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1040 [Doc. 314.
APPENDIX.
"Dear friend,
"You address me on account of Swedenborg
and his doctrine, and mention that this curious and important
phenomenon is now beeing taken in hand in Sweden, although the
learned are opposed to its public discussion. You write also,
that inasmuch, as in the Latin letter which I had appended
to the translation of Swedenborg’s work on the Planets made
by a youth of fifteen years, he accepts the literal sense as a
basis, his internal sense in these and other passages may
be readily accepted, provided he acknowledges as well that
what is declared in Scripture takes place also according to
the letter. Yet this Swedenborg is not willing to admit in
most passages, and especially not in those recorded in the
Revelation, e. g. in what is said there in respect to the White
Horse, which appears to the learned as too material. The
reason is that their metaphysics are of too abstract a nature,
and that they polish the things of nature (die Schnecken) so
thoroughly, that at last nothing remains. Suppose we should
treat the words of a reigning prince in this manner, he would
lay our heads before our feet ; on this subject I have spoken
expressly with our sovereign, who as being the rector magni
ficentissimus of the University, may be justly credited with the
soundest views in respect to the Sacred Scripture. You know,
my dear friend, how variously my necessary examinations of
the Swedenborgian doctrines have been judged , after I had
published a book on the subject about five years ago. As an
impartial, learned philosopher you are aware of the dissent
which I expressed in Dr. Klemm’s Theology ; yet I was not
heard to the end, and the whole matter was quashed. In
Sweden, however, this affair turns out to be very interesting.
The confiscated books ought therefore not to be hidden away,
but circulated among people so that they might examine them ;
especially as the confiscation ofthe work has caused it to be twice
reprinted. The best course in the Gottenburg controversy would
be to propose a compromise of the whole matter," &c. The
compromise which Etinger proposes is, to accept Swedenborg’s
spiritual experiences, but to reject his explanations of Scripture.
The next work he published is that entitled Beur
theilungen, &c.; the full title of which is given on p. 1032. This
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