The earnest reader of the “Arcana” will never question the reality of Swedenborg’s mission. He would as soon question the reality of the world, or his own existence. This is a strong assertion, a stranger to the work will perhaps say; but it is only a stranger to these wondrous volumes that will say so; for every one at all familiar with them will agree with us. We never take down a volume of the “Arcana” to read, without feeling more and more assured that Swedenborg was an anointed servant of the Lord. The depths of spiritual experience he reveals, his insight into the inmost recesses of the heart, his explanation of the causes of thoughts, and the origin of our various desires and inclinations, of lowness of spirits, of pleasant and dull moods, in short, of all spiritual trials and temptations, with the heavenly ends they are permitted to serve, together with a thousand other matters which it concerns us all to know, are of such a nature that we cannot but feel that such knowledge must have been derived from a Divine source, and that unless his stand-point had been most peculiar, and providentially appointed, it would have been impossible for him to have written as he has. To speak of the “Arcana” as it deserves, would, to one unacquainted with it, appear like exaggeration, while every reader would feel that we had fallen far short of the truth in many points. No criticism, however reverential, can adequately express the innumerable and marvellous excellencies of the work; and should this feeble testimony to its worth excite any one to read and study it,—and it is a work which should be studied, if read at all,—we know that he will say, as the Queen of Sheba said of Solomon, “It was a true report that I heard of thy acts and of thy wisdom. Howbeit I believed not the words, until I came, and mine eyes had seen it: and behold the half was not told me.”
We have not spoken of those chapters which come between the expositions of Scripture, because the subjects therein treated of will recur in notices of his other books. They serve to diversify the work, and to relieve the mind tasked with the deep thought involved in the spiritual expositions, by the contemplation of some of the leading facts of the future life.
The “Arcana Cœlestia” was translated into English by the late venerable John Clowes, a clergyman of the Established Church in Manchester, and a most cordial receiver and preacher of the doctrines of the New Church. It is published in twelve octavo volumes, with an index prepared by Swedenborg himself, which forms a thirteenth volume. This index has been greatly extended by Elihu Rich, filling two large octavos. Several editions of the “Arcana” have also been published in America; and the sale, considering the size and cost of the work, has been in both countries very considerable. It is a work which will in coming days run through many cheap editions; and when that time shall come, many will wonder why such a treasury of spiritual wisdom lay so long in our midst, and yet men thought so little of it. But the world is approaching Swedenborg as fast as steady progress will permit.
CHAPTER XI.
Anecdotes.
Of Swedenborg’s external life, during the composition of the “Arcana Cœlestia,” we know little. From his “Spiritual Diary,” we incidentally learn that he was in Stockholm on the 23d of July, 1756. A revolution had been attempted, and the leaders of the conspiracy, Count Brahe and Baron Horn, were executed on that day. Swedenborg writes of Brahe thus:—“Brahe was beheaded at ten o’clock in the morning, and spoke with me at ten at night; that is to say, twelve hours after his execution. He was with me almost without interruption for several days. In two days’ time, he began to return to his former life, which consisted in loving worldly things; and after three days, he became as he was before in the world, and was carried into the evils that he had made his own before he died.” (S. Diary, 5099.)
Robsahm, a friend of Swedenborg’s, probably alludes to this circumstance, when he writes: “One day as a criminal was led to the place of execution to be beheaded, I was by the side of Swedenborg, and asked him how such a person felt at the time of his execution. He answered: ‘When a man lays his head on the block, he loses all sensation. When he first comes into the spiritual world, and finds that he is living, he is seized with the fear of his expected death, tries to escape, and is very much frightened. At such a moment no one thinks of anything but the happiness of heaven, or the misery of hell. Soon the good spirits come to him, and instruct him where he is, and he is then left to follow his own inclinations, which soon lead him to the place where he remains for ever.’” It appears that whatever happens at the hour of death, is carried into the other life, and the state is continued for some time. Thus we read in the “Spiritual Diary” of a person who had been reduced by melancholy to despair, until being instigated by diabolical spirits, he destroyed himself, by thrusting a knife into his body. “This spirit came to me,” writes Swedenborg, “complaining that he was miserably treated by evil spirits. He was seen by me, holding a knife in his hand, as though he would plunge it into his breast. With this knife he labored very hard, as wishing rather to cast it from him, but in vain.”
It soon became widely known that Swedenborg had intercourse with spirits; and many and various were the demands made upon him, for information of one kind and another. The Queen of Sweden asked him whether his spiritual intercourse was a science or art that could be communicated to others. He said: “No, it is the gift of the Lord.” “Can you then,” said she, “speak with every one deceased, or only with certain persons?” He answered, “I can not converse with all, but only with such as I have known in this world, with all royal and princely persons, with all renowned heroes, or great and learned men, whom I have known, either personally, or from their actions or writings; consequently with all of whom I could form an idea; for it may be supposed that a person whom I never knew, and of whom I could form no idea, I neither could or would wish to speak with.”
The Prince of Prussia was brother to the Queen of Sweden, and shortly after his death, Swedenborg being at court, the Queen perceiving him said: “Well, Mr. Assessor, have you seen my brother?” He answered, “No.” Whereupon she replied: “If you should see him, remember me to him.” In saying this, she did but jest. Eight days afterwards, Swedenborg came again to court, but so early that the Queen had not left her apartment called the white room, where she was conversing with her maids of honor, and other ladies of the court. Swedenborg did not wait for the Queen’s coming out, but entered directly into her apartment, and whispered in her ear. The Queen, struck with astonishment, was taken ill, and did not recover for some time. After she was come to herself, she said to those about her: “There is only God and my brother who can know what he has just told me.” She owned that he had spoken of her last correspondence with the prince, the subject of which was known to themselves alone.