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TESTIMONY OF THE REV. JOHN WESLEY. 139
other persons still living who must have heard it too. He
fully, also, supports Mr. Hawkin’s statement in regard to
Mr. Smith’s veracity. Thus it is impossible to doubt
that Mr. Smith affirmed it ; and it is difficult to suppose
that he could either wilfully or unintentially misrepresent
an incident which must have impressed him so strongly,
and of which his consequent adoption of Swedenborg’s
sentiments formed a collateral evidence.
6
" It may here be proper to observe, that the translation
of Swedenborg’s little work On the Intercourse between
the Soul and the Body’ had been published not long
previously (in 1770) , with a preface by the translator,
addressed to the Universities, urging the author’s claims
to attention. This Mr. Wesley had probably seen, and
had thence conceived the desire he acknowledges to see
the author. The discovery that this desire, though it had
remained a secret in his own breast, was known to Swe
denborg, must have affected him very strongly it must
have convinced him that Swedenborg’s assertion, that he
possessed the privilege of conversing with angels and
spirits, was true : and it is natural to suppose that he
would conclude from it, that the cause assigned by
Swedenborg of his having received this privilege, namely,
that he might be qualified for a holy office to which he
had been called, was true also. There is, further, the
strongest evidence that Mr. Wesley’s conviction went as
far as this. I had heard an anecdote demonstrating it
related in conversation by the reverend and venerable Mr.
Clowes, rector of St. John’s, Manchester, whose high
character for every quality that can adorn a minister of
the gospel, and of course for veracity among the rest, is
acknowledged by all who knew him (and few were known
through a wider circle)-by those who differed from him
as well as by those who agreed with him in theological
sentiment ; I therefore wrote to him, to request a written
statement of the particulars, with leave to publish it with
his name ; with which request he kindly complied. The
part of his letter (dated January 19, 1826,) which relates
immediately to this subject, is as follows :
’ My very dear Sir,-In full and free compliance with
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