affected many at his day. (The Swedenborg Epic, p. 181)
     DONALD L. ROSE,
Pittsburgh, Pa.

     P.S. Dr. Van Dusen comments that "those who claim to stand on the authority of the Writings may incline to overlook what the Writings say on this matter." (NCL: 381)
     This is an important point. One who claims to stand on the authority of the Writings can be mistaken, and he can through error, ignorance or even traditional stubbornness, argue against the very things which the Writings teach. Think of the millions who have sincerely insisted that their one authority is the Bible. They usually hold to a set of persuasions and interpretations of the Bible, and do not seem open to further enlightenment from the very Source they profess to believe.
     This is a timely caution to us. There are yet many things for us to understand from the Writings, and the claim to stand on the authority of the Writings must be coupled with a willingness to acknowledge that some of our thinking in the past has been limited by historical persuasions and the traditions of men. Yes, we may be mistaken, and it is in acknowledgment of this that we continue to try to learn what the Lord has revealed.
     DLR

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EVANGELIZATION 1978

EVANGELIZATION       Rev. (REV.) JOHN O. BOOTH       1978

     Dear Editor:
     I read with great interest the article in the June 1978 issue of 'New Church Life' by the Rev. Douglas M. Taylor on Evangelization. My interest was aroused because I have been involved in missionary work throughout the 24 years of my life in the ministry. I was the secretary of the National Missionary Board before I went out to South Africa as the General Superintendent, and I am now the chairman of the National Missionary Board, and our Overseas Committee. While we still keep the title 'Missionary Board,' we use the term 'Outreach' for the work we do.
     Mr. Taylor describes as a 'landmark' the appointment of what we used to call our "Missionary Minister" when the Rev. G. F. Colborne-Kitching had the post many years ago, and on behalf of the Conference I wish him every success in his work. However, I hope that our Conference readers will not assume that the General Church has not been a missionary church in the past. It has had a consistent but relatively small yearly growth and I remember seeing a statistical table in 'New Church Life' a few years ago which showed figures comparing the number of converts with the number of members born into the Church, and the former was quite a high percentage. I also remember the fine work of the Rev. Harold Cranch in the production of the movies, 'Animals of the Bible', 'Water of Life' and 'Our Faith,' as well as other efforts he made for church extension work.
     As I see it, the General Church has the prime ingredients for growth. First it has a clearly defined culture and also an educational and administrative center, a focal point for the whole General Church world. To me, it is of the utmost importance to have a dynamic centre, which has as its 'raison d'etre" a witness to all that is involved in the teaching of the truths of the Second Advent. Without a strong center, which ultimates the dedication and the commitment of the organization, I see little hope of true growth.
     Having a center and having a distinctive culture, I then see growth as a matter of communication. We can use the term education if we like, but whether we have regard to children born into the Church, the new convert, or the potential convert, we have to communicate our distinctive doctrines in a manner appropriate to their understanding. I hate the term 'watering down,' because it is disparaging to the good efforts of those who endeavor to present to others the healing leaves of the Tree of Life, or 'proximate truths'.

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In A.R. 936, in reference to the healing leaves signifying rational truths, we read, "Rational truths are those which proximately receive spiritual truths, for the rational of man is the first receptacle of spiritual truths: for the perception of truth in some form is in man's rational, which the man does not see in thought, as he does the things which are beneath the rational in the lower thought, which conjoins itself with the external sight. Rational truths are also signified by "leaves"." [Scripture references are then given]. The term, 'watering down' is derogatory, but presenting truths in a way appropriate to the state of the recipient is presenting 'proximate truths'.
     To me this involves a very important factor in evangelization, which may be termed, 'preparing the soil before sowing', getting to know the recipient and establishing a 'rapport,' which is very much on the level of the affections. Natural affections can be moved by external and sensuous entities, like fine buildings and a cultural pattern presented by visual images. Then on a higher level we have the attitude of members to the new-comer. Of course, the danger is that externals can become an end in themselves.
     The society over which I have pastoral charge in Birmingham, England, has been in fine new premises for the past two years. In that period we have had at least 70 visitors to our services, apart from those who have been on the premises for other reasons, eleven have become regular worshippers, but only three have become members. We have used every appropriate method of communication, including the distribution of 98 copies of 'Heaven and Hell' after advertising them in the local press. The work continues, and while our success rate is not very high, the interest and zeal of our old established members has been greatly stimulated. This may be one of the most important aspects of Outreach. It accords with our doctrine of influx being according to efflux.
     Yours sincerely,
          (REV.) JOHN O. BOOTH,
Birmingham, England

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Church News 1978

Church News       Various       1978

     WASHINGTON, D. C.

     A year has passed since our last report, and it has been, in some ways, a new beginning for the Washington Society. In June a year ago, we said our farewells to our long-time pastor and friend, the Rev. Fred Schnarr, and his family, and a short time later welcomed our new pastor, the Rev. Dan Heinrichs, and his family. The Heinrichses moved into the former Schnarr home, where a major plumbing job and a shortage of well-water made things difficult for a while, but the Heinrichs' sense of humor pulled them all through. A team of helpers came to wield paintbrushes and rollers, and soon Dan and Mimi had made this house their home, and throughout this past year it has been open to many visitors from near and far.
     Although problems might have been expected at the changing of the guard after 19 years of leadership by Mr. Schnarr, the transition went smoothly, with the inevitable changes in emphasis and the addition of new programs and procedures being carried out gradually through the year. One such change was the appointment of a Pastor's Council, which now consists of twelve men and women from the society, representing a wide range of age groups.
     In his capacity as visiting pastor to the Virginias, Mr. Heinrichs generally makes monthly visits there. This is a mixed blessing, for although the visits break up the continuity of classes and other activities here during his absence, we have the pleasure of hearing doctrinal classes and sermons by various visiting ministers and candidates from Bryn Athyn. We are lucky to be in close enough proximity to the center of the Church to be able to hear from and get to know, many of its ministers and future ministers.
     Friday Supper is a much looked forward to weekly event in this Society. We are served fine meals by able committees, in which our "young marrieds" are taking an increasing part, and on occasion a team of men will put on a gourmet meal for us. It's a delightful social occasion, as well as a relaxing prelude to doctrinal class, which this past year consisted of an extensive series on Conjugial Love, in which we went through this work consecutively. Our young people of 8th grade age and up are invited, generally attend regularly, and even share in the responsibilities of table-clearing and preparing for class.
     The school is our pride and joy. We are indeed privileged to be able to provide such excellent, and such "New Church" education for our children. We have a fine, dedicated staff, whose constant effort it is to see applications of doctrine in the areas of their teaching, both individually, and in teachers' study sessions under the leadership of the pastor. Our "head teacher," Mr. Jim Cooper, whose studies in the Theological School prepared him well, is also able to provide leadership in the areas of application. One teacher, whose commitment to New Church education has been especially apparent, is Mrs. Dean (Cathy) Smith, who is stepping down this year, after many years in our school. Her studies in the areas of mythology and history have given her students some invaluable and unique insights, and she will be sorely missed. We expressed our appreciation, with poems, songs and gifts at an open house, to Cathy, and to two other teachers who are also leaving, Mrs. Phil (Janna) Zuber (to have a baby), and Miss Lark Pitcairn. Janna's cheerful spirit will surely be missed, as will "Miss Lark's" loving care of the primary graders.

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Joining the teaching staff next year are Mr. Craig McCardell and Mrs. Frido (Altya) Van Kesteren, and also as volunteer helpers, Miss Elise Alden and Miss Carolyn Synnestvedt. We extend a hearty welcome to all of them.
     Farewells have also been said to Dr. and Mrs. Bob Somers, who are moving to Michigan. Their warmth and their eagerness to help in various uses have endeared them to us all, and we shall miss them.
     Some highlights from the past year were as follows: the Annual Thanksgiving Dinner Dance, beautifully decorated in the theme of Winter Wonderland, with many of our young people home from the Academy, and their friends, attending; the Annual Bazaar, netting over $1500 to help meet our budget; the Christmas Tableaux; caroling around the neighbor hood; the lovely and powerful Christmas Eve candlelight service; the Christmas Day service; the immensely appreciated episcopal visit by Bishop and Mrs. King in February; the Faster service, with the children's flower offerings filling the chancel, and later being planted on the Church grounds; the visits of the Senior boys and girls classes from the Academy, in April; a game night and a hopper of a square dance for the young people; the school closing program, with one graduate each from the 8th and the 10th grades, various awards and appreciations, and the smash hit musical production "Tom Sawyer", marvelously adapted and added to, musically and otherwise, and directed by Mrs. Fred (Carole) Waelchli; the New Church Day celebration, including a banquet with an inspiring address by guest speaker the Rev. Erik Sandstrom, is special family service on Sunday, with the chancel beautifully decorated in red and white, 'the gifts for the children, and
picnics and games in the afternoon and evening; the July 4th observance, parade, games and picnic; weekly movies during the summer shown by Phil and Janna Zuber; NCPCHC (New Church Parent-Child Hiking Conglomerate) hikes in the Shenandoah Mountains and on the Eastern Shore; and, highlight of highlights, the wedding in August, of Miss Grace Nelson and Mr. Justin Childs. Weddings here are few and far between, and are always a delightful special treat for our small society.
     As we begin a new active season in September, we trust everyone has had a re-creational summer, and will eagerly enter, once again, into the many uses so necessary for a Society to be a true, functional instrument of the Lord's New Church.
     MARY S. COOPER

     TORONTO

     It is some time since Toronto was heard from in the pages of Life, but we will try to make up for lost time and bring you up to date.
     Our huge, colossal, gigantic Rummage Sale and Auction on October 13th and 14th produced some $2,500 to be spent at the discretion of the Ladies' Circle. A complete and much needed renovation of the women's and girl's washroom was accomplished promptly. Certain necessities were obtained for the kitchen and now, as we write, the society sitting room is having a facelift. Altogether the fund raising project was a thorough success. Doris McDonald and Alison Larsen were the energy sources behind the whole thing. All our usual activities have continued; Wednesday suppers and doctrinal classes, special services and classes for Christmas, Easter and the 19th of June. We held our traditional Family Christmas Party, a New Year's Eve 'buffet and dance, Swedenborg birthday and 19th of June banquets for adults and for children and a July 1st Canada Day picnic.
     The New Church Day adult banquet this year included a farewell tribute to Miss Sylvia Parker who, after teaching our primary grades for twenty-one years now goes to Detroit to start a new school there. It was an occasion which touched us all with gratitude to Sylvia and with sadness at our parting but also with happiness in her new opportunities. Our Pastor, in his remarks said, "It is not an untruth to say that Sylvia has been and is the heartbeat of the Olivet Day School. . . . I think we will carry on without Sylvia, but not without a tremendous gratitude and tremendous affection."

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     A new event for the Olivet Day School this year was a visit from the Pittsburgh be School over the weekend of May 6th. In addition to attending classes the children had a bowling party, a visit to the C. N. Tower and to the Science Centre. It was a great success and a splendid way for our young people to become acquainted.
     Our somewhat older young people had a weekend in May in Almont, Mich. It included people from Toronto, Caryndale, Glenview, Cleveland and Detroit. From all reports it was a well enjoyed get together.
     One of our members left us for the other world when Norma Carter Bond died on May 26th. Norma had been progressively and painfully ill for many a years and we could only rejoice in her release into a new life.
     We were very happy to welcome two new babies; on November 1st, Jacqueline Anne little daughter of Jean Jacques and Charlotte (Baissac) Rousseau and on January 11th Leo Jacob son of Leo and Julie (Bond) McDonald. We also had some grandchildren! Pete and Bunny Bevan, John and Ersa Parker and Robert and Gladys Scott all became grandparents for the first time, to say nothing of Ethel Raymond who became a great-grandmother (too ridiculous!).
     Four engagements have been announced, Terry Frazee to Philip Schnarr, Mandy Orr to Kirk Steen, Ann Bradfield to Dalton Garbutt and Ceri Bellinger to Robert Muise. Ceri lives in Ottawa but we still feel that she belongs to us.
     A very happy occasion on April 2nd was a birthday party when Joan and John Raymond were hosts at a celebration of Mr. John White's 95th birthday. If we could all be as peppy as Mr. White at 95, old age would be enjoyable!
     Confirmations are always very moving and we were happy to witness this step being taken by three of our young women, Gwenda Parker, Susan Scott and Terry Frazee.
     Very good news was received in the spring when we heard that the Rev. and Mrs. Ottar Larsen were not to leave us even though Rev. Robt. McMaster was to be our new Assistant to the Pastor.
     After three years Ottar and Alison have become so much a part of our society that would be a real wrench to part with them. Ottar has been appointed Visiting Pastor for the General Church in Canada to serve in four provinces, Ontario, Quebec, Manitoba and Saskatchewan. Upon invitation he will also serve the New Church groups in Roblin, Saskatoon and Winnipeg.
     Robert and Brenda McMaster and wee Emily are now settled in their Toronto home and we have already enjoyed Robert's presence on our chancel during the Pastor's vacation.
     Mrs. Barbara Synnestvedt is somewhat here-report has it that she is camping out in her empty apartment. We now wait for Debbie Sjostedt to complete the influx of new friends.
     The new season will soon be beginning and we look forward to two happy occasions when Terry Frazee and Philip Schnarr celebrate their marriage on August 19th and when Ann Bradfield and Dalton Garbutt follow suit with their wedding on September 30th.
     GWEN CRAIGIE

     GLENVIEW, ILL.

     This year we've become more conscious of the aims of the Extension work, but are still quite absorbed in the church uses close to home.
     The printed reports given, help us get an overall view of the uses here. Quoting from the Pastor's report by Mr. Buss, "Next year the Immanuel Church will again have a pastor and associate pastor, and two assistants to the pastor. Mr. Cranch and Mr. Keith are remaining with us and we will be joined by Candidate Clark Echols . . . Mr. Cranch has the responsibility for the Extension work in the Midwest and in our society . . . the Rev. Brian Keith that of visiting pastor. . . I will continue as Headmaster of the Immanuel Church School . . . The Rev. Patrick Rose leaves us . . . to assume the pastorate of the Colchester Society in England. We have deeply appreciated Patrick's dedication, and his excellent instruction, in the society and in the school.

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We wish him and Dinah and the children happiness in their new home, and prosperity in their uses together. During the summer Candidate Allison Nicholson will be working with Mr. Cranch."
     A variety of improvements have been carried out for the church and school. The side windows of the church now match the richer colors of the east window. A beautiful repository made by Mr. John Barry is in use by the school. The Social Club raised funds for church needs with an entertaining Variety Show. Anonymous donors pay to keep the grounds in attractive condition.
     As a step toward putting up needed apartments Mrs. John Alan's house was moved from its old foundation to a new one. The school was allowed to watch this fascinating transfer instead of studying indoors that part of the morning. Remembrance of good friends who have recently passed away includes Mrs. George Fiske, Mrs. Harold Carswell, and Mr. Raymond Lee. As we use the memorial Psalmodies and liturgies at church we are reminded of others.
     A portrait of Swedenborg, probably made in his younger years, is now in possession of this society. Rev. Harold Cranch, as a former minister of Sharon Church, passed the picture on to us, having received it from members of the Julius Alden family. Bishop Alfred Acton had told Mr. Cranch that the picture was authentic. It was "unveiled" on Swedenborg's birthday. I wonder whether any of us, had we lived during Swedenborg's life time, would have been among the fifty or so people who could recognize and acknowledge the great work to which Swedenborg was dedicated.
      We thank the Park News for the next two reports about the I.C. School. "On a sunny afternoon in May about seventy children trotted, jogged, ran and stumbled around Park Drive a total of 800 times! That means they covered 400 miles. Many unsuspecting people pledged dimes and quarters to individual runners, and the $708 collected amazed us all. The School Committee will use the money to fix up and spruce up the class rooms. Thank you to all the children who ran and thank you to all who pledged! Jerry Fuller, Sec'y School Committee."
     "Graduation I.C.S. 1978-In a candle lit ceremony (with power off) and a torrential downpour, eleven students were graduated from the I.C.S. . . . received their awards, and gave their valedictories. Mr. Larry Mitten gave the commencement address. Because of the fury of Mother Nature, and the arrival of the Glenview Fire Department, it was graduation we won't soon forget."
     The Banquet at the closing of Midwestern Academy's school year was a happy occasion. Bishop Louis King and his wife showed the "home folks" slides from their trips to Africa and to South America. "The Church throughout the World," was the theme.
     Now that the license is granted to M.A.N.C. to operate a radio station, work goes forward to bring it to reality. Mr. Tom Aye and his wife, and the local experts will be operating the station, and eventually, also the students, for some of the daytime hours. Permission is given for both educational and religious broadcasts.
     Candidates from the Theological School, and student teachers were among the welcome visitors this spring. Mr. Christopher Bown, Miss Lori Soneson and Mr. Gary Edmonds came to preach and teach. Rev. Walter Orthwein addressed Theta Alpha banquet. We are happy to have Mrs. Doreen Buss, our pastor's mother, abiding here. Mr. and Mrs. Ted Simons from Australia, and Mr. and Mrs. Paul Mayer from Durban were here in April and there was a reception for them after Friday Supper at the manse.
     At the retreats held occasionally, we've had the chance to think about, discuss, and reach conclusions on worthwhile subjects. The topic of the first Women's retreat was "People's Loves." The difference between loving, and not loving was brought out. After mislaying the study sheet, I finally re-discovered where a definition of this difference is to be found, D.L. and W. 47. Practice in telling others about our beliefs was exercised at an Open retreat, held over a weekend in Michigan. In taking the role of one who answers questions about the beliefs of the New Church, one should have a view point looking to the universality of the teachings.

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     There are twelve weddings listed for this year, but space allows telling of only one, The bride and groom, Elizabeth Lau and Joel Smith, chose the weekend of the Nineteenth of June to be married. The Saturday morning service in the church, the outdoor reception in the beautifully landscaped grounds around the bride's home, and the buffet luncheon in the large basement room expressed a sphere of happiness. Memories of this place as that where church and school functions were held before the fire in 1915, added interest to those who knew it then.
     Lovely and appropriate gifts for the children followed the service on New Church Day.

     The toastmaster for the Nineteenth of June Banquet introduced four speakers who told how, when, and why they had come into the Church. One came in as an adult through friends, relatives, and special classes. Another came in "the hard way" being born into a very strongly dedicated sphere of New Churchmanship, so he had to withdraw enough to make a free choice of the Church for himself. Another speaker, a woman, having entered through marriage, identified as "Dragon", called all the other Dragons and their Descendants to stand, thus proving in good spirit, how large a part of the Church membership depends on former Dragons. Another woman speaker, whose husband had heard Rev. Gilbert Smith's radio broadcasts, years ago, had, with him and mutual friends, found the books of the Writings, read and accepted them, and by various contacts found New Church societies, and then set to work to establish a circle in their own city.
     Though such fruitful results from radio broadcasting are rare, they raise our hopes at having this new potential means with us to reach the listening ears.
     SUSAN S. HOLMS
VISITORS TO BRYN ATHYN, GLENVIEW, AND TORONTO 1978

VISITORS TO BRYN ATHYN, GLENVIEW, AND TORONTO              1978

     Visitors to Bryn Athyn, Glenview or Toronto who are in need of hospitality accommodations are cordially urged to contact in advance the appropriate Hospitality Committee heads listed below:

Mrs. A. Wynne Acton                    Mrs. Philip Horigan
3405 Buck Rd.                         50 Park Dr.
Huntingdon Valley, Ph 19006               Glenview, Ill. 60025
Phone: (215) 947-0242                    Phone: (312) 729-5644

Mrs. Sydney Parker
30 Royaleigh Ave.
Weston, Ont. M9P 2J5

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CHARTER DAY 1978

              1978




     Announcements
     All ex-students, members of the General Church, and friends of the Academy are invited to attend the 62nd Charter Day Exercises, to be held in Bryn Athyn, Pa., Friday and Saturday, October 13th and 14th, 1978. The Program: Friday, 11 a.m.-Cathedral Service with an address by the Rev. Peter M. Buss. Friday evening-Dance Saturday, 7 p.m.-Banquet, Toastmaster: The Rev. N. Bruce Rogers.
ORDINATION 1978

ORDINATION              1978

     Echols.-At Bryn Athyn, Pa., Aug. 20, 1978, Candidate John Clark Echols, into the first degree of the priesthood, the Rt. Rev. Louis B. King officiating.
WHO IS IN THE CHURCH? 1978

WHO IS IN THE CHURCH?              1978

     The church is the church from spiritual good and from the derivative truths. He who is not in spiritual good, that is, in the good of charity, and in spiritual truths, that is, in the truths of faith, is not of the church, in spite of his having been born within it. For the whole heavenly kingdom of the Lord is in the good of love and of faith; and unless the church is in the like, it cannot be the church, because it is not conjoined with heaven, for the church is the Lord's kingdom on earth. Its being called the church is not from the fact that the Word is there, and that there are doctrinal things therefrom, nor from the fact that the Lord is known there, and that the sacraments are there; but it is the church from the fact that men live according to the Word, or according to doctrine from the Word, and so that doctrine is the rule of life. They who are not of this character are not of the church, but are outside of it; and they who live in evil, thus they who live contrary to doctrine, are further outside the church than the gentiles who know nothing whatever of the Word, of the Lord and of the sacraments; for the former, because they know the goods and truths of the church, extinguish the church in themselves, which the gentiles cannot do, because they do not know them. Be it further known that everyone who lives in the good of charity and of faith is a church and kingdom of the Lord, and from this is called a temple, and also a house of God. The church in general is constituted of those who are churches in particular, however far apart they may be. Arcana Caelestia 6637

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FIRSTFRUITS THOU SHALT NOT DELAY 1978

FIRSTFRUITS THOU SHALT NOT DELAY       Rev. DANIEL GOODENOUGH       1978


     
NEW CHURCH LIFE
VOL. XCVIII          NOVEMBER, 1978           No. 11
     The firstfruits of the grain, and the firstfruits of thy wine, thou shalt not delay. Exodus 22:29.

     There can be much of proprium in thanks, both in giving and in receiving thanks. The merely natural man enjoys being thanked by others, nor is he averse to expressing his own thanks, though the merely natural man gives thanks from himself and not from the Lord-that is, he places emphasis upon himself rather than upon the use performed. He tries to call attention to his own feelings of appreciation, and his own worth and righteousness in being thankful, rather than to the good of what has been done for him and to help his donor delight in the joy of accomplishment and giving. He thus shies away from genuine feelings and expressions of gratitude by showing thanks merely through external things. His thanks are really directed to himself, not to others, even as the Pharisee who prayed within himself, "God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess."* In the external giving of thanks there is much room for self-righteousness, if man thinks of himself instead of the good done to him. Thus the angels do not even accept thanks for being instruments of use, but direct all thanks to the Lord.**
     * Luke 18:11-12
     ** HH 9
     Yet man is commanded to offer thanks to the Lord. Thanksgiving is called in the Writings one of the chief things of worship; it is to endure continually and to be persistent.* Thanksgiving is not to be limited to a certain time of the year, but is to extend throughout our life and worship.

494


The use of the annual festival of Thanksgiving is thus rather to focus our attention on this principle, and to renew our spirit of thanks, than to serve by itself for expressing gratitude to the Lord. Little is easier than to give thanks to the Lord through external returns to Him, but genuine thanks must be expressed also by internal ways, and thus continually, persistently in all things of life.
     * AC 9286
     But why? It is of little use to the New Church to know that we must give thanks unless we also know what use is served thereby. The Writings confirm the ancient tradition among religious peoples everywhere that thanks are to be offered to the Divine, but in explaining the use of thanks, they open up an internal concept of thanks not hitherto recognized. We read:

The Lord does indeed demand . . . thanksgivings, and many other things from man, which appear like repayings, and thus not gratuitous; but the Lord does not demand these things for His own sake, for the Divine has no glory from man's . . . thanksgiving.*
     * Cf. DLW 47, 335

     Thanksgiving to the Lord is impossible unless we first realize that for Himself the Lord desires no thanks at all. In repaying what is owed to another there can be only an external sense of thanks, while deeper within man the feeling of compulsion prevents a genuine affection of gratitude. Compulsion destroys thanks of the heart, and we can really feel thankful only for that which we are not compelled to repay. Favors offered with even subtle demands for repayment, prevent man from feeling truly thankful for them. We would do well to remember that one of the reasons for our doing good to the neighbor without thought of reward is that only for such good can he enjoy the full delight of being grateful to us. A sense of gratitude, to man or to the Lord, can only stem from our realizing that we are altogether undeserving beneficiaries of gifts for which no personal rewards are desired.
     With the Lord there is never any thought of reward for Himself. Everything that is from Him is a free gift, without the slightest demand that man repay Him for the sake of His own glory. The sole enjoyment of the Lord's love is rather that man may be happy to eternity.* Thus we read further:
     * AC 5957

"In the Divine, anything of the love of self is utterly inconceivable-that thanksgivings should be done for His own sake; but they are for the sake of the man himself; for when a man is in thanksgiving he can receive good from the Lord, because he has then been separated from the love of self and its evils, which are the obstacle; and therefore the Lord wills a state of thanksgiving in man for man's own sake; because when he is in this state the Lord can flow in with heavenly good."*
     * AC 5957

495




Thus even thanksgiving to the Lord is in reality a gift from Him to man.
     This involves an exalted idea of God, and also a difficult one; since by thinking from the Lord's Person to His Essence we may do mere lip-service to the truth that the Lord demands thanks only for our sakes, while we actually cling to the age-old external picture of a God in man's own finite image who demands our thanks because He deserves them. He does deserve our thanks, but that is not why He demands them. He can have no thought of Himself. He can have no thought other than the happiness of man. Until we recognize this, we cannot possibly feel grateful to Him, because we will feel we are compelled by the necessity or repayment. Our idea of God is a subtle, elusive and changeable thing, frequently tending to finite His infinite goodness and love. Because we find it difficult to feel interiorly grateful, we easily imagine the Lord to be like man in demanding gratitude for His own sake, which effectively pushes that gratitude out of us. Our thanks must be external until we truly acknowledge in our hearts the utter unselfishness of the Lord. In fact truly to acknowledge the selfless nature of the Lord's love for man's happiness, is thanksgiving itself.
     We must begin, then, with the truth that the Lord wills, thinks and provides solely for man's happiness and not in the slightest for Himself, since He cannot think of Self. Yet let us reflect that this primary truth too is given us, not for the Lord's sake, as it might appear, but solely for our sakes, that we may be rendered happy through receiving it. Like the Lord's commandments, every Divine teaching has been given us not for the sake of His glory but so that it may bring us to eternal happiness.
     Yet the question remains, how are we to offer thanks to the Lord! How do we advance beyond the beginning and render ourselves grateful to Him? The children of Israel did so by offering to the Lord their firstfruits, both of grain and of wine; they also sacrificed their firstborn oxen and sheep, observed three annual feasts of thanksgiving, made many additional offerings to the Lord, and dedicated one entire tribe, the tribe of Levi, to maintain Divine worship. The central feature of all their thanksgiving was thus a returning to the Lord of natural things which He had given them-an offering of external things to acknowledge their blessings from Him; consequently, we read, such offerings of thanks "were in acknowledgment that all things are from Him. . . ."* All genuine thanksgiving is simply a form of this acknowledgment.
     * AC 9223:3
     External offerings do form an important part in giving thanks. Yet these are idolatrous unless they are simply expressions and reminders of more internal, spiritual means of offering thanks.

496


Thus the commandment given in our text, "The firstfruits of thy grain, and the firstfruits of thy wine, thou shalt not delay", has been abrogated in the literal sense, in order that we may not allow ourselves to be distracted from its spiritual sense.* Grain, spiritually, signifies the goods of faith, and wine signifies the truths of faith. That the firstfruits of these should not be delayed in being offered to the Lord, therefore, signifies that since the goods and truths of faith are from the Lord, they are to be ascribed to Him and not to self,** even as the Israelites acknowledged all their produce to be the gift of the Lord and not from themselves. "The earth is the Lord's and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein."***
     * AC 9349:4               
     ** AC 9283
     *** Ps. 24:1
     Yet the question remains; how do we acknowledge that all good and all truth are from the Lord alone? And there is no one answer, since the ways are as numerous as the ancient Jewish ritual was detailed. Besides praising and thanking the Lord in external worship, we need to think specifically about the Lord's innumerable natural and spiritual blessings to us. Lest we take these for granted, there is a use at the same time in being aware of what our lives would be like without His blessings-that is, in being aware of human existence in less fortunate lands, and in less fortunate periods of history. Only by the contrast afforded by time and distances, can we understand, much less appreciate, the Divine Providence in our lives. A looking outward to other peoples is necessary not only that we may do good to them, but perhaps more important, that we may more accurately perceive what the Lord has given us.
     Although the Lord's natural blessings are beyond count, His spiritual blessings are of course far more important. Yet the danger of taking His spiritual gifts for granted is greater than with his natural gifts, since it is more difficult to reflect on spiritual things than to recount natural blessings. In order to obtain a sense of contrast we need to be moderately familiar with the spiritual desert which exists whenever men turn away from Divine truth. We usually think of our knowledge of the spiritual wilderness as enabling us to protect ourselves and our children, and as aiding us to accommodate Divine truth to the needs of all men, but this knowledge should also serve to make us deeply grateful for the Lord's spiritual gifts to us, even though we do not accept them as fully as we ought. Asking ourselves seriously where we would be today without the Heavenly Doctrine can be a most effective means of making us look at spiritual realities. But even if we should be ignorant of the spiritual wilderness without us, by means of temptation we are afforded a very close look at the wilderness within ourselves.

497


The wilderness without is never as real to us as the wilderness within, and every instant that we are elevated from the pain, anxiety and self-seeking of temptation is the greatest cause for thanksgiving, since it is purely of the Lord's mercy and power that we do not continually fight against all men with painful bitterness and cruelty. We read:

Temptations quality to the perception of good and truth, by means of the opposite things which evil spirits then infuse . . . ; for no one knows what is good without also knowing what is not good, nor what is true without knowing what is not true.*
     * AC 5356

Without temptations our ungrateful natures could not appreciate the blessings of Divine good and truth.
     Thanksgiving without deliberate contemplation of specific blessings is a vain word. Let us stop, then, for a moment to be grateful for past uses, accomplished not perfectly but still in some measure accomplished. If present and future uses appear difficult, let us derive inspiration from past uses which at one time seemed impossible. Besides teaching us, history should fill us with thanks for what we have as well as with hope for the future. As Divine Providence has guided us in the past, so the future is not ours but the Lord's.
     But even such necessary contemplation is relatively external, a work of the understanding more than of the will. Affection is involved in reflecting on the Divine blessings, but something more is needed if we are to offer thanks to the Lord with our whole lives-that is, with our love and will. Internal thanksgiving must be by the life-a life of acknowledging that all good and all truth are from the Lord alone, and not from man himself. How? Man acknowledges that all truth is from the Lord by persistently, sincerely and unselfishly seeking the truth on all planes of life. In reading the Word, in listening, in reflection, in discussion, and in making unending application of truth to life man must dedicate himself to what is true, or else he believes that truth is from himself, not from the Lord. Sincerely searching for the truth in all aspects of our living opens our spirits to the Lord, and it is itself the acknowledgment that all truth is from the Lord, not from ourselves.
     So it is with good. The performance of use, or the doing of good, without thought for ourselves, is itself the acknowledgment that all good is from the Lord, because it images the Lord's utterly selfless providing for the human race. As soon as we reflect on ourselves in use, and think of our own contribution rather than of the use to be accomplished, we deny that good is from the Lord and ascribe it to ourselves. How we delight in thinking of our part, of our efforts?

498


Yet this renders our acknowledgment that all good is from the Lord an external acknowledgment, an acknowledgment of the understanding only.
     The delight of use itself is the acknowledgment that all good is from the Lord. This acknowledgment is no external to the life of religion; it is called the first thing of the church.* If this acknowledgment, and with it our thanks, are to be internal and real, our dedication to the truth and the good of use must be complete and undivided, rendering our thanksgiving a persistent and continual fulfillment of the Lord's love, as He has commanded. Thus we do not delay the first fruits of wine and grain.** "Freely ye have received, freely give"*** is a commandment for the whole of life. The Lord has so willed it in order that we may be happy to eternity. Amen.
     * AC 9223:3
     ** Cf. AC 5957
     *** Matt. 10:8

     LESSONS: Deut: 26:1-11; Luke 7:36-50; HH 9.
ANGELS REFUSE ALL THANKS 1978

ANGELS REFUSE ALL THANKS              1978

     Angels . . . say that not only everything good and true is from the Lord, but everything of life as well. They confirm it by this, that nothing can come into existence from itself, but from something prior to itself. . . . Again they say that from that one fountain of life which is the Lord, nothing proceeds except Divine good and Divine truth. Therefore, since everything good and true comes from above, it follows that so does everything of life. This being the belief of the angels, they refuse all thanks for the good that they do and are indignant and withdraw if anyone attributes good to them. They are astonished that anyone believes that he is wise from himself or does good from himself. Doing good for one's own sake they do not call good, because it is from self; but doing good for the sake of good, they call good from the Divine, and they say it is this good that makes heaven because this good is the Lord. Heaven and Hell 9

499


WHAT IS HYPOCRISY? 1978

WHAT IS HYPOCRISY?       Rev. DOUGLAS M. TAYLOR       1978

     INTRODUCTION

     The subject of hypocrisy can very easily be misunderstood, with the result that people falsely accuse themselves (and others) of being hypocrites when In fact they are not. It seems important, then, to review the teachings in order to see what hypocrisy is and what it is not.
     As a matter of fact, it is impossible for anyone to gauge the degree and extent of spiritual hypocrisy (properly understood) in an individual, in a group of individuals, in a country, or in the church. To call anyone a hypocrite is to make a spiritual judgment; and that, as we know, is Divinely forbidden.* We may make civil and moral judgments, which are about people's actions. We can determine whether a person is obeying the legal code or whether he is not; we can also see whether a person's actions offend against the moral virtues. This we are not only allowed to do, but in the Writings are urged to do for the sake of society's protection. Without such civil and moral judgments, society would disintegrate.**
     * Matt. 7:1-5
     ** CL 523; AR 495
     But we are not allowed to judge the internal man-the internal of the natural mind, where we think our secret thoughts.* Please note that we are here not using the term "the internal man" in the sense of the supraconscious mind, that, in any case, is always in the order of heaven. We are using it as it is used in the work The Divine Providence to mean the internal of our thought, where we have our secret thoughts when by ourselves and not in the company of others.** We are not allowed to judge the quality of the internal man, because we cannot; and yet the quality of our prevailing secret thoughts determines whether or not we are living a hypocritical life.
     * AC 2284:3
     ** DP 104
     To judge whether or not a person is a hypocrite, then, is obviously a forbidden spiritual judgment. But each one of us can know what he thinks in the privacy of his own thoughts. The can know what he thinks in his heart. Therefore, we can all know to what extent we are being hypocritical.

500




     DEFINITIONS

     The word "hypocrite" is from two Greek words-"hupo" meaning "uncter" (from which has come the Latin word "sub," which also means "under") and "krisis" which means "judgment," and from which we get the word "crisis" in English.
     The main idea of the word "krisis" is a judgment-a separation between what is good and what is evil. So a "hupokrisis" means an "underneath judgment"-a judgment as to what a person really is like underneath. There is a separation of his inward life from his outward life, but, of course, the real man is the underneath man. It is interesting to note that the word hypocrite at one time meant "a play-actor," and that adds great force to the indictment on the hypocritical Pharisees in the Gospel of Matthew: "Woe unto you, Scribes and Pharisees, play-actors."*
     * Matt. 23:13-15, 23, 25, 27
     Now, the general definitions given in the Writings as to hypocrisy and hypocrites is similar to this common idea. For instance, we read: "If the will and thought are not presented in the face as in their image, what is seen there is not the will and the thought, but hypocrisy or deceit; because the man presents a face different from what he wills and thinks."* Then there is this: "The external can present an appearance not in accordance with its essence from the internal."** The same number also explains that the external draws its quality from the internal. Even if the external appears good, it is not really good.
     * AC 3934:3
     ** DP 224
     We also read:

     Holiness and piety that are not from this source (that is, from love to the Lord and charity towards the neighbor) are indeed heard, but are not gratefully received, for they are hypocritical holiness and piety, because they are a mere external without an internal; and a holy external without an internal penetrates no further than to the first threshold of heaven, and is there dispersed.*
     * AC 10177:5

     Flatterers and hypocrites have a double thought; for they are able to keep things to themselves and to guard against disclosing their interior thought; and some can conceal it more and more deeply, and as it were block up the doors lest it appear.*
     * DP 104

     To this could be added the rather frightening number is Conjugial Love. After explaining that in the world men learn to counterfeit morality for the sake of reputation, honor and gain, it makes this statement: "Hence, every man who is not inwardly led by the Lord is a dissembler, a deceiver, a hypocrite, and thus an apparent man, and yet not a man."*
     * CL 267:3

501




     MISTAKEN APPLICATIONS

     Now, those are what we might call general definitions of hypocrisy. From them it is possible to make certain mistaken and unfortunate applications. For example, it can lead people to think that unless they say what they think, they are not being honest and sincere. They are being hypocritical. No matter how bad the feelings or how bad the thoughts, unless they express them so that there is a correspondence between their internal and their external, they are being hypocritical.
     The same line of thought gives rise to the complaint that worship is hypocritical unless the man is fully regenerate. This bowing down and saying prayers is considered all a pretense. There is nothing real in it unless the person really loves the Lord, is really worshiping the Lord in his heart and in his life. Then there is the matter of conjugial simulations-the pretense that there is conjugial love, the counterfeiting of conjugial love for the sake of various uses that are clearly enumerated in the Writings. When people hear about such simulations, some say: "Oh, I could never do that. I could never be a hypocrite." Again, the prevailing idea is that the internal ought to come out no matter of what quality it is.

     THE ESSENCE OF HYPOCRISY

     But there are definitions in the Writings that go more deeply into this subject, showing the nature of the internal man or the hidden thoughts in cases of real hypocrisy. These teachings show that when a person is speaking the truth outwardly but does not have it in his heart, he is speaking from the memory only, not from the heart, that is, not from his spirit. In Divine Love and Wisdom 417, after explaining that this is possible because the understanding can be elevated above the natural will, it is said that "people can talk wisely in company by thought from the memory, but when not in company such people do not think from the memory but from the spirit, thus, from their love." (The ruling love is here meant).
     There are other teachings, too, that take us even further and penetrate to the essence of the matter, namely, that in the case of hypocrites there is nothing of truth and good within. This is clearly brought out:

     They outwardly appear to be in truth as to doctrine and in good as to life, but inwardly believe nothing of truth and will nothing of good. They are devoid of charity and faith, of which they nevertheless make a show in order to win others and acquire honors, gain and reputation. . . . Those within a vastated church are almost all of this character, for they have externals, but no internals.*
     * AC 4424:2

502




     Another aspect of the same state is thus presented:

     They who talk well and also do well but have regard to themselves in everything are hypocrites. They talk as angels do about the Lord, heaven, love and heavenly life, and also act rightly, so that they may appear to be what they profess to be. But their thinking is different; they believe nothing; and they wish good to none but themselves. Their doing good is for the sake of self, or if for the sake of others it is only for the appearance, and thus still for the sake of self.*
     * HH 68

     In a later number of the same work we are taught: "Interiorly they have acknowledged nature alone and not the Divine and have therefore denied what pertains to heaven and the church."*
     * HH 458

     Divine Providence, on the subject of the fourth kind of profanation, says:

     They say with the lips pious and holy things and counterfeit the affections of love for these in tone and gesture, and yet in heart do not believe and love then. . . . But the hypocrisy is lighter or more grievous in the measure of the confirmations against God and the outward reasonings in favor of God.*
     * DP 231:4

     Now, there we have something that is very important to understand: that a hypocrite does not believe what he is saying, and further, that he knows that he does not believe it. That is what makes him to be a hypocrite.
     There is not only disbelief but also contempt for true things. It is explained that "in heart (a hypocrite) ridicules them and a hypocritical preacher speaks only from the memory."* In section 3 of the same number it is even said that "when a hypocritical preacher returns home after his sermon, he laughs at everything he has set forth before his congregation about faith, or from the Word, and perhaps says to himself 'I have cast my net into the lake and have caught flat fish and shell-fish,' for such do all those who are in true faith appear to his fancy."**
     * TCR 381:1
     ** TCR 381:3
     This cynical disbelief and scorn not only for what is true and good but also for those who believe these things is the prevailing state. Yet when hypocrites are in holy things, in the sphere of holiness summoned by others who do believe and who do live according to what they profess, they think that they do in fact believe. How is this possible? The Writings explain:

     They are like a door hung upon a round hinge that can open either way. Their mind is such because it can be opened either hellward or heavenward, and when opened to one it is closed to the other; for what is wonderful, when they are ministering in holy things and teaching truths from the Word, they do not know otherwise than that they believe in them, for the door is then closed toward hell; but the moment they return home, they believe nothing, for the door is then closed toward heaven.

503


Among consummate hypocrites there is an interior enmity against truly spiritual men, for it like that of satans against the angels of heaven.*
      *TCR 381:4, 5

     It is abundantly clear, then, that at some time they know that they do not believe what they are saying. Sometimes it is while they are speaking; in the very act of speaking they know that they do not believe what they are saying. At other times or cases, it is later on. But in either case, this cynical disbelief and contempt is the essence of hypocrisy.

     We are speaking here of a general state; let us be very clear about that. We are not referring to the occasional or recurrent states of doubt that plague the man of the spiritual church, which are called intellectual temptations-temptations to deny the truth and to believe what is false. These come to the regenerating man in his attempt to get rid of evil and falsity from his mind. That is not what is meant here. A person is only a hypocrite when as a general rule, he privately scorns the truths of faith, and knows that he is doing it. He only seemingly believes them when in company in order to be seen of men. His purpose is to gain something for himself-either a good reputation, or some honor or something of gain.

     COURTESY AND HYPOCRISY

     From this vantage point we can see that some things often thought to be hypocritical are not necessarily so. Take courtesy or good manners, as an example.
     This can be hypocritical; there is no doubt about that. But it does not have to be; it is not in the nature of courtesy itself to be hypocritical. It is only hypocritical when there is a deliberate effort to deceive and cover up the evils of self for selfish advantage. It is not hypocritical if the desire is to avoid hurting the feelings of the neighbor, or in order to encourage him and develop his talents and good qualities.
     Take, for example, the case of a little child's drawing. He says to his daddy, "Look at my horsie!" Now, what would we think of the father, who, in order to avoid being a hypocrite, looked at those scribbles on the paper and said something like this: "I don't see any horse there. All I see is something looking like the dining room table with a cat's head stuck on the end of it!"
     We would have to say that he is being honest and sincere. He is expressing outwardly what he feels and thinks within. He is not being at all hypocritical, in the common understanding of the term.
     But surely, we can see without laboring the point that in order to encourage his child to continue drawing and to improve, it is not hypocritical of the father to pretend that it is the best horse he has even seen.

504


That is not being hypocritical; it is being encouraging and creative, even though there is a discrepancy between what is inwardly thought and outwardly said. We often wonder how many Rembrandts were squashed in early childhood because the father had a fear of being thought a hypocrite!
     Take also the case of a person whose intention is to be of help; his heart is in the right place. But this good intention is not matched by an equal amount of wisdom, so that he does not quite do it as he planned. His good intention does not bear the good fruit that he intended. What is our attitude going to be? Are we going to condemn him for his mistaken ideas-for fear of avoiding the very thought of being a hypocrite; or are we going to applaud his good intention and encourage him, keeping quiet about our feelings with regard to the mess that he has made?
     Surely, it is not hypocritical when the desire is to avoid hurting the feelings of others or to encourage them. If there is any doubt about that, let us hear this:

     The simulation and cunning that have what is good as their end, whether it is of the neighbor, or that of our country, or of the church, are prudence; and the evils that are mixed up with them can be mingled with good, from and for the sake of the end. But the simulation and cunning that have evil as their end, are not prudence, but are craft and deceit, with which good call by no means be conjoined; for deceit, which is an end of evil, induces what is infernal upon all things in man both in general and in particular, places evil in the middle, and rejects good to the circumference; which order is infernal order itself. And it is the same in numberless cases.*
     * AC 3993:12

     The truth is that bad feelings and bad thoughts ought not to be expressed For one thing, they harm other people. If we keep them to ourselves, they do indeed harm us-but they harm only us. But if we give vent to them, if we give way to the temptation to throw off all restraints and express our bad feelings and bad thoughts, we can harm other people. We can harm the neighbor in particular and in general. So for that reason alone, bad feelings in the internal of our thought ought not to be expressed.
     They should be shunned as sins against the Lord. That is what should be done with bad feelings and bad thoughts. In that way we cleanse the inside of the cup and platter, and consequently cleanse the external also, for the external takes its quality from the internal.* In cleansing the inside of the cup, we are making the internal conform to the external. We make our thoughts and feelings begin to agree with the good words and actions of our external.
     * DP 103
     This is a most important difference between life in this world and life in the spiritual world.

505


There, we cannot but express our internals. In that world it is impossible to cover up what lies within. Our external must inevitably conform to our internal. That is a law of the spiritual world. However, in this world the Lord has mercifully provided that we can conceal our internals until they are reformed and regenerated; in fact, we might say in order that they may be reformed and regenerated. Only when this has taken place are our externals truly good. But, let us not be confused as to which world we are living in! In the spiritual world we make our externals conform to our internals; in the natural world we make our internals conform to our good externals.
     Sincerity is indeed the opposite of hypocrisy, but this does not mean that every thought or feeling should be expressed. Consider this number from the Spiritual Diary:

     There are some in the other life who live in a state of so-called civility . . . When any spirit comes who is not good, they speak civilly with him as if he were one who is too good to say or do anything that is amiss; such a spirit is then himself also reduced into a state of civility . . . This is not a state of dissimulation, but of sincerity, for they speak from civility.*
     * SD 4107

     In case we should think this applies only to life in the spiritual world, the next number relates it to life in this world: "In like manner in the world when any one has a good opinion of a bad man, he (the latter) cannot well refrain from appearing accordingly" (SD 4108). See also Conjugial Love 294:6, which tells us about chaste wives "concealing the love inherent in the heart and marrow, to the end that conjugial cold may not break forth with the man."
     So it is not hypocritical to withhold thoughts and feelings when there is a good end in view. Courtesy, one of the moral virtues,* requires this in order to keep the proprium (our own and that of others) subdued.
     * CL 164

     CONJUGIAL SIMULATIONS

     Take also the matter of conjugial simulations. These become necessary in cases where there is internal dissimilitude, because marriages are meant to last at least to the end of the life of both partners.* This necessity is elaborated.** We read, "This is stated so that there may be presented more manifestly to the reason the necessity, the utility, and the truth that where there is not genuine conjugial love, it is yet to be feigned, or to have it appear as if there were."***
     * CL 211
     ** CL 276-289
     *** CL 276
     Now that is strong and unmistakable language. Later in the same number the reason for these simulations is explained further: "Since the marriage covenant is a covenant for life, it follows that appearances of love and friendship between married partners are necessities.*

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They are even called praiseworthy, as we read: "These appearances are conjugial simulations, which are laudable because useful and necessary . . . (They) differ entirely from hypocritical simulation: for by them all those goods recounted in order below, in sections 11-20 are provided for."**
     * Ibid.
     ** CL 279
     Now let us look briefly at those goods or uses referred to that are provided for by means of conjugial simulations. They are for the sake of amendment and for accommodation;* for preserving order in domestic affairs, and for mutual help;** for unanimous care of infants and children;*** for peace in the house;**** for reputation out of the house;***** for various favors expected from the married partner;****** for having blemishes excused and thus for the avoidance of disrepute;******* for reconciliation;******** for friendship.*********
     * CL 282
     ** CL 283
     *** CL 284
     **** CL 285
     ***** CL 286
     ****** CL 287
     ******* CL 288               
     ******** CL 289
     ********* CL 290
     These good uses performed by conjugial simulations are certainly a far cry from hypocritical simulations, in which the intention is to deceive for the sake of self and the world. The intention in hypocritical simulations is to cover up evil and to prevent the unregenerate self from being damaged.
     It is to be emphasized especially that the good uses performed by conjugial simulations apply even to the case where they are used for the sake of reputation out of the house, which was included in the list of uses just enumerated. This is explained

     Fortunes of men for the most part depend upon their reputation, that they are just, sincere, and upright; and this reputation also depends upon the wife, who knows his private life. If therefore the discordance of their minds should break forth into open enmity, quarrels, and threatenings of hatred, and these were noised abroad by the wife and her friends, and by the servants, they would easily he turned into revilings which would besmirch his name and be of bad repute. To avert such evils no other means are available but either to pay simulated court to the wife, or that they be separated as to the house.*
     * CL 286

     That Divinely revealed teaching surely gives the death-knell to the idea that we should "tell it all," and "hide nothing"; that indiscriminate self-expression is one of the goods of heaven; that it is always hypocritical to hide what we think and feel. In actual fact, when we are about to express ourselves, it would do a great deal of good to us as well as to the neighbor, if we were to ask the question first of all, Is the self worth expressing?

507




     EXTERNAL WORSHIP AND HYPOCRISY

     Sometimes external worship is thought to be hypocritical because we are acting outwardly in a holy and reverent manner, and yet know that inside there is still extortion and excess. Surely that is hypocrisy. Again, of course, it can be; but it does not have to be. We spoke earlier about a holy external without an internal, and a mere external without an internal. A well-known number from the Apocalypse Revealed is often quoted in regard to this: "In the New Church, which is the New Jerusalem, there will not be an external separated from an internal."*
     * AR 918
     Of course, the ideal New Church is what is meant, not any New Church organization in the world. The meaning is that it is hypocritical when there is no attempt to cleanse the internal in order to make it conform with a pleasing good-looking external, when instead there is an interior or secret denial of what is good and true. There is no hypocrisy in external worship if there is within it a sincere intention and attempt to co-operate with the Lord in reformation and regeneration. That is the internal that is meant. We have already seen that in the case of a hypocritical preacher, he is not disturbed by the fact that he does not believe the things of the Word, but laughs at them. He is not disturbed at all. But a sincere person, who is trying to co-operate with the Lord in his reformation and regeneration, is very troubled; he mourns, in fact, because of the lack of good and truth that he sees in himself.
     That is the difference. The one laughs, the other weeps (see Luke 6:21). It is all a matter of what the intention is, what the person is sincerely trying to do. The fact that evils and falsities have not yet been completely removed, that is, forgiven, does not make it hypocritical.
     As we all know, the purpose of external worship in the case of the regenerate is to express heavenly loves outwardly. It is therefore described in the Writings as "a sign of charity," that is, a manifestation of charity. But for the regenerating man who is not yet fully regenerated, the purpose of worship is to summon the sphere of heaven and help bring about an internal that is in agreement with his holy external. This is a very powerful means of advancing the process of regeneration.

     KINDS OF HYPOCRITES

     For the most part we have been speaking of intellectual hypocrites-those who appear very wise, who reason well in a general way, but inwardly believe nothing but falsity. They profess to believe in Divine things, but this applies only to those things that are generally received. In matters where there is no general consent, they say that it may be so, that there are different opinions according to each one's grasp, principles and disposition.

508


"From such generalities" the Writings observe, "they appear very wise . . . Inwardly, they believe nothing but falsity. This they do not confess to anyone, on account of many external bonds. . . . These people appear exceedingly wise before the world. They are intellectual hypocrites: such, also, the Lord means by hypocrites."*
     * SDm 4654
     The previous number describes briefly another kind of hypocrite, one whose hidden will is different from his outward appearance and actions. It reads: "There are hypocrites who, outwardly, counterfeit good, so that they may appear to nearly everybody to be good in act, gesture and speech, but are inwardly destitute of conscience and mercy. This sort of hypocrite is affectional."*
     * SDm 4653
     With intellectual hypocrites there is a discrepancy between the understanding and the speech while with affectional hypocrites there is a discrepancy between the will and the outward act. Obviously, this is spiritual hypocrisy, because it has regard to spiritual things. It is a matter of a person's secret attitude to the Lord. This inner denial and repudiation, covered over by a deliberate pretended belief and good will, is hypocrisy itself. It is an enormous evil. It is a sin which cannot be removed, that is, forgiven. It is the sin of blasphemy against the Holy Spirit. It cannot be removed because there is no desire to have it removed. The Lord will not remove an evil unless the man co-operates as-if-of-himself. The Lord always stands at the door and knocks; He does not barge in uninvited. Consequently, unless a person shows by his effort that he wishes to have an evil removed, it cannot he removed or forgiven. In the case of hypocrites there is a manifest desire to retain the evil of denial and rejection of the Lord. Furthermore, there is no belief in the Lord who Alone forgives; as a result there is no conjunction with the Lord, so there is no possibility of such evils and falsities being removed.
     In addition to spiritual hypocrites, there are social hypocrites who offend against the neighbor and charity. Concerning them we read:

     Inwardly in themselves, they mock others when they speak, which, nevertheless, is not apparent from their faces. They also speak in their favor by praising them, but inwardly deride them. And when they talk to others about these same persons, they ridicule them so as to affect these with the jest. They tell lies without any hesitation . . . and, in the manner above described, amuse each other with lies.*
     * SD 5138

     There is given the case of a man whom Swedenborg knew in the body who had appeared outwardly to be a very sincere man. But it was discovered in the spiritual world that he had injured no one openly but only in secret.

509


"Therefore as long as he remained undetected, he was void of compassion."* His method was to use other people to get even with his enemies, so that he would not appear to have done anything evil openly.
     * SD 4351

     FATE AFTER DEATH

     The subject of the fate of hypocrites after death would take up a whole class in itself. So we will simply make a few general observations.
     Their fate after death is the same as the outwardly evil, and also that of profaners, but it is even worse. "They suffer direful things above others."* Their good externals have to be taken away from them lest these be used to secure dominion,** or lest they be conjoined with heaven as well as hell, and in this way be pulled apart. The separation of their externals is direful and painful.
     * AC 2269e
     ** AC 8870e
     There are a great many particulars given on this subject, including the fact that hypocrites are prone to believe that there is nothing real.* This is because they live in a world of fantasy, a world lacking reality, a world of pretense.
     * SD 4345e
     Their speech strikes others with horror, sounding like the gnashing of teeth.* They become uglier than others.** But most hideous of all, they become faceless.***
     * HH 245:3
     ** HH 458
     *** SD 4357

     CAUSES OF HYPOCRISY

     What are the causes of hypocrisy, and how can we avoid it?
     Some of the causes have been mentioned already-the love of status in the world for its own sake; lusting after honors and riches or eminence and wealth for their own sake.*
     * CL 267
     There are other causes as well, namely, that they are the lowest natural men, that is, sensual. This causes them to attribute everything to nature, denying everything spiritual.*
     * SD 5100
     This is elaborated in a number already mentioned:

     Hypocritical faith is no faith. Man becomes a hypocrite when he thinks much about himself and places himself before others, for thereby he directs his mind's thoughts and affections to his body, immerses them in it, and unites them with its senses. He thus becomes a natural, sensual, and corporeal man, and then his mind cannot be withdrawn from the flesh to which it adheres, and be raised to God, and cannot see anything of God in the light of heaven, that is, anything spiritual. And because he is a carnal man, the spiritual things that enter (that is, through his hearing into his understanding), seem to him only like something spectral, or like down floating in the air; therefore in heart he ridicules them.

510


For it is well-known that the natural man looks upon what pertains to the spirit, that is, spiritual things, as hallucinations.*
     * TCR 381:1
     Another cause is the lust of dominion from the love of self. This, of course, is not to be confused with the love of ruling from charity. Some people in the love of dominion from the love of self were examined in the spiritual world and were found to be hypocrites; "for he who desires to rule is nothing else: he is not able to acknowledge the Divine in heart."*
     * SD 5791e
     Another cause is the idea that they are able to do everything they wish, and that no one knows or observes them.* No doubt this comes from their having no confidence in anything but themselves.**
     * SD 3252
     ** SD 4353
     Another cause is the habit of always having something else in their thoughts than what was being said when others were speaking to them, even though they pretended to believe them.*
     * Ibid.
     There is a further cause that has direct reference to our external worship. It is that "they thought nothing interiorly about God as they spoke."* That is why we are warned so often against much speaking in external worship. It is so easy to mouth words outwardly without any interior thought of what we are saying; as, for instance, when we suddenly find that we have completed the Lord's Prayer in worship without realizing that we had embarked upon it. That is a sure sign that we are not thinking "interiorly about God" as we are speaking.
     * SD 5768

     AVOIDANCE OF HYPOCRISY

     How do we avoid hypocrisy? Briefly, the answer is: by shunning as sins against the Lord the causes of hypocrisy just enumerated-the tendency to believe only what the senses suggest, thinking about self and placing one's self before others, the lust of dominion, believing that one is able to do everything one wishes and that no one will ever know, having no confidence in anything but one's self, and the habit of always having something else in our thought than what is being said to us, and the habit of not thinking interiorly about God as we speak holy things. If we shun those evils as sins against the Lord every time we see signs of them, we have no fear of becoming hypocritical. But equally important is keeping the ideal of sincerity before us. Let us keep that ideal before our mind at all times, because it will save us from this hideous evil of hypocrisy.
     Let us by way of conclusion quote this from the Arcana Coelestia: Those who are sincere do not wish to speak or even think anything that others may not know, in fact, all others, and even the whole heaven.*
     * AC 7747

511


REVISED STANDARD VERSION 1978

REVISED STANDARD VERSION       Rev. STEPHEN D. COLE       1978

     Increasingly one hears complaints in the church about difficulties in wing the King James, or so-called Authorized Version of the Bible. More and more one hears that the Revised Standard Version is being used because of its superior accuracy and readability. On the other hand, one hears protests that the dignity and rhythm, the familiar cadences, of the King James Version (KJV) should not be sacrificed simply for the greater accuracy of the Revised Standard Version (RSV). To allow the argument to be framed in these terms, however, is to insure that the decision will finally be made in favor of the RSV. For the subjective side of a question (some vague notion of dignity or pleasant-sounding phrases) must always give in the end to objective facts (crisp, demonstrated accuracy in this case). Let us step back a moment here, though, and ask just what is meant by the accuracy of the RSV.

     The matter of accuracy in translation has a strange way of becoming less clear when closely examined. Translation is a tricky business which involves several kinds of value judgments. Modern translation theorists have recognized that there is no such thing as simple accuracy in translation. It becomes a question of priorities, for to preserve some things means to sacrifice others. The greater accuracy of the RSV means simply that greater weight has been given to the specific priorities of those who made the revision. The question for the New Church is: How closely do these priorities coincide with those that can be established from the Writings?
     The ways in which the RSV differs from the KJV, or, as the revisors would hold, improves upon the KJV, might be classed under three heads: textual changes, changes in the theory of translation, and changes in the translation of specific words (not necessarily reflecting a different theory of translation).
     In regard to the text from which the RSV was translated, it should be noted that it was the discovery of many manuscripts more ancient than those upon which the KJV was based, along with the development of textual criticism, that originally prompted the work of revision. The RSV was intended to embody the best results of modern scholarship. How are these textual matters to be regarded from the standpoint of the New Church, though? The Writings tell us:

512




     From the Divine Providence of the Lord it has come to pass that the Word as to the sense of the letter, from its first revelation, has not been mutilated, not even as to a word or letter in the original text; for every word, and even letter in some measure, is a support.*
     * AE 1085

The text upon which the KJV is based is essentially the same as that upon which the exposition of the spiritual sense is founded in the Writings, the text as preserved to that time by the Divine Providence. The text upon which the RSV is based, however, is assembled from various differing ancient manuscripts according to the estimations of the scholars. And these manuscripts, it should be well noted, although ancient, are certainly not the original manuscripts. Of the text established for the RSV, Dr. H. L. Odhner stated: "And any version which is fixed solely by human prudence and external judgment is bound to be invalidated in the eyes of the New Church" ("Wanted: A New Church Edition of the Scriptures!" New Church Life, 1946: 565). Of what use is a text of the Word which differs from that upon which the spiritual sense is founded? Examples should perhaps be given of the actual differences one finds in the text from which the RSV is translated.
     In Genesis 9:10 the KJV reads ". . . and of every beast of the earth with you; from all that go out of the ark, to every beast of the earth." The KJV follows the Septuagint (LXX) in omitting the last phrase as a needless repetition. The Arcana, however, says of this phrase:

Thus the "wild animal of the earth" is named a second time, and there would not be this repetition unless something else were here meant. . . . From this it is evident that by the "wild animal of the earth" are signified all in the universe who are outside the church.*
     * AC 1030

In Genesis 24:67 the KJV reads: "And Isaac brought her into his mother Sarah's tent." 'The RSV drops the spiritually significant (AC 3210) "his mother Sarah's." In the New Testament we search in vain for the last sentence of the Lord's Prayer (Mat. 6:13) or for the description of the angel troubling the waters of Bethesda (John 5:3, 4). The second edition of the RSV New Testament at least restores some of the significant deletions (e.g. Mark 16:9-20, John 7:53-8:11) on the basis of the ever changing estimations of the ancient manuscripts.
     The RSV also makes some surprising additions to the text of the Word. Probably puzzled by the apparent omission after the words "And Cain said to Abel his brother," (Gen. 4:8), several ancient versions invent the words: "Let us go out to the field," which do not occur in the original Hebrew. Similarly uncomfortable with the text as it stood, the revisors borrowed the extra phrase from the ancient versions.

513


Likewise in Genesis 21:9 the words "with her son Isaac" are added. These are just selected examples. There are many more cases of deletion or addition. How concerned need we be about such things? Let the teaching of the Writings be remembered:

Be it known that in the spiritual sense all things hang together in a continuous connection, which is fitted together in such a manner by the force and meaning of all the words in the literal or natural sense, that if even a little word were taken out of it, the connection would be broken and the coherence would perish. In order to prevent this, it is added at the end of this prophetical book (Revelation), that not a word shall be taken away (Rev. 22:19). It is the same with the books of the prophets of the Old Testament: in order to prevent anything from being taken away from them it came to pass of the Lord's Divine Providence that everything down to the very letters was counted. This was done by the Masorites.*
     * SS 13

This makes clear in the strongest terms how great a defect the textual approach of the revisors constitutes with regard to the usefulness of the RSV to the New Church.
     As to the attitudes towards translation reflected in the revision, several points may be made. One of the most notable signs of the humility with which the translators of the KJV regarded their awesome task is their open admission of what words they felt it necessary to add in making their translation. They did this simply by italicizing such words in the translation. Sometimes one may feel that the words added are unneeded. In other places the added words betray a misunderstanding of what the text is actually trying to say. Perhaps the most familiar case of this is in John 7:39: "for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified." The word "given" was added because of the interpretation put upon the passage by Christian theology. But the fortunate thing in this case, or in any other such case, is that the unwarranted words are clearly set off in italics. In the RSV, however, this practice was not followed. In the passage just cited, the word "given" is included without apology and without any indication that it is not in the original. It is pleasing to note that the word ghost is replaced by spirit, but unfortunately the revised test deletes the word "Holy". A significant case of the difficulties introduced by the lack of italics in the Old Testament is found in 2 Samuel 6:6. In the KJV we read: "Uzzah put forth his hand to the ark of God." In the Arcana, however, the words "his hand" are not included when the passage is quoted, and we are told that this is because of the violence that would be done to the angels should the words actually referring to such a profane thing be included.* It is unfortunate that the words are included even in italics in the KJV, but it is certainly more unfortunate that the RSV includes them with no indication that they do not occur in the Hebrew.

514


The matter of dropping the italics, however, is just one minor point illustrating a generally freer approach to translating taken in the RSV.
     * AC 878
     Perhaps the most damaging aspect of the RSV, from a correspondential point of view, is a practice carried on from the earlier American revision of the KJV. This practice is the attempt to provide what is called in the preface of the latter revision the psychological sense of the words of the original, especially when the literal translation of the words might be offensive. What this means will be clear if we take an example. One way that grief is expressed in Jeremiah is, according to the version of King James, "my bowels are troubled for him" (31:20). Bowels is a very literal rendering of the Hebrew word involved. The KJV, as a matter of fact, almost always gives bowels as a translation of this particular Hebrew word. The revisors, however, felt that the word bowels in such an expression of grief would be foreign and perhaps even offensive to the ears of the reader of the English. The passage just quoted, therefore, reads in the RSV: "my heart yearns for him." This, they say, is the psychological equivalent in English. The "psychological" meaning of a given Hebrew word (or Greek for that matter) apparently changes from passage to passage, for instead of consistent literal translation found in the KJV, we find the word translated in the RSV twice as bowels, once as womb, twice as stomach, once as breast, three times as heart, twice as body, three times as soul, once as anguish, and four times in a way that deserves further mention.
     In Genesis 15:4 we read, "But he that shall come forth out of thine own bowels shall be thine heir," in the KJV. The RSV, however, makes this simply: "your own son shall be your heir." The explanation of the spiritual sense of this passage given in the Arcana (1803) is largely devoted to unfolding the specific spiritual meaning of bowels. In the course of the treatment three other passages referring to bowels (at least in the Hebrew or the KJV) are also noted. In two of these passages the RSV translates the word in question as heart and in the other drops it in the same fashion as in the Genesis passage. The question is, of course, what kind of foundation does such a translation provide for the spiritual sense? Some of the dearest examples of the science of correspondences in the Writings are the correspondences of the parts of the human body. It is therefore instructive to note how just such examples are "psychologically" translated in the RSV. The case of the word bowels is not isolated. In Psalm 7:9 the RSV calls the hearts and reins "minds and hearts"! This reverses the correspondential meaning. Nor is this confusing translation even consistent, for in Revelation 2:23 we find reins and hearts have become "mind and heart."

515


In Lamentations 2:11 where the KJV gives us "my bowels are troubled, my liver is poured upon the earth," the RSV has "my soul is in tumult, my heart is poured out in grief." This should be a sufficient sampling to show what the philosophy of "psychological" translation means and what results it yields. Now let us see the philosophy of translation reflected in the Writings contrasted with this.
     The rendering of the Word into the Latin found in the Writings is so literal that some have felt that it should not even be called a translation but should be regarded as a word for word transcription of Hebrew or Greek words into Latin words. One finds that even the order of the words in the original is generally preserved. We note, however, that often these Latin renderings were not done by Swedenborg, but were accepted by him from the Latin version Published as a translation by Sebastian Schmidius. This is mentioned because a statement Swedenborg made as to his reasons for accepting the version of Schmidius is enlightening in the present context:

That, nevertheless, many have drawn from it [the Word] no other sense than the literal, is so evident a truth that everyone might have known it merely from the fact that he supposes man can draw historical information from the Word merely by ordinary application, as in the case of other books. This, I say, is an evident truth; for men now care for nothing else, and this because we are in ultimates and in things natural, so that one is entirely ignorant of things spiritual. For this reason, also, the translators themselves, being of the same persuasion, have given little study to the translation of the exact words of the text from their fountain head as done by Schmidius, but, in the case of many of them, have studied merely elegances of speech. Hence the words themselves have been changed [for words] which involve mere history. Thus they entirely take away the light which lies solely in the sense evolved from the exact words.*
     * Word Expl. 2073

     This could clearly be applied to the philosophy of translation of the revisors. As we have seen, they take the exact words of the text and replace them with words that suggest their own opinion as to the psychological force of the literal sense. But, it is obvious, for the use of the New Church the highest priority is not simply to make some sense from the letter. It is quite plain that the descent of the Divine Truth to the natural plane of accommodation means that sometimes the merely natural sense was sacrificed or distorted in order that something spiritual might be preserved. Thus in Genesis 35:26 we read "these are the sons of Jacob, who was born to him." The verb, which to fit the natural sense should be plural, is made singular to convey spiritual meaning (AC 4610). Such a peculiarity as this, however, is not preserved even in the KJV, let alone in the looser RSV translation.

516


The preservation of such peculiarities would obviously be a goal of a New Church translation. An interesting point is made in the Writings: that where such strange expressions are more prevalent in the sense of the letter, as in the prophetical parts of the Word, the mind is more easily led to see that there must be a spiritual sense, but where the literal sense reads more smoothly the mind is held more firmly in the natural meaning (AC 2310). Thus we see that providing a readily understandable literal meaning is not among the highest priorities of a translation for the New Church.
     The KJV could definitely be improved upon as far as usefulness to the New Church goes, but as far as the philosophy of translation goes, the RSV does not constitute an improvement. But what of the changes in the translation of specific words, not necessarily reflecting a different philosophy translation?
     A major reason for the necessity of a revision of the KJV is that a number of the words used in the English of that translation have dropped out of regular use, and that a number of others, although still used, have changed significantly in meaning. There are places, then, where the RSV has been able to make simple, but very definite improvements. The relative "which" was used for persons in the KJV. This is now jarring to the English-speaking person. One is therefore pleased to find which replaced by who in Revelation 1:4: "Grace be unto you, and peace, from him which is, and which was, and which is to come." It is likewise a useful change to replace prevent by precede or come before, to give us lamp instead of candle, alive in place of quick. But unfortunately even this simple process of updating language is not without its difficulties. We read in John 1:5: "the light shineth in the darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not." It is difficult to understand what is meant by the word comprehended here. The RSV, therefore, modernizes this to "has not overcome it." The Writings tell us that in the spiritual sense the passage means that those who are in the falsities of evil do not perceive the Lord's light and thus do not receive it.* The rendering in the RSV essentially reverses the intended meaning. It is evident then that not even in this area are the revisions of the RSV all to be regarded as steps forward.
     * AE 294:16

     The overall verdict, taking into account the text, philosophy of translation, and specific instances of translation, must be that for the purposes of the New Church the RSV should not be preferred to the KJV. What is really needed is a genuinely New Church version of the whole Word. For usefulness until this is achieved, however, the KJV has not yet been superseded.

517


DO WE MEAN WELL? 1978

DO WE MEAN WELL?       FRED ELPHICK       1978

     ". . . But a fact is like a sack. . . . when it's empty it won't stand up. First of all you must pour into it all the reasons and all the feelings which have caused it to exist. . . ." PIRANDELLO

     The art of conveying facts to others, the knack of making them "stand up" is essential to the growth of the church. The ways of developing such an art deserve careful study in the light of our unique philosophy. What follows is, so to speak, a preliminary skirmish.

     Angels and spirits ". . . use familiar words, and no word is introduced which multiplies the sense, or diverts it in other directions; they also (take care) that nothing of self-love (springing) from artful elegance and arrangement of the words may inflow, for these things distract (the mind). . . ."*
     * SD 3423
     How effectively the mind can be distracted is clear from this piece of unbeautiful educational jargon: "It is striking that our universities, populated by characterological individualists, are so unpluralistic intellectually."*
     * Quoted in New Scientist, 1974/1:153
     Those who have studied the problem of effective communication echo what the Writings say-avoid superfluity, use familiar words and prefer the concrete to the abstract.* A good example is Sir Neville Mott's introduction to solid state physics. "If you take a paperclip and bend it, it stays bent; it doesn't spring back and it doesn't break."** This illustrates what it is for a substance to be ductile rather than brittle. A paper clip is a familiar object, as are the concepts of bending, springing back and breaking.

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The words themselves are simple and economically used. But do the Writings show this preference for the concrete over the abstract?
     * Complete Plain Words, Gowers. Penguin, 1913:80
     ** Scientific American, 1967/9:80
     Those things in the mind received via the senses (concrete) are said to have two uses. They enable interior things to act and also to be seen ". . . for man sees interior things in the sensuous . . . almost as he sees affections in the face. . . ."* Just as one can see another's mood by his expression so one can see spiritual things reflected in the plane of the senses. We can see that the Writings do not emphasize lower things for their own sake-you don't pay special attention to the words themselves when you hear a speech. Lower things are for the sake of higher-without them man could not think at all.
     * AC 5165:2
     This goes a long way in explaining why the Writings themselves are so rich in comparisons taken from the natural world and suggests that an important part of the art of accommodation is the ability to find apt comparisons.
     If one were to ask a skilled speaker how he accommodates to his audience, he may well reply, "With difficulty!" He would be saying, in not too many words, that accommodation does not come easily; that there are very few bad communicators and that he, certainly, is not one of them. He had to learn the hard way.
     It is when a barrier to communication is sensed that the need to accommodate is felt. This is no area in which one resigns oneself to incomprehensibility. Skills can, by definition, be learned. I believe that the Writings contain the guiding principles which we can use to develop such skills. Just how difficult it can be is exemplified in Divine Love and Wisdom 291. The problem is to explain in terms that men can understand how it is that the spiritual sun is neither part of the Lord, nor a separate entity, but proceeds from Him. The angels "said that they perceive it clearly in their spiritual light, but that it is difficult for them to put it before man in his natural light. . . ." So they take it to a lower level.
     They liken the spiritual sun to the sphere around the body of an angel which, though not the angel himself, makes him perceptible to others. (Otherwise he would be invisible) Yet the sphere is not something which exists separately from the angel. So with the Lord. The angels know that the body is an image of the Lord and that the sphere around it likewise corresponds to the spiritual sun. They use this correspondence to 'bend' their wisdom to the understanding of man.

519




     "ANOTHER FORM"

     The problem of accommodation is to find suitable forms of truth which can be grasped at the appropriate level. The Writings give thought-provoking examples of this "coming forth" of accommodation. Good, they say, in a form visible to the understanding is truth; the will, perceptible to the internal sight, is the understanding; similarly "Thought clothes itself with another form when it becomes speech, but still it is the thought that so comes forth or proceeds; for the words and tones with which it is clothed are mere additions that cause the thought to be appropriately perceived." Further, "In like manner the will assumes another form when it becomes action, but still it is the will that is presented in such a form; the accompanying gestures and movements are merely additions that cause the will to appear to, and affect, the beholder appropriately."*
     * AC 5337:2
     If you understand my words and are not affected by them, I have failed to accommodate-perhaps I lack the affection of truth.*
     * See Developing the Affection of Truth, by the Rev. L. R. Soneson, NCL 1977:No. 10

     HARMONY

     But consider the word 'accommodate' itself. It emphatically does not mean "water down" or "distort"-it is a comfortable word. We find no black sheep in its family of meanings; all is pliant, positive and confirmatory. Its Latin parents "ad" (to, towards, in the direction of) and "commodus" (of due measure, convenient) combine to say, "Looking towards what is in accord, befitting and suitable." [Two more words, "juxta" (close to) and "aptus" (fit) give the further definitions, "adapt" and "adjust".]
     The 'looking towards' is to a joining, a harmony. The Writings say that just as accommodation looks towards application so both look towards conjunction.* For example, a man may " discern what is good and true, choose what is suitable and apply it to the uses of life,"** thereby joining principle and practice. A similar joining is the aim in teaching the truth (accommodation) and leading thereby (application) to the good of life (conjunction). Exactly what may be implied by the words "and lead thereby" will he discussed in its place. First we have a closer look at the word "application".
     * TCR 370               
     ** AC 10227:3

520




     FOLDING

     At once we are struck both by the simplicity of the principle (that of folding or bending) and its complexity in use. "To fold" in Latin is plicare and it gives rise to a surprising number of offshoots. In what follows, the imaginary folding of a piece of paper, look out for the "plic" "ply" or "ploy" (which all mean bend) in the English words.
     If we fold it many times we complicate, in half we duplicate; repeating the action, we replicate, hence replica, reply. Wrap a present in many folds (multiply); the parcel suggests contents within (implicit); unwrap it and they are explicit, hence explicate or explain. Only a little extension of the idea of enfolding lets us say that bad people are implicated in crimes while good people are employed in useful work. (Still keeping to the concrete, even the physical movement of folding may suggest a wave motion-think of light, heat and sound, with their potential for communication. Spinning, weaving, plaiting, lead to other aspects: concealing, protecting, manifesting, use.) Perhaps the foregoing is enough to suggest the richness and variety of the field without spreading too much obscurity on the central idea of application, which means, "bring into contact, present, devote, direct"-in a word, BEND.

     STUDY TO BEND

     Folding that idea in mind, what may be implicit in this passage? "The man whose rational is such as to be only in truth. . . . is a morose man, suffers nothing, is against all, sees everybody as if in falsity, rebukes at once, chastises, punishes, feels no pity, does not apply himself and study to bend minds; for he regards everything from truth and nothing from good."* Swedenborg himself would have found it impossible to believe that such is the nature of a truth-bound mind unless "I had been taught by living experience."** We can all think of people who have (or had) something of this quality and may even see here a picture of ourselves. (Once, my wife got exasperated with some intolerant, know-all remarks I was making and called me a bigotted bigot-which tells something about the masculine and feminine mind!)
     * AC 1949:2               
     ** Ibid.
     What is significant is the emphasis of the passage on attitude and the implied need to study the means of leading, or bending, other minds; which means a serious application, or bending, of one's own mind. Contrast the mulish intolerance described above with, ". . . a parent who is teaching his little boys and girls; when he is teaching, he sets forth everything in accordance with their genius, although he himself thinks from what is more interior or higher; otherwise it would be teaching without their learning, or like casting seed upon a rock."*
     * AC 2533:2

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     How different this is from the self-centered attitude which says, "I am only interested in the truth (that is, my rational truth)-aren't I compelling?" Such a person may talk much of spiritual things but yet, in being a bad listener and perhaps dogmatic, convey the wrong spirit.
     And now to the words, mentioned above, ". . . and lead thereby to the good of life." This could mean: 1. Teach the truth and by so doing lead to good. 2. Teach the truth and by means of the truth taught, lead to good. 3. Teach the truth and lead by the way you teach it, to good.
     There are few people who would agree with the first interpretation-just teaching touches no more than the memory, if that far. It may be held that this is 'leaving people in freedom' but that would be to assume that people are free before they have received the truth with some affection-they have to have something to exercise their choice about. Leaving people in freedom does not mean "Stew in your own juice."
     "To teach truth without good is to walk like one who is blind, because good teaches and leads, and truth is taught and led."* In an editorial,** Rev. Cairns Henderson wrote, "Without impinging upon or taking away the freedom of the layman, without making individual and detailed statements as to how the truth is to be applied, the priesthood can indicate in a general way how interior truths may be applied to act in professional, business and industrial life, as well as in the political sphere and in the church, in the community and the home. The principles which bear upon the state or situation can be presented, and the general way in which they may be applied to act may then be shown. How they are to be applied in act, with all the details that this involves, should then be left for the individual layman to work out in the enlightenment that belongs to his field or use. In this way priests and laymen can lead and be led by the truth of the Word to the good of life. Teaching is not enough. The truth must be accommodated by being related to life. Then it must be related in life to act by those who are taught. Thus do they assist one another."
     * AC 4844:4
     ** NCL 1973:No. 2

     Application in teaching entails the use of rational argument and demonstration which agrees with what is being taught in the Writings. It is significant that the power of truth is said to consist in these two-the natural sense of the Word and the natural light of man.*
     * AR 143

522



     Leading by good seems to involve the use of previously-taught truth and the seeking of a response by the way it is taught. But who ". . . can wish to love the Lord and the neighbour, and who can wish to be wise, unless he feels and perceives that which he loves, learns and imbibes as his own? Who otherwise can retain it?"*
     * DLW 115
     Is not studying to bend minds a striving to elicit a response and is this not an image of the Lord's constant effort to accommodate Himself to man?* One cannot respond to something without some feeling of possible ownership-it would be like eating food for someone else's stomach. And reception is nothing unless applied (bent) to use.** But what is the way of teaching which reaches where people live? The Writings say that good wishes to communicate its joy to all, for good communicates with good*** ". . . from a sort of open attitude of the will."****
     * See TCR 370
     ** HH 351:3; AC 81-39
     *** AC 2149:3
     **** AC 1392
     A sort of open attitude, joyful! Perhaps this is a little too idealistic. Yet one who fails to teach with something of these qualities, too much wrapped up in terms, perhaps merely paraphrasing passages from the Writings instead of explaining them and almost certainly dogmatic-this person is not teaching; because there is no attempt to show application, no determination to accommodate, no bending minds. And the effect is sad.
     The poet, John Tessimond wrote:

And the question finds no answer
And the tune misleads the dancer
And the lost look finds no other,
And the lost hand finds no brother
And the word is left unspoken,
Till the theme and thread are broken.

     What has been outlined so far has laid emphasis on the skill, which can be learned, of expressing the abstract by means of the concrete-powerful accommodation springing from the affection of truth as it strives for response; all this held to be implicit in the Writings themselves.
     If this was an original idea, we could suggest areas where the subject could be developed; preaching, teaching, translating, missionary work-any field which involves getting ideas as accurately as possible out of one mind into another. But that kind of suggestion rarely succeeds and, in any case, there must be those who are already pursuing such research in their own fields. Two recent studies that come to mind are The Use of Sensuals in the Formative Years,* and Angelic Methods of Instruction.**
     * NCL 1973:No 8
     ** NCL 1977:No. 2

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     The realm of Swedenborg's comparisons is a fertile source of ideas. No one reading the True Christian Religion can fail to notice the vast range and sheer quantity of them. A fascinating study of the use of metaphorical language appears in the New Philosophy by the Rev. R. S. Junge* entitled Comparison, Analogy and Real Correspondence. This is invaluable reading for one who wants to study the subject in depth. The main thesis that the understanding of comparison, metaphor and analogy forms a plane in the mind from which a view of real correspondence can be had. We can see that young children notice that one thing is like another-they love games in which they match things or put them in pairs. This capacity for comparing can give rise to naming a thing from its similarity to something else: You are like a pig (comparison) becomes You are a pig (metaphor). Through analogy (similarity, parallelism, equality of proportion, ratio) the mind can be further raised. To see, for example, the analogy between parasitic ants and viruses one has to notice that both take over the genetic apparatus of the host, in one case the queen ant of another species and in the other, a living cell. This requires more abstract thought.
     * NP 1975:Nos. 7-9
     As these levels of illustration all occur in the Writings, it is the present thesis that a study of these can teach us how, to accommodate and further, that the very effort will bring new enlightenment. The True Christian Religion 258 shows vividly what happens when someone bends the literal sense of the Word, which communicates with heaven, to confirm what is false. This communication is pictured as the throwing of a container from man to angel, the angel perceiving the contents. "This may be compared to a, shining bladder filled with gall which is thrown towards another, and which bursts in the air before reaching him, and the gall is scattered about; whereupon the other, when he smells the air infected with the gall, turns away, and shuts his mouth lest it should touch his tongue." In the next example, the container becomes a leather bottle held together by Cedar twigs, with worm-filled vinegar instead of gall; the nauseated angel fans the stench away from his nostrils. Then it is compared to an almond shell concealing a young snake; when it breaks loose it seems to fly towards the eyes of the angel. The various translations differ in their treatment-I have used the ones which seem to fit the correspondence most closely. Which leads me to earnestly plead for your support of the Swedenborg Society. We desperately need new translations and revisions; many countries are virtually without the Writings altogether.)     
     I have to resist the temptation to dwell on the details of these comparisons.

524


Intellectually, we can understand that confirming falsity takes away communication with heaven but does not the power of accommodation fill out and embody that notion? Here is a picture of the complete revulsion an angel has for the spiritual sense polluted; his taste, smell and sight withdraw instantly like "the point of a needle touching the fibril of a nerve or the pupil of the eye." (ibid.) Does this not "bend" the mind?
     It is a fairly simple matter to adapt the example by opposites to show what joy is produced in an angel when the Word is read to confirm truth-the contents of what he receives are now sparkling clear, fragrant and delightful to the taste. There must be literally hundreds of such potent comparisons which, if studied and developed, could be an effective tool in bending minds. I wonder if it would be useful to collect them and build up a concordance based on what is being illustrated. If there is interest in this I would be happy to begin by building up a file on these lines, any suggestions or contributions being welcome. Similarly in the field of philosophy there is a need for clear up-to-date illustrations of Swedenborg's philosophical concepts, drawn from modern research in all fields.*
     * See New Illustrations Needed, by Lennart Alfelt, NP 1961:Nos. 4-6.
     It seems clear that as a man can read and have an understanding of the Writings on a natural level they must have a natural sense. Sweeping statements to the effect that they do not have a spiritual sense (if they must be made) need to be examined very carefully. Surely we are not sending back 'empties' to the angels when we read the Writings from spiritual affection! If we taste and see truths new to us in the intermediate earthy-heavenly comparisons of the Writings this is like "Benjamin' who has to be present, alive and well, before Joseph can be united with his brothers, that is, before we can see real correspondence.* I believe the key to accommodation lies in this intermediate plane of communication-a science, if you like, of meaning well.
     * AC 5411, 5413, 5688, etc.
     "The truths of the literal sense of the Word are not always naked truths but appearances of truth, being, as it were, similitudes and comparisons taken from natural things and accommodated to the perception of simple people and children. But because they are also correspondences, they are the receptacles and abodes of pure truth; they are the vessels that contain it, as a crystal cup contains good wine, or a silver dish nourishing food. They are also like garments, such as the swaddling clothes of an infant, or the beautiful dress of a girl; they are also like the knowledge of the natural man, which involves the perceptions and affections of spiritual truth."*
     * TCR 215

525


BEATRICE NELSON SYNNESTVEDT 1978

BEATRICE NELSON SYNNESTVEDT              1978

     (Mrs. Kenneth P. Synnestvedt)

     (Mrs. Synnestvedt suffered the first of a long series of strokes at the Synnestvedt summer home, "Meadowridge," On August 28th, 1963. During the first five years after her initial stroke, she often regained full consciousness, and for a period was even able to undergo physical therapy. She was finally taken into the spiritual world on August 29th of this year. )          

     A RESURRECTION ADDRESS BY THE REV. NORMAN H. REUTER

     The teaching of the Lord in His Word is that the Divine Providence oversees the life of each one of us from birth to the end of existence on earth, and then on into eternity. It is pointed out that if this were not the case, human relations in this world and afterward in the spiritual world would be in utter confusion. Indeed, chaos, destruction, and annihilation would result.* Further it is revealed that a governing factor in the secret operations of Divine Providence is that in all that it does it regards-keeps in constant view-what is of infinite and eternal consequence, and temporary things, that is, earthly things, only insofar as they accord with and subserve eternal considerations.** Also we are given to understand that only that is provided, or permitted to happen, which can be of use-use to all concerned, and indeed, to all of human society here and hereafter.
     * DP 333
     ** Cf. DP 46, 214
     The fact that we may not be able to see the use of some event, or series of events, and their consequences, does not invalidate the truth that a use, or many uses, are involved. Our perception of Divine purpose and operation is obscured by the distorted nature of our natural plane of thought and feeling; also by its inevitable time-space orientation, and by the limited, temporary goals that are native to the natural-sensual mind.
     Only an infusion of the spiritual can free us from this mental obscurity and consequent temptation to doubt, which elevation for the most part takes place infrequently and fleetingly. For this reason we are told that we cannot see providence in the face, but only in retrospect
     However, if we think affirmatively from the truths of revelation, endeavoring to understand that the Divine love can only act according to the laws of order, and that temporal occurrences must serve eternal ends, then we can come into a state where we can try to see how the Lord provides for good even in situations of disorder.

526


We can speculate concerning natural circumstances as to how they may be spiritually useful. We can seek confirmation of truth revealed about the relation of natural (or temporal) and spiritual (or eternal) things. May not this be an entering intellectually into the mysteries of our faith? To do so is to think and ponder from the truth of revelation, not from human prudence. Without this affirmative approach we can never see the truth in truth, nor the mercy in the Lord's provisions or permissions.
     One of the teachings of the Writings concerns the need of the sensual plane of experience as a basis for eternal individuality and identity. As long as the senses are open to the world, images, impressions and sensations are laid down for eternal use. With those who have been close to Beatrice Nelson Synnestvedt in the last period of her earthly life, it is not hard to believe that, in spite of her disability, many sensations, sense impressions, and thus an external basis for spiritual development in eternity, took place. Although it appears that she had little or no choice in seeking and selecting those sensations, yet can we not believe that a kind of sensual basis continued to be laid down during her last fifteen years, which will uniquely serve her eternal needs?
     For over and above each person's as-of-itself choices and actions in this life, is not the Lord always leading to prepare each one for his or her place in the grand man-for the individual's eternal use? We often think of one's earthly relation to use, for example, as wife, mother, worker in a church organization and in society in general. Yet all this activity is only preparation for an eternal use which has less local implications. This wider and deeper concept of use is difficult to grasp, to visualize; for it is not easy to see the spiritual within the natural. Yet that is the opportunity and invitation given us by the Lord in the revelation of His second coming-an invitation to endeavor to perceive spiritual use within natural events.
     By implication we have been thinking of what use Beatrice's fifteen years of physical disability could possibly have been to her, viewed not in time and space, but as to its eternal effects. However the operation of Providence has not only regard in the series of events affecting one person's earthy life so as to meet the needs of that spiritually developing individual, but also it regards all others associated with that person, or in communication with her. The chain of events in any one's life does not take place in a vacuum, but is interwoven with the life and eternal development of many, many others.

527



     A great number of people have been both naturally and spiritually affected by Beatrice's situation in recent years. Of course, the influence on others of a person's earthly life is true of us all, but in Beatrice's case there are certain unusual aspects. In varying degrees immediate family, other relatives, close friends and even acquaintances, as well as a score of nurses have been brought to reflect on the operation of providence in human lives, due to close or remote contact with her. How many have had their faith in God's providence tested by reflection on her long period of physical disability? How many have thought from their own prudence that they would have arranged things differently than the Lord has provided and permitted? How many have been brought to think of spiritual things, and the bearings of this life on the next, because of some association with and reflection upon her illness? How many have had to evaluate their responsibilities in regard to the situation that has quietly been going on these many years in the Synnestvedt home? How many? We do not know; but we can surmise, even perceive, and thus believe, that a use has been involved for many people, many beyond the immediate household. Bonds of affection, understanding and love have been woven that otherwise would not have been. Isn't this in the Providence of the Lord? In the midst of physical disorder cannot we see a leading to an inner order of many varying affections with a variety of people being woven into an enduring pattern of use? In the providence of the Lord the delineation of spiritual order and use is ever seeking ultimation, even in conditions of earthly disorder and confusion. The Lord's providence never ceases in bringing its healing and merciful effects upon each one of us.
     Any situation affects each person differently. For many who were not in contact with Beatrice's disabled condition, her personality disappeared from their daily life fifteen years ago. That vibrant personality had been active in the community not only as wife and helpmate, as mother to her children and others needing mothering, as confidante and refuge for many a teenager, but also as a cheerful worker and efficient organizer in many church and community activities. Cooperating with her husband, she had an integral part in initiating and setting up the church's tape recording program, which since has grown, and now serves the church and the Academy in so many ways. Her organizing ability brought her to the presidency of the Bryn Athyn Women's Guild for a number of years; and whenever there was a task to be done she was ready to lend a helping hand.
     One project she dreamed of, planned and worked for, was the Synnestvedt mountain home-Meadowridge.

528


This was not only to be a family retreat, but also a glorious setting in which to express her hospitality. And although she only had a few years to use and enjoy this place of delight, she has been an invisible hostess along with her husband to hundreds of people, thereby serving both private and community needs.
     Now this vibrant personality, after years of quiescence, has been called by the Lord to her final field of usefulness in the spiritual world. Today she is awakening there-an experience the more marvelous because of what she has lived through in recent years. Freed from the disabilities of a body which could no longer serve her, she is awakening to the reality of inner active life, clothed with a body which will serve her needs and respond perfectly to her desires.
     While it is not possible for us to judge with certainty concerning the states of anyone in the life following release from the body, still it is possible and proper to surmise on future states based on knowledge and observation of past states while living on earth. Like the angels themselves, we should look to and dwell upon the good of another, this with the guarding thought that, if internals are as externals appear to be, then certain conclusions are possible. So it is that when a woman has lived more than the Biblical three score and ten years, and has also dwelt with her husband for over fifty years, then we are reminded of a passage from the work on Heaven and Hell often used as a reading in our resurrection services.

     "Those, who are in heaven are continually advancing to the spring of life; and to a spring so much the more delightful and happy, the more thousands of years they live, and this to eternity, with increase according to the progressions and degrees of their love, charity and faith. Women who have died old and worn out with age, and have lived in faith in the Lord, in charity toward the neighbor, and in happy conjugial love with a husband, after a succession of years come more and more into the flower of youth and early womanhood, and into a beauty which exceeds all idea of beauty ever perceivable by our sight. Goodness and charity is what forms and makes a resemblance of itself, and causes the delight and beauty of charity to shine forth from the minutest parts of the face, so that they themselves are forms of charity. They have been seen by some, and have excited astonishment. The form of charity, which is seen to the life in heaven, is such that charity itself is what portrays and is portrayed; and this in such a manner that the whole angel, especially the face, is, as it were, charity, which both appear and is plainly perceived; which form, when it is beheld, is ineffable beauty, affecting with charity the inmost life of the mind. In a word, to grow old in heaven is to grow young; those who have lived in love to the Lord and in charity towards the neighbor, become such forms, or such beauties, in the other life."*
     * HH 414

529


DECLARATION OF FAITH AND PURPOSE 1978

DECLARATION OF FAITH AND PURPOSE       Jr. JOHN CLARK ECHOLS       1978

     I believe that the one God of heaven and earth is the Lord Jesus Christ. The Lord is infinite love and wisdom, the Creator and Source of all life. The Lord is the Redeemer and Savior of all men.
     I believe that the Lord descended and walked among men. He defeated the hells and glorified Himself by His own power, uniting Himself with the Father, the Divine Itself.
     I believe that the Lord came again as the Spirit of Truth as foretold in the Old and New Testaments and effected in the Heavenly Doctrines for the New Church, the crown of revelations.
     I believe that the Word is the accommodation to man of the Lord's infinite truth. The Old Testament, the New Testament and the Writings reveal all that is good and all that is true to every degree of man's mind. Man must search the Word both in the letter and in the internal sense if he is to learn of the Lord and His commandments so that he may live the life of religion.
     I believe that the life of religion is to flee from evils as sins against the Lord and to do goods that are acts of true charity. So far as man exercises his freedom and rationality to love and obey the true Christian faith, so far he becomes an image and likeness of the Lord, and is saved.
     I believe that the Lord has ordained a priesthood for His church whose office it is to teach the doctrines of the New Church and thereby lead to the good of life. Every man receives enlightenment from the Lord according to his performance of his use in his office. The priest who is a good shepherd receives the enlightenment special to his use which guides his study and teaching of doctrine.
     My purpose in presenting myself for inauguration into the priesthood of the New Church is to respond to the call of the Lord, and to dedicate myself to the establishment of the church with men. I pray that in His Providence, the Lord will strengthen and enlighten me that I may serve the Lord alone in the unbuilding of His church. And in all this I pray that I may do the Lord's will.
     JOHN CLARK ECHOLS, JR.

530


IN OUR CONTEMPORARIES 1978

IN OUR CONTEMPORARIES              1978

     Convention Statement on the Writings

     The July-August issue of THE MESSENGER (Official Organ of the Swedenborgian Church) contains accounts of the annual meetings of Convention, held in Kitchener, Ontario, Canada, early in the month of July. On pp. 170-171 there is a report which I would title "Convention Statement on the Writings." I here quote it in full, preceding it with The Messenger's preliminary comments about it.
     "Tuesday afternoon's theological reflection was directed toward the question of-as it was phrased in last year's resolution-'how truth from God is posited in Swedenborg's writings.' Preliminary study was done by another committee-[the Rev. Messers.] Robert Kirven, Richard Tafel, and William Woofenden. The results of their work took two forms-a brief statement on the topic in a form adoptable as a resolution, and some background material including references and reasonings behind the statement. . . .After the panel's presentation, early discussion concerned the issue in general, especially Swedenborg's description of his revelation, and the manner of his formulating it into doctrinal writings [and then] turned to the exact wording of the statement; some two dozen changes were considered, many of which were adopted, and the final form was adopted unanimously, and recommended to Convention as a standing resolution-a recommendation which the convention accepted without dissent.
     "That statement, agreed to by twenty-four ministers and over a hundred and fifty lay delegates, reads as follows:

     Swedenborg's Revelation-Perspective of the General Convention

     "The Lord's Second Coming promised in the Gospels is described in True Christian Religion 779 as a process of spiritual reawakening, beginning with a cosmic event in which Swedenborg was called to play a key role. Through spiritual experiences while reading the Holy Word, he received truth from the Lord into his understanding. From this enlightenment, he worked out and published teachings for a new church to serve the new age of the Lord's Second Coming.

531



     "The truth of these teachings revealed by the Lord to Swedenborg is presented to us with the authority of the Holy Word from which they are drawn, and by which they are confirmed. This new revelation teaches us three essential things to believe and do. The first of these is to worship our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ as the one God in whom is the divine Trinity. The second is to hold to the conviction that the Word of God is holy, not only in its plain sense, but also because of the deeper meanings lying within it. The third is to commit ourselves to a life embodying love to the Lord and the neighbor.
     "In living these three essentials, each of us must search with discernment for critical meanings in Swedenborg's theological writings. Any written form of revelation can be misunderstood if it is insisted that a single interpretation is final and prescriptive. However, we are convinced that if love to the Lord and the neighbor permeates our perception, our church will be unified despite any number of particular differences of opinion as to interpretation and application of doctrine.
     "In former times, when Christian doctrine was hammered out by theologians or determined by church councils, unity depended on obedience to creed, with reason subservient to faith. But in this new age, the spiritual freedom of the individual has been restored.

     "Now It Is Permitted To Enter With Understanding Into The Mysteries Of Faith."
NEW CIRCLE 1978

NEW CIRCLE       LOUIS B. KING       1978

     The Lake Helen Group of Lake Helen, Florida, has been received officially as a Circle of the General Church of the New Jerusalem.
     LOUIS B. KING,
          Bishop

532


ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF THE GENERAL CHURCH OF THE NEW JERUSALEM 1978

ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF THE GENERAL CHURCH OF THE NEW JERUSALEM              1978

     During September 1977, through August 1978, one hundred seventeen members were received into the General Church. Four resigned from the church. Nineteen were dropped from the roll. Thirty-five deaths were reported. One September 1, 1978, the roll contained three thousand five hundred seventy-two names.

Membership, September 1, 1977                              3,513
     (U.S.A.-2,353. Other Countries-1,160)
New Members (Cert. 6399-6515)                              117
     (U.S.A.-89. Other Countries-28)
Deaths reported                                        35
     (U.S.A.-17. Other Countries-18)
Resignations                                        4
     (U.S.A.-3. Other Countries-1)
Dropped from Roll                                        19
     (U.S.A.-13. Other Countries-6)
Losses                                             58
     (U.S.A.-33. Other Countries-25)
Net Gain during September 1977, through August 1978          59
     (U.S.A.-56. Other Countries-3)
Membership, September 1, 1978                              3,572
     (U.S.A.-2,409. Other Countries-1,163)

     NEW MEMBERS

     THE UNITED STATES

     Arizona: Tucson
Mrs. William Esdale (Maybelle McShane)

     California: Riverside
Mr. Howard Carey Brewer

     California: San Diego
Mr. Eugene Barry

     Colorado: Alamosa
Miss Jay Ross

     Colorado: Mosca
Mr. Franklin Thomas Fiedler

     Connecticut: Huntingdon
Mr. James Earl Tucker
Mrs. James Earl Tucker (Phoebe Simons)

     Florida: Lake Helen
Mrs. William Matthew Stocker (Judith Ann Black)

533




     Idaho: Payette
Mrs. Lillian Tyler (Lillian Ditmars)

     Illinois: Glenview
Miss Joanne Edmonds
Miss Lucinda Jean Fuller
Mr. Paul Edward Healy
Mr. Robert Hyland Rose
Mrs. Robert Hyland Rose (Penelope Louise Lau)
Mr. Kerry Alan Zuber
Mrs. Kerry Alan Zuber (Holly Gail Fuller)

     Illinois: Hinsdale
Mr. David Ball Smith
Mrs. David Ball Smith (Judith Stitt)

     Kansas: Wichita
Mrs. Bruce A. Henry (Pamela Dawn Henderson)

     Maine: Bath
Mr. Jonathan Samuel Simons

     Maryland: Mitchellville
Miss Freya Heinrichs

     Michigan: Berkley
Mr. Gordon Merrell Latta
Mrs. Gordon Merrell Latta (Jency Cole)

     New Jersey: Trenton
Miss Patricia Lynn Guerieri

     New York: Jefferson Valley
Mr. Arthur Edwin Uber, III

     New York: Irvington
Mr. Dean Nathan Holmes
Mrs. Dean Nathan Holmes (Nita Junge)

     Ohio: Cincinnati
Miss Loraine Gladish

     Oregon: Days Creek
Mr. Al (Sonny) Sherman

     Pennsylvania: Audubon
Mr. Hunter Hudson Cole Smith

     Pennsylvania: Bethayres
Mrs. Catharine (van Zyverden) Odhner

     Pennsylvania: Bryn Athyn
Miss Catherine Grace Asplundh
Miss Louise Ann Beebe
Mr. Andrew Malcolm Thomas Dibb
Mr. Charles Alan Echols
Miss Patricia Lee Echols
Mr. William Charles Fehon
Mrs. William Charles Fehon (Diane Marie Morey)
Miss Sharon Fuller
Mr. Otto G. Gansert
Mr. Derek Glebe
Miss Janna Gunther
Miss Nina Gunther
Mr. William Alfred Hall
Mr. Edwin Asplundh Herder
Mrs. Edwin Asplundh Herder (Ruth Synnestvedt)
Mr. Richard William Horan
Mr. Dan David De La Hunt
Mr. Corbett S. Klein
Miss Caroline Mitchell
Mr. Alain Nicolier
Mrs. Alain Nicolier (Kathleen Ann McIlrath)
Mr. Bryon Odhner
Mr. Grant Hugo Odhner
Miss Charie Pendleton
Miss Shirley Candace Rose
Miss Marcia Gwyn Smith
Mr. Sigfried Alden Soneson
Mr. Francis Richard Stanley
Mrs. Francis Richard Stanley (Dorothy Anna Lodge)
Miss Sarah Louise Waters
Mr. Kent Wille
Mrs. Kent Wille (Camella Bronwyn Smith)

524




     Pennsylvania: Cornwell Heights
Mr. Donald Russell Jeffries
Mrs. Donald Russell Jeffries (Denise Ellen Heininger)

     Pennsylvania: Churchville
Miss Marguerite Henderson

     Pennsylvania: Feasterville
Miss Carol Ann Hemphill

     Pennsylvania: Hatboro
Mr. Carl Hyatt Kintner

     Pennsylvania: Huntingdon Valley
Mr. Geoffrey Brian Cooper
Mrs. Geoffrey Brian Cooper (Rebecca Rae Fuller)
Mr. Christopher Byrne Glenn
Miss Meghan Felicia Keegan
Miss Sherry Ann Klein
Mr. Charles Edger Long
Mrs. Charles Edger Long (Clara L. Gouch)
Mr. Gerald Vaughan Smith
Mrs. Gerald Vaughan Smith (Bonnie Elizabeth Holsman)
Miss Diane Wolvington
Miss Carla Zecher

     Pennsylvania: Jenkintown
Mr. Robert Cronlund Kern

     Pennsylvania: Kempton
Mrs. Chester John Robertson, Jr. (Susan Elizabeth Ryan)
Mr. Douglas Alan Robertson

     Pennsylvania: Philadelphia
Mrs. Harold Fell (Fern Belle Fisher)
Mr. Dennis Daniel Jones
Mrs. Benjamin Krothe, IV (Julie Lou Richards)

     Pennsylvania: Tamaqua
Mrs. John Joseph Bockorick (Christian Mueller)

     Pennsylvania: Trevose
Mrs. Clavin Anderson Field (Virginia Marie Thompson)

     Pennsylvania: Walnutport
Mr. Kenneth Carl Mueller

     Tennessee: Nashville
Miss Winyss Elizabeth Shepard

     Texas: Witchita Falls
Mr. Kenneth Karl Soneson

     CANADA

     British Columbia: Dawson Creek
Mrs. Norris Earl Bates (Laurie Doreen Friesen)
Mr. Michael Arnold Hendricks
Mrs. Michael Arnold Hendricks (Agnes Vivian McLay)
Mr. Clifford Douglas Smith
Mrs. Clifford Douglas Smith (Linda Louise Murray)

     Ontario: Kitchener
Mr. Anthony Kirk Hasen
Mr. Michael Robert Hasen

     Ontario: Lakefield
Mrs. Allen DeLos Facey (Ruth Elaine Niall)

     Ontario: London
Mrs. Philip Bradley Schnarr (Terry Susan Frazee)

     Ontario: Mississauga
Miss Susan Elizabeth Scott

     Ontario: Waterloo
Miss Joanne Elizabeth Schnarr

525




     AUSTRALIA

     New South Wales: Dungowan
Mr. Kenneth Andrew Horner

     South Australia: Cumberland Park
Mr. Charles Douglas Brock

     EUROPE

     England: Essex
Miss Janina Ann Szymbra
Miss Elizabeth Ann Waters
Mr. Raymond Edward Waters
Mrs. Raymond Edward Waters (Catherine Margaret Cameron)
Mr. Geoffrey Graham Wyncoll

     England: Hertfordshire
Mr. Richard James Cook

     England: London
Mr. Hewart Neville Homer

     England: Surrey
Miss Rachel Mary Turner

     England: Tyne and Wear
Mrs. Norman Forster (Vera Robinson)

     Sweden: Taberg
Mrs. Gustav Ingemar Fornander (Karin Birgitta Tovesson)

     SOUTH AMERICA

     Brazil: Rio de Janeiro
Mrs. Lygia (Figueira) Dalcin

     SOUTH AFRICA

     Transvaal: Parkview
Mrs. Margarethe Kunhild Ehrengard (Luise Bodild Lodemann)

     Transvaal: Sandton
Mrs. John Rowan Leal (Sybil Anne Hodgson)

     DEATHS

Areschoug, Miss Gerda Margareta, February 18, 1977, Bromma, Sweden (83).
Bond, Mrs. Thomas A. (Norma Audrey Carter), May 27, 1978, Toronto, Canada (56).
Bongers, Mrs. Egbertus (Denise Ruth Cockerell), October 22, 1977, Johannesburg, Transvaal, Republic of South Africa (69).
Boozer, Mrs. Edward George Thomas (Edith Maria Appleton), December 16, 1977, Dedham, England (93).
Brown, Mr. Robert, October 14, 1977, San Diego, Ca. (58)
Carlstrand, Mr. Sven Gustav Sigurd, DELAYED REPORT, September, 1973, Lerum, Sweden (81).
Carswell, Mrs. Harold (Constance Burnham), May 2, 1978, Bryn Athyn, Pennsylvania (86).
Colebrook, Mr. Stephen Charles Gordon, May 16, 1978, Colchester, Essex, England (81).
Cooper, Mr. John Felix, June 11, 1978, Fingringhoe, England (82).
Cooper, Miss Olive, April 21, 1978, Essex, England (86).               
Davies, Mrs. Sophie (Gaskill), September 11, 1977, San Antonio, Texas (79).
Elder, Mr. Vance C., April 4, 1978, Royal Oak, Michigan (79).
Evens, Mr. William A., February, 1977, Hanna, Alberta, Canada (88).
Fiske, Mrs. George (Helen May Falk), June 17, 1978, Glenview, Illinois (84).
George, Mrs. Samuel A. (Dora Belle Johnson), 1977, Cardington, Ohio (93).

526



Halstead, Miss Thyra Adeline, November 14, 1977, Wahroonga, N.S.W., Australia.
Hansen, Mr. Carl James, November 4, 1977, Bryn Athyn, Pennsylvania (30).
Hart, Miss Gwynneth Esbester, September 14, 1977, Devon, England (85).
Horigan, Miss Mary Jean, August 1, 1978, St. Petersburg, Florida (88).
Knechtel, Mrs. Robert George (Mary Aurelle Steen), June 19, 1978, Kitchener, Ontario, Canada (58).
Kraepelien, Mrs. Bertel (Gurli Maria Amalia Cnattingius), September 29, 1971, DELAYED REPORT, Stockholm, Sweden (76).
Lee, Mr. Raymond, May 3, 1978, Tucson, Arizona (60).
Loomis, Mrs. Lyman S. (Lydia G.), date unknown, Goranville, Ohio.
Martz, Mr. George O., July 20, 1978, Pottsville, Pennsylvania (79).
Peck, Mrs. James Newton (Katherine Simms), February 5, 1978, Huntingdon Valley, Pennsylvania (61).
Persson, Mr. Tysk Karl, August, 1972, DELAYED REPORT, Dalarna, Sweden (84).
Potter, Miss Doris Edith, October 23, 1977, Colchester, Essex, England (79).
Soderberg, Mr. Arthol, June 30, 1978, Hatboro, Pennsylvania (88).
Storrie, Mrs. Walter (Ray Cockerell), October 5, 1977, Westville, Natal, Rep. South Arica (57).
Streich, Mrs. Paul Bernhart (Ruth Lois Beard), June 17, 1976, DELAYED REPORT, Lombard, Illinois (82).
Tilson, Mrs. Victor Rudolph (Kathleen Alice Bickell), February 2, 1978, St. Albans, Herts., England (89).
Tuna, Mrs. Gote Carl Rickard (Solveig Marta Margarete Lunden), November 14, 1977, Bromma, Sweden (65).
van Zyverden, Mr. Charles (Mary Alettha Robinson), March 21, 1978, Hatboro, Pennsylvania (84).
Vinet, Mrs. Pierre (Ailene Badollet), February 1, 1978, Unadilla, Georgia (78).
White, Mr. William H., January 8, 1978, Miramar, Florida (94).

     RESIGNATIONS

Disston, Mrs. Horace C. (Kate von Morschzisker), Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Graham, Mrs. Alan McClintoch (Nora Adelaide Hamm), Canada.
Norman, Mr. Michael Alan, Sicklersville, New Jersey.
Shadel, Mrs. Karen Laura (Kofod), Huntingdon Valley, Pennsylvania.

     DROPPED FROM THE ROLLS

Ball, Mrs. Harold J. (Dorothy Avis Trickey), England.
Barnitz, Mrs. Ruth McNamee, U. S. A.
Beck, Mr. Manuel, Canada
Beck, Mrs. Manuel (Emma Agnes Kerschiten), Canada.
Bradford, Mr. Patrick, U. S. A.
Carlisle, Mr. John Weston, U. S. A.
Graef, Mrs. Roy H. (Adelina Agnes Lovegrove), U. S. A.
Greenhalgh, Mrs. Jenny Taylor, England.
Heustis, Mrs. Chester E. (Marion Parker), U. S. A.
Johnson, Mr. Ayres William Jr., U. S. A.
Leschinsky, Miss Elsie Barbara, U. S. A.

537



McDonald, Mrs. William (Agnes Nora Thompson), Canada.
Rogers, Mr. Russell Edwin, U. S. A.
Streich, Mrs. Frank (Emilie), U. S. A.
Thompson, Mr. George, Knight, U. S. A.
Tyler, Mr. David Franklin, U. S. A.
Tyler, Mrs. David Franklin (Mildred Lenora Chase), U. S. A.
Van Sickle, Dukeen, U. S. A.
Wilde, Mrs. Frank (Florence A. Tunipowski), England.
EXTENSION COMMITTEE SPEAKERS 1978

EXTENSION COMMITTEE SPEAKERS              1978

     The Rev. Douglas M. Taylor, on behalf of the New Church Extension Committee, is happy to announce the formation of "The New Word Speakers Bureau." At present the steering committee consists of Robert Heinrichs, chairman; Leon Rhodes, secretary; Ariel Gunther, Carl Gunther, V. Carmond Odhner, and the Rev. Douglas Taylor. Receipts and expenditures will be handled by the General Church treasurer in a special account set up for this use.
     The purpose of the committee is twofold. First, we are going to co-ordinate through promotion and record-keeping those speakers and their programs that already exist. Second, we intend to develop a whole series of talks dealing with the illustration and application of the major doctrines of the Word. We hope to develop talks that have universal appeal to all who seek the truth.
     To do this we will need a staff of writers who have a strong background in the knowledge of the doctrines and who have a great deal of imagination in dealing with the presentation of this knowledge. We will also need a group of men and women who enjoy public speaking and who are good at it. The latter we intend to train for the job through a developing program if necessary.
If you are interested in this use send us your name and address. Please specify what it is you would like to do to further this use.

The New Word Speakers Bureau,
Cairncrest,
Bryn Athyn, Penna. 19009

538


THANKSGIVING 1978

THANKSGIVING       Editor       1978


NEW CHURCH LIFE
Office of Publication, Lancaster, Pa.
Published Monthly by
THE GENERAL CHURCH OF THE NEW JERUSALEM
BRYN ATHYN. PA.
Acting Editor               Rev. Ormond deCharms Odhner, Bryn Athyn, Pa.
Business Manager               Mr. L. E. Gyllenhaal, Bryn Athyn, Pa.

     All literary contributions should be sent to the Editor. Subscriptions, change of address, and business communications, should be sent to the Business Manager. Notifications of address changes should be received by the 15th of the month.

     TERMS OF SUBSCRIPTION
$5.00 a year to any address, payable in advance. Single copy, 50 cents.
     November in the United States (October in many other English-speaking countries) witnesses the celebration of national days of thanksgiving. Concerning thanksgiving, we publish the following thoughts.

     DIVINE PERMISSION TO GIVE THANKS

     It is taught in the Writings that anything which happens universally in the minds of men happens actually in the spiritual world. Perhaps the converse of this is also true: What happens universally in the spiritual world happens actually in the minds of men. One of these "universal happenings" in the spiritual world is told of in The Spiritual Diary, where we read, "If a spirit purposes from himself to give thanks, he can by no means do so unless from manifest permission and leave."* The context of the words makes it clear that it is Divine permission to give thanks that is required.
     * SD 2098

539



     Anyone, of course, any time he wants to, can say words of thanks, sing songs of thanksgiving, attend a thanksgiving service of worship. These, however, are bodily acts. But what of feeling thankful, a thing of the mind? A child may count up the presents he receives at Christmas, not really thankful for what he received, but fearful that a sibling may have received more. An adult, richly blessed with external goods, may look at his great possessions and feel no thanks at all. Worse yet, while attending a service of thanksgiving worship, he may even feel in his heart no more than, "Thanks, God. I deserve it." That is not thanksgiving. Why is it that, regardless of the occasion, we sometimes feel truly thankful for what we have, at other times feel no real thanks at all? Is it not because the feeling of thanksgiving is a feeling, a love, that comes to man from the Lord? To feel thankful is a Divine blessing; and the same laws apply to it that apply to all Divine blessings.
     Divine blessings (good loves, that is, for that is what Divine blessings are) go forth from the Lord in full and equal measure to all men alike. it is impossible, rationally, to think that the Lord would will to give more of any Divine blessing to one man than to another. Rationally, we cannot even say that one man deserves more than another, for apart from what he already has from the Lord, no man deserves anything.
     All Divine blessings, all good loves, go forth from the Lord in fullness to all men alike. All men do not receive them alike, however; and that which determines the degree of reception is in the men themselves, the "recipient vessels," not in the Lord.
     Perhaps the chief of all Divine blessings is love truly conjugial. As with all good loves, this too has its origin in the Lord. And there is definite teaching in Conjugial Love as to why this love is received by some or at some times, and not received at all or rarely received by others. Concerning states of cold [loss of love] in marriage, we are told* that all spiritual heat or love (including conjugial love) has its origin in the spiritual sun, that is, the sun of heaven or the Lord. It is then implied that this love flows forth to all men alike. But when a man allows natural heat, natural loves, to rule his life, to the rejection of things spiritual, then spiritual heat, spiritual love, withdraws, doing this to keep itself from being enslaved by natural loves. Without the continuing influx of this spiritual heat, man then comes into a state of spiritual cold, and, as far as marriage is concerned, he experiences a loss of love for his partner. He: "falls out of love."
     * CL 235
     This loss of love need not be permanent, however. Love can and often does return, frequently more wonderful than before.

540


If man examines himself to see where he has allowed natural loves to rule his life; if he then corrects this situation, shunning his evils as things that separate him from the Lord's will (that is, shunning them as sins against God); then genuine love will again flow into him from the sun of heaven. "Miraculously," he will find himself in love with his partner again.
     So too with all good loves that flow forth from the Lord to man, including a genuine feeling of thanksgiving. If man is in a spiritual state fit to receive this love from the Lord, he will receive it (for the Lord wills to give it to all), and his thanksgiving will then come from his heart. If he does not feel thankful when he knows that he should, let him examine himself to see wherein he has allowed natural loves to become so important to him that they reject spiritual things. If, seeing his fault in this, he shuns his evils as sins against the Lord, his mind will again be opened to the influx of good loves from the Lord, including a genuine feeling of thankfulness.
     This, I believe, is what is meant by the teaching that we cannot give thanks from the heart, merely by proposing to do so from ourselves, or on our own, but only from manifest permission and leave.

     EDITORIAL NOTE

     With this issue I assume full responsibility for the editing of New Church Life, and as I do so I wish to acknowledge the great help of the Rev. Morley Rich, retiring editor, who spent much of the past summer coaching me in my duties. His help has been invaluable, and was given in his usual affable, quietly humorous way.
     Few of you will ever see his final gift to me, a beautifully prepared "New Church Life Publication Manual," a thorough guide through all those publication deadlines, mailing deadlines, type-sizes, page-sizes, etc., that an editor needs to know about. In it he put together such "wisdom" from several past editors, along with his own. It will be a well-worn manual by the time the next editor takes over.
     Mr. Rich's editorial policy was quite liberal, and his natural appeal to the more liberal elements in our church called forth a lot of comments and communications. My own editorial policy will be a bit more conservative, but I hope that this too will have its appeal.
     So, as I assume full editorial responsibilities,-Thanks, Morley!

541


"GOALS" 1978

"GOALS"       MICHAEL D. GLADISH       1978

To the Editor:
     In the article concerning "Goals for Man's Relationship(s) . . ." NCL., Aug., 1978, p. 367, Steve Gladish set out a series of important, practical considerations looking to the life of regeneration. It was a thoughtful paper, obviously full of strength, compassion and life, so I am sure that many others, like myself, must have felt the glow of assent and from the light of experience confirmed the substance of the matters raised. In fact, a genuine appreciation is in order, for work such as the author proposes is undoubtedly required in the church, and we are fortunate to be able to share his insights.
     One thing, however, I cannot accept as stated. I think I know what the writer means and I appreciate that point, but the simple statement, "To the extent that we love ourselves, we have the capacity to love our neighbor," leaves me altogether cold. It is too broad, too easy, too loud and, I think, indiscreet for the theme of a presentation that is otherwise so carefully construed. Pragmatic wisdom though it may be, and popular, too, are there not special constraints upon the New Church man as regards such a motto? Would we not rather say, "To the extent that we love our neighbor we have the capacity to love ourselves"?
     I think there is more in this than mere semantics; after all, language is only the vehicle for ideas. And just as the New Church man is enjoined to have pure and perfect loves, so he is encouraged by the Writings to have clear and discriminating thoughts. These may not fall so easily into cliches but they will guide the understanding, and given the appropriate basis in the symbols of the Word there is no lack of power and illustration.
     The problem as I see it is that influx, whether of affections or ideas, comes from above, from the Lord through the heavens, and this by degrees beginning with the celestial. We read, "The order is for the celestial to inflow into the spiritual and adapt it to itself; for the spiritual thus to inflow into the rational and adapt it to itself," etc.* In other words, higher things flow into lower things, and not the reverse. The appearance is otherwise, namely, that we advance from lower things to higher things, but the Writings caution us not to accept the appearance as the reality! Thus, in the context of the present thought, it seems to me that the love of self is (or should be) from the love of the neighbor, and finally from the Lord, but the love of the neighbor is not from the love of self.
     * AC 1495:2

542



     Of course, our friend did not say that the love of the neighbor is from the love of self, he said it is based upon it. Fair enough, as long as we understand one another. But how are we to understand this? The beauty of the Writings is that they do make clear even such practical points as this, and here again the answer is in the doctrine of degrees, specifically, the degrees of the neighbor. We read,

Because good varies with everyone, it therefore follows that the quality of good determines in what degree and in what proportion anyone is the neighbor. . . . In the universal sense good is the neighbor, because man is the neighbor according to the quality of the good that is with him from the Lord. And because good is the neighbor, so is love, for all good is of love; thus every man is the neighbor according to the quality of the love which he receives from the Lord.*
     * HD 87, 88

     Now the Writings teach that of ourselves we have nothing of genuine good or truth. Connately, then, there is nothing in us worthy of love, either as neighbor to others or as neighbor to ourselves. And proprial love will certainly not get us any closer to the love of the neighbor outside of self, either as a basis for influx or as an apparent cause.
     So how can we love ourselves? What is the genuine, or spiritual, love of self? Is it not the love of self for the sake of uses to others?-for the sake of the good and the truth in them?-for the sake of the Lord? And how can we know whether we truly have this love or not? Aside from some most general indications, the Writings seem to say we cannot know it, and so the only just and humble attitude available to us is to try to love the uses themselves, the goods themselves in others, and the Lord Himself! In doing this, which is called "losing one's life," we will actually "find our life,"* and the Lord will give us real and enduring self-respect. For dedication to these objective realities not only frees the spirit from any sense of self-satisfaction, but at the same time it provides every reason for the affirmative, optimistic course of life that was the subject of the article on "Goals."
     * Matt. 16:25
     MICHAEL D. GLADISH
(Penshurst, Australia)
"GOALS" 1978

"GOALS"       MARY ALDEN       1978

Dear Editor:

     Some of my very dear friends whom I lived and grew up with in the Academy dormitory in the mid 1960's have since completely dropped out of the church. They said the church had made them feel bad about themselves and guilty about their life styles.

543


They couldn't seem to live with feeling so put down, so they rejected what they felt had done it to them. The other day I heard a woman speak who was a leader in the Freedom From Religion movement. Her claim was that religion was oppressive to mankind and that the Bible was a sexist book, debasing women in particular. Her effort to do harm to the teachings of the Word angered me. But I am not angry but troubled about the attitudes of my friends. One in particular I feel is a very sensitive and loving person. But she rejected the church because she felt it had rejected her. Even when I look at my friends in the church, I see feelings of guilt and personal inadequacy expressed: "I'm a terrible mother because I yell at my kids so much," "I'm not half the man my father was," "I can't live up to what is expected of me in the Writings," "I can't teach Sunday school because I don't know enough," "I can't explain our teachings to other people," etc. I have these feelings too. Sometimes they are mild-"sere I am nagging at my husband again when I have vowed to stop. I am just unable to change a bad habit." Sometimes they totally overwhelm-"I have everything the Lord could possibly give, His complete Word and the Church, a loving and healthy family, a use outside my home that I find challenging and fulfilling, and reasonable material comfort. Still I am not satisfied with life. What of the poor people who have few or none of these things?" This feeling is totally devastating to self because I somehow feel that I am so bad that I have proved the Lord wrong.
     The Lord does not want us to feel this way. This was emphasized by Steve Gladish in his address "Goals For Man's Relationship with Self, Neighbor, God" in August NCL. The second Great Commandment says that there ape two we must love-our neighbor and ourselves. Thus a true and good self-concept is a goal of the regenerating man as well as a goal of mental good health. He clearly explains how a true self-concept, an "interior sense of celebration," is opposed to selfishness. The self-help books and groups of today all urge us to "put me first." We know this in itself is selfishness. Mr. Gladish emphasizes that we should apply those teachings which we try to apply in our dealings with our neighbor to ourselves-look for the good and praise the Lord for it, minimize the bad and let it go, forgive, don't condemn. What a relief to have mercy on ourselves this way. Now I can see how this is not the same as selfishness because we are no longer making ourselves the one exception-"have mercy on everyone but me" and "I'm so bad the Lord can't save me."
     Mr. Gladish helps to show us how we can learn to overcome these feelings in ourselves and how not to pass them on to our children. The practical steps suggested for short-term, achievable goals are something we can begin with now. Regeneration is such a huge project.

544


Small behavioral changes, motivated by the better self we see we can be, can lead to spiritual progress we can measure. We begin to feel good about ourselves and hopeful about our spiritual future. Then we are no longer the one exception the Lord can save, but as our neighbor.
     We need these practical lessons. We trot off to P.E.T., Marriage Encounter, Overeaters Anonymous, Assertiveness Training, etc. and gain a tremendous amount from them. But we feel vaguely unsatisfied. Maybe because we cannot reconcile the "me first" that they see as part of our solution with "self for the sake of our usefulness to others" that we know to be true. Or maybe we feel that all the answers are there in the Writings, but we are too weak or unregenerate to find them. What can we expect? These things are not organized or taught by people who have the complete Word. In Mr. Gladish's article I got help for what is troubling my mind from someone who knows the Lord's truth as well as present-day scientific knowledges relating to the state of men's minds.
     The Word states spiritual principles and it is up to the individual man to apply them. Perhaps it is felt that the New Church should not sponsor or develop seminars or classes on personal, specific problems. But the individual who takes the truth and applies it to his area of use can do so much. The enlightenment he then has as to that time and state of the world and the church must be shared. The Church is our Mother. She provides for such sharing of goods and truths with such things as assemblies and the New Church Life. Perhaps we should look to the day when we will have our own gatherings for marriage, for parenting, for personal regeneration, and retreats for peace and communion with the Lord.
     MARY ALDEN
(Miami, Florida)
"Swedenborg the Mystic" 1978

"Swedenborg the Mystic"       Rev. ERIK EMANUEL SANDSTROM       1978

To the Editor:
     The article "Swedenborg the Mystic" by Dr. Wilson Van Dusen (New Church Life, Aug. 1918, p. 276) has thrown new light on some darkly-lit corridors of thought, allowing New Church readers to re-examine some of the pundits of the past. Van Dusen's lament that those "who claim to stand on the authority of the Writings, choose to overlook what they say of mysticism!" (p. 381), is compensated for by his own thorough research. That Swedenborg fits into the mold of a mystic seems futile to deny. Perhaps the question not taken up directly by Van Dusen, is whether Swedenborg remained a mystic throughout his life?
     It is easy to take a. fundamentalistic/literalistic stand here, and say, "Swedenborg was not a mystic, but a revelator."

545


But as Van Dusen brilliantly deduces, ". . . even if Swedenborg were a classic mystic, the literalists would not be able to discover this. (p. 380)
     So failing the literalistic proof that he was not a mystic, we require a rational proof that he was. Dr. Van Dusen provides this proof, I gather, by saying, "Persons with the experience of the Divine tend to be able to recognize this in others, even across the barriers of time and circumstances. It is as though, having touched the Universal, they can recognize others who have done so also." (p. 383)
     Now supposing that becoming a revelator entails passing through all the stages of mysticism: then would not mystics, both past and present, tend to identify Swedenborg's "slip-stream" with their own "bow-wakes"? Whether Swedenborg passed beyond the intrinsic meaning of "mystic", i.e. "experiencing the Divine," can therefore not be reliably settled by other mystics, since they would tend to recognize even revelators as mystics. One would suspect they would recognize, across the barriers of time and circumstance, such revelators as John, Zecheriah, Daniel, Ezekiel, Moses, Abram or even "Adam" as mystics also.
     Doctrinally put, the dilemma is easily enough resolved. If mysticism entails a belief of experiencing the Divine, one has to realize the absolute gap separating God from man. "God is Esse in itself, and in created things there is not any Esse in itself. If there were in created things any Esse in itself, this would be continuous from God, and that which is continuous from God is God."* Therefore, "beware of falling into the execrable heresy that God has infused Himself into men."**
     * DLW 55
     ** op. cit 130
     Not that mystics automatically embrace this heresy. The quote merely points to the crux of the issue experiencing the Divine. Such experiences would have to be scrutinized to determine whether it is "the Divine" or "God-Man" who is "experienced." There is a distinction between them, as is clear from man's attempt to grasp the Divine Omnipresence:
     "That is why it is said that the Divine fills all spaces of the universe, and why it is not said that God-Man fills them. For if this were said, the merely natural 'lumen' would not assent."*
     * op cit 72e
     To experience "God-Man" or the Lord (Invitation 1) thus appears to be a different proposition from experiencing the "Divine" or "God."* In claiming to have become the "humble servant of the Lord Jesus Christ," Swedenborg thus seems to have passed beyond the realm of "mysticism," or experiencing the Divine-a realm he may rightfully be said to have occupied for a period.
     * TCR 6, 8

546



     One does not wish to gainsay Dr. Van Dusen's conclusion that Swedenborg was mystic, since acknowledging the Divine presence with men involves the opening of the spiritual sense of the Word for others (p. 384), as well as giving religion to man, and opening heaven for him.* Yet Swedenborg avers that he received everything "from the Lord alone, while reading the Word."** Perhaps this is a bit more than "experiencing the Divine." At least that is this "lay-man's" view.
     * HH 319
     ** TCR 779
     REV. ERIK EMANUEL SANDSTROM
(London)
"Swedenborg the Mystic" 1978

"Swedenborg the Mystic"       DONALD G. BARBER       1978

To the Editor:

     I have just read the article "Swedenborg the Mystic" (by William Van Dusen) in the August 1978 issue of New Church Life. I find the conclusion in the first paragraph that "the Writings define mysticism in a way which inescapably makes Swedenborg a mystic" to be a curious conclusion.
     On p. 381 the article states that Swedenborg uses the term mystical in three related senses. I agree with the observation that the Writings use the term mystical on a few occasions to refer to the theology of the Christian world-i.e., that the theology is unintelligible.*
     * AR 565, TCR 169, TCR 351, TCR 803
     I observed only one other sense in which the term mystical is used in the Writings-the sense in which "others" use the term mystical, the "others" being either explicit or implicit.
     These "others" refers explicitly to (1) merely natural men-AC 5022; (2) the Jews and some Christians-AC 4923; (3) many diviners-AC 9280; (4) the Christian world-AC 9688; (5) many (people)-AE 1079, AC 2004; (6) they who believe in representations and correspondences-AC 2763; (7) some (people)-De Verbo 7.

     The remaining references (the article indicates 14 references in total) I believe refer to the way in which the term mystical was implicitly used in reference to (a) the wise men and magicians of Egypt-AC 7296, AC 5223; (b) the attitude of acceptance of the book "Song of Solomon"-AC 3942; (c) the signification of a horse (AC 2762). I would certainly welcome other opinions on AC 3942 and AC 2762.

547


Perhaps reference to the original Latin would clarify the way in which the word "mystic" or "mystical" is used in these two passages. These two passages are skimpy evidence for the thesis that the Writings define the term mystical in such or such a way. The eight explicit references, two implicit references, and the four references to Christian theology provide no support, in my opinion, for the thesis that the term "mystical" is used in connection with the Writings themselves.
     At the bottom of p. 381 the author refers to AC 4923 as being worth reading in its entirety. It would appear that he felt it was the strongest reference in support of his thesis. In contrast, I felt it was one of the weakest, since, to me, it clearly refers to the use of the term "mystical" by "Jews and some Christians" and not by Swedenborg. The author seems to conclude that since the Writings here describe the way in which the term mystical is used by Jews and some Christians, it follows that the Writings use the term mystical in the same way. This is curious reasoning. Since my conclusions from the references to the Writings are in such contrast to the author's conclusions, it makes me wonder whether I have missed something because of a mental blind spot. I will be interested to see what other reaction the article produces.
     DONALD G. BARBER
Islington, Ontario
APPLICATIONS FOR ADMISSION TO THE ACADEMY OF THE NEW CHURCH COLLEGE 1978

APPLICATIONS FOR ADMISSION TO THE ACADEMY OF THE NEW CHURCH COLLEGE              1978

     Requests for application forms for admission to the Academy College for 1979-80 should be addressed to Dean Robert W. Gladish, The Academy of the New Church College, Box 278, Bryn Athyn, Pa. 19009. Completed application forms and accompanying transcripts and recommendations should be submitted by March 15, 1979.
     It should also be noted that the College operates on a three-term year and that applications for entrance to the Winter and Spring terms of the current academic year can be processed, provided that they are received by Dean Gladish at least three weeks prior to the beginning of the new term.

548


Church News 1978

Church News       Various       1978

     EDUCATIONAL COUNCIL, 1978

     Exceptional, outstanding and inspirational were adjectives frequently heard to follow the week's meetings held in Pendleton Hall, August 21-25, 1978, by the Council of Educators of the Church. For the first time in the history of this Council a central theme was the focus of all presentations. This theme was THE OPENING AND ORDERLY DEVELOPMENT OF THE NATURAL MIND. Seven major papers were prepared and given. Their titles and authors are only listed below as their complete publication is planned in this journal beginning January 1979 and in the months following. The chronological order of presentations was:

     1) An Overview of the Natural Mind-by the Rev. Peter M. Buss
     2) The Sensual As It Relates to the Opening of the Rational-by the Rev. Frederick L. Schnarr
     3) The Middle Natural or Imagination As It Relates to the Opening of the Rational-by the Rev. Peter M. Buss
     4) Scientifics and the Civil and Moral Planes as They Relate to the Opening of the Rational-by the Rev. Mark R. Carlson
     5) The Natural Rational and Abstract Thought-by the Rev. Alfred Acton
     6) Cognitions, Analytic and Analogic Thought-by the Rev. Robert S. Junge
     7) The Opening of the Rational and the Significance of the ANC College-by the Rev. Alfred Acton II.

     Structured panel discussions led to considerations by the entire Council of the following subjects:

     1) Building Blocks for Rational Thought-chaired by the Rev. Brian Keith
     2) The Mediate Goods of Our Middle Schools-chaired by the Rev. Donald L. Rose
     3) Using the Disciplines to Train the Maturing Minds-chaired by Prof. E. Bruce Glenn.

     Workshops were a third activity of the week's council. The Physical Education Curriculum Committee prepared two sessions. The morning workshop was on Movement Education by Mrs. Noel Griffin. The afternoon's workshop was on Games and Mass Activities by Mr. Gale Smith. Both were demonstrated by Bryn Athyn 6th graders. Three afternoon sessions of the Religion Curriculum Committee were devoted to reports and co-ordination of the results of studies of the five senses by various faculties of church schools. Plans were made for future direction and development of this study.
     The final morning session had been planned as a summary presentation. However, Prof. E. Bruce Glenn, the Chairman, declared himself unwilling and/or unable to summarize the well-studied and digested presentations that had been made during the week. Instead he reviewed the efforts which led to this year's thematic program and then proceeded to put on a personal basis what he felt these meetings have meant and should mean in the future.
     Headmasters Committee held several meetings as did the Worship and Ritual Committee.

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The Rev. Martin Pryke described the many areas of development of the Academy Museum and offered its services to schools throughout the Church.
     Daily luncheons at the Civic and Social Club prepared by Mrs. David Roscoe and her committee were followed by brief programs by representatives of each of the society schools. Highlights of some activity or use of the society school were presented. These included the opening t: of the new school in Detroit and the radio station in Glenview.
     BOYD AND MYRA ASPLUNDH
          Secretary

     DETROIT SCHOOL OPENING

     The opening of the new Detroit Society Elementary School on Monday, September 11, was preceded by a festive weekend to celebrate the occasion. Our activities began with a banquet at the church Saturday evening. Three of our former pastors and their wives were here to share in this momentous occasion: Norman Reuter, Geoffrey Childs, and Mark Carlson. We also received a message from the Rev. Norbert Rogers which was read after the meal.
     The Rev. Walter Orthwein spoke of the school being the fruit of many years of effort. As fruit contains within it the seeds for future life, so does our school. It is a tremendous responsibility and an exciting and challenging prospect for us.
     Bishop King called our attention to the fact that the Lord is the source of everything. If we open the mind to look to the Lord in each stage of development and education, remains are implanted which will be available during regeneration.
     Norman Synnestvedt recalled that an elementary school was first considered in the early 1950s, and spoke of the joy he and other earlier members of the society felt now that their dream was finally being realized. It is interesting to note that his youngest granddaughter will be a student in our school.     
     After the banquet we moved on to an open house at the home of Howard and Marge Gurney, and everyone had an opportunity to visit with many friends from far and near. Norman Reuter had brought many photographs from throughout the history of the Detroit Society and these were on display at the open house.
     Three priests participated in the Sunday morning service: Bishop King, the Rev. Geoffrey Childs and the Rev. Walter Orthwein. At the end of the service the three priests left the chancel and walked up the center aisle and across the hall to the classroom, followed by the congregation. The children were waiting for us, seated around the repository in the classroom.
     During the dedication service Bishop King accepted a new copy of the Word from Bruce Elder, vice chairman of the Detroit Society, and placed it in the repository. It was a very moving ceremony, and some tears of joy were shed.
     The repository was made for the schoolroom by David Childs. He used a large, unworked Piece of black walnut which was allowed to retain its natural contour. The result is very impressive.
     We had 140 in attendance Sunday, so we held our reception out-of-doors. Cookies and punch were served. The Rev. Norman Reuter, in responding to the toast to the church, expressed his delight at being present at the dedication of an elementary school in a society be first served as a visiting pastor in 1935. Such growth is very satisfying.
     After the toast, our teacher, Miss Sylvia Parker, accepted gifts for the school from the Theta Alpha chapter in Toronto. These included a candle snuffer, an embroidered book mark, and a Word cover. Other gifts from friends included books, money for a fine aquarium, and gifts of money to purchase other needed items for our school.
     On Monday, September 11, 1978, school officially opened-an historic day for the Detroit Society! Our thirteen pupils, parents and friends attended the morning worship service held by Bishop King.
     Our dream of so many years is now a reality.
          JEAN GENZLINGER

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     Ed. Note

     For further "color" on Detroit's school opening, I add two paragraphs taken from a letter sent me by the Rev. Walter Orthwein.
     "We have completed our first week of school now, and everything has been going very well. I can see that the children are enjoying school. The first graders are learning to read, and the first word they learned to spell was "Lord." This made quite an impression on everyone. We start each day with worship in the sanctuary, and there is a worship circle in the classroom, also. I teach religion to the third and fourth graders three times a week (there are three in the fourth grade class and four in the third grade class).
     "The dedication ceremony really was inspiring. I am sure the children will long remember seeing the three priests in their robes coming into the classroom and Bishop King placing the new copy of the Word in the repository."
SCHOOL ENROLLMENTS 1978

SCHOOL ENROLLMENTS              1978

     1978-1979

     The Academy

Theological School                     14
College (Full Time)                     130
Girls School                          125
Boys School                          120
Total                               389

     Midwestern Academy
Grades 9 and 10 (Boys and Girls)           18

     Local Schools
Bryn Athyn                               265
Colchester                               10
Detroit                               13
Durban                              13
Glenview                               81
Kitchener                               46
Pittsburgh                          31
Toronto                               12
Washington                               25
Total reported enrollment in all schools      928
MINISTERIAL CHANGE 1978

MINISTERIAL CHANGE       LOUIS B. KING       1978

     The Rev. Christopher D. Brown has been appointed minister to the Connecticut Group and New York-New Jersey Circle, resident in Connecticut.
     LOUIS B. KING,
          Bishop

551


VIRGIN BIRTH 1978

VIRGIN BIRTH       Rev. WILLARD D. PENDLETON       1978




     Announcements







NEW CHURCH LIFE
VOL. XVCIII DECEMBER, 1978                                   No. 12
     Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a Son, and shall calf His name Immanuel. Isaiah 7:14.

     From the time of the fall it was known that someday the Lord would come into the world and redeem the human race. The evidence of this is found in the one direct prophecy which has come down to us from the Ancient Word. The reference is to the fifteenth verse of the third chapter of Genesis where, in addressing the serpent who had beguiled the woman, the Lord God said: "I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; He shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise His heel."* By the serpent is signified all evil from the love of self and the world; by the woman is signified the church; by He was to trample upon the head of the serpent is meant the Lord Himself.** But although it was known that the Lord was to come, how He was to come, and what manner of Man He would be, was not yet revealed.
     * Gen. 3:15
     ** AC 250
     It was not until the days when Israel was chosen to serve as the matrix of the Divine descent that the voice of prophecy became definite. It was Jacob who in blessing Judah foretold that the Lord would come as a lawgiver. It was Moses who proclaimed that the Lord was to be a prophet. It was David, the greatest of Israel's kings, who in the twenty-fourth psalm announced that the Lord was to come as a King of glory and a Hero of war. It was not until the time of the divided kingdom, however, that the miraculous manner of the Lord's birth was revealed. Who can forget the immortal words of Isaiah, "A virgin shall conceive, and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel," that is to say, God with us? Here was a sign by which all men might know that this Child was to be as no other.

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Yet the doctrine of the virgin birth, although once regarded as an essential of the Christian faith, is believed by few at this day.
     We are living in an age of scientific materialism-an age in which men are prone to reject whatever cannot be verified by the senses. Like the serpent in the garden of Eden who persuaded the woman to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, the modern mind appropriates to itself the right to investigate the goods and truths of faith from sensual reasonings, in order to determine whether they are true. Hence it said in the Writings:

"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 scientifics unknown to the ancients, and thus occasion in themselves a far greater degree of blindness."*
     * AC 196

     If this was true of Swedenborg's time: What of the twentieth century?
     We have no difficulty, therefore, in understanding why modern translators, who are a product of the age, have chosen to refer to the virgin of our text as a young woman. It is one thing to say that a virgin shall conceive, and quite another to say that a young woman shall do so. While it is true that there are linguistic grounds for the modern translation it not only nullifies the import of the text, but it is not in keeping with the New Testament version where, according to Matthew, "All this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Behold a virgin shall be with Child. . . ."* In this connection it is to be kept in mind that the translators of the earlier versions of the Bible were men who believed in the Divinity of the Word, whereas modern scholars are primarily concerned with the Bible as an historical document. There is a world of difference between these two perspectives, as is evident from the divergent translations of our text.
     * Matt. 1:22, 23
     At this time of year our thoughts and affections are stirred by the remembrance of the miraculous manner of the Lord's birth; for it came to pass in those days that, "The angel Gabriel was sent from God . . . to a virgin . . . whose name was Mary . . . And the angel said unto her, fear not, Mary: For thou hast found favor with God. And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a Son, and shalt call His name Jesus. He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: And the Lord God shall give unto Him the throne of His father David."*
     * Luke 1:27, 30-32
     In this annunciation of the Lord's birth, the word of the prophets from the beginning was about to be fulfilled. Here was the One for whom Israel had waited, the One who was to be the King of Glory in whom was the Divine seed.

555


His kingdom was to be an everlasting kingdom, and of the increase of His government there would be no end. But Mary was a simple maid of Israel, and although she believed in her heart, she did not understand. Thus it was that she said to the angel, "How shall these things be, seeing that I know not a man?"* But the angel answered her, saying, "The Holy Spirit shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: Therefore, also, that Holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God."**
     * Luke 1:34
     ** Luke 1:35
     Mary's words to the angel imply a doubt which is echoed in our own thoughts when we reflect upon these things. In all matters of faith the question is, how can these things be? The very nature of man is to seek answers to that which he does not understand. Were this not so man would not be man, but would be as the beast of the field. It is the teaching of the Writings, however, that there are two kinds of doubt: the one negative, and the other affirmative. A negative doubt has its origin in self, that is, in the pride of one's own intelligence; but he who trusts in his own intelligence will not be convinced of anything unless it is first perceived by the senses.* An affirmative doubt, on the other hand, is a state of obscurity which is induced upon the understanding by fallacies from the senses. If, in such states, man wills to believe and places his confidence in the Word, he will in time be enlightened. Thus it is that the Writings speak of "doubts in which there is affirmation."**
     * AC 2658:4
     ** AC 4638:4
     It is then the will to believe which sustains man in states of obscurity. We are not speaking here of the native will, but of the new will which is formed by the Lord in the understanding. Here too, is a miracle; if by a miracle we mean that which cannot be explained by the natural sciences. After all, man is not man because he is formed of the dust of the ground; he is man because he can perceive what is true and, if he will, do what is good. As the Lord said to Nicodemus, "That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit."* What we are speaking of here, therefore, is the miracle of spiritual life. This is effected by means of a virginal affection of truth, that is, by means of those remains of innocence which are implanted in the mind by the Lord during infancy and childhood. Were it not for these tender affections which receive the Lord at His coming, no man could enter into spiritual life.
     * John 3:6
     It is by way of analogy, and only by way of analogy, that man can enter with perception into the doctrine of the virgin birth. This applies not only to the virgin birth, but to everything which is said concerning the Lord in the Word.

556


So it is that in speaking of those states which the Lord sustained in the glorification of the Human the Writings repeatedly remind us that these states, "Do not fall into any human apprehension, not even into angelic (understanding), except by means of appearances; and by means of the states of man's regeneration; for the regeneration of man is an image of the Lord's glorification."* It follows from this that it is only by way of an analogy which serves as an image of the Divine conception that the miraculous manner of the Lord's birth can be understood; for even as the Lord was born of Mary, so the new, or regenerate, man is born of the affection of truth. As the Lord said unto Nicodemus, "Marvel not that I said unto thee, ye must be born again."**
     * AC 4237; see also AC 3043, 3138, 3157, 3212, 3296, 4027, 4538, 6827
     ** John 3:7
     In the representative sense, therefore, the birth of our Lord is not an isolated instance in history; it is an ever recurring miracle which takes place in the hearts and minds of men. The evidence of this is found in the Book of Revelation where it speaks of a woman clothed with the sun who gave birth to the Man Child. The woman is the New Church; the Man Child is the doctrine of the Lord's Divine Human. He it is who is born to you this day in the city of Bethlehem, that is, in the spiritual sense of the Word. What is more, in each successive state in the life of regeneration, the word of the prophets is renewed; and we may perceive, as in an image, the miracle of the Divine birth among men.
     In the Second Advent, however, as in the First, there are few to receive Him. The reason for this, as stated, is that men at this day think sensually concerning spiritual things. Concerning this, the Writings say,

"He who assumes as a principle that nothing is to be believed until it is seen and understood, can never believe, because spiritual things cannot be seen with the eyes, or conceived by the imagination. The true order is for man to be wise . . . from the Word, and then all things follow. It is by no means forbidden to learn the sciences, since they are useful . . . but it must be from this principle-to believe in the Word. . .and, so far as possible, confirm spiritual truths . . . in terms familiar to the learned. The starting point must be the Lord, and not man himself; for the former is life, but the latter is death."*
     * AC 129

     The ultimate issue in life comes down to the question of whether we are willing to be led by the Lord. But because all men are born natural, and not spiritual, our inclination is to subject the truths of faith to sensual reasonings to determine whether they are true. Yet, here a question arises: Does not the time come in the life of every man when he must determine for himself whether the Word is true? Were this not so man would not be in freedom. It is one thing, however, to determine for self what is true, and quite another to do so from self. To think and reason from self concerning the truths of faith, is to appropriate to oneself what is good and true.

557


This is the error of an age in which preoccupation with self has become an obsession. Yet, as the Lord God said to the woman in the garden of Eden concerning the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, "Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die."*
     * Gen. 3:3
     It is the faith of the New Church that the Lord Jesus Christ is the one God of heaven and earth. This, as stated, is a matter of faith, and it cannot be anything else. But faith is not what many believe it to be; it is not a blind commitment to the truths of the Word; it is the sight of love, that is, the perception that a thing is true because the Lord has said it. In reflecting on the doctrine of the virgin birth we are reminded that this is the teaching of all Divine revelation, of the Old Testament, of the New Testament, and of the Writings where it is said, "It was necessary for (the Lord) to be born of a virgin. . . ."* It was necessary because the Divine seed could not have been transmitted through the instrumentality of an earthly father. Thus it was that the Child who was born in Bethlehem of Judea was as no other. "In Him was life; and the life (is) the light of men,"** that is, the Word made flesh which was born "not of man . . . but of God."*** In reflecting upon these things, therefore, may we say, as Mary said to the angel, "Be it unto me according to Thy Word." Amen.
     * God the Savior 38
     ** John 1:4               
     *** John 1:13

     LESSONS: Genesis 3:1-15; Isaiah 7:10-16; Luke 1:26-38; Arcana Coelestia 2568, Sections 4, 5, 6.
SON OF GOD 1978

SON OF GOD              1978

     The Human whereby God sent Himself into the world is the Sort of God. . . . This was done by means of a human which He took on through the virgin Mary. Moreover, the Human is actually the Son of God, because it was conceived from Jehovah God the Father. . . . That "the son of Mary" means the mere human is clearly seen in the generation of man, in that the soul is from the father and the body from the mother; for the soul is contained in the seed of the father and is clothed with a body in the mother; or what is the same thing, all the spiritual that man has is from the father, and all the material from the mother. In regard to the Lord, the Divine that He had was from Jehovah the Father, and the human from the mother. These two united are the Son of God. True Christian Religion 92.

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IS THERE AN ESOTERIC WORD? 1978

IS THERE AN ESOTERIC WORD?       GEORGE DE CHARMS       1978

     From time to time men have arisen in the world who have claimed to be mystics. The dictionary defines a mystic as "One who professes to undergo mystical experiences by which he intuitively comprehends truths beyond human understanding." Such truths must be regarded as Divinely revealed. They have been called "the Word transcendent," because it is not only superior to any written Scripture, but also gives an esoteric key to the true understanding of the God's Word. This "key" is in the possession solely of the one to whom it is given, and no one else has access to it.
     Is the existence of such a private revelation sanctioned by the teaching of the Heavenly Doctrine? Let us examine what is said concerning the Word of the Lord, and how it is given.
     The most fundamental teaching is that there is only one God, who is a Divine Man. He is infinitely loving, and infinitely wise. His love is Life Itself, and His Wisdom is Truth Itself. These two together appear to the angels as the sun of heaven, from which love proceeds as heat, and truth proceeds as light, both of which interpenetrate the entire universe of creation. By means of successive atmospheres this heat and light are accommodated to reception by the angels of the three heavens, and by men on the earth.
     However, of this spiritual sun and its radiance men on earth have no conscious awareness except by means of the Word. Men are born into a world which is dominated by the heat and the light of the natural sun, which is said to be "pure fire." It consists of incandescent gases formed from material substances in intense activity that together produce a central power-house of energy. The intensity of this natural heat and light is tempered by means of atmospheres, and at last is accommodated to reception by plants, animals and men living on the surface of the earth. All the activity of this natural sun appears to be mechanical, impersonal, producing effects by chance, without purpose or foresight. It possesses none of the qualities of love or wisdom. If man is to learn anything about God, or heaven, or things super-natural, God must speak to him, and this He does solely by means of His Word. He must speak in language that men can understand.

559


But how can the infinite God speak in human language? He is said to do this through the medium of an angel, or a prophet, that is, a man "whom He fills with His Spirit." What does this mean?

     Jehovah Himself, the God of heaven and earth, spoke the Word through Moses and the prophets, and it must therefore be Divine truth itself, for what Jehovah Himself speaks can be nothing else.*
     * SS 2
     The Word itself is from, the Lord through heaven and the Lord's life is in all things of the Word, both in general and in particular, although it does not so appear in the external form.*
     * AC 1461
     There were angels who were sent to men, and who spoke through the prophets; yet what they spoke was not from the angels but through them, for the state of the angel was then such that he knew not but that he was Jehovah, that is, the Lord. But as soon as they had done speaking they returned into their former state, and spoke as from themselves. This was the case with the angels who spoke the Word of the Lord.*
     * AC 1925
     The prophets through whom the Word was written, wrote as the Spirit from the Divine dictated, for the very words which they wrote were uttered in their ears.*
     * AC 7055
     I have been told how the Lord spoke with the prophets through whom the Word was given. He did not speak with them as He did with the ancients, by an influx into their interiors, but through spirits who were sent to them, whom He filled with His aspect, 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. How the Lord fills spirits with the Divine by His aspect has also been made clear. A spirit that has been filled by the Lord with the Divine does not know otherwise than that he is the Lord, and that it is the Divine that is speaking, and this continues until he has finished speaking. After that he perceives and acknowledges that he is a spirit, and that he spoke from the Lord and not from himself. Because this was the state of the spirits who spoke with the prophets they said that it was Jehovah that spoke. The spirits even called themselves Jehovah, as can be seen from both the prophetical and the historical parts of the Word.*
     * HH 254

     The Word can never be given except through the instrumentality of angels and men chosen for the purpose, and filled with the Divine Spirit, that is, with the love of God, which is the love of the salvation of the whole human race. This love is infinite. No man, nor any angel is capable of such a love. Every human individual is a form of love, but a finite form that is different for each one. This finite love is his soul from which he thinks and acts. This finite love inspires him to seek knowledge and to strive for understanding. Such as the love is, such is the understanding.

560


When an angel or a man is "filled with the Lord's Spirit," this human, finite love is as it were laid to sleep. The whole mind is then filled with the Divine love of the Lord, and that love selects and orders all the knowledges which the man has gathered, in such a way that they express, not the man's love, nor that of the angel, but the Lord's own Divine love. Thus the Lord Himself "speaks" by means of them. When so ordered, the words spoken contain within themselves infinite depths of meaning. Is it not the case with every man who speaks from the heart, that what he says reveals his love, and expresses his understanding, or his wisdom? Can it be otherwise, when the Lord speaks?
     The way in which the Lord's Word has been understood has differed according to the state of human knowledge, thought, and understanding at the time when the Word was given. In most ancient times, when man was in the order of his life, the Word as spoken by Jehovah, was understood very deeply, because those to whom it was spoken loved the Lord. This love gave them a heavenly, or celestial perception of the meaning.* Nevertheless, this perception was finite, and different with each one. No human mind could understand the Word infinitely; but each one could grow in understanding, and so become wiser and wiser to eternity. Yet the wisdom of the wisest angel will ever be far from infinite.
     * AC 125
     In the Ancient Church, which existed after the "flood," the prophets to whom the Angel of Jehovah appeared in a vision or in a dream, and to whom He spoke, understood the spiritual truth contained within the words of the angel, because they understood the science of correspondences. They no longer perceived the celestial sense of the Word; yet, if they received the spiritual sense, and lived according to it, they could at last attain to a celestial perception similar to that of the Most Ancients.
     On the other hand, when the Angel of Jehovah spoke to Moses and the prophets of the Old Testament, these prophets did not understand anything of the spiritual meaning of the words, but only their external and natural sense which was concerned with things of time, place, and person. Thus they understood the prophecies as applying to themselves as a "chosen people" and as promising them wealth, power, and happiness if they obeyed all the laws and injunctions literally. By "heaven" they understood the land of Canaan as their own possession, and the supreme gift of God as conquest over their enemies. Nevertheless, when the Word thus given was read with reverence, the angels understood its spiritual and its celestial sense. In this way a bond was established and maintained between heaven and earth, so long as the Jewish people remained faithful to their belief in Jehovah.
     But the time came when the descendants of Abraham rejected the Word given through the prophets, and broke the covenant established by Moses between God and man.

561


The Lord could no longer teach and lead by means of the Angel of Jehovah. Then it was that He came into the world as "the Word made flesh." That He filled Mary with His Spirit, in order that He might form in her womb a body within which was the infinite soul of the Divine love, is plainly stated by the angel at the time of the annunciation:

     Fear not Mary: for thou hast found favor with God. And Behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a Son, and shalt call His name Jesus, He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto Him the throne of His father David: And He shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of His kingdom there shall be no end. Then said Mary unto the Angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man? And the Angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Spirit shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall over-shadow thee: therefore also that holy Thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.*
     * Luke 1:30-35

     In the miracle of the incarnation lay the fulfillment of the promise given through all the ancient prophets, and it was effected by the same process, that is, by replacing for the time, the activity of the finite soul, by the activity of the Infinite Love of God, as that which should direct the formation of the embryo in the womb of Mary. This is the meaning of the words: "Therefore that Holy Thing which shall be born of thee, shall be called the Son of God."
     The Lord Himself, then, replaced the "Angel of Jehovah" and spoke directly to men. He performed miracles before their eyes similar to those previously performed by the prophets. And after His resurrection He infilled with His Spirit the evangelists who wrote the Gospels.
     The evangelists understood very little of the inner meaning of the Word they were inspired to write. They knew, however, that there was an inner meaning. They knew that there was a life after death. They knew that the goal of man's life on earth was a place in the Lord's heavenly kingdom. They did not write by obvious dictation, but they were Divinely inspired to remember the words and the deeds of the Lord during the years of His ministry when they had forsaken all to follow Him. What they wrote was not really from their own minds, but at the time of writing they were secretly guided by the Lord's own Divine love, selecting, and ordering the words in their mind. For this reason, what they wrote was the Word, containing limitless depths of Divine meaning to be explored by men for countless ages in the future. For this reason, although what they wrote was not obviously, or consciously dictated, it was none the less the Lord speaking through them. What was thus spoken was preserved. It was addressed, not privately to the evangelists, but publicly to all men.

562



     What then shall we say of the revelation given through Emanuel Swedenborg? By his own testimony, this was not the product of his own mind. He says:

     From the first day of my call, I have received nothing concerning the doctrines of the New Church from any angel but from the Lord alone while I have read the Word.*
     * TCR 779

     That Swedenborg understood rationally what he was called upon to write, and that he wrote it as if from himself, is certainly true. Yet he had constant indication that his thoughts and words were being guided by the Lord, as he plainly testifies. For this reason there were infinite depths of meaning in his words which were far beyond the grasp of his finite mind. He was, like all the prophets and the evangelists, only an instrument in the hands of the Lord through whom the Word was given. It was by no means an "esoteric" Word. It was not addressed solely and privately to Swedenborg. It was the Evangel of the Lord Himself at His Second Coming, addressed to all men, and all the angels of heaven, proclaiming the Advent of the Lord Jesus Christ in His glorified Human, as the one eternal God of heaven and earth. The truth contained in the Heavenly Doctrine is preserved for all to see. It may be read and studied by countless generations of the future, and from it heavenly love and wisdom may be imparted in ever-increasing measure to all who worship the Lord as He appears in these Writings, and who live according to what He there commands.
     In all this there is no indication whatever of an "esoteric Word." The Lord does not speak secretly to any man. He speaks from His Divine love for the salvation of the whole human race. The Word He brings at His coming is "good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people," as the angel said to the shepherds on the night He was born. What the shepherds saw was not a secret message to them. It was for the whole world, and for the whole heaven. Therefore it is said that "Suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and saying, Glory to God in the Highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men."* The light of the sun of heaven shone with seven-fold splendor, not only for the shepherds, but for all in the whole human race who were willing and able to receive it. So also at the Lord's second advent, the Lord speaks, through the instrumentality of Swedenborg His servant, for the enlightenment of all men. Swedenborg was not a "mystic." He never claimed to have a private message from God to which others had no access.

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Undoubtedly his personal understanding of what he was inspired to write was far in advance of that possible to others at the time; but still it was a very human understanding, finite, and limited to the day and the circumstances under which the revelation was given.
     * Luke 2:10-14
     But the Word, as given, nevertheless contained infinite Divine truth for it was the very light of the sun of heaven. This Divine truth was written down, in human language, addressed to the rational mind of all men. It is there to be explored, for countless ages of the future, a "well of water, springing up unto everlasting life." This has been the case with the Word from the beginning of time. When the Lord comes, He offers His Word to all men, saying in the words of Isaiah: "Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters; and he that hath no money; come ye buy and eat; yea come, buy wine and milk without money and without price."*
     * Is. 55:1
EXTENSION COMMITTEE SPEAKERS 1978

EXTENSION COMMITTEE SPEAKERS              1978

     The Rev. Douglas M. Taylor, on behalf of the New Church Extension Committee, is happy to announce the formation of "The New Word Speakers Bureau." At present the steering committee consists of Robert Henrichs, chairman; Leon Rhodes, secretary; Ariel Gunther, Carl Gunther, V. Carmond Odhner, and the Rev. Douglas Taylor. Receipts and expenditures will be handled by the General Church treasurer in a special account set up for this use.
     The purpose of the committee is twofold. First, we are going to co-ordinate through promotion and record-keeping those speakers and their programs that already exist. Second, we intend to develop a whole series of talks dealing with the illustration and application of the major doctrines of the Word. We hope to develop talks that have universal appeal to all who seek the truth.
     To do this we will need a staff of writers who have a strong background in the knowledge of the doctrines and who have a great deal of imagination in dealing with the presentation of this knowledge. We will also need a group of men and women who enjoy public speaking and who are good at it. The latter we intend to train for the job through a developing program if necessary.
     If you are interested in this use send us your name and address. Please specify what it is you would like to do to further this use.

     The New Word Speakers Bureau
     Cairncrest
     Bryn Athyn, Penna. 19009

564


TWO ADVENTS: ONE DIVINE PROCESS 1978

TWO ADVENTS: ONE DIVINE PROCESS       Rev. ERIK SANDSTROM       1978

     To remember Christmas is to reflect on the meaning of the Divine coming down to reveal itself in Person to men in the world; and truly to celebrate it is to pray that the Lord may be received by oneself and in the world.
     At the time of the Lord's coming as the Word made Flesh there was a complete turning point in the spiritual history of mankind. All that had preceded looked to that stupendous event, and all that was to follow anticipated the second advent and the resulting eternal development of wisdom with men.
     The turning point consisted in this, that the Creator of the universe began to make Himself visible. Previously only His power had been known, but not the love and wisdom that operated through it. We say that the Lord began to make Himself visible at His first advent, and mean by this that He began to make known the nature of His love and the nature of His wisdom. These were the Divine qualities that stood forth in the life and teaching of the Lord our Savior through His ministry in the world. His love was revealed throughout His life, but never more fully than on the cross when He was tempted to give it up. His words, "Father, forgive them," represented the final and supreme victory of Divine love which descended from the infinite Divine within Him and glorified His Human.
     As for His wisdom, all His teachings bear witness to it, but perhaps this too stood forth in a special way in connection with the cross. Wisdom too was finally glorified through that most grievous and culminating temptation; and wisdom was glorified in this: that it effected the victory of love. Prior to the event the Lord had prepared His disciples for some understanding of His Divine foresight in this matter. But their understanding came only after His victory. His foresight was His wisdom. It was when the end of His earthly life drew near that He said: "Behold, we go up to Jerusalem, and all things that are written by the prophets concerning the Son of Man shall be accomplished. For He shall be delivered unto the Gentiles, and shall be mocked, and spitefully entreated, and spitted on: and they shall scourge Him, and put Him to death: and the third day He shall rise again."

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But, as we read, at that time "they understood none of these things."* Nor did they understand the triumphant ride into Jerusalem a day or two after that saying. But what they had been prepared for came to pass after the resurrection, for as we read: "These things understood not His disciples at the first: but when Jesus was glorified, then remembered they."**
     * Lu. 18:31-34
     ** Jn. 12:16
     So we say that the Lord revealed something of His Divine love and wisdom during His first advent. Nevertheless, the men of His day were not prepared for more than a preliminary glimpse. Only at His second advent could the Lord bring fulfillment. Only then could the Lord say: "Now it is permitted to enter intellectually into the secrets of faith." The first advent had to be restricted to this: "I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now."* It was at the second advent, "when the Spirit of Truth is come," that men were to be "guided into all truth."** It was then that the Lord would speak "no more in proverbs, but would shew plainly of the Father."*** In a word, the first advent prepared for the second, and the second was a fulfillment of the first. In this we see that the two advents in the Divine view were one action, one process, interrupted in time because of the hardness of the human heart and the slowness of human understanding, but undivided in the Divine concept and in the continual workings of the Divine providence.
     * Jn. 16:12
     ** Jn. 16:13
     *** Jn. 16:25               
     It follows that it is only in the light of the second advent that we can see the perspective of the whole Divine process in the Lord's preparing to come to men, and in His final and full coming among them. In fact, that perspective goes back to the beginning of creation; and the Writings draw it up for us in the following words:

     What the Divine providence of the Lord was in revealing Divine truths can be seen from the successive establishment of churches. There have been several churches on our globe one after another. There was the Most Ancient that was before the flood; the Ancient after the flood; also the Hebrew; then the Israelitish; after this the Christian; and now the New Church is beginning. Inmost Divine truths were revealed to those of the Most Ancient Church; more external Divine truths to those of the Ancient Church; and most external or outmost Divine truths to the Hebrew Church, and afterwards to the Israelitish with which Church all Divine truth finally perished, for at last there was nothing in the Word that had not been adulterated. But after the end of that Church interior Divine truths were revealed by the Lord for the Christian Church; and now still more interior truths for the Church that is to come. These interior truths are such as are in the internal or spiritual sense of the Word. All this makes clear that there has been a progression of Divine truths from inmosts to outmosts, thus from wisdom to pure ignorance; and that now a progression of it is going on from outmosts to interiors, thus from ignorance again to wisdom.*
     * AE 948:3

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     "From ignorance again to wisdom." That wisdom, while in depth equal to that of the Most Ancient Church (for it will again be the wisdom of love), will be wider in its scope and more full. The Lord was visible to the spiritual mind of the most ancients, but not to their natural mind as well. Now He is visible to both minds, that is, visible to the natural mind from the light that shines for the eyes of the spirit, and then shines on through the spiritual mind into the natural. This is possible because of what the Lord revealed through His two advents. The True Christian Religion gives us with regard to these matters the following:

     The Lord, in the world, put on also the Divine Natural, and from this He enlightens not only the internal spiritual man, but also the external natural-which two, unless they are at the same time enlightened, man is as it were in the shade; but while both are at the same time enlightened, he is as it were in the day. For while the internal man alone is enlightened, and not the external at the same time; or while only the external and not at the same time the internal, he is like one that sleeps and dreams, and presently when he awakes, he recollects the dream, and from it concludes various things which nevertheless are imaginary. . . . The difference between the state of the Church before the coming of the Lord, and after His coming, is like the difference between reading a writing in the night by the light of the moon and stars, and reading it by the light of the sun.*. . .
     * TCR 109:2, 3

     This New Church is the crown of all the churches that have hitherto been in the world, because it will worship one visible God, in whom is the invisible God as the soul is in the body. That thus and no otherwise there can be conjunction of God with man, is because man is natural, and so thinks naturally, and the conjunction must be in his thought, and thus in the affection of his love, and this is effected when he thinks of God as Man.*
     * TCR 787

     We are to understand, here, that the Lord is now fully seen as Man. The most ancients too saw the Lord as Man, but not fully; for the Lord had not taken on the Divine Natural, therefore not revealed it, wherefore at that time the natural mind could not see in the light of the spiritual sun.
     It is a stupendous thought that it is now that all things are coming into fulness. Such is the Divine invitation to all mankind. That we are slow to accept the invitation, and to respond according to capacity, is another matter. The truths that the Lord began to open up in His first advent, and fully revealed in His second, are to produce a wisdom with men such as was not since the world began. We see this in general through the pronouncement concerning the New Christian Church, in that it is said to be the crown of all the churches. More in particular, we see it in the light of two further teachings.
     The first of these shows up the difference between the primitive Christian Church and the new Christian Church-and if we bear in mind the teaching concerning the crown of all the churches the statement takes on an even deeper significance than is at first apparent.

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We read: "The spiritual sense is now revealed, because the Christian Church such as it is in itself is now first commencing. The former Church was Christian only in name, but not in essence and reality."* And similarly, "Because Christianity itself is now first beginning to dawn, and a New Church meant by the New Jerusalem in the Revelation is now being established by the Lord, in which God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are acknowledged as one because in one Person, it has pleased the Lord to reveal the spiritual sense of the Word."**
     * TCR 668
     ** TCR 700
     Our second teaching relates to the two Revelations that brought about the first Christian Church and the New Christian Church respectively. This teaching tells us two things: first, that a new revelation is always given before the end of a previous church; and, second, it tells us concerning the nature of the revelation at that time, as accommodated to then-prevailing needs and the consequent general state of reception. This teaching reads:

     When the end of a Church is at hand the interior things of the Word, of the church, and of worship, are revealed and taught. This is done that the good may be separated from the evil. . . . Moreover, the interior things of the Word which are revealed at the end of a church are serviceable for doctrine and life to the new church that is then established. That this is so is evident from this, that when the end of the Jewish Church was at hand the Lord Himself opened and taught the interior things of the Word, and especially revealed those things in the Word that had been prophesied of Himself. . . . That the Word is revealed interiorly, that is, in respect to the spiritual sense, before the church has been fully devastated, is because a new church will then be established into which those of the former church are invited. . . . For like reasons the Word has been opened interiorly at this day, and still more interior Divine truths have been revealed from it for the use of the New Church that will be called the New Jerusalem.*
     * AE 641:2, continued at 948:2

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     The Lord's revealing interior truths also in His first advent means that He began, even at that time, to show Himself as the visible God. But the two advents relate as the preparatory to the fulfillment. This is also reflected in the New Testament in its reference to "glory" in regard to the two advents. We read of "glory" first, and then of "great glory." "And the Word was made Flesh, and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory."* This was the first advent; but the words relative to the second advent are magnified: "And they shall see the Son of Man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory."** To see the Lord in great glory is to see Him as He is in heaven. "And He was transfigured before them;"*** and in our generation, and all future generations, He is to be transfigured again-and always.
     * Jn. 1:14
     ** Matt. 24:30               
     *** Matt. 17:2

     Further with regard to our second teaching above. The "revealing of interior Divine truths" obviously applies to the New Testament which is the record of what the Lord Himself said and did whilst on earth. Similarly, the "revealing of still more interior Divine truths" is an obvious reference to the Writings, for these truths are to be "for the use of the New Church that will be called the New Jerusalem." This takes us to the New Testament and the Writings. What about the Old Testament? But this too is included in our second teaching, for we read: "When the end of the Jewish Church was at hand the Lord Himself opened and taught the interior things of the Word, and especially revealed those things in the Word that had been prophesied of Himself."
     We therefore have prophecy in the Old Testament; fulfillment in the New; and the heavenly explanation of both the prophecy and the fulfillment in the Writings. This 'heavenly explanation' is the opening up, or revealing, of the "still more interior Divine truths"-the truths of heaven, or the heavenly doctrine.
     We have therefore three forms of Divine revelation progressively leading to the standing forth of the Divine Human in glory, and then to the vision of this Divine Human in great glory. There are also three degrees of the natural mind of man. I suggest that the three Revelations were progressively and by turn given to each one of these degrees. The natural mind consists, looking at it from below, of the sensual, the interior natural, and the rational. In speaking now of each form of Revelation addressing directly one degree of the natural mind, we have reference to the letter of revelation. (The spirit and life within the letter ever speak to the spirit itself of man and the life of love that is to develop there.) And does not the Old Testament in its letter appeal to the sensual man? The sensual relates to the body. If the Jews were "willing and obedient," there would be no famine, no war, no pestilence; but if rebellious and disobedient, one or other of these calamaties would come upon them. Rewards or punishments relating to the body.
     In the New Testament the appeal is clearly more interior. "Ye have heard that it hath been said, but I say unto you." Particular examples given as to just how the New Testament in its letter is more interior, relate to the commandments concerning murder and adultery. "Whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause. . . ." "Whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her. . . ."* This more interior natural to which the New Testament directly appeals, might also be described as the imaginative or moral quality in the mind. Entertaining "anger without a cause," or "desiring adultery" within one's imagination, is destructive of moral virtues.
     * See Matt. 5

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     Finally the Writings are given. Are they not the ultimate fulfillment of the words spoken already through Isaiah: "Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord"?* Do they not speak directly to the rational mind as they invite men to "enter intellectually into the secrets of faith"?
     * Isa. 1:18
     This all relates to the letter of each revelation. But clearly, the interior man, that is, the man who is to live after death, is at all times the object of the Divine concern. But the interior man cannot come forth fully, except insofar as the natural mind is prepared for reception. Therefore little of the spirit could develop in the times of the Old Testament, more in the new era that opened up through the New Testament, and still more and fully in our age, when "Christianity itself is beginning to dawn." If the spirit and life of the Word will now be allowed to descend into the mind, so that the New Jerusalem is coming down from God out of heaven, then the rational mind, seated though it be in the natural, will receive a spiritual quality, and so will be turned into a spiritual-rational level of consciousness.
     This observation, we may note parenthetically, also implies that there can be no further Divine revelation in an ultimate, natural form in the world, because there are no more than the three degrees of the natural mind. The Lord has now revealed Himself fully, and He now awaits human response.
     But we return to the question of the two advents. Bear in mind that the first advent was a beginning of a revelation concerning the Divine Human. This, stated more explicitly, means that it was in His first advent that the Lord assumed the Human down to the Divine Natural, and then fully glorified it. But that He only began to reveal His glory at that time, was because the rudiments of a Christian Church that He then established could "bear no more." In His second advent He does not repeat His glorification process, but He does reveal it fully, that is, as fully as natural language will permit. The Arcana Coelestia, especially, is devoted to this objective. So the second advent sets forth what the first advent accomplished. The two cannot be separated in thought, if either one is to be properly understood.
     The Lord never had more than one end in view. His Divine love never changes, nor ever has changed; and it has within it to give to men as fully as they are ever able to receive. And His Divine wisdom accommodates His love to human reception. So it is that mankind is now invited not only to return to the wisdom of the most ancients, but to enter into that of angels, and to live according to wisdom.

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     To be deeply aware of this Divine love and Divine wisdom is to see God Man, that is, it is to see the infinite Divine nature of the Person of the Lord our Savior. It is to see the Lord as Father.
     Christmas, therefore, is remembered when we reflect on the turning point in human history, in that it was then the Lord assumed the Human in the Divine Natural. But truly to celebrate Christmas is to be thankful for that which the Lord already had in view through that assumption. He desired to make Himself visible down even to the natural mind of man-the whale natural mind, so that He might be conjoined to it; but He could do so only by opening up one of the two interior degrees of the natural at a time. He came in order to come again. "There came a voice from heaven, saying, I have both glorified, and will glorify again."*
     * Jn. 12:28
     All of the above, however, has a primary focus in the Lord's historical advents-the historical first advent and the historical second. We have spoken of revelation as words. But words by themselves address only the understanding. Words, however, need not be "by themselves:" within them there are also the spirit and the life.* It is when the spirit and life are perceived and received that the real man, the inner man, is enlightened and led. Then there is a new creation, or a spiritual birth. "All things were made by the Word. . . . In it was life; and the life was the light of men."**
     * See Jn. 6:63
     ** Jn. 1:3, 4
     Words by themselves give only presence, but the spirit and life within them, when the mind is open for reception, bring conjunction as well. And that is advent to the individual.
     The True Christian Religion lays the matter before us: "The presence of the Lord is perpetual with every man, both evil and good, for without His presence no man lives. But His advent is only with those who receive Him, who are those who believe in Him and do His commandments."*
     * TCR 774 NEW CIRCLE 1978

NEW CIRCLE       LOUIS B. KING       1978

     The General Church Group in Seattle, Washington, has been received officially as the Seattle Circle of the General Church of the New Jerusalem.
     LOUIS B. KING,
          Bishop

571


THE DIVINE DOOR 1978

THE DIVINE DOOR        Rev. LOUIS B. KING       1978

     The Doctrine of the Church

     (An Address to the 4th Canadian Assembly, Oct. 7, 1978.)

     I am the Door: by Me if any man enter in he shall be saved, and shall go in and out and find pasture . . . I am the good Shepherd: the good Shepherd giveth his life for the sheep. John 10:9, 11.

     I am the Door! Just prior to the Lord's first advent the human race stood in peril of annihilation, cut off from essential conjunction with God and from communion or spiritual association with the celestial heavens. If the Lord had not come at that very moment, no mortal could have survived. But He came!
     The Divine Human from eternity-His Divine celestial and Divine spiritual loves extant in the heavens-were brought down and clothed in a natural degree or ultimate human, which successively became the Divine truth and then, through completion of the glorification process, became one with the Divine good.*
     * TCR 109, DLW 233
     The glorified Divine Human of the Lord, therefore, became the Door through which there could be a reordination of all that in both worlds which the fall of man had disordered. Through His Divine Human as a Door, the Divine love as a Shepherd-a good Shepherd-would forever go in and out, leading the human race into conjunction with its Creator and then outward into green pastures of heavenly usefulness. Whoever will, may say, "the Lord is my Shepherd . . . He maketh me to lie down green pastures."*
     * Ps. 23
     At His second coming, the Lord, as the Spirit of Truth, brought into full effect the accomplishments of His first advent. A new church called the New Jerusalem was established, a new revelation of Divine truth-the Divine doctrine or spiritual sense of the Word-was given, and a new priesthood was chosen and ordained, in order that through the threefold ministry of instruction, worship and government the Divine things pertaining to the salvation of souls might exist in a "crown of churches" to endure for ages and ages.

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     What is this crown of churches? We read,

"It is known that the church is in accordance with its doctrine, and that doctrine is from the Word, nevertheless it is not doctrine but soundness and purity of doctrine, consequently the understanding of the Word, that establishes the church. Neither is it doctrine, but a faith and life in accordance with doctrine that establishes and constitutes the special church in the individual man. So too it is not the Word that establishes and constitutes the church in particular in man, but a faith according to the truths, and a life according to the goods, which man derives from the Word, and applies to himself."*
     * TCR 245

The Lord's New Church, then, can exist in the individual only in accordance with his understanding of the Word and his life according to it. Where the true church is, the Lord alone knows. Those individuals in whom the church is comprise a spiritual communion or human form which constitutes the heart and lungs of the Lord's universal kingdom on earth. To promote the establishment of the genuine church in the individual, men, looking to the Lord in His Word, gather together and form external organizations of the church; thus providing for the essential uses of organized worship, doctrinal instruction and social relationships which make possible the life of use. Such organizations of the church are set apart by the degree of authority with which they acknowledge the written Word.
     But what use is the genuine church to serve? Is it not to be a terminal of influx from the angelic heavens, an ultimate foundation on earth for the Lord's kingdom in the heavens? Is not the church to be a safe repository for the Word in its three-fold form wherein doctrine, to serve as a lamp for the right understanding of the Word, may be drawn and confirmed from the senses of its letter? And inmostly considered is not the church's use to implement the passing of the Holy Spirit so that the Lord may be conjoined to that which is His own in man?
     It is not man but the Lord, present in the Word in His Divine Human, who effects the transfer of the Holy Spirit. This takes place when the mind of the individual is ordered by means of the Word, both its letter and spirit, rightly understood in the light of the doctrine of the church drawn therefrom. When the mind is ordered by the teachings or doctrines drawn from the Word from without, the Holy Spirit or sphere of Divine truth from within enlightens the understanding so that the Lord may be seen and worshiped as a visible God in the rational ideas of the human mind.
     Because hereditary and acquired inclinations cause mortal men to be susceptible to the delights and deceptions of evil and falsity, the human mind must be ordered, that is, reformed by truths and regenerated by goods so that the Holy Spirit from within may be received and become operative in the three degrees of the natural mind which men use consciously in this world.

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Only the Word can provide the goods and truths necessary for this reordering of the mind. The sense of the letter impresses the Divine ultimates of spiritual order, as contained in the correspondential symbols of the Old and New Testaments, upon the memory and imagination. This is first done when knowledges, essentially from nature, are employed to open successively the sensual and imaginative degrees of the natural mind. Divine doctrine or the spiritual sense of the Word, which is really the Heavenly Doctrines couched in rational appearances, orders and thus orients the process of ideation in the rational or highest degree of the natural mind, as it is opened, formed and then re-formed by means of rational things or abstract knowledges. So does human thought, bound by the limitations of time and space nevertheless attune its thinking to that of the angels, acknowledging the Lord Jesus Christ in His Divine Human to be the way, the truth and the life.
     There are those, inclined to spiritistic ways, who believe that the Holy Spirit teaches them directly, by an inner, sometimes audible voice. Such, however, is not possible, no matter how intriguing the idea may seem. The Holy Spirit passes to man-to all men-when the individual mind is ordered by the Word, rightly understood in the lamplight of genuine doctrine drawn and confirmed from the sense of the letter of the Word. Though human means assist in this process, the enlightenment and teaching of the Holy Spirit is of the Lord, since He introduces into the heart, and thus immediately, what parents, teachers and ministers present from the Word before the understanding.
     In reflecting upon human means employed by the Lord in this ordering of the human mind for the reception and operation of the Holy Spirit, we should note the teaching that the Holy Spirit does not pass from man to man, but from the Lord through man to man and, in the church, "chiefly . . . through the clergy to the laity by preaching, according to the reception of doctrine of truth," and "by the sacrament of the holy supper, according to the repentance before it."* Listen again to the words of Divine revelation!
     * Canons HS IV

     With respect to priests they ought to teach men the way to heaven and should lead them. They ought to teach them according to the doctrine of their church from the Word; and should lead them so that they live according to that doctrine. The priests who teach truths and through them lead to the good of life, and thus to the Lord, are the good shepherds of the sheep; but those who teach, and do not lead to the good of life, and thus to the Lord, are bad shepherds.*
     * HD 315

     Note! The essential function of the priesthood is "to teach men . . . according to the doctrine of the church from the Word . . . and through (truths) lead to the good of life . . . thus to the Lord."

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     Elsewhere in the Word we are warned against laymen disturbing the church by addressing it ill matters of doctrine;* for it is the function and sole responsibility of ordained ministers to teach the truth according to the doctrine of the church from the Word and lead thereby to the good of life. In the matter of drawing and formulating the doctrine of the church from the Word there is no such restriction placed upon laymen. In fact, priests and laymen alike are exhorted to learn from others until they are able, through their own study of the Word, to confirm as true those doctrinals which they have learned from others.
     * AC 6822

"Man ought to form for himself true doctrine from the Word, and so apply the Word. If he does otherwise, he falls into errors and also applies the Word in every case to his own pleasure, thus wrongly and perversely-which is to profane it."*
     * SD 4762; AC 540216822(e), 6047(2), 3392; AE 190, 233; SS 59

     However, because of what is said concerning the enlightenment of the priestly office and of the necessity of drawing and preserving the purity and wholesomeness of doctrine from the Word, it is implied, though perhaps not stated verbatim, that primary responsibility for the formulation of the doctrine of the church, as well as teaching it faithfully, falls upon the shoulders of the priesthood.
     But what is the doctrine of the church? How is it to be formulated? Doctrine means "teaching." "Divine truth," revelation declares, "is in doctrine like a soul in its body." The Lord is "The Teacher" in the supreme sense. "As the Lord is the Word," we read, "He is also doctrine, for there is no other doctrine which is itself Divine."* Therefore, "the church is in accordance with its doctrine and that doctrine is from the Word."**
     * AC 2533, 5321; INV 44
     ** TCR 245; AE 356; AR 489; SD 5451; AC 769, 2009(e)
     The governing principle concerning the doctrine of the church, then, is essentially this: The supreme doctrine of truth, of which Divine authority can be predicated and which can be referred to as the "internal sense itself,"* is the Word of the Lord as formulated with Infinite care in the mind of Emanuel Swedenborg and then revealed as rational appearances of truth in the Writings. These are the Divine doctrine for the New Church-the Door of the sheepfold through which we may go in and out and find pasture. In drawing forth from the Writings doctrine or organized teachings to meet active states of need in the church, priests must first "go in." As shepherds whose office represents the Lord's love and work of saving souls, they must first from an affection of truth enter intellectually into or in through the Door of Divine Revelation, searching out "the interior things of the Word, of the church, and of worship." (ibid)

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"From these," the Lord declares, " . . . truths still more interior are afterwards drawn forth by those who are enlightened, which truths, with the former, serve the church for doctrine."**
     * TCR 508; AE 641; De Ver 26
     ** AC 10028
     As the priest analyzes the teachings on a given subject, as plainly stated in the text of Divine Revelation, conscientiously noting their context as well as their interrelationship, he must beware of hell-induced temptations to be misled by sensual appearances;-sensual appearances ever-ready to pamper the lust for personalized innovation, or perhaps, preeminence gained at the expense of pertinent teachings inadvertently or deliberately omitted lest they weaken one's particular doctrinal approach, in which he has taken much pride.
     It is a good and faithful shepherd who enters in through the Door of Divine doctrine in order to be inspired, enlightened and instructed immediately from the Lord. Having entered in through doctrinal searching and analysis, the priest then turns and goes outward through the same Door of Divine doctrine. In humble acknowledgment of those proprial affections and finite limitations of his thought which inevitably will be adjoined, he nevertheless synthesizes a framework of doctrine, partly divine, partly derived, which conveys to others what he has seen in the Word. He orders and applies the teachings of the Word so as to provide an accommodation of that doctrine to the understanding and practical needs of his flock. The operation of the Holy Spirit with the clergy is Divinely-given enlightenment to accomplish this work.
     So does the priest conscientiously pass through the Door of Divine doctrine, when his analysis of that doctrine and subsequent formulation and teaching of it is illustrated and confirmed by references or quotations from the Word itself. Only thus can the doctrine of the church be said to be from the Word, drawn and confirmed thereby. Hear what revelation has to say on this subject!
     "Everything of the doctrine of the church which does not agree with the Word is not sound, but is sick with a deadly disease."*
     * AR 576
     We ask! In his classes or sermons does the New Church minister teach the truth? Does he teach what is Divine? Of what authority to the church are the things he says? Yes, what a minister says from his study of the Word can be the truth. Yes, what a minister says from his study and understanding of the Word can even be called Divine insofar as the teaching itself can be confirmed by what the Writings plainly state in rational language. Only the Word in its spiritual sense as given by the Lord through Emanuel Swedenborg can be called "The Divine Doctrine" in fullness.

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But what is from the Word, even in human formulations and teachings, can be called "of the Divine or Truth," insofar as it can be seen clearly by the receiver as having its origin in the Word. That what is Divine can be in men the Word testifies as follows. "The Lord does not dwell in any proprium of man and angel, but in His own with them. Thence it is that when it is said church and heaven, there is understood the Divine of the Lord with those who are there."* Again we read, "The church is the church from the reception of the Divine good of the Lord in Divine truths which are from Him."**
     * AC 10150
     ** AR 797
     When with humility the Lord is approached in His Word, Divine doctrine enters into the rational ideas of the mind and is there enlightened by the Holy Spirit from within so that these knowledges of Divine doctrine become mirrors in which the Divine Human of the Lord is seen and through which vision of a visible God the human heart is touched. This is the Lord's own in man with which the Lord can be conjoined in him. But when man, priest or layman, goes out through the Door of Divine doctrine, that is, endeavors to communicate verbally or in written form the Divine that he sees within, in the very process of going out there is adjoined something of the taint of the human proprium as well as the limitations of finite thought, making it necessary for those who hear what is spoken to differentiate between that which proceeds from the man himself and that which proceeds from the Divine through man.* How can this differentiation be made? How can we tell the difference between what is Divine and what is human in humanly derived doctrine from the Word? In this way! Compare what is said or written with what the Word itself in the Heavenly Doctrines teaches. If what has been put forth as the doctrine of the church is seen to be taught in the Word, then it is Divine and of absolute authority in life, but only because it is seen to be the teaching of the Word and not because any man has said that it is so.
     * DP 219(2)
     The doctrine of the church which is Divine and is to be regarded as of absolute authority in the church is contained and is to be found in the letter of Divine Revelation. Only there is it in its purity and fullness.
     Nothing could be of greater importance to man than a right understanding of what the doctrine of the church is. Divine doctrine, concealed by sensual appearances in the Old and New Testaments but plainly stated in rational appearances in the Writings, is not only Divine in origin but in its formulation and presentation as well. When this doctrine is taken into the mind of a humble and enlightened man-priest or layman-it is still Divine, although as it enters into the ideas of his rational thought (which is allegorically described by going in through the gate of the sheepfold) something of the limitation of his organic vessel or human mind adjoins itself to the truth, giving rise to something of fallacy.

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And especially when he begins to formulate and thence to give verbal or written expression to his vision of the Divine doctrine, (allegorically described by going out through the Door of the sheepfold) then, no matter how far along in regeneration the man may be, there is further adjoined to his perceptions and thus communications not only fallacies of thought but actual taint of proprial affection, which latter does not become predominantly quiescent until his conscious entrance into the spiritual world.     
     So the doctrine of the church is both Divine and humanly derived; Divine in the Writings;-more or less derived when presented by a priest after human formulation. Nevertheless, what is true is always true, and what is Divine is always Divine. But appraisal of its Divinity and hence authority in the church is dependent upon seeing its origin and confirmation in the letter of Revelation.
     The doctrine of the church does develop in scope and purity from generation to generation. Our understanding of the Word can and will increase to eternity. But each increment comes only with renewed study of the Word, reflection upon its teachings and renewed endeavor to live the life of religion in accordance with doctrine. So the Holy Spirit passes from the Lord through man to man, and. especially from the Lord through the clergy to man. And so is the Word increasingly understood in the light of the doctrine of the church from the Word. "Priests who teach truths and through them lead to the good of life and thus to the Lord are good shepherds of the sheep."*
     * HD 315
     In formulating doctrine from the Word and teaching truth according to it, priests must have as their goal leading to the good of life-to the Lord alone. Again, our text comes into play; for the good of life can be led to in two ways.
     Firstly, priests must teach about and inspire in their flock an affection of truth for its own sake. To love truth for its own sake is to love it because it is the form of good, and because it alone can form genuine good in man. Truth, as the form and former of good is the Door through which we can acknowledge good in its origin, and, like the angels ascending on Jacob's ladder, and like those going in through the Door, approach, acknowledge and worship our visible Lord. To teach the love of truth for its own sake is to teach, illustrate and confirm from the Word that there is but one approach to the Lord who is the very origin and essence of good, and that approach is through truth.
     Secondly, the priest must teach about and seek to inspire in his flock an affection of truth for the sake of use or for the sake of good.

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All outward and genuine expressions of charity come into existence through the medium of truth applied. Teaching about and inspiring the love of truth for the sake of good is allegorically depicted as going out of the door of the sheepfold, and like the angels descending Jacob's ladder from God.
     Teaching the truth according to the doctrine of the church from the Word is the essential means entrusted to the clergy of the New Church for the performance of its function or ministry; and there is one only end, purpose or objective for which this means or teaching is to be employed, namely, leading to the Lord who is the good of life. One end! One means! If he is a good shepherd, the New Church minister will labor for the salvation of souls, rather than the momentary happiness of his flock. Faithfully he will teach what the Word teaches concerning the necessity of shunning evils as sins before truth can form natural good into genuine charity. To allow men to hold onto the fallacy that there is anything genuinely good and true in their natures before the Lord puts it there in response to their efforts to shun evils as sins, will evoke gratitude and praise from the flock, but it will not serve the eternal best interests of man's regeneration. A faithful priest will not encourage his flock, through direct teaching or omission of the truth, to sneak into the sheepfold by some alternative route rather than the Door of Divine doctrine.
     The world is replete with age-old expediencies of vicarious atonement, instantaneous salvation, faith alone and the denial of evil; and though arrayed in new, humanistic garments of positive experiential affectation and euphoric self-acceptance, their denial of Divine doctrine and attack upon its authority in the life of the man of the church is ever the same. Let us beware! Let us be faithful to our calling! "I am the Door: by Me if any man enter in he shall be saved, and shall go in and out and find pasture . . . I am the good Shepherd: the good Shepherd giveth his life for the sheep."* Amen.
     * Jn. 10:9, 11
ANNOUNCEMENT 1978

ANNOUNCEMENT              1978

     The General Church members of the New Jerusalem in New Zealand, met on September 30, 1978, and voted to have the status of their Circle returned to that of Group. From henceforth they will be known as the Auckland Group, according to their Honorable Secretary, Marie Bartle, in a letter to Bishop King.

579


TRUE POWER 1978

TRUE POWER       Rev. PETER M. BUSS       1978

     CHARTER DAY ADDRESS

     A child thinks of Samson as the epitome of strength. The man who could tear a lion with his hands, or kill a thousand men by himself must surely be the strongest man who ever lived. The mature mind knows that true power lies in the deeper abilities of the mind-in knowledge and in mental skill-and it is in the pursuit of these types of strength that we have schools and colleges throughout the world. Knowledge, and the ability to use it, bring power; by these we can have the ability to succeed in life, and we can influence others.
     In terms of worldly strength, the Academy is not unique in what it gives its students. It has some strong points, but there are many institutions of learning which are stronger and larger and offer more of worldly knowledge. They, too, offer the means to make a success out of life.
     Yet there are many apparently strong men in this world-leaders, brilliant men in their fields, successful in business or in world affairs or in social realms-who are miserable! They are miserable, and they seem powerless to shake off that unhappiness. What is so special about the
Academy is that it can point to a knowledge which can defend us against misery, which can bring a man to peace, whether he succeeds or not in the eyes of the world.
     In one sense all people seek for this kind of strength. They turn to their personal beliefs and religions, they look for the truth, which can arm them against unhappiness and evil. And if they are sincere, the Lord gives them some weapons, and He teaches them how to use them, and guides them through the land of the shadow of death, for they are His children.
     But the New Word cannot be compared to the conventional armor that is found elsewhere in the world. It is the ultimate weapon, a force irresistible in the world, and it has been placed in our hands, that we may learn from it, and cherish it, and communicate it to our children, and to those we love, and to anyone who will recognize its power. Never before has a force such as this existed on earth. Our faith in its power is the cornerstone of our church, and of its Academies.

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     In search of this strength we come to our schools. We want the ability to do well in this world; but we want to be happy in what we do, far more than we want success. We want to avoid the evils within us, we want to turn from false values that are outside of us. We know that no other source of knowledge can do that for us.
     To speak of the Writings or the church as powerful, however, seems a little unrealistic. The church is so small, and governments and world leaders and armies seem more powerful.
     Think of Pilate, the Roman procurator, before whom the Lord stood, apparently weak, and of Pilate's proud words: "Speakest Thou not unto me? Knowest Thou not that I have power to crucify Thee, and power to release Thee?" How did the Lord answer? "You could have no power at all against Me, except it were given you from above."* Pilate, the apparently successful man, with the trappings of power; yet weak, pathetically afraid of losing his position, crippled in doing justice by fear of Caesar's disfavor, yet unable in the end to avoid being stripped of his position. He ruled only ten years. Compare his strength with what is wrought daily, in the hearts of millions, by Him who stood before Pilate, who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty. This is what the Writings offer us.
     * John 19:10, 11
     There were other times also when the Lord set these two types of power in relief. We recall the young boy, a servant of Elisha, who woke to find them surrounded by the Syrian army, and he was afraid: he could not see the horses and chariots of fire which ringed the prophet. When the soldiers came to arrest the Lord, Peter wanted to fight, to defend the Lord, but was forbidden; and the Lord said: "Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to My Father, and He shall presently give Me more than twelve legions of angels?"*
     * Matt. 26:53
     Truth from the Word is power. It is this which guarantees happiness to those who receive it-happiness in success or failure, in sickness or in good health, even in times of earthly tragedy and sorrow. For it ensures victory over the hells.
     The Writings tell us that the evil seem to be powerful, and many times it seems that they prevail over those who are good. Yet against truth, evil has no power, and neither has falsity. The Word in our minds can't be conquered. Evil has power over evil. Falsity has power over falsity; and therefore false values can seem to multiply and spread and be accepted, and evil practices be followed avidly by people. Yet their power is against each other.

Infernal spirits believe themselves to be stronger and more powerful than others, but this for the reason that they prevail over those who are in evils and in falsities therefrom, thus one infernal spirit over another infernal spirit, or one evil by means of falsity over another evil by falsity; from this appearance they believe themselves to be powerful.

581


But such power may be compared to that of an ant against an ant, or a flea against a flea . . . the power of which is merely relative to their mutual forces.*
     * AE 783:4

     Evil will sometimes appear to succeed against good people also, and it can do this when those people have some evil or some falsity remaining in them. The evil associate with their conceit, or their lack of trust in the Lord, or some other fault, and cause them to feel the power of hell.* As truths multiply, however, their power diminishes, and finally becomes none at all** The whole hell is not only seen before the Lord as nothing, but "in respect to power is absolutely nothing."*** This power is transmitted to angels, and to men on earth! Thus one angel can dismiss a thousand evil spirits, even though he is weak in body;**** and we are told that men on earth who have truth in their minds could, were that truth to be conveyed to their bodies, all have the strength of Samson.*****
     * DP 19; AE 716:3, 776, 783
     ** AE 776
     *** DP 19
     **** TCR 871 et al.
     ***** AC 10182
     We are asked to trust in the power of this truth, which is presented to us in its most perfect form in the three-fold Word, and to seek it, with the certainty that if we have it and use it we will be safe. At times we seem small and weak, and our church does not seem strong, yet truly there is nothing on this earth that we should fear. "Thou shalt not be afraid of the terror by night; nor for the arrow that flieth by day; nor for the pestilence that walketh in darkness; nor for the destruction that wasteth at noonday. A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand; but it shall not come near thee."*
     * Ps. 91:5-7

     How easy it is to abuse this truth, to take such great strength, and turn it instead to the condemnation of others. Some people may do so because they do not trust the strength of the Word enough. They feel the need to prove that it is powerful and right, and they do this by condemning everything else in sight. But we are tempted also to be spiritual bullies, to use the great strength the Writings give us to hurt those who are weaker, because they have less truth. We are also tempted to discover weaknesses in our fellow New Church people, merely because it is enjoyable to discover weaknesses, especially in those who differ from ourselves.

     To use the Word in such a way does give the person doing so a sense of strength.

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He feels he is on the side of truth, and those others are not, therefore he is both right and strong. But it is an illusory sense. He is abusing the truth, and stands against the Lord, even as Pilate did. For his truth hurts, it wounds, it does not heal.
     Ishmael represents such truth, and he was called a "wild-ass man," who fought against everyone. Such truth "thinks and breathes scarcely anything but combats. . . . Such a life is the life of truth without good."* It is shown in the other world as something hard, strong, powerful, which cannot be resisted, and induces terror, because it never gives up, and constantly attacks.** Sometimes truth that judges appears in the other world as an arm, whose strength seems such that it can crush the very being of a man, and inflicts total terror on the bravest in that World.***
     * AC 1950               
     ** AC 1951
     *** AC 4934-5
     We can, and we are tempted to abuse the mighty truth which has been revealed today, to use it in a way that is cruel, to try to prove that we are strong by picking on others. Then the genuine power of truth is hidden from us, for there is no strength in truth without good, without gentleness and a wish to help others. We are not safe from hell if we use truth on its own. We have not that armor against misery. Swedenborg once saw evil spirits trying to draw people over to their side, and he saw that those already is falsities and evils were easily conquered. Then he saw that many who had the truth were also conquered, and he was told that they had the truth, but not charity, and so they were weak, they had no power at all.*
     * AE 783, 776, et al.
     In some beautiful passages the Writings tell us what spiritual power really is. It is the strength to will well to others.* "Spiritual power is to will the good of another, and to will to convey to another as far as possible what is with oneself."** It is represented by touch in the Word, which is why the might of the Lord was so often communicated through touch. The woman with the issue of blood touched the hem of His garment, and He felt power go out of Him. He touched the eyes of the blind, He touched Peter's wife's mother. He touched lepers, and the coffin of the widow's dead son. So also they brought young children to Him, that He might touch them, and He took them up in his arms, put His hands upon them, and blessed them. To touch represents to communicate power-to pass on love and truth together-it reflects the will to have happiness enter into the other person, and bless him or her.
     This is the one force that can alter our little worlds, and which can perhaps change a little the worlds of those we love. To have the power to bring a little happiness into the hearts of other people-that is surely the only strength worth having. It is to that power that the Writings lead us.
     * AC 634316341; AE 79          
     ** AE 79

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     We don't have to be afraid of ideas in the New Church, although we frequently are. We can explore them and look at them with open minds, secure in the knowledge that the Writings are there with us, and through them the Lord will explore and isolate what is good and true in a new idea, if we trust and turn to Him. Nor do we have to be afraid of people whose values are different, if we approach them with principles of charity. We would need to be afraid if we approach them with unseeing, unintelligent sentiment, for there is no power whatever in good alone, without the truth.* "Good without truths has no quality, and where there is no quality there is no force or power."**
     * TCR 87
     ** AE 209
     A truly rational good, we are told, "never fights, howsoever it is assaulted, because it is meek and gentle, patient, and yielding, for it is of love and mercy; and although it does not fight, yet it conquers all, nor does it ever think of combat or boast of the victory. It acts thus because it is Divine, and is safe of itself."*
     * AC 1950
     We are to trust in the tremendous power of the Word, yet we are warned, time and again, not to think ourselves strong. The evil think they are strong, and they are not. The good think they have no power, for they know they are nothing without the Lord, so there is no sense of personal strength in their faith. We don't get any strength until we know and believe we are weak.* We are not asked to think we are strong because we have the Word, but to have trust in the strength of that Word. It is the source of power.
     * DP 19; AC 3417, 4459:4, 4932, 5428:2
     Spiritual power is to be able to help others-to have that vital force from the Lord in us which makes us live, not for ourselves, but for others. It comes to us through the Word, and it is in the acknowledgment of that Word that the church is the strongest force in the world today, however insignificant it may be in the eyes of men. We can talk of that power, but we will show it forth only if there is charity, and gentleness, and care in our speech. We can speak of the true way to raise our children towards the happiness of heaven. We can bear witness to the Divine order which makes true marriages a heaven on earth. We can talk of the God who loves and cares for us, and of how He does it. We can speak the comfort of truth to the oppressed, and the joy of truth to the idealistic. We can look forth on the world ourselves with hope, and with compassion where there is sadness and evil, feeling sure that the Lord is doing something about it. We can look forth on the world with determination, resolved to see that the power of the New Word will begin to make itself felt in the hearts of those we serve, to work that the Lord may build His church.

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What strength is there which can compare with knowledge like this, and the life it reveals?
     Let us become heirs to this power. Let us use the incredible strength of the New Word, with mercy, and with justice, and most of all in humility as we try to walk with our God-for this is how He requires us to use it. Then we won't hurt those who know less than we do, or wound those who as yet see darkly, and are stumbling towards the light. Our truth will be gentle, and yielding, but it will never fail to conquer. Then the New Church will be invincible on the face of the earth. Not because of us, but because we acknowledge the might of Him who spoke these thirty-five volumes, and try to bear testimony to it. Such is the faith represented by Peter, to whom the Lord said, "On this rock will I build My church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it."*
     * Matt. 16:18; cf. AC 6344, 10182
     Let us trust in the strength of our Word, which it is the precious call of this school to make known. "In God will I praise His Word; in the Lord will I praise His Word. In God have I put my trust; I will not be afraid what man can do unto me."* Amen.
     * Ps. 56:10-11

     LESSONS: John 18:33-19:11; TCR 87 APPLICATIONS FOR ADMISSION TO THE ACADEMY OF THE NEW CHURCH COLLEGE 1978

APPLICATIONS FOR ADMISSION TO THE ACADEMY OF THE NEW CHURCH COLLEGE              1978

     Requests for application forms for admission to the Academy College for 1979-80 should be addressed to Dean Robert W. Gladish, The Academy of the New Church College, Box 278, Bryn Athyn, Pa. 19009. Completed application forms and accompanying transcripts and recommendations should be submitted by March 15, 1979.
     It should also be noted that the College operates on a three-term year and that applications for entrance to the Winter and Spring terms of the current academic year can be processed, provided that they are received by Dean Gladish at least three weeks prior to the beginning of the new term.

585


CLERGY REPORTS 1978

CLERGY REPORTS       LOUIS B. KING       1978

     Report of the Bishop of the General Church

     September 1, 1977, to August 31, 1978

     As an illustration of the doctrinal growth and development which the General Church has experienced this year, the docket for the 1978 Council of the Clergy meetings contained seven doctrinal studies, a program concerning the Church Specific and Universal, and at least a dozen topics relating to the life of the church for discussion in the light of doctrine. Add to this the fact that many new and well-attended doctrinal classes were added this year to the agendas of our Societies, Circles and Groups. This past summer seminars on the study and teaching of science in the light of New Church doctrine were offered by the Academy to our General Church teachers. Immediately following, the Educational Council meetings offered a stimulating set of lectures and workshops devoted to increasing our understanding of the opening of the natural mind and the development of the true rational.
     The real strength of the General Church will ever be measured in terms of the purity of its doctrine and the devotion of life to that doctrine. In this regard it has been an encouraging year in the General Church.
     At the outset of this report I would like to express appreciation to the Rev. Geoffrey Childs, Bishop's Representative in Canada; the Rev. Geoffrey Howard, Bishop's Representative in South Africa; the Rev. Peter Buss, Bishop's Representative in the Midwestern and Central Western Districts of the United States, and the Rev. Bjorn Boyesen, Bishop's Representative in Great Britain. Initiative taken by these men in their local areas with regard to responsibilities delegated by the Episcopal Office has resulted in more efficient planning, organization, and implementation of General Church uses, far beyond what would have been possible without their assistance.
     The Rev. Frederick Schnarr as Chairman of the Headmasters' Committee, and in his recent capacity as Chairman of a newly constituted General Church Schools' Committee, has given active leadership to our General Church Schools in the matter of curriculum development and other administrative needs faced by our local headmasters. Mr. Schnarr will also serve as Program Chairman for the Educational Council meetings for the next three years, succeeding the Rev. Dan Pendleton, who has done a superb job in this capacity for the past three years.

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     As Bishop of the General Church I made 42 episcopal visits during the year, recognized two new New Church Circles in England, ordained 4 priests into the second degree of the priesthood and inaugurated 4 men into the first degree of the priesthood, recognized 9 candidates for the priesthood, assigning 11 candidates in all to serve summer candidacies on four different continents. It should be noted that the work accomplished through these candidacies has helped to ready certain Circles and Societies for the placement of additional priests in the work of the General Church ministry during this coming year.
     As Pastor of the Bryn Athyn Church I conducted 77 services of worship (festival, public and private), preached 24 sermons, conducted 6 regular doctrinal classes, 70 Arcana classes, chaired 12 meetings (Board of Trustees and Society), conducted 33 special services (rites and sacraments).
     As Chancellor of the Academy it was my pleasure to meet weekly with the President, and the Dean of the Theological School respectively, chaired 10 meetings of the Board and Corporation, taught Elective Religion 3 terms in the Secondary Schools, taught a course on Church Government in the Theological School, and conducted 3 General Faculty meetings (comprising the faculties of the Academy Schools and the Bryn Athyn Church Elementary School).
     Episcopal Visits and Assemblies presided at during the period of September 1, 1977 to August 31, 1978

     Date                     Place
Sept.     16, 1977           Atlanta, Ga. (Southeastern District Assembly)
     23                    Glenview, Ill. (Midwestern District Assembly)
Oct.      2                    Baltimore, Md.
     9                Kempton, Pa.
     15                    Ottawa, Canada
     16                    Montreal, Canada
     29                    Rio de Janeiro, South America
Nov.      2                    Cape Town, South Africa
     4                    Westville, South Africa (Assembly)
     5                    Kwa Mashu, South Africa
     6                    Clermont, South Africa
     6                    Westville, South Africa
                         Mpaphala, South Africa
     9                    Westville, South Africa
     10                    Enkumba, South Africa
     11                    Hambrook, South Africa
     11                    Transvaal, South Africa

587



     12                    Irene, South Africa
     13                    Alexandra Township, South Africa
     13                    Orlando, South Africa
     13                    Irene, South Africa
     14                    Soweto, South Africa
     15                    Paris, France
     16                    London, England
     17                    West Country, England
     18                    London, England
     18                    Colchester, England
     19                    London, England
     20                    Colchester, England
Jan.      1, 1978           Kempton, Pa.
     21                    Toronto, Canada
Feb.      5                    Kempton, Pa.
     24                    Washington, D.C.
March     11                    Florida
     16                    Los Angeles, Calif. (District Assembly)
April     28                Auckland, New Zealand
May     2                    Sydney, Australia
     9                    Tamworth, Australia
     10                    Melbourne, Australia
     11                    Hently, Australia
     12                    Sydney, Australia (Assembly)
     27                Connecticut
June      2                    Glenview, Illinois
     25                    Harvey Cedars, N.J.
July      2                    Linden Hills, Mich.
     16                Kempton, Pa.

     
     MINISTERIAL CHANGES

     The Rev. Bjorn A. H. Boyesen has resigned from the pastorate of the Colchester Society of the General Church, effective Sept. 1, 1978, and has accepted an appointment in Sweden where he will devote his time in translation of the Writings into Swedish and in pastoral work in Jonkoping and Gothenburg.
     The Rev. Patrick A. Rose has resigned his position in the Glenview Society and has accepted a call to serve as pastor of the Colchester Society, effective Sept. 1, 1978.
     The Rev. Willard L. D. Heinrichs has resigned as Superintendent of the General Church Mission in South Africa, and has accepted appointment to the faculty of the Theological School of the Academy, effective Sept. 1, 1978.
     The Rev. Norman E. Riley has been appointed to serve as Superintendent of the General Church Mission in South Africa and as assistant to the pastor of the Durban Society, effective Sept. 1, 1978.

588



     The Rev. Erik Sandstrom retired as Dean of the Theological School as of August 31, 1978. He has accepted appointment as of Sept. 1, 1978, to serve as resident Pastor to the South Dakota Group and Visiting Pastor to the Denver Circle.
     The Rev. Robert S. Junge has been appointed to succeed the Rev. Erik Sandstrom as Dean of the Theological School, effective Sept. 1, 1978.
     The Rev. Morley D. Rich, ret., has resigned as Editor of NEW CHURCH LIFE, effective Aug. 31, 1978.
     The Rev. Ormond de C. Odhner has accepted appointment as Acting Editor of NEW CHURCH LIFE, effective Sept. 1, 1978.
     The Rev. Douglas M. Taylor, who has been serving as Assistant Dean of the Bryn Athyn Church (this year half-time), has accepted episcopal appointment to devote his full time to General Church Extension work as of Sept. 1, 1978.
     The Rev. B. David Holm has been accepted by the Bryn Athyn Society of the General Church to serve as Assistant Dean of the Society as of Sept. 1, 1978.
     The Rev. Norbert H. Rogers has offered his resignation as Secretary of the General Church, effective August 31, 1978.
     The Rev. Lorentz R. Soneson has accepted appointment as Acting Secretary of the General Church, and will succeed the Rev. B. David Helm as Director of the General Church Religion Lessons and Sunday Schoolwork. He will serve also as Editor of NEW CHURCH HOME, effective Sept. 1, 1978.
     The Rev. Arne Bau-Madsen has accepted appointment as resident part-time pastor to the Kempton Circle of the General Church, effective Sept. 1, 1978. He will continue to visit the Group in Wilmington, Delaware.
     The Rev. Ottar T. Larsen will serve a special assignment for the General Church in Canada, acting as Visiting Pastor to the Northeastern Canadian District, performing some duties in the Olivet Church, and responding to requests for visits from the Canadian Central West, effective Sept. 1, 1978.
     The Rev. Robert D. McMaster has accepted appointment to serve as assistant to the Pastor of the Toronto Society, effective September 1, 1978
     The Rev. J. Clark Echols has been assigned to Glenview as an assistant to the Pastor of the Immanuel Church, effective Sept. 1, 1978.
     The Rev. Andrew J. Heilman has accepted appointment as assistant to the Rev. Jose de Figueiredo, minister in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, effective Sept. 1, 1978.
     Candidate Alain Nicolier has been assigned to serve New Church people in France, effective Sept. 1, 1978.

589



     The Rev. Christopher D. Bown has been appointed minister to the Connecticut Group and the New York-New Jersey Circle (resident in Connecticut), effective Sept. 1, 1978.
     LOUIS B. KING,
          Bishop
COUNCIL OF THE CLERGY MEMBERSHIP 1978

COUNCIL OF THE CLERGY MEMBERSHIP       B. DAVID HOLM       1978

     During the year ending August 31, 1978, four young men were inaugurated into the first degree of the priesthood, three ministers were ordained into the second degree, and one priest of the second degree from another organization of the New Church was recognized as a pastor of the General Church.
     At the end of the twelve month period the Council of the Clergy consisted of three priests of the episcopal degree, forty-four in the pastoral degree, eight in the ministerial degree, and one associate member, for a total of fifty-six. Of these, fourteen were mainly or essentially employed by the General Church and/or the Academy of the New Church, thirty were in pastoral work, six were retired or in secular work and one unassigned. The newly inaugurated ministers and the second degree priest from another organization were preparing to enter into their fields of priestly use.
     In addition, the General Church had five priests of the pastoral degree in the South African Mission besides the Superintendent.
     A Directory of the General Church and its Mission in South Africa was published in the September issue of NEW CHURCH LIFE, pp. 434-439.

     STATISTICS

     The statistics of the Sacraments and Rites of the Church administered during the year, compiled from reports of all priests as of September 1, 1978, together with comparative figures for the twelve months periods five and ten years ago, are shown below.

                              1977-78      1972-73      1968
Baptisms
     Children                    146          158          77
     Adults                    46          40          16
          Total                    192           198           93
Holy Supper Administrations
     Public                    236          159          74
     Private                    49           not given      15
          Communicants           5,670      4,474      2,743
Confessions of Faith                46           31           18
Betrothals                         47           35           23
Marriages                         71           43           26
     Blessings                    3
Ordinations                         8          5          0

590



Dedications
     Churches                    1           1           0
     Homes                     10           1           10
     Other                     0           1           1
Funerals or Memorial Services      46           44           31

     REPORTS OF THE MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL

     The Rt. Rev. Louis B. King served as Bishop of the General Church, Chancellor of the Academy of the New Church, and Pastor of the Bryn Athyn Church. The full text of his report appears on pages 585-589.

     The Rt. Rev. George de Charms, retired, has seen through the press his new book Commentary on a Harmony of the Four Gospels, which is now available. He wrote several papers and articles for NEW CHURCH LIFE and NEW CHURCH HOME.

     The Rt. Rev. Willard D. Pendleton, retired, reports a number of sacraments and rites at which he officiated.

     The Rev. Alfred Acton II continued to serve as President of the Academy of the New Church.

     The Rev. Glenn G. Alden continued to serve as Pastor to the Florida District, resident in Miami.

     The Rev. Kurt H. Asplundh served as Dean of the Bryn Athyn Church.

     The Rev. Arne J. Bau-Madsen continued to serve as Assistant to the Visiting Pastor of the Kempton Circle, as Visiting Pastor to the Group in Wilmington, Delaware, and as Assistant to the Director of Religion Lessons.

     The Rev. Bjorn A. H. Boyesen continued to serve as Pastor of the Colchester Society and as Headmaster of the Society's Day School. In addition he served as Visiting Pastor to the Manchester Circle and the Letchworth Circle and the Group in Scotland. By episcopal appointment he served as the Bishop's Representative in England. He also served as Chairman of the General Church Council, Ltd., and as Chairman of the British Academy. He reports further as serving as Headmaster of the British Summer School.

     The Rev. Ragnar Boyesen continued to serve as Pastor of the Scandinavian District, resident in Stockholm, and visiting the Circles in Jonkoping, Sweden, Copenhagen, Denmark, Oslo, Norway, and the groups in Gothenburg, Malmo and Stavanger. In addition he visited the isolated in Sweden and Norway, and served as the Editor of Nova Ecclesia. He is also Secretary of the newly formed Scandinavian Swedenborg Society.

     The Rev. Peter M. Buss continued to serve as Pastor of the Immanuel Church in Glenview and as Headmaster of the Society's Day School. He also served as President of the Midwestern Academy. In addition by episcopal appointment he served as the Bishop's Representative in the Midwestern and Central Western Districts of the General Church.

591




     The Rev. Mark R. Carlson served as Assistant to the Pastor of the Carmel Church in Kitchener, Ontario.

     The Rev. Geoffrey S. Childs continued to serve as Pastor of the Olivet Society in Toronto, Canada, and as Headmaster of the Olivet Day School. By episcopal appointment he also served as the Bishop's Representative in Canada. In addition he reports an extensive pastoral trip to Western Canada. He worked on the Secondary Education Committee for Canada and preached and gave doctrinal classes in several centers in the United States.

     The Rev. Robert H. P. Cole, unassigned, reports activities of a pastoral and missionary nature in a number of places.

     The Rev. Harold C. Cranch continued to serve as Associate Pastor of the Immanuel Church in Glenview, as Development Pastor for the Midwestern District and as Pastor of the Sharon Church Circle. He reports numerous and hopeful missionary activities in the Midwest among which is the beginning of a church-oriented radio station. He also made visits to the Circle in Auckland, New Zealand and to the Hurstville Society in Australia, while on vacation.

     The Rev. Roy Franson continued to serve as Pastor of the Tucson Circle in Arizona where he is resident, and as one of the Visiting Pastors to the San Diego Circle in California. He also served the Groups in Phoenix and Mission Vieja, Arizona and visited isolated families in the area.

     The Rev. Michael D. Gladish continued to serve as Pastor to the Hurstville Society in Australia and Visiting Pastor to the Auckland Circle in New Zealand. He is also Pastor to the isolated in both countries which involves a great deal of traveling. He reports further as having given several radio talks of a missionary nature.

     The Rev. Victor J. Gladish, retired, reports occasional visits to the Wilmington, Illinois Group and some assistance to the Pastor in Glenview.

     The Rev. Daniel W. Goodenough continued to serve as Associate Professor of Religion and History at the Academy of the New Church, where he taught in both the College and Theological School. He also preached several times. All of his spare time was spent on graduate work in Christian Church History.

     The Rev. Daniel W. Heinrichs served as Pastor of the Washington Society and as Headmaster of its Day School. In addition, he served as Visiting Pastor to the Maryland and Virginia Districts.

     The Rev. Henry Heinrichs is retired.

     The Rev. Willard L. D. Heinrichs continued to serve as Superintendent of the General Church Mission in South Africa, resident in Westville, Natal. In addition he served as Visiting Pastor to the Transvaal Circle, the Cape Town Group and to the isolated in South Africa. He also served as Head of the Mission's Theological School and gave assistance to the Pastor of the Durban Society.

     The Rev. B. David Holm continued as Director of Religion Lessons, Editor of NEW CHURCH HOME, and Head of the Sunday School Committee. In addition he was an Instructor in Religion in the Bryn Athyn Church Elementary School and in the Academy of the New Church.

592


He also served as Secretary of the Council of the Clergy. In the summer he served as a lecturer at the Almont New Church Assembly.

     The Rev. Geoffrey H. Howard continued to serve as the Pastor of the Durban Society, and as Headmaster of the Durban Society's Kainon School. By episcopal appointment he has also served as the Bishop's Representative in South Africa. In addition he visited the Circle in the Transvaal and the Group in Cape Town. He also visited our Society in Rio de Janeiro on his way back from the United States. The Rev. Robert S. Junge continued to serve as Instructor of Religion and Education in the Academy of the New Church, both in the College and the Theological School.

     The Rev. Brian W. Keith continued to serve as Assistant to the Pastor of the Immanuel Church in Glenview, and as Assistant in the Midwestern and Central Western Districts of the General Church. He was in charge of the Madison Wisconsin, Circle.

     The Rev. Thomas L. Kline continued to serve as the resident Pastor of the Atlanta, Georgia Circle. In addition he served as Visiting Pastor to the Southeastern United States District of the General Church.

     The Rev. Ottar T. Larsen continued to serve as Assistant to the Pastor of the Olivet Church in Toronto, Canada. He also served as Visiting Pastor to the Circle in Montreal, Quebec and the Group in Ottawa, Ontario.

     The Rev. Kurt P. Nemitz served as Pastor of the Bath Society of the New Jerusalem Church (A Convention Society in Bath, Maine). He also traveled to isolated receivers of the New Church elsewhere in Maine. He further reports that he served as a lecturer and staff member of the Almont New Church Assembly.

     The Rev. Ormond deC. Odhner continued to serve as Professor of Church History and Instructor in Religion in the Academy of the New Church.

     The Rev. Walter E. Orthwein III served as Pastor of the Detroit Society of the General Church. In addition he served as Visiting Pastor to the Circle in Gorand Rapids, Michigan and a Group in Lansing, Michigan.

     The Rev. Dandridge Pendleton continued to serve as an Instructor in Religion in the Academy of the New Church.

     The Rev. Martin Pryke continued to serve as an Instructor in Religion in the Academy of the New Church in both the Theological School and the Boys School. He also served as Visiting Pastor to the Circle in Kempton, Pennsylvania.

     The Rev. Norman Reuter, retired, continued to give Pastoral assistance in Bryn Athyn and elsewhere, when called upon. He gave a series of doctrinal classes to two groups in Bryn Athyn and also served as an Instructor in Religion in the Academy of the New Church.

     The Rev. Morley D. Rich, retired, continued to serve as Editor of NEW CHURCH LIFE. He also conducted a group doctrinal class in Bryn Athyn, and gave other Pastoral assistance when called upon.

593




     The Rev. Norman E. Riley spent most of the year in orientation in the work of the General Church. This included some course work in the Theological School and some additional General Church uses. Since June he has served as Superintendent of the Mission in South Africa and as Assistant to the Pastor of the Durban Society which includes the teaching of religion in Kainon School. In addition he is Visiting Pastor to the Transvaal Circle, and the Group in Cape Town. He also visits the isolated in South Africa. In addition he serves as Director of the General Church Religion Lessons for isolated children in South Africa.

     The Rev. Norbert H. Rogers, retired, continued to serve as Secretary of the General Church and Chairman of the General Church Publication Committee. In addition he continued the program he started through which French Speaking members and friends of the General Church throughout the world receive a sermon once a month in their own language.

     The Rev. Donald Rose continued to serve as Pastor of the Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Society, and Principal of the Pittsburgh Society's Day School. He also served the Group in Freeport, Pennsylvania. In addition he participated in the Laurel Leaf Academy Summer Camp and the Junior Pine Needle weekend in Connecticut in July. He reports further that he preached in several other centers of the Church.

     The Rev. Frank S. Rose served as Instructor in Religion in the Academy of the New Church in the College, Girls School, and Boys School. He also served as Housemaster of Childs Hall-the college men's dormitory. In addition he presided over the Maple Leaf Academy and the Laurel Leaf Academy.

     The Rev. Patrick A. Rose continued to serve as Assistant to the Pastor of the Immanuel Church in Glenview, and as Assistant in the Midwestern and Central Western Districts of the General Church. He was in charge of the Circle in St. Paul-Minneapolis, Minnesota. After moving to England, he taught in the British Academy Summer School.

     The Rev. Erik Sandstrom continued to serve as Dean of the Theological School of the Academy of the New Church. In addition he continued to give a series of biweekly classes to a small group in Bryn Athyn. He also preached in several centers of the Church.

     The Rev. Erik E. Sandstrom continued as Pastor of Michael Church in London, England and as Visiting Pastor to the Circle in the Hague, Holland and the West Country Group in Tauton, England. He also visited the isolated and served as Editor of the Newsletter in England.

     The Rev. Frederick L. Schnarr served as Principal of the Bryn Athyn Church Elementary School and gave some Pastoral assistance in the Bryn Athyn Society.

     The Rev. David R. Simons continued to serve as Pastor of the Los Angeles Society in California. He also served as Visiting Pastor to the San Francisco Circle and as one of the Visiting Pastors to the San Diego Circle. He reports a new group to which he is giving doctrinal classes and also some missionary activity.

     The Rev. Christopher R. J. Smith served as Pastor of the Carmel Church in Kitchener, Ontario. He also served as the Headmaster of the Carmel Church's Day School.

594




     The Rev. Lorentz R. Soneson continued to serve as Pastor of the Northeast District, resident in Milford, Connecticut. From Connecticut he served as Visiting Pastor to the New York-New Jersey Circle, the Boston Circle, and members in Upper New Pork state. He also conducted the Second Annual Junior Pine Needle Summer School for the children in the Northeast District.

     The Rev. Kenneth O. Stroh continued to serve as the Bryn Athyn Church Organist, as Director of Music and as Choir Director. He also did Pastoral visiting in the Bryn Athyn Society.

     The Rev. Douglas M. Taylor served as Assistant Dean of the Bryn Athyn Church (half time) which included teaching of religion in the Bryn Athyn Church Elementary School. The other half of his time Was spent as Chairman of the General Church Extension Committee. In connection with this he traveled to five church centers to promote the work of Evangelization. He also spoke to several groups outside the church. In addition he served as Chairman of the General Church Sound Recording Committee.

     The Rev. Christopher D. Bown completed his final year in the Theological School of the Academy of the New Church. He was inaugurated into the priesthood on June 18, 1978. Since August he has served as Minister to the Northeast District, resident in Milford, Connecticut.

     The Rev. William H. Clifford continued to serve as resident Minister to the Circle in Dawson Creek, British Columbia, Canada, and as Visiting Minister to Western Canada and the Northwestern District of the United States.

     The Rev. Stephen D. Cole served as Minister of the North Ohio Circle, resident in Cleveland, Ohio. In addition he served as Visiting Minister to the Erie Circle in Pennsylvania and the South Ohio Circle.

     The Rev. Jose L. de Figueiredo continued to serve as Minister to the Rio de Janeiro Society in Brazil.          

     The Rev. J. Clark Echols, Jr. completed his final year in the Theological School of the Academy of the New Church. He was inaugurated into the priesthood on August 20, 1978.

     The Rev. Andrew J. Heilman completed his final year in the Theological School of the Academy of the New Church. He was inaugurated into the priesthood on June 18, 1978. During the summer he preached in Western Canada and prepared for future work in Brazil.

     The Rev. Robert D. McMaster completed his final year in the Theological School of the Academy of the New Church. He was inaugurated into the priesthood on June 18, 1978. In August he took up his duties as Assistant to the Pastor of the Olivet Church in Toronto, Canada.

     The Rev. N. Bruce Rogers continued to serve as Associate Professor of Religion, Latin, and Hebrew in the College of the Academy of the New Church. He also served as Head of the College Religion and Sacred Languages Division. In addition he served as Chairman of the General Church Translation Committee.

595




     The Rev. Jan H. Weiss was engaged in secular work in Los Angeles, California. He reports he preached once and gave one doctrinal class.

     Added to the above priests are those of the General Church of the New Jerusalem Mission in South Africa. Since they do not report directly to the Bishop of the General Church, they are not included here. Their names and assignments appear in the September, 1978, issue of NEW CHURCH LIFE, page 439.
     Respectfully submitted,
          B. DAVID HOLM,
               Secretary
"SPIRITUAL" DIARY? 1978

"SPIRITUAL" DIARY?       J. DURBAN ODHNER       1978

     (Memorandum to Bishop Louis B. King)

     In connection with the title of the emerging new Latin edition of the Diary, I would like to bring the following points to your attention.

     1. There is no doubt that this work is a diary or journal (both of these words are based on the word "day"), thus a day-to-day record. While it is a record of spiritual experiences, however, it is not a spiritual diary; this is an expression apparently coined by J. F. I. Tafel. In other words, strictly, the word "spiritual" here is a qualification we have no right to apply, any more than "celestial," or both, as the whole work concerns both spirits and angels, as well as men with whom they are present. It is indeed the diary of Emanuel Swedenborg:

     Emanuelis Swedenborgii Diarium

     2. The reference to this collection made by the author was apparently "Memolabilia,"* so that this ought to constitute the substance of the title. Tafel emphasized Diarium Spirituale and treated Memorabilia as a sub-title:
     * The present Volume I of the ms. was originally two volumes, the first of which contained a fragment of the last entries of the Index of the Bible and then nos. 149 to 1789, and the second nos. 1790 to 3427. On the parchment was written:

     MEMORABILIA Tom. I. II. 149-3427

It has not been determined whether this inscription, presumably put there by A. Nordenskjold, was copied over from an earlier binding.

596




     DIARIUIM SPIRITUALE

     sive Memorabilia

3. In view of the two considerations above, the following would appear to be more appropriate:

     Emanuelis Swedenborgii Diarium

     Detegens

     MEMORABILIA

     ex visis et auditis

     in Mundo Spirituali

     4. However, a frequent reference to its own contents within this work itself is "experientiae," a word that appears almost on every page; so that (also to avoid duplication with the title of Heaven and Hell) the best form might be:

     Emanuelis Swedenborgii Diarium

     Detegens

     MEMORABILIA

     ex expertis in Mundo Spirituali

     This would reflect deference to the traditional title of "diary," at the same time emphasizing the more appropriate references, memorabilia and experientiae.

     ***

     As for the word memorabilia, it happens to be an accepted English word (see American Heritage Dictionary), possibly, in part, as a result of its use in translations of the Writings of Swedenborg. Translators have rendered it in English as "memorable relations"-but unfortunately this is a mistranslation. To translate it correctly would require a bind of paraphrasing such as in the definition "things worthy of remembrance." This is of course too clumsy. "Memorable things" is likewise too awkward in most situations. The problem with "memorabilia" is that the singular, memorabile, is not an English word!-and this is not the only problem, for words like memorabilia, while technically accepted as English, still remain foreign to the minds of most people, and therefore cannot be called true translations.

597




     I feel that the best-and linguistically and doctrinally most accurate-paraphrase is "memorable experience." The Latin title suggested in #4 could be rendered in English:

     Diary of Emanuel Swedenborg

     Disclosing

     MEMORABLE EXPERIENCES

     in the Spiritual World

     Of course, the translation of the words memorabile and memorabilia are not the immediate concern.

     I am addressing this problem to you because I believe it transcends the competency of the General Church Translation Committee alone. We should be guided by any research-based reactions that might be elicited from members of the clergy, or from students of other translation committees or organizations, or any individuals for that matter who might wish to comment on the matter, before arriving at a final decision.
     J. DURBAN ODHNER,
          General Church Translation Committee
APPLICATIONS FOR ADMISSION TO THE ACADEMY OF THE NEW CHURCH BOYS SCHOOL AND GIRLS SCHOOL 1978

APPLICATIONS FOR ADMISSION TO THE ACADEMY OF THE NEW CHURCH BOYS SCHOOL AND GIRLS SCHOOL              1978

     "Requests for application forms for admission to the Academy Secondary Schools should be made for new students before February 15, 1979. Letters should be addressed to Miss Morna Hyatt, Principal of the Girls School, or Mr. Donald C. Fitzpatrick, Principal of the Boys School, at The Academy of the New Church, Box 278, Bryn Athyn, Pennsylvania 19009. Letters should include the student's name, parents' address, the class the student will be entering, the name and address of the school he or she is now attending, and whether the student will be day or dormitory. Please see the Academy catalog for dormitory requirements.
     "Completed application forms and accompanying material should be received by the Academy by March 30, 1979."

598


CHRISTMAS-AND THE INTERNAL SENSES 1978

CHRISTMAS-AND THE INTERNAL SENSES       Editor       1978


NEW CHURCH LIFE
Office of Publication, Lancaster, Pa.
Published Monthly by
THE GENERAL CHURCH OF THE NEW JERUSALEM
BRYN ATHYN. PA.
Acting Editor           Rev. Ormond deCharms Odhner, Bryn Athyn, Pa.
Business Manager          Mr. L. E. Gyllenhaal, Bryn Athyn, Pa.

     All literary contributions should be sent to the Editor. Subscriptions, change of address, and business communications, should be sent to the Business Manager. Notifications of address changes should be received by the 15th of the month.

     TERMS OF SUBSCRIPTION
$5.00 a year to any address, payable in advance. Single copy, 50 cents.
     It is probably a general truth that the spiritual sense of the Word is of more importance than is its literal or natural sense. I do not mean in the least to belittle the letter, the literal sense of the Word, for as a New Church man I of course know the teachings that the letter is the basis, containant and support of the internal sense; that it is in the letter that fulness, holiness, and power of the Word resides; that the letter, in the mind of a reverent man, is the foundation of the heavens, etc.
     It is rather obvious, however, that the story of Israel's exodus from Egypt is of less spiritual importance than its counterpart in the life of a regenerating man-his deliverance from slavery to worldly and scientific "wisdom," as he begins his journey to his "promised land." It is obvious also that the Lord's turning water into wine at a marriage feast in Cana of Galilee two thousand years ago was merely a fore-shadowing of the really great, corresponding spiritual miracle that He performed when on earth: changing religion from the merely natural thing it had been with the Jews into the living, spiritual thing that religion could have been in the Christian Church and is to be in the New Church.
     Recall, now, the teaching that there are several degrees of meaning within the literal sense of the Word-an "internal historical" sense, which treats of the internal state of the church at the time of the writing of any part of the letter; a spiritual sense, which treats of the regeneration of the individual man; and a celestial sense, which treats of the glorification, the real type or pattern of man's regeneration.

599


Of all of these, the celestial sense, treating of the Lord's glorification, is, of course, supreme; nothing else can approach its importance.
     If, however, the celestial sense is the most important of all the senses of the Word [we are taught that it is this inmost sense that makes the Word Divine, that makes it to be the Lord's Word]; and if, in general, the spiritual sense of the Word is of more importance than its letter; yet it is still true that the essential fact of the Christmas story, the virgin birth of the Lord on earth, is immeasurably more important than its counterpart in the life of a regenerating man. [That counterpart is the birth of the Lord in the human heart; or as it is rationally phrased in The True Christian Religion, n. 766, "The Lord is present with every man, and is urgent to be received, and when a man receives Him, by acknowledging Him as his God, the Creator, Redeemer, and Savior, it is His first Advent."]

     I would repeat that it is of the essential fact of the literal Christmas story that I say that the natural sense is of more importance than the spiritual: the virgin birth of the Lord on earth. "There was no room for them in the inn:" here, in the internal historical sense, we are shown that at that time there was no room in the Jewish Church for the birth of a spiritual, nay, Divine Messiah. "Shepherds . . . keeping watch over their flock by night:" In the internal historical sense, the good remnant within the Jewish Church with whom the Christian Church began; in the spiritual sense, those celestial remains of good which are first in man to acknowledge the good news that spiritual life has at last been born in man; and in the celestial sense, perhaps, the Lord's Own Divine-celestial remains. "Wise men from the East:" in the spiritual sense, the truths learned in childhood re-awakened by His "star;" in the internal-historical sense, the truths of the Ancient Church acknowledging the Lord Jesus Christ as the fulfillment of their prophecies; and in the celestial sense . . . ?
     These are all but details in the story of the establishment of Christianity, in the regeneration of man, in the glorification of the Lord; and their inner meanings far outrank in importance the natural details themselves. But the virgin birth of the Lord God Himself on earth-without it, the Christian Church would never have been established (the internal historical sense); without it, man's regeneration would be impossible (the spiritual sense); and without it, (the celestial sense), the rest of the glorification process could not have taken place.
     The Virgin Birth of the Lord God Jesus Christ-that is what Christmas is all about.

600


Church News 1978

Church News       LEON S. RHODES       1978

     BRYN ATHYN

     The year-by-year parade of Charter Days, like the procession of banners, finds familiar patterns, yet each distinct. Though similar, each has its own colors, symbols and message, and the '78 Charter Day, similar to many before, included unique and different features,-a new kind of banner, new roles for church leaders and new challenges.
     The theme of the celebration was set in the fine Charter Day address by the Rev. Peter Buss, "Strength." True strength is from the Lord alone, and this theme was echoed in the closing remarks by The Academy President, the Rev. Alfred Acton, to conclude the delightful and inspiring Charter Day Banquet. It was also reflected in the challenge Mr. Acton presented as the Sons of the Academy held their Annual Meeting, and in the deliberations of the General Church Board of Directors and the Academy Corporation. (It would be nice-but, unfortunately, inaccurate-to report that this theme was born out in the football, cross country and soccer contests.) A great source of strength for our institutions over the years was given recognition in the preparation and presentation of a unique banner at the Banquet,-a handsome banner in recognition of the great many New Church men and women who support the Academy and New Church education in countless ways although they never attended its schools. Its emblem, the open Word, its motto, "A Light to Lighten the Gentiles,"-this banner will take its place among the growing colorful displays which decorate these celebrations.
     The ladies of the Theta Alpha enjoyed their Annual Meeting and dinner, with the subject of "Commitment" presented by the Rev. L. R. Soneson,-the response to the Lord's call, "Speak, Lord, for Thy servant heareth." The Sons of the Academy devoted a long meeting to the consideration of possible changes in the constitution of the international body, rejecting a proposal to change the name to "Sons of the Academies" and requesting further study of other proposed changes. This meeting and the more relaxed luncheon and gathering which followed heard the challenge of President Acton who pointed out both immediate and long-term threats of government intervention in the freedom of religious schools. They then enjoyed a program of nostalgia as Michael Pitcairn projected movies made forty years earlier showing Academy scenes, activities, personnel and students. The projector brought back vivid memories of many who have since gone to the spiritual world, those we remember as K-R, the Duke, M'Sieur, Homer, Otho, Dordo, Miss Buell, Fink, and others,-as in the other world, restored to youth, with youth restored to many still active, though now grayed, dignified and aged.
     Nostalgia, too, had its moment at the Banquet when the Class of '28 took over to honor its jubilee year with song and reminiscences under the urging of John Schoenberger.
     Inference of strength might be drawn, too, from the fact that in the annual Sons of the Academy cross country run, with more than sixty entries, it was the clergy,-ministers and theologs clearly in the lead!
     These were the 'differences' enhancing the features which were the 'same'-delighted reunions, socializing, a fine banquet with outstanding speeches, songs and program under Master of Ceremonies, the Rev. Bruce Rogers. Also the 'same'-our gratitude to the countless workers who again made possible a celebration which, by renewing our appreciation and affection, has once again added strength to the institutions we cherish.
     LEON S. RHODES

601


LOCAL SCHOOLS DIRECTORY 1978

LOCAL SCHOOLS DIRECTORY              1978

     1978-79

BRYN ATHYN: Rev. Frederick L. Schnarr                Principal
Mr. Yorvar Synnestvedt                              Assistant Principal
Mr. Carl R. Gunther                               Assistant to the Principal
Mrs. Bruce Rogers                               Kindergarten
Miss Gretchen Lee                               Kindergarten
Mrs. Neil Buss                                    Grade 1
Miss Cara Glenn                                    Grade 1
Mrs. Grant Doering                               Grade 2
Mrs. Peter Bostock                               Grade 3
Miss Claudia Bostock                               Grade 3
Miss Rosemary Wyncoll                               Grade 4
Mrs. Robert Johns                               Grade 4
Mrs. Gina Rose                                    Grade 5
Mr. Stephen Morley                               Grade 5          
Miss Kim Umberger                               Grade 6
Miss Elsa Lockhart                               Grade 6
Mrs. Bruce Fuller                               Grade 7, Girls
Mr. Garry Hyatt                                    Grade 7, Boys
Mrs. Peter Stevens                               Grade 8, Girls
Mr. Robert Beiswinger                               Grade 8, Boys
Mr. Richard Show                                    Music
Miss Brenda Rydstrom                               Art Composition
Mr. Gale Smith                                    Physical Education
Mrs. Harry Risley                                   Physical Education
Mr. Kim Junge                                    Physical Education
Mrs. Robert Alden                               Librarian
Mrs. Peter Gyllenhaal                               Remedial Reading, Testing

COLCHESTER: Rev. Patrick A. Rose                     Headmaster
Miss Hilda Waters, Deputy Head                     Grades 1-7

DETROIT: Rev. Walter E. Orthwein                     Principal
Miss Sylvia Parker                               Teacher

DURBAN: Rev. Geoffrey H. Howard                     Headmaster
Miss Kathryn E. Wille                               Grades 1 and 2
Mrs. Brian Lester                               Grades 3 and 4
Miss Suzanne Bernhart                               Grades 5-7
Mrs. Peter Pienaar                               Afrikaans Specialist

GLENVIEW: Rev. Peter M. Buss                     Headmaster
Mrs. Daniel Wright                               Headteacher and Kindergarten
Miss Marie Odhner                               Grade 1
Mrs. Donald Alan                               Grade 2
Mrs. Kenneth Holmes                               Grade 3
Mrs. Ben McQueen                               Grade 4
Miss Cindy Tennis                               Grade 5
Mrs. Daniel Wright                               Grade 6

602



Mr. Gordon McClarren                               Grade 7
Mr. Gary Edmonds                                    Grade 8
Rev. Clark Echols                               Religion
Rev. Brian Keith                                    Religion
Mrs. William Hugo                               Librarian

KITCHENER: Rev. Christopher R. J. Smith               Principal
Rev. Mark R. Carlson                               Religion
Mrs. John H. Hotson                               Grades 1 and 2
Miss Barbara A. Walker                              Grades 3 and 4
Miss Joan N. Kuhl                               Grades 5 and 6
Mr. Karl E. Parker                               Grades 7 and 8

MIDWESTERN
ACADEMY: Rev. Peter M. Buss, President                Religion
Dr. Charles Ebert, Principal                         Mathematics
Mrs. Brian Keith                                    History
Mrs. William Hugo                               Library
Mr. Gordon McClarren                               Math, Science
Miss Cindy Tennis                               Physical Education
Mr. Dan Woodward                                    English, Athletic Director
Rev. Brian Keith                                    Religion
Mrs. Charles Ebert                               Typing
Mr. Gary Edmond                                    French, Art

PITTSBURGH: Rev. Donald L. Rose                     Principal
Mrs. Marion Kendig                               Grades 1 and 2
Mrs. Robert Blair                               Grade 3
Miss Karen Junge                                    Grades 4-6
Mrs. Paul Schoenberger                              Grades 7-9
Mr. Curtis McQueen                               Grades 7-9

TORONTO: Rev. Geoffrey S. Childs                     Principal     
Rev. Robert McMaster                               Assistant Principal
Miss Deborah Sjostedt                               Grades 1-3
Mrs. Barbara Synnestvedt                          Headteacher, Grades 4-6
Mrs. Leigh Bellinger                               Grades 7-8

WASHINGTON: Rev. Daniel W. Heinrichs               Principal
Mr. James Cooper                                    Headteacher, Grades 4-10
Mrs. Frank Mitchell                              Grades 1-4
Mrs. Frido Van Kesteren                          Grades 4-10
Mr. Craig McCardell                               Grades 1-10
Mrs. Fred Waelchli                               Grades 1-10

     Part-time teachers are not included. The teaching staff of the Academy of the New Church is listed in the Catalog Numbers of The Academy Journal.

603


ORDINATION 1978

ORDINATION              1978




     Announcements     
     Cole.-At Bryn Athyn, Pa., Oct. 15, 1978, the Rev. Stephen D. Cole into the second degree of the priesthood, the Rt. Rev. Louis B. King officiating.
CORRECTION 1978

CORRECTION              1978

     It was the Rev. Christopher Bown who was appointed minister to the Connecticut Group and New York-New Jersey Circle, not the Rev. Christopher Brown, as erroneously stated in our November issue, p. 550. A rather diligent search by the editor has unturned no hard-core evidence of the existence of any Rev. Christopher Brown in the priesthood of the General Church.