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230 DOCUMENTS CONCERNING SWEDENBORS.
XI.VIII.
EXTRACT
FROM THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY
OF BISHOP SWEDBERG,SWEDENBORG’S FATHER,
RESPECTING THE NAMES OF HIS SONS.
(From Dr. TafeVs Magazine.)
The following is an extract from an unpuLlished biography of Jesper Swedberg, writ-
ten by himself, dated April, 1729.
" 24. Moreover, I kept myself humble, and entreated no sponsors of rank^ as
is commonly the case [to stand for my children] ; and I shall give the reasaiis
why I called my sons Emanuel, EUezer, and Jesper, and none, according to
custom, after their grandfathers, or any person of the family ;
(Albrecht &e
eldest, of whom I have just spoken, was born during my travels in foreign parts,
and his mother named him after her father), I do not find in the whole Bible
a single example, in which children have received the names of their parents
or forefathers. I will only mention the patriarch Jacob, and king David ; tke
former had holy, celebrated, glorious ancestors, extensively kiiown, and he had
twelve sons, of whom not one was called Abraham, Isaac, or Jacob. King
David had also many sons, not one of whom he called Jesse, or David. Solo-
mon had also many sons, none of whom he called David, Jesse, or Solomon ;
and amongst his numerous descendants there were many kings and princes,
and not one was called Solomon or David. This good custom, however, had,
before the time of Christ, given way, as is evident from the history of John the
Baptist, whom at first they wished to name after his father Zacharias (Luke i.
59), which is a noble and significant name, —memoria Domini, that is, remem-
brance of the Lord, in order that he might be constantly mindful of the Lord.
" 25. Hereby however, I by no means presume to blame or to disapprove of
those who call their children after their own names ; yet I hope and expect*
that nobody will blame my manner (of naming children), since I have the Bible
and the examples of many saints on my side ; and I have the full conviction
that only such names should be given to children as awaken the fear of God m
them, and keep them mindful of propriety and virtue ; and not, as many incon-
siderate parents do who give improper names to their children, such as Bjore,
Ulf, Thorheol, after the heathen god Thor, and do not think of the answer which
the reasonable Abigail gave to king David concerning her husband Nabal,
* Let not my Lord, I pray thee, set his heart against this man of Belial:, even
Nabal : for as his name is, so is he ; Nabal* is his name, and folly is with him*^
(1 Sam XXV. 25). Emanuel, my son’s name, signifies ’ God with us,’—a name
which should constantly remind him of the nearness of God, and of that interior,
holy, and mysterious connection, in which, through faith, ws stand v/ith our
•good and gracious God. And blessed be the Lord’s name I God has to this
hour indeed been with him ; and may God be farther with him, until he is
* " Nabal," in Hebrew, signifies f«lly
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