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Doc. 293.] WAS SWEDENBORG A FREEMASON? 739
(The New Church and its influence on the study of theology
in Sweden), Part IV, pp. 63 to 88, where he sums up the result
of his investigations in the following words :
"The agreement between the dogmas of Freemasonry and
the New Jerusalem has no doubt led Reghellini di Schio to
the idea, that Swedenborg was one of the most celebrated
reformers among the Masons, and had himself founded a lodge
of nine degrees. This assertion, however, which is made in
Rhegellini’s work entitled: ’La Maçonnerie considerée comme
le résultat des religions égyptienne, juive, et chrétienne,’ lacks
every historical basis, so far as it has been possible to trace
up this matter. Swedenborg did not found, but some of his
friends and disciples, e. g. Chastanier222 and Pernety,34 have
founded Masonic lodges. And one result attained by their
efforts is that within the ranks of Freemasonry they have
directed the ideas of men to the doctrines of the New Jeru
salem, so that these doctrines have really exerted an influence
upon the progress and development of the order in Sweden, as
well as in other countries" (p. 70).
In other places (p. 83 and 84) Dr. Kahl furnishes parti
culars of the orders that were thus introduced by Benedict
Chastanier and Abbé Pernety.
An emissary of the Society in Avignon founded by Per
nety, Count Grabianka, arrived in London in 1786, and endea
voured to interest the members of the New Church in England
in the mysteries of the order. A minute account of this visit
is contained in Hindmarsh’s "Rise and Progress of the New
Jerusalem Church," pages 41 to 49, to which we refer those
who desire additional information on this subject
.
47*
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