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ANDERS FRYXELL. 1237
he studied mystical writers, this is totally denied by Swedenborg in
a passage to which Fryxell himself refers in a footnote on p. 167,
and where we read, "You desire to know my opinion respecting the
writings of Böhme and L[aw] : I have never read them, and I was
forbidden to read authors on dogmatic and systematic theology,
before heaven was opened to me" (Document 234). Yet in the face
of this very pointed denial on the part of Swedenborg, Fryxell never
theless persists in making the above false statement.
(6) On p. 184 Fryxell, in order to deprive Captain Stålhammar’s
testimony of its weight, does not hesitate to call him a "Sweden
borgian" (swedenborgare), although Stålhammar expressly declares,
"I am far from being a follower of Swedenborg" (see Document 276,
p. 678).
(7) On p. 201 he declares, "Swedenborg looked upon himself as
the founder of the New Church, and therefore in a certain measure
as a second Saviour of mankind ;" and on p. 202 he declares that
Swedenborg taught that "religion was to be regenerated by himself."
These blasphemous statements belong to Fryxell and not to Sweden
borg. Swedenborg himself describes his mission thus, "As the Lord
cannot manifest Himself in person, and yet foretold that He would
come again and establish a New Church which is the New Jerusalem,
it follows that He would do this by a man who could not only
receive the doctrines of that Church with his understanding, but
also publish them by the press." On this account also Swedenborg
on the titlepage of the "True Christian Religion," called himself
"Servant of the Lord Jesus Christ."
(8) On p. 203 he says, "More than most did Swedenborg exalt
good above truth," and on p. 222, "Warm and warming is the zeal
with which he constantly places good above truth." Swedenborg’s
teaching in this respect is, that good without truth is insufficient
and not saving, and likewise truth without good, and that in
order to be saving good must be conjoined with truth, and truth
with good.
Thirdly, in quoting facts and statements a conscientious historian
is expected to quote them correctly, and not to twist and pervert
them. Of this Fryxell has been guilty in what follows:
(9) On p. 200 he asserts that "Swedenborg speaks about the
dragon and his evil spirits, which even before creation were
cast from heaven; and in another place he speaks about the devil
who seduced Eve (see ’Spiritual Diary,’ 4321 , 4323). And thus
in both these cases he assumed the existence of evil spirits, before
any human beings had died, the spirits of whom could be changed
into devils." The first of these statements is a pure assertion on
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