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324 [Doc. 245.
TRIAL AT GOTTENBURG.
importance for time and eternity. It is therefore a source of
rejoicing to me that an opportunity now offers for doing so.
For I must look upon your instruction in this light, that I
am to express in the Consistory, or publicly, my real senti
ments in respect to Swedenborgianism so- called, and I am
glad of this for several reasons. One is, that the public, and,
indeed, also some among the learned, from their great ignor
ance of the subject, do not seem to be sufficiently prepared
to hear truthful testimony respecting it ; secondly, that it is
necessary to put an end to the unpleasant controversies which
are most certainly to be expected from the intense hatred
with which even mere vague reports respecting Assessor
Swedenborg’s doctrinal views are regarded ; a further reason
is, that genuine truths require a calm, settled state of mind,
and cannot thrive amidst turmoil, but if they are of God,
they, nevertheless, cannot be overthrown (Acts v, 39) ; and a
final reason is, that I could never expect to be treated ac
cording to law in the Consistory and in this place, as ap
pears sufficiently from the printed Minutes of the Consistory,
e. g. pp. 111 and 115.
"Your Royal Majesty’s gracious order, under God’s pro
vidence, does away with these objections, and in giving my
humble opinion, and making my defence, this order shall be
the pole star by which I shall be guided.
"Your gracious order expressly says, first, that a humble
opinion should be submitted how the members of the Con
sistory have found Swedenborg’s doctrinal views. Upon com
parison with the memorial of the Chancellor of Justice, which
has been most graciously communicated, it appears that the
opinion should be expressed in positive terms, after presuma
bly complete information has been acquired from Assessor Sweden
borg’s theological works. My own most humble opinion would
certainly have influenced the general finding of the Consistory,
which is obtained by a process of voting ; but as this is in
the closest connection with the separate defence which I am
most graciously ordered to make, I entreat that I may, in
all humility, be allowed to make my statement here as well.
"Having been from childhood interested and zealous in the
study of the established form of doctrine , as is proved by
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