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HIS LETTERS TO DR. G. A BEYER. 123
XXII.
LETTERS
FROM
SWEDENBORG TO DR. BEYER,*
GREEK PROFESSOR, AND ASSESSOR IN THE CONSISTORY OF GOTTENBURG,
ON VARIOUS SUBJECTS.
This gentleman, in the year 1766,t became one of Swedenborg’s mostintimate/riends,
and one of the most active promoters of his sentiments. This drew upon him a severe
persecution from the Consistory at Gottenburg. The matter was carried before the
supreme government, when, in compliance with an order from the king, Dr. Beyer
presented to his majesty, Jan. 2, 1770, a declaration of his sentiments in regard to the
doctrines of Swedenborg.:}: Towards the close, the amiable and learned author expresses
himself thus; "In obedience to your majesty’s most gracious command, that I should
deliver a full and positive declaration respecting the writings of Swedenborg, I do
acknowledge it to be my duty to declare, in all humble confidence, that so far as I
have proceeded in the study of them, and according to such gifts for investigation and
judgment as I possess, I have found in them nothing but what closely coincides with the
words of the Lord himself; and they shine with a light truly divine." The following
are certain letters which Swedenborg wrote to this learned and pious individual.
LETTER I.
To Dr. Beyer.
" I have now at length arrived at the end of the Apocalypsis, and send you, Sir,
eight copies thereof, two bound, and six in sheets, which you will please to dis-
pose of in the following manner : one copy for yourself, one for the bishop, one
for the dean, one for Dr. Rosen, one for the mayor (Mr. Patterson), and one for
the library ; the other two you may lend out to your friends. At the conclusion
of every chapter there are memorable relations separated from the text by asterisks,
which you will please to read over first, whereby a fundamental knowledge
will be acquired of the miserable state to which the reformed churches are re-
duced by the doctrine of faith alone. I am now going from this place for Eng-
land, where some disturbance has most likely arisen, as the bishops of England
are strongly pointed out in the memcrable relations, but necessity required it. —
I
remain, &c.,
" Emanuel Swedenborg.
"Amsterdam, April 8, 1766."
* See JVeio Jerusalem, Magazine, 1790, p. 30, where the ibllowing letters are said to be
faithfully translated from the original by J. Strand.
t We have seen above p. 75, the way in which Dr. Beyer first became acquainted
with Swedenborg and his writings.
X It may be seen in the Intellectual Repository, vol. i. (first series,) p. 113 : it has also
been since published in the form of a small tract : for it contains a masterly vindication
of the sentiments selected by the Consistory for condemnation. This document v/e
shall adduce below.
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