Well, then, might Swedenborg disclaim the authorship of the ideas in the Apocalypse Revealed, and ask: “What man can draw such things from himself?” Those who tell us that Swedenborg was self-deceived, must either know very little of what they speak about, or must be quite as ignorant of the capacity of the human mind and its powers of invention. For ourselves, we could as readily believe that Swedenborg created the world, as we could believe that the spiritual sense of the Apocalypse, and of the whole Word, was a fiction of his brain. Were the spiritual sense of the Word such a fiction, then it must be said that there lived a man in the last century, with an intellect and creative faculty, compared with which those of all the philosophers and poets of past and present time combined, were as nothing. We leave revilers of Swedenborg to make their choice; either to admit the existence of the spiritual sense of the Word; or, denying its existence, and pronouncing Swedenborg’s discovery either a delusion or an imposture, to admit that Swedenborg was a man wholly unique—a genius infinitely surpassing any which the world has ever known, and endowed with a power of invention which the mind of a nation incarnate in one man could never hope to rival.
But it will never come to such a pass. Anyone who will take the trouble candidly to examine the subject, will become convinced of the spiritual sense of the Word, and of the truth of Swedenborg’s revelations regarding it. The denial and mockery of them can only coexist with an ignorance, more or less profound, of their nature; or, worse still, from a hatred of the truth, grounded in the life and love of evil. The spiritual sense of the Word is no invention. It is a discovery,—accomplished by Divine means, however,—just as the finding of Australia was a discovery; and we shall believe in its existence if we become practically acquainted with it through reverent thought and study; even as We should know Australia best, did we go there.
It may be said: “Well, suppose the spiritual sense of the Apocalypse does describe the fall of the Christian Church, and the inauguration of the New Church; and typifies the doctrine of justification by faith alone by the Dragon; and the Romanists and their lust of dominion and atrocious deeds by Babylon and the great Harlot sitting upon many waters; what then? It is true such descriptions must ever have a certain interest, but not sufficient to render them subjects of universal study in all ages, and worthily forming a part of that Divine Book which is read by angels in heaven, as well as by men on earth.” The objection is a sound one so far as it goes, but it is made in ignorance of a great but very simple truth, namely, that all that is true of a church is true of an individual. The trust in mere truth in the intellect, and the lust of power and glory,—the former signified by the Dragon, and the latter by Babylon,—are evils which exist in all minds to a greater or less degree; and the Divine description of their nature and awful consequences may be thought of apart from any idea of Geneva or Rome. The Apocalypse being a divine work, has infinite applications, and will be read to eternity in spheres where the names of Romanist and Protestant are unknown; and in societies of glorified spirits, compared with whose number and influence this world is insignificant.
CHAPTER XXI.
Travels—Habits—Anecdotes.
In April, 1766, Swedenborg again visited England in order to observe the effect of his writings upon the English people. Of this visit we have no account, except in reference to its conclusion, in September of the same year, when he returned to Stockholm. Mr. Springer, the Swedish Consul in London, an old friend of Swedenborg’s, has left the following interesting record of some incidents connected with his return.
“Swedenborg was about to depart for Sweden, and desired me to procure him a good captain, which I did. I made the agreement with a person named Dixon. Swedenborg’s effects were carried on board the vessel, and as his apartments were at some distance from the port, we took, for that night, a chamber at an inn near it, because the captain of the vessel was to come and fetch him in the morning. Swedenborg went to bed; and I went to sit in another room, with the master of the house, with whom I was conversing. We both heard a remarkable noise, and could not apprehend what it could be, and therefore drew near to a door, where there was a little window that looked into the chamber where Swedenborg lay. We saw him with his arms raised toward heaven, and his body appeared to tremble. He spoke much for the space of half an hour, but we could understand nothing of what he said, except that when he let his hands fall down, we heard him say with a loud voice, ‘My God!’ But we could not hear what he said more. He remained afterwards very quietly in his bed. I entered into his chamber with the master of the house, and asked him if he was ill. ‘No,’ said he; ‘but I have had a long discourse with some of the heavenly friends, and am at this time in a great perspiration.’ And as his effects were embarked on board the vessel, he asked the master of the house to let him have a shirt; he then went again to bed, and slept till morning.
“When the captain of the vessel came to fetch Swedenborg, I took my leave of him, and wished him a happy voyage. I then asked the captain if he was provided with good and necessary provisions. He answered me, that he had as much as was needful for the voyage. On this, Swedenborg said: ‘My friend, we shall not need a great quantity: for this day week we shall, by the aid of God, enter the port of Stockholm at two o’clock.’ It happened exactly as he foretold, as Dixon informed me; saying, that a violent gale accelerated the voyage, that the wind was favorable at every turn of the vessel, and that he never in all his life had so prosperous a voyage.”
Arriving at Stockholm on the 8th of September, Swedenborg resided in the Sudermalm, the southern suburb of the city. Robsahm tells us: “His house was built and arranged after his own taste; the apartments were rather small, but suitable for himself. Although he was a man of most profound learning, no other books were seen in his study than the Hebrew and Greek Bible, together with his own indexes to his works, whereby he saved himself the trouble, when referring to different passages, of going through all he had before written.