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66 [Doc. 6.
GENERAL BIOGRAPHICAL NOTICES.
27. His Excellency Count Höpkena, who is still living,
and is highly esteemed and honoured by the Swedish nation
for his profound knowledge, and for having, in the capacity
of prime-minister, conducted the affairs of the kingdom with
great prudence during a most stormy and critical period, asked
Swedenborg one day, why he had published in his writings *,
what so many regarded as mere visions and fictions, and
which led them to despise the admirable doctrines contained
in them . “I was commanded by the Lord to write and publish
them ,” replied Swedenborg ; “do not suppose that, without
such a positive order, I should have thought of publishing
things which I well knew many would regard as falsehoods,
and which would bring ridicule upon myself. If I assure
them that I have received this command, and they are un
willing to believe me, the satisfaction will remain to me of
having obeyed the orders of my God, and I shall answer them
with Paul in the Corinthians: “We are fools for Christ’s sake,
but ye are wise in Christ,” and, “ If we are mad, we are
mad from God.”
28. The same Senator told His Majesty King Gustavus ),
that if it ever happened that the Swedes should found a
colony, the doctrine which Swedenborg had published as the
doctrine of the New Church of Jesus Christ, ought to be
taught there; inasmuch as, according to his principles, the
at the time. To another academician, M. D. Thiebault, she gave a minute
account of the whole occurrence, which was embodied by him in a work
entitled: “ Souvenir de vingt ans de séjour à Berlin ;" a translation of which
will be found in Section XI, where all the various accounts of this occur
rence are examined and sifted.
* Pernety mistook the meaning of Count Höpken’s statement; for the
latter did not ask Swedenborg why he had published his " writings,” but
the “memorable relations" contained in his writings. The whole passage
which is contained in a letter of Count Höpken to a friend (see Section X),
is as follows: "I asked him once why he wrote and published those visions
and memorable relations, which seemed to throw so much ridicule on his
doctrines, otherwise so rational; and whether it would not be best for him
to keep them to himself, and not publish them to the world ? But he
answered, that he had orders from the Lord to publish them , and that
’those who might ridicule him on that account would do him injustice;’
for, says he, ’why should I, who am a man in years, render myself ridi
culous for phantasies and falsehoods."
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