Full resolution (JPEG) - On this page / på denna sida - Sidor ...
<< prev. page << föreg. sida << >> nästa sida >> next page >>
Below is the raw OCR text
from the above scanned image.
Do you see an error? Proofread the page now!
Här nedan syns maskintolkade texten från faksimilbilden ovan.
Ser du något fel? Korrekturläs sidan nu!
This page has never been proofread. / Denna sida har aldrig korrekturlästs.
42 DOCUMENTS CONCERNING SWEDENBORG.
given to make observation on him. I collected much information from several
respectable persons who had conversed with him ; which was the more easy,
as I lived the whole time, as private tutor, in the family of Dr. Celsius, a gentle-
man of distinguished talents, who afterwards became bishop of Scania; he and
many of the eminent persons that frequented his house knew Swedenborg well.
" In the summer of 1766, 1 waited on him at his house ; introducing myself,
with an apology for the freedom I took ; assuring him that it was not in the least
from youthful presumption, (I was then twenty,) but from a strong desire of
conversing, with a character so celebrated. He received me very kindly. It
being early in the afternoon, delicate coffee, without eatables, was served, agree-
ably to the Swedish custom ; he was also, like pensive men in general, fond of
this beverage. We conversed for nearly three hours; principally on the nature
of human souls, and their states in the invisible world ; discussing the principal
theories of psychology, by various authors ; among them the celebrated Dr.
Wallerius, late Professor of Natural Theology at Upsal. He asserted positively,
as he often does in his works, that he had intercourse with spirits of deceased
persons. I presumed, therefore, to request of him as a great favor, to procure
me an interview with my brother, who had departed this life a few months be-
fore, a young clergyman officiating in Stockholm, and esteemed for his devo-
tion, erudition and virtue. He answered, that God having for wise and good
purposes separated the world of spirits from ours, a communication is never
granted without cogent reasons; and asked what my motives were. I confess-
ed that I had none besides gratifying brotherly affection, and an ardent wish to
explore scenes so sublime and interesting to a serious mind. He replied, that
my motives were good, but not sufficient; that if any important spiritual or
temporal concern of mine had been the case, he would then have solicited per-
mission from those angels who regulate those matters.* He showed me the gar-
den. It had an agreeable building ; a wing of which was a kind of temple, to
which he often retired for contemplation ; for which its peculiar structure, and
dim, religious light, were suitable.
* Here the Editors of the New Church Repository appended a note as follows :
—
"Although as to substance there can be no doubt of the correctness of Mr. Collin’s
memory, yet with due deference to that respectable gentleman, we cannot but remark,
that we are of opinion he must have misapprehended one of Swedenborg’s expressions.
We allude to that which is expressed by Mr. Collin in the following words :
’ That if any
important spiritual or temporal concern of mine had been the case, he would then have
solicited permission from those angels who regulate those matters.^ Now, as far as we are
acquainted with the writings of Swedenborg, we have no recollection of his ever having
inculcated the idea, that application for any favor, natural or supernatural, should be
made to angels, hu,t to the Lord alone. We cannot, therefore, but conclude, that the
declaration was either misunderstood, or mis-remembered." Upon which Dr. Collin,
in a letter to the Editors, gave the following explanation :
—
" Gentlemen—Permit me to explain the following words in my conversation with
Swedenborg: ’That if any important spiritual or temporal concern of mine had been
the case, he would then have solicited permission from those angels who regulate such
matters.’ This answer to me is correctly translated from the Swedish. It does not im-
ply, as you apprehend, any worship of angels, but only a request to them, as agents,
by Divine commandment. Christians have generally believed such agency, as appears
from the Bible and ecclesiastical history. Many persons, not chargeable with credulity,
have ascribed to them influence on the human mind, and aid in dangers, when human
means and other causes were incompetent, though this agency was not seen, heard, or
felt by the bodily organs. Swedenborg did, indeed, assert a very familiar intercourse
with them, but not any sort ol adoration.
" Nicholas Collin."
<< prev. page << föreg. sida << >> nästa sida >> next page >>
